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Biomedical subjects

J Simon

Publications and source records attributed to J Simon.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Normal number and kinase activity of insulin receptors in liver of genetically fat chickens.

Genetically fat (FL) chickens exhibit an increase in liver lipogenesis and, in the fasting state, insulin sensitivity compared with genetically lean (LL) chickens. Liver insulin receptor number and insulin receptor kinase (IRK) activity were studied at 5 wk. In the fasting (16 h) and fed state, insulin binding to liver membranes and insulin receptor affinity (50% inhibition of tracer binding, range: 5-7 ng/mL at 4 degrees C) were very similar in fat and lean chickens. Insulin degrading activity of membranes was negligible for both genotypes. Following solubilization with Triton X-100, liver receptors were purified either on wheat germ agglutinin (WGA receptors) or on lentil then wheat germ lectins (lentil receptors). Both types of purified receptors exhibited the same binding affinity, independent of the genotype or the nutritional state. Autophosphorylation and IRK activity toward artificial substrate poly(Glu, Tyr)4:1 were not different between genotypes. Basal IRK (i.e., in the absence of insulin) was decreased by the overnight fast. Fattening of genetically fat chickens cannot be accounted for by an increase in the number or the kinase activity of liver insulin receptors. Steps following the binding or the receptor kinase may be involved.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A monoclonal antibody recognizing kappa- but not mu- and delta-opioid receptors.

A monoclonal antibody (mAb), KA8 that interacts with the kappa-opioid receptor binding site was generated. BALB/c female mice were immunized with a partially purified kappa-opioid receptor preparation from frog brain. Spleen cells were hybridized with SP2/0AG8 myeloma cells. The antibody-producing hybridomas were screened for competition with opioid ligands in a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cell line KA8 secretes an IgG1 (kappa-light chain) immunoglobulin. The mAb KA8 purified by affinity chromatography on protein A-Sepharose CL4B was able to precipitate the antigen from a solubilized and affinity-purified frog brain kappa-opioid receptor preparation. In competition studies, the mAb KA8 decreased specific [3H]ethylketocyclazocine ([3H]EKC) binding to the frog brain membrane fraction in a concentration-dependent manner to a maximum to 72%. The degree of the inhibition was increased to 86% when mu- and delta-opioid binding was suppressed by 100 nM [D-Ala2,NMe-Phe4,Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAGO) and 100 nM [D-Ala2,L-Leu5]-enkephalin (DADLE), respectively, and to 100% when mu-, delta-, and kappa 2-sites were blocked by 5 microM DADLE. However, the mu-specific [3H]DAGO and the delta-preferring [3H]DADLE binding to frog brain membranes cannot be inhibited by mAb KA8. These data suggest that this mAb is recognizing the kappa- but not the mu- and delta-subtype of opioid receptors. The mAb KA8 also inhibits specific [3H]naloxone and [3H]EKC binding to chick brain cultured neurons and rat brain membranes, whereas it has only a slight effect on [3H]EKC binding to guinea pig cerebellar membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Platelia-Toxo IgA, a new kit for early diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis by detection of anti-P30 immunoglobulin A antibodies.

With the aim of achieving earlier diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis, anti-P30 immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies were assayed by using a Platelia-Toxo IgA kit with samples from 72 children born to mothers who seroconverted during pregnancy. A total of 148 serum samples and 1 cerebrospinal fluid samples were from 23 congenitally infected children (2 serum samples were collected from fetuses), and 74 serum samples were from 49 uninfected children. Among the 23 infected children, anti-P30 IgA antibodies were present in all infants either at birth or in the following weeks, whereas anti-P30 IgM antibodies were present in 13 from the 23 infected children either at birth or in the following weeks. Serum samples collected in utero from two infected children were also tested. One of these samples was positive for both anti-P30 IgA and anti-P30 IgM antibodies, whereas both children were negative at birth for these antibodies. Neither anti-P30 IgA nor anti-P30 IgM antibodies were detected in 47 of 49 uninfected children. These results suggest that detection of anti-P30 IgA antibodies by the Platelia-Toxo IgA kit is a very effective method for early diagnosis of congenital toxoplasma infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Insulin sensitivity and liver insulin receptor structure in ducks from two genera.

