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Biomedical subjects

W Bender

Publications and source records attributed to W Bender.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

[Music improvisation with schizophrenic patients--a controlled study in the assessment of therapeutic effects].

The effects of a course of music therapy with free improvisation, consisting of 27 sessions over a period of 6 months, were examined in a controlled study of matched therapy and waiting group, each comprising 7 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective psychosis. The psychopathologic picture having essentially remained unaltered on the measuring instrument used (Lorr scales), significant positive changes were found in the self-assessment questionnaires completed by the participants. Improvements in recreational and social behaviours could not be shown. The disease and reintegration processes took similarly positive courses in both groups, supported by the extensive range of psychiatric/psychotherapeutic services available in the Munich area. The improvising orientation of the music therapy course had mostly been approved of by the patients, it however also gave rise to a desire for more structuring and a more goal-directed therapeutic approach. A tendency towards the initial values, i.e. a deterioration, was stated in the therapy group at follow-up six months post-therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The anterobithorax and bithorax mutations of the bithorax complex.

The anterobithorax (abx) and bithorax (bx) genes together direct the development of the posterior second and anterior third thoracic segments of the fruit fly. We have characterized the phenotypes and DNA lesions of 19 abx and bx alleles. abx and bx mutations differ both in the nature and location of their DNA lesions, forming two clusters within a relatively small region of the Ultrabithorax transcription unit. Correlation between phenotype and DNA lesion suggests the presence of two or more genetic elements in this region distinct from the Ultrabithorax transcript. Mutant transformations do not strictly obey segmental or parasegmental boundaries. Most of the bx mutations result from insertions of the mobile element gypsy. The strength of these alleles varies in a regular way dependent on the position and orientation of the gypsy element. We propose models for gypsy element action and bithorax complex expression in the light of these results.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Errors from using 3H-labeled ribonucleoside triphosphates to monitor nuclear RNA synthesis in vitro.

The [3H]XTPs are used widely to monitor RNA synthesis in vitro. Recently, we discovered that they reflected only 40-45% of the true rate of nuclear RNA synthesis. Thus, when [8-14C]GTP was used, 1466 pmol [8-14C]GMP was incorporated per mg DNA/10 min. On the other hand, when [8-3H]GTP was used, only 564 pmol [8-3H]GMP was incorporated per mg DNA/10 min. There are three obvious factors that could have contributed to this greater than 2-fold difference in the apparent incorporation rate: commercial [8-3H]GTP sample was contaminated with substances causing the assay medium to be less efficient in RNA synthesis; 3H exchange occurred during acid washing of the [3H]RNA; and there was a greater quenching effect on [3H]RNA. Experiments were designed to test each of these alternatives. We are able to conclude that none of the above three are contributing factors. Our data also show that the 3H label was removed after it was incorporated into RNA. Similar differences were observed when 3H and 14C labeled pairs of ATP, UTP and CTP were compared. Furthermore, when nuclei were fractionated into nucleolar and nucleoplasmic fractions and carried out RNA synthesis, the loss of 3H label was observed mainly from the nucleoplasmic fraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

A cancer education study in The Netherlands based on the AACE/NCI Cancer Education Survey.

A Dutch Cancer Education Study demonstrated that the data collection instruments developed for the U.S. AACE/NCI Cancer Education Survey could also be used for the same kind of studies in foreign countries. Where needed, the data collection instruments were modified to the Dutch national situation. In this way, an impression was obtained on several aspects concerning undergraduate cancer education in the Dutch medical schools. Based on the combined findings of the U.S. Cancer Education Survey and the Dutch Cancer Education Study, a number of recommendations can be made for application to student cancer education in The Netherlands.

Education, Medical, Undergraduate↗
PubMed1986

Evidence for an indirect mechanism of aflatoxin B1 inhibition of rat liver nuclear RNA polymerase II activity in vivo.

Previous studies suggested multiple sites of action of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in vivo to inhibit rat liver nuclear RNA synthesis--it impairs nucleolar DNA template function and inhibits RNA polymerase II activity. We have previously shown that AFB1 activated in vitro inhibits nucleolar RNA synthesis. The question is whether AFB1 can inhibit RNA polymerase II under these in vitro conditions. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 200 g, were injected i.p. with 0.6 mg AFB1 and liver nuclei were isolated 2 h later. When the total nuclear free RNA polymerases were extracted and assayed in the absence and presence of alpha-amanitin (3.2 micrograms/ml), we found that only alpha-amanitin-sensitive (i.e., RNA polymerase II) activity was inhibited (97%). DEAE-Sephadex chromatography confirmed this result. When total nuclear free RNA polymerases were incubated with AFB1 activated in vitro under conditions producing 70% inhibition of nucleolar RNA synthesis, no inhibition was observed for either alpha-amanitin-sensitive or -resistant activities. Similar results were obtained with low and high (28 and 167 micrograms/ml) concentrations of AFB1. This was further confirmed using highly purified RNA polymerase II. We conclude that AFB1 inhibition of RNA polymerase II activity in vivo is not a result of direct interaction of AFB1 to the enzyme.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed1986

Molecular mapping of the rosy locus in Drosophila melanogaster.

