Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Conversation analysis”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,531 records · Page 85Linked to original sources

TSH binding correlates with TSH-stimulated thyroid adenylate cyclase activity in human thyroid tissues.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulates adenylate cyclase (AC) activity and the growth and differentiation of thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin. Thyroid neoplasms generally have higher TSH-stimulated AC activity than normal thyroid tissue from the same patients. To determine whether differences in TSH receptors could account for the differences in AC activity, we studied the 8000 g membrane particulate fraction from 28 thyroid tissues (10 papillary carcinomas, 6 multinodular goiters, 4 follicular adenomas, 3 follicular carcinomas, 2 Graves, 1 normal, 1 Hürthle cell adenoma, and 1 thyroiditis). TSH receptors were measured by competitive inhibition using radioactive iodine-labeled bovine TSH (125I-bTSH). Maximal binding capacity (Bmax) and dissociation constant (Kd) were calculated by Scatchard analysis. AC activity was measured by the conversion of alpha-[32P]-ATP to [32P]-cAMP in the maximally (300 mU/ml) TSH-stimulated state. The basal and forskolin-stimulated (100 mmol/L) AC activity were also measured, and the ratios to TSH-stimulated AC activity were calculated (TSH/Basal ratio and TSH/Forskolin ratio). We found a strong correlation between the percent specific binding (%SB) of 125I-bTSH and TSH/Basal ratio (r = 0.70, p = 0.0001), between Bmax and the TSH/Basal ratio (r = 0.71, p = 0.001), between %SB and TSH/Forskolin ratio (r = 0.44, p = 0.02), and between Bmax and TSH/Forskolin ratio (r = 0.65, p = 0.0002). This strong correlation between TSH binding and the TSH-stimulated AC activity suggests that in some thyroid neoplasms the higher AC response to TSH may be due to an increased number of TSH receptors.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Effects of maxillary advancement on the speech of a sub-mucosal cleft palate patient.

A nineteen-year-old patient with a surgically repiared sub-mucosal cleft palate was evaluted following a LeFort I osteotomy to determine the effects of the surgery of his speech. Tape recordings were made of his speech pre- and postoperatively during the administration of an articulation test, during casual conversation, and while repeating standard sentences. Spectrographic analysis of pre- and postoperative segments of a standard sentence were made. Results of the tests indicated that maxillary advancement had no adverse effect on articulation ability or voice in this case. Unexpected findings are discussed, and suggestions are given for clinical assessment and evaluation.

Child↗

Evaluation of selected enzymes for thiamine determination.

Seven commercially available enzymes were studied for suitability as substitutes in the AOAC thiamine determination, because the enzyme Takadiastase used in the method has not been available since 1976, and alternative enzymes were likewise unavailable or unsuitable for releasing thiamine from its phosphate esters. Four factors (substrate ester, enzyme level, time/temperature, and pH) at 2 levels were studied in a 2(4) factorial arrangement of treatments. Data were expressed in terms of mean percentage conversion (MPC) and were statistically evaluated by analysis of variance. Significant main effects and any interactions among treatments were calculated. Takadiastase and alpha-amylase (Miles) with MPCs of 101 and 102, respectively, appeared effective in dephosphorylation within method parameters. Potato phosphatase appeared marginally suitable. Wheat germ phosphatase, alpha-amylase (Sigma), Mylase 100, and Clarase 40,000 were judged unacceptable as enzyme substitutes.

Chromatography, Liquid↗

[Computer-aided reading of ECG (author's transl)].

Computer-aided reading of 12-lead scalar ECGs was performed in 1800 cardiovascular patients with a tracing-and processing-system of IBM, Periphere Computer Systeme and Schwarzer using the Bonner analysis program. After analog-to-digital conversion and storage on a floppy disk the ECG data were transferred by telefone during night because of lower rates to the IBM computer at Munich. In the same way the prints were received from there. The review by a cardiologist showed correct interpretations in about 90%. False negative and other inadequate readings were found in 6% while false positive results were obtained in almost 1%, the remaining percents belonged to technical troubles.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗

Analyses for progesterone in serum by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry: target data for external quality assessment of routine assays.

