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J Archer

Publications and source records attributed to J Archer.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Sulphydryl reactivity of the HLA-B27 epitope: accessibility of the free cysteine studied by flow cytometry.

HLA-B27 has an unpaired cysteine on or near its serologically defined spondylitis associated epitope, and it has been argued that its sulphydryl side chain may be chemically reactive. In a previous study it was shown that chemical treatment of HLA-B27 cells with the sulphydryl binding agent p-chloromercuriphenylsulphonic acid (pCMPSA) specifically reduced binding of antibodies to HLA-B27 by up to 80%, as measured in a cellular enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (CELISA). The effect of sulphydryl blockade on intact B27 cells was investigated using flow cytometry. Compared with the CELISA, inhibition required higher concentrations of pCMPSA, and the degree of inhibition produced by a greater than or equal to 30 microM solution of pCMPSA as measured by flow cytometry (median 28.9%) was significantly lower than that measured by CELISA (median 73.6%; p = 1.6 x 10(-6)). Analysis of unfixed, cell surface HLA-B27 by flow cytometry suggests that on most B27 molecules the unpaired sulphydryl site is not available. On the basis of this evidence for modification after translation, a new 'altered self' hypothesis is proposed for the part which HLA-B27 plays in inflammatory disease.

4-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate↗
PubMed1991

The influence of testosterone on human aggression.

Animal studies show clear evidence for a causal link between testosterone and aggression. This review assesses studies involving androgens, principally testosterone, and human aggression. Evidence for a possible effect of prenatal androgens is inconclusive. In adults, higher testosterone levels are found in groups selected for high levels of aggressiveness. Correlations between testosterone and aggression were low when hostility inventories were used, but higher (r = .38) when aggressiveness was rated by others. Regression analysis data and studies of boys at puberty were inconclusive. Other studies show that the outcome of aggressive and competitive encounters can alter testosterone levels, thus confounding interpretation of the correlational evidence. The design of future studies to reveal evidence of a causal link is considered. Suggestions concerning two important methodological problems, the experimental manipulation of hormone levels and the nature of the dependent variable, are made.

Aggression↗
PubMed1988

The sociobiology of bereavement: a reply to Littlefield and Rushton.

This article offers a critique of Littlefield and Rushton's (1986) application of sociobiological principles to bereavement following the death of a child. The following general issues are considered: (a) whether behavior is always adaptive and (b) the distinction between proximate and ultimate explanations. It is argued that grief is a maladaptive by-product of another, adaptive feature and that hypotheses about the severity of grief are best derived from proximate considerations rather than genetic relatedness. The use of a single-item rating scale to measure grief is questioned, and it is noted that interspouse reliabilities reported in the article were low, a problem not solved (as claimed) by aggregation. Criticisms are made of the specific hypotheses, notably in terms of their origins in sociobiological theory. It is argued that functional hypotheses are not alternatives to proximate mechanisms, but enable some proximate mechanisms to be viewed from the perspective of evolutionary biology.

Adaptation, Biological↗
PubMed1988

Aggressive behaviour of children aged 6-11: gender differences and their magnitude.

A total of 72 boys and 72 girls, of six age groups from 6 to 11 years, was observed in the school classroom over eight 5-minute periods, under conditions of low structure, non-directive teaching; aggressive and other categories of behaviour were recorded. There were no overall gender differences in aggression, but boys showed significantly more physical aggression than girls (overall effect size d = 0.36), whereas girls showed significantly more verbal aggression than boys (overall effect size d = 0.66). The physical aggression difference was variable both in direction and magnitude across the age categories and included a large reversal at 9 years. Boy's higher levels of physical aggression were not associated with higher levels of activity or more time spent in social interactions. The gender difference in verbal aggression was consistent in direction and magnitude across age categories, but in the opposite direction to the majority of previous findings. There were no gender differences in other categories of verbal behaviour.

Aggression↗
PubMed1988

Grief and rehousing.

The occurrence and extent of grief-like features were assessed in a sample of people who had been rehoused involuntarily. Answers indicating the following responses were reported by a proportion of those interviewed: intrusive thoughts (29 per cent), searching (22 per cent), anger (24 per cent), loss of self (56 per cent) and identification (38 per cent).

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1987

Bereavement and reactions to job loss: a comparative review.

