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Biomedical subjects

M A Foster

Publications and source records attributed to M A Foster.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Validation of the in vivo measurement of adipose tissue by magnetic resonance imaging of lean and obese pigs.

In vivo quantification of adipose tissue with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was validated with pigs. Thirteen transaxial MRI sections were collected, at intervals proportional to body length, from each pig, which was then killed, frozen, and sliced at the locations of the MRI sections. Adipose-tissue quantities were determined by dissecting each slice, and lipid contents of the dissected slices and of the tissue segments between slices were measured. Compared with dissection, MRI underestimated abdominal percent adipose tissue and overestimated cervical percent adipose tissue by less than 6%. When all 13 sections were used, MRI closely predicted percent lipid and dissected percent adipose tissue with small residual SDs (RSD = 1.9 and 2.1, respectively), which increased only slightly if two sections (4, upper thorax and 8, upper abdomen) were used (RSD = 2.3 and 2.6, respectively). In conclusion MRI accurately quantifies adipose tissue in vivo, matching values produced by dissection and chemical analysis.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

1,3-Propanediol:NAD+ oxidoreductases of Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus buchneri.

In the cofermentation of glycerol with a sugar by Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus buchneri, a 1,3-propanediol:NAD+ oxidoreductase provides an additional method of NADH disposal. The enzyme has been purified from both L. brevis B22 and L. buchneri B190 and found to have properties very similar to those reported for the enzyme from Klebsiella pneumoniae. The enzymes required Mn2+ and are probably octamers with a molecular mass of 350 kDa. Although not absolutely specific for 1,3-propanediol when tested as dehydrogenases, the enzymes have less than 10% activity with glycerol, ethanol, and 1,2-propanediol. These properties contrast sharply with those of a protein isolated from another Lactobacillus species (L. reuteri) that ferments glycerol with glucose and previously designated a 1,3-propanediol dehydrogenase.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1992

Sugar-glycerol cofermentations in lactobacilli: the fate of lactate.

The simultaneous fermentation of glycerol and sugar by lactobacillus brevis B22 and Lactobacillus buchneri B190 increases both the growth rate and total growth. The reduction of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol by the lactobacilli was found to influence the metabolism of the sugar cofermented by channelling some of the intermediate metabolites (e.g., pyruvate) towards NADH-producing (rather than NADH-consuming) reactions. Ultimately, the absolute requirement for NADH to prevent the accumulation of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde leads to a novel lactate-glycerol cofermentation. As a result, additional ATP can be made not only by (i) converting pyruvate to acetate via acetyl phosphate rather than to the ethanol usually found and (ii) oxidizing part of the intermediate pyruvate to acetate instead of the usual reduction to lactate but also by (iii) reoxidation of accumulated lactate to acetate via pyruvate. The conversion of lactate to pyruvate is probably catalyzed by NAD-independent lactate dehydrogenases that are found only in the cultures oxidizing lactate and producing 1,3-propanediol, suggesting a correlation between the expression of these enzymes and a raised intracellular NAD/NADH ratio. The enzymes metabolizing glycerol (glycerol dehydratase and 1,3-propanediol dehydrogenase) were expressed in concert without necessary induction by added glycerol, although their expression may also be influenced by the intracellular NAD/NADH ratio set by the different carbohydrates fermented.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1991

Taste of glutamate salts in young and elderly subjects: role of inosine 5'-monophosphate and ions.

Taste sensitivity to five glutamate salts (sodium glutamate, potassium glutamate, ammonium glutamate, calcium diglutamate, and magnesium diglutamate) were determined in sixteen young (mean age 25.58 years) and eighteen elderly (mean age 86.89 years) subjects. The effect of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) and ions on taste perception of glutamate compounds was also investigated. The detection thresholds for glutamate salts were 5.04 times higher in elderly subjects than in young subjects; the recognition thresholds were 3.84 times higher. For young subjects, 0.1 mM IMP lowered detection and recognition thresholds for all 5 salts. A stronger concentration of IMP (1 mM) had this effect in both young and elderly groups. Elderly subjects perceived suprathreshold concentrations as less intense than young subjects. Chloride and acetate salts of sodium, potassium, and calcium reduced the detection and recognition thresholds of L-glutamic acid but had no effect sodium glutamate thresholds.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

In-vivo magnetic resonance imaging studies of mammogenesis in non-pregnant goats treated with exogenous steroids.

Mammogenesis and lactation were induced in five multiparous, non-pregnant goats by treatment with oestrogen and progesterone for 11 d, followed by dexamethasone for 3 d. Reserpine was administered during the last 5 d. All five goats lactated, although milk yield was less than had been achieved in previous natural lactations. Mammary development was assessed in vivo, using magnetic resonance imaging. Although parenchyma volume increased by more than 6-fold overall, only 25% of this increase occurred during steroid treatment. Most development took place after the cessation of treatment, when milking commenced. Maximum size was not achieved until week 8 of the induced lactation, and was only 70% of normal parenchyma volume. After 18 weeks lactation the activities of three key milk synthetic enzymes were very similar to values previously found in natural lactations, and secretion efficiency (milk production per unit volume of parenchyma) was also similar to that of natural lactations. We conclude that the lower than normal milk yields were associated with incomplete proliferation of mammary tissue, rather than inadequate differentiation of individual secretory cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Omitting the dry period between lactations does not reduce subsequent milk production in goats.

