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Biomedical subjects

H R Miller

Publications and source records attributed to H R Miller.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

MCMI-II item weights: their lack of effectiveness.

Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory II (MCMI-II; Millon, 1987) results from 134 patients were scored twice; with and without the item weights. The results showed that the correlations between the weighted and unweighted versions of the same scales were extremely high, exceeding .90 in all cases. Furthermore, weighting did not significantly reduce the correlations among the scales, either within each of the four syndrome/pattern categories of the MCMI-II, or between categories. It is concluded that item weighting reduces the access of the MCMI-II by clinicians, without increasing its psychometric properties.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The effects of the modifier and correction indices on MCMI-II profiles.

Five modifier and correction indices are used in the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II; Millon, 1987) to improve the sensitivity and specificity of its scales; however, profile analyses indicated that they had little effect on the profiles of 141 psychiatric inpatients. The profiles generated within each MCMI-II section with and without the indices had the same shape and generally showed no significant differences on the various scales. A simple procedure applied to the initial, uncorrected scores provided a good estimate of the final base rate (BR) scores that are obtained when the correction and modifier indices are applied. Examination of individual profiles indicated that the 3-point codetypes were usually the same regardless of whether or not the correction indices were applied. When there were changes, these usually involved changes in rank order; new scales were rarely introduced in a code type. Although the utility of the indices for assessing test-taking attitude remains to be determined, these results argue against their use for modifying BR scores.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Quantitative and cytochemical studies of mast cell proteases in rat ovaries and uteri in various reproductive states.

A role for mast cell proteases (RMCP I and II) in the cyclical remodelling of ovarian and uterine tissues of rats was investigated in the oestrous and pregnancy cycles using immunocytochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The concentrations of RMCP I exceeded that of RMCP II by 100-fold in both tissues, but were always much higher in uteri than ovaries. Most of the protease activity in the uterus was located in the myometrium, whereas it was more focally distributed in the hilus and medulla of the ovary. Protease activity was confined to mast cells identified by metachromatic staining and no single cell contained both proteases. The concentrations of RMCP I and II in the two organs did not fluctuate throughout the 4-day oestrous cycle. Neither were RMCP I concentrations in the uterus altered by administration of diethylstilboestrol to ovariectomized animals, although total amounts per uterus were substantially greater than in the controls. Concentrations of RMCP I were substantially reduced in the uterus after day 6 of pregnancy and rose during the puerperium. The reduction was greater in pregnant than in pseudopregnant horns and tended to be lower in the vicinity of conceptuses than between them. The physiological significance of the lower mast cell protease concentrations is unclear, although their absence may contribute to the decreased protein catabolism during pregnancy.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The influence of challenge dose, duration of immunity, or steroid treatment on mucosal mast cells and on the distribution of sheep mast cell proteinase in Haemonchus-infected sheep.

The distribution of granule-specific sheep mast cell proteinase (SMCP), was assayed by immunocytochemistry and quantified by immunoassay in sheep immune to Haemonchus contortus. Repeated infection with Haemonchus larvae over 10-12 weeks induced a pronounced mucosal mastocytosis, including intraepithelial globule leukocytes (GL), which, 7 days after ceasing this dosing regime, was associated with the inability of incoming larvae to establish within the abomasal mucosa. Loss of this resistance, due to the cessation of stimulation with Haemonchus larvae 84 days previously or to treatment of sheep with corticosteroid, was associated with a marked decline in mast cell density and concentrations of SMCP in abomasal mucosal tissues. Nevertheless, larvae also failed to establish in immune sheep rested from challenge 42 days previously and in which mast cell counts were not significantly different from those of control sheep. A small, but significant, release of SMCP was demonstrated in gastric mucus from immune sheep following larval challenge, whereas little or no SMCP was detected in mucus from naïve animals.

Abomasum↗
PubMed1992

Maximum likelihood estimates of the ability of the MMPI and MCMI personality disorder scales and the SIDP to identify personality disorders.

The ability of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) personality disorder scales and the Structured Interview for DSM-III Personality Disorders (SIDP) to identify personality disorders was estimated statistically using 122 subjects. Each technique was reasonably accurate when various diagnoses were excluded, but they were quite variable in identifying members of specific diagnostic categories. The same general pattern was seen when the disorders were combined into three general diagnostic clusters. The techniques excluded cluster membership fairly well, although there was little agreement across techniques for identifying cluster membership. The MCMI, however, was moderately adept at identifying membership in all three clusters. It was suggested that these instruments should be used cautiously in clinical settings and that additional data on their performance be obtained.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Ultrasonographic evaluation of acute appendicitis.

