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Biomedical subjects

A Kurtz

Publications and source records attributed to A Kurtz.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Brief clinical report: not all cystic hygromas occur in the Ullrich-Turner syndrome.

We report two sib fetuses with nuchal systic hygroma and cleft palate. This condition is probably recessively inherited as the parents have normal chromosomes (G-banded) and the fetuses were of opposite sex. Nuchal cystic hygroma is a nonspecific malformation, which reflects a delay in development of the connection between the jugular lymph sacs and the internal jugular vein. This fetal malformation and its equivalent in the adult, neck webbing, has been reported to be a part of a variety of genetic malformation syndromes. Some suggestions for counseling parents of an affected fetus are made: If the chromosome karyotype of an affected fetus is unknown, ultrasound examination, rather than AFP studies, is suggested for future pregnancies.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Relationship of glycosylated haemoglobin to C-peptide secretory status and antibody binding of insulin in insulin-dependent diabetes.

Diabetic control, assessed by measuring the concentration in venous blood of total glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1), endogenous insulin secretion, as estimated by the C-peptide response (delta C-P) to intravenous glucagon, and serum beef insulin antibody binding were measured in 50 juvenile onset insulin dependent diabetics (IDDM) receiving a single daily injection of soluble and protamine zinc insulin. The delta C-P correlated inversely with duration of diabetes (tau = -0.27, p less than 0.01) and daily insulin requirement (tau = -0.22, p less than 0.05) in the 50 IDDM studied of whom 28 exhibited a measurable delta C-P. In C-peptide nonresponders, but not in the C-peptide responders, and inverse regression (t = 2.19, p less than 0.05) was observed between beef insulin antibody and HbA1. In the 25 IDDM having the lowest insulin antibody binding, and inverse correlation (tau = 0.36, p less than 0.02) was observed between delta CP and HbA1, which was not found (tau = 0.05) in the remaining 25 IDDM who had the highest insulin antibody binding. These findings suggest that, in the absence of endogenous insulin secretion, diabetic control in IDDM receiving a single daily injection of conventional beef insulin is better in patients with high beef insulin antibody binding. Conversely, in patients with low beef insulin antibody binding, diabetic control appears to be better in those with persisting endogenous insulin secretion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Percutaneous nephrostomy: comparison of sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance.

Both sonography and fluoroscopy have been recommended for renal localization and needle guidance for percutaneous nephrostomy. The respective efficacies of both methods have been compared in a prospective study of 88 patients undergoing percutaneous nephrostomy by the catheter over guide wire technique. Fifty-five patients had initial puncture using either an A-mode (42 patients) or real time (13 patients) sonographic aspiration transducer, while 33 patients had a single plane vertical beam fluoroscopy for puncture guidance. The use of either sonographic method for the initial needle puncture significantly reduced the number of puncture attempts (p = 0.000004) and potential iatrogenic risk, eliminated the need for intravenous administration of contrast material, allowed initial safe introduction of a large caliber needle, and decreased the length of time needed to perform the procedure.

Drainage↗
PubMed1981

Evaluation of free and total L-thyroxine in serum by a commercial procedure.

We assessed a commercial kit (Corning Medical) for "free" and total thyroxine determination, results being compared to those obtained by the Ekins and Ellis dialysis method (free thyroxine) and the method of Weeke and Orskov (total thyroxine). The kit procedure permits determination of both free and total thyroxine within 4 to 5 h, and the combined results may disclose changes in binding to plasma proteins that would be missed if only free thyroxine were determined. With both free-thyroxine methods, the values distinguished hyperthyroid patients from normal controls and pregnant women with 100% accuracy, but there was some overlap between hypothyroid patients and controls. Absolute values with the kit procedure often exceed those obtained by dialysis, especially for hypothyroid patients and pregnant women. We conclude that the kit may be of as much diagnostic value as the dialysis method if the limitations regarding absolute values are kept in mind and the test is not used as a substitute for thyrotropin determinations in cases of suspected hypothyroidism.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗
PubMed1977

Oxygen-linked CO2 binding to isolated beta subunits of human hemoglobin.