An assessment is made of the applicability of the grief framework for understanding reactions to job loss. Jahoda's 'deprivation view' of unemployment is introduced as a statement of what is lost, with the grief model describing the process of adjustment to loss. The main features of grief are described: it is an active process, changing over time, consisting of a number of episodic components combined with a background of chronic emotional disturbance. Parkes' concept of psychosocial transitions is then outlined; this provides a theoretical link between grieving and reactions to other forms of loss, including job loss. An assessment is made of how the grief process has been applied to job loss in existing research. Evidence for most of the components of the grief process is apparent in accounts of reactions to unemployment, but there is little evidence on their frequency, changes over time or their relationship to one another. Variables which are likely to affect the occurrence, extent and precise course of any grief-like process are examined by comparing reactions to bereavement and job loss. The family and social contexts of reactions to loss are then considered in relation to both grief and unemployment. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the grief model are briefly discussed.

Employment↗
PubMed1986

A protocol for the combined biochemical and serological identification of the Ames mutagen tester strains as Salmonella typhimurium.

Previously published reports have noted biochemical reactions atypical of Salmonella among the Ames tester strains of Salmonella typhimurium, and an inability to assign the strains to a specific Salmonella O (heat-stable cell wall) antigen group. We studied the biochemistry and serology of strains TA97, 98, 100, 102, 104, 1535, 1537, and 1538 in an attempt to develop a protocol to correctly speciate the strains. Biochemical reactions of all eight strains using standard media supplemented with histidine and biotin were consistent with those of the genus Salmonella. Strains TA100, 104, and 1535 were assigned to Salmonella O groups using bacteria treated with hot ethanol (White schema). H (flagellar) antigen assignments were performed successfully with seven of the eight strains. Two H antigen assignments required the use of the Craigie tube test for selection of motile revertants. Combining our biochemical and serological results obtained by this protocol, we were able to correctly speciate TA100, 104, and 1535 as Salmonella typhimurium. Our results demonstrate that representatives of the tester strains can be correctly speciated provided that procedures are followed that allow for the unusual nutrient requirements, the deep rough cell wall mutation, and the variably deficient motility of these organisms.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1985

Multimer resolution systems of ColE1 and ColK: localisation of the crossover site.

We have identified and characterised a stability function encoded by the high copy plasmid ColK. The function is analogous to ColE1 cer and maximises stability by maintaining plasmids in the monomeric state. In vivo recombination between cer and ckr (which share more than 90% homology at the DNA sequence level) produced a functional hybrid. Sequence analysis of hybrids indicates that recombination involving cer and ckr is site-specific and occurs within a 35 bp region of DNA which contains palindromic symmetry.

Bacteriocin Plasmids↗
PubMed1984

Gender roles as developmental pathways.

Male and female gender roles are discussed as developmental pathways in terms of four related descriptive dimensions: the first three, rigidity, complexity and consistency, are all concerned with processes operating at particular stages of development; the fourth, continuity, is concerned with the overall developmental pathway. The limited evidence available indicates the following: there is a more rigid male role in childhood, but the evidence for adults is less clear; there is some evidence of greater complexity and inconsistency in the male role during childhood; developmentally, the female role becomes less flexible at adolescence whereas the male role becomes more flexible and varied; the female role shows more change across the adult life-span, particularly at the birth of the first child. The wider societal and historical implications of these conclusions, and their relation to role-related difficulties, are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The long-term effect of lithium carbonate on tardive dyskinesia.

Lithium carbonate has been used in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia (TD) with conflicting results. In this study, six patients with a diagnosis of manic depressive illness were followed in the Affective Disorders Clinic of Douglas Hospital for one year. None of the patients showed improvement of their TD in this study. Possible reasons for this lack of response are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Vitamin E.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗
PubMed1981

Sex differences in the aggressive behaviour of schoolchildren.

An observational study was carried out to investigate whether sex differences in aggression, found in pre-school children in free-play situations, would also be found at older ages in the classroom. Equal numbers of boys and girls, aged 6 and 11 years, were observed individually in their school classrooms for eight 5 min periods, carried out over several weeks. At 11 years of age, boys showed more physical aggression than girls, a finding which resulted from a few boys showing higher scores than the remaining boys and the girls; girls showed more verbal aggression. These sex differences were not found at 6 years of age. At both ages, there was a higher proportion of same-sex than opposite-sex encounters. These results are discussed in terms of the generality of sex differences in aggression, the possibility of a sex difference in the form of aggressive acts, and the sex of the recipient of aggression.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1979

Abandonment of responsibility for the seriously mentally ill.

The road leading to the demise of state responsibility for the seriously mentally ill and the current crisis of abandonment was paved with all the best intentions. Tragically, policies underlying the pattern of abandonment are based on erroneous interpretations of what patients need and what our current techniques can produce to help them. An index of declining hospital census must not be mistaken for the goal of care.

Community Mental Health Services↗