Four goats were studied from the end of their second lactation. One mammary gland of each goat was dried off just prior to the start of the third gestation, whilst the other gland was milked throughout gestation, with no dry period. At the end of gestation the continuously milked gland was significantly smaller than the gland that had been allowed a dry period. However, this difference did not persist beyond parturition and there was no significant difference between the milk yields of the two glands in the next lactation, although the continuously milked gland tended to have the higher yield. At 18 weeks of lactation, mammary parenchyma weight and secretory cell number were significantly greater in the continuously milked gland, but mammary enzyme activities did not differ between the two glands.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Total and subcutaneous adipose tissue in women: the measurement of distribution and accurate prediction of quantity by using magnetic resonance imaging.

Total and subcutaneous adipose tissue in seven lean and seven obese women were quantified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The distributions of adipose tissues along the body were closely correlated: subcutaneous with total, both within and between lean and obese groups. Lean women had proportionally less adipose tissue in the lower thorax and upper abdomen than did obese women. Reducing the number of MRI scans from 17 to 4 did not increase the residual SD of predicted body adipose tissue (2.9 percent) when body density was used as the reference measure. MRI gave an estimate of total-body adipose tissue significantly closer to the value for fat percent produced when the results from five other techniques (skinfold thickness, underwater weighing, 40K whole-body counting, isotopic water dilution, and tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance) were averaged than when any other technique was used alone. MRI-determined percent body adipose tissue in women is close to, and proportional to, estimates derived by underwater weighing.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1991

The effects of progressive abstinence from alcohol on red blood cell proton NMR relaxation times and water content.

Red blood cell proton relaxation times T1 and T2 were measured in samples from chronic alcoholic patients abstinent for varying periods from 1 week to over 6 months. T1 and T2 were elevated in the early stages of abstinence and declined to the values of controls after 8 weeks. Changes in the water content of the red blood cells and the mean corpuscular volume paralleled these changes but were more closely associated with T2. It is suggested that T1 and T2 may reflect different aspects in water content and free-to-bound ratio of water. The significance of these findings is discussed in the context of changes previously observed in the brains of alcoholic patients, and in rats fed a diet supplemented with alcohol for 6 months.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Resolution of the coenzyme B-12-dependent dehydratases of Klebsiella sp. and Citrobacter freundii.

Diol dehydratase (1,2-propanediol hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.28) and glycerol dehydratase (glycerol hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.30) are shown to be distinct, separable enzymes that occur individually or together in different strains of Klebsiella sp. Anaerobic growth with propan-1,2-diol induces diol dehydratase alone, whereas glycerol fermentation induces both enzymes in K. pneumoniae ATCC 25955 and in Citrobacter freundii NCIB 3735. The dehydratases can be resolved by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis or separated by anion-exchange chromatography alone. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation failed to distinguish the enzymes and indicated a molecular weight of 1.9 . 10(5) for both. The enzymes can be assayed individually, even when present in the same crude extract, using the 67-fold difference in their Km values for coenzyme B-12. For both enzymes inactivation kinetics are observed with glycerol as substrated, and monovalent cations influence both the inactivation rate and catalytic rate of the reaction.

Chromatography, Ion Exchange↗
PubMed1979

Changes in NMR relaxation times of adjacent muscle after implantation of malignant and normal tissue.

In separate experiments, normal foreign tissue and malignant tumour were implanted s.c. into the rat thigh. NMR T1 values of the adjacent normal muscle, resulting from local inflammatory reactions or from malignant invasion, were measured. Elevations in T1 of the underlying muscle occurred within 24 h in both experiments, and it is believed these were caused by rapid inflammatory and immunological reactions to the implants. However the T1 values of muscle samples adjacent to the non-malignant implants decreased during the 11 days after implantation, dropping to values within the normal range. In the second experiment there was progressive malignant invasion into the normal adjacent tissue and the elevated T1 values were maintained throughout the 12-day period. The effects of the implantation on tissue water content are discussed in relation to NMR T1 relaxation times, and the relevance to whole-body NMR imaging of elevated T1 values due to nonmalignant pathological states is considered.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Electron spin resonance of caeruloplasmin and iron transferrin in blood of patients with various malignant diseases.

Electron spin resonance studies have been made of caeruloplasmin and iron transferrin levels in whole blood of healthy controls and patients with a variety of malignant conditions receiving various forms of treatment. A small difference was found in caeruloplasmin level between normal males and females, although normal females receiving contraceptive steroids had an elevated level. No difference was found in iron transferrin level. Various conditions increased the caeruloplasmin and some also decreased the iron transferrin level in patients with malignant disease. These included surgery and the approach of a terminal phase of disease. Once allowance for these factors was made, the remaining small differences in Cu and Fe between patients with either squamous cell carcinoma or breast cancer and controls appeared to have no clinical significance.

Adolescent↗