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Biomedical subjects

A Schmid

Publications and source records attributed to A Schmid.

342 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Distribution of histamine in the CNS of different spiders.

Immunohistochemistry is used to demonstrate histamine-immunoreactivity in the CNS of spiders. We found histamine-immunoreactivity in the photoreceptors of different spiders. Therefore, we suggest that histamine is a neurotransmitter of photoreceptors in all arthropods, since it is also known to occur in the photoreceptors of the other main arthropod taxa (Merostomata, Crustacea, and Insecta). We also describe a system of only six omnisegmental histamine-immunoreactive neurons within the central nervous system. These histamine-immunoreactive neurons can be divided into two subgroups: a dorsal system with two cells per hemisphere and a ventral system with only one cell per hemisphere. All six cells have extended arborizations in both the motor and the sensory areas of all neuromeres in the suboesophageal ganglionic mass. In contrast to araneomorph spiders, two additional sets of histamine-immunoreactive neurons were detected in mygalomorph spiders. The first set consists of seventeen cells with their cell bodies located in the cheliceral ganglion and projecting to central areas of the protocerebrum. The second set contains many if not all sensory projections from the tarsal organs on all eight legs and the pedipalps to the Blumenthal neuropil.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Current status of wrist arthrodesis].

AIM: In order to ascertain the value and future of wrist arthrodesis we assessed the results of 47 wrist arthrodeses performed at the Departments of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery of the University of Goettingen between 1980 and 1998. METHOD: In a retrospective analysis we examined the patients clinical and radiological records. Evaluating the results we used the score described by Lohmann and Buck-Gramcko in order to consider function, pain, strength and assessment of the patient him/herself. RESULTS: 93.6 % of all cases could be examined. We found a wrist arthrodesis in posttraumatic arthritis in 22 cases and in rheumatoid arthritis in 25 cases. Plate (n = 30) and Rush-Pin osteosynthesis (n = 17) were used as surgical procedures. In all patients we found a successfully stabilised wrist, although in 3 trauma cases a further surgical procedure was necessary. A better function of the wrist was reached in every patient. The majority of the patients had no pain and an acceptable strength. The results obtained showed good and excellent results in 86.4 % of the wrist arthrodesis for post-traumatic arthritis and in 90.9 % for rheumatoid arthritis. CONCLUSION: The increase in quality of life, especially in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, shows the procedure of wrist arthrodesis to be a still worthwile surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Physical performance and cardiovascular and metabolic adaptation of elite female wheelchair basketball players in wheelchair ergometry and in competition.

Spinal cord injury leads to a pronounced reduction of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic ability. Physical activity, up to and including high-performance sports, has obtained importance in the course of rehabilitation and the postclinical phase. Thirteen elite female wheelchair basketball players from the German National Basketball Team and 10 female sedentary spinal cord-injured persons were examined in the study. Heart volume was measured by an echocardiography. All subjects underwent a graded exercise test on a wheelchair ergometer. Additionally, heart rate, lactate, and player points were measured during a competitive basketball game in wheelchair basketball players. Cardiac dimensions were larger for spinal cord-injured wheelchair basketball players (620.3 ml; 9.6 ml x kg(-1)) in comparison with spinal cord-injured persons (477.4 ml; 8.2 ml x kg(-1)) but did not exceed the heart volume of untrained nonhandicapped persons. In contrast, athletes with amputations or those having had poliomyelitis reached training-induced cardiac hypertrophy in relation to body mass (713.7 ml; 13.2 ml x kg(-1)), as observed in nonhandicapped athletes. During graded wheelchair ergometry, wheelchair basketball players showed a higher maximal work rate (59.9 v 45.5 W), maximal oxygen consumption (33.7 v 18.3 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1)), and maximal lactate (9.1 v 5.47 mmol x l(-1)) without a difference in maximal heart rate and workload at AT4 than did spinal cord-injured persons. The average heart rate during the wheelchair basketball game was 151 x min(-1), and the lactate concentration was 1.92 mmol x l(-1). Female athletes with a less severe handicap and higher maximal oxygen consumption during the graded exercise test reached a higher game level in the evaluation. During the competitive basketball game, high cardiovascular stress was observed, indicating a fast aerobic metabolism; the anaerobic lactic acid capacity played a subordinate role. Wheelchair basketball is an effective and suitable sport to enhance physical performance and to induce positive physiological adaptations.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Performance characteristics of an eight-ring whole body PET scanner.

The technical characteristics of the multislice whole-body positron emission tomographic scanner (model PC4096-15WB Scanditronix) and its performance parameters are described. Spatial resolution at the center of the field of view was found to be 4.9 mm in-plane and 4.6 mm (cross slices) and 6.0 mm (direct slices) in the axial direction. The sensitivity for true and scattered coincidences is approximately 5,000 cps for direct slices and 7,100 cps for cross slices. At an activity concentration of 37 kBq/ml the system deadtime was approximately 5%. By measuring a uniform phantom with a cold cylindrical insert (5.0 cm diameter), the scatter fraction was found to be approximately 5%. The mean global uniformity over all 15 slices was 6.5%, whereas the local uniformity was found to be 4.3%. No systematic nonuniformities were observed. Finally, various methods for attenuation correction (transmission scan, contour finding, ellipse) were utilized to test their effects on the resulting reconstructed images.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Agonist-stimulated pathways of calcium signaling in pancreatic acinar cells.

