Depression and life satisfaction among northern Irish adults.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
C A Lewis
Publications and source records attributed to C A Lewis.
111In-labelled leukocyte migration to the lungs of ovalbumin-sensitized guinea-pigs after aerosol challenge with ovalbumin monitored by gamma scintigraphy.
BACKGROUND: To determine whether antigen challenge is associated with increased accumulation of leukocytes in the lungs, the pulmonary accumulation of 111In-labelled neutrophils and eosinophils was monitored by gamma scintigraphy. METHODS: Guinea-pigs were sensitized with ovalbumin (OA) 14-21 days before challenge with aerosolized OA (10 mg/ml) for 2 min, and protected against fatal anaphylaxis by mepyramine (30 mg/kg). Comparisons were made with OA-sensitized guinea-pigs challenged with saline. 5 or 24 h following the OA challenge, guinea-pigs were anaesthetized and the jugular vein and right carotid artery were cannulated, with the contralateral artery tied off. 2MBq 99mTc macroaggregated albumin (MAA) was injected intravenously to create a pulmonary perfusion image as a template for the lungs. 111In-labelled neutrophils or eosinophils were then injected via the carotid artery and gamma scintigraphic images obtained. Activity in the lung region of each animal was determined by superimposing the 99mTcMAA image of the lungs on the whole body image. RESULTS: A significant increase in activity (p<0.05) in the lung region was observed after injection of 111In-labelled neutrophils at 5 h after the OA challenge compared with saline challenge. 24 h after OA challenge there was a significant increase in activity (p<0.05) in the lung region after injection of 111In-labelled eosinophils, but no change in activity after injection of labelled neutrophils compared with the saline-challenged animals. CONCLUSION: This technique models the migration of leukocyte to the lungs seen in guinea-pigs in our previous studies, namely an eosinophilia at 24 h and a neutrophilia at 5 h after OA challenge. It will therefore be useful for investigating anti-inflammatory drugs on the airways.
Aerosols↗
Collective memories, political violence and mental health in Northern Ireland.
In 1987 one of the most salient incidents in Northern Ireland, involving mass casualties, occurred when a bomb exploded in a building near the war memorial in the centre of Enniskillen. A total of 63 people were injured and 11 were killed. The main aim of the present study was to investigate how salient this event was in present day Enniskillen and in a neighbouring town, known here as Lowtown, some 8 years after the original incident. The second aim was to examine how memories of that particular bomb are related to current psychological well-being. Based on interviews with a quota sample of 282 people it was found that relatively few people (68) included the Enniskillen bomb when asked to mention two Northern Irish events or changes that had taken place over the past 50 years that 'come to mind as important to you'. The majority of those who did mention the Enniskillen bomb came from Enniskillen and were Protestants. In addition, Protestants who mentioned the bomb and those respondents who lived in Lowtown and mentioned the bomb scored at a significantly higher level on the General Health Questionnaire (indicating poorer mental health).
Adaptation, Psychological↗
The Depression-Happiness Scale: test-retest data over two weeks.
The present aim was to examine further the psychometric properties of the Depression-Happiness Scale. Test-retest data over 2 wk. are reported for this scale for a sample of 54 female Northern Irish university students. Stability was fairly high as r = .70, and there was no significant change between Time 1 and Time 2 (M = 49.7 and 50.8, respectively). The data suggest that the Depression-Happiness Scale might be considered a trait measure of happiness rather than a state measure.
Adult↗
Tubby-like protein 1 homozygous splice-site mutation causes early-onset severe retinal degeneration.
PURPOSE: To characterize the disease expression of an autosomal recessive human retinal degeneration associated with a mutation in TULP1 (tubby-like protein 1), a gene with currently unknown function. METHODS: Homozygotes and heterozygotes from an extended Dominican kindred with a TULP1 splice-site gene mutation (IVS14+1,G-->A) were studied clinically and with visual function tests. Sequence analysis of TULP1 was also performed in unrelated patients with severe retinal degeneration from a North American clinic population. RESULTS: Homozygotes had nystagmus, visual acuity of 20/200 or worse, color vision disturbances, bull's eye maculopathy, and peripheral pigmentary retinopathy. Younger patients had a relatively wide extent of kinetic visual fields; older patients had only peripheral islands. No rod function was measurable by psychophysics in any of the patients; markedly reduced cone function was detectable across the visual field of younger patients and in the remaining peripheral islands of older patients. Rod and cone electroretinograms (ERGs) were not detectable using standard methods; microvolt-level cone ERGs were present in some patients. Heterozygotes had normal visual function. No putative pathogenic sequence changes in TULP1 were observed in North American patients with comparably severe retinal phenotypes, mainly in the diagnostic category of Leber congenital amaurosis. CONCLUSIONS: This TULP1 splice-site mutation in homozygotes causes early-onset, severe retinal degeneration involving macular and peripheral cones and rods. The constellation of phenotypic findings suggests that the TULP1 gene product is critically important for normal photoreceptor function and may play a role in retinal development.
