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Biomedical subjects

W Smith

Publications and source records attributed to W Smith.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

The epidemiology of incomplete childhood immunization: an analysis of reported immunization status in outer western Sydney.

We surveyed parents of children enrolled in kindergarten in 1992 in outer western Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Using parents' reports, we determined the prevalence of immunization uptake for children starting school, compared the prevalence of immunization uptake among Catholic, government and independent schools, and identified immunization providers. We also documented parental beliefs about immunization and their influence on immunization status, and identified risk factors for incomplete immunization. Nearly 89% of children were reported to be fully immunized. Immunization status did not vary significantly among the different types of school. General practitioners provided 84% of all immunizations and local councils 11%. Incomplete immunization was associated with more negative beliefs in immunization, with post-secondary education and with families who do not speak English at home. Reminder letters had little effect on immunization status.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1993

Responses of laboratory animals to some injectable anaesthetics.

Xylazine, ketamine, methohexitone and alphadalone/alphaxalone, were administered intraperitoneally, intramuscularly or intravenously to mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. Times for disappearance and reappearance of reflexes were recorded, and duration of loss of reflex. Delivering a predetermined dose gave a varying individual response, ranging from inadequate anaesthesia to death. Using reflexes to assess depth of anaesthesia was of limited value. Reflex movements to noxious stimuli generally persisted even at dose rates that caused prolonged recovery times and death. Conversely, in rats there was no response to a cutaneous stimulus in some animals even though recumbency was almost restored.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1993

Self-exempting beliefs about smoking and health: differences between smokers and ex-smokers.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of self-exempting or cognitive dissonance-reducing beliefs about smoking and health. Such beliefs may hold important implications for the content and targeting of health promotion campaigns. METHODS: A survey of smokers and ex-smokers was conducted in western Sydney, Australia. Six hypotheses were tested. RESULTS: The principal findings were (1) that 27.9% of smokers and 42.1% of ex-smokers agreed that smokers were more likely than non-smokers to get five smoking-related diseases; (2) that for 11 of 14 beliefs tested, more smokers than ex-smokers agreed to a statistically significant degree; (3) that the median number of such beliefs agreed to by smokers was five, compared with three for ex-smokers; (4) that for only 5 of 14 beliefs was agreement expressed by more precontemplative smokers than smokers contemplating or taking action to quit; (5) that more than one in four smokers, despite agreeing that smokers are more likely than non-smokers to get five diseases, nonetheless maintain a set of self-exempting beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer smokers than ex-smokers accept that smoking causes disease, and smokers also maintain more self-exempting beliefs. Becoming an ex-smoker appears to involve shedding such beliefs in addition to accepting information about the diseases caused by smoking.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Correlation of ultrasound assessment of endometrial growth and plasma steroid concentrations during superovulation for in vitro fertilization.

Endometrial and follicular development were investigated by ultrasound in 25 normally cycling women who received clomiphene citrate and human menopausal gonadotrophin to induce multiple follicular development for in vitro fertilization. Ultrasonic determination of endometrial thickness and reflectivity grading and follicular number were correlated with daily concentrations of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (p) in peripheral serum. Serum E2 showed a better positive correlation with endometrial thickness than with total number of developing follicles. There was a significant inverse correlation between endometrial thickness and plasma p concentration. The E2 value per follicle and E2/p ratio were both weakly correlated respectively with endometrial thickness. These data indicate that ultrasound determination of endometrial thickness is a useful ultrasonic parameter for monitoring ovarian function for in vitro fertilization. However, endometrial thickness should always be combined with total number of developing follicles, in order to reach decisions concerning timing of oocyte recovery.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

BB-DR/Edinburgh: a lymphopenic, non-diabetic subline of BB rats.

Diabetes-prone (DP) and diabetes-resistant (DR) sublines of the BB rat have been established in Edinburgh, U.K., separately from other existing colonies. In an examination of the lymphoid status of the two lines, BB-DP/Ed and BB-DR/Ed, it has been found that both lines have very low T-cell numbers, depressed B-lymphocyte numbers and a complete absence of peripheral CD8+ T cells, all features characteristic of the previously described genetic lymphopenia lesion. It was also noted that the peripheral T cells of both BB/Ed lines were larger than normal. The DP/Ed and DR/Ed lines were indistinguishable in all these respects, and furthermore, they were both shown to type as RT1u at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The genetic combination of lymphopenia and RT1u without expression of diabetes is not present in other extant BB lines and makes BB-DR/Ed a uniquely useful control strain for BB rat studies as well as a valuable genetic resource for the further genetic analysis of diabetes susceptibility in rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Indolicidin, a novel bactericidal tridecapeptide amide from neutrophils.

