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Biomedical subjects

C Fink

Publications and source records attributed to C Fink.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Incidence of congenital heart disease in Tyrol, Austria 1979-1983.

The congenital heart disease incidence study was designed to collect valid data with respect to new diagnostic methods and to an improved system of preventive health care in order to compare the results with former studies. In the years 1979-1983 there were 41,725 live births in the Tyrol. Among these, 341 cases of congenital heart disease were recognised giving an incidence of 8.2 per 1000. This does not imply a real increase in congenital heart disease, but can be explained by differences in methodological bias. As in previous investigations as well in our study, ventricular septal defect has been noted as the most common cardiac lesion. A remarkable result is a 56% incidence of spontaneous closures. Within five years, 81 children died; 89% of them died by the age of one year.

Austria↗
PubMed1990

Withholding and withdrawal of life support from the critically ill.

We investigated decisions to withhold or withdraw life support from patients in the medical-surgical intensive care units at the Moffitt-Long Hospital of the University of California and San Francisco General Hospital, from July 1987 through June 1988. Among 1719 patients admitted to the two intensive care units, life support was withheld from 22 (1 percent) and withdrawn from 93 (5 percent). The reason for limiting care was poor prognosis. Of these 115 patients (18 of whom were considered brain-dead), 89 died in the intensive care unit (accounting for 45 percent of all deaths there), and all but 1 of the remaining patients died after transfer from the intensive care unit. Thirteen (11 percent) had earlier expressed the wish that their terminal care be limited, but this affected care in only four cases. Only 5 of the 115 patients made the actual decision to limit care; the others were incompetent at the time. Of the latter, 102 had families who participated in the decision; family members of the other 8 incompetent patients could not be found, and the decisions were made by physicians. Only 10 families initially disagreed with the recommendations to limit care, and they later agreed. The median duration of intensive care among the patients from whom life support was withheld or withdrawn was eight days at Moffitt-Long Hospital and four days at San Francisco General, as compared with medians of three and one days, respectively, for other patients who died in the intensive care units. We conclude that although life-sustaining care is withheld or withdrawn relatively infrequently from patients in the intensive care unit, such decisions precipitate about half of all deaths in the intensive care units of the hospitals we studied. In most of these cases the patients are incompetent, but physicians and families usually agree to limit care.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta in synovial fluid of infants and children with suppurative arthritis.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta concentrations were measured in synovial fluid of 24 infants and children with diagnoses of suppurative arthritis (n = 16) and other kinds of arthritis (n = 8). Large concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (range, 100 to 85,000 pg/mL) were found in 12 (75%) of 16 patients with bacterial infection and in none of the patients with noninfectious origins. Large concentrations of interleukin 1 beta (greater than 200 pg/mL) were found in 15 (94%) of 16 patients with bacterial infection and in none of the other patients. In the latter group, small concentrations of interleukin 1 (range, 40 to 120 pg/mL) were present in 5 (63%) of 8 patients. Serum samples obtained simultaneously were negative for both cytokines. Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta concentrations correlated significantly and with leukocyte counts in synovial fluid. We conclude that large concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta are produced locally in patients with suppurative arthritis and they may be potentially useful in differentiating this condition from other kinds of arthritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[Pericarditis as a complication of rubella].

Report on a five-year-old boy with clinically suspect and serologically proven rubella infection who developed serous pericarditis. Two-dimensional echocardiography documented a moderate pericardial effusion which resolved within one week. A review of the literature revealed that both peri- and myocarditis represent rare complications of rubella.

Cardiomegaly↗
PubMed1987

Expression of mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene confers methotrexate resistance in transgenic petunia plants.

Transgenic petunia plants containing an altered (Leu22----Arg22) mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene fused to the cauliflower mosiac virus 35S (CaMV 35S) promoter and nopaline synthase (nos) polyadenylation site were obtained by transforming petunia leaf disks with an Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain carrying the chimeric gene. Transformants were directly selected for and rooted on medium containing 1 microM methotrexate (MTX). The chimeric gene was present in the regenerated plants at one to three copies and produced the expected 950-nucleotide-long transcript based on Southern and Northern hybridization analyses, respectively. Leaf pieces from the regenerated transgenic plants were able to form callus when cultured on medium containing 1 microM MTX and were able to incorporate 32P into high-molecular-weight DNA in the presence of greater than 100 microM MTX, thus demonstrating that the chimeric mouse dhfr gene was fully functional and useful as a selectable marker in plant transformation experiments. To date, this is the first report of successful expression of a vertebrate gene in transformed plant cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

[Effect of valeprotriate on spontaneous motor activity in mice].

