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Biomedical subjects

A Stein

Publications and source records attributed to A Stein.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Infections of cutaneous wounds].

Infection of cutaneous wounds can be defined as proliferation of microorganisms at an interruption in the mucocutaneous covering. The phenomenon depends on an association of local and general factors which disturb the balance in host-pathogen interactions, in favor of the latter. In addition to infections by nonspecific pyogenic germs, whether posttraumatic or postsurgical, there are specific infections where the wound is the departure point for a systemic infection. Even today, tetanus and gaseous gangrene should be apprehended and systematically prevented. Similarly, the high incidence of infection of bite or scratch wounds (animal or human) should suggest prophylactic antibiotic treatment as well as evaluation of the risk of rabies in the case of animal bites or scratches. In any case, even if antibiotic treatment must be undertaken as an emergency measure, previous bacteriological investigation should be carried out if possible since it permits subsequent adaptation in case of failure of the initial antibiotic treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[A new bacterium: Rochalimaea].

Originally limited to trench fever, infections due to Rochalimaea now comprise manifestations particular to patients with human immunodeficiency virus (bacillary angiomatosis and hepatic peliosis), but also manifestations as diverse as isolated fever, septicaemia, endocarditis, lymphocytic meningitis, or central neurological disorders, in immunodepressed or immunocompetent subjects. The involvement of Rochalimaea in cat-scratch fever remains debated. Microbiological analysis used for diagnosis has been modified to allow isolation of these new bacteria, whose culture is slow and difficult, in the course of the above-cited clinical manifestations, which should further extend the range of Rochalimaea infections.

Alphaproteobacteria↗
PubMed1994

Micrococcal nuclease digestion of nuclei reveals extended nucleosome ladders having anomalous DNA lengths for chromatin assembled on non-replicating plasmids in transfected cells.

The chromatin structures of a variety of plasmids and plasmid constructions, transiently transfected into mouse Ltk- cells using the DEAE-dextran procedure, were studied by micrococcal nuclease digestion of nuclei and Southern hybridization. Although regularly arranged nucleosome-like particles clearly were formed on the transfected DNA, the nucleosome ladders, in some cases with 13-14 bands, were anomalous. Most often, a ladder of DNA fragments with lengths of approximately 300, 500, 700, 900 bp, etc. was generated. In contrast, typical 180-190 bp multiples were generated from bulk cellular or endogenous beta-actin gene chromatin. Very similar results were obtained with all DNA's transfected, and in a variety of cell lines, provided that plasmid replication did not occur. Additionally, after digestion of nuclei, about 90% of the chromatin fragments that contained transfected DNA sequences could not be solubilized at low ionic strength, in contrast with bulk cellular chromatin, suggesting association with nuclear structures or nuclear matrix. The remaining 10% of transfected DNA sequences, arising from soluble chromatin fragments, generated a typical nucleosome ladder. These results are consistent with the idea that assembly of atypical chromatin structures might be induced by proximity to elements of the nuclear pore complex or by nuclear compartmentalization.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

DNA sequence affects nucleosome ordering on replicating plasmids in transfected COS-1 cells and in vitro.

Nucleosome ordering on a variety of replicating plasmids, assembled into chromatin in transfected COS-1 cells, was studied by micrococcal nuclease digestion of isolated nuclei. Generally, no more than three well defined multiples of a unit nucleosome repeat, which resembled the first three bands of the (187 +/- 5 base pair (bp)) cellular chromatin ladder, could be detected in constructs that contained a near-minimal SV40 replication origin. In contrast, constructs that additionally contained the SV40 early region exhibited significantly more regular nucleosome arrangements. In some cases, eight to nine multiples of a 203 +/- 5-bp repeat could be resolved. The presence of the SV40 early region was necessary for physiological nucleosome alignment over the SV40 late and ori regions, or onto adjacent pBR327 DNA. In an in vitro chromatin assembly system, using purified chicken erythrocyte histones plus polyglutamic acid, a portion of SV40 DNA became packaged into a highly ordered 200 +/- 5-bp nucleosome array, which encompassed the early region and extended for about 2800 bp. The data suggest that in the cell nucleus, nucleosome ordering on SV40 DNA might spread from sequences in the early region, close to where transcription terminates, probably as a consequence of histone H1-nucleosome interactions.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Formation, derivatization and applications of bacterial cellulose.

