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Biomedical subjects

M Clifford

Publications and source records attributed to M Clifford.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Scintillation proximity assay for E-, P-, and L-selectin utilizing polyacrylamide-based neoglycoconjugates as ligands.

In this study, a novel scintillation proximity assay (SPA) that uses radiolabeled soluble neoglycoconjugates as synthetic alternatives to the natural E-, P-, and L-selectin counterligands was developed. The neoglycoconjugates contained sialyl LewisX or sialyl LewisA attached via a three-carbon spacer to a poly[N-(hydroxyethyl)acrylamide] backbone, thus presenting the carbohydrates in a multivalent form. Selectin-ZZ fusion proteins were immobilized on anti-rabbit IgG-coated SPA beads via a rabbit IgG bridge. The neoglycoconjugate ligands bound to all three bead-immobilized selectins, with the highest binding levels apparent with E-selectin. Saturation binding studies with E-selectin revealed a complex interaction indicative of two or more binding affinities. The response to carbohydrate inhibitors was comparable in E-selectin assays that used either the neoglycoconjugates or the tritium-labeled HL60 cells as selectin counterligands. The incorporation of tyrosine sulfate groups into the backbone of the neoglycoconjugate resulted in enhanced binding avidity to both P- and L-selectin, indicating that the sulfate-containing neoglycoconjugates are viable synthetic mimics of the natural P- and L-selectin counterligands. The use of these radiolabeled neoglycoconjugates in conjunction with SPA results in a format ideally suited for the high-throughput screening for selectin antagonists. Furthermore, this approach can potentially be used to measure other low-avidity lectin-carbohydrate interactions.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1997

Maximum effect.

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Humans↗
PubMed1989

Plasma amino acids in patients with senile dementia and in subjects with Down's syndrome at an age vulnerable to Alzheimer changes.

Plasma concentration of tryptophan, tyrosine, leucine and thiamine were reduced in senile dementia of Alzheimer type. In Down's syndrome, where Alzheimer-type histology appears consistently at an early age, there was a definite type of abnormality, raised concentrations of isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine and cystine. Because of the competition between amino acids for transfer into the brain, either or both of these types of change could lie in the aetiological chain underlying the development of Alzheimer pathology. Alternatively, these patterns could reflect the requirements of aberrant central/peripheral protein turnover.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Neural control of limb coordination. I. Comparison of hatching and walking motor output patterns in normal and deafferented chicks.

Previous work has shown that the neural circuits underlying the leg movements of walking and hatching coexist in post-hatching chicks (Bekoff and Kauer, 1984). In the present study, quantitative analysis of leg EMGs shows that there are some similarities, but also significant differences, in the motor output patterns of walking and hatching. This study examines the effect of removing sensory feedback from the legs on the production of the distinctive leg motor patterns. The temporal characteristics and interlimb coordination of hatching and walking are little affected. However, major changes in intralimb motor output patterns are seen when compared to records from normal chicks. These changes fall into one of 2 categories. Some parameters show similar changes in both behaviors after deafferentation (e.g., increases in flexor burst durations and cycle period). This suggests that certain features of sensory input from the legs normally modulate the hatching and walking pattern-generating circuitry in similar ways. Other parameters show convergence. That is, these aspects of the 2 intralimb motor patterns become more similar to each other after removal of sensory input. This is consistent with the hypothesis that some feature of sensory input from the legs normally modulates one set of multiuse intralimb circuitry to produce different output patterns. In general, the walking pattern becomes more like hatching after deafferentation, rather than the reverse, which suggests that the hatching pattern is a more basic one. The maintenance of some residual differences in intralimb motor patterns after leg deafferentation suggests that other sources of modulation must also be involved, or that there are some additional elements of circuitry that are called into play during the normal production of walking and hatching.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Social and psychological problems associated with clefts: motivations for cleft palate treatment.

Adolescents probably constitute a significant proportion of patient case loads for well-established cleft palate teams. Most teenagers return for periodic recall and continue to do so until they are discharged by the team. The proposition that social and psychological dissatisfactions might coalesce during adolescence and influence young people to stop treatment was examined. The modest drop-out rate argues against this contention. An alternative explanation for the low drop-out rate stresses that these patients are poorly equipped psychologically to deal with their clefts during any period of development. Maladaptation is brought into adolescence, influencing some patients to discontinue team treatment. Since most adolescents remain in treatment, it is suggested they do so because it is in their best interests or because there are no other reasonable alternatives. Adolescents who are knowledgeable about their clefts and the purpose of cleft palate teams may view treatment as a necessary and logical sequence of events designed ultimately to enhance appearance and function. For these adolescents, the goals of treatment are in keeping with existing well differentiated self-concepts and body images. It can be argued that prior good psychological adaptation to having a cleft, provides adolescents with a solid base upon which to cope effectively with the subsequent challenges of adolescence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The meaning of concepts related to breast reconstruction.

Information is presented from a psychometric study using a semantic differential to measure the meaning of concepts related to breast reconstruction. One hundred five women participated. All were experiencing breast reconstruction subsequent to mastectomy. The average woman was married, middle-aged, and had 11/2 years of education beyond high school. Results from the semantic differential demonstrated that the women viewed themselves, their bodies, and their femininity positively. They valued themselves, and their self-concepts were closer in meaning to health than to mastectomy, death, or cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Breast reconstruction following mastectomy: I. Social characteristics of patients seeking the procedure.

Information is presented from a clinical study of 65 women and a psychometric study of 85 women having breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer. The average woman was in her midforties. Less than a third of the women described themselves as fulltime housewives; most were employed outside the home. Almost all had completed high school and most had received additional education. Most of the women were married when they sought breast reconstruction. The time at which women had had their mastectomies was related to their source of information about breast reconstruction. When more than five years had elapsed between mastectomy and reconstruction, a woman most often had obtained her information from the media. Women with more recent mastectomies, though utilizing the media, obtained their information more frequently from medical sources.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Breast reconstruction following mastectomy: II. Marital characteristics of patients seeking the procedure.

Information is presented from a clinical study of 65 women and a psychometric study of 85 women. All had had mastectomies because of breast cancer and were reconstruction patients at Duke Hospital. Women seeking breast reconstruction did not exhibit characterological problems. Relatively few were in psychiatric treatment, and previous research had established the presence of positive rather than negative self-images. The marriages of women seeking this surgical procedure were positively and the women viewed their marriages as a chief source of support. Considerable satisfaction was expressed about husbands being supportive, although husbands were also viewed as poor listeners and, at times, as unable to communicate effectively. Most women were satisfied with various aspects of their sexual lives. A small percentage of the women reported problematic marriages. Various factors, related to the presence of conflict in the marriage and the ability of the husband to understand his wife, may account for the distress evidenced in these marriages. Such factors, of course, are present in any problematic marriage; it remains to be demonstrated whether these problems were caused or exacerbated by the woman's mastectomy and decision to seek breast reconstruction.

Adaptation, Psychological↗