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Biomedical subjects

C Beck

Publications and source records attributed to C Beck.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Confirmation of linkage of benign familial neonatal convulsions to D20S19 and D20S20.

Benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC) is an idiopathic form of epilepsy beginning within the first six months of life. Its genetic origin and autosomal dominant mode of inheritance have been suspected since its first description. Recently, the BFNC gene has been localised within chromosome 20q in one large pedigree. For the first time, we confirm here (with D20S19 and D20S20) the close linkage of BFNC to chromosome 20q in six French pedigrees. In addition, the existence in these families of several cases of febrile convulsions (FC), another epileptic syndrome with an autosomal dominant genetic component, led us to study the possibility of a genetic background identical to BFNC. Our results suggest the existence of different susceptibility genes for BFNC and FC.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed1992

Disruptive behaviors of a cognitively impaired nursing home resident.

The descriptive case study of a 71-year-old man with Primary Degenerative Alzheimer's Dementia identifies and describes specific disruptive behaviors exhibited by a demented, disruptive nursing home resident and the biopsychosocial characteristics of these behaviors. The Disruptive Behavior Scale (Beck, Baldwin, Heithoff, & Cuffel, 1990) measured disruptive behaviors. Data collected included chart review, interviews, testing, and observation. The majority of observed disruptive behaviors fell under four categories: (1) walks aimlessly, (2) makes repetitive noises, (3) uses obscene/profane language, and (4) makes repetitive movements. Staff members and chart notes reported the same categories, except for "makes repetitive noises." All aggressive behavior toward the staff occurred during assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs).

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1992

[Laryngeal cancer following gunshot injury and paraffin injection].

Subcutaneous and submucosal injections of paraffin were a wide-spread technique in plastic and reconstructive surgery during the early decades of this century. Intralaryngeal injections were applied to patients suffering from paralysis of one vocal cord or a defect resulting from perforating trauma, intending improvement of the voice. This method was widely abandoned within the fifties when severe complications like foreign-body granuloma and carcinoma developed in patients undergoing paraffin injections. The development of cancer after a trauma is a common question in expert reports. We report the case of a patient who developed carcinoma of the vocal cord 49 years after perforation of the larynx by a shot with consecutive injection of paraffin. The relationship between trauma, injections of paraffin and cancer is discussed and consequences on diagnostics and treatment of risk patients are outlined.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

HLA class II genes in Graves' disease.

Inheritance of Graves' disease has been linked to the HA-DR3 gene product which may function in some specific way in antigen presentation. To determine whether the first extracellular domain of this protein, which is specifically involved in antigen presentation, has the same sequence in patients with Graves' disease and in normal individuals, we have amplified the second exon using the polymerase chain reaction, and then cloned and sequenced the DNA segment. In eight subjects with Graves' disease, sequences identical to prototypic reported sequence for DRB1*0301 were recovered, and in two individuals sequences varied by a few nucleotides, leading to 1-3 amino acid substitutions which did not occur in a pattern. Sequences identical to the prototypic sequence known as DRB3*0101, also previously known as DRw52, were also recovered. Thus the HLA-DRB1 and B3 genes present in patients with autoimmune disease appear to be the same as those present in the general population. These observations indicate that a unique allele is not present in patients with autoimmune disease, but rather that the normal DR3 allele itself, in a manner yet to be described, increases the probability of developing autoimmune thyroid disease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Correlates of disruptive behavior in cognitively impaired elderly nursing home residents.

Disruptive behavior, resulting in negative consequences for both residents and caregivers, occurs in a large proportion of the nursing home population. This review of literature surveys studies that describe disruptive behavior and the correlates of this behavior in the cognitively impaired elderly. In the studies reviewed, the average prevalence of reported disruptive behavior among a total of 5,650 subjects was 42.8%. Correlates most frequently linked with disruptive behavior include cognitive status, functional ability, age, and premorbid personality. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Urinary incontinence volume patterns in elderly inpatient men.

Urinary incontinence is a costly and debilitating disease of the aged. Although the most common clinical finding is detrusor hyperreflexia on filling cystometry, the role of this urodynamic abnormality in the etiology of incontinence is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate elderly patients who have cystometric detrusor hyperreflexia and to determine the incontinence volume characteristics of these patients during regular daily activities. Ten patients with detrusor hyperreflexia during filling cystometry and an incontinence volume level above 1 L per day were evaluated according to the volume of urine loss per incontinence episode during a ten-day measurement period. All patients studied were found to have an irregular urinary incontinence volume distribution with a wide range of involuntary urine loss per incontinence episode. An irregular pattern of incontinence volume was found in each patient which suggests that detrusor hyperreflexia is manifest as an irregular involuntary loss of urine during daily activities of elderly inpatients. This unstable bladder activity relative to the volume of urine loss appears to be an important factor in the pathophysiology of urinary incontinence in aged inpatients.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

[Radical versus modified neck dissection. Cancer-related and functional viewpoints].

