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Biomedical subjects

E Straub

Publications and source records attributed to E Straub.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Patterns of disclosure and perceptions of the human immunodeficiency virus in infected elementary school-age children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the patterns of disclosure and perceptions of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status in a group of HIV-infected elementary school-age children. DESIGN: A survey. SETTING: A referred care university hospital center. PATIENTS: All HIV-infected children born before August 31, 1985, and scheduled for ambulatory follow-up between 1984 and 1993 were eligible for the study. A total of 35 HIV-infected (21 asymptomatic and 14 symptomatic) elementary school-age children (aged 5-10 years) were examined between 1990 and 1993. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Semistructured qualitative interviews were used, 1 with the children and 1 with their parents or caregivers. In addition, 3 drawings per child were also analyzed. RESULTS: Partial disclosure was observed in 14 (40%) of the children, and full disclosure of the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was given to 6 (17%) of the children. Secrecy regarding serostatus was the strategy used by 15 (43%) of the parents or caregivers involving either complete nondisclosure (n = 8) or deception by means of attributing the symptoms to another condition, medical or other (n = 7). Perceived health status and clinical status differed for 11 (31%) of the children. Eight children did not identify any illness causality, and most of the others gave prelogical or concrete-logical explanations. Few children were aware of their parent's infection or disease. CONCLUSION: Human immunodeficiency virus-infected elementary school-age children were exposed to various disclosure patterns regarding their HIV infection or disease, and most children (26/35 [74%]) reported stressful experiences due to HIV regardless of the disclosure patterns.

Art

Cognitive assessment of school-age children infected with maternally transmitted human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Thirty-three children vertically infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), who were born before 1985, were followed in a single center, and had reached the age of 6 years, were studied and tested for school achievement. Of these 33 children, 24 were also tested for cognitive abilities, fine motor and language skills, and emotional adaptation. Of the 33 patients, 22 (67%) had normal school achievement at a mean age of 9.5 +/- 1.6 years. The mean IQ was 95 +/- 11, but 54% of the patients (13/24) had abnormal results on visual-spatial and time orientation tests, 44% had speech and/or language delay or articulation disorders, and 29% of the children and 42% of the parents had psychoaffective disturbances of intermediate or high severity. Normal school performance was positively correlated with results of the different cognitive tests and to a lesser extent with the absence of psychoaffective symptoms, but was independent of the mode of maternal infection or the parents' educational level. Children with normal school achievement had a higher percentage of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes during the course of infection. We conclude that children whose HIV-1 infection is maternally acquired have better cognitive abilities and school achievement than was initially thought, and that the percentage of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes during the first years of life appears to be predictive of future school adaptation or cognitive abilities.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

[Prognostic evaluation of severe head injuries in children].

In 34 children overcoming a severe head injury (coma greater than 1 d, mean: 10 d), the follow-up (mean: 25 m) has been correlated with several data. 1) The quality of life, according to a 3 grade-score, is mostly dependent upon the degree of neuropsychological sequelae. By decreasing frequency were noted disturbances of: memory, intelligence (the most significantly correlated with the quality of life), attention, rapidity of performances, behaviour, visuoconstructive activities. Most often several disturbances were associated, but without systematization. 2) Correlations between general outcome and early findings: a coma greater than 10 d, a subdural collection on the CT scan at 2-6 weeks have a pejorative meaning. Age does not appear to be relevant. 3) In a sequential study of neuropsychological functions, an early evaluation is poorly predictive, except in case of rapid normalization. Evaluation at 6 months gives a good picture of the outcome. Sectorial improvements can occur beyond the 1st year but do not appear to modify dramatically the general outcome.

Adolescent

[Light and electron microscopic studies of the brain, heart and pancreas in mice infected with MengoM virus].

Infection of ABAF hybride mice with MengoM viruses prepared as a suspension of mouse brain tissue (0.1 ml 10 LD50) after a series of more than 90 animal passages produced a severe panencephalitis and pancreatitis 60 h after inoculation. Histological examinations of the brain, pancreas, and heart revealed damage to the central nervous system and the acinar cells of the pancreas, consisting of a degeneration of the specific cells and their organelles, with little involvement of the heart muscle cells detectable with the electron microscope. This was consistent with high virus titers in the tissues in the period immediately following infection. The acute damage of exocrine tissues was without evidence of diabetes-like changes in the islets of Langerhans.

Animals

Ureterosigmoidostomy in bladder exstrophy.

