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Biomedical subjects

M O'Neill

Publications and source records attributed to M O'Neill.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Diagnosis of vertical human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection by whole blood culture.

The qualitative and quantitative performance of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) whole blood culture method was assessed for use in the diagnosis of vertical HIV-1 infection. This method requires < 1 mL of whole blood and allows for the quantification of blood virus load. HIV-1 was isolated from 36 (95%) of 38 whole blood specimens from 27 HIV-1-infected children compared with 0 of 16 whole blood specimens from 16 uninfected children. HIV-1 titers were significantly higher in severely symptomatic children (2450 TCID/mL) than in less symptomatic children (179 TCID/mL). This simple quantitative culture assay may be useful for the early diagnosis of vertical HIV-1 infection, the assessment of blood virus load, and the evaluation of antiretroviral therapies.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

The radiology of rheumatoid involvement of the cervical spine.

The radiological features of cervical spine involvement in rheumatoid arthritis are described. These include atlanto-axial subluxation, in both the horizontal and vertical planes, sub-axial dislocation, erosions, and vertebral end plate sclerosis. Detailed radiological investigation, using inclined plane radiography, auto-tomography, tomography, and myelography may all be required to demonstrate the abnormalities. Disorders of mobility can only be assessed with dynamic views and fluoroscopy and the mechanics of these derangements vary depending on the type of subluxation encountered. The cumulative effects of the lesions conform to certain characteristic patterns and include marked reduction of neck height, disorders of mobility, and changes in the capacity of the spinal canal. The discrepancy between these changes and the clinical and neurological findings is discussed.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

Electrodermal indices of public offending and recidivism.

Three hypotheses based on the relationship between electrodermal activity and 'psychopathic' behaviour were investigated. These hypotheses are that 'psychopathic' behaviour relates to frequency of spontaneous fluctuations (Schalling, 1978), orienting response recovery time (Mednick, 1975) and orienting response amplitude (Siddle, Nicol and Foggitt, 1973). Non-recidivistic domestic offenders and highly recidivistic public offenders were compared on two test sessions. The high public risk recidivists had relatively lower rates of spontaneous fluctuation on both test sessions (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.02) and longer recovery OR(t/2)(p less than 0.05) on the first session. Reductions in fluctuation rate over sessions were significant for both groups, but were very much greater in the domestic offenders (p less than 0.001) than in the public offenders. OR amplitude did not discriminate between groups.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Interaction site of Escherichia coli cyclic AMP receptor protein on DNA of galactose operon promoters.

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) and its receptor protein (CRP) have a dual role in the regulation of the two promoters that control the galactose (gal) operon of Escherichia coli. One promoter, P1, requires cAMP-CRP for activity; the other, P2, is inhibited by these factors. We have examined the interactions site of cAMP-CRP on gal DNA by using two types of protection experiments, involving DNase digestion and methylation by dimethyl sulfate. Our results indicate that cAMP-CRP binds to gal DNA in a segment located between 50 and 24 base pairs preceding the P1 start point for transcription. Although the location of the cAMP-CRP interaction site is clearly different in gal and lac DNA, comparison of the DNA sequences suggests a similar recognition sequence. The location of the cAMP . CRP-binding site in gal further suggests that protein-protein interactions between RNA polymerase and cAMP . CRP play an important role in transcription initiation at the gal and possibly other cAMP-dependent promoters.

Base Sequence

Pericardial-fluid complement: normal values.

Reports of low pericardial-fluid complement levels in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis have been difficult to interpret, as few data are available to describe complement concentrations in patients without pericardial disease. The authors therefore determined normal values under standardized conditions of collection, storage, and assay. The normal ranges for pericardial-fluid C3, C4, and total hemolytic complement were 35-127 mg/dl, 6.3-23 mg/dl, and 1.9-9.1 CH50 units, respectively. Storage at -20 C resulted in a 50% reduction in values. Hence, storage at -70 C is recommended. As the level of pericardial-fluid total hemolytic complement is normally low, caution is needed in interpreting its apparent reduction in various immunologic diseases.

Complement C3

Simple behaviour rating scales for maximum security patients: development and validation.

An outline is given of objective behaviour rating scales developed for use by nurse custodians in the maximum security hospital setting. Four independent scales are described: (a) antisocial belligerence, (b) disorientation, (c) withdrawal and (d) personal hygiene. The scales gave high test-retest and inter-rater reliabilities. Various indications of validity and potential usefulness of the scales are given. In particular, a probable relationship of the scales (a) and (c) with an impulsivity/overcontrol dimension is suggested-this relating to the type of aggressive offending recorded.

Adult

Immediate IgA precursor cells in rabbit intestinal lamina propria.

Immunofluorscence studies have shown that injection of lymphocytes from either the intestinal lamina propria (LP) or from the Peyer's patches (PP) into irradiated (1000-1250 rad) allogeneic rabbits leads to the differentiation and proliferation of IgA containing cells in the spleen, mesenteric lymph node (MLN) and intestine by day 6 and to a lesser extent by day 4. In contrast, few IgA containing cells were seen in irradiated animals not given lymphocytes or given popliteal lymph node cells. Transfer of PP lymphocytes resulted in statistically greater numbers of IgA containing cells in the recipient MLN or spleen than did transfer of LP lymphocytes. In the PP of recipient rabbits given either LP or PP lymphocytes, intercellular IgA was abundant and more IgA containing cells were seen near the PP than in sites distant from PP. These results show that IgA precursor cells are present in the intestinal LP as well as in the PP. The nature and distribution of the IgA precursor and the characteristics of the IgA repopulation are discussed.

Animals

Cytotoxic activities of gut mucosal lymphoid cells in guinea pigs.

Populations of lymphoid cells were obtained from the gastrointestinal tract of guinea pigs and compared with splenic cells for effector cell activity in assays of spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC), mitogen-induced cellular cytotoxicity (MICC), and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Lymphoid cells were isolated from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), Peyer's patches (PP), and the small intestinal mucosa. Mucosal lymphoid cells were separated into a population of cells containing intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), and a second population of cells containing intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), and a second population of cells containing lamina propria (LP) lymphocytes by a combination of physical and enzymatic methods. All populations of lymphoid cells from the gastrointestinal tract were capable of mediating MICC. Relative to spleen cells, IEL possessed more MICC effector cell activity whereas cells from MLN, PP, and LP possessed less activity. In contrast, SCMC and ADCC effector cell activities were present only in the IEL population and these cytotoxic activities were comparable to that of splenic cells. These results demonstrate that mucosal lymphoid cells possess cytotoxic effector cell activities that may contribute to local mucosal immunologic reactivity.

Animals

Functional T cells in rabbits gut mucosal lymphocytes.

Functional studies of Peyer's patch and gut mucosa lymphocytes were performed in mixed lymphocyte culture reaction (MLC), an in vitro measure of the capacity of T cells to recognize and respond to cell surface alloantigens. The data demonstrate the functional effectiveness of both these mucosal lymphocyte populations in one-way MLC, both as responding as well as stimulating cells. Both the responding and stimulating capacities of these cells in MLC were almost the same as observed for lymphocytes obtained from either spleen or thymus. We conclude that functional T cells exist in both rabbit gut lamina propria and Peyer's patches with approximately the same quantitative capacity to respond in the MLC.

Animals