Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

N Harris

Publications and source records attributed to N Harris.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Frequency-dependent properties of cerebral blood transport--an experimental study in anaesthetized rabbits.

Carotid arterial blood pressure and blood flow velocity in the basilar artery were studied in nine New Zealand rabbits under general anaesthesia. The cerebrovascular impedances for mean and maximal flow velocity were defined as the ratios of the respiratory and pulse waveforms of arterial blood pressure and blood flow velocities. The absolute values of these impedances were expressed and analysed as functions of frequency. Both functions decreased as frequency increased, demonstrating that a pulsatile blood movement need a lower energy expenditure than a continuous one. A minimum absolute value of impedance for flow velocity mean was found near 2.5-4 Hz in each rabbit. The impedance for mean flow velocity could be modelled by a second-order circuit, whereas the distribution of impedance for the maximal velocity had a more uniform character and could be approximated by a first-order model. A method of assessment of changes in cerebrovascular resistance using frequency properties of calculated impedance was proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Maudsley reactive and non-reactive rats differ in exploratory behavior but not in learning.

The Maudsley reactive (MR) and Maudsley non-reactive (MNR) inbred rat strains were created as an animal model of anxiety, based on open field behavior. We wished to determine whether previously described characteristic open field behavior and learning deficits in conditioned avoidance could be generalized to other paradigms of exploratory behavior (such as the staircase test) and learning (such as the T-maze swim test). As with other open field paradigms, the MR rats showed stable and large differences in the staircase test, compared with the MNR rats. In contrast, large and stable learning differences in conditioned avoidance and T-maze swim tests were not observed. We conclude that the MR rats exhibit exploratory behavior that is inhibited in a wide variety of paradigms, but learning deficits are not major characteristics of the phenotype. The inhibited exploratory behavior is a stable characteristic with large inter-strain differences, making measures of open field behavior suitable for quantitative trait loci analysis to determine the genes which explain these large and stable strain differences. Identification of these genes could provide clues to the genetic origins of some human anxiety disorders.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Ordered assembly of a functional preinitiation transcription complex, containing vaccinia virus early transcription factor and RNA polymerase, on an immobilized template.

A functional preinitiation transcription complex was formed by incubating vaccinia virus early transcription factor VETF and RAP94+ RNA polymerase with an early promoter template immobilized on paramagnetic particles. A preferred order of assembly, VETF followed by RNA polymerase, was demonstrated by stepwise addition experiments. ATP was unnecessary for preinitiation transcription complex formation, but divalent cations were required specifically for the association of RNA polymerase.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Modulation of leukocyte migration in mesenteric interstitium.

Intravital videomicroscopy was used to monitor the migration of leukocytes in rat mesenteric interstitium following exposure of the mesentery to either N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), platelet-activating factor (PAF), or ischemia-reperfusion (I-R). All inflammatory stimuli resulted in interstitial migration rates that were higher than those measured in unstimulated extravasated leukocytes. The median migration rate of cells stimulated with FMLP was significantly higher than those observed during superfusion with either LTB4 or PAF or following exposure to I-R. The enhanced leukocyte migration rates elicited by I-R were not attenuated by treatment with PAF- and LTB4-receptor antagonists, suggesting that these lipid mediators are not the inflammatory mediators responsible for I-R-induced leukocyte migration. Additional experiments revealed that the rate of leukocyte migration associated with FMLP stimulation was not significantly altered by either inhibitors of neutrophilic elastase and cathepsin G, a monoclonal antibody directed against the leukocyte adhesion glycoprotein CD11/CD18, or by altering interstitial hydration. This in vivo model provides a useful new approach for defining the factors that modulate leukocyte migration within the extravascular compartment.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Physicians.

Physicians are adapting to managed care. Tomorrow's doctors will be encouraged to enter primary care and will be exposed to more practice settings.

Capitation Fee↗
PubMed1993

Transcription initiation factor activity of vaccinia virus capping enzyme is independent of mRNA guanylylation.