Twenty-one patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis underwent graded compression ultrasonography as an ongoing clinical study. The findings at surgery were compared with the ultrasonographic findings. There were no false-positive, 8 false-negative, 9 true-positive, and 11 true-negative results. The specificity was 100% and sensitivity, 52.9% The findings of this study, in contrast to findings of other recently reported studies, demonstrates that ultrasonography is a poor modality with which to evaluate acute appendicitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Differential inhibition of rat mast cell proteinase I and II by members of the alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor family of serine proteinase inhibitors.

Rat mast cell proteinase II (RMCP II) from mucosal mast cells was titrated into rat serum, and the resulting serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin)-enzyme complex was purified by affinity chromatography on anti-RMCP II-Sepharose 4B and by Mono-Q anion-exchange. The purified complex was used to raise polyclonal antibodies which, after cross-absorption against RMCP II-Sepharose 4B, were specific for serpin and were used to affinity purify two rat serpin molecules (RSI and RSII) that inhibit RMCP II in rat serum. The kinetic constants characterizing the interaction between RMCP II and RSI and RSII are ka, 2.2 x 10(5) and 1.65 x 10(5) M-1 s-1, respectively; Ki, 3.6 x 10(-10) and 1.0 x 10(-9) M; and kd, 7.9 x 10(-5) and 1.65 x 10(-4) s-1. Amino-terminal sequence analysis indicated that RSI and RSII are distinct, differing at the amino-terminal residues, and are products of the rat Spi-1 locus. Rat mast cell proteinase I (RMCP I) from connective tissue mast cells cleaved both RSI and RSII and was not inhibited.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

The rat c-kit ligand, stem cell factor, induces the development of connective tissue-type and mucosal mast cells in vivo. Analysis by anatomical distribution, histochemistry, and protease phenotype.

Mast cell development is a complex process that results in the appearance of phenotypically distinct populations of mast cells in different anatomical sites. Mice homozygous for mutations at the W or S1 locus exhibit several phenotypic abnormalities, including a virtual absence of mast cells in all organs and tissues. Recent work indicates that W encodes the c-kit tyrosine kinase receptor, whereas S1 encodes a c-kit ligand that we have designated stem cell factor (SCF). Recombinant or purified natural forms of the c-kit ligand induce proliferation of certain mast cell populations in vitro, and injection of recombinant SCF permits mast cells to develop in mast cell-deficient WCB6F1-S1/S1d mice. However, the effects of SCF on mast cell proliferation, maturation, and phenotype in normal mice in vivo were not investigated. We now report that local administration of SCF in vivo promotes the development of connective tissue-type mast cells (CTMC) in the skin of mice and that systemic administration of SCF induces the development of both CTMC and mucosal mast cells (MMC) in rats. Rats treated with SCF also develop significantly increased tissue levels of specific rat mast cell proteases (RMCP) characteristic of either CTMC (RMCP I) or MMC (RMCP II). These findings demonstrate that SCF can induce the expansion of both CTMC and MMC populations in vivo and show that SCF can regulate at least one cellular lineage that expresses c-kit, the mast cell, through complex effects on proliferation and maturation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Substrate-associated macromolecules promote cytodifferentiation of BC3H1 myogenic cells.

Differentiated mouse BC3H1 myogenic cells secrete substrate-associated macro-molecules (SAM) which restrict the proliferation of undifferentiated cells and promote both cell shape changes and expression of predominantly the vascular smooth muscle (VSM)-specific isoform of the contractile protein alpha-actin. While we previously reported that high cell density was required for stimulating maximal expression of VSM alpha-actin in BC3H1 cells (Strauch and Reeser: Journal of Biological Chemistry 264:8345-8355, 1989), the permissive effect of SAM on myoblast cytodifferentiation was not at all dependent on the formation of cell to cell contacts. This observation suggests that biogenesis of an extracellular matrix rather than the formation of physical contacts between cells may be the rate-limiting step for induction of VSM alpha-actin expression at high cell density. The biologically active moieties in SAM that promote cytodifferentiation also are expressed by mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines and are distinctly different from a class of adheron-like macromolecules released by differentiated BC3H1 myocytes directly into the culture medium. While SAM was cell growth restrictive, reconstituted particulate material (RPM) prepared from myocyte-conditioned medium promoted the adhesion and proliferation of growth-arrested myoblasts. SAM and RPM are composed of different polypeptide subunits which collectively may establish microenvironmental conditions that are permissive for BC3H1 myogenic cell differentiation.

