Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Stone

Publications and source records attributed to J Stone.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

"Sunbursts" in the inner plexiform layer: a spectacular feature of Müller cells in the retina of the cat.

A previously unrecognised structure in the cat retina is described. Seen in Golgi-impregnated, wholemounted retinas, each such structure comprises processes radiating across the inner plexiform layer from a dense, vellate core. The processes are numerous, and largely unbranched, and give the impression of rays radiating from a point source; the structure is therefore termed a "sunburst." Evidence is presented from Golgi-impregnated retinas, and from retinas labelled with monoclonal antibodies to Müller cells, that the core of each sunburst is the inner process of a Müller cell. The sunbursts are numerous and overlap extensively, so that when neighbouring sunbursts are impregnated, they are seen to form a dense mat of processes extending across the IPL. It is suggested that each Müller cell forms a sunburst and that sunbursts form a major glial component of the neuropil of the inner plexiform layer.

Animals↗

Contact spacing among astrocytes in the central nervous system: an hypothesis of their structural role.

Astrocytes are found throughout the central nervous system. They interact closely with surrounding structures, their processes contributing to the glia limitans of the neural tube, and to the glial investment of blood vessels, and of the somas, axons, and synaptic structures of neurones. This paper presents evidence that astrocytes in the central nervous system also interact with each other in a dual way, adhering to their neighbours via their processes, and repelling the somas of those neighbours. We suggest that this interaction, which has been termed contact spacing, distributes astrocytes through the central nervous system, and forms the basis of their structural role.

Animals↗

4B2: a monoclonal antibody to ganglion and bipolar cells in the retina of the cat, generated by intrasplenic immunization.

Using tissue from the inner layers of the retina as the immunogen, we have prepared a monoclonal antibody which is selective for two classes of neuron in the cat retina. The antibody, termed 4B2, was generated by intrasplenic injection, demonstrating that neuron-specific antibodies can be elicited by this technique, which requires only micrograms of immunogen. The 4B2 binds to the somas, dendrites and axons of ganglion cells. Double labelling with 4B2 and with a retrograde tracer injected into the retino-recipient nuclei of the brain demonstrates that, of the cell classes in the ganglion cell layer, 4B2 labels only ganglion cells, and that, amongst ganglion cells, 4B2 is strongly selective for large (alpha-) and medium-sized (beta- and perhaps gamma-) cells. Double labelling with 4B2 and with markers for amacrine cells confirms tht 4B2 does not label amacrine cells. Double labelling with 4B2 and with anti-GFAP confirms that 4B2 does not label the macroglia of the retina. The 4B2 also labels bipolar cells, showing their somas, dendrites and axons. The axons of the labelled cells terminate in large boutons, in the innermost part of the inner plexiform layer and in the ganglion cell layer. This level of termination suggests that 4B2 labels rod bipolars, and perhaps a subgroup of cone bipolars. Double labelling with 4B2 and with markers for amacrine, horizontal and Müller cells indicates that other cell classes with somas in the inner nuclear layer remain unlabelled. In addition, we have examined the ontogeny of 4B2 labelling in the cat retina. The developmental sequence of labelling with 4B2 follows the sequence in which the cells are born, first ganglion and then bipolar cells.

Animals↗

Correlated Si isotope anomalies and large 13C enrichments in a family of exotic SiC grains.

A suite of morphologically distinctive silicon carbide (SiC) grains from the Orgueil and Murchison carbonaceous chondrite meteorites contains Si and C of highly anomalous isotopic composition. All of the SiC grains in this suite are characterized by a distinctive platy morphology and roughly developed hexagonal crystal forms that allow them to be distinguished from other types of SiC found in the host meteorites. The delta 29Si and delta 30Si values of individual SiC crystals deviate from those of normal solar material by more than 100%, while the delta 13C values range from 150 to 5200%. Isotopically normal C and Si are not found in any of these SiC crystals. The SiC grains belonging to this morphological suite are isotopically distinct from fine-grained SiC aggregates and other morphological types of SiC in unequilibrated meteorites. The 29Si/28Si and 30Si/28Si ratios of these platy grains are well correlated and define a linear array that does not pass through the composition of normal, solar Si. This behavior contrasts sharply with the diverse and poorly correlated Si isotopic compositions shown by the total SiC population. We suggest that the distinctive morphological characteristics and comparatively simple Si isotope systematics identify the platy SiC crystals as a genetically related family, formed around a single, isotopically heterogeneous presolar star or an association of related stars. The enrichments in 13C and the Si isotope systematics of the platy SiC are broadly consistent with theoretical models of nucleosynthesis in low-mass, carbon stars on the asymptotic giant branch. The Si isotope array most plausibly reflects mixing between 28Si-rich material, inherited from a previous generation of stars, and material enriched in 29Si and 30Si, produced in intershell regions by neutron capture during He-burning. 13C is also produced in intershell regions by proton reactions on 12C seed nuclei and is carried with s-process nuclei to the stellar envelope by convection which penetrates down to the He shell. The absence of a correlation between the Si and C isotopic compositions of the SiC suggests either episodic condensation of SiC, extending over several thermal pulses, in the atmosphere of a single star, or derivation of the SiC from several stars characterized by different rates of 13C production. In the multiple star scenario, the linear correlation of the 29Si/28Si and 30Si/28Si ratios among the platy SiC indicates that these stars evolved from a common Si seed composition under similar conditions of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis. The 29Si/30Si ratio of the SiC, inferred by us to be produced by neutron capture in the stellar interior, is distinct from values calculated from models of nucleosynthesis in AGB stars.

