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Biomedical subjects

E Koenig

Publications and source records attributed to E Koenig.

88 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Variations in paper electrophoretic serum lipoprotein patterns in healthy subjects.

The normal variations in the paper electrophoretic lipoprotein patterns in 240 healthy Canadian males and females, aged 10 to 59 years, have been described and compared with serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.The incidence of abnormal chylomicra, beta and pre-beta lipoproteins was similar in both sexes and increased with age in both sexes.Chylomicron bands and/or pre-beta trails from the origin occurred in 4% of subjects, pre-beta bands in 27% and "abnormally" dense beta bands in 28%.Five per cent of subjects were considered to have definite hyperlipoproteinemia, another 19% had slight and 21% had questionable hyperlipoproteinemia. Fifty-five per cent were normal.

Adolescent↗

A method for determining total protein of isolated cellular elements and corresponding tritium radioactivity.

A method is described for the microanalysis of protein, obtained from isolated tissue elements, in the range of 500 micromicrog-500 mmicrog. The method entails solubilization of cellular protein with phosphoric acid and heat after extraction of acid-soluble compounds, lipids, and RNA. A procedure for the extraction and recovery of cellular RNA by the use of 40% trichloroacetic acid is presented. The solubilized protein, in the form of a microdroplet, is photomicrographed with monochromatic light at 230 mmicro. Total density in the microdroplet is determined from calibrated photographic plates by microdensitometry, and is converted to protein mass by using an experimentally determined average specific absorbance value. A solubilized protein labeled with tritium can be recovered after photomicrography, combusted, and reduced to generate tritiated gas for high-efficiency tritium radiometry. Total protein was analyzed in (a) nerve cells of three different sizes from Deiters' nucleus of the rabbit; and the whole rod cell and rod cell nucleus of the rabbit retina.

Animals↗

Observations on selected isolated retinal elements and an analysis of rod cell RNA of the rabbit.

RNA was analyzed in the whole rod cell and in the rod cell nucleus of the rabbit retina. The analysis was performed on rod cells or rod cell nuclei after they were isolated by microdissection and collected. The nuclei were denuded by selectively lysing inner and outer segments chemically. The rod cell contained an average of 0.65 micromicrog RNA. About 60% of the total RNA was nuclear. RNA concentration was of the order of 0.4% w/v. RNA base composition was determined for the whole rod cell and for the rod cell nucleus, and from it the base composition of cytoplasmic RNA was derived also. Microdissection of the retina revealed that each Müller cell had firmly attached to it a certain complement of visual cells, forming a bouquet-like arrangement. The unusual susceptibility of the inner and outer segments to lysis was regarded as an indication of an unique composition of the plasma membrane.

Animals↗

The effect of lateral head tilt on horizontal postrotatory nystagmus I and II and the Purkinje effect.

The influence of an active lateral head tilt on postrotatory nystagmus I and II (PI, PII) was explored in normal humans. During postrotatory nystagmus the head was tilted laterally either towards the direction of the previous rotation (ipsilateral tilt) or towards the opposite direction (contralateral tilt) or the head was kept erect. Both ipsi- and contralateral head tilts led to a substantially weaker and shorter PI and PII as compared with the trial without head tilt. The time constants of the decline of PI were shortened to the ones observed in the peripheral nerve of animals. The reduction of PI and PII suggests a position-dependent tonic inhibition of the vestibular storage mechanism in the vestibular nuclei probably by the otoliths. The stronger reduction of time constant and cumulative amplitude of PI after contralateral as compared with ipsilateral head tilt may be explained by different combinations of asymmetric responses in canal and otolith afferents.

Adult↗

Direction and angle of active head tilts influencing the Purkinje effect and the inhibition of postrotatory nystagmus I and II.

Postrotatory nystagmus I and II (P I, P II) were evoked in four normal humans by velocity steps (prior velocity of rotating chair 90 degrees/s). 4 s after the stop the head was actively tilted by the subject 90 degrees forwards, backwards, to the shoulder of the previous direction of rotation -'ipsilaterally', or to the other shoulder-'contralaterally'. In control trials, the head was kept in the previous erect position. Compared with the control experiments, P I was significantly reduced by all head tilts. Inhibition of P I was strongest with forward and weakest with backward tilts. This difference is explained by the inclination of the utricular base by 30 degrees backward with respect to the horizontal of the skull and by the elastic properties of the sensory matrix. A smaller amplitude (45 degrees) of head tilt about the roll axis leads to a weaker inhibition (28.5%) than a 90 degree tilt, which corresponds to the difference of the sine of the tilt angle and thereby reflects the mechanical force acting on the receptor layer.

