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Biomedical subjects

S Horowitz

Publications and source records attributed to S Horowitz.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

The mitral valve orifice method for noninvasive two-dimensional echo Doppler determinations of cardiac output.

We developed and validated a mitral valve orifice method for Doppler cardiac output determination. In 15 open-chest dogs, cardiac output was controlled and measured by a roller pump interposed between the right atrium and pulmonary artery as a right-heart bypass. Left heart flows were measured in the open-chest dog model by Doppler measurements at the mitral valve orifice and compared not only to volume flow measured by the roller pump, but to electromagnetic flow meters as well. The maximum mitral valve orifice area was measured off short-axis two-dimensional echocardiographic views by planimetry. The maximal orifice was then adjusted for its diastolic variation in size by calculating a ratio of mean-to-maximal mitral valve separation on a derived M-mode echocardiogram. Flow was sampled parallel to mitral valve inflow in a four-chamber plane. The multiplication of mean flow throughout the cardiac cycle by the mean mitral valve area after correction for diastolic size variation yielded a cardiac output determination that could be compared to the roller pump measurement. Fifty-two cardiac output determinations over roller pump values of 1-5 l/min yielded a high correlation between roller pump flows and Doppler (r = 0.97 +/- 0.23 l/min). Our study shows that the mitral valve orifice provides an accurate site for Doppler cardiac output measurements.

Animals↗

Analysis of ventricular shape by echocardiography in normal fetuses, newborns, and infants.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in left ventricular shapes were analyzed in 14 normal fetuses, 29 normal newborns, and 12 normal infants. Qualitative observations demonstrated that most fetuses and newborns with dominant right ventricles had flattened or even indented interventricular septae, which changed left ventricular shape into an ellipse. In contrast, left ventricular shapes in infants were round, similar to shapes described in older children and adults. When changes in shape or septal distortions were gross, interobserver agreement was 100%; when changes were less altered from a circular shape, interobserver agreement was 78%. To avoid subjective misinterpretations, quantitative analyses were performed, including M mode echocardiographic comparisons of right ventricular/left ventricular dimensions and left ventricular cavity anterior-posterior/lateral diameters, as well as Fourier analysis of digitized tracings of the entire left ventricular shape. The right ventricular/left ventricular ratio, determined by M mode echocardiography, showed significant differences between fetuses (1.07 +/- 0.07) and newborns (0.62 +/- 0.12) (p less than .001). Infants had a significantly lower right ventricular/left ventricular ratio (0.45 +/- 0.01) when compared with newborns (p less than .01). Ratios of left ventricular anterior-posterior/lateral diastolic diameters were significantly lower (p less than .001) in newborns (0.66 +/- 0.08) when compared with those of infants (0.82 +/- 0.10). All diameters tended to increase (toward roundness) with systole and with aging. Fourier analysis allowed evaluation of the entire left ventricle, including that portion of the septum that qualitatively appeared most indented and could not be analyzed by either of the above techniques. Shape factor derived from idealized shapes ranging from a circle to an indented ellipse allowed comparison with digitized left ventricular tracings. This technique allowed accurate quantitation of the observed changes in shape. Fetuses had the highest diastolic shape factor (7.47 +/- 0.92), whereas infants' shape factors were lowest (2.12 +/- 0.41). A tendency toward roundness and loss of distortion occurred with aging. Systolic shape factor was lower with aging in each group studied. The Fourier technique used in this study allows evaluation of an arbitrarily large number of components of a shape, and thus a complete description of that shape is permitted. Comparisons of right ventricular/left ventricular diastolic dimensions and left ventricular anterior-posterior/lateral comparisons are subsets of this technique, which allow evaluation of only two points (circular component-first harmonic) or four points (elliptical component-second harmonic) of an overall shape.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Echocardiography↗

Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the bovine growth hormone gene.

