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Biomedical subjects

A Muir

Publications and source records attributed to A Muir.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

HLA-A,B compatibility in parents of offspring with neural-tube defects or couples experiencing involuntary fetal wastage.

To test the contribution of a putative human analogue of the murine T locus to neural-tube defects (N.T.D.) and involuntary fetal wastage, HLA-A, B compatibility between husband and wife was studied in a group of 77 couples with known obstetric histories. The frequency of sharing of HLA-A,B antigens was significantly higher in 13 couples with recurrent fetal loss at one gestational age and in 11 couples whose offspring had had a lethal N.T.D. than in 17 couples with three or more normal pregnancies. The extent of HLA compatibility--that is, the number of antigens shared by husbands and wives--was significantly higher in 16 couples with one spontaneous abortion, 23 couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions, and 21 couples with N.T.D. offspring than in controls. These data are consistent with a contribution of a locus in or near the HLA complex to N.T.D. and involuntary fetal wastage.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1979

Effect of methyl substitution on the irritancy of dibenz[b,f]1,4-oxazepine(CR).

The irritant properties of 3 methylated derivatives of dibenz[b,f]1,4-oxazepine (CR) have been investigated, using the guinea-pig blepharospasm test and isolated cat eye preparations, and compared with the irritancy of the unsubstituted CR molecule. In both tests, the 11-methyl derivative was non-irritant whereas 3 Me-CR and 9 Me-CR retained some irritancy although both were less potent than CR itself. The possible significance of these results are discussed in relation to earlier biochemical studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

A simple case of the Wilson-Cowan equations.

The stability of equilibria, for Wilson-Cowan equations with piecewise-constant threshold functions, is investigated. It is shown that the characteristic equation has roots with positive real part, when the physiological parameters have reasonable magnitudes. The significance of this fact is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Automated measurement of urinary proteins.

We have investigated the automation of the trichloroacetic acid turbidometric method for the estimation of urinary proteins using a standard centrifugal analyser. Conditions of temperature, trichloroacetic acid concentration, sample and reagent volumes have been examined. The method requires 10 microliter of urine sample and results have been shown to be linear to 2.0 g per litre with undiluted specimens; higher levels of protein require dilution of the urine samples to obtain greater accuracy. The coefficient of variation at a level of 0.5 g per litre is 3.5% and at 1.0 g per litre is 1.3%; recoveries ranged from 98.9 to 108%. The estimation of urinary protein in 29 samples may be carried out in 5 min.

Albuminuria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia associated with a left cerebellopontine angle meningioma.

Blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia is characterized by the presence of spasms of the orbicularis oculi (blepharospasm) and of the lower facial or oromandibular muscles. A patient with this syndrome is presented in which a left cerebellopontine angle meningioma appeared to act as a triggering mechanism for the development of this disorder. On the basis of this report, we recommend that physicians search for this tumor in patients with this disorder.

Cerebellar Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of the protease inhibitor (Pi) polymorphism on alpha-1-antitrypsin concentration and elastase inhibitory capacity in human serum.

The concentration of alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) and its elastase inhibitory capacity (EIC) have been investigated in vitro in sera from 1688 healthy Canberra blood donors typed for electrophoretic variants of the protease inhibitor (Pi) locus. Nine Pi alleles were recorded in the sample, of which M1 was found at a frequency of nearly 70% and the other eight were each at frequencies below 15%. As a class, heterozygotes among the three Pi M subtype alleles, M1, M2 and M3, have higher means and lower variances for AAT and EiC than do the three M subtype homozygotes. Among the three homozygotes M1M1 has highest AAT and EIC and among the heterozygotes dominance in M1M2 and M1M3 is towards or beyond the high M1M1 values. Of the six other Pi alleles recorded, two (F and G) have similar values to the M subtypes but the other four (I, N, S and Z) have lower values. The patterns of means and variances in AAT and EIC for the different M subtype genotypes do not support the precise threshold function postulated by Martin and Oakeshott (1983) to relate activity to Darwinian fitness. Nevertheless, several aspects of the results are consistent with a general positive relationship between activity and fitness.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Special considerations in the management of a patient with multiple sclerosis and a burn injury.

The purposes of this report were to describe a successful treatment of a burn injury in a patient with multiple sclerosis as well as to outline specific aspects of therapy that contributed to minimizing the risk of complications in this challenging patient. Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurologic morbidity and death among young adults. It is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that involves the autonomic and somatic components and is characterized by a primary destruction of myelin. The demyelinated nerves exhibit an increased temperature sensitivity that accounts for the adverse effects of elevated core temperature on the neurologic signs and symptoms of this disease. Because burn injury, infection, and vigorous exercise elicit an elevation of core temperature with an accompanying deterioration in neurologic function, lowering the elevated core body temperature is mandatory. The dysautonomias of multiple sclerosis may be as devastating as their somatic counterparts and may have life-threatening implications. In recent years, advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of central nervous system dysfunction have enabled physicians to improve dramatically the management of symptoms in multiple sclerosis without significantly altering the progressive long-term course of the disease.

Body Temperature↗