On the role of figural organization in perceptual transparency.
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Humans↗
Biomedical subjects
J Beck
Publications and source records attributed to J Beck.
[The femoro-patellar joint and cartilage damage of the knee joint].
This article surveys the update knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of damage to the cartilage with particular reference to the femoropatellar joint. Complementary to this the biomechanical fundamentals and special anatomic features are explained, the knowledge of which is imperative for an understanding of the complex linkups and interconnections.
Arthroscopy↗
HIV-related malignancy.
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Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
Nucleotide sequence of the Xenopus tropicalis larval beta globin gene.
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Amino Acid Sequence↗
Heterotopic synaptic bodies in the auditory hair cells of adult lizards.
The auditory hair cells of adults of eight species of lizards (three gekkonids: Coleonyx variegatus, Gekko gecko, and Cosymbotus platyurus; two teiids: Ameiva ameiva and Cnemidophorus tigris; one anguid: Celestus costatus; one lacertid: Podarcis (Lacerta) sicula; and one iguanid: Crotaphytus wislizeni) were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Heterotopic synaptic bodies were found in some of the auditory hair cells of all of the above species, occurring frequently in the gekkonids but infrequently in other species. The groups of heterotopic synaptic bodies occurred mainly in the infranuclear cytoplasm between the hair cell nucleus and the hair cell plasma membrane. The groups of synaptic bodies that were close to the hair cell nucleus were usually associated with specialized arrays of rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The numbers of heterotopic synaptic bodies were greatest in the gekkonid species and were especially large in Coleonyx variegatus, where an average of 36.8 synaptic bodies occur in one group. The functional significance of the presence of heterotopic synaptic bodies in the auditory hair cells of adults animals is not known.
Age Factors↗
Genetic demonstration that the mutationally expressed nucleobase transporter of mouse S49 cells is nonconcentrative.
Somatic cell genetic analysis of purine base transporters in mouse S49 cells has demonstrated the existence of a unique high-affinity purine base transporter, which is mutationally expressed and is not found in wild-type S49 cells or any other cells of the animal kingdom (B. Aronow, et al. (1986) Mol. Cell. Biol. 6, 2957). In order to determine whether this nucleobase transport system is active and concentrative, a secondary mutation in hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRTase) was inserted into the cell line expressing this novel base transporter. The HGPRTase-deficient cells were capable of transporting hypoxanthine at increased rates but did not accumulate the base to concentrations in excess of that in the culture medium. Moreover, neither sodium azide nor ouabain had significant effects on hypoxanthine transport rates, indicating that energy metabolism and the maintenance of a sodium gradient were not required for transport function. These studies suggest that the novel mutationally expressed base transporter is independent of subsequent metabolism and does not require energy or a functioning Na+-K+-dependent ATPase activity.
Animals↗
Continuous passive motion after total knee arthroplasty.
Sixty-two patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty were studied prospectively. There were 42 patients in whom continuous passive motion (CPM) was used after surgery and 20 controls. The two groups were comparable with respect to age, diagnosis, sex, weight, and preoperative deformity and motion. The mean length of time required for CPM patients to achieve 90 degrees of flexion (9.1 days) was shorter than that for the control group (13.8 days). At the time of discharge from the hospital, however, there was no significant difference between the groups in amount of either flexion or extension. All patients had venograms performed after arthroplasty; the incidence of positive studies indicating thrombophlebitis was 45% in CPM patients and 75% in controls. These data demonstrate that CPM after knee arthroplasty enables patients to recover motion more quickly and affords some protection against deep vein thrombosis.
Adult↗
Methods for the determination of the interferon-induced enzyme 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase in mononuclear blood cells.
The determination of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is used as a biological response parameter during therapy with interferon and in the diagnosis of diseases related to the interferon system. In this communication, some general aspects concerning the preparation of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the incubation conditions of the 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase reaction are reported. Four analytical procedures for the determination of the products formed during the 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase reaction were comparatively investigated and the advantages and limitations of the assays are discussed. As an example of possible clinical application, the levels of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase were determined in the mononuclear cell fraction of peripheral blood from healthy persons as well as from children with chronic myelogenous leukaemia.
