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Biomedical subjects

C McQuillan

Publications and source records attributed to C McQuillan.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Osteoporosis risk assessment and treatment intervention after hip or shoulder fracture. A comparison of two centres in the United Kingdom.

This study compares the investigation of and treatment for osteoporosis in two groups of fracture patients at two orthopaedic centres in the UK. One centre had a formal fracture liaison service (FLS) responsible for screening fracture patients for osteoporosis. The other centre relied upon individual clinicians to initiate investigation or treatment for osteoporosis in patients following fracture. Patients who had been treated in either centre for a proximal humeral or hip fracture during a 6-month period were followed up 6 months later to identify how many had received screening or treatment for osteoporosis. Information was retrieved from a prospectively compiled database or by postal questionnaire. The study revealed that in the centre with an FLS 85% of patients with a proximal humeral fracture and 20% with a hip fracture had been offered a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Approximately 50% and 85%, respectively, were receiving treatment for osteoporosis 6 months following their fracture. This compared with DEXA being offered to only 6% and 9.7% of humeral and hip fracture patients, respectively, and 20% (hip) and 27% (proximal humerus) receiving osteoporosis treatment in the other centre. The presence of an FLS resulted in a considerably higher proportion of patients receiving investigation and treatment for osteoporosis following a hip or proximal humeral fracture.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2001

Identification and characterization of satellite III subfamilies to the acrocentric chromosomes.

The centromeres and the short arms of the five pairs of acrocentric chromosomes in humans are composed of tandemly ordered repetitive DNA. Previous studies have suggested that the exchanges between acrocentric chromosomes have resulted in concerted evolution of different DNA sequences in their short arms. The acrocentric chromosomes are clinically relevant since they are involved in Robertsonian translocation formation and non-disjunction resulting in aneuploidy. Here we have identified seven new satellite III repetitive DNA subfamilies, determined their nucleotide sequences and established their chromosomal distributions on the short arms of the acrocentric chromosomes. Knowledge of these related sequences may help to elucidate the molecular basis of Robertsonian translocation formation.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Identification of DNA sequences flanking the breakpoint of human t(14q21q) Robertsonian translocations.

We have employed molecular probes and in situ hybridization to investigate the DNA sequences flanking the breakpoint of a group of t(14q21q) Robertsonian translocations. In all the families studied, the probands were patients with Down syndrome who carried a de novo t(14q21q) translocation. The DNA probes used were two alphoid sequences, alphaRI and alphaXT, which are specific for the centromeres of chromosomes 13 and 21 and of chromosomes 14 and 22, respectively; a satellite III sequence, pTRS-47, which is specific for the proximal p11 region of chromosomes 14 and 22; and a newly defined satellite III DNA, pTRS-63, which is specific for the distal p11 region of chromosome 14. The two alphoid probes detected approximately the same amount of autoradiographic signal on the translocated chromosomes as was expected for chromosomes 14 and 21 of the originating parent, suggesting that there has been no loss of these centromeric sequences during the translocation events. Results with the two satellite III probes indicated that the domain corresponding to pTRS-47 was retained in the translocated chromosomes, whereas the domain for pTRS-63 was lost. These results have allowed us to place the translocation breakpoint between the pTRS-47 and pTRS-63 domains within the p11 region of chromosome 14.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed1990

A homologous subfamily of satellite III DNA on human chromosomes 14 and 22.

We describe a new subfamily of human satellite III DNA that is represented on two different acrocentric chromosomes. This DNA is composed of a tandemly repeated array of diverged 5-base-pair monomer units of the sequence GGAAT or GGAGT. These monomers are organised into a 1.37-kilobase higher-order structure that is itself tandemly reiterated. Using a panel of somatic cell hybrids containing specific human chromosomes, this higher-order structure is demonstrated on chromosomes 14 and 22, but not on the remaining acrocentric chromosomes. In situ hybridisation studies have localised the sequence to the proximal p-arm region of these chromosomes. Analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) reveals that 70-110 copies of the higher-order structure are tandemly organised on a chromosome into a major domain which appears to be flanked on both sides by non-tandemly repeated genomic DNA. In addition, some of the satellite III sequences are interspersed over a number of other PFGE fragments. This study provides fundamental knowledge on the structure and evolution of the acrocentric chromosomes, and should extend our understanding of the complex process of interchromosomal interaction which may be responsible for Robertsonian translocation and meiotic nondisjunction involving these chromosomes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Osteonectin promoter. DNA sequence analysis and S1 endonuclease site potentially associated with transcriptional control in bone cells.

To understand the basis of osteonectin (SPARC) transcriptional regulation, we have isolated a bovine genomic clone (lambda Og15) encoding exon 1 and 15 kilobase pairs (kb) of flanking DNA. Direct RNA sequencing of the 5' end of the osteonectin message showed it contained a sequence identical to that of a 2.4-kb EcoRI-BamHI fragment located midway in the clone lambda Og15. The results indicate exon 1 is located 10 kb away from exon 2 in the bovine genome. The DNA sequence unit CCTG is repeated five times in exon 1 which is composed exclusively of untranslated sequence. Sequence analysis of the 5'-flanking DNA revealed the presence of many regulatory motifs including a "GC" box with four overlapping SP1 consensus sequences. Immediately downstream from the GC box is a 72-base pair purine-rich stretch composed primarily of direct repeats of the sequence motifs GGGGA and GGA (GAGA box). Digestion of the flanking DNA in vitro with S1 endonuclease showed a site for the enzyme at position -55 which is just 3' to the GAGA box. Chimeric chloramphenicol acetyltransferase constructs were prepared containing the S1-sensitive site and showed substantial transcriptional activity in UMR-106 and fetal and adult human bone cells which are known to be high producers of the protein. The results indicate a potential regulatory activity of the S1 site in osteonectin gene activation.

Animals↗