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Biomedical subjects

C Weiss

Publications and source records attributed to C Weiss.

358 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Relationship of an increased internal rotation of the hip with pelvic tilt, spinal alignment and posture - does the so-called antetorsion syndrome exist?].

AIM: A cross-sectional study of pupils should show a possible relation between hip movement, posture and spinal alignment. METHODS: 143 children aged 6 to 17 years were clinically examined with particular respect to internal rotation and extension of the hip, spinal alignment and posture to determine if the so-called antetorsion syndrome exists in children as a remnant of the uprising of man. RESULTS: Internal hip rotation decreased with age without any difference regarding the age between children with and without hip contracture. Children with hip flexion deformity had a significantly higher ability for internal hip rotation (p = 0.0471), but both hip extension and internal rotation were not related to spinal alignment (p = 0.5585/0.5612). On the other hand a normal posture is related with a "normal" back and age (p = 0.0004). The spinal alignment itself did not differ in the age groups. 30 % of the children with sufficient posture and 38 % of the ones with insufficient posture had a hip contracture. The latter showed an increased internal hip rotation by 12 degrees (p = 0.0079). CONCLUSION: On the basis of these results, a relationship between muscular performance, neuromuscular maturity, decreased hip extension and increased internal hip rotation can be assumed. This so-called antetorsion syndrome exists in 20 % of the examined children. A relation to the spinal alignment especially the hollow-round back, cannot be found.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Are there predictors for proliferative retinopathy of prematurity and is supplemental oxygen a useful conservative treatment option?].

BACKGROUND: Especially very immature preterm babies develop retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). This study aims at analysing risk factors for proliferative ROP and realizing the efficiency of supplemental oxygen therapy. PATIENTS: 180 preterm babies with birth weight < or = 1 500 grams were included retrospectively. METHODS: To determine potential predictors all preterm babies with ROP grade > or = 3 were matched to pairs with similar immature babies with ROP 1 or 2. Additionally we examined the influence of supplemental oxygen therapy on the coagulation rate of high grade retinopathy. RESULTS: 44 % of the preterm babies showed ROP. A longer duration of ventilation (21 vs. 33 days), a longer duration of oxygen supplementation (59 vs. 78 days), relapsing sepsis (10 vs. 19 babies with sepsis > 2 times), a large total volume of transfusions (median: 150 mL vs. 105 mL), chronic lung disease (CLD) (6 vs. 15 babies with oxygen requirements at 36 weeks post-menstrual age), a duration of intubation for more than 28 days (13 vs. 6 babies) and the lack of phototherapy (21 vs. 9 babies) were risk factors associated with ROP > or = 3 using univariate analysis [p < 0.05]. Only the both last criteria correlated with high grade ROP after logistic regression. The supplemental oxygen therapy showed no influence on the coagulation rate of high grade ROP. Possibly this therapy influences the frequency of surgical treatment of amotio- and of putting on a cerclage, but this remains still speculative because of the low case number. We saw no negative effect on the frequency of CLD and on the survival of the babies. CONCLUSIONS: Especially measures against long duration of intubation could help to prevent high grade ROP. The supplemental oxygen therapy may have a positive effect on course.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stereologic evaluation of the vasculature in a MX1 xenotransplanted tumour model after combinations of treatment with ifosfamide, hyperthermia and irradiation.

The vascularization of tumours is a critical parameter of their growing and metastatic behaviour. However, little is known about the morphologic reactions of the microvasculature, especially the capillary bed of tumours and the adjacent tissue. In this study, the vessels in MX1 xenotransplants in athymic nu/nu nude mice were quantified and the angioarchitecture was visualized with the aim of presenting stereologic parameters of vessels based on a morphometric analysis of post mortem tissue blocks which were processed by standard histological procedures. In order to study changes of the microvasculature of MX1 tumours, the xenotransplanted nude mice were treated by different therapeutic regimens. Standardized hyperthermia, ifosfamide and irradiation therapies were applied. Special interest was focused on early changes of capillaries and of the pre- as well as post-terminal vascular bed. The stereologic evaluation of capillaries and larger vessels immediately after the therapy with ifosfamide and hyperthermia shows an increase of the mean capillary sizes. Furthermore, tumour samples after the 5th day of irradiation (5 x 2 Gy) and combinations of irradiation and chemotherapy treatment have been investigated. After 5 days of irradiation, a significant decrease of the vascular density was found. The results presented here clearly show that the timing and the mode of therapy influence the capillary morphology and periterminal vasculature of xenotransplanted MX1 tumours.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The long-term cost-effectiveness of improving alcohol abstinence with adjuvant acamprosate.