The purpose of the present investigation was to study effects of valtrate and acetoxyvaltrate hydrine on locomotor activity of mice. The method is characterized by the control of single animals over two total periods of activity. A differentiated effect curve caused by the substances during 24 h was maintained and an effect by doses used in therapy became evident. Locomotor activity was significantly inhibited by valtrate in a concentration of 0.1 mg/kg injected i.v. and 0.5 mg/kg if applied p.o. Higher concentrations did not result in an elongated effect. Acetoxyvaltrate hydrine, which is characterized by missing epoxide structure, caused reduced locomotor activity in a concentration of 4 mg/kg.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

[The effects of valtrate on the EEG of the isolated, perfused rat brain].

The purpose of the present investigation was to prove the central activity of valtrate. In order to avoid biotransformation of valtrate the isolated perfused rat brain was used for this study. The CNS activity of the drug was characterized by EEG changes which were analysed visually and quantified by automatic methods. The following results were obtained: In the EEG of brains perfused with valtrate the normal background beta activity was interrupted by spikes and paroxysmal patterns of theta frequencies. These patterns disappeared after reperfusion with the control medium without drug. Valtrate reduced the beta activity and produced an increase in the theta and delta frequencies of the EEG. Using valtrate concentrations of 0.1-100 mumol/l in the perfusion medium a clear dose-response relationship was not demonstrable.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

The maximum exercise stress test: is it a behavior-modification tool?

The controlled study presented demonstrates the results obtained when using the maximum exercise stress test (MEST) as a behavior-modification tool for coronary artery disease risk factors. Changes in attitudes, behaviors, and objective measurements of health were assessed in a low-risk population. Only exercise level was significantly altered (P less than .03). Changes in the other measured parameters were insignificant. The MEST test is also expensive, and no benefit has been demonstrated in terms of its ability to decrease the morbidity and mortality seen in coronary artery disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

The family continuity of care contract.

Continuity of care has been defined as a contract between a patient and physician for medical care. This study looks at continuity of care in a community family practice residency program before and after office contact has been made with at least one member of the family by the assigned physician. It is assumed that during such a visit a contract for care of the family is made. Using this premise, continuity of care increased significantly when the different resident levels and faculty were compared over a 2.5-month period. It seems reasonable to measure the continuity of care provided an assigned family only after a contract has been made. This contract should be accomplished in an initial intake interview or during the initial office contact with the assigned physician.

Continuity of Patient Care↗
PubMed1977

Comparison of tolmetin sodium and aspirin in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

The Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group was established in 1973 to undertake systematic trials of new drugs in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The first drug evaluated was tolmetin (1-methyl-5-p-toluoylpyrrole-2 acetic acid), a new nonsteroid anti-inflammatory agent. A four-week open trial with 30 patients and a subsequent 12-week double-blind trial against aspirin with 107 patients were conducted. Tolmetin and aspirin had equal anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in the treatment of JRA. Elevations of transaminase values attributed to aspirin were not found with tolmetin. Adverse effects accompanying administration of tolmetin did not appear to be of major clinical significance.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Galectins-1 and -3 and their ligands in tumor biology. Non-uniform properties in cell-surface presentation and modulation of adhesion to matrix glycoproteins for various tumor cell lines, in biodistribution of free and liposome-bound galectins and in their expression by breast and colorectal carcinomas with/without metastatic propensity.