Astronomical Phenomena↗

Effect of postural change on common femoral artery volume flow, measured by duplex ultrasound, in normal subjects and patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Regulatory peripheral vasoconstriction occurs in response to adoption of the erect posture. Mildly ischaemic limbs are thought to exhibit near normal responses, but patients with rest pain show increases in blood flow on limb dependency. Previous methods of limb blood flow quantification (xenon clearance and venous occlusion plethysmography) have inherent difficulties when applied in these situations. We studied orthostatic responses in 12 normal subjects (aged 22-74 years (median 52) and 16 patients (aged 21-83 (median 48) with mild and severe peripheral vascular disease, using a duplex flowmeter system. In the normal subjects changes in the 60s mean, common femoral artery volume flow values were as follows (ml min-1 (1 SD]: 77 (83), -78 (116) and -190 (136), for elevation, dependency, and standing respectively. For claudicants (n = 7) the values were 18 (37), -112 (123) and -216 (103) respectively. In rest pain patients (n = 9) the responses were reversed, being -252 (124), 131 (89) and 184 (85) respectively. Significant differences were apparent between elevation, dependency and standing flows in each of the three groups (P less than 0.0001). Normal subject and claudicant responses on elevation and dependency differed significantly (P less than 0.0001 and 0.03 respectively). On standing, the responses were similarly significantly different. The rest pain group displayed characteristically different responses compared with both normal subjects and claudicants for each postural change (P less than 0.0001 in all cases). Duplex ultrasound volume flowmetry is non-invasive and offers an excellent method of quantifying physiological changes.

Adult↗

Death of Mozart.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Austria↗

Overcoming denial and increasing the intention to use condoms through the induction of hypocrisy.

Feelings of hypocrisy were induced in college students to increase condom use. Hypocrisy was created by making subjects mindful of their past failure to use condoms and then having them persuade others about the importance of condoms for AIDS prevention. The induction of hypocrisy decreased denial and led to greater intent to improve condom use relative to the control conditions. The implications of these findings for AIDS prevention are discussed.

Adult↗

Carrier detection for Sanfilippo A syndrome.

Leukocytes from 21 obligate carriers in 12 Sanfilippo A families and 49 normal controls were assayed for heparan sulphamidase (EC 3.10.1.1) at 55 degrees C. At this assay temperature the results show an absolute distinction between heterozygous carriers and the normal controls.

Clinical Enzyme Tests↗

Malignant lymphoma presenting as a chronic subdural hematoma.

A 56-year-old man had a right frontotemporoparietal craniotomy for evacuation of an encapsulated subdural hematoma that had reaccumulated after burr-hole decompression 6 weeks before. Histopathologic examination showed a malignant lymphoma in the subdural hematoma. Our patient shows that malignant lymphoma can rarely present as a chronic subdural hematoma.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Effect of endogenous digoxin-like substances on the interpretation of high concentrations of digoxin in children.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of endogenous digoxin-like substances on the interpretation of excessive concentrations of digoxin in children. After the development of a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for digoxin in our laboratories, we analyzed sera of children in whom the fluorescence polarization immunoassay identified potentially toxic concentrations of the glycoside (greater than 3 nmol/L; 2.3 ng/ml). Sixteen of them were receiving long-term digoxin therapy, and one had an accidental overdose. The immunoassay yielded significantly higher concentrations (4.1 +/- 1.2 nmol/L; 3.2 +/- 0.9 ng/ml) than the HPLC method (3.3 +/- 1.6 nmol/L; 2.6 +/- 1.2 ng/ml; p less than 0.01). In five cases (30%) these differences were clinically significant because administration of digoxin had been discontinued in the presence of true digoxin concentrations within the therapeutic range and the lack of clinical toxic effects. These data suggest that therapeutic drug monitoring using immunoassays of digoxin may be too inaccurate to detect potential toxic effects, and that much more weight should be focused on clinical monitoring. The HPLC method for assay of digoxin is extremely meticulous and will not become clinically available; therefore the development of better immunoassays should be encouraged.