A gene coding for bovine growth hormone was isolated from a bovine genomic library. The nucleotide sequence of the coding regions of the gene was found to be identical with that of a nearly full-length growth hormone cDNA clone. The gene sequence is approximately 1800 bp in length and contains four intervening sequences. The second intervening sequence of 227 nucleotides does not contain a repetitive element similar to that observed in the rat growth hormone gene. A comparison of the 5' and 3' flanking and untranslated regions of the bovine, human and rat growth hormone genes revealed many areas of highly conserved sequence. Especially noteworthy was the observation that all three genes had a 38 nucleotide homologous sequence within their 5' flanking regions located about 100 bp upstream from their transcription initiation sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nucleotide sequence of bovine prolactin messenger RNA. Evidence for sequence polymorphism.

Hybrid molecules containing DNA sequences complementary to bovine pituitary mRNA were constructed in the Pst I site of pBR322 by the dC . dG tailing technique. Recombinant plasmids containing bovine prolactin (bPRL) sequences were amplified in bacteria and identified by hybridization to purified [32P]bPRL cDNA sequences. Nucleotide sequence analysis was performed on the inserts from two of the positive clones. One clone, pBPRL72, contained a 982-base pair insert that included 67 nucleotides of the 5'-untranslated region, the complete coding region of the preprolactin protein (690 nucleotides), and the entire 3'-untranslated region (150 nucleotides) of bPRL mRNA. The nucleotide sequence analysis of clone pBPRL72 predicted the sequence of a 30-amino acid signal peptide and confirmed the published amino acid sequence of the protein with one exception. A comparison of the pBPRL72 cDNA sequence with a second bPRL clone, pBPRL4, revealed four silent nucleotide differences. Three of the base changes occurred in the third position of amino acid codons, and one occurred in the 3'-noncoding region. The sequence polymorphism suggests the existence of alleles or multiple loci for bPRL that do not alter the protein structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The role of the limbic system in experiential phenomena of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Experiential phenomena occurring in spontaneous seizures or evoked by brain stimulation were reported by 18 of 29 patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy who were investigated with chronic, stereotaxically implanted intracerebral electrodes. The phenomena mainly consisted of perceptual (visual or auditory) hallucinations or illusions, memory flashbacks, illusions of familiarity, forced thinking, or emotions. Experiential phenomena did not occur unless a seizure discharge or electrical stimulation involved limbic structures. For such phenomena to occur, seizure discharge or electrical stimulation did not have to implicate temporal neocortex. This was true even for perceptual experiential phenomena. Many experiential responses elicited by electrical stimulation, particularly when applied to the amygdala, were not associated with electrical afterdischarge. Limbic activation by seizure discharge or electrical stimulation may add an affective dimension to perceptual and mnemonic data processed by the temporal neocortex, which may be required for endowing them with experiential immediacy.

Adult↗

Protection against Schistosoma mansoni achieved by immunization with sonicated parasite.

Partial protection of (C57BL/6 X DBA/2)F1 mice against infection with Schistosoma mansoni has been achieved by immunization with small amounts (0.2 to 2.0 microgram) of crude cercarial sonicate adsorbed on aluminium hydroxide gel adjuvant (alum). A decrease of 34-90% in the adult worm burden, of the immunized mice, as compared to that of untreated mice or those injected with adjuvant alone, has been found in five experiments by liver perfusion six weeks after percutaneous challenge infection. High titers of anti-cercarial IgE antibodies have been found in the sera of the immunized mice by two independent techniques, radioimmunoassay and degranulation of rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3), determined by 3H-serotonin release. By counting the live worms in the lungs of immunized and uniummized mice on days 4-7 after infection it was observed that the schistosomula were killed before they reached the lungs, probably at the skin. Mice immunized with the same amounts of cercarial antigen in Freund's complete adjuvant were not protected against infection with S. mansoni. These animals developed high titer of total anti-cercaria antibodies (determined by radioimmunoassay) but had low levels of antiparasite IgE. The possible role of IgE in protective immunity is discussed.

