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Biomedical subjects

R Wilson

Publications and source records attributed to R Wilson.

At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Association of two different repetitive DNA elements near immunoglobulin light chain genes.

Sequence studies of repetitive DNA elements approximately 6 kb 3' of the mouse immunoglobulin CK region gene show that the R element located there (Gebhard et al. (1982) J. Mol. Biol. 157, 453-471) is adjacent to a 500 base pair long element which shows 80% homology to the BAM5 element sequenced by Fanning (Nuc. Acids Res. (1982), 10, 5003-5013). Neither the BAM5 element nor the R element itself is surrounded by a direct repeat, but the composite element (BAM5 + R) is surrounded by a 15 base pair direct repeat (with one mismatch). Direct repeats, consisting of target site sequences that surround a repetitive DNA element, are thought to arise during the insertion of the element at that site. It therefore appears that the BAM5 and R elements interacted and inserted as a linked entity. The existence of other BAM5/R composites throughout the mouse lambda chain locus indicates that BAM5-R cooperation is not a rare event.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A comparative trial of choline theophyllinate and controlled release aminophylline in chronic childhood asthma.

A comparison of pharmacokinetics and therapeutic effects of a standard oral theophylline preparation (Choline Theophyllinate) and controlled release aminophylline (Phyllocontin) was made in two parallel double blind trials in 25 children with chronic asthma. Fourteen children entered a double blind cross-over trial; the remaining 11 were allocated to a parallel trial with no change of theophylline preparation throughout. Sustained plasma theophylline levels were observed with the controlled release preparation in contrast to the low morning levels obtained with Choline Theophyllinate. No significant differences were found for peak theophylline levels, morning or evening peak flow rates or required access to other bronchodilators. However nocturnal symptoms were significantly reduced and daytime activity scores improved (P less than 0.05) on the controlled release preparation. The sustained plasma theophylline levels found in children taking the controlled release aminophylline may have provided a small but useful therapeutic advantage over the standard preparation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Circulating immune complexes in patients with colorectal cancer.

We have attempted to better define host humoral immune response in neoplasia by quantitating serial circulating immune complex values before and after surgery in patients with primary or metastatic colorectal cancer. Circulating immune complex levels were correlated with serial carcinoembryonic antigen values and tumor courses in patients with primary resectable colorectal cancer (four patients), resectable liver metastases (three patients), diffuse liver metastases treated with regional chemotherapy (three patients), and untreated intrahepatic (one patient) and extrahepatic metastases (one patient). Circulating immune complex levels, as measured by an antigen-nonspecific assay, which utilized 4 percent polyethylene glycol insolubilization, were increased in all patients at presentation (734 delta OD450 +/- 381) when compared with normal human control sera (202 +/- 4, p less than 0.05). No particular relation was found between presenting circulating immune complex levels and tumor burden. Progressive circulating immune complex increases were demonstrated only in patients whose tumors were either completely removed or dramatically responded to regional therapy (that is, when the tumor antigen load, as reflected by the carcinoembryonic antigen value, rapidly diminished). Serum samples obtained at times of presumed antibody excess in the patients with gastrointestinal cancers were found to contain unexpectedly high concentrations of IgA. We believe these data demonstrate the kinetics of circulating immune complex change during tumor course and they have allowed us to begin to identify circulating immune complex components in patients with colorectal cancer. The results confirm our earlier findings in patients with gestational tumors and differ from accepted relations between immune complexes and tumor growth.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
PubMed1983

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte regulation of lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation.

The polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) regulates in vivo and in vitro immune responses. We report that the immunoenhancing properties of PMN culture supernatants from PMN recruited by the bacterium Actinomyces viscosus (AV) show its exclusive effects on the T cell lymphocyte population. A study of the effect of PMN supernatants on normal Balb/c splenocytes to T and B cell mitogens showed enhancing effects on T cell mitogens, but no effect on B cell mitogen responses when compared to a control. Adherent cells (macrophages) were not required for the enhancing effect, indicating that the supernatant worked directly on the T cell. Proliferation of El-4, a Lyt-1.2 positive lymphoma helper cell, was directly affected by these supernatants. Functionally, T cell-dependent plaque-forming cell responses to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were enhanced. The polyclonal, T cell-independent plaque-forming cell response was unaffected when generated with LPS as assayed with Protein-A-SRBC. These results indicate that PMN supernatants from cells recruited by AV act on a helper T cell population to enhance both proliferation and differentiation in lymphocyte populations. These interactions provide insight into local inflammatory responses of PMN-lymphocyte infiltration with altered cell-mediated immunity.

Actinomyces↗
PubMed1983

Plasma serine to cysteine ratio as a biological marker for psychosis.