Adolescent↗

Effect of haemolysate preparation on measurement of red cell folate by a radioisotopic method.

The effects of varying the method of preparation of haemolysates on the measurement of red cell folate concentration were investigated using the Simultrac kit. The concentration of ascorbic acid did not have any significant effect on the assayed concentrations of folate, but lower concentrations were obtained when the incubation time was increased. Folate was stable for 14 days in cells when they were stored at 4 degrees C and for seven days at -25 degrees C, but instability was increased by storage in ascorbic acid, by the use of stored (4 degrees C) ascorbic acid, and by preparing the haemolysates by freeze-thaw cycling. It is recommended that haemolysates should be diluted in fresh ascorbic acid, at a concentration of 10 g/l, incubated for 60 minutes in the dark and stored at -20 degrees/25 degrees C before being assayed.

Ascorbic Acid↗

Results of a quality assurance exercise for urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion.

Urine samples collected from four patients with a mucopolysaccharide storage disease (MPS) and two non-MPS patients were distributed to up to 33 laboratories as a test of their ability to detect abnormal glycosaminoglycan excretion. Seven national reference laboratories made a correct diagnostic assignment to all samples analysed. Qualitative turbidity and spot tests were shown to be unreliable. Failure to identify the excretion pattern occurred when reliance was placed on one-dimensional electrophoresis or thin layer chromatography as the sole method for glycosaminoglycan identification. Two-dimensional electrophoresis appeared to be the method of choice provided that staff had adequate experience in interpretation. Clinically unacceptable delays in analysis were common, with 80% of laboratories taking longer than 10 days to issue a report.

Child, Preschool↗

Gallbladder contractility in patients with spinal cord injuries: a sonographic investigation.

Approximately 30% of all patients who have spinal cord injuries have gastrointestinal symptoms. One cause is gallstone disease; indeed the literature suggests that gallstones are more common in patients with spinal cord injuries because these patients have impaired contractility of the gallbladder with a reduced ejection fraction. To test this hypothesis, we obtained gallbladder sonograms in 30 patients with spinal cord injuries (16 quadriplegics and 14 paraplegics) and in 32 uninjured age-matched control subjects. Four patients and four asymptomatic control subjects had gallstones and were excluded. The remaining 26 patients and 28 control subjects fasted for 12 hr. Longitudinal and transverse sonograms of the gallbladder were made immediately before the ingestion of 25 g of fat, and at 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 min thereafter. Gallbladder volumes were measured by using the ellipsoid method. Resting and residual volumes and the emptying times were determined and the ejection fractions were calculated. The ejection fractions were significantly lower (p = .003) in the patients than in the control subjects because the resting volumes were lower than in the control subjects (p = .013). However, the emptying times and residual volumes were the same in the two groups. We conclude that gallbladder contractility is normal in patients with spinal cord injuries and that the lower ejection fraction found in such patients is due to a smaller resting volume.

Adult↗

Development of retinal vasculature in the cat: processes and mechanisms.

Two principal processes can be distinguished in the development of the retinal circulation in the cat. One process, which forms most of the inner layer of vasculature, involves three stages. First, beginning prior to E (embryonic day) 26, spindle cells of mesenchymal origin spread over the inner surface of the retina. Second, beginning at approximately E48, a network of coarse capillaries forms, apparently derived from spindle cells. Third, major vessels differentiate from the capillary plexus, and the capillaries become thinner and more widely spaced. All three stages begin at the optic disc and spread towards the margin of the retina. The other process involves budding of capillary sized vessels from existing vasculature. This process forms the inner layer of vasculature at the area centralis, the outer layer of vasculature, and the radial peripapillary capillaries. It begins between P (postnatal day) 7 and P10 at the area centralis and spreads to the margins of the retina. The radial peripapillary capillaries form at a later stage (P20). The different topographies of the two processes suggest that they are controlled by distinct mechanisms. In the first process, the formation of vessels follows a pattern set by the early migration of spindle cells. In the second process, the vessels form in a pattern determined by the metabolic needs of the developing retina.

Animals↗