In a retrospective study 256 cases with curative or prophylactic neck dissection were evaluated with regard to neck recurrence and survival. In 173 cases the spinal accessory nerve had been preserved, in the remaining 86 cases it had been sacrificed. The results demonstrate that preservation of the accessory nerve has no influence on the regional recurrence rate and on survival if preservation of the nerve is possible without compromising the radicality of the neck dissection and if the patient is subjected to post-operative radiation.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1991

Foot protein isoforms are expressed at different times during embryonic chick skeletal muscle development.

We have investigated the time course of expression of the alpha and beta triad junctional foot proteins in embryonic chick pectoral muscle. The level of [3H]ryanodine binding in muscle homogenates is low until day E20 of embryonic development, then increases dramatically at the time of hatching reaching adult levels by day N7 posthatch. The alpha and beta foot protein isoforms increase in abundance concomitantly with [3H]ryanodine binding. Using foot protein isoform-specific antibodies, the alpha foot protein is detected in a majority of fibers in day E10 muscle, while the beta isoform is first observed at low levels in a few fibers in day E15 muscle. A high molecular weight polypeptide, distinct from the alpha and beta proteins, is recognized by antifoot protein antibodies. This polypeptide is observed in day E8 muscle and declines in abundance with continued development. It appears to exist as a monomer and does not bind [3H]ryanodine. In contrast, the alpha isoform present in day E10 muscle and the beta isoform in day E20 muscle are oligomeric and bind [3H]ryanodine suggesting that they may exist as functional calcium channels in differentiating muscle. Comparison of the intracellular distributions of the alpha foot protein, f-actin, the heavy chain of myosin and titin in day E10 muscle indicates that the alpha foot protein is expressed during myofibril assembly and Z line formation. The differential expression of the foot protein isoforms in developing muscle, and their continued expression in mature muscle, is consistent with these proteins making different functional contributions. In addition, the expression of the alpha isoform during the time of organization of a differentiated muscle morphology suggests that foot proteins may participate in events involved in muscle differentiation.

Actins↗
PubMed1991

Cardiovascular excitatory effects of adenosine in the nucleus of the solitary tract.

Adenosine is an inhibitory neuromodulator in several brain regions. In the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), however, adenosine exerts excitatory cardiovascular effects. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the involvement of other endogenous mechanisms that could contribute to the final hemodynamic response to adenosine in this nucleus. In normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats, intra-NTS microinjection of adenosine (2.3 nmol/60 nl) decreased blood pressure and heart rate. These effects were blocked by prior administration of the specific adenosine receptor antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-p-sulfophenylxanthine (0.92 nmol) and by the two glutamate receptor antagonists kynurenic acid and glutamic diethylester. The specificity of the adenosine-glutamate interaction in the NTS was demonstrated with adrenergic and angiotensin receptor antagonists that did not affect the adenosine response and by experiments with glutamate receptor antagonists that did not affect nicotine actions in the NTS. Furthermore, an increase in glutamate levels was demonstrated during perfusion of adenosine through a microdialysis probe in the NTS of anesthetized rabbits. These findings indicate that adenosine increases the release of glutamate in the NTS and, thus, are at variance with the concept of a "universal" inhibitory effect of adenosine in the central nervous system.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1991

Caring for the cognitively impaired. Reconceptualizing disability and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitative interventions must be based on remaining cognitive and physical abilities while recognizing the presence of disabilities. Rehabilitation goals should be to provide the least restrictive environment using the least restrictive intervention, thus promoting independence. The use of behavioral strategies that support remaining abilities and compensate for cognitive deficits is recommended as a rehabilitative approach. The behavioral approach requires an assessment of the ADL steps, the range of activities a person is able to complete, and the kinds of caregiver assistance needed.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

Dressing for success. Promoting independence among cognitively impaired elderly.

In demented persons, activities of daily living skills may deteriorate more quickly than their cognitive decline warrants because caregivers do not allow them to perform ADLs to the full extent of their abilities. Caregiver actions that promote independent behaviors were used with subjects in home and nursing home settings. Four of five home subjects showed decreased caregiver assistance and increased ability to dress more independently. Although nursing home subjects did not show a decrease in caregiver assistance, observation showed that some nursing home caregivers did incorporate behavioral strategies, suggesting potential clinical efficacy of the strategies.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Urinary incontinence volume measurement in elderly male inpatients.

Urinary incontinence is a debilitating disease in the elderly and is a leading cause of nursing home placement for aged patients in our society. Accurate measurement of urinary incontinence in elderly inpatients is necessary to determine the severity of the disease and to evaluate the efficacy of any treatment methods being investigated. The technique required for evaluation of elderly chronic care inpatients is different from methods that can be used in patients who do not have the ambulatory and cortical impairment that is common among chronic care inpatients. Since chronic care nursing staff involvement is necessary for accurate measurement and recording of incontinence episodes, a procedure for measurement must be well defined and clearly outlined in a sequence that can be followed easily. This study provides a method of incontinence volume assessment for elderly inpatients that can be performed by inpatient nursing staff to provide accurate incontinence volume measurements. Quantitative urinary incontinence volume measurements were done over ten days in 42 elderly men. Urinary incontinence presented as a significant problem in these patients over a wide range of both frequency and volume of urinary incontinence episodes. The volume measurement technique described allowed the nursing staff to identify, measure, and record incontinence severity over a wide range of frequency and volume while monitoring multiple patients simultaneously.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

The influence of portocaval shunting on inner ear structures.