Experience with ureterosigmoidostomy (US) using a reflux prevention technique in 38 of 48 cases of bladder exstrophy is reviewed. During a follow-up period of 14 years, the results were excellent as to morphological changes of the upper urinary tract, incontinence, psychological development and social behavior. Within their families the patients are considered healthy. Even in children with benign disease, US with reflux prevention performed during the second year of life is the operation of choice for urinary diversion. In the postoperative follow-up it is recommended that sigmoidoscopy be performed once a year in addition to routine controls of the upper urinary tract and metabolic balance.

Adolescent

Lactose carrier protein of Escherichia coli. Reconstitution of galactoside binding and countertransport.

A procedure for the reconstitution of the lactose carrier protein, a galactoside:proton symporter in Escherichia coli, is described. Starting from cytoplasmic membranes derived from carrier-overproducing strains, essentially all proteins including 89% of the carrier are solubilized by a mixture of dodecyl/tetradecyl polyoxyethylene (n = 9.5) ether and dodecyl O-beta-D-maltoside. In the micellar state the carrier binds substrates with reduced affinity. Addition of E. coli phospholipids and removal of detergents by a hydrophobic column yields small vesicles (50-60-nm diameter). In these vesicles, about 70% of the carrier is recovered and reconstituted carrier is identical to native carrier in terms of substrate binding. After fusion of the small vesicles into larger vesicles (1-5 micrometers), rapid countertransport of galactosides is demonstrated. Attempts to show active galactoside transport by the imposition of artificial electrical potential or pH gradients were unsuccessful, most likely because the reconstituted vesicles are in fact highly permeable to protons.

Bacterial Proteins

Effect of L-thyroxine on renal excretion of water and electrolytes in both normal and mercury-intoxicated rats.

The urine output and the change in excretion of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, inorganic phosphate) in rats following mercury-induced acute tubular lesions showed marked recovery during L-thyroxine therapy. The kidney mechanisms responsible for this effect are discussed, considering especially the observation that rats treated with L-thyroxine have a reduced urinary output, unlike other species, including man, which react with polyuria. The oliguric effect of thyroid hormone in rats is attributed to the greater length of the vasa recta and loops of Henle.

Animals

Familial juvenile nephronophthisis with hepatic fibrosis and neurocutaneous dysplasia.

Familial juvenile nephronophthisis (FJN) is an autosomal-recessive disease which may exist as an isolated nephropathy or in combination with degenerative involvement of certain oran systems. The case reported describes a new variant of this lethal syndrome consisting of FJN, hepatic fibrosis, and neurocutaneous dysplasia (hypoplastic vermis of the cerebellum, choroid coloboma, and naevus flammeus). The same condition was probably present in the patient's sister who had also died at 6 years of age.

Cerebellar Ataxia

IgE in patients with glomerulonephritis and minimal-change nephrotic syndrome.

Serum levels of IgE were studied in 30 children with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome and 32 children with mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis during different stages of the disease and treatment. In addition, tissue obtained by renal biopsy was investigated by immunofluorescence histology; no deposits of IgE could be found. The serum IgE levels, however, were increased, particularly in patients with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome. It is concluded that IgE does not play a pathogenic role in the development of the renal disease, but that increased IgE levels are an indication of a disturbance of the immune system.

Adolescent

[Diagnosis of hypertension in childhood].

A significant increase in arterial blood pressure is considerably less common in childhood (as compared with adults), and, to a larger degree, is high-grade. The mild forms more frequently reverse spontaneously, and severe cases are more often asymptomatic. It is of a secondary nature in a much larger percentage (preponderantly of renal, but also of vascular, adrenal or other demonstrable etiology), i.e., susceptible to causal therapy. The growing interest within pediatrics in problems of primary (essential) hypertension with regard to epidemiology, etiology, pathogenetics and prognosis (!), lends additional importance to the particular difficulties involved in reliable blood pressure measurement and control, and additionally, the question of a useful definition of the criteria for pathological blood pressure increases, which is relatively uncertain in children (moreover, the normal values are highly age-dependent). The symptomatology of arterial hypertension shows certain age-specific characteristics. In the secondary forms, the underlying disease is ofter far advanced at the moment of manifestation and, even more so, of completion of the diagnosis. Certain risk factors (obviously also relevant for the later years of life) related to primary hypertension, the incidence of which is still quite controversial, can already be detected in childhood (familial and hereditary factors).

