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Biomedical subjects

E A Cook

Publications and source records attributed to E A Cook.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

A riparian wildlife habitat evaluation scheme developed using GIS.

To evaluate riparian habitat for wildlife, we used a geographic information system (GIS) that prioritized individual streams (for acquisition or management) by habitat ranking. We demonstrate this methodology for the Vermilion River basin in east-central Illinois, USA. Three data sets were used to evaluate land cover encompassing 300 m on either side of the streams: (1) the US Geological Survey's land use and land cover information (LUDA), (2) land cover manually digitized from the National High Altitude Photography (NHAP) program, and (3) Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data classified into land cover. Each of 30 tributaries in the study area was ranked for habitat according to the data contained in each data set, and results were compared. Habitat ranking schemes were devised and analysis performed for three species guilds: forest, grassland, and mixed successional species. TM and NHAP each differentiated habitat scores (for forest, grassland, and mixed successional guilds) among tributaries in a similar and suitable way, while LUDA was not suitable, due to the coarse resolution of the data. Overall, it was shown that the methodology is suitable to rank streams based on riparian habitat quality. Even though more work is needed to test and verify the method, the project has shown the potential for such techniques to assist in evaluating, tracking, and improving the management of riparian wildlife resources. The method can easily be applied over large areas such as states if TM-based land cover and stream data are available.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1997

Identifying denial in stroke patients.

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability of an experimental assessment tool for identifying and differentiating between psychodynamic and neurogenic denial in stroke patients. A one-page criterion referenced denial assessment tool was used by interdisciplinary rater teams to evaluate patients with either right or left hemisphere insults. High interrater reliability was obtained. Assessment data indicated that right-CVA patients had higher psychodynamic and neurogenic denial scores than left-CVA patients. Higher psychodynamic denial scores were also observed in the second month post-stroke. The experimental denial assessment tool proved to be a practical way for identifying and differentiating psychodynamic and neurogenic forms of denial. This tool can provide a means for ongoing assessment to support precise nursing diagnoses and promote effective patient-focused care planning throughout the rehabilitation process.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

The effects of reminiscence on psychological measures of ego integrity in elderly nursing home residents.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a reminiscence group to increase ego integrity in elderly nursing home residents. Erickson's developmental theory and Butler's theory of reminiscence provided the theoretical framework for the study. It was hypothesized that reminiscing would increase life satisfaction, self-esteem, and decrease depression. Fifty-four nursing home residents were randomly assigned to a reminiscence group or a control group. No statistically significant relationship was found between reminiscing and life satisfaction, depression, or self-esteem; however, results indicated there was a positive socializing effect for those who participated in the group process.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

The expression of canine cardiac phospholamban in heterologous systems.

A synthetic phospholamban gene has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, producing both native phospholamban and a fusion protein with 81 amino acids of the influenza virus NS1 protein. Both the native phospholamban and fusion proteins produced extensive cell lysis upon induction of gene expression, but only the native protein underwent spontaneous pentamer formation in E. coli. Translation in vitro of mRNA produced by transcription in vitro of phospholamban cDNA was used to demonstrate the spontaneous aggregation of phospholamban to form pentamers in this system also, both in the presence and absence of exogenous microsomes from canine pancreas or heart. Phospholamban produced by translation in vitro was apparently susceptible to proteolysis by enzymes present in the particulate fractions in these experiments.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1989

Phospholamban is a good substrate for cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro, but not in intact cardiac or smooth muscle.

1. Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates purified phospholamban. It also phosphorylates phospholamban present in vesicles of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum and smooth muscle microsomal fractions, and in transformants of Escherichia coli which contain a plasmid into which a gene encoding phospholamban has been inserted. 2. In vitro the phospholamban present in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes is a better substrate for cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase than for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. 3. Studies using [32P]Pi to label the cellular ATP in intact cardiac or smooth muscle failed to demonstrate that phosphorylation of phospholamban occurs in response to stimuli which increase intracellular cyclic GMP. Possible reasons for this functional separation between increased cyclic GMP and phosphorylation of phospholamban are discussed.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1981

Effect of acute exercise on amino acid incorporation into the rat myocardium.

To determine the effect of acute exercise and recovery on amino acid incorporation into myocardial protein, female Wistar rats (220-240 g) were exercised to exhaustion by swimming. Animals were sacrificed at exhaustion, or 0.5, 1, 2, 4. or 16 h after exercise. Hearts were removed and perfused for 30 min with a Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer containing; 15 mM glucose, normal plasma levels of amino acids and 0.1 muCi [3H]-phenylalanine per ml of buffer. Immediately following the exhaustive exercise, amino acid incorporation into extramitochondrial, mitochondrial and whole heart protein was decreased by 50, 55, and 43% respectively. Following 2 h of recovery, incorporation of [3H]-phenylalanine returned to normal in all three protein fractions. No stimulation in protein synthesis was observed in any of the cell fractions. In an attempt to estimate the intracellular availability of [3H]-phenylalanine, the TCA soluble radioactivity was determined. No change from rest was observed at exhaustion or throughout recovery suggesting that the amino acid pool size was not altered. These data indicate that exhaustive exercise temporarily reduces myocardial protein synthesis which quickly returns to normal during recovery.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1980

The expression in E. coli of synthetic repeating polymeric genes coding for poly(L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine).

