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Biomedical subjects

J E Morris

Publications and source records attributed to J E Morris.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Construct validity of the marital communication inventory.

The Marital Communication Inventory (MCI) is an extremely popular self-report measure of marital communication that has been used in over 65 dissertations and empirical articles since 1970, including several recent clinical reports that used the MCI as a principal outcome measure. However, contrary to its treatment in the clinical literature as a unidimensional, valid measure of treatment outcome, the MCI appears to be a multidimensional instrument, whose primary dimension may not be a specific style or method of communication. Using a canonical correlation analysis of data from over 200 midwestern wives, we compared MCI subscales with subscales from an abbreviated version of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (RI). Results supported the hypothesis that the primary dimension of the MCI is more closely associated with positive regard than with the more specific communication dimensions of either empathy or congruence as measured by the RI. Future clinical research in the improvement of marital communication should use the MCI in a much more careful way in order to provide the most valid outcome data.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Mouse embryos and uterine epithelia show adhesive interactions in culture.

To investigate the cellular mechanisms in preimplantation adhesion of the mammalian blastocyst to uterine epithelium, it is essential to avoid the complexities of the maternal environment but at the same time prevent the introduction of competing artificial surfaces, to which embryos preferentially adhere. We demonstrate here that sealed vesicles of isolated uterine epithelium cultured together with blastocysts in hanging drops provide an optimum system for encouraging and observing the adhesive interactions. The responses of the embryonic and maternal cells were identical to those known in vivo. Microvilli were seen on both surfaces, and in places the membranes were drawn into close apposition with some desmosomelike junctions. After blastocyst adhesion occurred trophoblast cells invaded the epithelium and showed phagocytic activity, closely resembling the invasion that follows adhesion during normal pregnancy in mice. Key words blastocyst, cell adhesion, implantation, microvilli, phagocytosis, trophoblast.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Combined use of neostigmine and ocular motility measurements in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

Forty-four patients with diplopia caused by myasthenia gravis, ocular myopathies, and ocular motor nerve palsies underwent complete orthoptic evaluations before and after intramuscular injection of neostigmine (Prostigmin) methylsulfate. A test score combining the results of binocular and uniocular measurements was developed that allowed correct correct classification of 70% (31) of patients studied.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1982

Effects of 60 Hz-electric fields on specific humoral and cellular components of the immune system.

We evaluated humoral and cellular functions of the immune system of Swiss-Webster mice exposed to 60-Hz electric fields at 100 kV/m. No significant differences were observed in primary antibody response to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (precipitating antibody levels) between exposed (30 to 60 days) and control mice, nor were there significant changes in mitogen-stimulation response of spleen cells from mice similarly exposed for 90 or 150 days when compared to sham-exposed animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

A simple automated colorimetric method for determination of N-acetyl- beta-D-glucosaminidase.

An automated method for the determination of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase in serum or plasma using p-nitrophenol (pNP) N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamine as substrate and a Pye Unicam AURA system is described. Normal samples had activities of 853 +/- 146 (SD) nmol pNP liberated/ml/h, with intra-assay coefficient of variation 1.2% and inter-assay coefficient of variation 1.6%. Inhibition of enzyme activity by heparin in plasma samples can be reversed by the addition of calcium chloride to the buffer.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1982

Immunological parameters in the aged and in Alzheimer's disease.

Peripheral blood from patients with Alzheimer's disease, elderly normal subjects and young (normal subjects) was examined with respect to leucocyte phenotypes and proliferative responses to lectins. Whole blood cell analysis showed that the neutrophil count was similar in all three groups. However, the lymphocyte count was depressed in the Alzheimer group. The monocyte count was reduced in the healthy aged and further reduced in the Alzheimer group. Analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed no change in the proportion of E+ cells, total T determined with the monoclonal antibody UCHT1 (similar to OKT3) and the T cell subsets: active E and T dot (discrete esterase staining). However, the proportion of T cells bearing the antigen detected by UCHT3 monoclonal antibody (similar to Leu 1 and OKT1) was reduced in the healthy aged and further reduced in the Alzheimer group. Proliferative responses to PHA, Con A, PA, and PWM were similarly depressed in both the aged and Alzheimer groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Comparison of proteoglycans extracted by saline and guanidinium chloride from cultured chick retinas.