Adolescent

[Urinary tract infections in childhood (author's transl)].

The clinical symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTI) are only rarely an indication of the presence of the disease in childhood. Of decisive importance for the detection of UTI is an appropriate investigation to determine whether there is significant bacteriuria. Since in a significant proportion of cases of UTI in children there is underlying congenital anomaly or functional change in the urinary tract with stasis, and since surgical means of treatment are available today, diagnosis, i.e. at least radiological exploration, is essential. Approximately half the children with UTI are younger than one year at the time of diagnosis. In neonates, boys are more frequently affected than girls, whereas in older age-groups the incidence of significant bacteriuria (approximately 1.5%) and clinically relevant UTI or pyelonephritis is higher in females than in males. "Idiopathic" ("non-urologically induced") UTI is very seldom found in boys after infancy, and "asymptomatic bacteriuria" is largely confined to females. The "urethral syndrome" is probably caused by minor obstruction of the urethra and "bladder-sphincter dyssynergy". The fact that approximately nine of ten cases of UTI relapse in children are due to reinfection with a different pathogen has certain consequences for therapy. Prophylactic long-term medication is recommended during the phase after surgical correction of anomalies of the urinary tract.

Adolescent

The Lich-Gregoir antireflux plasty: experiences with 371 children.

The Lich-Gregoir antireflux procedure is a simple and safe method for the treatment of primary reflux of all grades if the ureter is not grossly dilated on the excretory urogram. Reflux was cured in 97.7 per cent of 429 ureters in 371 children. A stenosis of the terminal ureter requiring reimplantation occurred in 0.5 per cent. The over-all rate of reinterventions was 3.7 per cent. This low complication rate makes surgical correction of reflux advisable if urinary tract infection and primary reflux cannot be eradicated by continuous antimicrobial therapy within 6 months.

Adolescent

[Potter-syndrome (author's transl)].

Bilateral renal agenesis (or dysplasia without any functioning kidney tissue) is almost constantly associated with a characteristic facial appearance. Extra-uterine existence is limited to less than 24 hours because of severe hypoplasia of the lungs. This pulmonary anomaly, together with the eventual positional bowing of the legs and feet and hands and perhaps some features of the "Potter face" may be attributed to the oligohydramnios which is a regular observation, but certain other findings like the obligatory epicanthic fold, swinging outwards to form a most peculiar "prominent" semi-circle below the orbital space, the dysplasia and low slanted position of the ears, the predominance of the boys, and the very high frequency of additional malformations and even total defects of the internal organs (especially of the urogenital and intestinal tract) can hardly be explained as being secondary resp. consequent upon the "foetal compression", resulting from the amniotic fluid deficit (due to anuria). Ten children, including a case of hermaphroditismus verus, with the full-scale Potter syndrome have been seen in this clinic during a six years period and are described and discussed in detail.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Renal sonography in pediatric patients. A comparative study between sonography and urography.

Renal sonograms of 260 children were compared with the corresponding excretory urograms. Since each kidney was evaluated separately 520 sonographic and urographic findings could be compared. The study is based on single investigations only, serial investigations were not included. 326 kidneys could be classified as being normal, primarily on the basis of the urogram. By sonography only 10 out of these 326 were misinterpretated as being pathological, 2 by urography. 194 kidneys could be classified as being pathological either by urography or- if necess -by other methods. In 16 out of these 194 no evidence for a pathological process could be found in the sonogram (7 cases of destructive pyelonephritis, 3 cases of double kidneys, 2 cases of slight obstruction of urine flow, 2 cases of small kidneys, 2 cases of ureteral buds), in 10 cases no evidence was seen in the urogram (6 cases of glomerulonephritis, 2 cases of polycystic kidneys, 1 case of preversial ureteral buds), in 10 cases no evidence was seen in the urogram (6 cases of glomerulonephritis, 2 cases of polycystic kidneys, 1 case of prevesical ureterolith, 1 case of ureteral bud). In 2 cases pathological alterations of the kidney was found by both methods, however, the diagnosis differed. Nonfunctioning kidneys were found in 15 cases. In all of these the sonogram provided important complementary information. Our results show 1) that by a systematic application of sonography the early diagnosis of urinary tract malformations can be improved 2) that renal sonography provides the basis for a stricter application of excretory urography and 3) that by the combination of both methods the diagnosis of renal diseases can be improved.

Adolescent