[Doppler blood flow profile in hypertensive diseases and diabetes mellitus in pregnancy].
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Arteries↗
Biomedical subjects
A Funk
Publications and source records attributed to A Funk.
[Initial studies of the possibility of selective ablation of arteriosclerotic vascular changes using laser-induced shock waves].
We studied the effect of laser-induced shock waves in 94 arterial segments from freshly obtained autopsy material. In analogy to the well-established method of shock-wave based lithotripsy, the new principle of our treatment depends on an indirect interaction of the laser energy with the arterial wall via laser-induced mechanical shock waves (angiotripsy). We used a Nd:YAG laser, 1064 nm, 8-20 ns pulse-length to create shock waves that effected smooth craters in arteriosclerotically affected arteries. The histological examination found no thermal damage. Shock waves applied to the healthy and normal arterial wall only resulted in focal intimal ablation and in a minor loosening of the medial structures. The examination of the irrigation solution by means of a laser-guided, high-resolution analysis of the particles revealed that, in 97%, the particles created by our shock wave angiotripsy showed a diameter of less than 5 mm and an area of less than 25 mm2. Based on these first in vitro results, it seems possible to ablate arteriosclerotically affected tissue without significant damage to normal wall segments. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to evaluate the clinical implications of this new therapeutic approach.
Angioplasty, Laser↗
Norepinephrine-induced cholestasis in the isolated perfused rat liver is secondary to its hemodynamic effects.
In this study we examined the effect of pharmacological doses of various alpha-adrenergic agents on hepatic portal perfusion, organic anion uptake and bile secretion using the isolated perfused rat liver. Addition of norepinephrine at portal perfusate concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 mumol/L induced a dose-related increase in portal pressure with a twofold increment at the highest concentration. This was accompanied by an inhibition of hepatocellular uptake of taurocholate by 16.8% +/- 1.8% and of sulfobromophthalein (BSP) by 32.9% +/- 3.0% compared with controls. Moreover, a 22.5% +/- 3% decrease in bile flow rate and a 22.8% +/- 4% inhibition of biliary excretion of taurocholate were observed. Addition of other alpha-adrenergic agonist (epinephrine, dopamine and phenylephrine) at similar concentrations produced the same hepatic effects as observed with norepinephrine. During infusion of these alpha-adrenergic agents, trypan blue infusion revealed a patchy perfusion pattern of the liver surface compared with the homogeneously stained organs in controls. The hemodynamic alterations could be confirmed by electron microscopy examination that demonstrated that increased portal pressure produced by norepinephrine was associated with sinusoidal shunting. All hemodynamic, metabolic and biliary changes induced by norepinephrine could be entirely prevented by concomitant infusion of the alpha-antagonist phentolamine, thus indicating that norepinephrine-induced hepatic effects were mediated by alpha-receptors. In contrast, simultaneous addition of papaverine, an unspecific vasodilator, prevented the hemodynamic and the biliary changes of norepinephrine, but failed to modify the metabolic effects of the drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Animals↗
[Endosonographic Doppler flow measurement of the embryonic and fetal umbilical cord].
The blood flow in the umbilical cord was examined via endovaginal Doppler sonography in 30 cases of early pregnancy. For the first time it was possible to examine by Doppler sonography the arterial blood flow in the completed 6th week of pregnancy p.m. With increased duration of gestation there was a continuous increase in arterial blood flow until establishment of a constant flow over the entire cardiac cycle with a constant presence of a diastole in the 14th pregnancy week. Venous blood flow also showed from the 7th pregnancy week p.m. onwards a constant development until attainment of a continuous Doppler flow profile in the 10th pregnancy week. Since the doppler curves of the same gestation period agree with one another, the Doppler profiles obtained in each case can be considered to be both typical and representative. The course of the Doppler flow curves shows the improving performance of the heart of the embryo in the direction of an increasing metabolic exchange between embryo and mature placenta via the increasingly efficient vascular systems.
Blood Flow Velocity↗
The use of a vaginal probe in the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.
75 patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy, referred to the department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the RWTH-Aachen between July 1987 and May 1988, were examined by means of transvaginal sonography. The sonographic findings were subsequently vaudated by clinical and/or surgical means. An ultrasound diagnosis of an ectopic pregnancy could not be confirmed in only 3 out of 25 such cases.
Adult↗
Magnetic resonance imaging studies of the brains of anesthetized rats treated with manganese chloride.
