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K Boone

Publications and source records attributed to K Boone.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Antipeptide antibodies reveal structural and functional characteristics of rat placental lactogen-II.

The purpose of this investigation was to develop specific immunologic probes to rat placental lactogen-II (PL-II) and to use the immunologic probes to further characterize rat PL-II. Five oligopeptides corresponding to different regions of rat PL-II (amino acids 1-13, 56-70, 89-103, 107-118, 150-164) were chemically synthesized by solid phase methods and purified to homogeneity by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The synthetic peptides were coupled to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and the peptide-KLH conjugates were used to immunize rabbits. Antibody production was monitored by enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA), electrophoresis and immunoblotting analyses. Each of the antipeptide antisera showed reactivity with the entire rat PL-II protein; however, the extent of the reactivities of each antiserum with rat PL-II was dependent on the conformational state of rat PL-H. Antisera directed to amino acids 56-70 showed the best reactivity toward each of the conformational states of rat PL-II tested. Antibodies generated to the entire rat PL-II protein specifically recognized the 56-70 amino acid sequence but showed limited reactivity with synthetic peptide corresponding to amino acids 1-13, 89-103, 107-118, and 150-164 of rat PL-II. Antisera to amino acids 56-70 of rat PL-II were specific for PLs as demonstrated by their recognition of rat PL-II, mouse PL-II and human PL and by their lack of reactivity with rat pituitary prolactin and growth hormone and with a series of other synthetic peptides to rat PL-II and rat prolactin-like protein-A. The immunorecognition of human PL was restricted to antipeptide antibodies directed to amino acids 56-70 of rat PL-II. The chemically synthesized peptides representing various regions of rat PL-II did not show significant interactions with prolactin receptors, and antisera directed to the peptides failed to interfere with the binding of either rat PL-II or human PL to prolactin receptors. In summary, we have generated a series of immunologic probes for studying the structure of rat PL-II. The sequence comprising amino acids 56-70 of rat PL-II was shown to make up at least part of an epitope for rat PL-II and to be a region of significant structural homology with mouse PL-II and human PL.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Brain white-matter lesions and psychosis.

In a prospective study of late-life onset psychosis, five of the first 27 patients studied had extensive white-matter lesions demonstrated by MRI and/or CT. None of 60 age-matched psychiatrically healthy controls demonstrated such lesions. All five patients had a mild dementia and a frontal behavioural syndrome. In addition, every patient performed poorly on neuropsychological tests of frontal function. Dysfunction of the frontal cortex associated with white-matter lesions appears to contribute to the clinical picture of some cases of late-life psychosis.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Building materials used in construction can affect indoor fungal levels greatly.

This article summarizes the results of a fungal investigation of a new, seven-story, 170-room hotel. The owners of the building were refused an occupancy permit by local building officials because of concerns about fungal contamination. This article discusses the processes that were used to investigate and abate the fungal concerns in this building. This investigation involved comparing fungal infestation levels in various building materials, including two different types of gypsum wallboard. During initial testing the indoor air concentrations of problematic fungi were up to 50 times higher than outdoor levels. After the removal of the fungal-infested materials and the replacement with more acceptable materials, the indoor air concentration of problematic fungi dropped to less than one-fourth of outdoor levels.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

First symptoms--frontotemporal dementia versus Alzheimer's disease.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that the first symptoms associated with FTD would be different from those seen in AD and that the first symptoms in FTD would reflect loss of function in the frontal region with the greatest degree of degeneration. The objective of the study was to compare the earliest symptoms in patients with FTD and AD, and to delineate the symptoms that were associated with right, left or bilateral frontotemporal degeneration in FTD. The first symptoms in 52 FTD and 101 AD patients were determined in retrospect. Based on functional imaging studies, the FTD patients were divided into those with predominantly bilateral (n = 15), left-sided (n = 19) and right-sided (n = 18) patterns of atrophy. The results showed that disinhibition, social awkwardness, passivity and loss of executive function were more common in FTD, while memory loss was more common in AD. Disinhibition was greatest in the asymmetric right-sided group, language dysfunction was commonest in the asymmetric left-sided group and loss of executive function was most frequent in the bilateral group. In summary, different first symptoms appeared in FTD and AD, which may help distinguish between the diseases. The anatomic site for FTD largely determined the kind of first symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Progressive right frontotemporal degeneration: clinical, neuropsychological and SPECT characteristics.

The behavioral, neuropsychological and single photon emission computerized tomography characteristics of 5 patients with progressive degeneration of the right hemisphere are described. In all, the brain regions with greatest involvement were right-frontal and temporal. Psychosis, compulsions and behavioral disinhibition were the dominant, and often first, symptoms. Affect was flattened and the patients seemed distant and remote. Neuropsychological testing did not reveal a consistent pattern that helped localize the abnormality to the right frontotemporal region. These patients contrast dramatically to those with left frontotemporal degeneration in whom behavior and psychiatric status is often normal. This study suggests that the right hemisphere may be primary for the control of social conduct.

Aged↗