Adolescent↗
Cyclic peptides as probes of the substrate binding site of the cytosolic tyrosine kinase, pp60c-src.
A series of 48 cyclic peptides based on the amino acid sequence surrounding the autophosphorylation site of pp60(c-src) was synthesized and each was tested as both a substrate and an inhibitor of this protein tyrosine kinase. Starting with cyclo(Asp1-Asn2-Gln3-Tyr4-Ala5-Ala6-Arg7-Gln8-d- Phe9-Pro10) a six-amino-acid survey was performed at positions 1 through 8 to determine which positions were critical for affinity and phosphorylation and which amino acids produced the greatest activity. Our survey found that Arg7 was detrimental for binding and phosphorylation and that aromatic residues were preferred at this position. Further increases in affinity were obtained with hydrophobic residues at position 6 with the optimum for both affinity and phosphorylation being Phe. Changes on the "amino-terminal" side of Tyr4 resulted in reduced Vmax values, illustrating the requirement for acidic residues in peptidic tyrosine kinase substrates. The result of the survey was cyclo(Asp1-Asn2-Gln3-Tyr4-Ala5-Phe6-Phe7-Gln8-d-Phe 9-Pro10). The change of residues 6 and 7 resulted in a 42-fold increase in affinity and no increase in Vmax. As a substrate, this peptide displayed Michaelis-Menten kinetics at saturating ATP conditions. As an inhibitor, mixed inhibition was observed. A linear version of this peptide was 13-fold less potent an inhibitor than the cyclic peptide.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Homozygosity and physical mapping of the autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa locus (RP14) on chromosome 6p21.3.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous genetic disorder with autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked forms. We previously mapped an additional arRP locus to chromosome 6p21 (RP14) in a single extended kinship from the Dominican Republic. Aided by a second linked RP pedigree from the same region of the Dominican Republic, we have refined the disease locus to a 2-cM region that is homozygous-by-descent in both pedigrees. A complete YAC, and a partial BAC, contig of the RP14 locus was constructed between the markers D6S1560 and D6S291, encompassing approximately 2.1 Mb. The contig contains 12 YACs and 31 BACs and is characterized by 45 markers including 8 microsatellite markers, 6 gene-derived sequences/ESTs obtained from the databases, and 28 new STSs and 4 new ESTs obtained by BLAST search using DNA sequence from the ends of the BAC and YAC inserts. With a STS density of approximately 1 every 20 kilobases, this contig significantly enhances available maps of the region.
Chromosome Mapping↗
The Depression-Happiness Scale: reliability and validity of a bipolar self-report scale.
This article reports two studies aimed at validating the 25-item self-report McGreal and Joseph (1993) Depression-Happiness Scale (D-H S). In the first study, principal component data are reported on the D-H S with 194 respondents. A forced 1-factor solution confirmed the unidimensionality of the scale (item loadings ranged from .38 to .77) and thus the feasibility of a statistically bipolar measure. In the second study, data on the convergent validity of the D-H S with the Beck Depression Inventory (r=-.75) and the Oxford Happiness Inventory (r=.59) with 100 respondents are reported confirming the construct validity of the scale. Implications for research in social and clinical psychology are discussed along with the possible uses of the D-H S in a clinical setting.
Adolescent↗
TULP1 mutation in two extended Dominican kindreds with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa.
The RP14 autosomal recessive Retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) locus has been mapped to a 2cM region of chromosome 6p21.3. TULP1 (the gene encoding tubby-like protein 1) is a candidate target for the disease mutation because it maps to the RP14 minimum genetic region and because a mutation in the highly homologous mouse tub gene leads to obesity, deafness and early progressive retinal degeneration. Here we report a splice-site mutation (IVS14+1, G-->A) that is homozygous in all affected individuals (N=33) and heterozygous in all obligate carriers (N=50) from two RP14-linked kindreds. The mutation was not observed in 210 unrelated controls. The data indicate that impairment of TULP1 protein function is a rare cause of arRP and that the normal protein plays an essential role in the physiology of the retina.