An understanding of the distribution of manganese ions in the brain is of interest in connection with the development of an understanding of the neurotoxicity of this element. Information about the time dependent biodistribution of manganese ions in the brains of intact rats subsequent to single IP injections of MnCl2 has been obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. The enhanced MRI contrast is based on the reduction in the spin lattice relaxation time (T1) of water protons which exchange into the coordination sphere of the manganese ions. These studies indicate rapid and significant accumulations of water accessible manganese in the ventricles, the pineal gland, and the pituitary gland. The rapid appearance of high levels of manganese in the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid indicates that manganese readily crosses the filtration barrier of the choroid plexus and is thereafter apparently absorbed by the ependymal surfaces of the ventricles and transported to the subarachnoid space.
Anesthesia↗
[Three-dimensional imaging in ultrasonic diagnosis. Initial results].
A new method of three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of 2-D ultrasound images of the kidney is described. It is based on a coordinated spatial reconstruction of sequential cross-sectional images. The ultrasound head is moved longitudinally between two rails (parallel sections) and rotated. With a suitable computer program and contouring of each cross-section (so that the organ limits are defined for the computer) these cross-sectional pictures can be reconstructed into 3-D organ images. The kidney can then be presented spatially either as a binary picture or with closed surface. Ultrasound investigators are still unaccustomed to colour reproduction of 3-D reconstructed organs. It remains to be seen whether the method is valuable in routine clinical use.
Color↗
NMR observability of ATP: preferential depletion of cytosolic ATP during ischemia in perfused rat liver.
The extent to which cellular metabolites are NMR observable is of fundamental importance in the interpretation of in vivo NMR studies. Analysis of ischemic rat liver shows that ATP resonances measured by 31P NMR decrease considerably faster than total tissue ATP measured in extracts. This discrepancy demonstrates that, in liver, ATP is not 100% observable. Furthermore, the data are consistent with the supposition that in situ mitochondrial ATP resonances are not normally observable by in vivo NMR techniques. The specificity of the NMR measurement for cytosolic ATP indicates that 31P NMR can be a valuable tool for the specific measurement of ATP in this compartment.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Metabolism of excess methionine in the liver of intact rat: an in vivo 2H NMR study.
L-Methionine is the most toxic amino acid if supplied in excess, and the metabolic basis for this toxicity has been extensively studied, with varying conclusions. It is demonstrated here that in vivo 2H NMR spectroscopy provides a useful approach to the study of the hepatic metabolism of methionine in the anesthetized rat. Resonances corresponding to administered L-[methyl-2H3]methionine, and to the transmethylation product sarcosine, are observed during the first 10-min period after an intravenous injection of the labeled methionine, and the time dependence has been followed for a period of 5 h. A third resonance, assigned to the N-trimethyl groups of carnitine, phosphorylcholine, and other metabolites, becomes observable several hours after administration of the deuteriated methionine. In addition, there is a small increase in the intensity of the HDO resonance over the period of the study, which is interpreted to reflect the ultimate oxidation of the labeled sarcosine methyl group via mitochondrial sarcosine dehydrogenase. Additional small 2H resonances assigned to N1-methylhistidine and creatine could be observed in perchloric acid extracts of the livers of rats treated with the deuteriated methionine. Inhibition of the flux through the transmethylation pathway is observed in the rat pretreated with the S-ethyl analogue of methionine, ethionine. These data provide strong support for the importance of glycine transmethylation in the catabolism of excess methionine.
Animals↗
A pulse reflectometer for routine monitoring of transmitted and reflected power in physiological NMR studies.
A simple circuit design is described which provides LED readout of transmitted and reflected pulsed rf power. The utility of monitoring these variables in physiological NMR studies is discussed.
Animals↗
Use of gene transfer and a novel cosmid rescue strategy to isolate transforming sequences.
Mouse Lewis Lung tumor DNA was ligated to a cosmid containing a geneticin (G418)/kanamycin resistance gene and transferred into NIH3T3 cells. Recipient cells were first selected for geneticin resistance and subsequently for their ability to grow as a tumour when injected into nude mice. By repeating this transfection procedure with DNA from resultant tumours, geneticin-resistant NIH3T3 cells were obtained which were tumorigenic and contained approximately 1-5 copies of the transferred cosmid. The functional oncogene was cloned by preparing cosmid libraries of third round tumour DNAs, using a cosmid which does not contain a kanamycin resistance gene. Due to the original linkage of the oncogene with the cosmid containing the kanamycin resistance gene, a series of kanamycin-resistant cosmids were isolated, five of which contained an active oncogene. Subsequent analysis showed that the oncogene present was highly related to the human N-ras gene. Using a DNA probe from the MLL N-ras gene, a non-transforming counterpart was isolated from mouse liver DNA. A comparison between the two N-ras genes showed that a mutation at the amino acid position corresponding to 61 in the human gene is responsible for transforming activity of the rescued gene.