We describe a procedure for measuring progesterone in plasma and serum by isotope dilution and mass spectrometry. Extraction with use of a microcellulose-coupled antiserum is followed by conversion to the 3-enol heptafluorobutyrate and analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with selected ion monitoring, at a resolution of 5000. Interassay CVs were 1.5 to 5.4% for the concentration range 13 to 43 nmol/L. Analyses of various serum volumes showed excellent linearity. Accurate determination of progesterone added to serum was demonstrated. Plasma and serum pools were analyzed to provide target data for use in the U.K. national external quality-assessment scheme for progesterone assays. Direct, non-extraction radioimmunoassays and those incorporating solvent extraction both showed a positive bias with respect to data obtained by the present procedure, but the bias was more marked with the direct assays.

Female↗

Synthesis of preprolactin and conversion to prolactin in intact cells and a cell-free system.

Monolayer cultures of pituitary cells were pulse-labeled with [3H]leucine for several minutes and the incorporated radioactivity was analyzed by immunoprecipitation and electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate containing polyacrylamide gels. Following a 3-min labeling period, a peak of radioactivity with a mobility similar to that of preprolactin was observed, as well as radioactivity co-migrating with prolactin. Competition with unlabeled prolactin demonstrated the specificity of the immunoprecipitation reaction. After 5 min of pulse-labeling followed by 5-min chase in medium with unlabeled leucine, only a product with the mobility of prolactin remained. Addition of a membrane fraction from dog pancreas to a wheat germ cell-free translation system containing pituitary mRNA resulted in the conversion of preprolactin to prolactin. Partial sequence analysis demonstrated that the processed product contained the correct NH2 terminus of prolactin. Thus, both intact pituitary cells and a cell-free heterologous system are able to synthesize preprolactin and cleave it to prolactin offering strong evidence that preprolactin is the biosynthetic precursor to prolactin.

Animals↗

Delayed incubation of blood culture bottles: effect on recovery rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type B.

This study investigated the effects of incubation delay on the rate of recovery of common pediatric pathogens from blood culture bottles. Known concentrations of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae type b (three isolates each) were inoculated into BACTEC NR-6A bottles with 1.0 mL of donor blood. Bottles were subjected to a time delay (zero to six hours) before incubation. The BACTEC NR-660 was used for incubation and measurement of positive conversion. Data were analyzed using chi 2 analysis, Fisher's exact test, logistic regression, and multiple logistic regression, with P < 0.05 considered significant. Immediate incubation yielded positive blood cultures in 88 of 100 and 65 of 70 bottles containing S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae type b, respectively, in the concentration range 1.0 to 9.99 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml). For each organism, this was the minimal range required to produce a positive culture (P < 0.0001). Bottles inoculated with 1 ml of blood containing organisms in the range of 1.0 to 9.99 CFU/ml were then subjected to incubation delay. The recovery rate of S. pneumoniae significantly (P = 0.0003) decreased from a two-hour delay (57 of 60; 95%) to a three-hour delay (42 of 60; 70%). No significant change in recovery rate was seen in bottles inoculated with H. influenzae type b subjected to similar delays. Delayed incubation (two to six hours) of bottles inoculated with 1.0 ml of blood containing organisms in a concentration range of 1.0 to 9.99 CFU/ml of blood significantly decreases the recovery rate of S. pneumoniae but has no effect on H. influenzae type b.

Bacteremia↗

[Laparoscopic versus conventional appendectomy--a comparison with reference to early postoperative complications].

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: To compare the complications of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and conventional appendectomy (CA) 930 consecutive patients from 1989 until 1997 were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Conventional appendectomy was performed in 330 patients, laparoscopic in 554 patients and another 46 patients required conversion after laparoscopy. The groups were similar in sex ratio, age and degree of inflammation. Postoperative complications occurred in 8.78%. There were less complications in the LA-group (4.69%) than in the CA-group (13.33%) (p < 0.01), especially wound infections were found less in the LA-group (1.8% vs. 11.21%, p < 0.01). The incidence of intraabdominal abscesses was similar in the LA and CA group (1.44% vs. 1.52%). The differences between the groups are not influenced by complicating appendicitis (perforation or abscess). Systemic complications were similar for LA and CA (0.72% and 0.61%), but were seen more often after conversion (6.52%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective analysis shows that laparoscopic appendectomy significantly reduces postoperative complications, especially wound infections. The authors consider laparoscopic appendectomy to be the procedure of choice in patients with acute appendicitis.

