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Biomedical subjects

M Griffiths

Publications and source records attributed to M Griffiths.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Laser vaporization versus laser excision conization in the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

One hundred patients with histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia suitable for ablative therapy were randomly allocated to treatment by either laser vaporization or laser excision conization under local anesthesia in the outpatient colposcopy clinic. The two methods were compared with respect to the immediate surgical complications, ease of performance, and long-term complications. They were comparable in most respects, and both were well accepted by the patients. Laser excision had the added advantage of providing further material for histologic examination to confirm the absence of invasion and the completeness of excision of the lesion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Comparison and standardization of measurement of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody between laboratories.

The presence of autoantibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (anti-AChR) is useful in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, and their titre correlates with severity of the disease. Standardization of their measurement is therefore clinically important. Six laboratories world-wide were asked to determine anti-AChR under local conditions in coded samples and to repeat the measurement on the same samples recorded. There was a high degree of consensus over rank order of the samples but a wide systematic variation in the titres obtained. Standardization of units is an important next step in improving the comparability of anti-AChR data between laboratories.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1988

The significance of striated muscle in the mammary glands of marsupials.

The distribution and amounts of striated muscle within the mammary glands of pouched and pouchless marsupials from Australia and South America are described. Invasions into the mammary secretory parenchyma in pouchless marsupials by swathes of striated muscle from the ilio-marsupialis muscle are massive, in some instances concentrated into discrete muscles, which are inserted on to the bases of the teats; the name retractor mammae is proposed for these muscles. In pouched marsupials striated muscle penetrates the parenchyma, but the distribution is diffuse and the muscle strands are not inserted on to teats except in the instance of the glands of the honey possum Tarsipes rostratus. The young of anaesthetised pouchless marsupials hang down from the teats; as anaesthesia wears off they are hauled up tightly into the mammary area. It is concluded that this is a result of contraction of the retractor mammae muscles and that it is a means of protecting the naked young from injury by rough terrain. The mammary gland musculature in pouched marsupials is considered to be vestigial, but its contraction may have the function of initiating a 'tap-response' contraction of myoepithelium acting synergistically with the 'let-down' hormone mesotocin. Mechanisms of imbibition of milk by marsupial neonates, based on observations that they can suck fluid from non-distortable tubes, are discussed.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1987

HLA class I and II, interferon, interleukin 2, and the interleukin 2 receptor expression on labial biopsy specimens from patients with Sjögren's syndrome.

Labial biopsy specimens from eight patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), 10 patients with secondary SS, and three healthy controls were studied with monoclonal antibodies identifying HLA class I and class II antigens; interferon-alpha, beta, and gamma; interleukin 2 (IL2); and the IL2 receptor (Tac) among others. In the normal biopsy specimens there was evidence of HLA class I and, to a lesser extent, class II antigens in both ducts and acini, though this was much less marked than in the Sjögren's biopsy specimens. Interferon-gamma staining, but not interferon-alpha or beta, was also considerably enhanced in the biopsy specimens from the patients with Sjögren's syndrome. These data support the view that in Sjögren's syndrome the release of interferon-gamma may be involved in the induction of class II determinants. Our observations were broadly similar in both primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome except that patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome tended to have more diffusely scattered T lymphocytes.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Energy intake in children at high and low risk of obesity.

This study compared 7-d energy intakes of 37 young children at low (Group N) and high (Group O) risk of subsequent obesity, as judged from parental obesity. The energy intake of Group O was 16 per cent lower than Group N (P = 0.02). Although the intakes of all the children considered together and also Group N children alone showed the usual wide variability and absence of correlation with body size, the intakes of Group O children were significantly correlated with their weight and height (r = 0.5). The results confirm a previous study and suggest that, since basal metabolic rate and body weight are known to be correlated, attention should be focused on differences in expenditure in investigations of the aetiology of childhood obesity.

Body Height↗
PubMed1986

Gene activation properties of a mouse DNA sequence isolated by expression selection.