The DNA from the chromosomal region of the Drosophila rosy locus has been examined in 83 rosy mutant strains. Several spontaneous and radiation-induced alleles were associated with insertions and deletions, respectively. The lesions are clustered in a 4-kb region. Some of the alleles identified on the DNA map have been located on the genetic map by fine-structure recombination experiments. The genetic and molecular maps are collinear, and the alignment identifies the DNA location of the rosy control region. A rosy RNA of 4.5 kb has been identified; its 5' end lies in or near the control region.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Evaluation of the 11-year existence of an ambulatory residential group].

The authors evaluated in a retrospective study the sociodemographic and sickness course specific data of 48 patients who had been discharged from inpatient psychiatric treatment to an outpatient residential community. Whereas in 50% of the patients after an average time in the community of 1 1/2 years it is usually possible for them to move into a home of their own, provided their mental condition has continued to stabilise, the other half of the patients have to be readmitted to the psychiatric hospital as inpatients, thus breaking off their ties to the residential community. Relevant criteria of prognosis are, in consideration of the medium-term rehabilitation success in the residential community, the duration and number of times of previous psychiatric hospitalisations and the age of the patient when the disease became manifest for the first time. No prognosis of rehabilitation success is possible on the basis of duration of stay in the residential community, previous professional activity, age and psychiatric diagnosis (endogenous psychoses versus personality disturbances and other syndromes).

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Cognitive disorders in schizophrenic patients. A controlled study].

In a controlled study, the cognitive functions measured by different association tests in a group of 40 schizophrenic inpatients (ICD 295.1+.3+.6) were compared to those of a control group that was matched according to age, sex and IQ. The results indicate that the basic cognitive functions of schizophrenic patients do not differ significantly from those of a control group in the lower-order tasks. In more complex and higher-order tasks, however, schizophrenic patients show a tendency to prefer less obvious associations (overinclusion) and to reject conventional associations (overexclusion). The results are discussed in the context of current literature as a lack of the cognitive organizing principle and its effects on rehabilitation, creativity and art in schizophrenic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The abdominal region of the bithorax complex.

The homeotic mutations in the right half of the bithorax complex of Drosophila cause segmental transformations in the second through the eighth segments of the fly. A chromosomal walk in the bithorax complex has now been extended 215 kb through the right half of the complex, and lesions for over 40 mutations have been located on the DNA map. The mutations can be grouped in a series of phenotypic classes, one for each abdominal segment, although each mutation typically affects more than one segment. The mutant lesions of each class are clustered, and they are aligned on the chromosome in the order of the body segments that they affect. Complementation tests suggest interactions between widely spaced DNA regions; indeed, the right half cannot be split anywhere without some loss of function.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1985

[Psychotherapy of psychotic patients].

Different starting points, aims and therapeutic techniques in the treatment of psychotic patients are reviewed, with special reference to group therapy with schizophrenics, who seem to be more suited as manic-depressive patients. Critical events and situations in therapy with a need for the group-leaders intervention are described and own results and clinical experiences with psychodrama and psychotic patients are reported. In the therapy of psychoses a combinations of psychotherapy/sociotherapy and pharmacotherapy is regarded as indispensable.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

Studies on the mechanism of heterochromatic position effect at the rosy locus of Drosophila melanogaster.

Experiments are described that extend the characterization of position effect variants of the rosy locus and test possible mechanisms of heterochromatic position effect. Rosy position effect variants exhibit a variegated phenotype with respect to xanthine dehydrogenase activity in malpighian tubules. The breakpoints of the position effect mutations are located on the DNA map of the rosy region outside of the rosy locus DNA; ryps11136 is located in the DNA of the l(3)S12 gene immediately proximal to rosy, whereas ryps1149 is located some 15 kb distal to rosy in the pic locus. Southern blot experiments are described that test and reject the notion that heterochromatic position effect results from underreplication of the position-affected gene. Rather, the results of Northern blots serve to direct attention to position effect as a defect in transcription. Histone region deletion heterozygosity and butyrate-feeding experiments failed to exhibit specific suppression of position effect at the rosy locus.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Postdexamethasone prolactin and cortisol: a biological state variable in depression.

In 70 inpatients with major depressive disorder postdexamethasone cortisol and prolactin, but not baseline cortisol and prolactin, was found to correlate significantly with various state variables of depression. Postdexamethasone prolactin appeared to be a more specific state variable of depression compared with postdexamethasone cortisol. While prolactin was decreased following dexamethasone in controls and nonendogenous depressed patients, in endogenous depressed patients prolactin was increased by 30%. Due to this inverse prolactin response to dexamethasone, the sensitivity of this test should be considerably increased by using a higher dexamethasone dosage. The DST failed to be a diagnostic marker for any subgroup of depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The DST and its relationship to psychiatric diagnosis, symptoms and treatment outcome.

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was administered shortly after admission to 102 consecutive in-patients with a Hamilton depression score greater than or equal to 16. Post-dexamethasone cortisol exceeded 6 micrograms/dl in 16 cases, and levels correlated significantly with Hamilton scores; with the AMP syndromes 'hypochondria', 'apathy' and 'catatonia'; and with the IMPS 'retarded depressive' syndrome. The criterion of suppression/non-suppression did not distinguish significantly between diagnostic categories (RDC or ICD), nor between endogenous and neurotic depression. (Newcastle scale). Both base-line and post-dexamethasone cortisol levels were reduced by prior treatment with minor tranquillisers, but not by major tranquillisers or antidepressants. DST results cannot be used as straightforward indicators of prognosis.

Adolescent↗