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Biomedical subjects

D Schmidt

Publications and source records attributed to D Schmidt.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Cellular and humoral functions in acute pancreatitis].

Infectious complications are the leading cause of death in acute pancreatitis. Individual factors of immune defence could be of significance, whether or not a patient develops a severe course with infectious complications. In a prospective 5-year trial including 72 patients, we investigated 29 cellular and humoral markers of the body's defence system for their potential to indicate the severity and course of acute pancreatitis. Complement factors C3 and C4 as well as immunoglobulins IgG, IgM and IgA were normal, in general. Measurable levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2 and sIL-2R could be detected only occasionally. Values of alpha 1-AT, TNF-alpha, TNF alpha-Rp75, neopterin, sICAM-1, IL-8, IL-1RA and sIL-6R did not correlate with a severe course. Due to the high magnitude of increase, CRP, IL-6 and granulocyte elastase were the best indicators of the inflammatory process. Delayed-type hypersensitivity response was the only early predictor of a severe course. It was superior over other cellular markers such as monocyte count or CD4+/CD8+ ratio. In vitro function of polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) was not adequate to the severity of the disease already during the first week of illness. During further course, PMN motility and capacities to produce reactive oxygen species even worsened. The compromized PMN function could explain the frequent development of infectious complications in patients suffering from severe pancreatitis. These results should encourage new concepts of infection prophylaxis using stimulants of cellular defence.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

BARE-1 insertion site preferences and evolutionary conservation of RNA and cDNA processing sites.

The BARE-1 copia-like retrotransposon constitutes nearly 7% of the barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genome as a family of more than 2 x 10(4) mostly full-length copies dispersed on all chromosomes. BARE-1 elements are transcribed in barley tissues from promoters within the LTR (long terminal repeat). The predicted, translated polyprotein contains conserved domains for GAG, aspartic proteinase, integrase, reverse-transcriptase, and RNase H. Here, we have used inverse PCR with LTR-based primers to establish the consensus sequences for the terminal region of the LTR, the external dinucleotides of the cDNA integration intermediate, and the minus- and plus-strand priming sites. These key functional entities are well-conserved in the BARE-1 family, including wheat Wis2, but differ from those of other plant retrotransposons. The target site duplication was established as 5 bp. Of the 13 integration sites identified here, 8 were other BARE-1 elements and 1 another retrotransposon; 59% of the total 17 identified BARE-1 insertion sites are retrotransposons. This nested insertion pattern may represent a basic feature of plant retrotransposons.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1997

[Current status and analysis of diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines in the area of chronic obstructive respiratory tract diseases in adulthood].

UNLABELLED: GOAL OF THE INVESTIGATION: It was investigated (1) whether guidelines for the treatment of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (chronic obstructive bronchitis and lung emphysema) are distributed in Germany, (2) whether they are accepted by general practitioners and physicians for internal medicine without subspecialty, and (3) how much they are used. METHODS: (1) The mostly read medical journals have been screened. (2) 1200 physicians have been questioned with regard to the main criteria of these guidelines. (3) 600 physicians were asked to write a documentation for two patients each with bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 344 of the questionnaires (28.7%) and 544 of the documentations could be analyzed (22.7%). RESULTS: Guidelines for the treatment of bronchial asthma are published in all leading journals. Substantially less references were found for the therapy of chronic obstructive bronchitis. The main concepts of training, diagnosis of the disease's severity, and physical therapy are all known by the practitioners. The training plays a sufficient role in only half of the questioned physicians. The self-measurement of the patient is not every where accepted. The treatment according to a stage by stage pharmacological therapy cannot be seen in one third of the questioned physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Differential diagnosis and therapy are not sufficiently emphasized in the current guidelines. Practitioners should participate in the development of guidelines, to include the aspects of realization.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Uncoupling of serotonergic and noradrenergic systems in depression: preliminary evidence from continuous cerebrospinal fluid sampling.

We used the technique of continuous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling to test the following hypotheses regarding CNS monoaminergic systems in depression: (1) absolute concentrations of the informational substances tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) are altered in the CNS of depressed patients (2) abnormal rhythms of tryptophan and/or 5-HIAA, or defective conversion of tryptophan to serotonin (5HT), exist in the CNS of depressed patients, and (3) the relationship between the CNS 5HT and norepinephrine (NE) systems is disrupted in depressed patients. We obtained 6-h concentration time series of tryptophan, 5-HIAA, NE, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) in the CSF of 10 patients with major depression and in 10 normal volunteers. No significant differences in CSF tryptophan, 5-HIAA, NE, or MHPG concentrations or rhythms were observed between normal volunteers and depressed patients. Neither were there differences in the mean tryptophan-to-serotonin ratio. However, a negative linear relationship was observed between mean concentrations of 5-HIAA and NE in the CSF of the normal volunteers (r = 0.916 [r2 = 0.839], df = 9, P < 0.001) while, in contrast, depressed patients showed no such relationship (r = +0.094 [r2 = 0.00877], df = 9, n.s.). Furthermore, the correlation coefficients expressing the relationship between CSF MHPG and CSF 5-HIAA within the normal and depressed groups were significantly different. These data support the hypothesis that a disturbance in the interaction between the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems can exist in depressive illness in the absence of any simple 5HT or NE deficit or surplus.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Neuroendocrine tumors of the uterus.