Acetobacter xylinum produces highly crystalline cellulose extracellularly using glucose as a carbon source. The polymer formed is free of other biogenic compounds, separable in a simple way and characterized by its high water-absorption capacity. Stepwise solvent exchange from water to unpolar solvents leads to a drastic decrease of the water content of the bacterial cellulose without decrease of the highly swollen and activated state. Heterogeneous as well as homogeneous derivatizations, e.g. carboxymethylation, silylation and acetylation, were performed on the wet or dried biopolymer. Furthermore, different methods for formation of hollow fibres during biosynthesis were investigated. Such tubes may have applications as biocompatible material in medicine.

Absorption↗
PubMed1994

Evaluation of linked PCR-transcription amplification procedure for bean yellow mosaic virus detection in gladioli.

Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) concentration in in-vitro cultured Gladiolus cormlets was low and impossible to detect by the commonly used diagnostic methods. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected viral RNA in most infected cormlets but not in all. Additional amplification of the PCR products by transcription, using T7 RNA polymerase (PCR/T), resulted in virus detection in cases which otherwise went undetected. PCR products having a single polymerase promoter at one end served as a better template for T7 RNA polymerase, and yielded more transcripts of a particular orientation than a template containing promoters at both ends. Repeated cycles of PCR/T resulted in the production of a heterogeneous amplified material which correlated with a progressive decline in amplification rate. Therefore, only the first PCR/T cycle proved to be effective. The PCR/T procedure was shown to be better than other commonly used diagnostic methods including PCR.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗
PubMed1994

Eosinophils in acute renal allograft rejection.

Tissue eosinophils have been previously implicated in allograft rejection and graft loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of eosinophils in acute renal allograft rejection. Data from 71 patients with 114 renal biopsies with acute allograft rejection were compared with those from 26 controls. The median tissue eosinophil density (0.4-1.1 eosinophils per micron2 x 10(6)) and the median peripheral blood eosinophilia (1.5-3.0%) in all grades of acute interstitial rejection and in acute vascular rejection were higher than in controls (0.0 eosinophils per micron2 x 10(6), p < 0.0023, and 0.9%, p < 0.035). In all grades of rejection, 36-54% of biopsies had tissue eosinophil density > or = 1 eosinophil per micron2 x 10(6), and 20-36% of patients had peripheral blood eosinophilia > or = 4%, compared with 0% and 4%, respectively, in controls (p < 0.000 and p = 0.0245). The sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of predicting acute rejection with tissue eosinophil density > or = 1 eosinophil per micron2 x 10(6) is 41%, 100% and 52%, and for peripheral blood eosinophila > or = 4% is 23%, 96% and 40%, respectively. The median tissue eosinophil density in acute rejection with graft loss was 1.9 eosinophils per micron2 x 10(6) compared to 0.2 eosinophils per micron2 x 10(6) in acute rejection without graft loss (p = 0.014), and 67% of acute rejection with graft loss had tissue eosinophil density > or = 1 eosinophil per micron2 x 10(6) compared with 28% of acute rejection without graft loss (p = 0.028).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

A clinical follow-up of delinquent males: ignored vulnerabilities, unmet needs, and the perpetuation of violence.

OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the adult adaptation of a group of 97 formerly incarcerated male delinquents. METHOD: Follow-up clinical interviews were administered to subjects, approximately 9 years after discharge from juvenile corrections. The records of the correctional school, state police, FBI, state psychiatric hospitals, and state health department also were reviewed. RESULTS: All but six had adult criminal records, most for violent crimes. Only 10% were graduated from high school; 30% received minimal job training; most worked sporadically at unskilled jobs. Few married. Although 35 had fathered children, only 5 were living with them. Psychiatric treatment for identified vulnerabilities was negligible. Upon discharge, the most neuropsychiatrically impaired and violent subjects tended to be placed in adult corrections; the most intact were placed in special schools and psychiatric hospitals. Numbers of vulnerabilities continued to contribute most significantly to violent outcome regardless of placement. Placement in families was associated with fewer adult aggressive offenses than was institutional placement, even while controlling for vulnerabilities and early juvenile violence. CONCLUSION: Based on their well-documented early vulnerabilities and needs, this sample of delinquents did not obtain the kinds of supports subsequent to juvenile incarceration that might have enabled them to function independently in society.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

An observational study of mothers with eating disorders and their infants.

Two groups of primiparous mothers and their infants were observed at home during play and at a mealtime when the infants were 12-24 months old. The index group consisted of mothers who had experienced an eating disorder during the postnatal year while the control group had been free from such psychopathology. The main findings were that, when compared to controls, the index mothers were more intrusive with their infants during both mealtimes and play; and that they expressed more negative emotion towards their infants during mealtimes but not during play. There were, however, no differences between the groups in their positive expressed emotion. The index infants' emotional tone was generally more negative and their mealtimes more conflictual compared to controls. Furthermore, the index infants tended to be lighter than controls and infant weight was found to be independently and inversely related to both the amount of conflict during mealtimes and the extent of the mother's concern about her own body shape.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Stability trends and longitudinal correlations of negative and positive syndromes within a three-year follow-up of initially hospitalized schizophrenics.

