PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Roth

Publications and source records attributed to M Roth.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Subtyping panic disorder by major depression and avoidance behaviour and the response to active treatment.

In order to establish the clinical validity of currently used ways of subtyping panic disorder the predictive power of associated current avoidance behaviour and (secondary) major depression for the response to active treatment (alprazolam, imipramine) was tested. The analysis was based on the data from the Cross-National-Collaborative-Panic-Study. Limited support for validity evidenced by predicting drug response was found for grading panic disorder by the severity of avoidance behaviour; patients with panic attacks and agoraphobia are more responsive to imipramine (compared with alprazolam) when using the reduction of the total number of panic attacks (or of spontaneous panic attacks) as the outcome criterion; patients without any avoidance behaviour did better with alprazolam (compared with imipramine).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The progression of mild idiopathic dementia in a community population.

Thirty-one subjects aged 75 years and over who were identified as suffering from mild, idiopathic dementia in a large community survey were reviewed at annual intervals for 2 years. Diagnoses and severity ratings were based on defined criteria following a mental state examination, a medical and psychiatric history, detailed cognitive testing, and an interview with relatives or other key informants. Fourteen subjects became more severely demented within 2 years. The initial cognitive test battery failed to reveal any differences between respondents whose dementia advanced and those whose condition remained unchanged, but, in the former group, subjects' symptoms had been present for longer, and a greater proportion had been recognised as demented, or possibly demented, by their general practitioners. We suggest that subjects whose dementia progressed had actually been more severely disabled at the time of identification.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Sequestration of tau by granulovacuolar degeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

Antibodies directed against three regions of tau have been used in a histologic study of granulovacuolar degeneration (GVD) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Granulovascular degeneration complexes, consisting of a dense granule in a less-dense vacuole, were found in hippocampal pyramidal neurons in all patients studied. Anti-tau antibodies directed against the N-and C-termini, and the repeat region of tau, were found to immunolabel the granule of the GVD complex. Intracellular neurofibrillary tangles also were labeled by these antibodies. In particular, MAb6.423, which recognizes tau protein sequestered in paired helical filaments (PHF) in AD, but not the normal tau proteins so far described in human brain, labeled GVD granules. Contrarily, a generic tau marker (MAb7.51), which immunolabels all known isoforms of isolated and expressed tau protein, including PHF-tau, did not label the GVD granule. These findings demonstrate that the entire tau molecule is sequestered within the GVD granule, and that the tau protein found in GVD complexes is antigenically related to that found in PHFs. There is, however, a difference in the way in which the repeat region of tau is incorporated into the two structures, making the MAb7.51 epitope unavailable in the GVD complex. These findings suggest that the formation of GVD complexes in hippocampal pyramidal neurons vulnerable to neurofibrillary degeneration may represent an alternative pathway for dealing with an aberrant molecular complex, which contributes to the formation of GVD granules and neurofibrillary tangles in AD.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Memory complaints and impairment in normal, depressed, and demented elderly persons identified in a community survey.

Normal, depressed, and demented elderly persons who were identified by means of a community survey were asked to assess their memories and to complete a battery of memory tests. Depressed elderly persons reported memory problems more often than normal subjects and reported indecisiveness, impaired concentration, and mental slowing more often than demented subjects. However, memory complaints and memory performance correlated poorly in the normal and depressed groups. Normal and demented elderly persons who reported memory problems achieved higher scores on a series of questions about depression than those who denied memory problems.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Towards the understanding of the function of Rb sphaeroides Y wild type reaction center: gene cloning, protein and detergent structures in the three-dimensional crystals.

We report various experiments aimed at the resolution of the 3-dimensional structure of the photosynthetic reaction center from wild type Y Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The genes encoding the L and M polypeptides have been cloned and sequenced. They bear 2 mutations each when compared to those already sequenced in another Rb sphaeroides strain (2.4.1). In the L gene, these codon changes are silent. In the M gene, one is silent and the other one leads to a Leu-Met substitution at position 140. At the present stage of the refinement of the X-ray data (0.3 nm resolution) the structure of the Y reaction center is shown to be highly similar to that of the Rhodopseudomonas viridis reaction center. The binding of spheroidene on the M side of the Y reaction center is shown to be determined by hydrophobic interactions with neighboring amino acids and by steric factors. Preliminary results concerning the localization of the detergent (beta-octylglucoside) in the unit cell are presented. This method combines low angle neutron scattering at different contrasts in H2O/D2O with X-ray crystallographic data.

