Biomedical subjects

C Haase

Publications and source records attributed to C Haase.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

[Gaucher disease, Fabry disease and mucopolysaccharidosis type I--how can the rheumatologist recognise these patients?].

The lysosomal storage diseases Gaucher disease, Fabry disease and MPS I are rare inheritable metabolic disorders that are now treatable with enzyme replacement therapy. In order to avoid irreversible complications, an early diagnosis and initiation of therapy is important. Due to the musculoskeletal symptoms associated with these storage diseases, patients are likely to visit a rheumatologist, who should, therefore, be able to recognise and diagnose these rare diseases. On the basis of the causal factors behind Gaucher disease, Fabry disease und MPS I (here Scheie syndrome), key symptoms that the rheumatologist (internist or paediatrician) should be familiar with for the differential diagnosis of these patients will be discussed. In addition, a short introduction to the pathophysiology and data on the prognosis and therapy for these diseases will be presented.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMed2005

Social outcome in treated individuals with inherited metabolic disorders: UK study.

Few data exist on the long-term social outcome of patients with inherited metabolic disorders, despite the fact that increasing numbers are surviving into adulthood. Here we report the findings of 329 patients aged from 11 to 70 years, of whom 172 had phenylketonuria, 38 had homocystinuria and 33 had galactosaemia. Twenty-eight per cent had no formal education qualifications, 59% were employed, but only 17% were in professional jobs (social classes I and II). The time of diagnosis and treatment had a significant impact on outcome in phenylketonuria, as did pyridoxine responsiveness or lack of it in homocystinuria. Effects on outcome in galactosaemia were not clear. Social integration is an important outcome of treatment of chronic disorders in childhood and warrants further study in this growing patient population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Combined nitrification/denitrification in a membrane reactor.

An ever stricter legislation regulating wastewater leads to an increasing demand for biological treatment plants which are able to selectively eliminate nitrogen from wastewaters with a high influent concentration, even when operating in partial influent mode. A membrane-tube-module (MSM) reactor (Membran-Schlauch-Modul-Reaktor) was constructed and realized in the IUV at the University of Bremen. The present approach makes use of all the various layers of the whole biofilm, enabling nitrification and denitrification processes to run simultaneously in one and the same biofilm under optimized conditions. The biological degradation capacity of the system was first successfully tested with synthetic wastewater, and subsequently in a real application with effluents from a recycling of animal carcasses plant and from a coke-oven plant. A mathematical model was devised which describes this biofilm system. The resulting equations were solved by means of the simulation software AQUASIM.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2004

Pseudophosphorylation of tau protein alters its ability for self-aggregation.

Filamentous tau protein deposits are a pathological hallmark of a group of neurodegenerative disorders (tauopathies). Tau protein in these aggregates is highly phosphorylated at different phosphorylation sites. Although tau filaments can be formed by heparin-induced aggregation of unphosphorylated recombinant tau, it is not known how tau phosphorylation modulates aggregation behaviour. Analysis of the effect of tau phosphorylation at defined single or multiple sites is hampered by the low specificity of protein kinases and the highly dynamic turnover of phosphorylation in vivo. To overcome this problem we employed site-directed mutagenesis to convert serine and threonine to aspartic acid or glutamic acid, which introduce a negative charge and conformational change that mimic phosphorylation. We tested 14 different mutated tau proteins for their propensity for self-aggregation and formation of tau filaments. Tau aggregation was monitored with thioflavin S fluorescence in the presence of different inducers such as heparin, Al3+, Fe2+ and Fe3+. We found that mutations in the N-terminal portion up to amino acid 208 mainly suppress tau aggregation, whereas mutations in the C-terminal region mainly lead to an enhanced aggregation. Mutations in the middle portion of tau showed a mixed picture of suppression and enhancement of aggregation. A single amino acid change Ser422Glu has aggregation-favouring properties with all four inducers.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

PubMed2004

CD40 is necessary for activation of naïve T cells by a dendritic cell line in vivo but not in vitro.