Two dodecadeoxynucleotides of defined sequence have been synthesised by phosphotriester methodology. They can be polymerised to give a double stranded DNA which codes, when read in the correct phase, for the repeating dipeptide poly(aspartyl-phenylalanine). This polymeric DNA has been cloned in E. coli K12 using as vector a plasmid having a controllable bacterial promoter upstream of the insertion site. Clones containing genes coding for up to 150 repeats of (aspartyl-phenylalanine) have been isolated and characterised. The polymeric inserts appear to be stable over many generations and are expressed in E. coli under the control of the bacterial promoter, to give a polymer of phenylalanine and aspartic acid which may be broken down enzymically to yield aspartyl-phenylalanine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1977

The presence of ovalbumin mRNA coding sequences in multiple restriction fragments of chicken DNA.

Chicken DNA has been digested with restriction enzymes and the size distribution of the DNA fragments containing ovalbumin specific sequences has been examined after separation of the fragments on agarose gels and transfer to nitrocellulose sheets. Hybridisation with terminally 32P-labelled ovalbumin mRNA fragments or with RNA populations transcribed from the DNA of a hybrid plasmid containing ovalbumin sequences was used to locate the DNA fragments coding for ovalbumin. Digestion with enzymes which do not cut within the portion of the ovalbumin gene synthesised from ovalbumin messenger RNA in vitro has shown the presence of several defined fragments carrying ovalbumin specific sequences. Possible explanations of these observations are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1974

The polyA regions of hen oviduct RNA.

Total RNA from hen oviduct has been hydrolysed with a mixture of T(1) and pancreatic ribonucleases. Poly(A) tracts in the digestion product have been isolated by binding to oligo(dT) cellulose. Of the four major ribonucleotides, the product has been shown to contain only adenylic acid. When separated on polyacrylamide gels, the poly(A) gave two peaks corresponding to average apparent lengths of 270-280 and 540-550 nucleotides.

Animals↗
PubMed1972

The structure of ribosomes as indicated by studies of tetramers from hypothermic chick embryos.

Ribosome tetramers induced in chick embryos by exposure to cold, and tetramers of large subunits derived from them, have been studied by electron microscopy and sucrose-density-gradient analysis. Individual ribosomes of the normal tetramer are elongated bean-shaped structures, 220-280A by 195A (1A=10(-1)nm) with a cleft in the outer edge which divides the two-dimensional image into two unequal ends. Most of the tetramers appear to attach to the surface of the electron-microscope grid by one preferred face. The subunits of the large-subunit tetramers have a round outline and no cleft. About 25% of the subunits of these tetramers have a line running radially across the particle. The dissociation of tetramers into large-subunit tetramers and small subunits has been shown to be reversible. Mixtures of these particles from sucrose-density-gradient fractions were reassociated to give a tetramer with the same sedimentation coefficient as the original tetramer and with the same structure as viewed in the electron microscope. The results indicate that the cleft is a property of the complete ribosome, and that it marks the position of the small subunit. The reversibility of the dissociation also strengthens the view that no change in the large subunit occurs during dissociation or reassociation, i.e. that the sites of interaction between ribosomes in both types of tetramer are the same. The conclusions affect the interpretation of electron-micrograph images and an anomaly in the relationship between the two types of tetramer is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1968

Variations in the growth response of four different vitamin B12 assay microorganisms to the same tissue and standard preparations.

Four microbiological assay procedures (Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus leichmanni, Euglena gracilis, and Ochromonas malhamensis) for the vitamin B(12) content of rat liver and kidney tissue were compared. Significant differences in the growth response for portions of the same sample based on the same standard preparations were noted. The liver values with E. coli were strikingly higher than those obtained with the other microorganisms, about which there was rather general agreement. With kidney tissue, E. coli again gave higher values, but not as significantly high as those obtained with L. leichmannii and E. gracilis. O. malhamensis values were significantly lower. These differences were greater than were expected and could not be explained by the differences of specificity and sensitivity of the assay organisms. Several methods of sample preparation, the possible presence of an alkali-heat-stable factor, different methods of sterilization of the sample plus medium, and different chromatographic procedures were explored in an attempt to find explanations for the variations in growth response, with the thought that these various methods would clarify in what form or forms the free and bound vitamin B(12) might exist in the samples. No clear-cut explanation was found.

Animals↗
PubMed1967

Isolation of deoxyribonucleic acid from mammalian tissues.

1. DNA has been isolated from different mammalian tissues. The DNA preparations were free from RNA, protein and polysaccharides and have a similar range of sedimentation coefficients (approx. 24s). 2. Protein was removed by a two-stage extraction with a phenol-cresol mixture by using a detergent with 4-aminosalicylate in the first stage and sodium chloride in the second. 3. Polysaccharides remained in solution when DNA was precipitated with 2-butoxyethanol in the presence of 0.5m-sodium chloride and 1.5m-sodium benzoate. 4. Ribosomal RNA was removed by precipitation in the presence of 3m-sodium chloride at 0 degrees , when DNA remained soluble.

Animals↗