Insulin sensitivity and liver insulin receptor structure were studied in 5-wk-old ducks from two genera (Muscovy and Pekin). In the fasting state, both duck types were equally resistant to exogenous insulin compared with chicken. Despite the low potency of duck insulin, the number of insulin receptors was lower in Muscovy duck and similar in Pekin duck and chicken liver membranes. After 125I-insulin cross-linking, the size of the alpha-subunit of the receptors from the three species was 135,000. Wheat germ agglutinin-purified receptors from the three species were contaminated by an active and unusual adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) contaminant (highest activity in Muscovy duck). Sequential purification of solubilized receptor from both duck types on lentil and then wheat germ agglutinin lectins led to a fraction of receptors very poor in ATPase activity that exhibited a beta-subunit size (95,000) and tyrosine kinase activity similar to those of ATPase-free chicken insulin receptors. Therefore the ducks from the two genera exhibit an alpha-beta-structure for liver insulin receptors and a clear difference in the number of liver insulin receptors. Their sensitivity to insulin is, however, similarly decreased compared with chicken.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Changes of blood pressure and lipid pattern during a physical training course in hypertensive subjects.

Among 77 hypertensive subjects with a previous predominantly sedentary way of life we followed the changes of several cardiovascular and biochemical parameters during a 5-week physical training course. A highly significant drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) was observed in 58 subjects (75%, p less than 0.001). There was a strong negative correlation between initial uricaemia and the diastolic BP decrease (r = -0.382; p less than 0.001). The decrease of systolic as well as diastolic BP correlated positively with the increase of maximum oxygen uptake per kilogram (VO2max/kg) during the intervention (for systolic BP: r = 0.282, p less than 0.05; for diastolic BP: r = 0.286, p less than 0.05). Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), uricaemia levels and body mass index (BMI) decreased (p less than 0.01 for uricaemia; p less than 0.001 for the rest), whereas the HDL-C/TC ratio increased significantly (p less than 0.001). These positive changes disappeared already 3-7 months after the intervention except for BMI, TG and uricemia, where the lower levels persisted. Thus, the 5-week intensive physical training had a favourable but short-time effect on BP and lipid pattern in the majority of hypertensives.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1991

What are the causes of unsatisfactory control of arterial hypertension in the population?

A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in the late 1980's in 660 men and 440 women, aged 35-60 years to assess the level of control of arterial hypertension (AH) in an industrial population. A relatively high rate of blood pressure (BP) assessment was found; only 2% of those screened had never their BP measured. Despite this, 44% of men and 40% of women with a high BP were unaware of their AH and conversely 15% of women and 12% of men with a positive history of AH were found to have BP less than 140/90 mmHg. Sufficient AH control was provided only in one fifth of the total amount of 300 hypertensive subjects. The paper evaluates the detection rate of our epidemiological study designed to assess the current status of control of AH and the causes of the unsatisfactory level of detection and control of a high BP are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Dental-prosthetic margin in bonded esthetic restorations. Clinical aspects].

The long term success of any bonded prosthesis mainly depends on the quality of the marginal adaptation. Its degradation has been noted both at the clinical and the experimental levels. It may be due to biological, chemico-physical, mechanical and clinical factors. Improving the marginal gap closure is based on some principles: the type of preparations on which depends the stabilisation and the good positioning of the restorations; the quality of the clinical isolation which will avoid any humidity on the bonded surfaces (saliva, blood, gingival fluids); the chemical and physical type of the bonding polymer and the quality of its polymerisation; the finishing and final surface condition directly related to the kind of finishing burs used. The understanding and application of these few clinical principles enable the practitioner to expect a better clinical result as regards the bonding of aesthetic restorations.

Composite Resins↗
PubMed1991

Non-pharmacological control of blood pressure and physical fitness in subjects with arterial hypertension.

In a group of 60 men and 17 women aged 54 +/- 9 yrs. suffering from mild and moderate arterial hypertension (i.e. 90 greater than DBP less than 120 mmHg), a five-week non-pharmacological intervention programme in spa led to a reduction in body weight by 5 kg, an increase in maximum tolerated workload by 4 W, a decrease in blood pressure at rest by 12/6 mmHg on average, and a decrease in heart rate during exercise and in the recovery phase. The training effect persisted in a certain degree for a long time (i.e. 14 months on average after spa treatment). The reduction in weight, heart rate and systolic blood pressure at rest persisted as well. The therapy resulted in a decrease in minute ventilation and there was no increase in aerobic capacity. No change in the number of pathological ECG changes at rest and during exercise was observed during spa treatment. The regimen and training measures enable to reduce pharmacological therapy in 60% of originally treated hypertensives. This kind of spa treatment constitutes a model of a rational lifestyle for persons with arterial hypertension.

