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Biomedical subjects

S Seely

Publications and source records attributed to S Seely.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

An electrodynamic (moving field) theory of muscular contraction.

It is proposed that muscular contraction is the result of electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged areas on actin and myosin filaments. On the latter charged areas are assumed to be moving, always a step ahead of stationary charged areas on actin filaments, the moving charges pulling the stationary charges, hence the actin filaments, with them. It may be noted that electric motors in human technology work on a similar moving field principle. On myosin filaments minute charged areas are assumed to spiral along the surface of the filament on 2 or 3-start helical paths, probably the latter, thus engaging with adjacent actin filaments in a screw-like fashion. The spiralling charges follow each other like peristaltic waves, engaging with an increasing number of static fields on actin filaments as interdigitation proceeds. The source of the electrostatic charges are assumed to be minute voltaic cells, one associated with every myosin head. It is suggested that they could be calcium-magnesium cells, calcium adsorbed by troponin complexes on actin filaments constituting one electrode, and magnesium complexed with ATP on myosin filaments the other. The potential difference that has to exist between actin and myosin filaments, if muscles are to be capable of developing a maximum force of 20 N per cm2, is calculated at about 50 mV.

Actins↗
PubMed1983

Diet and breast cancer: the possible connection with sugar consumption.

The paper presents an epidemiological study of breast cancer mortality in relation to food consumption. It was found that younger and older women (possibly pre- and post-menopausal women) differ with respect to such correlations. In older women a strong correlation was found between breast cancer mortality and sugar consumption (correlation coefficient = 0.9), and a weaker correlation, possibly of marginal interest, with fat consumption (correlation coefficient = 0.7). In younger women the correlation with diet seems weak. A possible connecting link between sugar consumption and breast cancer is insulin. This is an absolute requirement for the proliferation of normal mammary tissue and experimental mammary tumours may regress in its absence. Insulin secretion occurs in response to blood glucose level and could be excessive if the regulatory mechanism is overtaxed by large sugar intake. The same mechanism might account for the increased risk of mammary cancer in diabetics.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The changing face of cerebrovascular disease.

In the past there was a slow but steady decrease in mortality from cerebrovascular disease--the third largest killing disease--in many advanced countries, notably in the United States and Japan. Mortality, however, is rising in some countries, particularly in Bulgaria. Cerebrovascular mortality seems highest in moderately prosperous countries where the diet is largely vegetarian, but includes proteinaceous plants and oil seeds beside carbohydrates, tending to decrease in the most prosperous countries where a considerable proportion of the dietary intake is of animal origin. Hence the possibility that the disease is caused by one or more of the numerous plant toxins which most, if not all, plants produce to defend themselves against their predators and parasites. The geographical distribution of cerebrovascular disease seems best matched by that of the consumption of leguminous plants, notably soya beans.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1982

Diet and cerebrovascular disease: search for linkages.

In contrast with the many attempts of correlating diet with coronary disease, attempts of linking it with cerebrovascular disease are conspicuous for their scarcity. This paper presents a report on such an attempt. Positive correlation has been found between male and female cerebrovascular disease mortality rates and the total dietary intake of plant proteins, with the only important exception of proteins derived from cereals. Thus the two countries with the highest consumption of such plant proteins amongst the 21 of the present survey, Japan and Portugal, also take the first two places in the table of cerebrovascular mortality rates. More detailed food consumption statistics are needed for the identification of particular plants which are likely to produce the pathogen of the disease.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1982

The possible connection between phytoestrogens, milk and coronary heart disease.

Phytoestrogens are estrogen mimics produced mainly by leguminous plants, like clover, lucerne and soya beans, but also by some grasses and other plants. They are isoflavones and other plant phenols, bearing no resemblance to natural estrogens, but somewhat similar to non-steroidal synthetic estrogens, like diethylstilbestrol. Normally they have little ill effect on herbivores, but in large doses they can result in prolonged periods of estrus. It is suggested that when consumed by lactating cows, the estrogenic substance appears in their milk and transferred to the human consumer, on whom the effect could be similar to that of diethylstilbestrol - a substance with well substantiated atherogenic properties. This could be the explanation of the strong positive correlation between the consumption of mild and mortality from coronary disease reported in previous papers of the writer and other authors, and also of the differences between male and female mortality from coronary disease. When phytoestrogens are consumed directly in plants like soya beans, they appear to be correlated with cerebrovascular disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Diet and coronary disease: a survey of mortality rates and food consumption statistics of 24 countries.