Adult↗

Fixation suppression of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) during sinusoidal stimulation in humans as related to the performance of the pursuit system.

Fixation suppression (FS) of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was tested during passive sinusoidal body rotation with a frequency of 0.1 to 1.0 Hz and stimulus amplitudes ranging from 10 degrees to 240 degrees. To test whether FS can be explained by an internal pursuit signal opposite to the VOR, pursuit and the VOR under different instructional sets were studied. Both pursuit and FS decrease with increasing frequency and stimulus amplitude and seem to be limited by stimulus acceleration. Gains in FS calculated on the basis of the VOR during mental arithmetic correspond closely to the frequency and amplitude dependent pursuit gain, suggesting that an internal pursuit signal plays a major role in VOR suppression.

Adult↗

Pursuit opposite to the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) during sinusoidal stimulation in humans.

Pursuit opposite to a simultaneously activated vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was tested during passive sinusoidal body oscillations (0.1-1.0 Hz, amplitudes 10-80 degrees) about the vertical axis in 4 healthy humans, while subjects were asked to pursue a small target moving in phase with the rotating chair with about half its amplitude relative to the head and 1.5 times its amplitude with respect to space. The decrease in gain of the pursuit opposite to the VOR occurred at lower stimulus frequency, stimulus velocity and stimulus acceleration than pure visual pursuit when gain was calculated in relation to target motion in head coordinates. It resembles that of pure pursuit when calculated in relation to target motion in space (earth coordinates, sum of the displacements of the mirror image and of the chair) thus taking the oppositely directed VOR into account. The data fit the assumption of a linear interaction of the VOR (in counterphase) and pursuit.

Eye Movements↗

The clinical significance of head-shaking nystagmus in the dizzy patient.

The clinical significance of horizontal head-shaking nystagmus (HSN) was evaluated in 85 patients who complained of dizziness and vertigo. This was done by comparison of the horizontal head-shaking test with routine rotatory and caloric vestibular testing. We found that HSN evoked by horizontal head-shaking is a highly sensitive way to detect unilateral vestibular hypofunction. Except in patients with additional central vestibular imbalance or in patients with Meniere's disease, the direction of horizontal HSN is highly significant in indicating the side of the lesion, with the fast phase beating toward the intact side. However, horizontal HSN is not specific in distinguishing peripheral hypofunction from more central vestibular imbalances. Peripheral vestibular hypofunction as well as a central asymmetry of the vestibular velocity storage mechanism can each separately or in combination produce horizontal HSN. Thus, while the head-shaking manoeuvre is an excellent bedside-test to detect unilateral vestibular hypofunction, further rotatory and caloric testing is still necessary to clarify the patient's condition.

Adult↗

Head-shaking nystagmus during vestibular compensation in humans and rhesus monkeys.

Nystagmus evoked after rapid horizontal head-shaking is believed to be a sensitive indication of the existence and location of a unilateral vestibular lesion. Its origin is the directional asymmetry in vestibular responses of the healthy labyrinth (Ewald's second law). For nystagmus to appear after the head has stopped moving, however, the directionally asymmetric responses must have been stored during the head-shaking to be discharged afterwards. Our results confirm the notion that head-shaking nystagmus is most likely generated by a directional preponderance in vestibular responses but only in combination with a functioning central velocity-storage mechanism. If velocity-storage is lost completely, as may occur during the acute phase of a unilateral peripheral vestibular lesion, even a large vestibular preponderance does not lead to head-shaking nystagmus. Thus, to interpret the results of the head-shaking test the condition of the velocity-storage mechanism must be taken into account.

Adolescent↗

Direct calorimetry for the measurement of heat release in preterm infants: methods and applications.

Direct calorimetry is a sensitive and accurate method for the measurement of biologic heat release in humans. At the Children's Medical Center of Brooklyn, State University of New York, we have established direct calorimetry for the measurement of heat release by low birth weight premature infants. We have tested the method and find it to be simple, safe, and accurate. We studied heat release in 10 low birth weight infants on 22 occasions. The smallest infant in the study group weighed 1.43 kg. All the infant underwent direct calorimetry between 1 week and 18 weeks of age. Heat release in the infants ranged from 1.31 kcal/kg/hr. This method of direct calorimetry offers a tool for measuring total metabolic heat release from the first weeks of life in very low birth weight infants to estimate the insensible water losses and to examine the effect of various feeding regimens and disease states on total heat release.

Body Temperature Regulation↗