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Biomedical subjects

C Abbott

Publications and source records attributed to C Abbott.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The dental pathology of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris).

Skulls (n=104) of northern elephant seals from California were examined macroscopically. The animals varied in age but the numbers of each sex were roughly equal. The majority (86%) of teeth were available for examination. The mandibular first premolars were the most common teeth to be congenitally absent, with 2.3% missing. Supernumerary teeth (usually a supplemental mandibular molar) were associated with only 1.4% of normal teeth (or empty alveolar sockets). At least one persistent deciduous tooth was present in 38% of skulls, 70% of which were juvenile skulls. The majority (95.8%) of premolars had the type 2a tooth form, with only 3.8% and 0.5% of type 2b and 2c, respectively. Forty-six skulls, of which 43 were from adults, showed signs of attrition. Tooth fractures were uncommon, affecting only 33 teeth (1.2%). One skull showed an "incremental line" suggestive of enamel hypoplasia. Periodontal hard tissue lesions were seen in 44.3% of all teeth present (46.0% of skulls). Six cases of periapical disease with bone loss were observed.

Animal Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor trandolapril on human diabetic neuropathy: randomised double-blind controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a common cause of polyneuropathy. The development and progression of nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy are closely related. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors delay progression of both nephropathy and retinopathy. We investigated the effect of ACE inhibition on diabetic neuropathy. METHODS: We recruited 41 normotensive patients with type I or type II diabetes and mild neuropathy into a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Changes in the neuropathy symptom and deficit scores, vibration-perception threshold, peripheral-nerve electrophysiology, and cardiovascular autonomic function, were assessed at 6 and 12 months. The primary endpoint was the change in peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity. FINDINGS: We found no significant difference at baseline for age, HbA1c, blood pressure, or severity of neuropathy between two groups. There was no change in HbA1c over the treatment period. Peroneal motor nerve conduction velocity (p=0.03) and M-wave amplitude (p=0.03) increased, and the F-wave latency (p=0.03) decreased and sural nerve action potential amplitude increased (p=0.04) significantly after 12 months of treatment with trandolapril compared with placebo. Vibration-perception threshold, autonomic function, and the neuropathy symptom and deficit score showed no improvement in either group. INTERPRETATION: The ACE inhibitor trandolapril may improve peripheral neuropathy in normotensive patients with diabetes. Larger clinical trials are needed to confirm these data before changes to clinical practice can be advocated.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV is down-regulated in rat hepatoma cells at the mRNA level.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) is a cell surface ectopeptidase that has been implicated in cell-extracellular matrix interactions, lymphocyte growth and the regulation of biological peptides. Previous studies have shown that immunostaining for DPP-IV and DPP-IV enzyme levels is decreased in hepatoma cells and levels have been correlated with the ability of such cells to adhere in vitro. The aim of this paper was to measure DPP-IV enzyme levels in rat hepatoma cells and to examine whether changes were associated with alterations at the mRNA level. The results indicate a greater than 90% reduction in DPP-IV enzyme levels in two rat hepatoma cell lines, HTC and H35, compared with rat hepatocytes. Enzyme levels of the control enzyme leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) were not decreased. mRNA studies indicated that these changes were associated with similar reductions in rat DPP-IV mRNA. It is concluded that DPP-IV is markedly reduced at the protein, enzyme and mRNA levels in rat hepatoma cells. The significance of these changes is unclear but may lead to decreased extracellular matrix interactions by such cells.

Animals↗