Direct, linear and reasonably accurate correlation has been found between coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates and the consumption of unfermented milk proteins--namely the protein content of all dairy products with the only important exception of cheese--in a study of male mortality rates and food consumption statistics of 24 countries. Thus in Finland, with the highest CHD mortality amongst these countries, the consumption of unfermented mile proteins is also higher than in the other countries, 30.4 g/day, corresponding to the protein content of 0.85 l of whole milk. In Germany, Yugoslavia and Japan male CHD mortality is approximately a half, a quarter and a tenth of that in Finland. So is the consumption of milk proteins, 14.1, 8.1 and 2.5 g respectively. Multivariate analysis on the combined effect of milk proteins and other possible atherogenic agents, like sugar, saturated fats and cigarette smoking, is performed, the results tending to confirm the leading role of milk proteins, attributing only an adjuvant effect to co-factors. Possible theoretical interpretation of the results is briefly discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Diet and coronary heart disease: a survey of female mortality rates and food consumption statistics of 21 countries.

A previous survey by the writer, searching for correlations between male CHD mortality rates and the consumption of suspected dietary atherogens, pointed to unfermented milk proteins as the possibly most important atherogenic influence. Other long suspected dietary items, like sugar and saturated fats, appeared to play a less important, even if not negligible part. The present paper examines the correlation between female mortality rates and suspected causative agents by the comparison of CHD mortality rates and food consumption in 21 countries. Female CHD mortality rates are well known to be significantly lower than male mortality rates, but the difference between them varies considerably in various countries. Notably the difference tends to be larger under cold than under warm climatic conditions, calling attention to the relevance of climate. Consequently geographic latitude was taken into account as an additional independent variable. Multivariate analysis bore out the assumption that milk proteins represented the dominant atherogenic influence, with sugar, saturated fats and geographic latitude as significant contributors. The combined correlation coefficient of female CHD mortality rates and the before named 4 independent variates was 0.93.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1980

The evolution of human longevity.

In the comparatively short history of human evolution man's lifespan has doubled, posing the question, by what means was this prolongation of life achieved. One line of thought correlates lifespan with oxygen consumption and energy generation, pointing out that small homeothersms which expend energy at a very high rate, are invariable short lived, while animals living more economically in terms of energy expenditure, like some heterotherms and large homeotherms, can attain greatly increased lifespan potentials. The correlation between lifespan and energy expenditure is generally valid, but some animals with low energy needs, notably tropical animals and some lethargic, inactive animals, do not live as long as expected on the basis of the theory. The present paper suggest that the aging process could be accelerated by hyperthermia and the longevity of some homeotherms, beside its connection with energy needs, could also be correlated with the evolution of temperature regulating mechanisms, resulting in more accurate thermal homeostasis. Man's uniquely capacious sweating mechanism, for example, may play a part in the attainment of his long life.

Aging↗
PubMed1980

A new observation regarding the manifest content and possible meaning of dreams.

Some dreams apparently take the dreamer in a world of cells, the dream narrative concerning some aspect of gametogenesis. An example is quoted which appears to give a fair description of a mitotic division. In other examples the dreamer is eviscerated or has his legs dissolved in acid, then sets out on a journey. This may represent the metamorphosis of spermatids, in the course of which they attain their characteristic flagellate form and become motile. Beside dreams, some instances of deep hypnosis reveal an unexpected awareness of the conformation of the viscera.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Possible reasons for the high resistance of muscle to cancer.

Muscle, particularly striated muscle, is highly resistant both to primary and to metastatic cancer. This resistivity is thought to be connected with the lactic acid producing activities of tumors. Lactic acid is an anoxia signal in the body, to which blood vessels tend to respond with a sprouting reaction, new vessels seeking out the source of anoxia and vascularising it. The reaction of the body to incipient cancer is probably two-fold. Fibroblasts treat them as foreign bodies and attempt to encapsulate them, while blood vessels tend to perpetuate them by supplying them with nutrients. The fate of the tumor may be decided by the relative speed of the two reactions. Muscles are lactic acid producers themselves, hence their blood vessels must be conditioned to a greater tolerance of it than in other tissues. This may be the crucial factor in preventing incipient tumors from establishing themselves in muscle.

Heart↗
PubMed1979

Diet and atherogenesis.

Diet is probably correlated with the prevalence of atherosclerosis in the more prosperous countries of the world. Attempts to discover the responsible items of diet would be facilitated if systematic, statistical comparisons were made between the diets in some high and low risk areas. A particular area which might lend itself for this survey is the block of five countries consisting of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. The first three of these constitute a high risk area, with mortality from ischemic heart disease of the order of 250 per year per 100,000 population, the last two a low risk area with mortality of the order of 75. Many relevant conditions, like standard of living, expectation of life, climate, etc. are reasonably similar in the five countries. Items of diet, the consumption of which is consistently higher in the high risk than in the low risk countries could constitute a short list of suspected atherogens.

Arteriosclerosis↗