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Biomedical subjects

H Morris

Publications and source records attributed to H Morris.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Transitional object use and borderline psychopathology.

The authors examined whether transitional object use distinguishes borderline patients from patients with other personality disorders or schizophrenia and from normal subjects. One hundred five subjects were given a structured interview to assess present and past transitional object use. The borderline group had the highest scores on the interview, and the group with nonborderline axis II diagnoses the lowest. Although transitional object use was not specific to the borderline diagnosis, it did emerge as a potentially useful developmental and psychodynamic marker for borderline persons.

Adolescent↗

Dexamethasone concentrations and the dexamethasone suppression test in psychiatric disorders.

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) has been widely used in psychiatry as a laboratory aid for the diagnosis of endogenous depression; failure to suppress serum cortisol levels is interpreted as confirming a clinical diagnosis of endogenous depression. We found that serum dexamethasone concentrations in this test vary widely and are determinants of the DST response: non-suppression of serum cortisol levels is associated with low serum dexamethasone concentrations, and suppression is associated with high concentrations.

Adjustment Disorders↗

Basal temporal language area demonstrated by electrical stimulation.

We report on a 38-year-old patient with intractable complex partial seizures originating in the dominant left medial temporal region. In the work-up for seizure surgery, arrays of subdural electrodes were placed, and electrical stimulation revealed marked language interference in a 2 X 2-cm area in the left basal temporal fusiform gyrus (3.5 to 5.5 cm posterior to the temporal tip). Complete receptive and expressive aphasia, inability to repeat, agraphia, and alexia were elicited, but visual memory was preserved, and no constructional apraxia was noted. Stimulation of the basal temporal gyrus at lower stimulus intensities produced a relatively selective and severe anomia.

Adult↗

Competitive solid-phase enzyme immunoassay for measuring digoxin in serum.

In this clinically useful enzyme immunoassay of digoxin in serum, we mix sample, beta-galactosidase-labeled digoxin, and anti-digoxin Fab fragments for 30 min at room temperature, then use Sepharose-bound second antibody for phase separation, and measure the unbound enzyme activity directly in the supernate of the equilibrium reaction mixture. The immunoassay buffer--phosphate-buffered isotonic saline with added rabbit globulin (4 g/L), hydrolyzed gelatin (2 g/L), Brij 96 detergent (5 g/L), glycerol (0.25 mol/L), and N-acetyl-8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (2 mmol/L)--minimizes serum matrix effects for convenient measuring of unbound enzyme--digoxin conjugate. The immunoassay developed with Fab fragments has better displacement characteristics than that with intact antibody. Performance of the assay compares favorably with that of other manual digoxin immunoassays; in comparison studies with EMIT involving 110 clinical specimens, the coefficient of correlation was 0.97.

Antibody Formation↗

Endometrial lymphoid tissue: an immunohistological study.

Lymphoid tissue of the endometrium was analysed by histological, immunohistological, and electron microscopical methods in 10 healthy uteri. A panel of monoclonal antibodies recognising macrophages (OKMI), HLA-DR antigen, B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and their subsets, and dendritic reticulum cells was used in a two stage indirect immunoperoxidase labelling technique. Endometrial lymphoid tissue showed a remarkably consistent pattern of labelling in all cases. Lymphoid tissue was present in three sites: namely, (i) intraepithelial lymphocytes (predominantly T lymphocytes with occasional macrophages) associated with periglandular and sub-epithelial HLA-DR+, OKMI+ macrophages; (ii) interstitial lymphocytes and macrophages; (iii) lymphoid aggregates in the stratum basalis. These were composed mainly of T lymphocytes with a few B lymphocytes. Dendritic reticulum cells were found in those occasional lymphoid aggregates in which germinal centres were present. These features suggest that endometrial lymphoid tissue has many of the hallmarks of mucosal associated lymphoid tissue as found elsewhere in the body--for example, the bronchus and intestine. Endometrial lymphoid tissue appears to be unique, however, in that most of the stratum functionalis in which it is situated shows cyclical shedding during the menstrual cycle.

Adolescent↗

The dexamethasone suppression test in elderly, non-depressed patients with dementia.