Protein (lectin)-carbohydrate (cellular glycoconjugate) recognition is operative in biochemical information transfer. Galectins constitute a family of endogenous galactoside-binding lectins with conserved features in the binding site. The members of this lectin category are assumed to be involved in cell adhesion and growth regulation. To assess to what extent the different modes of binding-site presentation and/or carbohydrate fine-specificities will affect aspects of galectin behavior, homodimeric cross-linking galectin-1 and monomeric chimeric galectin-3, with its collagenase-sensitive stalk linked to the carbohydrate-recognition domain, were investigated. Cell-surface expression of the two galectins and accessible galectin-binding sites on various tumor cell lines was ascertained by FACScan analysis. In particular, ligand accessibility for the two galectins differed for the tested cell line types. Binding of tumor cells to laminin and plasma or placental fibronectin was generally reduced by treatment of cells or matrix with galectins. Galectin-3 was more efficient than galectin 1 at impairing laminin's potency as matrix. Cell binding of galectin-1, on the other hand, proved on average more effective for blocking cell association to fibronectins after its preincubation with cell suspensions. Differences were also apparent in the biodistribution of the galectins, where an avian homolog of galectin- served as the control to distinguish effects of spatial and sugar-binding features. Histopathological analysis of lymph-node-negative and -positive breast and colorectal carcinomas (n = 180 including 60 metastatic lesions) indicated a correlation of either increased galectin-1 binding and reduced galectin-3 expression or reduced binding of both galectins with the occurrence of lymph node lesions. Together with data on the heparin-binding lectin, revealing reduced expression to be associated with a positive lymph-node status in the breast cancer group, these results can be interpreted to reflect cell-type-dependent requirements of galectin ligand presentation during the metastatic cascade. By introducing mammalian lectins to lectin-histochemical studies, the detection of quantitative differences in glycosylation brings an understanding of its cell biological significance one step closer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neoglycoproteins with the synthetic complex biantennary nonasaccharide or its alpha 2,3/alpha 2,6-sialylated derivatives: their preparation, assessment of their ligand properties for purified lectins, for tumor cells in vitro, and in tissue sections, and their biodistribution in tumor-bearing mice.

Neoglycoproteins were prepared with chemoenzymatically synthesized complex biantennary N-glycan derivatives the nonreducing ends of which bear typical sequences found in glycoproteins. A chemically obtained biantennary heptasaccharide-azide was reduced and acylated with a 6-aminohexanoyl spacer. Elongation of the deprotected heptasaccharide using glycosyltransferases yielded a biantennary nonasaccharide with terminal galactose residues and two undecasaccharides terminating with alpha 2,6- or alpha 2,3-linked sialic acid. The free amino group of the spacer of these oligosaccharides was converted into an isothiocyanate. Its subsequent coupling to bovine serum albumin gave neoglycoproteins with a yield of 2.4-3.6 glycan chains per carrier molecule. This versatile synthetic pathway allows employment of a wide variety of complex-type glycans, which can be introduced to various test systems in vitro and in vivo to evaluate potential biomedical applications. Solid-phase assays with biotinylated sugar receptors revealed discriminatory binding properties of the three neoglycoproteins, especially for the mistletoe lectin. This direct assay system is preferable to the measurement of inhibitory capacities with respect to model ligands. Ligand type- and cell type-dependent quantitative differences in the binding properties of the probes were detected by FACScan analyses with a panel of tumor cell lines and by monitoring of staining in tissue sections for small cell and non-small-cell lung cancer and mesotheliomas. Biodistribution of iodinated neoglycoproteins in mice gave a prolonged presence of the sialylated probes in serum. Relative to the nonasaccharide, the uptake, especially of the iodinated neoglycoprotein with alpha 2,3-sialylated ligand chains, was clearly elevated in mice for kidneys and Ehrlich tumors. On the basis of the documented feasibility of these applications, it is concluded that the further elaboration of glycan chain variants by the described synthetic approach in combination with the given test panel is warranted to evaluate the potential of complex glycan chain-carrying neoglycoproteins for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bioabsorbable polyglyconate interference screw fixation in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective computed tomography-controlled study.

PURPOSE: It was the purpose of the study to evaluate a new polyglyconate bioabsorbable interference screw for graft fixation in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective randomized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients who underwent endoscopic ACL reconstruction were included in the study and randomized intraoperatively. Group A consisted of 20 patients (6 women, 14 men; mean age, 29.6 years) who had femoral bone block fixation with a bioabsorbable interference screw and tibial fixation with a titanium interference screw. Group B included 20 patients (5 women, 15 men; mean age 29.6 years) who had fixation of both femoral and tibial bone blocks with titanium interference screws. There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to age, gender, height, weight, time from injury to surgery, activity level, and concomitant injuries. RESULTS: Clinical results (using IKDC, Lysholm, Tegner scores) of the 2 groups as well as instrumented laxity measurements (KT-1000) did not show significant (P >.05) differences at any stage of follow-up. No complications with respect to graft fixation could be found. Computed tomography scans, performed within the first postoperative week, at 6 weeks, and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively revealed a uniform picture for all patients within the groups, showing completed screw degradation at 12 months in group A. CONCLUSION: Polyglyconate interference screw fixation for patellar tendon grafts has not been found to be associated with increased clinical complications or significant osteolysis. It provided equivalent fixation and clinical results compared with titanium screws. However, replacement of the screw with bone did not take place for up to 3 years postoperatively.

Absorbable Implants↗