Neuroendocrine tumors of the uterus are rare. When present, the majority is found in the uterine cervix. Several theories on the histogenesis of these tumors have been proposed including an origin from local neuroendocrine cells or from reserve cells. The latter hypothesis is supported by the fact that not too seldom uterine neuroendocrine tumors contain other histological components including adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma or even both. A firm diagnosis can usually the rendered when immunostainings and/or electron microscopy are performed, in addition to conventional light microscopy and Grimelius stain. The tumors react positively for a diversity of so-called neuroendocrine markers and several hormonal substances. Ultrastructurally, they contain dense- core neurosecretory granules. Prognosis is usually poor with most patients dying within one year from diagnosis. Survival can only be achieved in patients who present with early disease.

Endometrial Neoplasms↗
PubMed1996

CD4+ CD7- CD28- T cells are expanded in rheumatoid arthritis and are characterized by autoreactivity.

Clonal expansion of CD4+ T cells is a characteristic finding in patients with RA and is only infrequently found in patients with psoriatic arthritis and healthy controls. Expanded CD4+ clonotypes are present in the blood, infiltrate into the joint, and persist over years. We have not addressed the question of whether the expanded clonotypes have unique functional and phenotypic properties which may explain the preferential in vivo expansion in RA. In contrast to most CD4+ T cells, expanded clonotypes lacked the expression of the CD28 and CD7 cell surface molecules. Accordingly, the subsets of CD4+ CD28- (9.7 vs 1.7, P = 0.00002) and CD4+ CD7- T cells (21.5 vs 12.26, P = 0.018) were increased in RA patients compared with age-matched normal individuals. Despite the lack of CD28 expression, clonally expanded CD4+ T cells were not anergic but proliferated in response to immobilized anti-CD3 and could be maintained in tissue culture. In vivo expanded CD4+ T cells were autoreactive to ubiquitously distributed autoantigens. They responded in an autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction, and T cell clones isolated from selected patients proliferated to autologous peripheral blood adherent cells. These data suggest that in RA patients selected CD4+ T cells which share the CD7- CD28- phenotype escape from peripheral tolerance.

Antigens, CD7↗
PubMed1996

Reproducibility of airway response to inhaled bradykinin and effect of the neurokinin receptor antagonist FK-224 in asthmatic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Inhaled neurokinins have been shown to induce bronchoconstriction in asthmatic subjects. We have investigated the effect of a neurokinin receptor antagonist, FK-224, on bradykinin (BK)-induced bronchoconstriction, and have compared its effect with the spontaneous variability of BK responsiveness. METHODS: Thirteen subjects with mild extrinsic bronchial asthma participated in the study. Four BK inhalation challenge tests (Study Days 2 to 5) were performed over a period of several weeks. On Study Days 4 and 5 subjects inhaled either 2 mg FK-224 or placebo 30 min before the BK challenge. RESULTS: The geometric mean PC20FEV1 of BK was 0.04, 0.06, and 0.10 mg.ml-1 on the first and second BK challenge and after placebo. Mean PC20FEV1 after FK-224 was 0.20 mg.ml-1 and was not different from placebo, whereas there was a significant effect in PC15FEV1. The mean shift in PC20FEV1 after FK-224 vs placebo was 1.0 doubling concentrations. The mean changes in BK responsiveness on the second BK challenge and placebo days compared to the first BK challenge were 0.6 and 1.3 doubling concentrations. We observed a significant fall in FEV1 after inhalation of saline plus ethanol, which was the diluent for BK (mean decrease 4.2%). CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate that inhalation of 2 mg FK-224 is only marginally effective against BK-induced bronchoconstriction in mild asthmatic subjects and that its effect is similar to the variability in BK responsiveness assessed over several weeks.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1996

Development of an in vitro human nasal epithelial (HNE) cell model.