2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase↗
Identification of cytoskeletal structures in hormone producing lung cancer cell cultures.
In order to investigate the intermediate filament protein content of hormone producing lung tumor cell cultures a panel of 16 different cytokeratin antisera were tested using immunocytochemical and biochemical techniques on lung carcinoma cell cultures from different origin. These included three cell cultures derived from small cell lung carcinoma, two large cell carcinoma cell cultures, and two cell cultures derived from squamous cell carcinomas. Flow cytometric analysis of the cell cultures demonstrated that all cell lines examined were aneuploid with DNA-indices ranging from 1.7 to 3.1 rimes the DNA-content of normal human lymphocytes. In both immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase techniques six out of seven cell cultures reacted with most of the cytokeratin antisera used in a filamentous manner, while a large cell carcinoma cell culture did not react with any of the cytokeratin antisera used. None of the cell cultures examined reacted with the antibodies to neurofilament proteins, suggesting that none of these (neuro)hormone producing cell cultures were of neural origin. All cell cultures which were growing as adherent cell cultures did express vimentin. The cell culture that grew with cells floating in aggregates did not express this intermediate filament protein while a subline which did attach, expressed vimentin. This findings strongly indicates the relation between growth pattern in vitro (floating vs. adherent) and the expression of vimentin. No reaction was found with antisera to desmin and GFAP. The presence of cytokeratins and vimentin in most cell cultures could be confirmed using one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Cytokeratins 7, 8, 18 and 19 were most commonly present.
Carcinoma↗
Studies of cellular immunity, serum interferon titers, and natural killer cell activity in schizophrenic patients.
In one of the hypotheses on the causes of schizophrenia it is proposed that viruses may play a role in the etiology and pathogenesis of at least some forms of schizophrenia. In our study, 30 healthy adults and 30 schizophrenic patients were investigated for humoral and cellular immunity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). A whole blood test system with several advantages over commonly used procedures was used to study cell-mediated immunity to CMV and HSV. Our data showed no difference between serum antibody levels or cellular immunity of the schizophrenic patients and control individuals as far as HSV and CMV were tested. Serum interferon may be indicative for the presence of a yet unidentified virus. Therefore, we tested interferon levels in the serum of patients. No interferon was detected in any of the samples tested. Further, we tested the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in the blood of schizophrenic patients and controls. NK-activity of the patients' blood cells was not different from that of normal donors.
Antibodies, Viral↗
Histometry of normal thyroid in man.
Thyroids that did not show any histopathological evidence of disease were collected at necropsy from 107 patients who did not have any history of endocrine disease. Thyroid volume increases with age during childhood and adolescence, remains stable in younger adults, and declines in older subjects. There was no simple mathematical function relating thyroid volume with age: robust smooth curve fitting, however, permitted objective assessment of the age changes. The volume proportion (Vv) measurements of the various histological components did not show any important change with age, but the measurements of volume of these components reflected the gland volume changes with age. The total number of acini in the gland did not show any great age changes, and so it was concluded that the volume changes were a consequence of changes in the size of the individual acini. Measurements of internal and external surface area of the acini showed an increase in childhood and adolescence and decline in older age: unlike the other measurements reported in this paper, however, the surface area measurements must be considered as relative because of the Mandelbrot effect. The prevalence of microscopic nodules in otherwise normal thyroids increased in older patients.
Adolescent↗
Designer drug confusion: a focus on MDMA.
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3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine↗
[Fatal complications of tropical malaria in non-immune patients. A retrospective clinico-pathologic analysis of 25 cases].
