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Biomedical subjects

S Edwards

Publications and source records attributed to S Edwards.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

The membrane destabilising action of the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine.

The antibacterial agent chlorhexidine has long been used as an agent for medical antisepsis. This compound is a membrane active agent which probably has its major antibacterial action by interference with the function of cellular membranes. The results demonstrated an inhibition of oxygen utilisation by bacteria which was related to falls in cellular ATP levels. There was an effect on the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria which allowed the release of periplasmic enzymes. The inner membrane was not ruptured but its functionality was breached and there was an inhibition of active uptake of small molecules which did not appear to be related to cellular ATP levels.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Border disease virus: delineation by monoclonal antibodies.

Many ovine pestiviruses from Britain and a number of atypical porcine isolates are largely unrecognised by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for reference strains of classical swine fever virus and bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). Additional mAbs have therefore been produced using some of these "unreactive" pestiviruses. Two of the viruses used were atypical porcine isolates (strains 87/6 and Vosges), whilst another had been isolated from a sheep (59386). Thirty-three mAbs were selected, none of which recognised two reference strains of BVDV, but three of which recognised the Alfort strain of classical swine fever. On the basis of radioimmunoprecipitation they were considered to be directed at one of three different pestivirus proteins (gp 53, gp 48 or p 125). Three virus subgroups were evident when the mAbs were used to type 16 ovine and two atypical porcine pestiviruses. One subgroup contained the Vosges and 59386 viruses and four ovine field isolates. The second subgroup comprised the 87/6 virus, the Moredun and Aveyron reference strains of border disease virus and four further ovine field isolates. Three of four ovine viruses making up the third subgroup had been previously categorised as BVDV-like and were largely unrecognised by the new mAbs. The findings were in agreement with previous attempts to segregate some of the same viruses using partial genomic comparisons or cross-neutralization tests.

Animals

Comparison of pestivirus multiplication in cells of different species.

Twenty-four pestiviruses, comprising 11 from pigs, eight from cattle and five from sheep, were tested for their ability to replicate in cells of porcine, bovine and ovine origin. Seven of the viruses were successfully passaged in all three cell types. Four porcine isolates (hog cholera virus) replicated to significant titres only in porcine cells. One bovine virus grew well in bovine cells but only poorly in ovine cells and not at all in porcine cells. The remaining 12 viruses could replicate in cells from two of the three host species. The pattern of replication in different cell types varied between different isolates of the same virus species.

Animals

Effects of chronic systemic administration of 5-HT on food intake and body weight in rats.

The effects of chronic peripheral administration of 5-HT on food intake and body weight was investigated. In normal male Wistar rats, normal female Wistars, obese Zucker males, ovariectomised Wistar females, or normal Wistar males free fed a cafeteria diet, suppression of the creeping weight gain typical of control animals is observed. In females, this effect is not dependent on the local hormonal environment, because intact and ovariectomised females showed similar responses to treatment. One sex difference is that the weight suppressive effect in males is accompanied by an anorectic effect, whereas this anorectic effect is absent in females. Thus, although reduced food intake may partially explain the suppression of weight gain in males, in females it must be due to other, perhaps metabolic, effects. It is possible that these metabolic effects may also occur in males, suggesting one possible explanation of why the effect was typically larger in males than females.

Animals

Nursing ethics.

This paper begins by answering a question recently posed by Hunt 'What is nursing ethics?'. Then, a distinction is drawn between principle-based and principle-invoking approaches to nursing ethics. Following an outline of both principle-invoking and care-based approaches, it is proposed that the two approaches may fruitfully be combined in the teaching of nursing ethics.

Education, Nursing

The student health center as multicultural catalyst.

Stanford's student health center participated with underrepresented students in observing Black Liberation Month; Bisexual, Gay, and Lesbian Awareness Days; and Cinco de Mayo, the commemoration of a Mexican Army defeat of the French in 1862. For minority students on a campus where a majority of the students and faculty are White, the health center's involvement in these events was viewed as an affirmation and acceptance of worth of these diverse student groups. The outreach effort exposed health center caregivers to the cultures of the three groups when staff members attended the special activities, interacted with the celebrants, and became more sensitized to their needs.

Black or African American

Acquired bullous diseases of childhood: re-evaluation of diagnosis by indirect immunofluorescence examination on 1 M NaCl split skin and immunoblotting.

Acquired autoimmune bullous diseases of childhood are rare, and can be difficult to distinguish clinically. We have studied 12 children, with an initial diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid (BP) in eight patients, cicatricial pemphigoid (CP) in one, chronic bullous disease of childhood (CBDC) in one, and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) in two. All patients had positive indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) of the BMZ with IgG. Using 1 M NaCl split skin, six patients showed epidermal binding of IgG, with additional IgA in three cases, and in five patients IgG antibodies bound a dermal protein. Immunoblotting studies revealed an antibody to type VII collagen (EBA antigen) in three patients who had a dermal pattern on IIF. Six sera reacted with an epidermal protein of 180 and/or 220 kDa, characteristic of BP and CP. One of the three IgA-positive sera detected 220- and 180-kDa epidermal proteins using anti-IgA antibody. Following these studies the diagnosis was changed in three of the children. The diagnosis of CBDC was changed to either BP or EBA because of the presence of circulating IgG autoantibodies. In two children with an initial diagnosis of BP the diagnosis was changed to EBA. We conclude that the clinical picture in bullous disorders of childhood shows considerable overlap, and is often misleading. Additional circulating IgA autoantibodies seem to be more common in BP than has been recognized previously. Indirect immunofluorescence investigation on 1 M NaCl split skin may be helpful in differentiating between BP and EBA, but does not replace immunoblotting studies. EBA is apparently more common in children than in adults. No difference was found between the children with BP and EBA with regard to the duration of disease. The long-term outlook is good, although the course may be protracted.

