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Biomedical subjects

W Barnett

Publications and source records attributed to W Barnett.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Characterization of content and chromatographic forms of neuropeptides in purified nerve varicosities prepared from guinea pig myenteric plexus.

Partially purified nerve varicosities (PV) prepared from guinea pig ileal myenteric plexus were found to contain, by radioimmunoassay, gastrin-releasing polypeptide (GRP), substance P (SP), galanin, Leu-enkephalin (LE), Met-enkephalin (ME), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). SP was present in the highest concentration followed by, in descending order, ME, LE, VIP, GRP and galanin. On reverse-phase HPLC, SP-, LE- and ME-like immunoreactivity in the PV preparation eluted at retention times similar to their synthetic analogues, galanin-like immunoreactivity eluted at a retention time different from that of synthetic porcine galanin and VIP-like immunoreactivity eluted at the retention time of synthetic guinea pig VIP. GRP-like immunoreactivity, on reverse-phase HPLC, eluted at retention times close to that of synthetic porcine GRP-(1-27) and its major oxidized form. Evidence was obtained for the presence of an alpha-neurokinin-like immunoreactive entity and an unidentified SP-like immunoreactive entity in guinea pig myenteric plexus.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Relationships following legal abortion--a longitudinal comparative study].

Although existence and functioning of a sexual relationship is of outstanding importance for the abortion decision as well as for the postabortive emotional adjustment, until now there are only some case studies focussing on the postabortive reaction of the sexual relationship. Results of a representative and controlled follow-up-study investigating the effects of legal abortion on the relationship with a partner are reported here. 117 women, a representative sample of all 263 women having a socially indicated legal abortion during the first 3 months of 1982 in Kiel, were interviewed some days before and 1 year after the abortion. The effects of abortion on the sexual relationship are described in comparison with a control group with similar preabortive characteristics of partnership using hormonal or intrauterine contraceptive devices. Rate and circumstances of separation, especially the role of abortion for the separation, as well as the quality of the remaining relationships have been analysed. We could find preabortive variables easily accessible for the counselor, predicting the development of the sexual relationship regarding quality and stability in the year after abortion.

Abortion, Legal↗
PubMed1986

[Regional prospective study of psychiatric sequelae of legal abortion].

117 (45%) of the 263 women of German nationality who underwent socially indicated abortions in the postal-code area 2300 (Kiel) in the first quarter of 1982 were investigated before the abortion as well as one year later. As far as age, marital status and number of children were concerned, these women did not differ significantly from the other 55%. One year later information was collected on the women's emotional adjustment by means of a questionnaire concerning feelings of guilt and loss, personal reports of adjustment process and the investigator's judgement. According to the findings, 79% of the women had adjusted without any problems, 14% were still in a state of emotional imbalance, 7% were clearly impaired emotionally and in their everydays functioning. 21% of the women, who had adjustment problems, had already been more depressive before the abortion. One year later, they were also more depressive than the other women, more dissatisfied with their lives in general and with their sex lives. They were in greater doubt as to whether they had made the right decision, showed less inclination to consider a further abortion and reported stronger post-abortive feelings of guilt. Significantly connected with later emotional difficulties were low social class, a difficult financial situation, lack of intrapsychic differentiation between sex and reproduction, no partner or negative relation with partner and partner disagreements, particularly in the case where the male partner was more in favour of abortion than the woman. Statistically insignificant, although tendencially noticeable were social isolation, non-employment and pre-pregnancy psychical problems. Age, marital status, number of children, simultaneous abortion/sterilisation, previous abortions, a broken home in the patient's youth had no effect on the emotional adjustment after the abortion. The common factor of all variables predicting post-abortive emotional problems seems to be an external motivation for abortion together with a greater ambivalence towards the pregnancy.

Abortion, Legal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Actions of galanin fragments on rat, guinea-pig, and canine intestinal motility.

The 1-20 fragment of synthetic porcine galanin, prepared by tryptic digestion of the intact molecule, was equipotent to synthetic porcine galanin 1-29 in the smooth muscle actions of exciting the rat jejunal longitudinal muscle in vitro and inhibiting circular muscle contractions of the canine small intestine in vitro and in vivo, but was less potent in inhibiting nerve-stimulated contractions of the guinea-pig taenia coli. Fragment 21-29 was effective at high doses only in the canine ileum. Activity of galanin 1-11 was greatly reduced in the dog in vivo. These results may reflect species or cell type differences.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Canine myenteric, deep muscular, and submucosal plexus preparations of purified nerve varicosities: content and chromatographic forms of certain neuropeptides.

Partially purified nerve varicosities prepared from canine small intestinal myenteric, deep muscular and submucosal plexuses were found to contain, by radioimmunoassay, gastrin-releasing polypeptide (GRP), substance P, Leu-enkephalin, Met-enkephalin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and neurokinin A, but did not contain detectable amounts of neurokinin B. In all three plexus preparations, VIP was present in the highest concentration. In contrast to other species, GRP and the enkephalins were found to be present in relatively high concentrations in the submucosal plexus and GRP was present in low concentrations in the deep muscular plexus. Equal concentrations of substance P and neurokinin A were found in the myenteric and deep muscular plexus preparations but greater concentrations of substance P relative to neurokinin A were found in the submucosal plexus preparations. On reverse phase HPLC, a major peak of immunoreactivity occurred at the retention times of standard preparations for all six neuropeptides measured. Significant heterogeneity was found for GRP- and VIP-like immunoreactivity, especially in the submucosal plexus preparations. These partially purified canine small intestine nerve varicosity preparations may prove of value in studying release mechanisms for, and the posttranslational processing of, neuropeptides.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

VIP receptors on canine submucosal synaptosomes.

The present study characterized [125I]VIP binding to synaptosomes from the submucosa of canine small intestine. Studies of saturation, competition binding, and kinetic studies revealed high- and low-affinity binding sites. Studies with GTP-gamma-S and cholera toxin suggested that the receptor was coupled to a G-protein, possibly Gs. Competition with VIP analogs suggested that the N-terminal end of the molecule played the major role in determining affinity and that this receptor was for VIP, not PACAP. Cross-linking VIP to the receptor revealed a single peptide (M(r) congruent to 60,000). We suggest that VIP may act to modulate mediator release from enteric nerve endings.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The hysterical personality disorder: a phenomenological approach.

The background of the present study is a general uncertainty as to what comprises the essence of hysterical (histrionic) personality disorder. Using phenomenological methodology, phenomena observable in the 'classic' hysterical personality are analysed, described, named, and classified according to the basic functions of human experience and behaviour. The resulting psychopathological picture of the hysterical personality facilitates a differential diagnosis that is often decidedly difficult. The phenomenon of dissociation of the mental processes is demonstrated for the various basic functions. A specific feature of the disorder is shown which generates a dissociation of contents of the personality along a conscious-preconscious-unconscious continuum. It is concluded that dissocation is, in the final analysis, the prerequisite for a compromised and partial acting out of prohibited non-integrated elements, e.g. aggression, as a coping strategy.

Adaptation, Psychological↗