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Biomedical subjects

J Fraser

Publications and source records attributed to J Fraser.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Wilms' tumour in New Zealand 1960-1986.

Between 1960 and 1986, 177 cases of Wilms' tumour were reported to the New Zealand National Cancer Registry. There was an equal sex distribution and 93.2% of patients were in the paediatric age group with a mean age of 3.4 years. The mean symptom interval was 2.0 months and the majority of patients presented with localised disease, although the incidence of advanced disease was greater than that reported from other series. The 5-year survival rate for all cases was 52.5%. Data were divided into patients presenting before and after the publication of the first National Wilms' Tumour Study (NWTS) in the United States in 1976. In patients presenting after 1976 the diagnosis was based on histology in 100%, compared to 58.6% in patients before 1977. Treatment was considered curative in a greater proportion of the post-1976 group. Treatment modalities reflected the recommendations of the NWTS and the 5-year survival rate of this group was 78.3%, this being similar to that reported from the NWTS. Multivariate analysis showed patient age, symptom interval, tumour stage and treatment (pre- and post-NWTS) to be independent predictors of survival.

Adolescent

Ubiquitin gene expression: response to environmental changes.

It has previously been shown that the yeast ubiquitin genes UBI1, 2 and 3 are strongly expressed during the log-phase of batch culture growth, whereas the UBI4 gene is weakly expressed. We found that heat shock, treatment with DNA-damaging agents, starvation, and the feeding of starved cells all transiently induced UBI4. These results suggest that UBI4 is induced whenever a change in culture conditions dictates a dramatic shift in cellular metabolism, and that UBI4 expression returns to lower levels once cellular metabolism has adapted to the new conditions. In contrast, all of the treatments tested, except starvation, transiently repressed the UBI1, 2 and 3 genes. Although starvation also repressed UBI1, 2 and 3 its effect was not transient, and expression only recovered upon the addition of fresh media. These results, together with others presented here, suggest that high levels of UBI1, 2 and 3 expression are dependant upon ongoing cell growth, and that treatments which slow or stop growth repress their expression.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide

Platelet aggregation in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

A method for washing platelets by albumin density gradient separation has been modified to prepare platelet rich plasma of thrombocytopenic patients for platelet aggregation studies. The concentration procedure, consisting of centrifuging platelets into a specific gravity gradient between plasma and 40-45% aqueous solution of bovine albumin, does not affect platelet aggregation adversely. Platelet aggregation in eight patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura was determined by this method. On the basis of the results the patients could clearly be divided into two groups: four patients with normal aggregation and four with a qualitative platelet defect. In contrast to the other patients, the group with an in vitro platelet functional defect all had more prolonged bleeding times and the presence of a serum antiplatelet antibody.

Blood Cell Count

Hydatid disease in New Zealand: changing patterns in human infection, 1878-1972.

Temporal trends in the prevalence and incidence of human hydatid disease in New Zealand were described with respect to the different phases in echinococcal control. The prevalence rate of human hydatid disease increased steadily from 1878 to 1954 despite some educational and legislative measures aimed primarily at controlling canine infections. There was not a marked reduction in incidence in young children and in Maoris until after the intensification of control activities by the voluntary committees in 1957, and the decline in incidence in all groups was maintained during the continuing national control programme. The incidence data were analysed by age, sex, race and residential history of patients, and by the site of hydatid cysts. Maoris were found to be at an unusually high risk of infection with Echinococcus granulosus, with incidence rates six times higher than those in non-Maoris.

Adolescent

Serotypes of Pasteurella haemolytica in ovine pasteurellosis.

The serotypes of 406 strains of Pasteurella haemolytica were determined. These came from cases of pasteurellosis in sheep of all ages. Serotype A2 was the most frequent and comprised 33 per cent of all strains recovered. Serotypes T3, T4 and T10 comprised 16, 14 and 12 per cent of the total respectively. Serotypes A1 and A6 contributed 5 per cent each, A7, 18, A9, A11 and A12 a total of 8 per cent collectively, serotype A5 was not isolated at all while 6 per cent of strains were serologically untypable. More strains were received during September, October and November than at any other three-month period and in these months the T biotype predominated.

Animals

Cystic fibrosis in New Zealand: incidence and mortality data.

The incidence of and mortality from cystic fibrosis in New Zealand for the years 1965-1971 have been reviewed. Data were obtained from hospital admission and death records. All of the 171 cases were of European parentage except for one part-Maori child. The minimum incidence of cystic fibrosis in the European population (one in 3185 live births) is comparable with that in other populations of similar background but somewhat lower than that derived by Becroft (1968). The data show that, during the period of the survey, approximately 30 percent of cystic fibrosis suffereres died at less than 12 months of age.

Child

The conversion of leucine to alpha-ketoisocaproic acid and its metabolic consequences for Escherichia coli K12.

The amino acid L-leucine serves as a good auxiliary nitrogen source for Escherichia coli K12, and in so doing is converted to alpha-ketoisocaproic acid which is excreted into the medium. L-Leucine does not serve as sole nitrogen source. Cells incubated with L-leucine as sole nitrogen source do not grow, although they do metabolize leucine, and accumulate ketoisocaproic acid in the medium. Where glycine is the only other nitrogen source, the presence of L-leucine greatly increases the growth rate even at concentrations so low that its contribution as nitrogen donor is unlikely to be important.

Ammonium Sulfate