In a study of plasma amino acids in psychiatric patients, serine to cysteine (S/C) ratio was higher (S/C = 1.57 +/- 0.28) in 57 psychotics compared to 27 nonpsychotics (S/C = 1.06 +/- 0.23). This difference was highly significant at P less than 0.001. Psychotic patients were given a psychosis score (p score) of 1-4. The S/C ratios of individual patients were significantly correlated to their p scores (r = 0.65, P less than 0.001). S/C ratios were not related to diagnosis, age, sex, food intake and medications. When the initial S/C ratio and p scores of 22 patients were compared to their S/C ratio and p score at the time when they were improved and ready to be discharged, there was a concomitant fall both in S/C ratios and p scores suggesting the high S/C ratios may be indicative of a state rather than a trait characteristic. Our findings lead us to the conclusion that S/C ratios may provide a marker for the presence of psychosis and an index of its severity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Infant botulism in the United States: an epidemiologic study of cases occurring outside of California.

Data were obtained for the 96 hospitalized cases of infant botulism reported to the Centers for Disease Control between 1976-1980 from all states other than California. Forty-one cases were associated with Clostridium botulinum type A, 53 with type B, one with type F, and one with a strain of C. botulinum capable of producing both type B and F toxin. Cases occurred in 25 states; the disease was more common in the western part of the United States, with the highest attack rates reported for Utah and New Mexico. Birth-weights of hospitalized infants with infant botulism tended to be high compared with birth-weights in the United States population. Mothers of infants with infant botulism tended to be older and better educated than mothers in the general population. Seventy per cent of infants had been predominantly breast-fed; breast-feeding in type B cases was associated with a significantly older age at onset of illness.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1983

Use of prescribed medicines: a proxy indicator of access and health status.

This paper summarizes data on the use of prescribed medicines in the United States in 1977. Likelihood and volume of use by selected demographic characteristics are presented, as well as age-specific rates by condition groups. Differences in prescribed medicine use for 1977 indicate that children from poor and less educated families have a lower likelihood of receiving a prescription than do the better-off in their age group. This difference appears to correspond to levels of physician use, which differed by 20 percent across educational groups, despite the existence of Medicaid which covers medical care costs for eligible poor children. Once poorer children did see a physician, however, there was no difference in the number of prescriptions written for this age group, reflecting similar physician responses to the diseases of childhood regardless of the social class of the patient. For older persons, these differences in access by social class were not observed. Their likelihood of receiving at least one prescription was comparable regardless of income and education. However, the poor and less educated elderly required more prescriptions than the better-off. The likelihood is that the differences in prescribing seen for this age group reflect differences in levels of illness or health status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

HLA-DR antigens in Blacks with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

HLA-DR locus antigens were studied in a large population of Black Americans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). An association was found with DR4 in RA (p less than 0.001) and DR3 in SLE (p less than 0.01). Our findings are similar to those reported in Caucasians. No significant correlations between clinical manifestations and DR locus antigens were apparent in either disease. Our results support the association of D locus antigens with disease susceptibility more than with clinical severity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Cardiovascular nuclear medicine current applications and the outlook for 1985.

There has been a rapid assimilation of nuclear imaging techniques into the armamentarium of physicians caring for cardiovascular disease patients. The most widely used tests have been thallium uptake and clearance for myocardial perfusion, and gated blood pool imaging for measurements of regional and global ventricular function. Understanding of the dynamics of the procedures has led to appreciation of the sensitivity of alterations in pulmonary distribution of those radiopharmaceuticals in predicting the presence of increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, the augmentation of thallium clearance by eating, and the complexity of the response of the ejection fraction to exercise. Applications of an ambulatory device for ventricular function testing, labeled myocardial metabolic markers, and vascular integrity agents such as labeled lipoprotein may characterize the directions taken in the last half of this decade.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1983

Hyperthyroidism and familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

A kindred with a high incidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) was studied to identify the presence of clinical hyperthyroidism. Two and possibly three members with HC had associated hyperthyroidism. In the propositus, clinical, ECG, and vectorcardiographic evidence for HC resolved after treatment of the hyperthyroidism. We hypothesize that the disproportionately high correlation of hyperthyroidism and HC and the resolution found in the propositus after treatment may indicate that antithyroid therapy should be considered in this form of cardiomyopathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Risk factors for necrotizing enterocolitis in infants weighing more than 2,000 grams at birth: a case-control study.

A retrospective case-control study of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was conducted among infants weighing greater than 2,000 g at birth. Twenty-three infants met the NEC criteria for inclusion in the study; 12 weighed 2,001 to 2,500 g at birth and 11 weighed greater than 2,500 g at birth. Hypoglycemia occurred in 7/12 (55%) infants weighing 2,001 to 2,500 g and in 4/35 (11%) control subjects (P less than .02). In infants weighing greater than 2,500 g at birth, polycythemia (occurring in 7/12 study infants (58%) and 5/32 (16%) control infants) and respiratory distress (3/11 study infants (27%) and 0 control subjects) were significantly associated with NEC (P less than .02). Larger infants with a history of perinatal stress and/or physiologic immaturity are likely to be at greater risk for NEC than their normal counterparts.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1982

Multimodality therapy in the management of angiosarcoma of the breast.

Five patients with angiosarcoma of the breast were treated with surgery, radiotherapy and an adjuvant Adriamycin containing regimen. Two patients remain disease-free at 38+ and 20+ months. The median survival of previously reported cases is 22 months with only five patients disease-free at five years. Possible hormonal influences in the etiologic cause of angiosarcoma of the breast are discussed and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in these relatively young patients is emphasized.

Adult↗