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Biomedical subjects

R Sommer

Publications and source records attributed to R Sommer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

A survey of the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Family groups are becoming increasingly active in providing support to family members and in mental health advocacy. The authors report the results of a survey that assessed the concerns of members of the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the treatment history of disabled family members. The 199 respondents were typically the parents of a schizophrenic son between the ages of 24 and 34 whose illness was first noticed in the late teens and for whom assistance had been sought for at least a decade. The respondents indicated that medication, family support, socialization centers, community residential treatment, and locked facilities had most helped the family member to improve. The most important additional needs were housing, vocational, and social opportunities and research.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Dry-reagent strips for measuring phenytoin in serum.

A new reagent strip has been developed for measuring phenytoin in serum or plasma. It utilizes the chemistry of the Apoenzyme Reactivation Immunoassay System (ARIS) and is designed for use with the Seralyzer reflectance photometer. The 90-s test relies on comparison of strip reactivities with a two-point calibration line, which can be validly stored in the instrument for two weeks. Within-run CVs for controls at five concentrations ranged from 2.7 to 5.6%, between-run CVs from 2.3 to 6.3%. Phenytoin values obtained for clinical serum samples correlated well (r greater than 0.99) with those obtained by liquid chromatography or substrate-labeled fluorescent immunoassay. The speed and convenience of this assay for monitoring phenytoin in serum make it well suited for decentralized test sites such as emergency rooms, urgent-care centers, and physician's offices.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed1986

Standing out from the crowd: personalization of graduation attire.

During 1982 and 1983 college commencement ceremonies, a tally was made of students who displayed personal adornment in addition to their traditional academic garb. Degree conferred, sex of recipient, and year of graduation were related to the frequency and forms (political and nonpolitical) of adornment. Bachelor of Arts candidates were more likely to be adorned than were Bachelor of Science candidates, women were more likely to be adorned than were men, and 1982 graduates were more likely to be adorned than were 1983 graduates. The wearing of antinuclear protest ribbons varied as a function of degree but not as a function of sex, and the wearing of nonpolitical forms of adornment varied as a function of sex but not as a function of degree. Results indicate that personalization of graduation attire follows patterns reported in studies of secular dress and adornment. This correspondence between everyday and ritual clothing expressions suggests that the graduation ceremony may be a useful microcosm for future field studies of adolescents' attitudes and social differentiation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[HPLC method for determination of vitamin C in milk, whey and whey beverages].

A method is described for the estimation of L-ascorbic acid and L-dehydroascorbic acid in milk, whey, and whey drinks by paired-ion reversed-phase HPLC using a C18-column. L-ascorbic acid is detected UV-spectrophotometrically at 248 nm, L-dehydroascorbic acid is determined spectrofluorometrically with excitation at 350 nm and emission at 430 nm, after derivatisation into a quinoxaline fluorophor.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Dry-reagent strips used for determination of theophylline in serum.

A reagent strip for quantifying theophylline in serum or plasma has been developed for use with the Apoenzyme Reactivation Immunoassay System (ARIS) with the Ames Seralyzer reflectance photometer. The test takes 80 s and involves comparison with a two-point calibration line, which can validly be stored in the instrument for two weeks. Results for theophylline in clinical serum samples correlate well (r greater than 0.98) with results by liquid chromatography, fluoroimmunoassay, and enzyme immunoassay procedures. The within-run CV for four concentrations of controls ranged from 3.5 to 6%; the between-run CVs ranged from 3 to 5%. This assay for use in therapeutic drug monitoring is convenient, rapid, and simple, and thus is appropriate for use in emergency rooms, physician's offices, and small laboratories.

Chromatography, Liquid↗
PubMed1985

[Temporary bypass in carotid surgery; peroperative study of various metabolic parameters and the EEG].

Out of a whole of patients of nearly 1000 reconstructive operations of the extracranial carotid artery, which were carried out by a systematic application of the intraluminal shunt, 32 selected patients with extracranial stenosis of the internal carotid artery were examined intraoperatively as to the following parameters of the internal carotid artery and the internal jugular vein: pH, pCO2, pO2, B.E. and the lactate were determined as well. Statistic analysis shows a significant increase of the arteriovenous difference of the lactate from the first to the second and from the first to the third sample.

Brain↗
PubMed1984

Self-survey of family organization.

A self-survey was undertaken among 512 members of the California Alliance for the Mentally Ill (CAMI), a statewide family support organization. The typical CAMI member is the parent of a mentally disabled son or daughter who has been ill for an average of 13 years with multiple hospitalizations and therapists. The employment record of the disabled individuals was poor; more than two-thirds had been involuntarily committed at some time, and half had been in jail. Family members see the most serious unmet need to be social rehabilitation housing with planned programs.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

Zinc and cadmium in 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase. Equilibrium, kinetic, and 113Cd-nmr-studies.