Body Weight↗
PubMed1991

Serum cholesterol increase in a middle-aged male industrial population during ten years (1976-1986) and general food consumption changes in Czechoslovakia.

The authors evaluate the coronary risk factor changes in middle-aged men from the point of view of changed nutritional habits of the whole population (yearly per capita consumption of different food). They compared 3,754 men aged 40-50 years when screened in 1976-77 (Skoda I Study) and 568 men aged 40-50 years when screened in 1986-88 (Skoda II Study). During the 10-year period, a significant decrease of smoking habits was observed, hypertension prevalence remained unchanged and hypercholesterolaemia prevalence increased significantly. The estimated yearly per capita consumption of meat and fat remained unchanged in the years 1975-1985, however, the structure of consumption revealed a gradual change towards food containing high amounts of animal fat. Education efforts during the 10-year period (1976-1986) led to a decrease in smoking habits in middle-aged men leaving hypertension control unchanged. The observed increase of cholesterol levels may be attributed to inappropriate nutritional habits gradually worsening in the whole population probably due to a socio-economic depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[The effect of social and biological factors on work disability in an industrial population].

The authors analyze the influence of various factors on the work absenteeism in an industrial population. The work absenteeism changes significantly with age. Short, frequent incapacities, in particular on account of respiratory diseases, are typical for young age (approximately under 25 years). Least numbers of sickness days per year were recorded in workers in the fourth decade of life. Absenteeism on account of cardiovascular disease rises with age. The total work absenteeism is higher in manual workers, as compared with administrative workers and higher in women than in men. The differences depend also on the mean monthly income--the lowest rate of work absenteeism was recorded in people with a gross income above 4,500 Kcs. The influence of these factors in such that it is not possible to detect a relationship between work incapacity and biological factors, e.g. blood pressure, body weight, lipidogram, blood sugar level and others. It is beyond doubt, however, that the morbidity and mortality rate from non-infectious diseases depend on these factors. The causes of work incapacity are complex and are mostly influenced by circumstances beyond the health services.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1990

[Improvement in the detection and control of hypertension in the industrial population of the Skoda Plzen factory 1976-1986].

The authors investigated the effect of the ten-year intervention programme on the standard of detection, control and effectiveness of treatment of arterial hypertension in an industrial population. The prevalence of hypertension did not change during the investigation period (about 24%). In group B (1986) a decline of the blood pressure was recorded in all age groups on average by 10/0 mmHg (1.3/0 kPa) in men and by 15/9 mmHg (2/1.2 kPa) in women. In men detection improved and the ratio of treated hypertonics increased (p less than 0.05); in women the trend of improvement was not significant. The number of untreated subjects with hypertension did not change in the course of 10 years (15-16% of all hypertensive subjects). 50% hypertensive men and women were treated effectively in group A and 59% men with high blood pressure in group B; the ratio of effectively treated hypertonic women in group B did not change. There was no difference in the level of control of hypertension between men and women in either group. The differences in the prevalence and treatment of severe hypertonics (i.e. DPB greater than or equal to 110 mm Hg = 14.7 kPa) were not significant when comparing groups A and B (2.4% of group A and 4.1% of group B).

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Effect of antidiabetic treatment in ischemic heart diseases].

In a retrospective study of 962 diabetic (male: 441, female: 521) patients in the Diabetic Outpatient Clinic of the National Institute of Cardiology between 1st November 1967 and 31st October 1988 the survival time of diabetics treated with first generation sulphonylureas was considerably less after the first attack of angina pectoris or acute myocardial infarction compared with that of individuals controlled with regime alone or being on glibenclamide or insulin treatments. The systolic blood pressure proved to be higher in diabetics treated with first generation sulphonylureas. During the observation, among the 183 patients on insulin- as well as in the 262 individuals on first and 230 on second generation sulphonylurea treatments, and in the 287 diabetics controlled with regime alone, 547 (male: 241, female: 306) patients died, 403 of them due to cardiovascular and renal failures. Between the diabetics suffering from ischaemic heart diseases no difference could be detected relating the risk factors except the higher systolic blood pressure. The alterations in the cardiovascular states during the survey, the improvement of therapeutical interventions, the alterations in the carbohydrate and lipid metabolism are not supposed to be involved in the shorter survival time of diabetics treated with first generation sulphonylureas. The shorter survival time might be explained by the arrhythmogenic activity of first generation sulphonylureas described in earlier studies. On this basis we are tempted to draw the conclusion that second generation sulphonylureas must be selected in the diabetes care, if the metabolic state could not be normalized by diet and regime only.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1990

Regulatory elements of the bithorax complex that control expression along the anterior-posterior axis.

