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Biomedical subjects

C Mok

Publications and source records attributed to C Mok.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Adjunctive osteopathic manipulative treatment in women with depression: a pilot study.

The authors assessed the impact of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) as an adjunct to standard psychiatric treatment of women with depression. Premenopausal women with newly diagnosed depression were randomly assigned to either control (osteopathic structural examination only; n = 9) or treatment group (OMT; n = 8). Both groups received conventional therapy consisting of the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil) hydrochloride plus weekly psychotherapy for 8 weeks. Attending psychiatrists and psychologists were blinded to group assignments. No significant differences existed between groups for age or severity of disease. After 8 weeks, 100% of the OMT treatment group and 33% of the control group tested normal by psychometric evaluation. No significant differences or trends were observed between groups in levels of cytokine production (IL-1, IL-10, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6) or in levels of anti-HSV-1, anti-HSV-2, and anti-EBV antibody. There was no pattern to the osteopathic manipulative structural dysfunctions recorded. The findings of this pilot study indicate that OMT may be a useful adjunctive treatment for alleviating depression in women.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of a galactosyltransferase in purified bovine rod outer segments.

Purified bovine rod outer segments (ROS) were used to study the transfer of labeled galactose from UDP-[3H]galactose to endogenous ROS glycoproteins, exogenous glycoproteins and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). The ROS reaction was also compared with that of the retinal microsomal fraction and milk galactosyltransferase. The results indicate that the ROS reaction was enhanced by exposure to light. Illumination, however, had no effect on the transfer of labeled galactose to either endogenous microsomal glycoproteins by retinal microsomal galactosyltransferase or the transfer of the sugar to ROS glycoproteins by milk galactosyltransferase. Manganese was most effective, followed by cobalt, as cofactor for the ROS enzyme. Calcium and magnesium produced about 60% of the activity observed with manganese. The ROS enzyme transferred minimal amounts of labeled galactose to asialo-agalactotransferrin or ovalbumin but readily transferred the sugar to GlcNAc. The latter reaction had an optimum pH of 6.3 and was linear for at least 90 min. It reached a maximum at about 30 mM GlcNAc and was inhibited by higher concentrations of the aminosugar and by low concentrations of alpha-lactalbumin. On the other hand, the transfer of galactose to ROS glycoproteins was not affected by low concentrations of alpha-lactalbumin. Our data suggest that the ROS galactosyltransferase may have a certain specificity towards its acceptor in the ROS. Its activation by light may indicate a role in the light-activated processes of the photoreceptor cell.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMed1987

Effect of light on the transfer of sugars from sugar nucleotides to rod outer segment membranes of control and dystrophic rats.

The transfer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), D-mannose (Man), D-galactose (Gal) and L-fucose (Fuc) from their nucleotide complexes to isolated rod outer segment (ROS) membranes obtained from dark-adapted 21 +/- 2 days old dystrophic (RCS) and control (RCS-rdy+) rat retinas, was studied under light or dark conditions of incubation. It was found that all of these sugars were transferred to ROS membranes in the dark. Under these conditions there was significantly less (p less than 0.001) Gal transferred to dystrophic than to control membranes. Exposure to light affected the transfer of Gal and Fuc only. Thus, the transfer of Gal and Fuc to control ROS membranes was increased by about 50% compared to the level observed under dark conditions of incubation. On the other hand, exposure to light had no effect on the transfer of Gal to dystrophic ROS membranes but it enhanced the transfer of Fuc to these membranes by about 250% above the level observed in the dark. Under light there were highly significant (p less than 0.001) differences between control and dystrophic membranes in the transfer of Gal and Fuc. The transfer of Fuc to dystrophic ROS membranes was proportional to the concentration of GDP-Fuc but the acceptors on control membranes were saturated at low concentrations of substrate. However, the transfer of Gal from UDP-Gal to both types of membranes was proportional to the concentrations of substrate and ROS membrane protein and to the period of incubation. The transfer of Gal and Fuc to both types of membranes was significantly reduced after denaturation of ROS membrane proteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Effect of a bovine hypothalamic extract on glucose utilization by rat adipocytes.

This study was undertaken to assess whether a hypothalamic extract has any direct metabolic action on adipose and muscle tissues. An acid bovine hypothalamic extract (HE) was tested for its effect on the utilization of D[U-14C]glucose by isolated rat adipocytes and rat hemidiaphragms. The HE was ineffective in stimulating the conversion of labeled glucose into CO2 and glycogen by rat hemidiaphragm. However, in isolated adipocytes, the HE had significant lipogenic activity. This lipogenic effect was independent of insulin and nonsuppressible by insulin antibodies. The dose-response curve was linear and saturable. That insulin and the HE were not additive at maximal concentrations suggests that they act through a common rate-limiting step, possibly a receptor site. Other hypothalamic substances tested (thyrotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, and substance P) showed no lipogenic activity. Somatostatin (6 microgram/ml) was an insulin potentiator but only when preincubated with the fat cells. It is concluded that the hypothalamic regulation of body weight may be mediated by a neurohumoral mechanism affecting adipose tissue stores.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1976

Neuroendocrine control of insulin secretion.

The effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, substance P, somatostatin, and a partially purified hypothalamic extract on insulin secretion were tested both in vitro and in vivo. Only somatostatin and the hypothalamic extract affected insulin secretion. In vitro, somatostatin decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by isolated islets and in vivo significantly reduced the rate of insulin output into the portal vein. The hypothalamic extract significantly stimulated insulin secretion in both systems. These effects in vivo were independent of glucose concentration. Islets preincubated for four hours responded better in vitro to the hypothalamic extract stimulation and the somatostatin inhibition.

Animals↗