Biomedical subjects

K Bates

Publications and source records attributed to K Bates.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Anaplasma phagocytophilum in central and western Wisconsin: a molecular survey.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is transmitted to humans through the bite of Ixodes spp. ticks, and causes a febrile disease known as human granulocytic anaplasmosis. The presence of A. phagocytophilum in Wisconsin white-tailed deer blood and in deer ticks was assessed using PCR and DNA sequencing. Sampling sites in the western part of the state (Buffalo County) and central region (Waushara, Waupaca, and Green Lake counties) were used. In Buffalo County, 5.6% of deer and 8.9% of ticks were infected. At Hartman Creek State Park (Waupaca County), 11.5% of ticks were infected, while the observed prevalence in deer from counties to the south of the park (Waushara and Green Lake) reached 19-26%. Based on 16S rRNA sequences, A. phagocytophilum strains associated and not associated with human infections were identified. Furthermore, two novel A. phagocytophilum variants were found in deer blood samples. Transmission of Lyme disease has been documented in both the Western and Central regions we sampled, and the presence of A. phagocytophilum in naturally occurring tick populations could present an additional risk of disease to humans that enter tick habitats.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum↗

PubMed2004

Protein markers for Alzheimer disease in the frontal cortex and cerebellum.

OBJECTIVE: To compare proteins related to Alzheimer disease (AD) in the frontal cortex and cerebellum of subjects with early-onset AD (EOAD) with or without presenilin 1 (PS1) mutations with sporadic late-onset AD (LOAD) and nondemented control subjects. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry, immunoblot analysis, and ELISA were used to detect and assess protein levels in brain. RESULTS: In EOAD and to a lesser extent in LOAD, there was increased amyloid beta (Abeta) deposition (by immunohistochemistry), increased soluble Abeta (by immunoblot analysis), and specific increases in Abeta40 and Abeta42 (by ELISA) in the frontal cortex and, in some cases, in the cerebellum. Surprisingly, immunoblot analysis revealed reduced levels of PS1 in many of the subjects with EOAD with or without PS1 mutations. In those PS1 mutation-bearing subjects with the highest Abeta, PS1 was barely, if at all, detectable. This decrease in PS1 was specific and not attributable solely to neuronal loss because amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the PS1-interacting protein beta-catenin levels were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that in the frontal cortex and cerebellum from Alzheimer disease patients harboring certain presenilin 1 mutations, high levels of amyloid beta are associated with low levels of presenilin 1. The study provides the premise for further investigation of mechanisms underlying the downregulation of presenilin 1, which may have considerable pathogenic and therapeutic relevance.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The DNA sequence and comparative analysis of human chromosome 10.

The finished sequence of human chromosome 10 comprises a total of 131,666,441 base pairs. It represents 99.4% of the euchromatic DNA and includes one megabase of heterochromatic sequence within the pericentromeric region of the short and long arm of the chromosome. Sequence annotation revealed 1,357 genes, of which 816 are protein coding, and 430 are pseudogenes. We observed widespread occurrence of overlapping coding genes (either strand) and identified 67 antisense transcripts. Our analysis suggests that both inter- and intrachromosomal segmental duplications have impacted on the gene count on chromosome 10. Multispecies comparative analysis indicated that we can readily annotate the protein-coding genes with current resources. We estimate that over 95% of all coding exons were identified in this study. Assessment of single base changes between the human chromosome 10 and chimpanzee sequence revealed nonsense mutations in only 21 coding genes with respect to the human sequence.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 9.

Chromosome 9 is highly structurally polymorphic. It contains the largest autosomal block of heterochromatin, which is heteromorphic in 6-8% of humans, whereas pericentric inversions occur in more than 1% of the population. The finished euchromatic sequence of chromosome 9 comprises 109,044,351 base pairs and represents >99.6% of the region. Analysis of the sequence reveals many intra- and interchromosomal duplications, including segmental duplications adjacent to both the centromere and the large heterochromatic block. We have annotated 1,149 genes, including genes implicated in male-to-female sex reversal, cancer and neurodegenerative disease, and 426 pseudogenes. The chromosome contains the largest interferon gene cluster in the human genome. There is also a region of exceptionally high gene and G + C content including genes paralogous to those in the major histocompatibility complex. We have also detected recently duplicated genes that exhibit different rates of sequence divergence, presumably reflecting natural selection.