A computer model was developed with decision analysis software to explore the long-term clinical and economic outcomes of alcohol abstinence maintenance with either standard counselling therapy or standard therapy plus 48 weeks of adjuvant acamprosate in detoxified alcoholic patients. Important complications of alcoholism were modelled using Markov processes, and included relapse (return to drinking), alcohol-related hepatic disease, acute and chronic pancreatitis, acute and chronic gastritis, oropharyngeal carcinoma, oesophageal carcinoma, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy, alcoholic psychosis, accidental death, and suicide. Probabilities of developing complications were dependent on whether the patients within the cohort remained abstinent or had relapsed. Relapse rates, probabilities, and costs for acamprosate therapy and treatment of complications were taken from published literature. The analysis was performed from the German health insurance perspective. Life expectancy and total lifetime costs (costs of initial abstinence maintenance therapy plus costs of complications) were calculated for a typical male cohort with average age of 41 years, 80% with fatty liver, 15% with cirrhosis, 22% with chronic pancreatitis, and 1% with alcoholic cardiomyopathy at baseline. Life expectancy with and without acamprosate therapy was 15.90 and 14.70 years respectively, and discounted (5% per annum) average total lifetime costs per patient were DEM 46 448 and DEM 49 549 respectively. We conclude that, despite the acquisition costs of DEM 2177, adjuvant acamprosate therapy was both clinically and economically attractive under conservative assumptions.

Acamprosate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of intra-abdominal drainages on adhesion formation and prevention by phospholipids in a rat model. Drainages and adhesion formation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The study was designed to asses the adhesiogenic capacity of silicone drainages and the protective effect of phospholipids (PL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 75 Wistar rats were randomly assigned to the different groups. In a preliminary trial (pt; n = 15), all rats underwent midline laparotomy. The control group (C(pt); n = 5) received no further treatment. In the other animals, either an 'easy flow' drainage (EF(pt); n = 5) or an 'Aachen' drainage (AC(pt); n = 5) was placed into the abdominal cavity. In the final study (fs; n = 60), rats underwent laparotomy and colonic anastomosis. The control groups (C(fs)) received no drainages. In the other groups either one of the two types of drainages (EF(fs), AC(fs)) were introduced. In 50% of the rats, 75 mg/kg of PL were administered intraperitoneally (C(fs)+PL, EF(fs)+PL, AC(fs)+PL). The other rats received no additional treatment (C(fs)ØPL, EF(fs)ØPL, AC(fs)ØPL). All animals were sacrificed 10 days after surgery. Areas of adhesions and anastomotic bursting pressures were measured (mean +/- SD). RESULTS: In the preliminary trial, analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed no differences between the groups after application of drainages (values are given in mean +/- SD): C(pt) mean 23.3 +/- 29.4 mm(2), EF(pt) 829.7 +/- 679.3 mm(2), AC(pt) 609.9 +/- 219.4 mm(2). In the final study, 2-factorial ANOVA showed a significant effect (p < 0.001) for the use of drainages but not for the application of PL (C(fs)ØPL 140.6 +/- 124.2 mm(2), C(fs)+PL 67.7 +/- 60.4 mm(2), EF(fs)ØPL 1,217.0 +/- 458.3 mm(2), EF(fs)+PL 1,266.8 +/- 368.3 mm(2), AC(fs)ØPL 861.7 +/- 274.8 mm(2), AC(fs)+PL 544.2 +/- 193.8 mm(2)). Post hoc test for pairwise comparisons adjusted to Bonferroni showed significant differences (p < 0.001) between all of the three pairs (C(fs) 104.1 +/- 92.3 mm(2) vs. EF(fs) 1,241.9 mm(2) +/- 413.3 mm(2); C(fs) vs. AC(fs) 702.9 mm +/- 234.3 mm(2); EF(fs) vs. AC(fs)). DISCUSSION: The final study demonstrates the adhesiogenic capacity of silicone drainage tubes in combination with anastomoses. Any protective effect of PL alone or in combination with drainages could not be shown. CONCLUSIONS: Indication for the use of drainages in standard surgical procedures should be reconsidered within the scope of their potential to cause adhesions and subsequent complications.

