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Biomedical subjects

K Hicks

Publications and source records attributed to K Hicks.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Basic fibroblast-like growth factor is present in the conditioned medium of simian sarcoma virus transformed NRK cells.

The conditioned medium of Simian sarcoma virus (SSV)-transformed NRK cells contains at least two activities that down regulate the epidermal growth factor receptor. To identify these activities, we analyzed the medium for the presence of factors both related to and distinct from the v-sis oncogene product. Fractionation of the conditioned medium from SSV-transformed NRK cells by chromatography on heparin-Sepharose yielded two active fractions capable of inhibiting EGF binding. The first component, which eluted at 0.8 M NaCl, is able to induce autophosphorylation of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor, is a mitogen for Swiss 3T3 cells and corresponds to the PDGF B chain product of the v-sis oncogene. The second component requires 2 M NaCl for elution, is mitogenic for Swiss 3T3 cells and inhibits high affinity EGF binding through a protein kinase C-independent pathway, all properties of basic FGF. These results suggest that the conditioned medium of v-sis-transformed cells contains at least two factors that can act in an autocrine capacity, one derived from v-sis and one corresponding to basic FGF.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors modulate the epidermal growth factor receptor by a protein kinase C-independent pathway.

Human acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF and bFGF) inhibit epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor binding in mouse Swiss 3T3 cells. Scatchard analysis indicates that aFGF and bFGF cause a decrease in the high affinity EGF receptor population, similar to that observed for activators of protein kinase C such as phorbol esters, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and bombesin. However, unlike phorbol esters, aFGF and bFGF inhibit EGF binding in protein kinase C-deficient cells. The time course and dose response of inhibition of EGF binding by both aFGF and bFGF are very similar, with an ID50 of approximately 0.10 ng/ml. In contrast to bombesin but like PDGF, neither aFGF nor bFGF act on the EGF receptor through a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. These results indicate that both acidic and basic FGF depress high affinity EGF binding in Swiss 3T3 cells with similar potency through a protein kinase C/Gi-independent pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Automated quantitation of three-dimensional cardiac positron emission tomography for routine clinical use.

Visual comparison of rest/stress cardiac positron emission tomography indicates coronary flow reserve for diagnosing and assessing severity of coronary artery disease. An accurate, rapid, automated method for comparison and quantitation of paired cardiac PET studies has been developed to analyze size, intensity, statistical significance of and changes in perfusion or metabolism. The method utilizes polar coordinate maps derived from circumferential profiles of true short axis slices; from the short axis data algorithms determine mean and minimum activity levels in the anterior, septal, lateral, inferior and apical regions of the myocardium, percent of the cardiac image in specific ranges of activity levels or their changes and the percent of myocardium beyond 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 standard deviations from the normal range with blackout display of the areas beyond these statistical limits for rest, stress, and stress/rest ratio polar maps. Additional applications include comparing stress-stress images to evaluate progression/regression of stenoses, early and late resting rubidium images for determining myocardial viability based on rubidium washout kinetics, and perfusion-metabolic comparisons for quantifying ischemia, viability and necrosis after acute myocardial infarction.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1986

Neurobehavioral evaluation of soil and structural fumigators using methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride.

Neurobehavioral functions affected by methyl bromide exposure were evaluated in California structural and soil fumigators using methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride. Sampling data revealed that structural fumigators are exposed for up to 1.5 hrs/day to 0-2.2 ppm methyl bromide and/or 10-200 ppm sulfuryl fluoride, and soil fumigators can be exposed to 2.3 ppm methyl bromide over an 8-hr day. Subjects were grouped for statistical analysis on the basis of exposure history: Those exposed primarily (80% or more of the work period with exposure potential) to methyl bromide (N = 32), primarily to sulfuryl fluoride (24), or to a combination of methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride (40-60% of each) for a minimum of one year (18), and those not exposed to high concentrations of any chemicals (29 Referents). Fumigators using methyl bromide reported a significantly higher prevalence of 18 symptoms consistent with methyl bromide toxicity than did Referents. Methyl bromide fumigators did not perform as well as Referents on 23 of 27 behavioral tests (chosen to reflect methyl bromide effects), and were significantly lower on one test of finger sensitivity and one of cognitive performance. These consistent differences suggest that even the low levels of methyl bromide found in fumigation today may produce slight neurotoxic effects. found in fumigation today may produce slight neurotoxic effects. The greater number of symptoms and reduced performance on all cognitive tests in sulfuryl fluoride fumigators compared to the Reference Group plus the absence of published research on this compound suggest that the data base for sulfuryl fluoride is inadequate.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Defensive steroids from a carrion beetle (Silpha americana).

The defensive anal effluent discharged by Silpha americana in response to disturbance contains a mixture of steroids stemming from a glandular annex of the rectum. The compounds have been characterized as 15 beta-hydroxyprogesterone (1, principal component), 5 beta-pregnan-15 beta-ol-3,20-dione (2), 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha, 15 beta-diol-20-one (3), 5 beta-pregnan-7 beta, 15 beta-diol-3,20-dione (4), 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha, 7 beta, 15 beta-triol-20-one (5), 5 beta-pregnan-16 alpha-ol-3,20-dione (6), and 5 beta-pregnan-3 alpha, 16 alpha-diol-20-one (7), none previously found in insects. Bioassays with jumping spiders showed compounds 1 and 6 to be feeding deterrents at the 1 microgram level.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Using low-level filters to encode spatial displacements of visual stimuli.

Directional responses to visual stimuli were analysed with the aid of a minimal computational model. The model is based upon arrays of motion sensors whose receptive fields are modified versions of those (difference-of-Gaussians) used to describe mechanisms in popular spatial vision models. In the model antagonistic influences on each motion sensor were assumed to: (1) arise from spatially non-aligned areas of the retina; and (2) to follow different time courses. Implications of the model were explored with simulations, and parallel psychophysical data were collected. Visual behaviours chosen for relatively detailed analysis were judgments of the temporal order of onset of two spatially displaced stimuli and motion aftereffects generated with discontinuously moving, sine-wave gratings.

Humans↗