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Biomedical subjects

A Pirie

Publications and source records attributed to A Pirie.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A nutrition rehabilitation centre for children with xerophthalmia.

A nutrition rehabilitation centre for treatment of children with xerophthalmia was established in Madurai, India. Treatment was based on provision of locally available food, rich in protein and beta-carotene and cheap enough for the families concerned to buy at home. This diet alone, with general medical treatment for other diseases, was sufficient to reverse conjunctival xerophthalmia and corneal xerosis. Children with more severe xerophthalmia received additional vitamin A. The records of 296 children followed up for between two months and three years were analysed. The results of treatment at the centre seemed as good as those produced by more expensive, and usually unobtainable, hospital treatment. Participation of the mother in buying, cooking, and sharing the food given to her child was of some educational value.

Body Weight↗

Changes in anthocyanin and phenolics content of grapevine leaf and fruit tissues treated with sucrose, nitrate, and abscisic Acid.

Sucrose (0.04 to 0.12 m) induces accumulation of both total phenolics and anthocyanin in leaf discs of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) incubated in intermittent light. Abscisic acid (20 muM) and 2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid (60 mum) act synergistically with the sucrose to enhance its induction of both total phenolics and anthocyanin. The magnitude of this interaction depends on leaf age. Nitrate (30 mm) inhibits sucrose induction of phenolics and anthocyanin. Levels of total phenolics and anthocyanin changed independently.

Journal Article↗

Xerophthalmia.

Some characteristics of children with xerophthalmia are described and the difference in age between those with serious corneal xerophthalmia and those showing milder conjunctival xerophthalmia is noted. The various public health measures instituted to prevent xerophthalmia are examined. The particular importance of protein in food given to severely malnourished children suffering from xerophthalmia is stressed and studies on enzyme activities which are enhanced in the xerophthalmic cornea are briefly noted.

Age Factors↗

Collagenase and other proteinases in the cornea of the retinol-deficient rat.

1. Enzymes that may contribute to liquefaction of the cornea in retinol-deficient animals and in man have been studied using rat cornea. The established technique of culturing tissue fragments and determining the activity of collagenase (EC 3-4-24-3) and other enzymes in the medium after different periods of culture was used. 2. A collagenolytic system was detected in the media from cultures of rat corneas. This system probably consists of at least two enzymes, a collagenase and a neutral proteinase. 3. Both proteolytic and specific collagenolytic activity were greater in media from retinol-deficient rat corneas. The hydroxyproline level increased in parallel with the increase in enzyme activity. 4. In the final stages of retinol deficiency the cornea is invaded by granulocytes and other cells of the blood and we suggest that destruction of cornea collagen may be due largely to the activity of the enzymes from these cells.

Animals↗