Adolescent↗

Clinical outcomes of low-risk patients undergoing beating-heart surgery with or without pulmonary artery catheterization.

OBJECTIVE: For patients who undergo off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery, pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) has been proposed as a useful intraoperative monitoring tool. This study was designed to determine if the choice of PAC versus central venous pressure monitoring (CVP) had any effect on outcome after OPCAB. This study compared these 2 methods of hemodynamic monitoring in low-risk patients undergoing beating-heart surgery via a median sternotomy and evaluated their effect on morbidity and in-hospital mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective database and medical record review. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Low-risk patients who had coronary revascularization via a median sternotomy on the beating heart. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A population of 2,414 low-risk patients who had beating-heart coronary revascularization between January 2000 and December 2003 was reviewed. Most patients (1,671 or 69.2%) received a PAC, whereas 743 (30.8%) had CVP monitoring. Risk-adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the effect of each technique on clinical outcomes. The groups were comparable in both baseline characteristics and Parsonett's mortality risk (1.5 +/- 0.9, p = 0.58). Univariate analysis failed to show a difference in operative mortality (p = 0.76), on-pump conversion rate for completion of aortocoronary bypasses (p = 0.82), postoperative low cardiac output (p = 0.10), or prolonged inotropic agent use (p = 0.22). Similarly, in the multivariate analysis, both groups had a similar rate of conversion to an on-pump procedure for completion of coronary artery grafting (p = 0.91), intraoperative intra-aortic balloon pump use (p = 0.69), low cardiac output state (p = 0.16), or in-hospital mortality (p = 0.51). CONCLUSIONS: This single-institution, retrospective study suggests that in low-risk patients undergoing beating-heart surgery, CVP monitoring may be sufficient.

Aged↗

Characterization of isothiocyanates, thioureas, and other lysine adduction products in carbon disulfide-treated peptides and protein.

Carbon disulfide (CS2) is an industrial solvent used in rayon production and as an organic synthetic precursor. It is also a member of the class of neuropathy-inducing xenobiotics known as the "neurofilament (NF) neurotoxicants". Current hypotheses propose direct reaction of CS2 with NF lysine epsilon-amine moieties as a step in the mechanism of this neuropathy. In this study, covalent CS2 binding in a lysine-containing dipeptide and in bovine serum albumin (BSA) in vitro was characterized. Dipeptide and BSA, incubated with 14CS2, exhibited stable incorporation of radioactivity after removal of unbound CS2 and reincubation in physiological buffer for up to 10 days. In contrast, free thiol levels decreased from a maximum immediately following CS2 exposure to near-base-line levels after 10 days, consistent with time-dependent conversion of initially formed N-substituted dithiocarbamate adducts into secondary products. HPLC/thermospray-MS and HPLC/UV photodiode-array analysis of CS2-dipeptide adducts confirmed dithiocarbamate formation and demonstrated their conversion into N-alkylisothiocyanates and, ultimately, N,N'-disubstituted thioureas and ureas. The results of UV spectrophotometry of CS2-treated BSA were also consistent with loss of dithiocarbamate and appearance of thioureas. Similar time-dependent formation of these products, in addition to N,N'-disubstituted thiuram disulfides, was demonstrated in CS2-treated BSA by means of 13C-NMR spectroscopy. SDS-PAGE analysis of adducted protein revealed a discrete, higher mobility band, likely representing a specific intramolecular cross-link. In contrast, no evidence for intermolecular protein cross-linking was obtained. Identical results were obtained with cysteinyl-blocked BSA, indicating the lack of formation of N,S-dialkyldithiocarbamate (dithiourethane) cross-links in these preparations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Binding Sites↗

Use of stable isotopes in the study of pharmacokinetics of drugs by mass fragmentography II: Detailed examination of pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of phenytoin in humans.