5-Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) from bovine liver contains zinc that is partially lost during the isolation of the enzyme. ALAD has its maximal activity at 10(-5) M ZnCl2. It binds 7.4 Zn per octameric protein with an association constant of 5.3 X 10(6)M-1. ALAD is inactivated by 1,10-phenanthroline or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) but not by monodentate anions like cyanide or sulfide. After removal of zinc by chelating agents, the enzyme activity may be restored by Zn2+ or Cd2+. Removal of zinc by EDTA increases KM 60-fold and decreases Vmax to about 1/2 of its original value. The 113Cd nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the enzyme reconstituted with 113Cd-acetate exhibits a single sharp resonance signal at 79 ppm. It does not change by the addition of substrate but disappears when the inhibitor lead acetate is added. Therefore, an immediate interaction between the metal ion of the enzyme and the substrate is excluded, whereas lead changes the environment of cadmium and probably of zinc too.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

The schizophrenic no-society revisited.

Twenty years ago in an article in this journal ( Sommer and Osmond 1962), we introduced the concept of the schizophrenic no-society, chracterizing the social organization of long-term mental hospital wards as a society in hich no voluntary social organization occurred among residents. In the intervening years, voluntary social organizations among schizophrenic persons which were lacking in mental hospitals in the 1960s or whether the concept of the schizophrenic no-society is still a valid one.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1984

Effects of pleasant and unpleasant verbal stimuli upon perceptual learning in young children.

Children who were told pleasant stories about one part of an ambiguous figure were more likely to see that figure when it was paired with a second aspect that had previously been associated with an unpleasant story. The experiment was subsequently repeated using six experimenters, three who had been previously told that the children they tested would perceive the pleasant-associated figure, and three of whom had been told that children would perceive the negative-associated figure. Children tested by both groups of experimenters were more likely to see the positive-associated figure than the negative-associated figure.

Association Learning↗
PubMed1983

A bibliography of mental patients' autobiographies, 1960-1982.

First-person narratives contain an inside view of mental disorder that can be useful in teaching, theory, and research. To bring earlier bibliographies up to date, the authors list eight anthologies and 63 autobiographies of hospitalized mental patients published since 1960.

Autobiographies as Topic↗
PubMed1983

Action research is formative: research at Saskatchewan Hospital, 1957-61.

The author has examined the five lines of research started at a mental hospital between 1957-61 to determine their immediate effects upon practice and subsequent citations in the literature. Three lines of research combining basic and applied studies affected practice and research as measured by literature citations. One line of basic studies of perception and psychopathology influenced research but not practice. Applied studies of perception and psychopathology influenced research but not practice. Applied studies of staff organization had immediate application but disappeared from the professional literature in a short time.

Health Services Research↗
PubMed1983

Calcification in the portal venous system demonstrated by computed tomography.

The CT appearance of calcification in the portal venous system in a patient with chronic alcoholic cirrhosis is presented. Report cases of radiologically detectable calcification in the portal system are rare, and most of them have been associated with longstanding portal hypertension. We presume that with CT this diagnosis will be made more frequently. In the presence of calcification in the portal venous system, portal vein thrombosis is highly probable. This information is of obvious importance to the surgeon contemplating a portal decompressive shunt procedure.

Calcinosis↗
PubMed1983

Nutrition knowledge and preferences of food cooperative shoppers.

Tests of nutrition knowledge and food preference were given to matched samples of food cooperative and supermarket shoppers. The food preferences of cooperative shoppers, but not their nutrition knowledge, differed significantly from the preferences of supermarket shoppers. Preferences of supermarket shoppers were greater for foods having a low index of quality, while those of the cooperative shoppers were greater for foods having a high index of quality.

California↗
PubMed1982

[Rise in gamma-GT during anticonvulsive therapy].

There have been several reports of the isolated occurrence of raised serum gamma GT levels in the course of long-term anticonvulsive treatment. The findings concerning the correlation between this elevation of gamma GT and various dimensions of epilepsy or treatment regimens are equivocal. In a retrospective study of 158 epileptics, the mean values of the serum gamma GT level have been grouped according to anticonvulsive regimen and compared with one another, as well as correlated to the serum concentration of the antiepileptic drug. An elevation of serum gamma GT was found in 103 patients. Among the different subgroups the mean value for serum gamma GT was raised in cases under treatment with PHT, PB or PRM. No such elevation was found in cases under monotherapy with CBZ or VPR. The elevation of serum gamma GT is considered to reflect hepatic enzyme induction rather than hepatic impairment.

Adolescent↗