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Biomedical subjects

A Geller

Publications and source records attributed to A Geller.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Mesenteritis ossificans.

A unique finding of an extraskeletal pseudomalignant osseous lesion of the mesentery and omentum was detected in a 63-yr-old insulin-dependent diabetic man, following aortic bifemoral bypass and two subsequent laparotomies at 2-wk intervals for intractable intestinal obstruction. An analogy is made to myositis ossificans and fasciitis ossificans. The histogenesis of new bone formation from connective tissue following chemical or physical stimuli supports a metaplastic mechanism. Our review of the literature reveals no prior report of a similar case.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1991

Infection of cultured striatal neurons with a defective HSV-1 vector: implications for gene therapy.

Several neurological diseases which affect the corpus striatum are candidates for gene therapy. We have developed a defective Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) vector system to introduce genes into postmitotic cells, such as neurons. The prototype vector, pHSVlac, contains a transcription unit which places the E. coli Lac Z gene under the control of the HSV-1 immediate early (IE) 4/5 promoter, a constitutive promoter. We now demonstrate that a HSV-1 vector can deliver a gene into striatal neurons. Infection of cultured rat striatal neurons with pHSVlac virus resulted in stable expression of beta-galactosidase for at least two weeks, without cell death. The potential to replace the Lac Z gene with other genes of interest, such as the gene responsible for Huntington's Disease, once it is isolated, may lead to insights about the pathogenesis of this genetic neurodegenerative disease, and may provide a method for performing gene therapy on this disease. Similarly, introduction of the tyrosine hydroxylase gene, which encodes the rate-limiting enzyme in the conversion of tyrosine to dopamine, into striatal neurons might provide a novel gene therapy approach towards treating Parkinson's Disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Low serum thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone) in older persons without hyperthyroidism.

We studied a large population (n = 2575) of unselected ambulatory persons older than 60 years to determine the prevalence of a low serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level, ie, of less than 0.1 mU/L using a sensitive assay, a level suggestive of hyperthyroidism in younger adults. One hundred one persons (3.9%) had a low serum TSH level. About half of them (51/101) were taking thyroid hormone. Of the remainder, 44 were not hyperthyroid did not become so during up to 4 years of follow-up. Forty-one of the 44 euthyroid persons had a serum thyroxine level of less than 129 nmol/L; repeated testing showed a serum TSH level of more than 0.1 mU/L in the three euthyroid persons with a serum thyroxine level of more than 129 nmol/L. Only six were hyperthyroid or became so during the follow-up period; all had a serum thyroxine level of more than 129 nmol/L. Routine clinical examination was not a sensitive indicator of hyperthyroidism and did not permit discrimination from euthyroidism. A low value of serum TSH alone, while it had high sensitivity and specificity for hyperthyroidism, had a low positive predictive value (12%) for this diagnosis; addition of the thyroxine assay raised the predictive value fivefold to 67%. A low value of serum TSH is far more common in older persons than is hyperthyroidism. Low values in euthyroid persons are accompanied by a clearly normal serum T4 concentration (less than 129 nmol/L) or by a serum TSH level of more than 0.1 mU/L on repeated testing. We recommend measurement of the serum TSH thyroid concentration, using a sensitive assay, as the initial step in testing any older person for possible hyperthyroidism. Measurement of the serum T4 concentration or the free T4 index on the same sample would be needed only in the approximately 2% with a serum TSH level of less than 0.1 mU/L; alternatively, the TSH assay in these could be repeated at a later time.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

The aging thyroid. The use of thyroid hormone in older persons.

The overall prevalence of thyroid hormone use in an unselected population of older adults (n = 2575; average age, 68.6 years) was 6.9% (10.0% in women and 2.3% in men). Eighty-one percent of women taking it were doing so for appropriate indications, eg, hypothyroidism, while 12% were not, eg, for obesity or high serum cholesterol; more men (29%) were taking it inappropriately. Inappropriate use was associated with desiccated thyroid more than with thyroxine. After follow-up averaging 6.9 years, 58% of inappropriate users were still taking it. Underuse also occurred. Thirty-seven percent of those definitely hypothyroid had a clearly elevated serum thyrotropin level (greater than 10 mU/L) despite thyroid therapy. Thyroid therapy is common in the elderly; most is appropriate. When inappropriate use occurs, it is more common in men and more often associated with desiccated thyroid, still commonly used in this age group. In chronic users of thyroid hormone, it is important to review currently appropriate indications and to measure serum thyrotropin levels to assess the adequacy of treatment of primary hypothyroidism.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Serum prolactin and aging: basal values and changes with estrogen use and hypothyroidism.

We studied basal serum prolactin in older (greater than age 50) men (N = 501) and women (N = 384) using younger adults for comparison and excluding those taking medications. Serum prolactin rose slightly with increasing age in men; it fell slightly in women until age 80, when it rose slightly. Men and women were not different except for the higher value in women at age 20 to 29. Serum prolactin did not fall after the menopause, while estrogen treatment had no effect on older women and caused only a slight rise in older men. Thyroid deficiency had only a minimal effect and did not raise the serum prolactin above 25 ng/ml. The prevalence of clearly elevated values (greater than 20 ng/ml) was only 1.3% in women and 0.6% in men above age 50; there is little evidence for a significant prevalence of prolactin-secreting adenomata in older persons. In older persons, prolactin-secreting tumors are uncommon, and neither thyroid failure nor estrogen therapy are good explanations for a clearly elevated serum prolactin.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Differential effects of the anxiolytic drugs, diazepam and buspirone, on memory function.

The effects of the anxiolytic drugs diazepam (5 mg) or buspirone (5 or 10 mg) were studied in comparison with placebo on memory function in 39 subjects diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Neither drug altered the immediate recall of a list of 16 nouns or impaired digit span, a second test of immediate memory. Diazepam selectively impaired the recall of nouns after a 20 min delay when compared with placebo. In contrast, neither dose of buspirone altered the delayed recall of the word list. The implications of such different effects of anxiolytic drugs on memory function for the clinical treatment of anxiety are discussed.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed1979

Sorption and desorption of atrazine by three bacterial species isolated from aquatic systems.

The isolates Acinetobacter spec., Cytophaga spec. and Pseudomonas fluorescens represent different morphological and physiological types of bacteria. They accumulate atrazine (2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-5-triazine) to different levels. Accumulation expressed by the ratio of atrazine sorbed per volume of bacteria to atrazine per the same volume of water amounted to 11 for Acinetobacter spec., 8.6 for Cytophaga spec. and 6.2 for Pseudomonas fluorescens. Accumulation ratios were proportional to the surface areas of the organisms. Single cells of Acinetobacter spec. sorbed amounts of atrazine comparable to the other species investigated, whereas cell aggregates, formed a few months after isolation, sorbed an order of magnitude less. A large portion of atrazine accumulated by the bacteria could be rapidly desorbed. A remainder of 10% was bound by Cytophaga spec. and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Acinetobacter spec. bound 70--80% of the atrazine sorbed. In the range of 0.3--3 mg/L atrazine, there was a linear relationship between the amount of non desorbable herbicide and its concentration in the incubation medium.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1977

Degeneration of fasciculus gracilis in cystic fibrosis.

The spinal cords of 19 percent of patients dying with cystic fibrosis after 5 years of age showed posterior column degeneration. The risk did not appear to increase with advancing age. None of these patients had findings of pernicious anemia or spinocerebellar degeneration. The lesions had been undetected clinically. It is possible that nutritional, toxic, or hereditary factors may play a role in producing this lesion.

Adolescent↗