Adolescent

Selection of European Union standard reference sera for use in the serological diagnosis of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.

A study, consisting of three trials, was undertaken in order to find standard reference sera for use in serological diagnostic procedures for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) in the European Union (EU). A total of forty-nine laboratories participated in the trials, in which panels of positive, weak positive, and negative candidate sera were tested blind by neutralisation, indirect and blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect immunofluorescence and passive haemagglutination. A serum which scored positive in all tests in all laboratories was selected as a strong positive standard serum. The chosen negative standard serum gave negative results in virtually all tests. A 1/36 dilution of a positive serum was chosen as the weak positive standard serum and only very sensitive techniques were able to score it positive. Three EU reference sera are now available for the standardisation of serological tests for IBR.

Animals

Associations between viral infections and respiratory disease in artificially reared calves.

Market-purchased, week-old, dairy bred calves entering a commercial calf-rearing unit were blood sampled at six-week intervals until three months old. Viral infections were monitored by ELISA for antibodies to bovine herpesvirus 1, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenzavirus-3, bovine adenovirus subgroup 1 and bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). The immunoperoxidase test was used to detect BVDV in serum. The total immunoglobulin concentration in the initial blood sample was measured by the zinc sulphate turbidity test. The relationship between clinical respiratory disease, viral seroconversion and the initial concentration of serum immunoglobulin was investigated by the use of the relative risk statistic, Fisher's exact test, chi 2 techniques and the correlation coefficient. Treatment rates for respiratory disease of 45 per cent were observed during the first period of the study and 19 per cent during the second period. During the first period there was a significant positive association between clinical respiratory disease and seroconversion for all the viruses except parainfluenzavirus-3 and BVDV but in the second period there was no such relationship. Similarly, in the first period, but not in the second, there was a significant negative association between clinical respiratory disease and both antiviral immunoglobulin as measured by ELISA and total immunoglobulin as measured by the zinc sulphate turbidity test. Two of the 536 calves that survived to three months of age were found to be persistently infected with BVDV.

Animals

Expression of biologically active human factor VIII using a baculovirus vector.

Factor VIII is a complex, plasma glycoprotein involved in the process of blood coagulation. Production of the recombinant molecule has largely been confined to mammalian cell systems which have, in general, proven to be inefficient producers of factor VIII. The use of a baculovirus expression system may provide increased levels of this glycoprotein, although it is not certain that insect cell-derived factor VIII will be biologically active. The N-linked glycosylation patterns in insect cells, until recently thought to be less complex than in mammalian cells, may influence activity and/or secretory ability. To this end we engineered a B domain-deleted factor VIII cDNA sequence for expression in Spodoptera frugiperda cells. The construct retained the native signal sequence to allow secretion of recombinant protein into the culture medium. Initial studies revealed the production of secreted factor VIII, and this protein was shown to possess coagulation activity. The presence of N-linked oligosaccharide residues was demonstrated, the glycosylated molecule being of a similar size to that expressed in mammalian cells.

Animals

Expression of equine herpesvirus 1 glycoprotein D by using a recombinant baculovirus.

Glycoprotein D (gD) of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) was expressed at the surface of insect cells infected by a recombinant baculovirus. EHV-1 gD was detected as multiple forms (56, 52, and 48 kDa) from 18 to 96 h postinfection. Laboratory animals inoculated with the recombinant EHV-1 gD developed neutralizing antibody responses against both EHV-1 and EHV-4.

Animals

A European comparative study of serological methods for the diagnosis of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.

A comparison is made of serological diagnostic procedures used for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis in the European Community. A panel of 65 sera, including positive, doubtful, negative and diluted samples was dispatched to nine different European laboratories and tested by neutralisation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence and passive haemagglutination, according to the methods used in each laboratory. The results showed good agreement between the various tests for positive and negative sera. However, considerable variability between tests was noted in the "doubtful" category of sera. The highest test sensitivity, as judged by the detection limit for samples serially diluted in negative serum, was found with the blocking ELISAs. A need was identified for international standard reference sera to be made available.

Animals

Isolation of a Lelystad virus-like agent from British pigs and scanning electron microscopy of infected macrophages.

Six, one-week-old gnotobiotic piglets were inoculated with tissues or sera collected from field cases of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. The piglets showed little or no illness, and two that were necropsied at 8 and 9 days post infection appeared grossly normal. However, a Lelystad virus-like agent was isolated from most of the inoculated pigs using porcine alveolar macrophage cultures. Seroconversion to the Lelystad virus was observed and some animals developed microscopically detectable interstitial pneumonias. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the in vitro cytopathic effect of the Lelystad virus on porcine alveolar macrophages.

Abortion, Veterinary

Characterisation of p20 gene sequences from a border disease-like pestivirus isolated from pigs.

A pestivirus, isolated from pigs with haemorrhagic lesions, was antigenically more similar to border disease (BD) virus than to either hog cholera (HC) or bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) viruses. After reverse transcription the genome at the 5' end, along with the same region from a BD isolate from sheep, was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and cloned. The region of the p20 gene was sequenced and compared with published data for BVD and HC viruses. A number of motifs were conserved in the amino acid sequences of all the viruses. The pig isolate had a greater degree of homology in this region with the BD isolate (87%) than with BVD (73%) or HC (74%) viruses. This further confirms the BD-like nature of the virus.

Amino Acid Sequence