It is known that most of the oxygen-linked carbamate which is formed in normal adult human hemoglobin (Hb A) is confined to the beta subunits rather than to the alpha subunits. In order to find out if similar differences exist in the isolated protomers of Hb A we have measured the effect of various pressures of carbon dioxide (pCO2) on the oxygen affinity in the following heme pigments: isolated alpha and beta subunits with free --SH groups (alphaSH, betaSH), mercurated beta subunits (betaPMB), myoglobin (Mb), and betaSH/PLP in which the terminal alpha-amino group of betaSH was irreversibly blocked with pyridoxal phosphate (PLP). Similar measurements were done on Hb A and the fraction of oxygen-linked carbamate calculated from the effect of pCO2 (at constant pH) on the oxygen half-saturation pressure (p50). A distinct influence of CO2 on p50 was observed in betaSH which was absent in betaSH/PLP and thus indicates that the terminal alpha-amino group mediates the oxygen-linked binding of CO2 in betaSH as it does in the beta subunits of Hb A. However, the fraction of oxygen-linked carbamate was much less dependent on pH and pCO2 in betaSH than in Hb A. Neither alphaSH, betaPMB, or Mb, all of which are known to exist largely or wholly as monomers but have free terminal alpha-amino groups, showed a shift of p50 upon addition of CO2. As both betaSH and betaSH/PLP were shown to be tetrameric molecules, we conclude from this study that homotetramers composed of isolated beta subunits do exhibit a reciprocal interaction between the binding of O2 and CO2.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hormonal induction of functional differentiation and mammary-derived growth inhibitor expression in cultured mouse mammary gland explants.

A method for the cultivation of organ explants from abdominal mammary glands of virgin mice has been established. In a serum-free medium containing aldosterone, prolactin, insulin, and cortisol (APIH medium) mammary gland development was documented by lobuloalveolar morphogenesis. The hormonal requirements for in vitro expression of beta-casein and of the mammary-derived growth inhibitor (MDGI) were tested. To this end, a full length cDNA coding for mouse MDGI was prepared displaying strong homologies to a mouse heart fatty acid binding protein, which is also expressed in the mammary gland. MDGI and beta-casein transcripts were found to be absent in the mammary tissue from primed virgin mice, and were induced upon culture of mammary explants in the APIH medium. An immunohistochemical analysis with specific antibodies against MDGI and casein revealed a different pattern of expression for the two proteins. In the APIH medium, MDGI was expressed mainly in differentiating alveolar cells of the lobuloalveolar structures, whereas beta-casein was present in both ductules and alveoli. The relationship between functional differentiation and MDGI expression was further studied in explants from glands of late-pregnant mice. At this stage of development, MDGI is found both in ducts and in alveoli. If explants were cultured with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin, the lobuloalveolar structure was still present, whereas MDGI disappeared. Reinduction of MDGI expression was achieved by subsequent PIH treatment. Independent on developmental stage, EGF strongly inhibits MDGI mRNA expression. It is concluded that MDGI-expression is associated with functional differentiation in the normal gland.

Aldosterone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Distinct hemodynamic and gastric effects of human CGRP I and II in man.

The human calcitonin gene-related peptides I and II (or alpha and beta) (CGRP I and II) are encoded by two different genes, but they have 34 of the 37 amino acid residues in common. Human CGRP I more potently stimulated blood flow through the skin and carotid artery (p less than 0.01), and the heart rate (p less than 0.05), and plasma renin activity and aldosterone secretion than human CGRP II (p less than 0.02). Inhibition of pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid output, on the other hand, was only obtained with CGRP II. The separate effects of human CGRP I and II on the cardiovascular and gastric systems are presumably mediated by different receptors or receptor pathways recognized by the two closely related neuropeptides.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cognitive alterations in non-demented CADASIL patients.

CADASIL is an inherited small-artery disease of the brain due to mutations of the Notch3 gene on chromosome 19. It is characterized by strokes, migraine with aura, and severe mood disturbances during mid adulthood and leads progressively to subcortical dementia. The precise onset of the cognitive decline in CADASIL remains unknown. We report here the cognitive evaluation of 8 non-demented symptomatic patients with CADASIL from 35 to 66 years of age. Altered performances were found in all subjects with the Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST), in 5/8 with the Trail-Making Test, and in 3/8 with copying of Rey's figure. Altered performances with codes and similarities of the WAIS-R, the Wechsler Memory Scale, Raven's Progressive Matrices, and the category and letter fluency task were observed less frequently (n < or = 2). The score obtained with the WCST was not significantly correlated with the severity of the white-matter or basal ganglia signal abnormalities at MRI examination. Our data show that: (1) symptomatic CADASIL patients, although non-demented, can present with a subtle cognitive impairment; (2) tasks involving the frontal lobes are found most frequently altered, and (3) this subtle cognitive deficit can develop in the absence of major vascular events and does not appear to be correlated with the severity of brain lesions as seen at MRI examination.

Adult↗