Our study investigates whether the distinction between positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia--as discussed in the literature--can be confirmed by a factor analysis and whether such a distinction proves stability over time. In a further step, symptom factors are correlated to different external variables for the purpose of validation. Processed data cover 36 months obtained from a prospective 5-year follow-up study of 163 initially hospitalized schizophrenics. The results permit for dividing the symptoms into a total of five factors--two representing positive and negative symptoms and one representing the general neurotic syndrome. This factor structure proved to be stable over time. Correlations between symptom factors and external variables justify a trait-interpretation of the negative factor anhedonia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Isolation and characterization by immunofluorescence, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, western blot, restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of Rochalimaea quintana from a patient with bacillary angiomatosis.

Rochalimaea quintana was isolated from the blood of a French human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient with bacillary angiomatosis. The isolate showed the typical growth characteristics of Rochalimaea species and was inert when typical biochemical testing was used. The purpose of the present work was to characterize and compare this new isolate with reference strains of R. quintana, Rochalimaea vinsonii, and Rochalimaea henselae by using immunofluorescence, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western blot (immunoblot), restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR of the citrate synthase gene, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. SDS-PAGE, Western blot, restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR with TaqI enzyme, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing could differentiate the three Rochalimaea species and allowed characterization of the French isolate as R. quintana. However, identification of the Rochalimaea isolate to the species level was more easily obtained by immunofluorescence with specific murine antisera. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis allowed differentiation of the French R. quintana isolate from R. quintana Fuller and may serve as an epidemiological tool.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1994

Eating habits and attitudes of mothers of children with non-organic failure to thrive.

The eating habits and attitudes concerning body shape and weight among 26 mothers of children with non-organic failure to thrive (the index group) were studied using the eating disorder examination. They were compared with equivalent data on 26 individually matched women who participated in a large community survey. The index mothers' views of their child's weight and shape were also studied. The principal findings were, firstly, that when compared with the comparison group, mothers of children with non-organic failure to thrive had higher levels of dietary restraint. Secondly, despite their child's low weight, 50% of the index mothers were restricting their child's intake of 'sweet' foods, and a further 30% were restricting foods they considered 'fattening' or 'unhealthy'. These results raise the question of whether maternal eating habits and attitudes have a causal role in the genesis of non-organic failure to thrive. They suggest that careful inquiry about the mothers' eating habits and attitudes is needed when assessing children with non-organic failure to thrive.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Is ST segment depression of the electrocardiogram during cesarean section merely due to cardiac sympathetic block?

ST segment depression frequently is observed in women undergoing cesarean section with regional anesthesia, yet myocardial ischemia as a cause of such depression seems unlikely in this healthy population. To test whether ST segment depression in this setting is due to decreased sympathetic outflow to the heart, we monitored electrocardiograph (ECG) leads II and V5 in 15 healthy women undergoing cesarean section with spinal anesthesia. We estimated cardiac sympathetic tone by spectral analysis of heart rate variability, measuring the area under the power frequency curve of the fast Fourier transform of heart beat intervals. The area under this curve in the low frequency range (0.02-0.15 Hz) has been described recently and validated in humans and animals as a semiquantitative measure of cardiac sympathetic tone. Significant, > 1 mm horizontal or downsloping depression of the ST segment occurred in five women (33%), beginning 5-30 min after spinal bupivacaine injection. Those with ST segment depression had increased heart rate (117 +/- 7 beats/min) compared to those without (94 +/- 6 beats/min; P < 0.05), and had received more ephedrine (25 +/- 3 mg vs 7 +/- 3 mg; P < 0.05). Before spinal bupivacaine injection and after block resolution the area in the low frequency range of the heart rate power spectrum was similar in all women. During spinal anesthesia, those with ST segment depression had less power in this low frequency range (0.0018 +/- 0.0010 ms2/Hz) than those without ST depression (0.0028 +/- 0.0006 ms2/Hz).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Sex chromosome aberration with the 48 XYYY karyotype. A case report of the phenotype of a rare sex chromosome aneuploidy].

This is a case report on a 19-year-old patient with the chromosome constellation 48, XYYY. The patient showed signs of dysmorphism, mental retardation and problems in psychosocial functioning. A literature review revealed that individuals with this karyotype have widely varying phenotypes with regard not only to physical signs but also to brain functions and cognitive performance.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