Carotenoids↗
PubMed1990

A new type of perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA) in active ulcerative colitis but not in Crohn's disease.

Sera of 64 patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were screened for antibodies against neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA) using an indirect immunofluorescence technique on ethanol-fixed human neutrophil granulocytes. 20 of 34 sera (59%) from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) produced a fine-granular and perinuclear ANCA staining pattern (p-ANCA) clearly different from the typical diffuse and granular cytoplasmic ANCA fluorescence (c-ANCA, synonym ACPA) seen in active Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). The majority of the 20 p-ANCA positive UC patients had a high inflammatory disease activity. Among the 14 p-ANCA negative UC patients nine were without steroids; five of them had active disease, two were inactive and two had previously undergone colectomy. The remaining five patients still had active disease but received steroids for more than 4 weeks. Only 3 of the 30 sera from patients with Crohn's disease (CD) showed positive p-ANCA reactions. To narrow the specificity of the p-ANCA reaction all 64 sera were tested by ELISA for antibodies against anti-proteinase-3 (WG specific) and on HEp-2 cells for antinuclear (ANA) and anticytoplasmic antibodies. Ten p-ANCA positive UC sera were also tested in a myeloperoxidase ELISA. Only one UC serum reacted positively in the proteinase-3-ELISA and another one produced a weakly positive anti-nucleolar ANA fluorescence on HEp-2 cells. None of the tested sera reacted with myeloperoxidase suggesting that the p-ANCA staining pattern of granulocytes is not restricted to anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies as reported in the literature.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Coexisting depression and dementia in a community survey of the elderly.

We report here on the coexistence of dementia and depression in a community population aged 75 years and older. Complete information about mood and cognition was available for 286 cognitively intact subjects selected for assessment because of their low scores on the Mini-Mental State, and for 158 mildly and moderately demented subjects. Severely demented subjects, who were incapable of providing information, were excluded. Five percent (8/158) of demented subjects also fulfilled criteria for major depressive disorder Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (DSM-III) compared with 9% (27/286) of cognitively intact subjects. No substantial differences existed in the symptoms reported by demented depressives and nondemented depressives, but subjects who suffered from both disorders were so markedly apathetic that their depression might easily have been overlooked had specific enquiries not been made. Depression was particularly associated with dementia secondary to multi-infarct and Parkinson's disease. When reviewed one year later, 2 of the 18 surviving depressed, nondemented subjects showed evidence of dementia. Both presented unusual diagnostic difficulties, however, and no evidence emerged that large numbers of elderly people will be misclassified in community surveys that include a mental state examination, cognitive testing, and an informant interview.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

A follow-up study of dementia diagnosed in the community using the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination.

Elderly Cambridge residents diagnosed as demented using the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination (CAMDEX) were reviewed approximately 12 months later. Diagnoses were confirmed in 133 of 137 surviving cases (97%). Subjects said to have minimal dementia (cognitive impairment insufficient to warrant a diagnosis of dementia proper) had a varied outcome. Only 6 out of 29 survivors showed progressive intellectual deterioration and 13 were reclassified as normal. Subjects passed as normal in the first year of the study were reviewed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. We cannot be certain how many were actually dementing, but our findings suggest that only a small number of false negative diagnoses were made in the first year of the study.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

PAF-dependent phosphatidylinositol turnover in platelets: differences between asthmatics and normal individuals.

