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Biomedical subjects

R Ward

Publications and source records attributed to R Ward.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Glycerol kinase deficiency inhibits glycerol utilization in phosphoglyceride and triacylglycerol biosynthesis.

Glycerol 3-phosphate is an initial metabolite in the biosynthesis of phosphoglycerides and triacylglycerols. Both glycerol and glucose are precursors of glycerol 3-phosphate. Cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with glycerol kinase deficiency utilized glucose, but not glycerol in the biosynthesis of phosphoglycerides and triacylglycerols. Phosphoglyceride and triacylglycerol biosynthesis in glycerol kinase deficiency fibroblasts is not diminished by the inability to use glycerol as a precursor of glycerol 3-phosphate.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1985

Antiserum to prolactin lowers blood pressure (BP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The role of PRL in the development of hypertension in the SHR was examined by administering PRL antiserum to neonatal SHR. On days 2-7 post partum, male SHR were injected with 50 microliters/day of either antiserum to PRL (which chronically lowers plasma PRL), normal rabbit serum (NRS), or 0.9% NaCl. Heart rate, BP, and body weight were measured biweekly on weeks 6-14 of age. Anti-PRL lowered BP vs. NaCl on weeks 6, 8, 12, and 14 (range 7-17 mm Hg lower). NRS animals showed BP differences from the NaCl group only on weeks 6 and 14, with no consistent effect. Heart rates fell during the study in the NaCl and anti-PRL groups but not in the NRS group. Anti-PRL and NRS groups had higher heart rates than did the NaCl group. Body weights did not differ between groups except on week 14, when the NRS group weighed less than the NaCl group. These results suggest that while PRL is involved in BP regulation in the SHR, it is not involved in the pathogenesis of the genetic hypertension seen in the strain. In addition, the results suggest that the serum treatment may have caused heart damage which led to an elevation in the heart rates of the serum-treated groups.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Agnathia-holoprosencephaly: a developmental field complex involving face and brain. Report of 3 cases.

Agnathia-holoprosencephaly (A-H) is a developmental field complex involving a graded series of defects in the jaws, mouth, tongue, ears, eyes, and brain. Two general groups can be recognized: agnathia with holoprosencephaly (more severe) and agnathia without holoprosencephaly (less severe). This report describes three new cases of agnathia without holoprosencephaly and reviews the recent literature. By combining published cases with those ascertained through a survey of genetic centers in the United States, it appears that there have been at least 24 occurrences of A-H in the past 25 years. An inductive defect of the prechordal mesoderm that also affects neural crest cells is presented as the cause for this developmental field complex. Because of the etiologic heterogeneity associated with developmental field defects, the genetic counselor must provide a wide range of recurrence risks when dealing with the A-H complex.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1985

A procedure for the investigation of anesthetic/surgical deaths.

A procedure for the investigation of surgical/anesthetic deaths is presented which allows for clearly defined jurisdictional assessment and correlates the autopsy and toxicological findings with the pathophysiology of the anesthetic/surgical event. This procedure facilitates an accurate certification of the cause of death in patients who die during surgery and anesthesia.

Anesthesia, General↗
PubMed1985

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa and pyloric atresia in two siblings.

Pyloric atresia is a rare disorder that has been seen in association with epidermolysis bullosa. Two male siblings with pyloric atresia and the junctional form of epidermolysis bullosa, confirmed by electron microscopy, are described herein. These cases strengthen the relationship between junctional epidermolysis bullosa and pyloric atresia, which are probably transmitted together in an autosomal-recessive pattern.

Epidermolysis Bullosa↗
PubMed1984

Attenuation of psychosocial stress-induced hypertension by gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) administration in rats.