Aluminum Hydroxide↗

Lymphocyte dysfunction in congenital hypoplastic anemia.

Congenital hypoplastic anemia (Diamond-Blackfan syndrome) is thought to involve the erythropoietic cell line alone. In this study, the evaluation of lymphocyte function in five patients with this syndrome revealed a number of abnormalities. Peripheral blood T lymphocyte percentages as assessed by monoclonal antibodies were decreased in three patients. T-helper/T-suppressor cell (OKT4:OKT8) ratios were almost unity in four of the five patients. We usually find a ratio of 2:1 in normal populations. Studies of lymphocyte-mediated suppression of lymphoproliferation demonstrated an inability to generate concanavalin A-induced suppressor cells in the same four patients and impaired prostaglandin-mediated suppression in two patients. Co-culture studies revealed a T lymphocyte-mediated suppression of erythropoiesis in a single patient, who also showed suppression of the mixed lymphocyte reaction. The four remaining patients showed no excessive suppressor effects either upon erythropoiesis or lymphoproliferation. These studies demonstrate that in congenital hypoplastic anemia, the cellular defect is not restricted to the erythroid progenitor cells, but extends to the lymphocytes.

Adolescent↗

Septal myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201 in the diagnosis of proximal left anterior descending coronary artery disease.

The use of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) to identify obstructive coronary disease of the left anterior descending coronary artery proximal to the first septal perforator (prox LAD) was studied in 60 patients. Perfusion of the septum and anteroapical areas with thallium-201 injected during exercise was compared to results of coronary arteriography. Septal MPI defect was found in 92.3% of patients with obstruction of the proximal LAD, 27.7% of patients with obstruction of LAD distal to first septal perforator, 0% in patients with obstructions involving right or circumflex arteries, and in 10.5% of patients without coronary disease. Anteroapical MPI defects were found with similar frequency in the three groups with obstructive coronary disease. Septal MPI defect had a sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 85.4% in the diagnosis of proximal LAD disease. Normal septal perfusion with thallium-201 virtually excluded proximal LAD disease.

Adult↗

Construction and characterization of a cDNA clone containing a portion of the bovine prolactin sequence.

Poly(A)-containing RNA from the bovine anterior pituitary has been used as a template for the enzymatic synthesis of double-stranded cDNA. The resulting double-stranded cDNA was inserted into the Pst I site of pBR322 with the oligo(dG)-oligo(dC) tailing technique and subsequently cloned in E. coli chi 1776. Clones containing sequences complementary to prolactin mRNA were identified by colony hybridization with partially purified prolactin cDNA. A 250 base pair sequence from one prolactin positive clone was extensively characterized and shown to contain the coding information for amino acids 119-192 of authentic bovine prolactin. The recombinant DNA from this clone was covalently attached to diazotized aminocellulose and used to purify prolactin mRNA from a mixture of mRNAs.

Animals↗

Selective association of the chromosome with membrane in a stable L-form of Bacillus subtilis.

A stalbe L-form (Sal-1) of Bacillus subtilis was found to have retained a markedly modified chromosome-membrane association when compared to intact cells. The membrane-deoxyribonucleic acid complex of the L-form was similar to that of its parental strain in quantity and stability. Genetic analysis of the L-form membrane-deoxyribonucleic acid complex revealed enrichment for markers close to the replication origin, but not for internal markers, indicating preferential attachment of the origin of chromosomal replication to the membrane. These results are in close agreement with those found for the parental bacterial form. In contrast, the replication termius region was not preferentially attached to the membrane of the L-form, even though it is enriched in the bacterial form. The association of the chromosome with the membrane at the replication terminus does not appear to be necessary for cell growth and separation, but because the L-form divides aberrantly, it may be one of the factors required for normal deoxyribonucleic acid segregation and septation.

Bacillus subtilis↗