Abdomen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Usefulness of simple measures of temporal lobe atrophy in probable Alzheimer's disease.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is made on clinical grounds, and the availability of a simple and sensitive quantitative index of the disease might aid in the routine diagnosis. The aim of this study was to assess whether linear measures of brain atrophy as detected by magnetic resonance imaging can be helpful in the differentiation of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease from nondemented elderly. Measures of global (bifrontal index and interuncal distance) and hippocampal (minimum thickness of the medial temporal lobe, hippocampal height, width of the choroid fissure, and width of the temporal horn) atrophy were taken from 26 cases and 21 controls. Measures of hippocampal atrophy were the most sensitive in the differentiation of cases from controls, and among them width of the temporal horn yielded the highest sensitivity, predicting the disease in 73% of cases with 95% specificity. A compound measure comprising width of the temporal horn, width of the choroid fissure, and hippocampal height increased sensitivity to 85%. These results suggest that selected simple indices of hippocampal atrophy might be useful in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Local hyperthermia, radiation, and chemotherapy in locally advanced malignancies.

Tumor size is a significant prognostic variable for attaining complete regression (CR) with local hyperthermia (HT) and radiation therapy (RT). The addition of weekly chemotherapy was evaluated to improve the efficacy of thermoradiotherapy in poor-prognosis lesions (i.e. > or = 7 cm2 or > or = 14 cm3) which have an expected CR rate of approximately 30 +/- 8%. Patients were entered into a two-arm phase-II study: arm 1 = breast cancer (10 patients), ifosfamide (1.5 g/m2) + epirubicin (20 mg/m2) + HT + RT; arm 2 = sarcoma (7 patients) and head and neck cancer (9 patients), cisplatin (40 mg/m2) + HT + RT. Therapy encompassing 106 triple-modality sessions was generally well tolerated for both arms; 2 instances of grade-3 and 1 of grade-4 (arm 2) local toxicity (WHO criteria) were observed. There were 4 instances of grade-3 myelosuppression (arm 1). The CR rates for arms 1 and 2 were 70 and 19%, respectively, suggesting that the combination of ifosfamide/epirubicin/HT/RT deserves further investigation in the context of localized breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pharmacokinetic interaction between 4'-epidoxorubicin and the multidrug resistance reverting agent quinine.

The serum and red blood cell (RBCs) disposition of epirubicin (EPR) after intravenous bolus injection without and with coadministered quinine ( QUI) was investigated in patients undergoing a cyclic chemotherapy with EPR. QUI possesses a statistical significant influence on the EPR serum concentrations and, as a consequence, on the pharmacokinetic parameters for the initial distribution phase of EPR. Within the first 15 min after administration, EPR was distributed from the central compartment distinctly faster in compare to the control, when QUI was preadministered (t(1/2) = 6 min for the control group and t(1/2) = 3 min with QUI; -46%, p < 0.05). Yet, in the beta-phase when drug-elimination predominates, no statistical significant influence of QUI in regard to EPR serum and RBC concentrations could be observed. Half-life of elimination was 0.5 h for the control group and 8.6 h for the QUI group (-10%). The mean initial serum concentration (co) was reduced significantly by QUI from 7359 +/- 506 ng/ml to 4351 +/- 1682 ng/ml (-42%, p < 0.005). Furthermore, QUI caused a reduction of the serum bioavailability of EPR (expressed as AUC(o-24)-values) from 3404 +/- 1008 ng/ml x h to 2359 +/- 1073 ng/ml x h (-31%, p < 0.05). Vd and Vdbeta were increased at about 90% and the mean total body clearance was accelerated from 45.3 to 1487 ml/min, but due to the large standard deviations the calculated difference for these parameters was not statistically significant. In the observed time interval of 24 h, the red blood cell coefficient of distribution k(rbc) of EPR was lower if QUI was coadministered (k(rbc) = 1.25 +/- 0.12 for the control group k(rbc) = 1.15 +/- 0.13 under QUI; p < 0.04). The results point out that QUI induces an accelerated distribution of EPR from the blood into the tissue and that QUI additionally may have influence on the red-blood cell partitioning of EPR.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Tissue pO2 measurement in taut back musculature (m. erector spinae)].