To study the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin in detail, a mass fragmentographic method was applied for the precise, sensitive, and specific analysis of phenytoin, 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin, and 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin glucuronide in plasma and urine after administration of a single oral dose of phenytoin to two healthy volunteers. Salivary phenytoin concentrations also were measured. Phenytoin and 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin were analyzed after the addition of deuterium-labeled internal standards and conversion to volatile methyl derivatives for mass fragmentographic analysis. The lower limit of detection was approximately 10 ng/ml. The simultaneous pharmacokinetic analysis of the plasma levels and urinary excretion data of phenytoin and its major metabolite, 5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin, yielded detailed information about the pharmacokinetics of phenytoin.

Administration, Oral↗

Functional analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana RHM2/MUM4, a multidomain protein involved in UDP-D-glucose to UDP-L-rhamnose conversion.

UDP-L-rhamnose is required for the biosynthesis of cell wall rhamnogalacturonan-I, rhamnogalacturonan-II, and natural compounds in plants. It has been suggested that the RHM2/MUM4 gene is involved in conversion of UDP-D-glucose to UDP-L-rhamnose on the basis of its effect on rhamnogalacturonan-I-directed development in Arabidopsis thaliana. RHM2/MUM4-related genes, RHM1 and RHM3, can be found in the A. thaliana genome. Here we present direct evidence that all three RHM proteins have UDP-D-glucose 4,6-dehydratase, UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-glucose 3,5-epimerase, and UDP-4-keto-L-rhamnose 4-keto-reductase activities in the cytoplasm when expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Functional domain analysis revealed that the N-terminal region of RHM2 (RHM2-N; amino acids 1-370) has the first activity and the C-terminal region of RHM2 (RHM2-C; amino acids 371-667) has the two following activities. This suggests that RHM2 converts UDP-d-glucose to UDP-L-rhamnose via an UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-glucose intermediate. Site-directed mutagenesis of RHM2 revealed that mucilage defects in MUM4-1 and MUM4-2 mutant seeds of A. thaliana are caused by abolishment of RHM2 enzymatic activity in the mutant strains and furthermore, that the GXXGXX(G/A) and YXXXK motifs are important for enzymatic activity. Moreover, a kinetic analysis of purified His(6)-tagged RHM2-N protein revealed 5.9-fold higher affinity of RHM2 for UDP-D-glucose than for dTDP-D-glucose, the preferred substrate for dTDP-D-glucose 4,6-dehydratase from bacteria. RHM2-N activity is strongly inhibited by UDP-L-rhamnose, UDP-D-xylose, and UDP but not by other sugar nucleotides, suggesting that RHM2 maintains cytoplasmic levels of UDP-D-glucose and UDP-L-rhamnose via feedback inhibition by UDP-L-rhamnose and UDP-D-xylose.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Glucocerebrosidase recombinant allele: molecular evolution of the glucocerebrosidase gene and pseudogene in primates.

Glucocerebrosidase is a lysosomal enzyme that hydrolyses the beta-glycosidic linkage of glucocerebroside, a ubiquitous sphingolipid present in the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. Deleterious mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene result in Gaucher disease, the most prevalent lysosomal storage disease. Humans have one glucocerebrosidase functional gene and pseudogene that were located 16 kb apart on chromosome 1q21 and share 96% overall sequence similarity. Recombination between the two genes creates a 'complex allele' that renders glucocerebrosidase non-functional and accounts for >20% of the total Gaucher disease mutations in some population. The glucocerebrosidase pseudogene is absent in all other mammalian species surveyed so far. In order to learn more about the molecular evolution of the glucocerebrosidase functional gene and pseudogene, we have sequenced approximately 1.1 kb of the C-terminal region of these genes that encodes the enzyme catalytic site, from PCR-amplified genomic DNA of gorilla, chimpanzee, orangutan (the great apes), and squirrel monkey (a new-world monkey). In gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan, there are two copies of the glucocerebrosidase gene while the squirrel monkey possesses only a single copy. Similar to human, the second copy of glucocerebrosidase gene in gorilla and chimpanzee is non-functional because of a 55-bp deletion in exon 9, while that in orangutan appears to be unaffected and may still be functional. These data suggest that the glucocerebrosidase gene duplication event occurred after squirrel monkey divergence from the great apes, and that the exon 9 deletion that rendered the second copy of the glucocerebrosidase gene non-functional occurred prior to the divergence of gorilla and chimpanzee but after the divergence of orangutan from their common ancestor to human. The two genes in each species are least similar in gorilla and chimpanzee (97.8%) and most similar in orangutan (99.5%). None of the nucleotide variations in the GBA gene among the primates correspond to known mutations in Gaucher disease. Phylogenetic tree analysis using DNAstar and PAUP4.0 software indicates that gene conversion caused the evolution of glucocerebrosidase functional gene and pseudogene to be concerted.