The MES-1 element was previously isolated from restricted total mouse cellular DNA by "expression selection"--the ability to reactivate expression of a test gene devoid of its 5' enhancer sequences. Mes-1 has been tested in long-term transformation and short-term CAT expression assays. In both assays MES-1 is active independent of orientation and at a distance when placed 5' to the test gene. The element is active with heterologous promoters and functions efficiently in both rat and mouse cells. MES-1 activates expression by increasing transcription from the test gene's own start (cap) site. Thus the expression selection technique can be used for the isolation of DNA sequences with enhancer-like properties from total cellular DNA.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1986

Expression of epithelial and neural antigens in small cell and non small cell lung carcinoma.

Seventy-one lung carcinomas from 66 different patients were stained with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. Twenty-nine were small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), 15 adenocarcinomas, 17 squamous carcinomas and 10 large cell carcinomas. Three of the monoclonal antibodies recognize different cytokeratins, three recognize other epithelial antigens and one recognizes a neural antigen. Both formalin-fixed and cryopreserved tumours were studied using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. 23/29 SCLC reacted with all but one of the antibodies which recognize epithelial antigens. This staining was similar to that seen in non small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) and provides further evidence that SCLC are true epithelial tumours. All but one of the SCLC stained with the antibody recognizing a neural antigen. This antibody did not stain squamous or adenocarcinomas. However, four of the large cell carcinomas stained well with this antibody, suggesting that SCLC and some large cell carcinomas share a common pathway of differentiation. There were variations of staining seen both within and between tumours. This has obvious implications if immunotargetting with monoclonal antibodies is to be used diagnostically or therapeutically.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Mouse cytomegalovirus is infectious for rats and alters lymphocyte subsets and spleen cell proliferation.

The Smith strain of mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) was infectious for infant and mature DA strain laboratory rats as judged by development of neutralizing antibodies and specific spleen cell proliferation on stimulation with MCMV antigen. An i.p. inoculum of 10(6) PFU of MCMV was fatal for more than two-thirds of infant mice (1-7 days of age), and disseminated viral infection was documented by isolation of virus from body organs. In contrast, weanling and adult rats did not become ill as a result of infection with a larger inoculum of 10(7) PFU. However, these older MCMV infected rats did show transient reversals of T helper/suppressor cell ratios and alterations of immune cell function as detected by in vitro spleen cell proliferation assays. Seven days after MCMV infection, there was a generalized increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation by spleen cells in both resting (unstimulated) cultures and cultures exposed to mitogens (Con A, PHA, LPS) and to MCMV antigen. At 14 days, the spleen cell proliferation in the unstimulated cultures returned to normal but was depressed compared to controls in response to Con A. These observations show that laboratory rats are susceptible to MCMV infection and that asymptomatic infection may occur and cause transient alterations in lymphocyte subsets and in their reactivity to mitogens.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Occurrence of autoimmune diseases and autoantibodies in multicase rheumatoid arthritis families.

The presence of autoimmune diseases and autoantibodies has been studied in 237 individuals from 17 families with two or more members affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Hyperthyroidism occurred significantly more frequently than in a local control population (p less than 0.05), but if the RA cases were excluded this significance was lost. Thyroid cytoplasmic and microsomal antibodies were significantly more common (p less than 0.001), and this remained true if RA sufferers were excluded (p less than 0.01). The prevalence of both clinical thyroid disease and circulating thyroid autoantibodies was similar in the families where RA was associated with HLA-DR4 and in those where no DR4 association was observed. RA and immune thyroid disease may, therefore, share a common inherited factor, but this is unlikely to be at the HLA-DR locus. Antinuclear factor (ANF) was found in association with RA and with HLA-DR3 within the RA group (p less than 0.02). Relatives of RA sufferers did not show any excess of ANF positivity. The prevalence of pernicious anaemia (PA) and gastric parietal cell antibody did not differ from the expected.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1986

Diagnosis and treatment of chlamydial infections.

The major chlamydial infections are conjunctivitis and pneumonia in infants and urethritis, cervicitis, salpingitis and ocular infection in adults. Tetracyclines are usually the drugs of choice for the treatment of chlamydial infections. Erythromycin therapy is preferred for pregnant women and for neonates with conjunctivitis. Follow-up examination and treatment of sexual partners are required for the control of chlamydial infections.

Adult↗