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Biomedical subjects

M Watson

Publications and source records attributed to M Watson.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Emotional control and autonomic arousal in breast cancer patients.

Thirty breast cancer patients and 27 "healthy" controls were compared for differences in personality, reported emotional state and autonomic responses occurring under conditions of acute experimental stress. The data indicated that breast cancer patients were more likely than a control group to report a tendency to control emotional reactions, particularly anger, and to respond to stress using a repressive coping style. Emotional state reported at different points throughout the procedure suggested that the breast cancer group experienced more anxiety and disturbance but were more inclined to inhibit their reactions. There were no differences between the groups on autonomic measures but within the breast cancer group increased electrodermal activity was significantly associated with a tendency to respond to stress using a repressive coping style. The results are discussed in relation to psychobiological models of cancer.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

Human c-fos oncogene mapped within chromosomal region 14q21----q31.

The human cellular homolog (c-fos) of the transforming gene of Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins (FBJ) murine osteosarcoma virus was mapped to a single human chromosome. DNA from a series of 31 mouse-human somatic cell hybrid lines was probed with v- and c-fos molecular clones by Southern blotting. Human c-fos segregated with the distal region of the long arm of human chromosome 14. In situ hybridization of 125I-labeled human c-fos probe to normal human metaphase chromosomes independently confirmed these results and localized the c-fos oncogene to region 14q21----q31.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Agonist binding to multiple muscarinic receptors.

The binding of agonists to muscarinic cholinergic receptors is well described by a binding model of multiple affinity states (superhigh, high, and low) in most central and peripheral tissues. Although previous studies of the influences by divalent cations, guanine nucleotides, and sulfhydryl reagents support the concept that these regulators act through closely related sites to alter the relative proportions of muscarinic agonist affinity states, it has become apparent that muscarinic receptor subtypes (as defined with the nonclassical antagonist pirenzepine) are differentially affected by the regulators. For example, in tissues that have few high-affinity [3H]pirenzepine-binding sites (heart, ileum, cerebellum), magnesium ions promote the formation of a high agonist affinity state, whereas exposure of these tissues to the sulfhydryl reagent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) or guanine nucleotides promotes the formation of a low agonist affinity state. Conversely, tissues rich in high-affinity [3H]pirenzepine-binding sites (cerebral cortex, corpus striatum, hippocampus) show little, if any, change in agonist binding site affinity when magnesium ions or guanine nucleotides are present. Furthermore, NEM enhances the muscarinic binding site affinity for agonists in these tissues. Taken together, these results support the concept of muscarinic receptor heterogeneity, as proposed from previous physiological studies, and indicate that the aforementioned regulators (guanine nucleotides, magnesium ions, NEM) differentially alter the agonist-binding properties of these muscarinic receptor subtypes.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A unique regulatory profile and regional distribution of [3H]pirenzepine binding in the rat provide evidence for distinct M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor subtypes.

We recently demonstrated that the non-classical muscarinic receptor antagonist [3H]pirenzepine ([3H]PZ) identifies a high affinity population of muscarinic sites in the rat cerebral cortex. We now report that cortical muscarinic sites to which [3H]PZ binds with high affinity are modulated by ions but not guanine nucleotides. We also have examined equilibrium [3H]PZ binding in homogenates of various rat tissues using a new rapid filtration assay. All regional saturation isotherms yielded a similar high affinity dissociation constant (Kd = 2-8 nM) in 10 mM sodium-potassium phosphate buffer. Receptor density (Bmax in fmol/mg tissue) varied as follows: corpus striatum = 154.5, cerebral cortex = 94.6, hippocampus = 94.3, ileum = 1.3, cerebellum = 1.0, and heart = 0.45. The cerebral cortex and hippocampus possess 61 percent of striatal binding sites, while the ileum, cerebellum and heart contain only 0.84 percent, 0.65 percent and 0.29 percent of striatal sites respectively. The [3H]PZ sites in heart, ileum, and cerebellum represent 3.1 percent, 9.6 percent, and 10.4 percent of the sites obtained by using [3H] (-)quinuclidinyl benzilate. Thus, [3H]PZ labels high affinity muscarinic receptor binding sites with a tissue distribution compatible with the concept of distinct M1 and M2 receptor subtypes. Accordingly, regions such as heart, cerebellum, and ileum would be termed M2, though each have an extremely small population of the M1 high affinity [3H]PZ site. [3H]PZ therefore appears to be a useful ligand for M1 receptor identification. Furthermore, the inability to demonstrate a significant effect of guanine nucleotides upon high affinity [3H]PZ binding to putative M1 receptors suggests that M1 sites may be independent of a guanine regulatory protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Cystic hyperplasia of the gall bladder in breeding ewes.

Reproduction in Finnish Landrace X Polled Dorset Horn ewes was accompanied by thickening of the wall of the gall bladder. The thickening was caused by hypertrophy of the epithelium, the presence of cysts, proliferation of blood vessels, glands and fibrous tissue in the lamina propria and hypertrophy of smooth muscle. The changes appeared to be initiated during pregnancy but to persist in a modified and chronic form in post-parturient animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Development of a questionnaire measure of emotional control.

A questionnaire measure of emotional control was developed to evaluate the extent to which individuals report controlling anger, anxiety and depressed mood. Scale items were derived from responses to semi-structured clinical interviews with patients who were awaiting breast biopsy. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability data are reported, as well as correlations with the Marlowe-Crowne, the Spielberger State-Trait Personality Inventory, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and the Bortner Type A Behavior Scale. Although intended for use with breast cancer patients this scale is envisaged to have wider application to other clinical populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

6-OHDA induced effects upon the acquisition and performance of specific locomotor tasks in rats.

The effect of norepinephrine (NE) depletion on acquisition and performance of locomotor tasks requiring precise paw placement was tested. Running times (RT, 25 trials/day, 4 consecutive days) of water-deprived rats trained to transverse horizontal rods in an equally spaced regular rod arrangement (REG) were obtained before and after (REG/REG) intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 3 X 25 micrograms free base) infusion. No significant differences from ascorbate (0.1%) vehicle controls were seen. Additional rats were tested using the same protocol except a more difficult, irregularly spaced rod arrangement (IRR) was used. These IRR/IRR rats also revealed no significant differences. However, testing on the REG task before, and the new IRR task after infusion produced impaired performance on days 3 and 4 when 6-OHDA and vehicle treated rats were compared. These REG/IRR rats also showed a significant difference in the slope of the line reflecting the decrease in RT over the 4 day post-infusion period. Since no differences in intertrial intervals or extinction behavior were seen, the effect was not attributed to differences in arousal or motivational state. This effect could not be attributed to a simple reduction in non-specific activity, since significant differences in spontaneous locomotor activity or open field behavior were not seen. Assays verified the severe reduction of cerebellar NE to 14.5% of vehicle controls, and the smaller reduction in limbic forebrain NE and dopamine (53.8% and 75.2% of controls respectively). These findings suggest that NE deafferentation of the cerebellum causes impaired acquisition of locomotor behavior rather than an impairment of post-acquisitional performance.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Psychosocial intervention with cancer patients: a review.

It is well established that a diagnosis of cancer and the subsequent treatment can cause a great deal of stress, and the need for psychosocial support is increasingly being advocated. The data for the efficacy of intervention programmes are reviewed. The evidence relating to the benefits gained by patients is equivocal. The indication is that a selective rather than a blanket service is needed, with the target for intervention being patients at high risk for psychological morbidity. The advantages of one type of support over another remain unproven.

Adaptation, Psychological↗