Base Composition↗

PubMed2004

The DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 13.

Chromosome 13 is the largest acrocentric human chromosome. It carries genes involved in cancer including the breast cancer type 2 (BRCA2) and retinoblastoma (RB1) genes, is frequently rearranged in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and contains the DAOA locus associated with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. We describe completion and analysis of 95.5 megabases (Mb) of sequence from chromosome 13, which contains 633 genes and 296 pseudogenes. We estimate that more than 95.4% of the protein-coding genes of this chromosome have been identified, on the basis of comparison with other vertebrate genome sequences. Additionally, 105 putative non-coding RNA genes were found. Chromosome 13 has one of the lowest gene densities (6.5 genes per Mb) among human chromosomes, and contains a central region of 38 Mb where the gene density drops to only 3.1 genes per Mb.

Chromosome Mapping↗

PubMed2003

The DNA sequence and analysis of human chromosome 6.

Chromosome 6 is a metacentric chromosome that constitutes about 6% of the human genome. The finished sequence comprises 166,880,988 base pairs, representing the largest chromosome sequenced so far. The entire sequence has been subjected to high-quality manual annotation, resulting in the evidence-supported identification of 1,557 genes and 633 pseudogenes. Here we report that at least 96% of the protein-coding genes have been identified, as assessed by multi-species comparative sequence analysis, and provide evidence for the presence of further, otherwise unsupported exons/genes. Among these are genes directly implicated in cancer, schizophrenia, autoimmunity and many other diseases. Chromosome 6 harbours the largest transfer RNA gene cluster in the genome; we show that this cluster co-localizes with a region of high transcriptional activity. Within the essential immune loci of the major histocompatibility complex, we find HLA-B to be the most polymorphic gene on chromosome 6 and in the human genome.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Comparison of two oestrogen receptor assays in the prediction of the clinical course of patients with advanced breast cancer.

We have examined two new oestrogen receptor (ER) assays--an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and an immunocytochemical assay (ICA) in a large series of primary breast tumours to compare their potential as predictors of (1) response to endocrine therapy and (2) survival in patients developing advanced breast cancer. Response to endocrine therapy was categorised at 6 months (UICC criteria). ER-ICA appears the better predictor of response to endocrine therapy than ER-EIA. Combining ICA and EIA results did not improve the prediction of response. With both assays patients with ER positive tumours survived longer from the time of diagnosis of advanced disease than those with ER negative tumours. The predictive power of these assay for progression of disease appears slightly better for the ER-ICA.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Comorbid mental and substance disorders among older psychiatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rate and configurations of current comorbid mental and substance disorders among older psychiatric patients. DESIGN: A descriptive, retrospective study. SETTING: A non-acute, public residential psychiatric treatment facility for adults 55 years of age and older (mean length of stay: 3 months). PATIENTS: 128 patients discharged during a 2-year period. MEASURES: DSM-III-R diagnoses, demographic and history data. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of concurrent mental and substance disorders during the present treatment episode was 21%. This is comparable to the 6-month rate of 19.8% found in the Epidemiological Catchment Area Study among adults in treatment (all ages). Nearly 50% of the dually diagnosed subsample received more than two diagnoses, with 60% of the subsample receiving a personality disorder diagnosis. Concurrent affective, alcohol, and personality disorder diagnoses were common. CONCLUSION: Older patients with comorbid substance-use and mental disorders may differ substantively from comorbid younger patients. Among older patients in an intermediate-term psychiatric facility, the triple occurrence of alcoholism personality disorder and depression was common.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Costing and competition.

Working for patients established a new system of contracts between providers and purchasers of healthcare, with prices based on full costs, avoiding cross-subsidization. The new regime necessitates greatly improved costing systems, to improve the efficiency of service provision by creating price competition between providers. Ken Bates and Stan Brignall argue that non-price competition also occurs, with providers 'differentiating' on quality of service/product, flexibility or innovation.

Economic Competition↗