Animals↗
Systemic immunity in herpetic keratitis.
The importance of specific immunity, especially cell-mediated, in resistance to herpes simplex disease is well documented, and animal experiments show that immune responses to previous herpetic infection can give considerable protection against reinfection in epithelial keratitis. Since susceptibility to stromal herpetic keratitis is probably determined in part by the extent of virus proliferation in the epithelium, immune responses to herpes simplex virus were studied in patients with epithelial or stromal keratitis, a group of patients with keratitis who were also severely atopic, and controls. The parameters measured were lymphocyte transformation, production of macrophage migration inhibition factor, and levels of serum antibody and immunoglobulin. No group differences were found except for a slight decrease in the whole blood culture assessment of lymphocyte transformation in stromal keratitis patients compared with seropositive controls and patients with epithelial disease. It is considered that in a small group of patients a deficiency in the specific cell-mediated immune response plays a role in determining the spread of virus into the corneal stroma.
Adolescent↗
Two different species of murein transglycosylase in Escherichia coli.
We demonstrated that Escherichia coli murein transglycosylase exists in two forms. After mechanical disruption of the cells, one form was found in the soluble fraction and the other, in the cell envelope. The two enzymes differed with respect to molecular weight, isoelectric point, solubility in aqueous buffers, and to some extent in their requirements for maximal catalytic activity. The molecular weight of the membrane-bound transglycosylase (35,000) was half that of the soluble enzyme. Whether the high-molecular-weight soluble protein is a precursor of the membrane-bound enzyme species remains to be elucidated.
Cell Membrane↗
In vitro growth inhibitory studies of phacidin against some dermatophytes, opportunistic and systemic fungi, and yeasts pathogenic on man.
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Antifungal Agents↗
Herpes simplex keratitis and keratoconus in the atopic patient. A clinical and immunological study.
Selected case histories indicate that there is good evidence that atopic disease is associated with severe primary and recurrent ocular herpes. The salient features of the syndrome are that the disease is often bilateral, that recurrences are more frequent, and that the corneal epithelium is often slow to regenerate after disease. Therapeutic difficulties may be encountered because atopic eye disease requires anti-inflammatory therapy which is contraindicated in epithelial herpes. Keratoplasty in herpetic disease in the presence of vascularization or atopic eye disease should be avoided, as an augmented homograft reaction is also an occasional complication. Screening of patients for serum immunoglobulins and cellular immunity using in vitro lymphocyte transformation and macrophage migration inhibition tests, failed to reveal any group evidence of immune deficit, but there was evidence of this in some individuals. The most serious management problems occurred in the presence of raised IgE levels. In a group of patients with keratoconus, IgE was raised in 17 per cent, and there was a depression of IgA in 8 per cent. A knowledge of the serum innumoglobulin levels can be of help in the management of the keratoconus patient in the postoperative period after keratoplasty.
Adolescent↗
Phacidin, a fungal growth inhibitor from Potebniamyces balsamicola var. boycei.
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Antifungal Agents↗
Simplified test of fat absorption in dogs.
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Animal Feed↗
Prune-belly syndrome: therapeutic options including in utero placement of a vesicoamniotic shunt.
The prune-belly syndrome (PBS) consists of abdominal wall distention with deficiency of the abdominal wall musculature, urinary tract abnormalities, and cryptorchidism. The impaired drainage of the bladder leads to oligohydramnios and pulmonary hypoplasia. We present 4 cases of PBS diagnosed by prenatal sonography. In 2 cases, vesicoamniotic shunt therapy was not indicated because of a poor prognosis based on sonographic and laboratory findings; the pregnancies were terminated. In another case, treatment was not performed because of a twin pregnancy, and the neonate with PBS died the day of delivery by cesarean section at 31 weeks' menstrual age. In the other case, vesicoamniotic shunt therapy was successfully performed, and a healthy child was delivered. Several conditions must be met for vesicoamniotic shunt therapy to have a good chance of success: the karyotype must be normal, other malformations must be excluded by careful sonographic examination, and renal function must be normal, as determined by serial analyses of fetal urine. Generally, the shunt should be inserted as early as possible.
Abnormalities, Multiple↗