Biomedical subjects

John Stuart

Publications and source records attributed to John Stuart.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Effects of carbonic anhydrase VIII deficiency on cerebellar gene expression profiles in the wdl mouse.

Recently, the waddles (wdl) mouse was identified as a carbonic anhydrase VIII (Car8) mutant. The mutation is associated with marked deficiency of Car8, an inositol triphosphate receptor 1-binding protein expressed at high levels in cerebellar Purkinje cells. To help unravel the molecular aberrations contributing to motor dysfunction in wdl mice, cerebellar gene expression profiles were examined in the mutants and their wild-type littermates. Genes involved in signaling, cell division, zinc ion-binding, synapse integrity and plasticity were downregulated in wdl mice. Several of the upregulated genes encode proteins that function in the Golgi apparatus which suggests that Car8 deficiency has important effects on synaptic vesicle formation and transport.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Tetrapeptides induce selective recognition for G-quadruplexes when conjugated to a DNA-binding platform.

3,6-Bis-peptide acridine and acridone conjugates have been designed and synthesised to selectively interact with G-quadruplex DNA. The ligand properties are peptide sequence dependent, the highest discrimination being obtained with the FRHR tetrapeptide (up to >50-fold specificity). Molecular modeling studies have helped us rationalise the data and suggest that human telomeric quadruplex DNA can readily accommodate tetrapeptides, and furthermore that FRHR contributes to stabilization of the complex by non-bonded interactions within the TTA loop pockets of the quadruplex. These studies indicate that targeting distinct features of a G-quadruplex with hybrid molecules is a promising strategy for discriminating between quadruplex and duplex DNA.

Acridines↗

PubMed2004

Nursing handovers: do we really need them?

AIM: This study attempts to address the content of nursing handover when compared with formal documentation sources. BACKGROUND: The nursing handover has attracted criticism in the literature in relation to its continuing role in modern nursing. Criticisms include those related to time expenditure, content, accuracy and the derogatory terms in which patients are sometimes being discussed. METHODS: Twenty-three handovers, covering all shifts, from one general medical ward were audio-taped. Their content was analysed and classified according to where, within a ward's documentation systems, the information conveyed could be located. FINDINGS: Results showed that almost 84.6% of information discussed could be located within existing ward documentation structures and 9.5% of information discussed was not relevant to ongoing patient care. Only 5.9% of handover content involved discussions related to ongoing care or ward management issues that could not be recorded in an existing documentation source. LIMITATIONS: The results of this study are representative of only one ward in one Australian Hospital. Specific documentation sources were also not checked to determine their content. CONCLUSION: Streamlining the nursing handover may improve the quality of the information presented and reduce the amount of time spent in handover.

Communication↗

PubMed2002

Cross-reactivity between immunodominant human T lymphotropic virus type I tax and neurons: implications for molecular mimicry.

Human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is associated with immunoreactivity to HTLV-I tax. Antibodies isolated from patients with HAM/TSP and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to HTLV-I tax stained neurons. In neuronal extracts, HAM/TSP immunoglobulin G identified heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1) as the autoantigen. Importantly, tax MAbs reacted with hnRNP A1. To identify the epitope recognized by the tax MAbs, the fine epitope specificity of the antibodies was determined using overlapping peptides. This analysis identified an epitope at the C-terminus (tax(346-353)), which overlaps a human immunodominant domain. Preincubation of this peptide with tax MAbs inhibited antibody binding to tax, hnRNP A1, and neurons. This indicates that a cross-reactive immune response between HTLV-I tax and neuronal hnRNP A1 is contained within the human immunodominant epitope of tax and suggests that molecular mimicry plays a role in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP.

Cross Reactions↗