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Biomedical subjects

S M Turner

Publications and source records attributed to S M Turner.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Use of a lacZ gene fusion to determine the dependence pattern of sporulation operon spoIIIC in spo mutants of Bacillus subtilis: a branched pathway of expression of sporulation operons.

The sporulation gene spoIIIC from Bacillus subtilis was fused to the lacZ gene from Escherichia coli, so that the transcription of the lacZ gene was under the control of the spoIIIC promoter. Production of beta-galactosidase, under conditions of sporulation, was then used as an indicator to study the expression of spoIIIC in relation to other sporulation loci. Expression of spoIIIC, which occurred only in the mother cell compartment, was prevented by mutations in all of the stage 0 and stage II loci, and also by spoIIID, spoIVA and spoIVB mutations. By contrast, the last three operons are not needed for expression of spoVA, which has previously been shown to be spore-specific. In consequence, a branched pathway of gene expression is proposed. One branch leads to expression of spoVA within the spore compartment, the other to expression of spoIIIC in the mother cell.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1986

Cloning and sequencing of a gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens that complements mutations of the sporulation gene spoIID in Bacillus subtilis.

A segment of DNA from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, which complemented a mutant sporulation gene, spoIID68, in Bacillus subtilis, was cloned into a derivative of the temperate bacteriophage phi 105. The segment of DNA included an entire structural gene and complemented the mutation spoIID298, in addition to spoIID68, in B. subtilis. The nucleotide sequence of the gene from B. amyloliquefaciens was determined and compared with that of the B. subtilis gene; 74% homology was found in the coding region. Amino acid primary sequences derived from the nucleotide sequences of the two genes were also compared. The gene from B. amyloliquefaciens coded for a protein of 344 amino acid residues, one more than the protein coded by the corresponding gene from B. subtilis. Comparison of the primary amino acid sequences of the two genes showed that 78% of the residues were completely conserved and 8% were semi-conserved. Variation, however, was not random, i.e. some segments were much more highly conserved than others. Both proteins had a hydrophobic region at the N-terminus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Tricyclic antidepressants in obsessive-compulsive disorder: antiobsessional or antidepressant agents? II.

The authors explored the relationship between the antiobsessional and antidepressant effects of tricyclic drugs in primary obsessive-compulsive disorders. Study 1 consisted of a controlled 12-week trial with clomipramine (N = 7) and placebo (N = 5); study 2 analyzed the pooled data from 15 patients uniformly selected and treated with either clomipramine or imipramine. Although the antiobsessional and antidepressant effects of the drugs covaried, their antidepressant action was not a prerequisite for their antiobsessional effect. The findings suggest that clomipramine and probably imipramine possess specific antiobsessive effects that are at least partially independent of their antidepressant effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Otoneurological examination in panic disorder and agoraphobia with panic attacks: a pilot study.

A battery of vestibular and audiological tests was administered to eight patients with panic disorder and 13 patients with agoraphobia and panic attacks, all of whom experienced dizziness during their panic attacks. Positional or spontaneous nystagmus was present in 67% of the subjects. Abnormal responses were found in caloric testing (56%), rotational testing (35%), and posturography (32%). Pure tone audiograms were abnormal in 26% of the subjects and acoustic reflexes were abnormal in 44% of the subjects. Six of eight patients tested had an abnormal brainstem auditory evoked potential. The possible importance of the findings and their implications for further research are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Fluoxetine treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Fluoxetine hydrochloride, a new antidepressant, was administered to 10 obsessive-compulsive patients, and the effects of treatment were examined in a single-blind placebo design. The effects of fluoxetine were examined with respect to depressive symptomatology and obsessions and compulsions per se. The results suggest that fluoxetine affected depressive symptoms but also had an effect on self-reported measures of obsessions and ritualistic behavior. Results are discussed in terms of improvement in obsessive-compulsive disorder, the relation of improvement to initial levels of depression, and patients' ability to tolerate the drug.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

An examination of the efficacy of social skills training for chronic schizophrenic patients.

To study the efficacy of social skills training and day hospital treatment for schizophrenic patients, the authors treated 20 chronic schizophrenic patients in a 12-week day hospital program and 44 patients in the same program supplemented by comprehensive social skills training. While both groups of patients who completed treatment showed improvement immediately following treatment, during the six-month posttreatment period patients who had received social skills training either continued to improve or maintained their gains on most measures, while the patients receiving day hospital treatment alone either maintained gains or lost them. The authors discuss the implications of these findings as well as the finding that almost half of the patients in both groups were hospitalized at least once in the year following treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

A behavioral program for the management of anorexia and bulimia.

The results of a behavioral treatment program for two cases of anorexia and bulimia are presented. The program involved inpatient contingency management for weight gain, thought stopping, flooding, response prevention for bulimia and emesis, and training in self-monitoring skills of caloric intake and weight. The results for both cases indicate that the inpatient program was associated with specific increases in body weight and caloric consumption which were generally maintained at 2-year follow-ups. Flooding and response prevention also appeared to be generally successful in reducing both emesis and bulimia urges and episodes, whereas thought stopping did not appreciably change these behaviors. Serum pituitary gonadotropins (follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) were also restored to normal or near normal levels. Self-monitoring of eating behaviors including caloric intake, emesis, and bulimia seemed to be a useful maintenance strategy and provided timely data for the application of booster treatments during later follow-up intervals.

Adolescent↗