Biomedical subjects

P Oakes

Publications and source records attributed to P Oakes.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Evaluation of a new computer intervention to teach people with autism or Asperger syndrome to recognize and predict emotions in others.

This randomized controlled trial looked at the effect of a new computer program designed to teach people with autistic spectrum disorders to better recognize and predict emotional responses in others. Two groups of 11 children (age 12-18) with autism or Asperger syndrome at two special schools participated: one group used the computer program for 10 half-hour sessions over 2 weeks. Within-program data showed a significant reduction in errors made from first to last use. Students were assessed pre- and post-intervention using facial expression photographs, cartoons depicting emotion-laden situations, and non-literal stories. Scores were not related to age or verbal ability. The experimental group made gains relative to the control group on all three measures. Gains correlated significantly with the number of times the computer program was used and results suggest positive effects. Further research could assess whether these gains generalized into real life or improved performance on theory of mind measures.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

The manufacturing process for recombinant factor IX.

Advances in recombinant DNA manufacturing technology have now made possible the production of a highly purified and active recombinant factor IX (rFIX) product. Recombinant factor IX was developed by (1) stable insertion of the genes for both factor IX and PACE-SOL (a truncated, soluble serine protease needed to enhance the capacity of cells to remove the amino-terminal propeptide from rFIX) into Chinese hamster ovary cells; (2) selection of a cell line that was capable of expressing high amounts of active rFIX while growing in bioreactors containing a completely defined culture medium that does not contain blood or plasma products; and (3) inclusion of four independent chromatography steps, none of which require monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, rFIX has been extensively tested to demonstrate similarity to plasma-derived factor IX and has been shown to be a consistent, high-purity product. For example, a high-specific-activity product (276+/-23 IU/mg) has been consistently produced throughout 65 consecutive batches from five consecutive manufacturing campaigns. Thus, rFIX offers a consistent and high-purity source of factor IX treatment for patients with hemophilia B.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Effect of gamma-thio-ATP on dog stomach smooth muscle membranes.

The effect of gamma-Thio-ATP on high affinity ATPase and on the ATP-dependent Ca-uptake of a plasma membrane fraction prepared from the dog stomach smooth muscle was examined. gamma-Thio-ATP did not act as a substrate for the ATP-dependent Ca-uptake and was only a poor substrate for the high affinity Ca-ATPase reaction. The compound, however, reversibly inhibited the uptake and the ATPase.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1985

Subcellular distribution of dihydropyridine isothiocyanate binding in guinea-pig ileal smooth muscle.

The subcellular distribution of the 3H--2,6-dimethyl-3,5-dicarbomethoxy-4(2-isothiocyano) phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine (DPSCN) binding to guinea-pig ileal smooth muscle was studied by subcellular fractionation. Initial experiments on subcellular fractionation of 3H-DPSCN-labelled tissues by differential centrifugation showed that there was an excellent correlation between the levels of the label present in a fraction and the plasma membrane marker phosphodiesterase I (r = 0.98) but not between the label and the putative endoplasmic reticulum marker NADPH: cytochrome-c-reductase (r = 0.56) or the inner mitochondrial marker cytochrome-c-oxidase (r = 0.36). Centrifugation of the microsomes on a continuous sucrose density gradient showed an excellent correlation of the migration of the label with phosphodiesterase I activity (r = 0.93) but not with the activities of NADPH: cytochrome-c-reductase (r = 0.66) or cytochrome-c-oxidase (r = 0.44). Treatment of microsomes with digitonin (1 mg/ml) followed by centrifugation on continuous sucrose density gradients increased the weighted mean densities of the phosphodiesterase activity (plasma membrane marker) and the labelling by similar magnitudes (0.04 to 0.06 g/ml). The weighted mean densities of NADPH: cytochrome-c-reductase and the cytochrome-c-oxidase were not altered significantly. It is concluded that in the guinea-pig ileal smooth muscle, DPSCN labels the plasma membrane specifically.

Animals↗

PubMed1983

Studies on canine gastric antrum smooth muscle: preparation and characterization of a plasma membrane enriched fraction.

A method is described for preparation of large amounts of a plasma membrane (PM) enriched fraction from the smooth muscle of dog antrum. It consists of preparing microsomes, treating them with ATP + EGTA + Mg, centrifuging in 30% sucrose and then centrifuging the resulting supernatant in 15% sucrose to yield the plasma membrane enriched fraction P6. The subcellular fractions obtained at various steps during purification were characterized by: 5'-nucleotidase and phosphodiesterase I as plasma membrane markers; cytochrome c oxidase as an inner mitochondrial marker; NADPH-cytochrome c reductase as a putative endoplasmic reticulum marker; electron microscopy; polyacrylamide sodium dodecyl sulfate slab gel electrophoresis. The distribution of ATP-dependent and independent Ca uptake in presence and absence of azide and the effect of 5 mM oxalate or 25 mM phosphate on this uptake was also examined. The fraction P6 consists of mostly smooth surface vesicles 164.3 +/- 7.2 nm in diameter, has an exclusion volume of 9.7 microL/mg for [3H]inulin and 11.1 microL/mg for [3H]sucrose. P6 is maximally enriched in the ATP-dependent azide-insensitive Ca-uptake capacity and as compared with the postnuclear supernatant (S1) it shows a very small percent stimulation by oxalate and phosphate. The ATP-dependent Ca uptake by the P6 fraction occurs optimally at pH 7.0-7.4 and is much larger than the ATP-independent Ca uptake. At pH 7.1, the ATP-dependent Ca uptake occurs with a Km of 0.27 microM and a Hill coefficient greater than 2 for Ca2+. Half maximum binding of Ca2+ occurred at 300 microM Ca2+. Ca ionophores A23187 and ionomycin inhibited the ATP-dependent Ca uptake, and if added after the uptake, these caused a release of the accumulated Ca2+. From these and other data it is concluded that this PM preparation contains a Ca transport system which can lead to formation of greater than 1000-fold Ca2+ concentration gradient across the vesicle membrane in 1 min when extravesicular Ca2+ concentration is 0.3 microM. Thus this preparation is an extremely useful material for studying the mechanism of action of the Ca pump in smooth muscle plasma membrane.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