Cytoplasmic extracts of vaccinia virus-infected HeLa cells blocked in DNA replication were capable of transcribing templates containing the minimal promoter sequences derived from three viral intermediate-stage genes (A1L, A2L, and G8R) but not promoters from early or late genes. One of three isolated components required for transcription copurified with the viral capping enzyme, a heterodimeric protein responsible for forming the 7-methyl-guanosine(5')triphospho(5')nucleoside [m7G(5')ppp(5')N-] structure at the 5' end of mRNAs, as had been reported using a template with another intermediate promoter [Vos, J. C., Sasker, M. & Stunnenberg, H. G. (1991) EMBO J. 10, 2553-2558]. Transcription factor activity was associated with partially, purified capping enzyme from infected cell extracts, homogeneous enzyme from purified virions, and recombinant viral enzyme from Escherichia coli. By transcribing truncated templates of different sizes, we determined that RNA chains of 35 nt were capped whereas those of 15 nt were not. Nevertheless, the capping enzyme was required for formation of short uncapped transcripts, indicating that capping and transcription initiation factor activities are independent functions.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Impaired blood flow and arterio-venous shunting in human diabetic neuropathy: a novel technique of nerve photography and fluorescein angiography.

New techniques of sural nerve photography and fluorescein angiography which are able to provide an index of nerve blood flow have been developed. Under local anaesthetic, 3 cm of sural nerve was exposed at the ankle using an operating microscope. Without disturbing the epineurium, vessels were identified and photographed at a standard magnification (x 30). These were independently graded by an ophthalmologist not otherwise involved with the study. Fluorescein angiography was then carried out on the exposed nerve. The fluorescein appearance time and intensity of fluorescence were quantified, using computer analysis of digitised images. Thirteen subjects with chronic sensory motor neuropathy, five non-neuropathic diabetic and nine normal control subjects were studied. The mean epineurial vessel pathology score of the neuropathic group was significantly higher than the combined normal control and non-neuropathic diabetic groups (p < 0.01). Direct epineurial arteriovenous shunting was observed in six neuropathic and one non-neuropathic diabetic patients and not in any of the normal control subjects. The nerve fluorescein appearance time was significantly delayed in subjects with chronic sensory motor neuropathy (51.5 +/- 12 s) compared to both normal (34.7 +/- 9 s, p < 0.01) and non-neuropathic diabetic subjects (33.4 +/- 11 s, p < 0.025). The mean intensity of fluorescence at 96, 252 and 576 s, was significantly lower in subjects with chronic sensory motor neuropathy compared with both of the other groups (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arteries↗
PubMed1993

Effects of repeated stress on plasma arginine levels in young and old rats.

The effect of age and recurring stress responses on endogenous plasma arginine (ARG) concentrations were determined. Blood from catheterized young (3 months) and old (24 months) were used to ascertain the plasma concentrations of ARG under baseline conditions, during a 30-min immobilization experience and during a 3.5 h poststress period. Rats were again immobilized and blood drawn following a 1 day rest period (day 3) and then after an additional 3 day rest period (day 7). For young animals, ARG levels decrease significantly after 30 min of stress and remain suppressed during the entire poststress period (3.5 h). After a 1 day rest period, these young rats may have exhibited adaptation to stress on day 3. Old animals showed little or no reduction in plasma ARG concentrations during and after immobilization stress exposure on all three occasions. Baseline levels of old animals were lower in comparison to young animals and their stress responses were smaller. Thus, it is possible that significant changes in plasma ARG levels (as the nitric oxide precursor) during or after stress could serve as an indicator of impending pathology such as cardiovascular disease or immunocompetency.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

Scalds related to bleeding domestic heating radiators.

While scalds are the commonest burns within the home, scalds resulting from bleeding domestic central heating radiators have not previously been reported. We have encountered two examples of significant burns to the hands received in this way. The incidence of these injuries in the UK is unknown but several similar cases have been identified by the Consumer Safety Unit of the Department of Trade and Industry. The mechanism of injury is described and recommendations made for safely bleeding domestic central heating radiators.

Aged↗