Animals↗
Oral pessimism and depressive symptoms: a comparison with other correlates of depression.
The need to examine alternative explanations for findings in psychoanalytic theory is often suggested but rarely practised. The aim of the present study was to examine Lewis' (1993) prediction that oral pessimism is important to the aetiology of depression within the context of social psychological, cognitive and personality explanations of depression. One hundred and sixty Northern Irish university students completed measures of depressive symptoms, oral pessimism and oral optimism, optimism, neuroticism, coping style, attribution style and self-esteem. Results show that oral pessimism, neuroticism and the use of stable attributions are dominant in accounting for variance in a measure of depression and support Lewis' (1993) finding that oral pessimism is important in depressive symptoms.
Adolescent↗
The frightful evolution from tubercle to mass.
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Fear↗
Intergroup bias and self-evaluation: domain-specific self-esteem, threats to identity and dimensional importance.
Recent theoretical statements argue that two predictions about self-esteem and intergroup bias may be derived from social identity theory. The first suggests that in-group bias enhances self-esteem. The second suggests that threats to self-esteem enhance in-group bias. Previous research has provided little firm evidence for either prediction. Much of this work has, however, tended to ignore realistic groups, domain-specific self-esteem, the assessment of self-esteem prior to and following the display of in-group bias and the importance attached to evaluative dimensions. The current investigation sought to redress these issues. In separate experiments, men and women presented with positive and negative feedback, evaluated in-group and out-group success and failure on dimensions important and unimportant to the in-group. Women displayed out-group bias on dimensions unimportant to their in-group (i.e. physical ability) with respect to evaluations of failure. Women subsequently manifested a decrease in physical self-esteem. Men displayed in-group bias on dimensions unimportant to their in-group (i.e. verbal ability) and, following positive feedback, on dimensions important to the in-group (i.e. physical ability). Men subsequently manifested an increase in verbal and physical self-esteem. Global self-esteem was unaffected in each study. These findings suggest that the relative display of bias can affect domain-specific self-esteem. No support was found for the postulate that low or threatened self-esteem can enhance bias on evaluative dimensions important to the in-group.
Ego↗
The Depression-Happiness Scale, a measure of a state or a trait? Test-retest data over two years.
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Adult↗
Heteronymous monosynaptic Ia facilitation from supine to standing and its relationship to the soleus H-reflex.
To measure changes in presynaptic inhibition, 10 subjects (5 male, 5 female) were tested under two conditions: supine and standing. This study utilized the heteronymous facilitation protocol, as described by Hulborn et al. (1987a), to measure presynaptic inhibition of the Ia afferent pathway onto the soleus alpha-motoneuron pool. The magnitude of the facilitation produced by the conditioning stimulus provides an indirect assessment of presynaptic inhibition from supine to standing. Maximal soleus H-reflex (H-max) and motor response (M-max) amplitudes were determined prior to testing at each condition. Subjects received 24 test H-reflex stimuli (approximately 15% M-max), and 24 conditioned stimuli at each body position. Results demonstrated a significant decrease in H-max/M-max ratio from supine (68.7%) to standing (54.8%). This was the result of changes in H-max between the two body positions with no significant changes in M-max. Significant inhibition of the conditioned H-reflex was also demonstrated from supine to standing (30.7% M-max vs 17.5% M-max). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that a strong correlation (r = .85) existed between individual changes in H-max/M-max ratio and the changes in facilitation of the conditioned H-reflex from supine to standing. This relationship helps explain the modulation of the H-reflex during static changes in body position, and it could also provide insight into the reflex modulation associated with more functional activities such as walking or running. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that presynaptic inhibition increases as body position is changed from supine to standing.
Adult↗
Development of a method for monitoring the migration of 111In-labeled eosinophils and neutrophils to the lungs of anaesthetized guinea pigs by gamma scintigraphy and bronchoalveolar lavage.