Attempts have been made to use the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) to distinguish patients who have a primary depressive disorder from those suffering a degenerative cerebral disorder. It has been suggested however, that organic brain damage reduces neuroendocrine sensitivity and can be associated with failure to suppress on the DST. This study investigates the DST in 21 patients, over 65 years, with dementia but no evidence of depression on a variety of clinical criteria. Seven patients had abnormal DSTs.

Aged↗

Late results of multidisciplinary management of unilateral cleft lip and palate.

A model was designed for evaluating protocol and management strategies in the multidisciplinary approach to cleft lip and palate treatment. The treatment history and present status of 45 patients 14 to 22 years of age were evaluated by a plastic surgeon, orthodontist, and speech pathologist. Results indicated that only about half of these patients had completed treatment by one of the specialties by the time they were 14 years or older. Even more surprisingly, only 7 patients (16%) had completed treatment by all three specialties by this age. Factors that may contribute to this low percentage of completed treatments are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Posttranslational modification of human T-cell growth factor.

Amino-terminal sequence analysis of human T-cell growth factor indicated that the amino acid in position 3 of the polypeptide chain was modified. Examination of the N-terminal octapeptide using the amino acid analyzer and mass spectrometry demonstrated that position 3 was a threonine which was linked to N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. This site of glycosylation is of practical significance since it appears to play a role in the selectivity of a monoclonal antibody for the factor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Diagnostic value of intestinal alkaline phosphatase in horse serum.

Antiserum directed against equine intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was produced in rabbits and used to develop a sensitive and quantitative assay for the detection of intestinal ALP in equine serum. This assay was then used to measure the half-life of intravenously injected intestinal ALP and to determine if the intestinal ALP was present in normal horse sera, sera from horses presented for lesions not involving the gastrointestinal tract and sera from horses presented with lesions involving the gastrointestinal tract. The results suggest that intestinal ALP is not likely to appear in equine serum even when gastrointestinal disease is present and, therefore, appears to be of no diagnostic value.

Journal Article↗

Intestinal alkaline phosphatase-like properties of horse kidney alkaline phosphatase.

Two isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase from horse kidney were identified by cellulose acetate electrophoresis. Horse kidney alkaline phosphatase was similar to horse intestinal alkaline phosphatase, in regard to both antigenicity and response to levamisole inhibition, but different from horse liver alkaline phosphatase. This study suggests that horse kidney alkaline phosphatase is an expression of the intestinal gene locus and not the hepatic gene locus.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Diabetes mellitus in the Torres Strait region.

A study of the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the predominantly Melanesian population of the Torres Strait region indicated a rate of 19% in the outer island area and a rate of 13% in the Thursday Island and Bamaga areas. The disease, predominantly of the mature-onset type, was not sex dependent except in subjects over the age of 50 years, in whom there was a significantly greater prevalence amongst females. A positive correlation between blood or plasma glucose levels and blood pressure was found.

Adolescent↗

Fatal oleander poisoning.

A case of fatal poisoning due to the presumed ingestion of leaves and/or fruit of the yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana) is described. The diagnosis was confirmed by radioimmunoassay using antibodies of differential specificity towards cardiac glycosides. Attention is drawn to the potential usefulness of digoxin assay in suspected cases of oleander poisoning.

Child, Preschool↗

Thiamin status of a Melanesian population.

A semiautomated method is described which uses the Abbott ABA-100 bichromatic analyzer to measure the stimulation of erythrocyte transketolase by thiamin pyrophosphate (the thiamin pyrophosphate effect). The method was accurate with a throughput of 30 samples per hour and is suitable for the study of the thiamin status of large populations. A significant proportion (21%) of a total of 1920 individuals of a predominantly Melanesian population were found to have an elevated thiamin pyrophosphate effect (greater than 15% activation). This same proportion with an elevated thiamin pyrophosphate effect was found in an urban hospital patient group of 346 individuals. Statistical analysis indicated a significant inverse correlation between thiamin pyrophosphate effect and plasma potassium concentration (p less than 0.001). Analysis of human fecal samples for thiaminase I activity demonstrated that this enzyme was present in 23 of a total of 46 samples selected from both the Melanesian and urban hospital patient groups. Preliminary findings indicated that the thiaminase originated from a bacterial source.

Adolescent↗