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Biomedical subjects

S Wright

Publications and source records attributed to S Wright.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Characteristics and specificity of hybridoma antibodies against oocyst antigens of Cryptosporidium parvum from man.

Hybridoma antibodies (HAbs) against oocyst antigens of a human isolate of Cryptosporidium parvum were developed by fusion of SP2/0 mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells from BALB/c mice immunized with oocyst homogenates. In an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), using as antigen a mixture of air-dried sporozoites and oocysts, HAbs labelled either the oocyst wall or areas of the sporozoite, including the whole organism, the entire surface, a polar region or the interior. Most of the HAbs were specific for the sporozoite surface, and few of them recognized the oocyst wall. In Western blot analysis of oocyst antigens, sporozoite surface-reactive monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) recognized one or more of seven polypeptide bands with molecular weights in the range 47- greater than 200 kD, and all reacted with the 47 kD band. Each of four heterologous parasite isolates had a unique recognition pattern with a panel of MoAbs in IFAT, suggesting antigenic differences may exist between strains of C. parvum. The ability to differentiate between parasite isolates by immunological methods might be of value in epidemiological studies of cryptosporidiosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Identification of a group of children with dyslexia by means of IQ-achievement discrepancies.

The reading and spelling abilities of 462 school children of mean age 8 years 7 months were examined in relation to their intellectual abilities (as assessed by the WISC-R) by means of cluster analysis. The analysis identified five groups. In one group reading and spelling were considerably poorer than their intellectual abilities. The performance of the five groups was examined on a number of cognitive tests commonly associated with dyslexia. The group identified as having significant discrepancies showed the poorest performance on many of these tests. In addition this group showed other features associated with dyslexia. Further analysis indicated the existence of two subgroups which differed significantly in performance on the cognitive tests.

Achievement↗
PubMed1991

White sponge naevus and ocular coloboma.

White sponge naevus occurred in association with coloboma of the iris in six members of one family, across three generations. The association of these two dominantly inherited conditions has not to our knowledge previously been described.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Pharyngeal function and snoring characteristics in apneic and nonapneic snorers.

Abnormalities in pharyngeal function, manifested even when the patients are awake, are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of sleep apnea. Tests of awake pharyngeal function continue to stimulate interest because it is hoped that they may allow physicians to distinguish patients with sleep apnea from those without it, and therefore reduce the number of unnecessary sleep studies. We elected to study two measures of pharyngeal function: changes in pharyngeal area with lung volume (PLVD) and changes in pharyngeal area in response to externally applied positive pressure, i.e., pharyngeal distensibility (Cph). Both measurements have been employed for assessment of pharyngeal function, and both are thought to reflect pharyngeal "floppiness." Measurement of PLVD is technically very simple, whereas the measurement of Cph is technically more complex. If the two measurements are highly correlated, it might be possible to replace the technically more difficult one by the simpler one. Consequently, the purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to examine the relationship between pharyngeal distensibility and lung volume dependence of pharyngeal area, and second, to compare these parameters in a large group of confirmed snorers with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We studied 75 unselected patients referred for the investigation of snoring and suspected sleep apnea. All patients had nocturnal polysomnography, pulmonary function tests, and measurement of pharyngeal areas at TLC, FRC, and residual volume (RV) employing the acoustic reflection technique. The area measurement at FRC was performed at zero and at 4.1 cm H2O positive airway pressure to calculate pharyngeal distensibility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Sensitivity to titanium. A cause of implant failure?

Tissues from five patients who underwent revision operations for failed total hip replacements were found to contain large quantities of particulate titanium. In four cases this metal must have come from titanium alloy screws used to fix the acetabular component; in the fifth case it may also have originated from a titanium alloy femoral head. Monoclonal antibody labelling showed abundant macrophages and T-lymphocytes, in the absence of B-lymphocytes, suggesting sensitisation to titanium. Skin patch testing with dilute solutions of titanium salts gave negative results in all five patients. However, two of them had a positive skin test to a titanium-containing ointment.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1991

Adipose tissue essential fatty acid composition in patients with atopic eczema.

We have measured adipose tissue total lipid and plasma phospholipid essential fatty acid composition by capillary column gas chromatography in patients with atopic eczema. In both adipose tissue and plasma phospholipids there was a significant elevation of linoleic acid in patients compared to a control group (adipose tissue P less than 0.05; plasma P less than 0.001), and a substantially higher ratio of linoleic acid to the sum of its longer chain highly unsaturated derived fatty acids, dihomogamma linolenic acid and arachidonic acid. These findings add support to the proposition that patients with atopic eczema have a defect in the conversion of linoleic acid.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1991

Essential fatty acids in plasma of patients with leprosy.

We have investigated the fatty-acid composition of plasma phospholipids in 61 patients with leprosy of various clinical types with either a short or long duration of treatment. All patients had significantly decreased levels of linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid, the parent fatty acids of the n-6 and n-3 families, respectively. Patients with a treatment duration of more than 6 months had significantly low levels of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid compared to controls or to patients with a treatment duration of less than 6 months. There were no differences in the fatty-acid composition between multibacillary patients and paucibacillary patients. We conclude that dietary supplementation with essential fatty acids may be indicated in patients with leprosy, particularly in those with a long treatment duration.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1991

Atopic eczema.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Dermatitis, Atopic↗
PubMed1990

Family of human neuronal external surface epitopes defined by Torpedo monoclonal antibodies.

We are employing a library of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that were made to Torpedo cholinergic synaptosomes to identify conserved, physiologically vital epitopes of the neuronal surface. Our particular interest is in those epitopes that are present on some but not all neurons. In the present study we screened this library on different cell lines, the neuronal cell lines PC12, NG108, MC-IXC, and SY5Y, and the endocrine cell lines GH-3 and HIT. Of these cell lines, only SY5Y cells bind MAbs that define neuronal surface subsets. Utilizing its parent cell line, SK-N-SH, we verified that six MAbs, Tor 25, Tor 103, Tor 190, Tor 201, Tor 219, and Tor 233, bind the external neuronal surface. The cytolocalization of all six MAbs is very similar: the membrane of the cell body and its processes are finely outlined in a punctate distribution. Western blot analyses of Torpedo electric organ homogenates, a highly enriched source of antigenic material, revealed that each MAb identifies multiple polypeptides, two of which have the relative mobilities of 180 kD and 67 kD. In a screen of peripheral nerves from cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we found that all these MAbs revealed surface alterations; some displayed a decrease in binding, while others displayed an increase. The combined data provide evidence that these epitopes belong to an important, complex family of polypeptides of the external neuronal surface.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗
PubMed1990

Fenfluramine in Prader-Willi syndrome: a double blind, placebo controlled trial.

A double blind trial was conducted to determine the effect of fenfluramine on the weight and behaviour of patients with the Prader-Willi syndrome. Fifteen subjects, aged 5.5 to 27 years, received the placebo and the active drug, each for a period of six weeks. The dose of fenfluramine varied according to the age of the patient. Treatment with fenfluramine was associated with significant weight loss, improvement in food related behaviour, and a decrease in aggressive behaviour directed towards others. Skin picking and other self mutilation were unaffected by the drug. None of the subjects suffered from any side effects while taking the drug. These findings suggest that short term treatment with fenfluramine may have a role in the management of some patients with Prader-Willi syndrome. It could be used during periods when exposure to large amounts of food cannot be avoided and aggressive behaviour is particularly difficult to contain. It may also be useful in those whose lives are threatened by the complications of obesity.

Adolescent↗