A method to introduce 111In-labelled neutrophils or eosinophils into the circulation of anaesthetized, ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs and monitor their pulmonary accumulation using gamma scintigraphy has been developed. The method is based on the ability to use 99mTc macroaggregated albumin (MAA) to create a pulmonary perfusion image as a template for the lungs of individual guinea pigs which can be superimposed on to the image produced by the 111In-labelled leukocytes injected into the same animal. Intravenous injection of the labelled leukocytes was shown to produce a high density radioactivity in the heart and lungs with little circulation to the rest of the body. This suggested an immediate 'trapping' of leukocytes in the pulmonary vascular bed. A more effective distribution of 111In-labelled cells was achieved by injecting them into the right carotid artery. This ensured more efficient circulation of the cells and resulted in their appearance in the lungs, liver and spleen. However, it was found that the contralateral carotid artery had to be tied off to prevent the cells only circulating to the superior left quadrant of the animal. Bronchoalveolar lavage of the lungs following i.v. injection of 111In-labelled neutrophils showed no significant difference in radioactivity of lavage fluid between guinea pigs challenged 24 h beforehand with inhaled saline or ovalbumin. In contrast, when labelled eosinophils were injected, there was a significantly greater mean radioactivity level in lavage fluid after ovalbumin challenge than after saline. In conclusion, gamma scintigraphy provides an accurate measure of the amount of activity from 111In-labelled leukocytes in the lung region which is specific for each animal
Animals↗
Convergent validity of the Depression-Happiness Scale with measures of depression.
In recent years, the study of subjective well-being (SWB) has attracted much research interest. One recent operational definition of SWB is the McGreal and Joseph (1993) Depression-Happiness Scale. The aim of the present research was to investigate the convergent validity of the Depression-Happiness Scale with several other well established measures of depressive symptomatology. Subjects were 194 undergraduate students attending the University of Ulster. Lower scores on the Depression-Happiness Scale, indicating a higher frequency of negative thoughts and feelings and a lower frequency of positive thoughts and feelings, were associated with higher scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, the Self-Rating Depression Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. These data provide further evidence for the convergent validity of the Depression-Happiness Scale.
Adolescent↗
Examining the specificity of the orality-depression link: anal personality traits and depressive symptoms.
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Adult↗
Properties of spontaneous inhibitory synaptic currents in cultured rat spinal cord and medullary neurons.
1. To identify the type(s) and properties of inhibitory postsynaptic receptor(s) involved in synaptic transmission in cultured rat embryonic spinal cord and medullary neurons, we have used whole cell patch-clamp techniques to record miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in the presence of tetrodotoxin, DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. 2. The mIPSCs recorded from both spinal cord and medullary neurons had skewed amplitude distributions. 3. The glycinergic antagonist strychnine and the GABAergic antagonist bicuculline each decreased both the frequency and mean peak amplitudes of mIPSCs. We conclude that both glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are neurotransmitters at inhibitory synapses in our cultured cells. 4. Most (approximately 96-97%) mIPSCs decay with single-exponential time constants, and decay time distributions were consistently best fitted by the sum of four Gaussians with decay constants as follows: D1 = 5.8 +/- 0.1 (SE) ms (n = 63), D2 = 12.2 +/- 0.2 ms (n = 61), D3 = 23.2 +/- 0.4 ms (n = 54), and D4 = 44.7 +/- 1.0 ms (n = 57). We conclude that the four classes of decay times represent kinetically different inhibitory postsynaptic receptor populations. 5. Strychnine and bicuculline usually had one of two different effects on the mIPSC decay time constant distributions; either selective decreases in the frequency of mIPSCs with decay times in certain classes (i.e., the D1 class was reduced by bicuculline, the D2 class by strychnine, and the D3 and D4 classes by both antagonists) or a nonselective depression in the frequency of mIPSCs with decay times in all four classes. The particular effect observed in a given neuron was correlated with the presence or absence of ATP and guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) in the patch pipette. Namely, in 71% of the antagonist applications where the pipette contained ATP and GTP, the result was a nonselective decrease in mIPSCs in all decay time constant classes. Conversely, in 54% of the antagonist applications in their absence, the result was a selective decrease in the frequency of mIPSCs in specific decay time constant classes. 6. In some experiments, mIPSCs reappeared in antagonist solution after an essentially complete block. Recovery from block in the continued presence of antagonist was never observed in the absence of ATP and GTP (8 neurons), and, at the same time, 5 of 9 neurons patched with ATP and GTP in the pipette did show recovery (56%).
2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