The importance of CD40-CD40L interactions during CD4(+) T-cell activation has been extensively investigated over the years; however, it still remains questionable whether the interaction is a prerequisite for dendritic cell (DC)-mediated antigen-specific priming in vivo. Naïve CD4(+) T cells require two signals for proper activation and induction of differentiation: signal 1 is provided by peptide antigens in the context of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, while signal 2 is delivered by costimulatory molecules such as CD80 or CD86 present on the antigen-presenting cell (APC). It is well known that the expression of CD80/CD86 is upregulated after interaction between CD40 on APCs and CD40L expressed by at least partly activated T cells. We used a DC line, JawsII, to compare the importance of CD40 expression and downstream signalling in vitro and in vivo. JawsII cells represent pre-immature bone marrow-derived DCs expressing low levels of MHC molecules, low levels of B7 molecules and no CD40. We have previously shown that JawsII cells, despite the lack of CD40 expression, are capable of priming naïve allogeneic T cells in vitro. In correlation with the current literature, we present data showing that constitutive expression of CD40 significantly increases the priming capacity of JawsII cells in vitro. In addition, we show that CD40 expression is required for JawsII cell-dependent T-cell priming in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Treatment of an immortalized APC cell line with both cytokines and LPS ensures effective T-cell activation in vitro.

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are crucial for the generation of a functional immune response to pathogens. Furthermore, there is abundant evidence for their importance in primary T-cell activation, B-cell maturation and maintenance of an ongoing immune response. In the present study, we have analysed phenotypic characteristics and functionality of a p53-deficient APC cell line (JawsII) derived from mouse bone marrow culture. We show that unstimulated JawsII cells express low surface levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and costimulatory molecules, both of which can be upregulated upon treatment with cytokines in vitro. Cytokine stimulation also leads to an enhanced T-cell activation capacity but has only little effect on cytokine release by the JawsII cells themselves. On the contrary, stimulation of the JawsII cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) leads to the production and secretion of high amounts of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) but no increase in the surface levels of MHC and costimulatory molecules, and has only little effect on the T-cell activation capacity. Our data suggest that the effects observed upon treatment with cytokines or LPSs are complementary, and that both stimuli are needed for mediating a strong and efficient JawsII cell-dependent T-cell activation.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Emergency department screening for asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the prevalence and correlates of asymptomatic genital tract infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis among emergency department patients. METHODS: Individuals seeking emergency department evaluation for nongenitourinary complaints provided urine samples for N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis testing by ligase chain reaction and completed a sociodemographic and behavioral questionnaire. RESULTS: Asymptomatic N gonorrhoeae or C trachomatis was found in 9.7% of persons tested. Correlates of C trachomatis infection included younger age, residence in high-morbidity zip code areas, previous history of N gonorrhoeae or C trachomatis, and number of sex partners in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: Urine-based screening of asymptomatic emergency department patients detected significant numbers of N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis infections. Targeted screening programs may contribute to community-level prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Quantitative changes in reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase-reactive neurons in the brain of Octodon degus after periodic maternal separation and early social isolation.