Alleles↗

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the conversion of alpha-connectin to beta-connectin.

The factors affecting the conversion of alpha-connectin to beta-connectin induced by pressurization of muscle were investigated over a pressure range from 100 to 400 MPa by using SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis. When muscles were exposed to high pressures, the conversion of alpha-connectin to beta-connectin was the most pronounced at a pressure of 300 MPa, and the appearance of 1,200-kDa peptide accompanied by conversion of alpha- to beta-connectin was observed. Connectin was relatively resistant to degradation under a pressure of 400 MPa. The degradative products of beta-connectin reactive with mAb 2D4 were not observed. The effect of high pressure on connectin in isolated myofibrils was similar to that on connectin in muscle. Addition of leupeptin and E-64 to the isolated myofibrils resulted in the prevention of the degradation of connectin at each stage of the pressurization. The ability of calcium-activated protease (calpain) to hydrolyze connectin from alpha to beta gradually declined with increasing pressure. The results indicate that calpain is responsible for the pressure-induced conversion of alpha- to beta-connectin. The rate of this conversion is probably regulated by the pressure-dependent structural change of alpha-connectin and inactivation of calpain.

Animals↗

[Use of spreadsheet for statistical and graphical processing of records from the ambulatory blood pressure monitor Spacelabs 90207].

The introduction of portable devices for non-invasive ambulatory blood-pressure measurement is recognized as an advance in the study of human arterial hypertension, allowing a significant improvement in the selection of hypertensive patients as well as in the analysis of the effects of antihypertensive drugs during clinical trials. The Spacelabs 90207 is a recent example of this kind of apparatus, possessing high levels of portability and being highly classified in validation studies. Nevertheless, the software of this apparatus (like other similar devices) has severe limitations in what concerns the calculation of the area under the curve of blood pressure during the time of measurement, as well as in the possibility of grouping several records in a database for easy statistic and graphic analysis of different groups of records. In order to overcome these difficulties, the authors describe the development of a group of programs, using Microsoft Excel v3.0 spreadsheets and macros, that allow a direct import of individual files from the Spacelabs software to a spreadsheet and its further processing in three phases. These three phases, which we designated by "conversion", "export to database" and "statistic and graphic analysis", will permit an easy and fast statistic and graphic analysis of selected groups of records.

Blood Pressure Determination↗

Communication with Alzheimer's patients: an analysis of caregiver listening patterns.

Alzheimer's Disease is the leading cause of dementia in today's aging population. Behavioral manifestations of this illness have been studied primarily by focusing on diagnostic and assessment tests. Communication studies have emphasized identification of speech and language deficits, and little attention has been given to communication processes that are still in place. This study addresses caregiver listening responses as they occur in conversations with an Alzheimer's patient. This project videotaped twenty-six episodes of conversations between caregivers in an adult day health care setting. The dialogue was transcribed (enhanced by the use of video-taped data) and analyzed for caregiver listening responses. Frame analysis was used to identify several categories of caregiver's responses to the patient's message. In addition, this study found that sensitive listening and partial entry into the patient's frame (reality) may be an effective response to prevent behavior and anxiety related outbursts. This study also found that videotaping of natural conversations and frame analysis can be useful tools for continued study in the treatment and care of Alzheimer's patients.

Aged↗