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G W Outram

Publications and source records attributed to G W Outram.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Genetic aspects of unconventional virus infections: the basis of the virino hypothesis.

The properties of genes involved directly or indirectly in the pathogenesis of scrapie and other unconventional (UCV) virus infections are reviewed. Reasons are presented for assigning paramount importance to the Sinc gene in mice and the Sip gene in sheep (the likely homologue of Sinc). The rationale is given for concluding that the agents of UCV infections have their own genomic molecules coding for strain differences. The virino hypothesis, which proposes that the infective form of the agent is an informational hybrid between the agent's genome and protective host proteins, is presented in detail, with an explanation of the postulated role of Sinc.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Slow encephalopathies, inflammatory responses and arachis oil.

There is much interest in the possibility that diets rich in some plant oils may be of prophylactic and curative value in certain clinical conditions. This is generally attributed to the immunosuppressive effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Arachis (peanut) oil injections can increase the incubation period of experimental scrapie in mice. In the late 1950s several workers showed that arachis and some other oils contained very potent anti-inflammatory components quite apart from the polyunsaturated fatty acids. This suggests that the supposed efficacy of these acids in some clinical situations could be due to trace substances rather than the lipid itself and that the apparent ability of scrapie agents to use the host's lymphoreticular system as a Trojan horse may involve elements of the inflammatory system rather than the B/T cell immune system.

Animals↗