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Biomedical subjects

J R Trevithick

Publications and source records attributed to J R Trevithick.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Urinary cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in normal and asthmatic subjects during exercise.

The purpose of this study was to compare exercise-induced changes in urinary cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP of normal and asthmatic subjects. All subjects were exercised to 80% of predicted maximum heart rate for 15 minutes on a bicycle ergometer. FEV1 was measured before and after exercise to determine the degree of bronchoconstriction due to exercise. Five urine specimens were collected by voluntary voiding at 20 minute intervals (one specimen before exercise and four after exercise). Before exercise, the asthmatic subjects excreted less cyclic GMP (p less than 0.05) but the same cyclic AMP as the normal subjects. Creatinine excretion in nine asthmatic subjects decreased by 24% (p less than 0.01) during exercise. In sixteen normal subjects (post-exercise bronchoconstriction less than 10%) cyclic AMP excretion increased by 19% (p less than 0.05) within 20 minutes after exercise, while cyclic GMP excretion did not change significantly. In thirteen asthmatic subjects (post-exercise bronchoconstriction greater than 20%) cyclic AMP excretion did not change significantly, while cyclic GMP excretion increased by 23% (p less than 0.05) within 20 minutes after exercise. This study has shown that exercise affects the excretion of cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, and creatinine in normal and asthmatic subjects. The response of normal and asthmatic groups to exercise was the same for creatinine but different for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP.

Adolescent↗

Globular bodies: a primary cause of the opacity in senile and diabetic posterior cortical subcapsular cataracts?

We examined 9 cataracts from maturity onset diabetics and 4 senile posterior subcapsular cataracts by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence for crystallin proteins and actin, histochemical methods and x-ray diffraction. The cataractous regions contained spherical globules up to 20 mu in diameter, often in a fibrous matrix. Some were extracellular Morgagnian globules, apparently formed by blebbing from the cell surface; others appeared to have been formed intracellularly. The area of globular degeneration was usually 300 mu deep, but had deeper fusiform extensions. Morphological changes in the cell cytoplasm varied according to their depth in the cataract. Electron microscopy showed intracellular and extracellular globules, many of them were bounded by lipid bilayer membranes. Immunofluorescent staining showed that all the globules contained gamma-crystallin; some contained alpha- and beta-crystallins and actin. All the globules contained higher concentrations of cysteine or cystine than the surrounding lens tissue but they did not react to stains for carbohydrate or calcium. X-ray diffraction studies showed that crystalline calcium salts were absent. Globules and cavities averaged 45% of the total area in cross section. Assuming an area of cataract to be 300 micron thick and that globules 1 mu in diameter scattered, while 2--20 mu in diameter reflected light, we calculated that light passing through such a thickness would be reduced by 65%. Thus the globules could account for most of the opacity of the cataractous area. Presumably the fibrous degeneration of the cells causes enough light scattering to account for the remainder of the reduction. Cataract patients complain of decreased visual acuity, a golden halo around objects, and difficulties when driving while facing oncoming traffic at night. These probably result from light scattering. In our previous experiments, globular bodies containing gamma-crystallin were found in cells grown in tissue culture, and blebs with increased acitn content similar to Morgagnian globules were formed in tissue culture by treating differentiated rat lens cells of stage 2 by cytochalasin D (which impaired microfilament function). These results suggest the possibility of simulating in tissue culture the morphological alterations seen in the cataractous cell.

Aged↗

Timing of mitosis in Physarum polycephalum: effects of agents affecting cyclic AMP concentrations.

Cultures of Physarum polycephalum incubated with caffeine or theophylline for over 100 min prior to mitosis exhibited mitotic delay proportional to the time of treatment before 100 min. Starved cultures exhibited mitotic delay at times of starvation longer than 180 min and slight stimulation from 100-180 min. Dibutyryl cAMP appeared to accelerate reconstruction of the nucleus following mitosis.

Bucladesine↗

The role of carbohydrate in the glycoenzyme invertase of Neurospora crassa.

Data obtained concerning the carbohydrate moieties of the glycoenzyme invertase (EC 3.2.1.26, beta-D-fructofuranoside fructohydrolase) from Neurospora crassa were consistent with a linkage of some carbohydrate chains by O-glycosidic bonds to serine and threonine residues; the possibility of N-glycosylamine linkage of some of the carbohydrate to the amide group of asparagine is also indicated. The invertase was remarkably stable on storage at low temperatures. Oxidation of the carbohydrate residues in the enzyme by sodium periodate markedly affected the heat-stability of the enzyme. It is suggested that the carbohydrate moieties function as stabilizers of the tertiary structure of the glycoenzyme.

Amino Acids↗

Differentiation of rat lens epithelial cells in tissue culture. (I) Effects of cell density, medium and embryonic age of initial culture.

The growth and differentiation of rat lens epithelial cells in tissue culture were studied. Cells could be maintained for a number of generations in an undifferentiated state in suspension culture. When cultured as monolayers, they grew and differentiated in a series of six defined stages described here. These stages include morphological changes (elongation, followed by cell "spreading" or formation of cell aggregates), and biochemical changes (appearance of nu-crystallin protein as detected by immunofluorescence). The process of differentiation appeared to be accelerated in the vicinity of elongated cells, occurred more rapidly at high cell density, and required frequent changes of medium. This suggests that cell-cell communication, and not medium factors, may be essential for promoting differentiation. The final morphology of the differentiated cells differed, depending on the embryonic age of the rats used as a source of lens epithelial cells. This implies that the programme for differentiation changes as a function of the embryonic age of the lens.

Animals↗

Biochemical and histochemical localization of invertase in Neurospora crassa during conidial germination and hyphal growth.

The intracellular localization of Neurospora invertase, an enzyme partially secreted and partially retained by Neurospora at the cell periphery, was investigated. A cell wall fraction was isolated, to which 24% of the cell-bound invertase was firmly attached. A sensitive osmiophilic stain for invertase was developed and used in conjunction with the technique of indirect immunofluorescence to follow the pattern of invertase localization during the development of Neurospora from the germination of conidia to the mature hypha. These studies revealed that: (i) conidial invertase was uniformly distributed along the cell periphery; (ii) growing hyphal tips of germinating conidia showed pronounced invertase activity as the rest of the conidial cell wall lost its peripheral activity; (iii) hyphae in early log-phase growth had strong enzyme activity associated with the cell wall, and in late log phase the activity became associated with the plasma membrane and points where new hyphal branches were being formed; and (iv) hyphae in early stationary phase had strong fluorescence at incipient branching points, in "dots" close to the plasma membrane, and in the cytoplasm.

Animals↗