A potent and structurally novel antimicrobial peptide was purified from the cytoplasmic granules of bovine neutrophils. Suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were virtually sterilized by the peptide at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. The peptide was found to be comprised of 13 amino acids, 5 of which were tryptophan residues, and the carboxyl-terminal arginine was carboxamidated. The primary structure of the peptide, which we have named indolicidin, is H-Ile-Leu-Pro-Trp-Lys-Trp-Pro-Trp-Trp-Pro-Trp-Arg-Arg-NH2. The mole percent of tryptophan in indolicidin is the highest observed among known protein sequences. The multiple tryptophan residues presumably play an important role in the function of this unique antibiotic peptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Comparison and sensitivity to change of self-report scales to assess difficulty, dissatisfaction, and pain in performing activities of daily living over one and five years in rheumatoid arthritis.

We analyzed the longitudinal sensitivity to change of three self-report activities of daily living (ADL) scales over 1 and 5 years in 982 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from 15 private practices. Over 1 year, the ADL difficulty status worsened in 28.3% of the patients, remained the same in 50.2%, and improved in 21.5%. Over 5 years, 41.3% worsened, 38.8% stayed the same, and 19.9% were improved. Similar percentages for 1- and 5-year changes were found for the ADL dissatisfaction and pain scales. The effect sizes for change over 1 and 5 years for the ADL difficulty, dissatisfaction, and pain scales were--(-)0.05, 0.01, and -0.02, and -0.28, -0.20, and -0.14, respectively, indicating small to moderate declines. These data indicate that the three ADL scales are sensitive to change in status, and ADL change status scores after 1 and 5 years were significantly correlated with each other (r = 0.49-0.68, all p < 0.001). Monitoring of these three constructs may be helpful in the longitudinal evaluation of some patients with RA.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1992

Solution structure of a synthetic peptide corresponding to a receptor binding region of FSH (hFSH-beta 33-53).

The receptor binding surface of human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH) is mimicked by synthetic peptides corresponding to the hFSH-beta chain amino acid sequences 33-53 [Santa-Coloma, T. A., Dattatreyamurty, D., and Reichert, L. E., Jr. (1990), Biochemistry 29, 1194-1200], 81-95 [Santa-Coloma, T. A., Reichert, L. E., Jr. (1990), J. Biol. Chem. 265, 5037-5042], and the combined sequence (33-53)-(81-95) [Santa-Coloma, T. A., Crabb, J. W., and Reichert, L. E., Jr. (1991), Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 78, 197-204]. These peptides have been shown to inhibit binding of hFSH to its receptor. Circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were used to determine the structure of the first peptide in this series, the 21 amino acid peptide hFSH-beta-(33-53), H2N-YTRDLVYKDPARPKIQKTCTF-COOH. Analysis of CD data indicated the presence of approximately equal amounts of antiparallel beta-pleated sheet, turns including a beta-turn, "other" structures, and a small amount of alpha-helix. The major characteristics of the structure were found to be relatively stable at acidic pH and the predominant effect of increased solvent polarity was a small increase in alpha-helical content. One- and two-dimensional NMR techniques were used to obtain full proton and carbon signal assignments in aqueous solution at pH 3.1. Analysis of NMR results confirmed the presence of the structural features revealed by CD analysis and provided a detailed picture of the secondary structural elements and global folding pattern in hFSH-beta-(33-53). These features included an antiparallel beta-sheet (residues 38-51 and 46-48), turns within residues 41-46, and 50-52 (a beta-turn) and a small N-terminal helical region comprised of amino acids 34-36. One of the turns is facilitated by prolines 42 and 45. Proline-45 was constrained to the trans conformation, whereas proline-42 favored the trans conformer (approximately 70%) over the cis (approximately 30%). Two resonances were observed for the single alanine residue (A-43) sequentially proximal to P-42, but the rest of the structure was minimally affected by the isomerization at proline-42. The major population of molecules, containing trans-42 and trans-45 prolines, presented 120 NOEs. Distance geometry calculations with 140 distance constraints and energy minimization refinements were used to derive a moderately well-defined model of the peptide's structure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Lingual infarction: a review of the literature.

Lingual infarction, although a very rare entity has been reported in 16 cases since 1961. The goal of this article is to alert the physician to the symptoms of tongue claudication to prevent the morbid effects of tongue infarction and blindness due to cranial arteritis. A discussion of the disease and the differential diagnosis is included.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Young maternal age and parity. Influences on pregnancy outcome.

