Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Craig.
Horner's syndrome is rare. A bullet wound in the neck is a rare cause of the syndrome, and it is exceedingly uncommon for a Horner's syndrome to be the sole noteworthy clinical result of a gunshot wound of this part of the anatomy. Two cases of bullet injury of the neck are described wherein a permanent Horner's syndrome was the only important sequel.
Several phenothiazines have been shown to inhibit NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NKC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) effected by human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Of those tested, chlorpromazine was found to inhibit at the lowest concentration (5 microM) with a 90% inhibition at 10 microM for NKC and 70% inhibition for ADCC. Pre-incubation of either effector or target cells with chlorpromazine did not provide any evidence of inhibition in subsequent cytotoxicity assays. The data for chlorpromazine in particular may be of clinical significance. In vivo inhibition would presumably require the presence of the drug since preincubation did not produce inhibition of NK or K cell function.
In the course of spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) with human peripheral lymphocytes as effector cells, no lipid peroxidation occurred as measured by the production of ethane and thiobarbituric acid-reactive material. Furthermore, impairment of major cellular defense systems of target cells (K562 cells for SCMC, Chang liver cells for ADCC), by decreasing their glutathione content, had no effect on either lipid peroxidation or the cytotoxic response. These findings indicate that peroxidative damage is not a mechanism of NK and K cell-mediated cytotoxicity.
Serine is an essential amino acid for the lectin-mediated transformation of human peripheral blood lymphocytes due to the inability of this cell to synthesize sufficient quantities via either the phosphorylated pathway or by reversal of the serine hydroxymethyltransferase reaction to meet the metabolic demands. The level of intracellular serine is tightly regulated, and the culture medium concentration for optimum cellular transformation falls within a relatively narrow range. The three-carbon atom of serine is the major source of one-carbon units required for purine and pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis, but the key effect of both serine deprivation and of high medium serine levels would appear to be on protein synthesis. Although an alternative source of one-carbon units, as provided by high levels of formate in the culture medium, can partially reverse the effects of serine deprivation, the only other demonstrable source of one-carbon units, tryptophan, requires serine for its incorporation and subsequent metabolism. Methionine is also essential for lymphocyte transformation and is involved in the synthesis of a small amount of phosphatidylcholine, although most of this phospholipid is provided by choline and lysophosphatidylcholine from the serum-supplemented culture medium.
Three female patients who suffered acute psychotic illness are described. All these patients became ill during or shortly after attendance at an encounter group run by a single organization. The leadership style of encounter groups run by this organization appears to have been confrontative and authoritarian. Previous studies of "encounter group casualties" suggest that this leadership style is associated with a high risk of psychological injury.
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The experiments reported show that one of the early effects of the steroid sex hormone antheridiol is on the synthesis of rRNA and ribosomes. This is demonstrated in hormone treated cultures of Achlya ambisexualis (strain E87) by an enhancement of the incorporation of [3H]uridine into 26S and 18S rRNA and by an increase in measurable amounts of ribosomes per milligram dry weight of mycelium. Furthermore, since the hormone does not significantly alter the pool size or the specific activity of uridine triphosphate, this effect appears to represent an increased rate of RNA synthesis.
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A possible mechanism for the positive and negative feed-back effects of oestrogen on luteinizing hormone (LH) output is suggested. It is proposed that oestrogens may influence prostaglandin synthesis in the hypothalamus in relation to LH releasing hormone (LH.RH) synthesis and release. Changes in oestrogen level or in the oestrogen to progesterone ratio may alter the ratios of prostaglandin concentrations in the hypothalamus, and so modulate LH.RH output through effects on sympathetic neurotransmission, protein synthesis or LH.RH release.
General practitioners (GPs) in the United Kingdom are vigorous in their defence of their sole right to refer a patient to a specialist. However, a strong case can be put for allowing access to specialist services through other channels of referral such as open access clinics, direct referral by district nurses, residential and nursing home managers or social workers. GPs and hospital consultants have long-established work patterns and are likely to be reluctant to change. But if all patients are to receive the level of expertise to which they are entitled, the barriers at the hospital/community frontier will have to come down.
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