The Drosophila bithorax complex (BX-C) controls segmental development by selectively deploying three protein products, Ubx, abd-A and Abd-B, within specific segments along the body axis. Expression of these products within any one segment (or, more accurately, parasegment) is affected by mutations clustered in a particular region of the BX-C. The regulatory regions defined by this genetic analysis span 20-50 kb and there is one region for each segmental unit. Here we describe regulatory elements from several of these regions, identified by fusion to a Ubx-lacZ gene and analysis in germline transformants. A small DNA fragment from the abx region programs expression with an anterior boundary in the second thoracic segment (parasegment 5). This anterior limit is appropriate, since the abx region normally controls Ubx in parasegment 5. Other regulatory regions of the BX-C that control development of parasegments 6, 7 or 8 contain similar regulatory elements that program expression with anterior limits in parasegments 6, 7 or 8, respectively. These experiments define a class of BX-C regulatory elements that control expression along the anterior-posterior axis. The early appearance of the lacZ patterns in embryos suggests a role for these elements in the initial activation of expression from the BX-C.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Method for isolation of kappa-opioid binding sites by dynorphin affinity chromatography.

A kappa-opioid receptor subtype was purified from a digitonin extract of frog brain membranes, using affinity chromatography. The affinity resin was prepared by coupling dynorphin (1-10) to AH Sepharose 4B. The purified receptor binds 4,750 pmol [3H]ethylketocyclazocine (EKC) per mg protein (5,600-fold purification over the membrane-bound receptor) with a Kd of 9.1 nM. The addition of cholesterol-phosphatidylethanolamine (2:1) enhanced 3.6-fold the binding activity of the purified material, which gives a purification very close to the theoretical. The purified receptor protein exhibits high affinity for kappa-selective ligands. The purified fraction shows one major band (65,000 Mr) in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The single parent: power and the integrity of parenting.

I have explored some issues of power and the balance of power in the situation of the single parent and the family. The single parent may need the support of a holding environment to achieve psychological integration as exemplified by my treatment with Ms. B. Without a cooperative mate and with societal prejudice, the psychotherapeutic situation may be the only nurturing environment. The therapist empowers the single parent by providing a supportive, nurturing environment. Parenting is receiving bad press in this decade. More examples of child abuse and the extreme of homicide come to public attention. Children do have power and society needs to support a constructive use of child as well as parental power. At this stage in societal/cultural development the legal system is unfortunately more available to punish than provide lines of protection or guidance to parent or child. The psychoanalytic literature hasn't been kind or supportive to the parent. We must keep in mind that the psychotherapist's lot is simpler, less stressful, and more protected from real life stresses than that of the single parent. I suggest a model of parenting with the establishment of ongoing dialogue between parent and child in which each is receptive to the other. While it is the parental task to set limits and teach about the real world, the goal is to establish an exchange in which parent and child are both teacher and student. This creative relationship produces growth and builds esteem for parent and child alike.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Involvement of low-calcium diet in the reduced bone mineral content of idiopathic renal stone formers.

The possibility that low-calcium intake in renal stone formers could lead to reduced bone mineral content was investigated in 123 male patients with idiopathic urolithiasis. Radius bone mineral content (BMC) was measured by single photon absorptiometry. Two groups of patients were analyzed: group 1 (n = 63) maintained on a free diet; group 2 (n = 60) maintained on a low-calcium diet (350 mg/day +/- 20 SEM) for 3.9 years +/- 0.6 SEM. The two groups of patients were investigated after a standard reduction of calcium intake for at least 1 week. The urinary excretion of calcium and of hydroxyproline, and the serum alkaline phosphatase activity were higher in both groups than in normal subjects submitted to the same low-calcium diet. Both groups of stone formers showed lowered radius BMC values at 3 cm (distal) and 8 cm (proximal) above the styloid process, but distal BMC was significantly lower in group 2 than in group 1. The results suggest that low-calcium intake could worsen the already decreased BMC of idiopathic renal stone formers.

Adult↗