Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J M Townsend.
Production of the hepatotoxin cyclochlorotine by Penicillium islandicum was studied under a variety of fermentation conditions. The best system for production was agitated red wheat. A thin-layer chromatographic method was developed for the detection of this cyclic polypeptide. These experiments have resulted in the isolation of a new toxic metabolite, which we call simatoxin.
Matched samples of mental hospital staff and high school students completed mental health questionnaires in Germany and America. The results were factor analysed. One factor concerned the role of the psychiatrist. The role of the psychiatrist in each culture seems to reflect basic cultural conceptions of mental disorders. Reference to two earlier papers indicates that patients, staff, and public share these basic conceptions and these conceptions affect patient-staff relationships.
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Production of cyclopiazonic acid by Aspergillus flavus is reported for the first time. A procedure for its production by agitated solid substrate fermentation on red wheat is described along with the isolation procedure and physical and chemical properties of this indole derivative. The compound has been found to exert antibacterial activity.
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Twenty-nine cases of acute appendicitis during pregnancy are presented, and the recent literature is reviewed. Occurring once in 1,600 gestations, appendicitis carries a pregnancy loss of 10.8%. Difficulties in diagnosis and delays in treatment increase with advancing gestational age. Aggressive management may minimize the resultant maternal morbidity and fetal mortality.
This study attempts to test, in a bicultural, controlled comparison, two sociological theories of mental disorders. The first of these theories proposes that the stereotypes of mental illness profoundly shape the symptoms of mental illness in America. The second theory maintains that the requirements and needs of the mental hospital largely determine the "symptoms" of the chronic mental patient. To test these theories, matched samples of 100 mental patients in Germany and America were subjected to in-depth interviews and were administered semantic differentials. Patients were divided into groups according to length of confinement in order to investigate the thesis that the institution conditions chronic patient roles. The results revealed statistically significant differences between the two nationalities. German patients generally agreed that mental illness is a biologically determined, and rather incurable condition. In contrast, American patients generally believed that the individual is partially responsible for his condition and with the proper motivation and help, he can improve. Patients' statements about themselves and about proper behavior in the hospital were consistent with these national differences. It was concluded that institutionalization consists more in conditioning the patient to accept his status than in convincing him that he is insane.
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Twelve mycotoxins produced by Penicillium islandicum Sopp and Penicillium rugulosum in solid-state fermentation on grains were purified and tested for mutagenicity and antibacterial activity in Salmonella/mammalian microsome assays. The mutations studied were reversions of histidine auxotrophs to prototrophy in strains TA98 and TA100 and forward mutations to 8-azaguanine resistance (8AGR) in strain TM677. Rubroskyrin, (+)rugulosin, lumiluteoskyrin [a photoproduct of (-)luteoskyrin], and simatoxin [a new water-soluble metabolite of unknown structure] induced 8AGR mutations in strain TM677 but not histidine reversions in strains TA98 and TA100. Mutagenic potency was reduced by rat-liver microsomes. The carcinogens (-)luteoskyrin and cyclochlorotine were antibacterial but not mutagenic. (+)Rugulosin, rubroskyrin, lumiluteoskyrin, and high concentrations of simotoxin were also antibacterial. Antibacterial activity but not mutagenicity was observed with pibasterol and skyrin. Chrysophanol, islandicin, iridoskyrin, and emodin were inactive as mutagens or as antibacterial agents.
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