The influence of very young maternal age and parity on pregnancy outcome was examined in a cohort of nearly 900 adolescents and mature women from Camden, New Jersey. Young primigravid primiparas (aged 12 to 15 years) were compared with mature primigravid primiparas (18 to 29 years). Young multiparas (19 years or younger, with a first pregnancy at the age of 12 to 15 years) were compared with mature, multiparas (19 to 29 years old, with a first pregnancy at 18 years or older). After controlling for confounding factors, young primiparas were found to have a modest increase in preterm delivery, which was not statistically significant. However, low gynecologic age contributed disproportionately to the risk of preterm delivery in this group, with risk decreasing with each year from menarche (Cox's proportional hazard, 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68 to 0.94). Among multiparas, there were several statistical interactions associated with increased risk of small-for-gestational-age infants, including interactions between young age and low pre-pregnancy body mass (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 5.74; 95% CI, 2.18 to 15.08), young age and a prior low-birth-weight infant (AOR, 10.58; 95% CI, 3.89 to 28.77), and young age and a prior preterm delivery (AOR, 5.52; 95% CI, 2.04 to 14.98). Thus, while chronologic age per se may not be a good predictor of pregnancy outcome, adolescents remain a high-risk group because of factors that are more common among them (e.g., biologic immaturity, inadequate prenatal care, poverty, minority status, low prepregnancy weight) and because factors associated with an early adolescent pregnancy, such as low gynecologic age, may continue to influence the outcome of subsequent pregnancies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Immunoglobulins secreted by a hybrid-hybridoma: analysis of chain assemblies.

In addition to the bispecific antibody, the hybrid-hybridoma 28.19.8 secretes antibodies monospecific for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and antibodies monospecific for vinca alkaloids. By exhaustive affinity purification, the immunoglobulins isolated by Protein A chromatography from ascitic fluid have been fractionated into four populations, three of which are immunoreactive. Studies on these fractions by FPLC, SDS-PAGE, and a variety of ELISAs have shown that seven of the ten possible combinations of heavy and light chains exist as immunoreactive forms. The results suggest that the other three inactive combinations are also secreted by the hybrid-hybridoma.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

First-time coronary artery bypass grafting: the anaesthetist as a risk factor.

We have investigated the contribution of the anaesthetist and surgeon to outcome after 1301 consecutive coronary artery bypass grafting operations (first operation). The mean + 1 SD aspartate amino transferase concentration on the day after surgery (AST-D1) was 134 u litre-1 (or, after logarithmic transformation, 94 u litre-1). Twenty patients were selected at random from each of three groups having AST-D1 less than 100 u litre-1, 100-134 u litre-1 or greater than 134 u litre-1; positive ECG diagnoses of perioperative myocardial infarction were significantly more frequent with AST-D1 values greater than 100 u litre-1 than with smaller values, but no more frequent with AST-D1 greater than 134 u litre-1. Because several deaths occurred before AST-D1 could be measured, an "adverse outcome" was defined as either hospital death or AST-D1 greater than 100 u litre-1. Univariate analysis implicated both anaesthetist and surgeon as significant predictors of adverse outcome but, after allowing for 12 patient-related factors, only cardiopulmonary bypass time (or ischaemic cross-clamp time) (P less than 0.01) and anaesthetist (P = 0.05) were associated significantly with outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Corneal storage medium preservation with defensins.

We used a synthetic defensin (rabbit neutrophil peptide-1; NP-1) as a microbicide in a corneal storage medium, Optisol without antimicrobial compounds. We established growth curves in Optisol for Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Each organism was evaluated separately at 4 degrees C, 23 degrees C, and 37 degrees C in Optisol with NP-1 at each of four different concentrations including 1, 10, 100, and 200 micrograms/ml. When the three organisms were evaluated in Optisol containing NP-1, we found that a concentration of 200 micrograms/ml of NP-1 successfully killed 99.9% (the limits of our assay) of all three organisms at all temperatures tested. We conclude that NP-1 exhibits promise as a nonantibiotic preservative agent in corneal storage media, since it was effective in killing organisms at all temperatures, including 4 degrees C.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1992

Hematologic and bone marrow changes after short- and long-term administration of two recombinant bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factors.

Colony-stimulating factors are a category of glycoproteins that are instrumental in the regulation of hematopoiesis and inflammation. This investigation documented the clinical bone marrow and peripheral blood responses to short-term and long-term administration of a recombinant bovine granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rb-GCSF) and an analog, where the cysteine at position 17 was substituted with a serine (rb-GCSF ser17). The colony-stimulating factors produced the expected changes in the hematologic findings of the bovine subjects in the study, and there was a cell-specific response to the compounds. The sustained neutrophilia in the long-term study indicates that the bovine species can tolerate the administration of recombinant forms of bovine GCSF for extended periods of time without detectable adverse side effects. The neutrophils from the short-term study revealed no apparent fluctuation, either as enhanced or reduced capability to reduce nitro blue tetrazolium as compared to pretreatment neutrophils. The administration of both recombinant forms of GCSF produced large increases in the bone marrow myeloid:erythroid (M:E) ratio concomitantly with the neutrophilias. This is the first preliminary report documenting the bone marrow response of cattle to the native and recombinant (rb-GCSF ser17) forms of bovine GCSF.

Animals↗