To compare the loosely associated sulfated proteoglycans with those tightly bound to membranes, retinas from 14-day chick embryos were subjected to progressively disruptive techniques. The most easily removed proteoglycans were isolated from the medium in which the tissue was labeled with [35S]sulfate. On the average, 25% of the glycosaminoglycans were in the labeling medium, 39% were in proteoglycans extracted from the tissue in the balanced salt solution, 32% were in a 4 M-guanidinium chloride (GuCl) fraction, and 4% remained unextracted. These glycosaminoglycans contained, respectively, 28, 28, 40, and 4% of the incorporated [35S]sulfate. On the basis of electrophoretic mobility and TLC of chondroitinase digests, the ratio of 35S in chondroitin sulfate to that in heparan sulfate was 4-7 times higher in the medium and balanced salt extracts than in the GuCl extracts. In both extracts there was more 35S in chondroitin-6-sulfate than in chondroitin-4-sulfate. Dialysis of the extracts against 0.5 M-NaCl resulted in the precipitation of about 12% of the glycosaminoglycans in the saline extracts and about 40% in GuCl extract. These subfractions, which were relatively enriched in heparan sulfate, were largely soluble in dithiothreitol in 8 M-urea (DTT). Similarities between the proteoglycans in the medium and those extracted by balanced salt solutions suggest that the saline-extracted proteoglycans were for the most part loosely associated with cell surfaces of extracellular matrices, whereas the GuCl-extracted proteoglycans probably were bound to membranes.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Storage and transport of cultures for Herpes simplex virus, type 2.

Tryptic soy broth and brain-heart infusion broth maintained herpes simplex virus within +/- 1 serial dilution of the original titer in all of 51 samples held for one to three days at 4 C. In contrast, holding temperatures of -20 C or 22 C resulted in losses of titer of 10(2) or more. Holding periods as long as five days prior to inoculation did not delay the appearance of the cytopathic effect following inoculation. Unmodified tryptic soy broth or brain-heart infusion broth and holding periods as long as three days at 4 C prior to arrival in the laboratory give as satisfactory results as do traditional viral culture media and prompt inoculation of the specimen.

Cold Temperature↗
PubMed1979

Carbon dioxide and vitamin D effects on calcium metabolism in nuclear submariners: a review.

Studies in nuclear submariners show that calcium excretion falls rapidly to 50% of pre-patrol levels during long patrols and remains low for many weeks after return to fresh air. This has previously been attributed to a specific effect of continuous exposure to the inevitably raised ambient CO2 levels, but other environmental factors cannot be ignored, in particular isolation from sunlight, which leads to reduced skin synthesis of vitamin D. The role of vitamin D is examined with reference to measured mean circulating blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D at the beginning and end of a submarine patrol and in human exposure chamber investigations. It is concluded that although CO2 exposure has specific effects on calcium metabolism, causing a considerable reduction in urinary calcium excretion, a state of hypovitaminosis C occurs in long submarine patrols that has effects outweighing those of CO2 toward the end of patrols and afterward. The significance of this effect to submariners' health is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Interactions between chondroitin sulfate and concanavalin A.

Chondroitin sulfate, the major extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycan, formed an insoluble complex with concanavalin A at pH 5.4 or below. Concanavalin A (500 microgram/ml) reacted only within a relatively narrow concentration range of chondroitin sulfate (optimally between 5 and 50 microgram/ml) at pH 5.4 in 0.05 M buffer. Similar precipitin-like interactions were seen between concanavalin A and hyaluronic acid or heparin. No precipitating complexes formed between concanavalin A and the glycosaminoglycans at these concentrations in physiological salt solutions (approx. 0.15 M) unless the pH was below 4.5. Precipitating self-aggregates of concanavalin A appeared to be promoted by chondroitin sulfate at pH 7.3, but no significant precipitation occurred between the reactants at this pH even at very high concentrations, nor did soluble complexes form as determined by affinity chromatography on Sephadex G-200 or fractionation on Bio-Gel P-200. Thus, binding between the lectin and glycosaminoglycans appeared to depend upon reversible non-specific electrostatic interactions observed only at low Ph and low ionic strength. Stable interactions were not seen in experiments using physiologically balanced salts at near neutral pH.

Chondroitin↗
PubMed1978

The influence of refined carbohydrate on urinary calcium excretion.

In the course of study of the influence of varying the amount of refined carbohydrate (sugar and sugar products) in an otherwise standardised diet in 18 normal subjects it was evident that the analysis of 24-h urine collections failed to show the profound diurnal variation in urinary electrolyte excretion and, in particular in this instance, calcium excretion. The analysis of individually voided specimens showed some normal subjects to have spontaneously high peaks of urinary calcium concentration throughout the day even whilst on a diet with low refined carbohydrate content. Increase in the refined carbohydrate content of the otherwise standardised diet caused significant increase in the number of urines with a calcium concentration above 9 mmol/1. Refined carbohydrate, a common cinstituent in Western diets, can therefore influence urinary electrolyte excretion in such a way that there may be an increased risk of over-saturation with calcium oxalate.

Adolescent↗