Clinical and pathological data on 25 fatal cases of tropical malaria were obtained from several hospitals in a retrospective survey. The patients originated, without exception, from non-malaria endemic regions (non-immunes). Death occurred in nine patients despite elimination of the parasitaemia with schizontocides. Life threatening complications were complex and apparently interacting. Manifestations of the disease included (1) initial acute renal failure, (2) disturbance of water and electrolyte balance, (3) cerebral oedema resulting in microhaemorrhages, (4) lung oedema, and increasing respiratory insufficiency even after elimination of the parasitaemia (in 4 cases there was histological evidence of shock lung), (5) myocarditis (histological evidence of cellular myocardial infiltration obtained in 4 cases), (6) hepatocellular damage, (7) complications associated with intensive-care treatment in 2 cases. The data allow no conclusions on the intensity and nature of blood clotting disturbances. According to this analysis the clinical manifestations of advanced malaria resemble protracted shock conditions having other aetiologies. However, specific cerebral and cardiac complications and homeostatic disturbances do apparently occur, the treatment of which requires experience with the clinical syndrome.
Adolescent↗
The community residential treatment service: developing a continuum of prosthetic environments for the chronically disabled.
Among the many issues regarding the care of chronic mental patients, none is more pressing than the need for administrative and clinical models designed to organize and systematize the efforts of diverse community service providers. This paper describes the functioning of the Community Residential Treatment Service of the South Beach Psychiatric Center, a large-scale project of a state facility created to respond to this tissue. By blending sophisticated clinical and administrative technology, programs operated by the state, voluntary, and proprietary health care sectors have been integrated to form a balanced service delivery system. This system provides a broad continuum of inpatient and outpatient residential settings developed in accordance with social learning principles. The components of the system, with the Community Residential Treatment Service as the major integrative force, are linked together by detailed contracts as well as common behavioral clinical and behavioral administrative language. The treatment successes f this system have been significant enough to suggest that a positive synergistic effect is generated by this programming combination.
Community Mental Health Services↗
Effects of spatial separation and retinal eccentricity on two-dot vernier acuity.
Experiments investigated how vernier acuity for dot targets is affected by dot spatial separation and retinal eccentricity. Beck and Schwartz [Vision Res. 19, 313-319, 1979] found that the vernier thresholds increased linearly with interdot separation from 7.5 to 30 min arc. Experiment 1 showed that the vernier thresholds increased linearly with interdot separation from 0.5 to 8 deg arc. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that moving the dots into the periphery while keeping the interdot separation constant increased the threshold little if at all. The results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that there is (1) an encoding of dot positions in retinal coordinates, and (2) that the relative positions of the dots are made explicit in terms of the slope of the virtual line joining them. The increase in threshold with dot separation indicates that the visual system is unable to directly access and compare the retinal positions of the dots. The constancy of the threshold with eccentricity indicates that the visual system encodes the retinal positions of two well-separated dots as accurately in the periphery as in the fovea.
Depth Perception↗
Handwriting of the alcoholic.
Alcohol intoxication produces abnormal handwriting with manifestations that are thoroughly described in the literature of forensic science. A less known phenomenon is the peculiar handwriting changes found in alcoholics, especially individuals in the later stages of the disease. In addition to the two handwriting states of non-alcoholic drinkers (normal/sober and intoxicated) the alcoholic writer has a third state, handwriting done in withdrawal. Withdrawal is a state of tension resulting in handwriting characterized by irregularity, ataxia and tremor. This type of abnormal handwriting creates special problems of authentication requiring detailed background history and appropriate comparison specimens, but it can also be used to judge the writer's state of sobriety.
Alcoholic Intoxication↗
Mechanical feeding difficulties after primary repair of oesophageal atresia.
A detailed feeding questionnaire was sent to 35 sets of parents of children who had undergone successful primary repair of oesophageal atresia. Twenty-three were returned completed. All indicated difficulty with feeding. Some foods were better tolerated than others. Eighteen children had episodes of food sticking in the oesophagus, the parents using a variety of techniques to remove this. We feel that it may be possible to offer constructive, practical advice on feeding these children.
Deglutition Disorders↗
[Interferon production and lymphoproliferation in whole blood of schizophrenia patients].
Using a whole blood assay the activity of the interferon system and mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation were tested in schizophrenic patients and normal individuals. Leucocytes of the patients produced significantly less interferon than controls after stimulation with the alpha interferon inducers Corynebacterium parvum (CP) or Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and with the gamma interferon inducers PHA and Con A. Differences in the lymphoproliferation test were also measured. Significantly lower responses of the patients were observed when using PHA and Con A as mitogens.
Humans↗