PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

K Jacobs

Publications and source records attributed to K Jacobs.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Expression of TTK, a novel human protein kinase, is associated with cell proliferation.

We have isolated the full-length sequence for a unique human kinase, designated TTK. TTK was initially identified by screening of a T cell expression library with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. The kinases most closely related to TTK are the SPK1 serine, threonine and tyrosine kinase, the Pim1, PBS2, and CDC2 serine/threonine kinases, and the TIK kinase which was also identified through screening of an expression library with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. However, the relationships are distant with less than 25% identity. Nevertheless, TTK is highly conserved throughout phylogeny with hybridizing sequences being detected in mammals, fish, and yeast. TTK mRNA is present at relatively high levels in testis and thymus, tissues which contain a large number of proliferating cells, but is not detected in most other benign tissues. Freshly isolated cells from most malignant tumors assessed expressed TTK mRNA. As well, all rapidly proliferating cell lines tested expressed TTK mRNA. Escherichia coli expressing the complete kinase domain of TTK contain markedly elevated levels of phosphoserine and phosphothreonine as well as slightly increased levels of phosphotyrosine. Taken together, these findings suggest that expression of TTK, a previously unidentified member of the family of kinases which can phosphorylate serine, threonine, and tyrosine hydroxyamino acids, is associated with cell proliferation.

Amino Acid Sequence

Estimating femur and tibia length from fragmentary bones: an evaluation of Steele's (1970) method using a prehistoric European sample.

Steele's (1970) regression method for estimating femur and tibia length from fragmentary bones is tested on a sample of complete femora (female N = 26; male N = 33) and tibiae (female N = 16; male N = 22) from a number of European Mesolithic and Neolithic sites. Over half of the regression equations given by Steele for predicting maximum length of the bone from the length(s) of one or more of its constituent segments are shown to produce inaccurate predictions in this test sample. However, a closer evaluation of these results, including calculation of regression equations for the test sample itself, reveals that this inaccuracy does not derive from any inherent flaw in Steele's method. Rather, it is shown that differential distribution of maximum bone length among the various bone segments as defined by Steele may occur due to variation in muscular activity pattern and intensity. This argues for the retention of Steele's basic method, with care being taken to match closely the activity pattern typical of the sample from which regression equations are derived with that of the population to which the equations are to be applied. The equations calculated in this study thus are provided for use where deemed appropriate.

Europe

Statement: occupational therapy services in work practice.

Occupational therapy practitioners focus on the individual's ability to participate in productive occupations throughout their life span. Through prevention, assessment, and intervention strategies, occupational therapy practitioners often collaborate with other members of the health care team and assist persons to optimize their ability to engage in purposeful occupation while facilitating a safe and successful entry into or return to work.

Accidents, Occupational

Integrating the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 into client intervention.

Testimony provided by Kemp (1991) before the Subcommittee on Employment Opportunities of the U.S. House of Representatives provided occupational therapists with an open invitation to become involved with the implementation of the ADA: [The] EEOC's [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's] Office of General Counsel anticipates that a significant portion of the ADA cases will require the use of medical, architectural, ergonomics or vocational specialists. These experts will be called on to provide advice and guidance on general and specific ADA issues and to provide specific advice and testimony in certain cases. (Kemp, 1991 [no page no.]) We need to rally to this opportunity. Occupational therapists' knowledge and understanding of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 is an important component to providing comprehensive services to clients. It is crucial that we as occupational therapists become sophisticated regarding the implications of the ADA and advocate for its implementation for our clients.

Activities of Daily Living

Occupational therapy work-hardening programs: a demographic study.

A survey was conducted of 192 work-hardening and work-adjustment programs to gain an overview of practice patterns. The questionnaire covered program affiliation, services offered, staffing, program scheduling, average length of treatment per client, equipment used, physical settings, program status, number of clients seen each week, and types of functional outcome studies and research. The results demonstrate the tremendous growth of the involvement of occupational therapy in work hardening. This demographic study provides baseline information that can assist in the examination of trends and the development of new programs.

Demography

Assignment of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1 (CMT 1a) gene to 17p11.2-p12.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1a (CMT 1a) is an autosomal dominant peripheral neuropathy linked to the DNA markers D17S58 and D17S71, located in the pericentromeric region of the chromosome 17p arm. We analyzed an extended 5-generation Belgian family, multiply affected with CMT 1a, for linkage with eight chromosome 17 markers. The results indicated that the CMT 1a mutation is localized in the chromosomal region 17p11.2-p12 between the marker D17S71 and the gene for myosin heavy polypeptide 2 of adult skeletal muscle.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

[Determinants of income and expenditure development in the annual reports of the health insurance of the Federal Republic of Germany].

Contribution rates to the German statutory health insurance differ considerably between different sickness funds. While insurance benefits are largely standardized, these differences are widely regarded as a problem for the state's social policy. The health insurance bodies often offer hasty interpretations to justify the differences of contribution rates. These interpretations, however, cannot be checked on the basis of data from the annual reports of the health insurance. In reality, there is a number of determinants of the contribution rate which lie as well inside as outside the sphere of influence of the health insurance bodies. In order to estimate the respective impact of single determinants it is important to differentiate the health expenditures by age and sex of all insured persons (both the contribution paying members and their co-insured dependents). A further disentanglement of health expenditures into prices, quantities and structural components allows to identify the reasons of increases in health costs. This is also a necessary precondition for creating and implementing suitable measures that are directed to control health costs. At the same time, the improved information system of the statutory health insurance would contribute to a better understanding of the performance of the health system in general.

Age Factors

[Behçet's disease: a study of 20 cases].

We observed 20 patients with ocular Behçet's disease. During the episodes of exacerbation the main features were: deep retinal infiltrates and vascular occlusions which were responsible for a sudden decrease in visual acuity. Also, there is posterior uveitis and retinal edema which persists during the whole course of the disease. In the final stages we observed an avascular, atrophic retina. Most patients also presented with a striking maculopathy and very often an atrophic optic disc was associated. On time of diagnosis, most patients were in their third decade, ranging from 19 to 61 years of age. Treatment consisted in administration of topical and systemic steroids. Most patients also required immunosuppressives and immunomodulators (cyclosporine A) in a later stage of the disease.

Adult

Rapid hybridization kinetics of DNA attached to submicron latex particles.

We describe a novel method for attaching any DNA molecule to submicron latex beads and characterize the hybridization kinetic properties of these bead-DNA conjugates. The conjugates hybridize to DNA in solution with rates comparable to homogeneous hybridization reactions, are compatible with common hybridization conditions and are conveniently manipulated. They should thus serve as useful reagents for the fractionation and characterization of DNA and RNA.

Bacteriophage lambda

Marketing occupational therapy.

Marketing is emerging as an important aspect of the delivery of health care services, including occupational therapy. An understanding of marketing and a knowledge of how to apply its principles will permit therapists to keep pace with the changing health care environment. This article introduces terminology, strategies, and applications of marketing.

Advertising

Isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for the 35-kDa pulmonary surfactant-associated protein.

A group of 35,000-dalton sialoglycoproteins is the major non-serum protein component of pulmonary surfactant. Tryptic fragments of these proteins were sequenced, and oligonucleotide probes were synthesized based on the amino acid sequences. A human lung cDNA library was then screened using the oligonucleotide probes, and clones coding for these proteins were identified and characterized. By in vitro transcription-translation experiments we have associated individual clones with particular proteins. The data suggest that co-translational modifications of two primary translation products account for many of the isoforms observed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in the precursors of 35,000-dalton sialoglycoproteins.

Amino Acid Sequence