The effects of nebulized platelet-activating factor (PAF) on the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, and on the platelets present in peripheral blood were investigated in 9 normal individuals and in 6 patients with asthma and 3 individuals with lyso-PAF. The inhalation of PAF caused an acute decrease in specific airway conductance. The circulatory system parameters monitored showed an increase in heart rate while blood pressure decreased in both groups that were studied. The inhalation of PAF led to a significant increase in the differential count of polymorphonuclear leukocytes after 15 min; the count returned to the initial level after 24 h. However, the platelet count remained unchanged. The phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover and in particular the formation of 1,4,5-inositoltrisphosphate (IP3) in platelets were investigated after PAF inhalation. It also mediated an increase in intracellular free calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i, in response to a second challenge with exogenous PAF. The basal levels of IP3 and [Ca2+]i were significantly greater in the platelets of patients with asthma than in those of normal individuals (p less than 0.01). Platelets that had been isolated from normal and asthmatic subjects had a higher concentration of IP3 and [Ca2+]i in the platelets after an in vitro exposure to PAF. After an inhalation challenge with PAF, the platelets of both the normal individuals and the patients with asthma showed a specific refractoriness to the in vitro exposure to PAF. Perhaps, this is an explanation for the PAF-dependent tachyphylaxis that is commonly observed in both normal and asthmatic individuals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Problems reported by relatives in a community study of dementia.

The supporters of 120 demented elderly people completed rating scales of the frequency and severity of the problems they faced, the amount of strain they experienced and their psychological well-being. Problems and strain increased with the degree of dementia. Problems relating to physical dependency, forgetfulness and inertia were relatively common, while disturbed behaviours were relatively uncommon. Physical dependency and disturbed behaviour were less well tolerated than forgetfulness and inertia, but all problem categories were positively associated with measures of strain. Wives reported more problems and strain than husbands, and co-resident children were under greater strain than children who lived independently.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Bleomycin primes monocytes-macrophages for superoxide production.

Bleomycin (BLM) induces lung inflammation and subsequent fibrosis in humans and animal models. We hypothesized that monocytes-macrophages represent target cells for BLM toxicity and participate in the initial stages of pulmonary inflammation. We developed an animal model of early lung lesions using systemic administration of BLM (2 U.100 g-1 body weight over 5 days) (BLM-rats). We observed a significant decrease in body weight and in serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity in BLM-rats as compared to matched controls rats, but no evidence of fibrosis was seen in optic microscopy of the lungs from BLM-rats. In contrast, electron microscopy revealed accumulation of intracapillary polymorphonuclear leucocytes and unusual presence of eosinophils. We then investigated the in vivo effects of BLM on the respiratory burst of monocytes-macrophages. As compared to control rats, production of superoxide (O2-) by alveolar macrophages from BLM-rats was increased upon stimulation with either phorbol myristate acetate (21.04 +/- 2.78 versus 11.45 +/- 2.26 nmol.10(6) cells.20 min-1, p less than 0.05) or opsonized zymosan (9.35 +/- 0.87 versus 7.03 +/- 0.66 nmol.10(6) cells.20 min-1, p less than 0.05). We also found in BLM-rats an increased number of circulating monocytes and an increased production of O2- by these cells. Monocytes-macrophages may represent a target cell in the early events of BLM toxicity in vivo and the increased production of O2- by these cells participates in tissue injury in pulmonary fibrosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Molecular analysis of neurofibrillary degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. An immunohistochemical study.

Antibodies directed against three regions of tau, ubiquitin, and B-amyloid were used in a histologic study of neurofibrillary degeneration in Alzheimer's disease to distinguish two populations of neurofibrillary tangles. Intracellular tangles were immunolabeled exclusively by two antibodies raised against antigens in the fuzzy coat of the paired helical filament (PHF). Extracellular tangles were distinguished by selective immunolabeling with a monoclonal antibody raised against antigens in the PHF core. This was associated with removal of the fuzzy coat and exposure of PHF-core epitopes. In the transition from intracellular to extracellular compartments in vivo, tangles appeared to undergo changes similar to protease digestion in vitro. The transition was associated with the appearance of amyloid immunoreactivity. These findings suggest that tangle degradation occurs in a series of distinct stages, including ubiquitination of some unknown molecule, a change in tau immunoreactivity, and partial proteolysis of tangle-bound tau in extracellular tangles.

Aged↗