PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Skinner

Publications and source records attributed to W Skinner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry studies of the distribution of metals between the soil, rhizosphere and roots of Populus tremuloides Minchx growing in forest soil.

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy has been used to study the metal distribution at the soil/root interface of tree roots extracted from smelter-impacted soils. The results, augmented by scanning electron microscopy, show that the technique is capable of resolving metal distributions at the cellular level. In addition, the distribution of metals between the root plaque and the root interior may be useful in interpreting local metal transport mechanisms.

Metals↗
PubMed2001

Characterisation of 0.22 caliber rimfire gunshot residues by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS): a preliminary study.

The application of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for the characterisation of gunshot residue (GSR) from 0.22 caliber rimfire ammunition is reported. Results obtained by TOF-SIMS were compared with conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. As could be expected, TOF-SIMS exhibited greater elemental sensitivity than SEM equipped with energy dispersive X-ray detection (SEM-EDX), and was also capable of detecting fragments characteristic of inorganic compounds. This preliminary study indicates that TOF-SIMS offers substantial potential for forensic GSR examinations as a complementary technique to SEM-EDX. In addition TOF-SIMS is applicable to the analysis of individual particles in the typical size range encountered in GSR casework.

Electron Probe Microanalysis↗
PubMed2001

Rebuilding organizational culture in the wake of a merger.

More and more, corporate culture is being recognized as an important determinant of organizational effectiveness. This article describes how the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health proactively focused on rebuilding its culture after a mandated merger. The long-term effects of this effort need to be monitored. However, commitment is strong to the ideas articulated in the Statement of Desired Culture that was developed by a staff task force and approved by the Centre's Board.

Canada↗
PubMed2001

Gene information for fungal plant pathogens from expressed sequences.

Gaining information on global gene function in fungal plant pathogens through analysis of expressed sequences is a valuable step towards understanding the overall metabolism and biology underlying the pathogenic habit. Such large-scale gene-finding exercises are poised to provide many useful leads for discovering key events that contribute to the processes of infection and colonisation of host plants.

Expressed Sequence Tags↗
PubMed1998

A single amino-acid substitution in the iron-sulphur protein subunit of succinate dehydrogenase determines resistance to carboxin in Mycosphaerella graminicola.

A gene encoding the iron-sulphur protein (Ip) subunit of succinate dehydrogenase (Sdh, EC 1.3.99.1) from Mycosphaerella graminicola (Septoria tritici) has been cloned andsequenced. The deduced amino-acid sequence exhibited a high degree of homology to Ip subunits of Sdh from other organisms; three cysteine-rich clusters associated with the iron-sulphur centres involved in electron transport were particularly conserved. Expression studies using a synthetic green fluorescent protein (SGFP) expression vector demonstrated that the cloned DNA also contained a functional promoter region and confirmed that the deduced initiation codon could act as a translational start site. Mutants resistant to the fungicide carboxin (Cbx), a known inhibitor of Sdh, were found to contain a single amino-acid substitution in the third cysteine-rich domain of the Ip protein. These mutations resulted in the conversion of a highly conserved His residue, located in a region of the protein associated with the [3Fe-4 S] high-potential non-heme iron sulphur-redox (S3) centre, to either Tyr or Leu. AnIp gene containing the His -> Tyr mutation was constructed and shown to confer Cbx resistance following co-transformation into the Cbx-sensitive wild-type strain. This confirmed that the mutation identified by sequence analysis was responsible for determining Cbx resistance.

Alleles↗
PubMed1998

Elemental content of airway surface liquid from infants with cystic fibrosis.

We tested the hypothesis that airway surface liquid (ASL) electrolyte composition is altered in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) and that the presence of airway inflammation affects ASL composition. We measured the tracheal ASL sodium and chloride concentration and examined bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cytology, interleukin-8 (IL-8) concentrations, and quantitative bacterial culture in 19 infants and young children with CF. Seven infants undergoing bronchoscopy for the evaluation of stridor served as non-CF controls. In addition, we measured nasal ASL sodium and chloride concentrations from 10 young adults with CF and from 10 control subjects. On the basis of the BAL findings, the infants with CF were divided into three groups: one with little evidence of pulmonary inflammation (CF-NI, n = 5); one with obvious pulmonary inflammation (CF-I, n = 7); and an intermediate group (CF-MI, n = 7). We found the ASL sodium was not different among any of the four groups (means mM +/- SE, 85 +/- 10 controls; 78 +/- 16 CF-NI; 83 +/- 9 CF-MI, 84 +/- 9 CF-I). In contrast the ASL chloride was lower in the CF-NI group when compared with control subjects (108 +/- 5 control subjects; 77 +/- 7 CF-NI, p < 0.01). In the CF-I and CF-MI groups, the ASL chloride concentrations were of intermediate values (CF-I 95 +/- 10 mM; CF-MI 96 +/- 9 mM) and not significantly different from controls. Results from the nasal ASL analysis showed no significant differences in sodium and chloride concentrations in the CF group compared with control subjects. These results suggest that the primary abnormality of ASL composition is a reduction in chloride concentration. ASL composition appears to be affected by the presence of airway inflammation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Comparing tobacco cigarette dependence with other drug dependencies. Greater or equal 'difficulty quitting' and 'urges to use,' but less 'pleasure' from cigarettes.