Actins↗
PubMed1991

Response of efferent lymph and popliteal lymph node to epidermal infection of sheep with orf virus.

Functional and phenotypic changes in the cell populations were monitored in the popliteal efferent lymph of sheep following experimental epidermal infection with orf virus. In another group of sheep, cells from the popliteal lymph node draining the site of infection were similarly monitored and compared with the cells from contralateral popliteal and mesenteric lymph nodes. All sheep showed serological evidence of previous exposure to orf virus. Following infection, anti-orf antibody titres rose and efferent lymphocyte and blast cell output increased. Interferon-like activity was detected in efferent lymph early after orf virus but not mock infection. Lymphocytes from the draining popliteal lymph node showed antigen-specific lymphoproliferation on Days 3-7 while cells in the efferent lymph demonstrated proliferative activity on Days 4-6. The requirement for exogenous antigen-presenting cells in the culture of efferent lymphocytes varied between individual sheep. The culture supernatant from proliferating lymph node cells contained interferon-like activity but no anti-orf antibodies, the reverse of that from cultured efferent lymphocytes, perhaps indicating a different reactive T cell population. During the course of the experiment there was an increase in the percentage of efferent lymphocytes expressing MHC Class II antigens and surface immunoglobulins, the latter being recorded as a double peak. The short-term nature of the local T cell response may in part explain the incompleteness of immunity to orf virus in sheep.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Immune responses of the ovine lymph node to Chlamydia psittaci. A cellular study of popliteal efferent lymph.

The popliteal efferent lymphatics were cannulated in sheep of two categories, seronegative or immune to Chlamydia psittaci. Following subcutaneous injection of live C. psittaci or control material into the draining area of the popliteal node, sequential samples of efferent lymph were collected and analysed. Both categories of sheep responded to C. psittaci with increased outputs of lymphocytes and blast cells. Numbers of blast cells rose both absolutely and as a proportion of the total. Plasmablasts increased in number only in seronegative sheep. Outputs of total T cells (CD5+), helper T cells (CD4+), cytotoxic/suppressor T cells (CD8+) and non-helper, non-suppressor T cells (T19) were maximal 4 and 7 days after challenge in immune and seronegative sheep, respectively. Proportionally, CD4+ T cells declined, CD8+ T cells increased and T19 cells were unaltered with time after infection. Chlamydial antigens could not be demonstrated in the cells of efferent lymph by an immunoperoxidase method. The results of this preliminary study show that both T and B cell responses are involved in immunity to C. psittaci.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed1991

Heterogeneity of murine bone marrow-derived mast cells: analysis of their proteinase content.

The expression of granule proteinases by murine bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) grown in vitro was compared with that of serosal mast cells (SMC) from the peritoneal cavity. The granules in a proportion of BMMC (0.4-13%) and in all SMC were labelled with fluorescent antibodies against rat mast cell protease I (RMCP I). The granules of 1-47% of BMMC and 100% of SMC were labelled with antibodies against a 30,000 molecular weight (MW) murine intestinal mast cell proteinase (MIMCP). Four antigens from BMMC, ranging in MW from 28,000 to 32,000 and a single 28,000 antigen from SMC were detected on Western blot using anti-MIMCP antibodies. Only the 28,000 MW antigens from BMMC and SMC were visualized in blots probed with anti-RMCP I. BMMC grown in the presence of conditioned medium from activated splenocytes or from the WEHI-3B myelomonocytic cell line contained 52-118 ng and 3-25 ng MIMCP/10(6) cells respectively, whereas SMC lacked detectable MIMCP. The selective labelling of the 28,000 MW antigens in BMMC and SMC with anti-RMCP I and the variable expression of this antigen in BMMC as detected by immunofluorescence indicates that BMMC are not a homogeneous population of cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of rat tissue cultured mast cells.