Measurements with polarographic needle probes in fibromyalgic muscles (mm. erectores spinae) revealed an elevated mean tissue-pO2. The total mean tissue-pO2 in the patient group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Greater pathological tension in fibromyalgic muscles increases the mean tissue-pO2. The distribution of local tissue-pO2 values was normal; there was no evidence of small hypoxic areas in the muscle. The elevated tissue-pO2 in fibromyalgic muscles could either be explained by an increase in local blood flow or by disturbance of oxygen-utilization of the muscle cells. The mean tissue-pO2 in patients treated with NSAD was lower than in patients without this treatment. Myogelosises (i.e., circumscript tautness in muscles, that, contrary to fibromyalgic muscles, do not relax under general anesthesia) showed low tissue-pO2 values and even hypoxia in the core. In myogelosises, pain could be hypoxic in nature. However, in fibromyalgic muscles no evidence for hypoxia or hypoxia-related pain could be found.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A major medication for autism: sulpiride (author's transl)].

Sulpiride is a benzamide derivative used in medical practice since 1967. Its original effect became immediately apparent. It is effective against hallucinations as well as against inhibition, but is not sedative. Its antidepressant activity is still controversial. Subsequent studies confirmed the outstanding antiinhibitory effect which leads to better relationships as well as to qualitatively and quantitatively improved vigilance. Side effects, which are minor and reversible, affect the endocrine and nervous systems but do not include cholinergic effects. No drug-dependence is seen with sulpiride.

Autistic Disorder↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A preliminary assessment of Na-hyaluronate injection into "no man's land" for primary flexor tendon repair.

A special fraction of Na-hyaluronate (Healon) was used for enhancement of repair of flexor tendon lacerations in "No Man's Land" to assess its role in preventing adhesion formation. The profundus tendons of the third and fourth fingers in owl monkeys were lacerated and repaired, and the superficialis tendons were resected. Prior to closure, saline solution or Healon paste was applied around the tendon. The fingers were immobilized for 4-5 weeks with the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) at 90 degrees of flexion. Following immobilization, the range of motion of the PIP joint was tested in a standard fashion for a period of 3 months. The Healon paste did not interfere with the healing process of the tendon. The fingers treated with Healon showed a significantly less flexion deformity (p less than 0.01) than the saline controls. Healon paste may be a useful adjunct in tendon surgery.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of drill speed on heat production and the rate and quality of bone formation in dental implant osteotomies. Part I: Relationship between drill speed and heat production.

The amount of heat produced by dental implant osteotomy (receptor site) preparation at different speeds and the effects of heat production on the prognosis of implant treatment are controversial. In Part I of this two-part study, heat production was measured in vivo during osteotomy preparation at low (maximum 2,000 rpm), intermediate (maximum 30,000 rpm), and high (maximum 400,000 rpm) speeds in the rabbit tibia, and an inverse relationship was observed between drill speed and heat production. For the measurement of heat production (Part I), a thermocouple probe was inserted into a prepared receptor site in the anteromedial aspect of the tibial metaphysis. Temperature was recorded while an osteotomy was drilled 1 mm from the thermocouple receptor site. Distilled water was used as coolant in conjunction with all drilling, and all osteotomies were prepared by a single researcher to eliminate the variable of interoperator difference in technique. An inverse relationship was observed between drill speed and heat production. An analysis of variance indicated significant differences in heat production among the three drilling speeds (P < 0.05). The results of Part 1 of this study indicate that for the configuration and material of bur used, the high-speed range minimizes heat production.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of drill speed on heat production and the rate and quality of bone formation in dental implant osteotomies. Part II: Relationship between drill speed and healing.

In Part I of this two-part study, the authors investigated heat production during osteotomy drilling at three different speeds, and determined that high-speed drilling produced the least heat when using 700 XL carbide burs. Part II of the study histologically examines the rate and quality of healing after drilling osteotomies at the three speeds in the mandible. Osteotomies were histologically examined 2, 4, and 6 weeks postoperatively. Histologic findings suggested that in the initial 6 weeks, the rate of healing and quality of new bone formation were higher after high-speed drilling than after low- or intermediate-speed drilling. These results, when considered with the results reported in Part I in which a 4.3 degrees C difference in heat production was observed between the speeds, seem to imply a relationship between heat production and healing for osteotomy drilling.

Animals↗