This study investigated a model of psychosocial stress-induced hypertension in the rat, and examined effects of the prostaglandin E precursor, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) on the development of hypertension during psychosocial stress. In the first study, male rats were housed four/cage for an acclimation period of 21 days, followed by a 14-day control period. An experimental group (N = 12) was then placed in isolation cages for 14 days, then regrouped for a 7-day recovery period. Controls (N = 12) remained group-housed. Eight animals per group were sacrificed after the experimental period, and four per group after recovery for organ weight analysis. Mean systolic blood pressure (BP) was similar between groups during the control period (126 +/- 2 and 125 +/- 2 mm Hg), but increased during isolation, reaching 140 +/- 2 mm Hg (P less than 0.001) by Day 14. During recovery BP returned to control levels. No changes in heart rate, heart weight/body weight or adrenal weight were seen. The second study utilized a protocol similar to that of the experimental group of the first study, minus the recovery period. On Day 1 of the control period 28-day osmotic pumps were implanted ip, releasing olive oil or GLA in olive oil. Four groups of rats (N = 8/group) received either (i) olive oil (controls), (ii) 0.018 mg GLA/hr, (iii) 0.040 mg GLA/hr, or (iv) 0.040 mg GLA/hr with no stress. Organ weights were obtained following stress in groups 1-3. Controls developed a sustained elevation in BP within 24 hr of isolation. Animals receiving 0.018 mg GLA/hr developed elevated BP upon isolation, but the BP was less than that of controls on Days 1 (P less than 0.05) and 14 (P less than 0.001) of isolation. Animals receiving 0.040 mg GLA/hr demonstrated a greatly attenuated rise in BP vs controls (P less than 0.001) on all isolation days. GLA in unstressed rats had no effect on BP. Heart rate, heart weight/body weight, and adrenal weight were unchanged in all groups. These data suggest that (i) isolation is a useful tool for investigating reversible psychosocial stress-induced hypertension, and (ii) GLA, while not affecting BP in unstressed animals, produces a dose-dependent attenuation of the BP response to chronic stress.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1984

Studies on gastrointestinal mucus.

Mucus is secreted throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The primary secretion is the water insoluble gel adherent to the mucosal surface but substantial amounts of mucus also occur in the lumen. The following are discussed: the functions of mucus; the structure and properties of mucus; study of the adherent mucus gel on the mucosal surface; the effects on mucus properties of proteolysis; thiol agents; bile salts; acid and hyperosmolar solutions. Much of our work on mucus has been with that from the stomach but where possible studies on the intestines and colon are discussed. Studies show that mucous secretions from the different regions of the gastrointestinal tract have similar rheological properties although the component glycoproteins differ in their detailed structure.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

IgE myeloma associated with plasma cell leukaemia.

A patient presented with plasma cell leukaemia and was found to have an IgE secreting multiple myeloma. IgE myeloma is very rare with only 18 cases recorded. However, this case is the fifth recorded of IgE myeloma associated with plasma cell leukaemia. Since plasma cell leukaemia only occurs in 1.6% of all cases of myeloma, it seems certain that this is a significant association.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Sex-typing and cross-sex-typing in "androgynous" subjects.

Bem Sex-Role Inventory protocols from 848 subjects were categorized as androgynous or nonandrogynous according to each of three current scoring systems. Androgynous protocols by each scoring system were then examined for sex differences in trait item endorsements. The t-score method generated androgynous subjects who were cross-sex-typed, while androgynous subjects defined by the median split method tended to be same-sex-typed. Androgynous subjects by the intersect method presented the fewest number of sex differences. These method-specific versions of androgyny appear linked to the use of summated Masculinity and Femininity subscales of the BSRI.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1982

[Quantitative effects of retinal degeneration in mice].

The thickness of two layers of the retina (the inner plexiform layer and the inner nuclear layer), together with the density of cells in the ganglion cell layer, were measured in a sample of mice from a population segregating for albinism and retinal degeneration. The expression of retinal degeneration was found to involve not only the disappearance of retinal receptors but also a reduction in thickness of the inner plexiform layer and a reduction of cell density in the ganglion cell layer: these changes were found to be associated with a reduction of neuronal density in the lateral geniculate nucleus, but not in the superior colliculus. The expression of retinal degeneration was also found to be unaffected either by albinism or by dark-rearing.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Postnatal maturation of the ipsilateral optic tract in pigmented and albino mice.

After unilateral enucleation, degenerating axons in the ipsilateral optic tract of conventionally reared and dark-reared albino and pigmented mice were revealed by Fink-Heimer staining. The total number and the spatial distribution within the optic tract of these axons was found to be influenced by both pigmentation and by visual deprivation. The results are discussed in terms of delayed maturation of the optic tract contingent upon visual deprivation or anomalous ocular pigmentation.

Age Factors↗