The upper respiratory tract is mainly involved in reactions to airborne substances. So the primary culture of human nasal tissue may provide an application model for assessment of toxic or inflammatory processes caused by environmental pollutants. HNE cells were isolated from nasal tissue biopsies by protease digestion and cultured in serum-free hormone-supplemented medium. When grown on porous membranes at the air-liquid interface, a higher portion of ciliated cells developed within 2 weeks compared with cells maintained submerged. Submerged grown cultures on collagen gel matrix maintained a cuboidal epithelial-like morphology and stained positive for cytokeratin. The primary cultures of nasal cells exhibited a marked activity for acid phosphatase. Second passage HNE cells exhibited marked enzymatic reactivity upon treatment with particulate matter. Induction of the lysosomal marker enzyme acid phosphatase was stronger in cells treated with toluene-extracted diesel exhaust particles compared with cells treated with native diesel exhaust particles. Non-specific esterase activity was increased more than 7-fold by native diesel particles, whereas the induction of esterase activity by extracted particles was relatively low compared with the control group.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1996

Role of endogenous morphine in the attenuation of opiate withdrawal syndrome by N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine-D-isoglutamine (MDP).

Opiates, long considered the prototypical addictive drug, cause the phenomenon of tolerance and physical dependence following chronic administration. Although many factors promote the addictive state, our studies have focused on the role of endogenous morphine in modifying physical dependence. Mammalian tissues contain morphine and codeine and have the capacity to synthesize these alkaloids. The present report shows that N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine-D-isoglutamine (MDP), which elevates the endogenous opiate alkaloids in various brain regions and peripheral tissues, can attenuate the withdrawal syndrome of morphine-addicted rats.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗
PubMed1996

Successful transplantation of human hepatoblastoma into immunodeficient mice.

Six hepatoblastomas (HBs) from pediatric patients were transplanted into immunodeficient NMRI nu/nu mice. Cells from two fetal HBs did not develop tumors. In contrast, xenografts derived from three nonpretreated HBs and one HB after three courses of chemotherapy, all comprising embryonal cells, showed growth after 8 to 10 weeks. The take rates of HB varied from 60% to 90% (mean, 80%). Histologically, they resembled their originals in the pattern of fetal and embryonal differentiated areas and contained hematopoietic foci. The tumors produced high levels of alpha-feto-protein in the patients and the animals. In contrast to the patients, tumor-bearing mice did not display elevated platelet counts. During serial grafting, growth rates of the tumors gradually increased, and hematopoiesis was no longer detectable; however, histologically, a dedifferentiation could not be clearly identified. The addition of viable human or murine fibroblasts to inoculated cells of three nude mouse HBs resulted in a significant increase in the growth rate of all tumors and reappearance of hematopoiesis in three of the examined 10 xenografts of one HB. The authors conclude that HB xenografts in immunodeficient mice are a feasible in vivo model for studies of the biological behavior of this tumor.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Comparison between current and high resolution ultrasound for diagnosis of breast lesions].

AIM: To assess the value of high-resolution ultrasound in the diagnosis of breast lesions. METHOD: Fifty women with a clinically suspicious breast mass were examined with mammography, conventional and high-resolution sonography. Ultrasound was performed with a linear-array 7.5-mHz transducer and an annular-array 13.0 MHz transducer. RESULTS: Histology showed carcinoma in 28 patients, fibrocystic changes in 20 and fibroadenoma in 2. High-resolution ultrasound characterized 18 lesions more accurately than conventional ultrasound, including 13 carcinomas, 3 fibrocystic changes and 2 fibroadenomas. The size of 8 carcinomas was measured more accurately with high-resolution ultrasound than with conventional ultrasound. CONCLUSION: High-resolution ultrasound is more valuable in the differentiation and size determination of breast lesions than conventional ultrasound.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

-Cytokine level in malignant ascites and peripheral blood of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma-.

The concentrations of various cytokines were examined by ELISA in blood and in ascites from 14 patients with advanced ovarian cancer (stage IV). The control group consisted of 6 patients with benign gynaecological disorders. Compared with patients with benign gynaecological disorders, ascites and/or plasma of patients with ovarian cancer showed significantly higher levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha, and sIL-2R. There were no increases of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IFN-gamma, and sCD14 levels. The possible pathogenetic significance of cytokines in ovarian cancer is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Stewart-Treves syndrome after breast carcinoma].

The Stewart-Treves syndrome is an angiosarcoma that occurs due to chronic lymphoedema which in most cases is a complication after mastectomy with axillary node dissection and postoperative radiation. Prognosis for this rare tumour is poor. The best therapy is early and radical excision. Chronic lymphoedema seems to be an important pathogenetic factor. We report on a 70-year old patient with early stage lymphangiosarcoma who had a lumpectomy with axillary node dissection and postoperative radiation five years ago.

Aged↗