Biomedical subjects
S K King
Publications and source records attributed to S K King.
Perception of direction of visual motion. II. Influence of linear body acceleration.
We investigated whether linear whole-body acceleration along the interaural y-axis influenced the concurrent perception of visual motion direction as has been shown for angular accelerations. A sled running on air bearings along a 7.5-m track was used to accelerate 18 subjects at two different linear accelerations. These young, healthy volunteers, aged 25.50 +/- 7.38 years, used a joystick to indicate whether or not they perceived visual motion to the left within a random-dot kinematogram continuously presented on a monitor moving with them. The percentage of coherently leftward moving pixels presented for a 640-ms period during acceleration was adjusted according to a Modified Binary Search (MOBS) procedure. Six conditions were tested, two acceleration levels of 1 and 2 m/s2 to both left and right with, at the higher acceleration, two different times of visual motion presentation. Conditions were sequenced by means of a 6 x 6 Latin square balanced for order and carry over. A MANOVA did not show any statistically significant effects either for the independent variables acceleration, velocity, and direction of motion of the sled or for their interactions. The results obtained are in clear contrast to those obtained under rotatory stimulation. We conclude that the otolithic contribution to vestibular-visual motion processing is negligible.
Is myotonic dystrophy a single-gene disorder?
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A 3.7kb fragment from the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase promoter directs neural-specific expression in vivo.
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A novel homeodomain-encoding gene is associated with a large CpG island interrupted by the myotonic dystrophy unstable (CTG)n repeat.
Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is associated with a (CTG)n trinucleotide repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region of a protein kinase-encoding gene, DMPK, which maps to chromosome 19q13.3. Characterisation of the expression of this gene in patient tissues has thus far generated conflicting data on alterations in the steady state levels of DMPK mRNA, and on the final DMPK protein levels in the presence of the expansion. The DM region of chromosome 19 is gene rich, and it is possible that the repeat expansion may lead to dysfunction of a number of transcription units in the vicinity, perhaps as a consequence of chromatin disruption. We have searched for genes associated with a CpG island at the 3' end of DMPK. Sequencing of this region shows that the island extends over 3.5 kb and is interrupted by the (CTG)n repeat. Comparison of genomic sequences downstream (centromeric) of the repeat in human and mouse identified regions of significant homology. These correspond to exons of a gene predicted to encode a homeodomain protein. RT-PCR analysis shows that this gene, which we have called DM locus-associated homeodomain protein (DMAHP), is expressed in a number of human tissues, including skeletal muscle, heart and brain.
Family caregivers of the elderly: involvement and reactions to care.
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Transvaginal retropubic urethropexy. The "revised Pereyra procedure": report of 50 cases.
Fifty patients with uterovaginal prolapse were treated by transvaginal retropubic urethropexy to correct the anatomic defect of their urethrovesical axis. Urodynamic studies were routine in the preoperative assessment. Forty patients had anatomic sphincteric incontinence. Forty-one (82% of the 50 patients treated were totally continent of urine after a follow-up of 12 to 36 months. The complications and results of this procedure are comparable to those of other abdominal retropubic procedures for urinary incontinence. The suggestion is made that, in the surgical management of symptomatic uterovaginal prolapse, this procedure, which can be easily performed in conjunction with any vaginal operation, may be an alternative to a combined vaginal and abdominal approach.
Chronic constipation in children: organic disorders are a major cause.
Diagnostic tools for paediatric chronic constipation have been limited, leading to over 90% of patients with treatment-resistant constipation being diagnosed with chronic idiopathic constipation, with no discernible organic cause. Work in our institution suggests that a number of children with intractable symptoms actually have slow colonic transit leading to slow transit constipation. This paper reviews recent data suggesting that a significant number of the children with chronic treatment-resistant constipation may have organic causes (slow colonic transit and outlet obstruction) and suggests new approaches to the management of children with chronic treatment-resistant constipation.
Home health aide services: barriers perceived by dementia family caregivers.
This study explored barriers to using home health aide services as perceived by family caregivers of relatives with dementia. The authors analyzed data collected from interviews of 32 family caregivers of relatives with dementia. The major findings included the recurrent theme of cost/expectation, which emerged as a major barrier to using home health aide services. Caregivers in many cases indicated that the price paid for services outweighed benefits; however they continued to use home health aide services. Implications for home healthcare nurses are discussed.