About 1000 persons seeking treatment for alcohol or drug dependence were asked, relative to cigarettes, about the difficulty of quitting the use of the substance for which they were seeking treatment, the strength of their strongest urges to use, and the pleasure they derived from use. Fifty-seven percent said that cigarettes would be harder to quit using than their problem substance. These ratings were related to the level of cigarette dependence and the perceived difficulty of quitting the use of the problem substance. The alcohol-dependent persons were about four times more likely than the drug-dependent persons to say that their strongest urges for cigarettes were at least as great as their strongest urges for their problem substance. Cigarettes were generally rated as less pleasurable than alcohol or other drugs. Thus, experiential experts on dependence judge cigarette dependence as at least as "addictive" as other drug use, but not as pleasurable, indicating important similarities and differences between cigarette dependence and other forms of dependence on psychoactive substances.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Prospects for smoking treatment in individuals seeking treatment for alcohol and other drug problems.

Alcohol and drug using clients of the Addiction Research Foundation were asked about their interest in receiving treatment for cigarette smoking. Forty-six percent said that they were "moderately" to "very much" interested in attending a treatment program if it were available. Despite a consistent preference for receiving smoking treatment after their alcohol or drug problem was treated, there was moderate interest in receiving smoking treatment during the alcohol or drug treatment among those who were very interested in receiving smoking treatment in general. Seventy-one percent reported that it would be "as difficult" or "more difficult" to give up cigarettes than the drug or alcohol which brought them to the hospital for treatment. The importance of treating smoking in alcohol and drug using clients is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Absence of generalized immunosuppression in C57BL/6J mice implanted with Lewis T241 fibrosarcoma or Lewis lung carcinoma.

The immune status of C57BL/6J mice implanted with Lewis T241 fibrosarcoma or Lewis lung (LL) carcinoma was investigated on days 14 and 28 after implantation. Splenic lymphocyte responses were assessed in mitogen (Con A, LPS) mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), natural killer (NK), graft-vs-host (GVH), and interleukin production assays. Except for NK-cell cytotoxicity, all other immunologic parameters were either comparable to those in medium-implanted controls or augmented. NK cytotoxicity was reduced in both tumor-bearing groups on day 28. The provision of NK potentiation therapy (beta-interferon, polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid) to T241 mice under various treatment conditions did not have any significant effect on lung metastasis or survival. The results of this study do not support the thesis that T241- or LL-bearing C57BL/6J mice are generally immunosuppressed. Indeed, when immune functions were assessed on the basis of total splenic activity, each of the measured immunologic parameters was substantially greater in animals with tumors than without. Further it seems improbable, considering the magnitude of the NK-cell defect in T241 mice on days 14 and 28 after implantation and the absence of a therapeutic response to NK-cell stimulants, that NK-cell cytotoxicity is intrinsically associated with resistance to tumor progression in this model.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Radioimmunoassay for immunoglobulin G autoantibody on the surface of mouse erythrocytes.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the determination of autoantibody on the surface of erythrocytes from New Zealand Black (NZB) mice is described. This method was adapted to hemagglutination plates in order to facilitate the separation of bound and unbound 125I-labeled rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin G with an automated cell harvester. Intra- and interday precision, over the useful quantitative range of the standard curve, was 3.9 and 12.9%, respectively. The RIA was five to ten times more sensitive than the direct antiglobulin test which, unlike the RIA, provided little quantitative information on a group of 20 experimental NZB mice. This is publication number 562 from the Department of Basic and Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Medical University of South Carolina.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Observations on the immunomodulator NPT 15392 in New Zealand Black mice.

NPT 15392, an experimental drug with immunomodulatory activities, was administered to New Zealand Black (NZB) mice over an extended period of time. Anti-erythrocyte antibody levels and spleen weights increased with age in NZB mice, while hematocrits (Hct) declined slightly. In addition, both antierythrocyte antibody and spleen weights were negatively correlated with Hct (-0.545 and -0.848, respectively). NPT 15392 therapy retarded the development of anti-erythrocyte antibody in young mice (11 weeks old), and reduced the levels of this autoantibody in 38 week old animals. The slight improvement in the index of anemia in the older treated mice was also accompanied by a substantially lower spleen weight. No significant effect of NPT 15392 therapy was observed on Hct levels. These results indicate that NPT 15392 has a modifying effect on the evolution of the autoimmune process in this strain of mouse.

Aging↗