The influence of preweaning maternal separation and postweaning social isolation on the development of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase-reactive neurons in prefrontal cortical areas, in subdivisions of the nucleus accumbens and in the corpus callosum was quantitatively investigated in the precocious rodent Octodon degus. Forty-five-day-old degus from three animal groups were compared: (i) degus that were reared under normal undisturbed social conditions; (ii) degus that were repeatedly separated from their mothers during the first three postnatal weeks and thereafter reared with their family; and (iii) degus that remained undisturbed with the family until weaning (postnatal day 21) and thereafter were reared in social isolation. Preweaning maternal separation led to a significant decrease in NADPH-diaphorase-containing neurons in the corpus callosum in both genders (down to 33%) compared with the social control group. No significant changes were found in the subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. Postweaning social isolation led to a reduced density of NADPH-diaphorase-containing neurons in the corpus callosum in both genders (down to 52%) compared with the social control group. Furthermore, in the precentral medial cortex of female pups, a significant reduction in NADPH-diaphorase-reactive neurons (down to 72%) was detectable. All other regions of the medial prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens remained unchanged. The observed deprivation-induced changes may reflect either an excessive reduction in NADPH-diaphorase-positive neurons or a down-regulation of the enzyme in neurons that normally express it.Our results indicate a link between early adverse socio-emotional experience and the maturation of NADPH-reactive neurons. Further studies are required to analyse the functional implications of this experience-induced brain pathology.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Compliance with universal precautions among emergency department personnel caring for trauma patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Emergency department personnel are at high risk of occupational infection with bloodborne pathogens. The objective of this study was to observe and analyze the use of barrier precautions among ED personnel caring for trauma patients. METHODS: This observational study used videotapes of trauma cases seen at an urban Level I trauma center. Study participants were ED and trauma team personnel. Trained observers scored breaks in the use of barrier precautions during the first 15 minutes of 88 videotaped Level I trauma cases. "Major" breaks were scored when ED personnel performed invasive procedures without gloves, mask, gown, and adequate eye protection. "Minor" breaks were scored when ED personnel were adjacent to a trauma patient (within 1 m) without wearing these items. RESULTS: We observed 1 or more major breaks in 33.6% of 304 invasive procedures. The most common major break was failure to wear a mask (32.2% of procedures), followed by inadequate eyewear (22.2%), no gown (5.6%), and no gloves (3.0%). We observed minor breaks during 55.5% of 752 patient encounters. Large and statistically significant variations were seen in use rates of barrier precautions among different groups of personnel; surgery residents were most likely to use precautions, whereas attending surgeons were least likely. CONCLUSION: Compliance with universal precautions is poor in this high-risk clinical setting. These data provide a baseline for measuring the effectiveness of interventions to improve compliance. Videotaped observations are a novel and effective tool in this setting.

Blood-Borne Pathogens↗

PubMed1999

Compliance with Universal Precautions among emergency department personnel: implications for prevention programs.

BACKGROUND: We developed a 50-item questionnaire to assess emergency department (ED) staff members' knowledge of bloodborne pathogen transmission, compliance with Universal Precautions, and the use of personal protective equipment. METHOD: A questionnaire was administered to 103 ED staff members including physicians, nurses, and technicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis, a Level-I trauma center. RESULTS: ED personnel had inadequate knowledge of bloodborne pathogen infection risk, underreported exposures, and underused personal protection equipment during trauma cases. CONCLUSION: Further educational interventions for ED personnel are needed to increase their compliance with Universal Precautions.

Cross Infection↗

PubMed1998

Detection of IgG autoantibodies in the sera of patients with bullous and gestational pemphigoid: ELISA studies utilizing a baculovirus-encoded form of bullous pemphigoid antigen 2.

Autoantibodies against the extracellular domain of bullous pemphigoid antigen 2 (BPAG2) are thought to play a key role in the pathogenesis of bullous pemphigoid and their detection may thus be of diagnostic and prognostic value. The aim of this study was to develop a standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay utilizing the baculovirus-derived protein BV13 (extracellular domain of BPAG2 devoid of 68 amino acids at the C terminus linked to glutathione-S-transferase and 6x His tag) to detect BPAG2-specific autoantibodies. For the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, nickel agarose affinity-purified BV13 protein was incubated with sera from patients with bullous pemphigoid (n = 39), gestational pemphigoid (n = 10), and pemphigus vulgaris/pemphigus foliaceus (PV/PF; n = 15), or normal human sera (NHS; n = 18). Nickel affinity-purified proteins from wild-type baculovirus-infected insect cells served as a control. A positive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay value was defined as reactivity (OD(BV13) - OD(WT)) > mean reactivity + 1 SD of the negative control sera (PV/PF; NHS). Thirty-five of 39 bullous pemphigoid sera and 10 of 10 gestational pemphigoid sera were reactive to BPAG2 compared with none of 15 PV/PF sera and one of 18 NHS (sensitivity, 91.8%; specificity, 97%). Of 16 BPAG2-reactive sera in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, only six were BPAG2-reactive in the western blot, whereas 14 sera immunoprecipitated BPAG2 from extracts of epidermal keratinocytes. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay utilizing an eukaryotic BPAG2 protein thus seems to be highly sensitive and specific in the detection of BPAG2-specific antibodies and, hence, may be useful in the diagnosis of bullous autoimmune diseases, such as bullous pemphigoid and gestational pemphigoid.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Cerebral hemodynamics during induced tachycardia in routine electrophysiologic studies: a transcranial Doppler study.

Supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmia are established causes of syncope. We investigated the mean blood flow velocities (Vmean) of the middle cerebral arteries (MCA) during routine cardiac electrophysiologic studies in patients with supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias in order to evaluate the changes in cerebral hemodynamics associated with pre-syncopal and syncopal states. Thirty-two patients with a history of supraventricular (n = 14) or ventricular (n = 18) tachyarrhythmias were investigated in the nonsedated, post-absorptive state in supine position. Vmean was assessed in both MCAs by means of transcranial Doppler under resting conditions, during atrial and ventricular pacing at constant rates (n = 28) and during induction of tachyarrhythmia (n = 4). Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate were also recorded. Seven patients suffered pre-syncope at a heart rate of 187 +/- 45 bpm (mean +/- SD) with an average drop of 44% in the Vmean MCA, and statistically insignificant changes in MABP. Five patients suffered syncope during tachyarrhythmia (mean heart rate 283 +/- 42 bpm) with a reduction of 69% in the Vmean MCA. MABP could be assessed in two of those patients and showed a drop of 15 and 43 mmHg, respectively. During tachyarrhythmia pre-syncope and syncope are associated with an average reduction in Vmean MCA by 44% and 69%, respectively. The decrease in MCA blood flow velocity is a more important predictive factor for the development of pre-syncope and syncope than the MABP.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Evaluation of respiratory inductive plethysmography in controlled ventilation: measurement of tidal volume and PEEP-induced changes of end-expiratory lung volume.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP) with a respiratory monitor (Respitrace Plus; NIMS Inc., Miami) operating in the DC-mode for the measurement of tidal volumes (VT) and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)-induced changes of end-expiratory lung volume (deltaEELV) in patients with normal pulmonary function, acute lung injury (ALI), and COPD during volume-controlled ventilation. DESIGN: Prospective comparison of RIP with pneumotachography (PT) for assessment of VT and with multibreath nitrogen washout procedure (N2WO) for determination of deltaEELV as reference methods. SETTING: Mixed ICU at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-one sedated and paralyzed patients: 12 patients with normal pulmonary function mechanically ventilated after major surgery, 10 patients with respiratory failure due to ALI, and 9 patients with a known history of COPD ventilated after surgery or because of respiratory failure due to bronchopulmonary infection. INTERVENTIONS: Stepwise increase of PEEP from 0 to 5 to 10 cm H2O and reduction to 0 cm H2O again. On each PEEP level, N2WO was performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The baseline drift of RIP averaged 25.4+/-29.1 mL/min but changed over a wide range even in single patient measurements. Determination of VT for single minutes revealed that 66.5% and 90.0% of all values were accurate within a range of +/-10% and +/-20%, respectively. The deviation for VT measurements between RIP and PT in patients with COPD was significantly (p<0.05) higher compared to patients with ALI or normal pulmonary function. The difference of deltaEELV between RIP and N2WO was 11.6+/-174.1 mL with correlation coefficients of 0.77 (postoperative and COPD patients) and 0.86 (ALI patients). However, just 25.8% and 46.2% were precise within +/-10% and +/-20%, respectively. deltaEELV determination in COPD patients differed more between RIP and N2WO than in the other groups, but this was not significant. CONCLUSION: In a mixed group of patients undergoing controlled ventilation, RIP using the Respitrace Plus monitor was not consistently precise enough for quantitative evaluation of VT and EELV when compared to our reference methods. This was most evident in patients with COPD. For long-term volume measurements, a better control of the baseline drift of RIP should be achieved.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

[Forgotten pain].

