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Biomedical subjects

A Baumgartner

Publications and source records attributed to A Baumgartner.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Serial dexamethasone suppression tests in psychiatric illness: Part II. A study in major depressive disorder.

Weekly dexamethasone suppression tests (DSTs) were performed in 35 patients with major depressive disorder until clinical response. At initial evaluation, 65% of the patients showed nonsuppression, and 85.7% showed nonsuppression at least once during the treatment period. Normalization of the DST results usually coincided with or occurred before clinical recovery, although isolated "peaks" of DST nonsuppression occurred in 45.7% of the patients, irrespective of the clinical course. The test was not useful as a predictor of clinical recovery or relapse. Moderately ill depressed patients had significantly higher nonsuppression rates than schizophrenic or manic patients with corresponding severity scores, indicating that different factors might be associated with nonsuppression in different diagnoses. However, many abnormal DST results could neither be related to the course of the depression nor to the severity of illness; thus other factors must also be responsible for DST nonsuppression.

Adult↗

Serial dexamethasone suppression tests in psychiatric illness: Part III. The influence of intervening variables.

The effects of different intervening variables on dexamethasone suppression test (DST) results were evaluated in depressed, schizophrenic, and manic patients. There was a significant correlation between age and DST results in major depression. Some "isolated peaks" of DST nonsuppression were explained by low dexamethasone serum levels. In schizophrenic and manic patients, the dexamethasone concentrations increased to above the normal range during the study period. A significant negative correlation between dexamethasone concentrations and DST results was found in schizophrenia and mania, but not in depression. Dexamethasone levels were generally higher in men than in women. Weight loss and hospital admission affected the DST in individual cases, whereas length of episode and drug withdrawal did not. Thus, the intervening variables accounted for some of the abnormal DST results, but other factors such as severity of illness, nonspecific stress, or possibly depression itself emerged as the main causes of abnormal DST results.

Adolescent↗

Effects of age and diagnosis on thyrotropin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone in psychiatric patients.

The thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone; TSH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was studied in 64 age-matched healthy volunteers, 44 patients with endogenous depression, and 21 patients with schizophrenia. A significant negative correlation between delta TSH and age was found both in healthy subjects and in depressed patients. We based our comparison on normal ranges for delta TSH calculated from the delta TSH values in the healthy subjects related to age. It was then seen that blunted TSH response to TRH does not occur significantly more often in depression (13.6%) than in healthy controls (4.7%). Blunted TRH test results were also found in a considerable number of severely ill schizophrenic patients (19%). Application of an improved radioimmunoassay revealed a highly significant correlation between TSH values at baseline and after stimulation, and showed decreased baseline TSH levels in subjects with blunted TRH test results.

Adult↗

Indomethacin and turnover of gastric mucosal cells in the rat.

Mucosal morphology and the balance between cell loss and cell renewal were analyzed during treatment with a non-ulcerative dose of indomethacin. All rats were treated twice daily by subcutaneous injection of 2 mg/kg indomethacin or the solvent. The following parameters were assessed: cell proliferation on day 3 (determination of in vitro [3H]thymidine incorporation), cell migration on days 1 and 3 (autoradiography), cell shedding on days 7 and 14 (measurement of the remaining DNA-bound mucosal radioactivity after in vivo labeling with [3H]thymidine prior to treatment), mucosal morphology on day 14 (light microscopy), ex vivo mucosal prostaglandin E2 on day 14, and serum gastrin on days 0, 7, and 14. Indomethacin treatment had no effect on serum gastrin levels but reduced mucosal prostaglandin E2. Indomethacin produced a significant increase of [3H]thymidine incorporation, cell migration, and loss of mucosal DNA-bound radioactivity in the corpus and, to a lesser degree, in the antrum. Morphologically, this led to a hyperplasia of parietal cells (+15%, P less than 0.05) and chief cells (+45%, P less than 0.01) in the corpus, but antral morphology remained unchanged. We conclude that indomethacin stimulates the turnover of gastric mucosal cells. In the corpus, but not in the antrum, proliferation exceeds shedding, thus leading to increased mucosal volume.