In pancreatic acinar cells stimulation of different intracellular pathways leads to different patterns of Ca2+ signaling. Bombesin induces activation of both phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-specific phospholipase C (PLC) and phospholipase D (PLD). The latter leads to generation of diacylglycerol (DAG) in addition to that produced by activation of PIP2-PLC. Strong activation of protein kinase C (PKC) results in inhibition of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release from Ca2+ pools arranged in sequence to the luminally located IP3-sensitive Ca2+ pools. Consequently the Ca2+ wave which starts in the luminal cell pole is slower in the presence of bombesin (5 microm/s) as compared to that in the presence of acetylcholine (17 microm/s) which activates PIP2-PLC but not PLD. Activation of high-affinity CCK-receptors triggers a Ca2+ wave with slow propagation (5 microm/s) due to stimulation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and generation of arachidonic acid, which in turn leads to inhibition of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release. Low-affinity CCK-receptors are coupled to both PIP2-PLC and PLD.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differential effects of radical D2-lymphadenectomy and splenectomy in surgically treated gastric cancer patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Radical surgery with extended lymph node dissection (D2-LA) is the treatment of choice for gastric cancer patients in Japan. In Western countries results after D2-LA are controversially discussed, as increased D2-LA related complications are reported. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the influence of D2-LA and/or splenectomy on the clinical course, morbidity and long-term survival of gastric cancer patients. METHODOLOGY: Included in this series are 243 consecutively treated gastric cancer patients with a median age of 63.8 years. RESULTS: Though 56% of the patients presented with stage III and IV tumors, a resection rate of 95.5% with R0-resections in 73.7% was achieved. D2-LA rate was 66.3% with simultaneous splenectomy in 48.7%. Global morbidity was 41.6%. Surgical morbidity, leakage and abscess rates after curative R0 resections were not influenced by D2-LA (22.5/6.5/6.5% vs. 21.9/9.1/3.0% +/- LA) but by splenectomy (31.6/13.2/11.8% vs. 14.7/2.1/1% +/- Sx). Simultaneous splenectomy was associated with 7 of 9 leakages, 7 of 9 abscesses, and 4 of 5 cases with postoperative pancreatitis. Long-term survival (Kaplan-Meier) was 40.6% for all, and 58.1% for R0 resected patients. It was not influenced by splenectomy (56/60.3% +/- Sx). CONCLUSIONS: Radical D2-LA has no impact on the morbidity of gastric cancer patients, but splenectomy is always linked with elevated complications without improving survival rates. Therefore splenectomy as potential part of D2-LA can only be advocated in patients with direct infiltration of pancreas or spleen, in stage IV or whenever metastatic spread is supposed in the nodes along splenic artery or hilum.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach. Report of a case and review of literature.

Primary squamous cell carcinomas of the stomach represent a rare entity. Since the first report in 1895 by Rörig et al. (1) only 80 cases have been published. These reports show a peak incidence in the sixth decade of life and preference of male gender (5:1). We report the case of a 61-year-old patient who presented with anemia and weight loss due to a large tumor of the gastric wall with adhesion to the pancreatic tail. After radical regional "en bloc" gastrectomy, splenectomy and pancreatic tail resection, the diagnosis of primary gastric squamous cell carcinoma could be confirmed, since the esophageal wall and the pancreatic tail were not infiltrated and extragastric squamous cell primaries could be excluded. After postoperative irradiation of the upper abdominal area, the patient developed a single liver metastasis in the left hepatic lobe that decreased with polychemotherapy. It was resected half a year later. Due mainly to advanced tumor stages, survival after surgical resection is poor. However, adjuvant radio and chemotherapy have resulted in survival rates of more than 3 years in reported cases, as in the present case. Five years after the diagnosis was established the patient is free of recurrence and without any complaint. Pathophysiological features, therapy and outcome are discussed by reviewing the cases reported in world literature.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver presenting as incidentaloma: report of a case and review of the literature.

Inflammatory pseudotumors of the liver represent a rare entity in the world literature, only 53 cases have been reported previously. Patients present with fever, upper abdominal pain, and weight loss. The finding is usually mistaken as a malignant lesion. Therefore most of the reported patients (77.4%, n = 41) underwent surgical therapy including major liver resections in 30 cases, wedge resections in 5 cases, and liver transplantation in 1 case. Only 12 patients (22.6%) were treated conservatively or were observed. We report the case of a 32-year-old woman with the incidental sonographic finding of a hepatic lesion. After contradictory findings in abdominal CT, MRT and hepatic scinti-scans, the diagnosis of an inflammatory pseudotumor could finally be confirmed by laparoscopic guided needle-biopsy. The clinical course of the patient was completely uneventful under observation. Clinopathological features, diagnostic findings, therapeutical options and outcome are discussed reviewing the cases reported in world literature.

Adult↗