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G Burgess

Publications and source records attributed to G Burgess.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Preliminary analysis of proportional mortality in a cohort of British pottery workers exposed to crystalline silica.

A cohort of 7020 male pottery workers born in 1916-1945 was identified from all employees in dust-exposed trades, subject to medical surveillance by the Benefits Agency Medical Service of the Department of Social Security in Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom. All but 256 (3.6%) were traced, 1016 (15.0%) had died by 30 June 1992, and death certificates were obtained for 940 (92.5%) of the fatalities - 122 from respiratory cancer. After the exclusion of any recorded asbestos exposure, the proportional mortality ratio (PMR) for lung cancer was 1.22 when calculated against national rates (P < 0.02), but the PMR against local rates was 1.04. Logistic regression analyses based on 75 nested case-referent pairs for which the required information was available showed that lung cancer mortality was dominated by smoking and significantly affected by past asbestos exposure. However, for 47 pairs in which both the case and referent had a history of smoking, there was also significant evidence that the risk was related to duration of silica dust exposure in pottery work but not to radiological score.

Ceramics↗

Comparison of subjective and objective measures of movement performance in children with cerebral palsy.

This study evaluated the use of accelerometry to measure the quality of movement in children with cerebral palsy. Accelerometer scores based on a previously described test were correlated with scores on a newly developed clinical test shown to be both valid and reliable. Low correlations were obtained between clinical test scores and accelerometer scores. Although the accelerometer test has been shown to be effective in distinguishing between able-bodied children and those with cerebral palsy, it is not sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between levels of movement quality in the latter population. The accelerometer may measure a different aspect of movement from that measured by the clinical test, and does not appear to be a valid test of the quality of movement in children with cerebral palsy.

Acceleration↗

Mutant H-ras over-expression inhibits a random apoptotic nuclease in myeloid leukemia cells.

Cell suicide, or apoptosis, is now recognized as an essential regulatory step in such diverse developmental processes as embryogenesis, thymocyte restriction, and hematopoiesis. One of the major features of apoptosis is the activation of an endogenous nuclease that cleaves DNA into nucleosomal fragments. Little is known about the activation or specificity of the apoptotic endonuclease. In this study, we investigated signalling pathways and the specificity of the apoptotic nuclease. We found that forced over-expression of activated H-ras inhibited activation of the apoptotic endonuclease. Since a high percentage of myelodysplasias and leukemias have mutations that activate ras, this finding lends insight into how ras might be leukemogenic. In addition, the phorbol ester TPA and a cyclic AMP analogue also slowed activation of this endonuclease. Interestingly, protein synthesis inhibition stimulated the endonuclease activity. In addition, by cloning and sequencing apoptotic fragments we found that the apoptotic nuclease has no sequence specificity. Thus, the apoptotic nuclease inhibited by H-ras over-expression was random in nature.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Comparison of subjective and objective measures of movement performance of children with cerebral palsy.

The outcome of an eight-week period of additional occupational therapy, aimed at improving fine motor skills, was assessed by accelerometry and a rating scale based on the Erhardt Developmental Prehension Assessment. 10 children with cerebral palsy received their regular occupational therapy, while a similar group had an additional 30-minute session each day. No difference was found between groups at the end of the study. The difficulties of designing this type of project are discussed and the assessment methods described.

Cerebral Palsy↗

Objective test of the quality of motor function of children with cerebral palsy: preliminary study.

An objective test of motor function would enable better evaluation of various treatment programmes for children with cerebral palsy. The use of tri-axial accelerometry was investigated in 36 children with cerebral palsy and in 53 children without disabilities. Variables discriminated well between able-bodied and disabled children, and there was a high level of retest reliability. The technique requires further development, but shows promise of providing the ability to gather objective data about the quality of motor function.

Cerebral Palsy↗

Multiple myeloma in central and northern Norway 1981-1982: a follow-up study of a randomized clinical trial of 5-drug combination therapy versus standard therapy.

In a randomized study of 92 previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma, the intention was to document the possible beneficial effect of combination chemotherapy including vincristine, carmustine, alkylating agents and prednisone, as compared to conventional therapy with melphalan and prednisone. Major prognostic factors did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. With the 2-drug therapy and 5-drug combination therapy, 48 and 54% of the patients achieved remission, respectively. Median survival for patients treated with the 2-drug regimen and 5-drug regimen was 29 and 33.5 months, respectively. No significant difference was found between the survival curves for stage III patients treated with the two regimens. After 12 months, patients who had achieved remission were randomized to have treatment discontinued or to have maintenance treatment. The numbers of relapses, remission duration and survival of the two groups were similar.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Xeroderma pigmentosum: a rapid sensitive method for prenatal diagnosis.

When normal human cells, capable of repairing ultraviolet-induced lesions in their DNA, are incubated in the thymidine analog 5-bromodeoxyuridine after ultraviolet irradiation, the analog is incorporated into the repaired regions. When such repaired cells are subsequently irradiated with 313-nanometer radiation and placed in alkali, breaks appear in the DNA at sites of incorporation of 5bromodeoxyuridine, inducing a dramatic downward shift in the sedimentation constant of the DNA. Cells from patients with the disease xeroderma pigmentosum, which causes sensitivity to ultraviolet, are incapable or only minimally capable of repair; such cells incorporate little 5-bromodeoxyuridine into their DNA under these conditions and, upon 313-nanometer irradiation and sedimentation in alkali, exhibit only minor shifts in DNA sedimentation constants. When fibroblasts developed from biopsies of normal skin and of skin from patients with xeroderma pigmentosum, as well as cells cultured from midtrimester amniotic fluid, were assayed in this fashion unequivocal differences between normal and xeroderma pigmentosum cells were shown. Xeroderma pigmentosum heterozygotes are clearly distinguishable from homozygous mutants, and results are available 12 hours after irradiation.

Amniocentesis↗

Phosphodiesterase 11 (PDE11) regulation of spermatozoa physiology.

Fertilization is well correlated with sperm concentration, rate of forward motility, and percentage of live, uncapacitated ejaculated spermatozoa, which is regulated in part by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) hydrolyze cyclic nucleotides to their corresponding monophosphates, thereby counterbalancing the activities of cAMP and cGMP, and PDE11 is highly expressed in the testis, prostate, and developing spermatozoa. However, a physiological role of PDE11 is not known. We generated PDE11 knockout (PDE11-/-) mice to investigate the role of PDE11 in spermatozoa physiology. Ejaculated sperm from PDE11-/- mice displayed reduced sperm concentration, rate of forward progression, and percentage of live spermatozoa. Pre-ejaculated sperm from PDE11-/- mice displayed increased premature/spontaneous capacitance. These data are consistent with human data and suggest a role for PDE11 in spermatogenesis and fertilization potential. This is the first phenotype described for the PDE11-/- mouse and the first report of a physiological role for PDE11.

3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Photogrammetry.

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Dentistry↗