Twelve continuous rat tissue cultured mast cell (MC) lines were established by prolonged culture of rat peritoneal MC in the absence of added factors or feeder layers. Two of these lines, RCMC1 and RCMC2, have been briefly described previously, seven others are now also described. Both RCMC1 and RCMC2 lack a marker chromosomes present on RBL-CA10.7 cells. All lines were found to express the phenotype of mucosal MC as defined by alcian blue-positive and safranin O-negative staining, the presence of rat MC protease II and a low histamine content. When analyzed for high-(Fc epsilon RI) and low-affinity (Fc epsilon RL) receptors for IgE, the various lines yielded a variety of receptor patterns. Northern blot analysis of the RNA of RCMC1, RCMC2 and RBL-CA10.7 revealed that all three cell lines contained the same mRNA species for the alpha, beta and gamma subunits for Fc epsilon RI previously found in another rat basophilic leukemia cell line. Quantitation of the relative amounts of alpha, beta and gamma mRNA did not correlate with the expression of the relative amounts of Fc epsilon RI(alpha) in these cells. The relative amounts of mRNA for all these subunits of RCMC2 were equal or higher than those of RCMC1, suggesting that the low expression of Fc epsilon RI(alpha) on the former was a consequence of post-transcriptional events. Analysis of a RCMC1 clone over a 6-month period revealed changes in the expression of both Fc epsilon RI(alpha) and Fc epsilon RL.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Intestinal mucosal mast cells in Nippostrongylus-infected mice: lack of sensitivity to corticosteroids.

Immune reactions to enteric nematodes, in which mast cells are thought to play an important role, are abrogated following corticosteroid treatment of host animals. This is probably due, at least in part, to inhibition of cytokine production by T cells. It has proved difficult to block worm expulsion in mice with corticosteroids. We have therefore examined the effects of corticosteroids on mast cell numbers and concentrations of the mast cell granule-specific serine protease Mouse Intestinal Mast Cell Protease (MIMCP) in the intestines of mice infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. Mucosal mast cell (MMC) numbers and concentrations of MIMCP were unaltered by steroid treatment. This is in marked contrast to Nippostrongylus-infected rats which showed decreases in both mast cell numbers and concentrations of the rat mucosal mast cell protease RMCP II after steroid treatment. This suggests that differentiated murine MMC are less dependent on T cells than those of the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Immune exclusion of Haemonchus contortus larvae in the sheep: effects on gastric mucin of immunization, larval challenge and treatment with dexamethasone.

The rapid expulsion of the gastric nematode Haemonchus contortus from primed sheep is a complex mechanism which probably involves immediate hypersensitivity reactions and mucus. Quantitative techniques were employed to determine the content and distribution of mucin in the gastric mucosae of sheep of varying immune status, following a single large challenge with H. contortus. Substantial depletion of both neutral and acidic mucin, following challenge, was noted in the gastric mucosae of naive sheep. When compared with normal controls, animals rendered immune by daily oral challenge had significant reductions in neutral mucin at the mucosal surface and increased quantities of acidic mucin deeper in the mucosa. Mucin distribution in immune sheep was not significantly altered 48 h after challenge. Treatment of immune animals with the corticosteroid dexamethasone, abrogated the protective response with gross depletion of mucus in challenged sheep, but had little measurable effect on the mucin profile of unchallenged animals, except for a slight increase in acidic mucin at the mucosal surface and the absence of any detectable mucin in the zone adjacent to the sub-mucosa. Immunity to H. contortus diminishes with time after immunization. Animals still immune 6 weeks after immunization were found to have mucin profiles which did not differ significantly from those of freshly immunized animals, whereas animals susceptible to re-infection 12 weeks after immunization had mucin profiles more closely resembling those seen in naive controls. Immunization by daily oral challenge was also accompanied by hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa which persisted for at least 12 weeks after immunization had ceased.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Using the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory's Scale B and the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale to identify alcoholics with concurrent psychiatric diagnoses.

The ability of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC) and Scale B of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) to discriminate independently defined alcoholics with psychiatric diagnoses from other psychiatric patients was examined for males and all alcoholics, using three different criteria of alcoholism. The MAC identified from 80% to 87% of male alcoholics and 76% to 82% of all alcoholics, and from 25% to 52% of male nonalcoholics and 55% to 75% of all nonalcoholics, resulting in a large number of false positives. Scale B identified from 31% to 60% of male alcoholics and 33% to 43% of all alcoholics, and from 73% to 85% of male nonalcoholics and 85% to 94% of all nonalcoholics. The operating characteristics of Scale B showed that it was not as efficient in identifying alcoholics as previous work had indicated. We suggest that Scale B should not be used and the MAC should be used cautiously to discriminate alcoholics with psychiatric disorders from patients without alcoholism.

Adult↗