Animals↗

[Ivemark syndrome].

The Ivemark-Syndrome (Alienie Syndrome) is defined by the characteristic association of splenic aplasia, organsymmetry and other malformations especially of the cardiovascular system. More than 200 cases are reported. The incidence of Ivemark-Syndrome is very low. The aetiology is not yet clearly defined. As a main cause exogen factors between the 31st and 38th day of gestation are discussed, but a genetic cause has not been detected yet. Due to the unfavourable prognosis an intensive ultrasonographic screening is to be asked for.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Effects of pinaverium bromide and verapamil on the motility of the rat isolated colon.

Pinaverium bromide was 30 times less potent than verapamil in inhibiting intraluminal pressure responses of in vitro rat colonic segments to barium chloride, acetylcholine, FK 33-824 or field stimulation. The inhibitory effects of both verapamil and pinaverium bromide on the pressure responses to field stimulation were antagonized similarly by exogenous calcium administration. These results support the concept that pinaverium bromide acts on calcium channels in the smooth muscle cell membrane.

Acetylcholine↗

Influence of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 on morphology and brush border enzymes of small-bowel mucosa. Differences in reactivity between adult and suckling rats.

High doses of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE) are trophic to the small bowel of adult and suckling rats. In suckling rats this effect is paralleled by an increase in brush border enzyme activities, possibly indicating accelerated mucosal maturation. To investigate the possible physiological significance of this phenomenon, we examined whether this induction of intestinal enzyme activities can be reproduced in adult rats and whether cell growth and enzyme activity might be suppressed by indomethacin. Treatment twice daily for 2 weeks with 100 micrograms/kg dmPGE by intragastric instillation increased villus length in the proximal and distal small bowel by 36% and 40%, respectively, while 2 mg/kg indomethacin by subcutaneous injection had no effect. Maltase, trehalase, lactase, and sucrase activities were unchanged after dmPGE or indomethacin. [3H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA was not significantly influenced for up to 24 h after a single dose of both 100 micrograms/kg PGE intragastrically or 10 mg/kg indomethacin subcutaneously. These studies confirm that in adult rats large doses of 16,16-dm PGE2 increase the volume of the small-bowel mucosa. In contrast to the situation in suckling rats, the activity of hydrolytic brush border enzymes is not increased. There is thus no evidence that endogenous prostaglandins are trophic or influence brush border enzymes in the adult rat.

16,16-Dimethylprostaglandin E2↗

Simple gastroscopy technique in the rat.

We present a simple method for gastroscopy in the anesthetized rat using an implanted gastric cannula, a standard rigid arthroscope, and a newly designed valve system. The method allows high-quality endoscopy and photo documentation, large-size biopsies, electrocoagulation and fluid collection. Repeated gastroscopy in the same animal is easy and well tolerated.

Animals↗

Plasmid profiles of Staphylococcus aureus causing bovine mastitis.

Plasmid profiles of Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from herds affected with chronic bovine mastitis, are heterogeneous, as shown by the study of 85 strains from 18 different farms. The strains isolated within a herd sometimes show related plasmid patterns, although even strains isolated from different quarters of the same udder may show variations in their plasmid content. Strains without antibiotic resistance are frequently free of plasmids. Therefore, the existence of mastitis Staph. aureus virulence plasmids is unlikely. Staphylococcus aureus, resistant to penicillin and streptomycin from 9 different farms show related plasmid patterns. This result confirms a geographic spread of certain mastitis Staph. aureus strains.

Animals↗

Metabolic products of microorganisms. 224. Bafilomycins, a new group of macrolide antibiotics. Production, isolation, chemical structure and biological activity.

The bafilomycins A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2, a new type of macrolide antibiotics with a 16-membered lactone ring, were isolated from the fermentation broth of three Streptomyces griseus strains (TU 1922, TU 2437, TU 2599) by ethyl acetate extraction and column chromatography on silica gel. The bafilomycins exhibit activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Physico-chemical data, chemical structures and biological activities are reported.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