In rats with a portocaval shunt the cells of the inner ear were examined in an ultrastructural study. In 15 rats a porto-caval shunt (PCS) was constructed. Control rats underwent identical procedures but no anastomosis was produced (SOP). The control rats were pair-feeded. PCS rats developed an increased urinary zinc excretion associated with weight loss, alopecia, lethargy and atrophy of the testes. The serum zinc concentration in PCS rats was significantly reduced. In the inner ear we found ultrastructurally an increasing number of lysosomes and a severe damage of the myelin sheath of the granular ganglion cells. The myelin sheath was split and filled with great myelin figures. In the outer hair cells resulted in an increasing number of lysosomes. In the stria vascularis and in Reissner's membrane a vacuolization of the tissue appeared. The results of this study show that rats with a porto-caval anastomosis serve as a pathophysiological model of zinc impoverishment like porto-caval shunting in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Quantitative analysis of MDR1 (multidrug resistance) gene expression in human tumors by polymerase chain reaction.

The resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs is a major obstacle to successful cancer chemotherapy. In human cells, expression of the MDR1 gene, encoding a transmembrane efflux pump (P-glycoprotein), leads to decreased intracellular accumulation and resistance to a variety of lipophilic drugs (multidrug resistance; MDR). The levels of MDR in cell lines selected in vitro have been shown to correlate with the steady-state levels of MDR1 mRNA and P-glycoprotein. In cells with a severalfold increase in cellular drug resistance, MDR1 expression levels are close to the limits of detection by conventional assays. MDR1 expression has been frequently observed in human tumors after chemotherapy and in some but not all types of clinically refractory tumors untreated with chemotherapeutic drugs. We have devised a highly sensitive, specific, and quantitative protocol for measuring the levels of MDR1 mRNA in clinical samples, based on the polymerase chain reaction. We have used this assay to measure MDR1 gene expression in MDR cell lines and greater than 300 normal tissues, tumor-derived cell lines, and clinical specimens of untreated tumors of the types in which MDR1 expression was rarely observed by standard assays. Low levels of MDR1 expression were found by polymerase chain reaction in most solid tumors and leukemias tested. The frequency of samples without detectable MDR1 expression varied among different types of tumors; MDR1-negative samples were most common among tumor types known to be relatively responsive to chemotherapy.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed1990

Caregivers' perception of aggressive behavior in cognitively impaired nursing home residents.

Aggressive behaviors of nursing home residents represent a significant problem for caregivers and families. A guided interview format was used to collect data from 21 nurses and 20 nursing assistants in order to gather information on the characteristics of aggressive behavior and how it is managed in cognitively impaired nursing home residents. Sixty-eight percent of the caregivers stated the residents were physically aggressive, while 95% cited verbal aggression. Aggression occurred most commonly in the mornings while the caregiver was dressing the resident. Inadequate staffing and new staff were both seen as problems by the caregivers. Talking soothingly and assuring the resident were techniques initially used to comfort the residents. Reasoning with the resident was the most common follow-up procedure used by the caregivers.

Aggression↗
PubMed1990

Serial incontinence assessment in elderly inpatient men.

Urinary incontinence is a major problem for elderly chronic care patients. As a consequence, a high level of nursing care is required for patient management. Because incontinence rehabilitation programs are usually implemented during the day shift, the incidence of incontinence according to time of day has major implications regarding patient management. Although treatment is usually based on severity, assessment of incontinence severity in elderly chronic care inpatients is difficult. In this study, a telemetric incontinence detection system was developed to identify incontinence episodes. An absorbent pad exchange technique was used for incontinence volume measurement. The study group, 66 chronic care inpatient men over 65 years old, were subject to incontinence measurements over 10 days during all nursing shifts using the telemetric incontinence detection system. The results showed a significantly high incidence of incontinence episodes during the evening nursing shift. The volume of involuntary urine loss was significantly higher during the night nursing shift. Thus, the highest level of incontinence severity occurred during the time of day when nursing staff on chronic care units is usually the lowest.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Employment of a dental hygienist in Germany. 2. The cooperation between dentist and dental hygienist in day to day practice].

The comprehensive range of functions in a dental practice with special emphasis on periodontal cure requires cooperation amongst highly qualified personnel. The dental hygienist has a special standing and is responsible for as well as in charge of important treatment stages, as much as the dentist himself. The treatment stages are of greater relevance to long-lasting therapeutic achievements.

Adult↗