A 55-year-old female patient developed a severe chronic lumbar pain syndrome over a period of 17 years. An intervertebral disc operation was performed 5 years after the start of the painful illness. The patient later developed resistance to therapy and was unable to stand or walk. She was confined to bed and wheelchair and socially completely withdrawn. Drug therapy and invasive therapeutic techniques escalated. An intrathecal catheter for morphine administration had to be removed owing to bacterial meningitis, and repeated malfunction led to several revisions of an epidural catheter. Withdrawal of the morphine therapy, carried out with the patient's agreement, was complicated by an epileptic seizure and an acute circulatory failure with cerebral hypoxia. The succeeding severe amnestic syndrome extinguished all recollection of the last 20 years, including the entire course of the painful illness. The patient could then be mobilised without pain. Consistent care avoided a relapse into the pain syndrome as the amnestic syndrome gradually receded. The patient was fully able to accept responsibility and not longer required special pain therapy. The course demonstrates that chronic pain disorders of a predominantly psychodynamic, and therefore corticocerebral, genesis are dependent on an intact memory. In such cases memory failure can induce pain relief.

English Abstract↗

PubMed1995

[Effects of lumbar peridural anesthesia on tissue pO2 of the large intestine in man].

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 15 ml bupivacaine 0.25%, given via an epidural catheter, on the tissue-PO2 of the colon wall in humans. METHODS: Nine patients were studied during elective colorectal surgery. The tissue-PO2 was measured by polarography, using a multiwire surface probe. RESULTS: There was no significant change in cardiac index and arterial oxygen delivery after the injection of bupivacaine. At the serosal side of the colon wall the tissue-PO2 increased from 34 to 51 mmHg after epidural bupivacaine, which is statistically significant. Spinal nerve block produces sympathetic denervation of the bowel with an increase of regional nutritive blood flow. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that epidural bupivacaine has a favourable effect on tissue oxygenation of the colon during colorectal surgery.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Meteorotropy and medical-meteorological forecasts.

The meteorotropic reaction of the human organism is a function of different factors, such as the type and intensity of the effects of the physical environment as well as individual conditions like adaptive capacity and state of health. Many medical-meteorological studies show causal correlations between conditions in the lower atmosphere and reactions of the human organism, but also combined or synergistic effects of different weather situations, which can only be proved stochastically. These effects are described and the methodology of the investigations, as well as the results, critically discussed. Furthermore, application of the results in the areas of medical-meteorological consultation, with the goal of improving living conditions, is considered.

Climate↗

PubMed1991

[Care of edentulous mandible with implant stabilized telescope complete denture].

In comparison to the present junction elements of the implantologic-prosthetic treatment of the toothless lower jaw the dental implant stabilized overdenture is a good alternative. The movable positioning of the resilient telescopes needs the observance of the prosthetic criteria. Having only a guiding function the number of the implants can be reduced to two implants.

Dental Implantation, Endosseous↗

PubMed1989

Sensitization to and conditioning with apomorphine in pigeons.

Pigeons that repeatedly experienced the effect of apomorphine in the same environment showed an augmented behavioural response to the same drug dose as compared with controls that experienced the effect of the drug dose in differing environments. Sensitization, an increase in the behavioural response that is observed in pigeons when the same dose of apomorphine is repeatedly administered, may thus be mainly due to a conditioning of the drug response to incidental environmental cues. Apomorphine injections also induced place preferences. Pigeons that had experienced a particular environment under the influence of apomorphine subsequently favoured that environment to one they had experienced while under saline. This suggests that apomorphine administration has reinforcing properties for birds, much as it has for mammals.

Animals↗