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Biomedical subjects

G Huber

Publications and source records attributed to G Huber.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Serum amino acids, central monoamines, and hormones in drug-naive, drug-free, and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients and healthy subjects.

Basal serum amino acids (including central monoamine precursors), central monoamines, and hormones were studied in schizophrenic patients (drug-naive; n = 20; drug-withdrawn for 3 or more days, n = 67; neuroleptic-treated, n = 23) and healthy subjects (n = 90) to answer the following questions: (1) Do neuroleptic-withdrawn and neuroleptic-naive patients differ on these serum measures? (2) What are the effects of neuroleptic treatment on these measures? (3) On which variables do drug-free and neuroleptic-treated patients differ? Because serum amino acid, central monoamine, and hormone levels were similar in drug-naive and drug-withdrawn patients, data from these groups ("drug-free") were combined and compared to those of healthy subjects and neuroleptic-treated patients. Asparagine, citrulline, phenylalanine, and cysteine were higher, while tyrosine, tryptophan, and the ratio of tryptophan to competing amino acids were significantly lower in drug-free schizophrenic patients than in healthy subjects. Dopamine was increased, and melatonin and thyroid hormones were decreased in drug-free schizophrenic patients compared to healthy subjects. Norepinephrine, epinephrine, and prolactin were higher in neuroleptic-treated men compared to drug-free male patients or healthy men. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of dopaminergic overactivity in schizophrenia, which might be caused by altered amino acid precursor availability and could be related to the decrease in melatonin and reduction in thyroid hormone levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Status-dependent neurochemical parameters in schizophrenic and affective diseases].

The dynamics of course, i.e., the marked psychopathological fluctuation in acute phases of schizophrenic and other idiopathic psychoses was little considered up to now in investigations referred to correlating clinical and neurochemical findings. Therefore, we selected subgroups of patients, classified as inactive or slight, moderate or severe process-active according to the operational defined actual psychopathological syndrome (Gross et al. 1988, Klosterkötter et al. 1989) at the time of taking of blood samples. We demonstrated in previous studies that the fluctuation and/or sudden development (minutes, hours, up to six days at the latest) of schizophrenic first rank symptoms and certain basic symptoms may reflect also an instability and process-activity of underlying neurochemical changes. In this study we have measured the concentrations of dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, 5-HT, TSH, prolactin, HGH, melatonin, cortisol, T 3, T 4 and 28 amino acids in blood samples (examined 8 times within 24 hours) from 48 schizophrenic patients, divided in 4 subgroups (each 12 cases) with severe, moderate, slight or lacking process-activity, from 20 patients with (inactive or only slight active) depressive phases of affective psychoses and from normal controls. Marked process-active schizophrenics showed significantly higher levels of dopamine, noradrenaline and 5-HT, and significantly lower levels of TSH, compared to healthy controls and process-inactive schizophrenics with pure deficiency syndromes, that reveal a relative hypo-activity of catecholaminergic and presumably also of serotoninergic systems. In the subgroup of depressions were found decreased concentrations of noradrenaline, 5-HT, adrenaline and melatonin when compared to marked process-active schizophrenics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Antibiotic prophylaxis of infectious complications with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. A randomized controlled study.

Biliary sepsis represents a major percentage of fatal complications after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. We performed a randomized controlled study to investigate the value of antibiotic prophylaxis, and to assess the frequency and source of infectious complications associated with ERCP. Ninety-six patients who underwent 100 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographies were included in the study. Half of the patients received antibiotic prophylaxis (Cefotaxime 2 g i.v. 15 min before the procedure). Bacteremia was detected in 2% of the patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis, as compared with 16% (p less than 0.02) in the control group. In order to determine the source of bacteremia, bile samples and irrigation fluid from the suction channel of the endo-scope were obtained for bacteriological evaluation. Several lines of evidence suggested that bacteremia associated with ERCP was essentially caused by mucosal lesions of the oropharynx. Bacteremia was asymptomatic, with the exception of two patients who subsequently developed fever, but recovered rapidly under antibiotic therapy. The frequency of cholangitis following ERCP was not significantly reduced by antibiotic prophylaxis (4% vs. 2%). Recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis are discussed.

Cefotaxime↗
PubMed1990

Heart rates, cardiac arrhythmia, lactate levels and catecholamine excretions in CHD patients during cross-country skiing.

We examined cross-country skiing-related strain in 10 less experienced postinfarction patients, performing a skiing test, covering a distance of approximately 7 km in 90 min. Heart rates, cardiac arrhythmia, lactic acid levels and catecholamine excretions were determined as strain indicators. The patients' exercise capacity, estimated during graded ergometric cycling, was 2.1 +/- 0.4 watts.kg-1, indicating a nearly age-appropriate submaximum performance ability. They had suffered myocardial infarction 2.8 +/- 0.7 years previously, participated regularly in a rehabilitation program for at least one year, and they did not show coronary insufficiency or significant cardiac dysrhythmias during laboratory testing under their usual medications. They went cross-country skiing during a 4-day instruction period and subsequently performed a cross-country skiing test on the 5th day. Mean skiing-related heart rates (124 +/- 9 bpm) and adrenaline excretions (124 +/- 88 pmol.min-1) corresponded on average to an exercise level of 1.85-2.0 watts.kg-1 during laboratory testing, and mean noradrenaline excretions (586-343 pmol.kg-1) and lactate concentrations (3.83 +/- 2.18 mmol.l-1) to a level of 1.48-1.73 watts.kg-1. Cardiac dysrhythmias were observed in a moderate number of 6-8 SVES, 9 to 12 VES and 4 to 7 couplets of VES per 1000 beats during cross-country skiing. The present results point to a comparatively high cardiovascular strain in less experienced postinfarction patients during a cross-country skiing test at an intensity level thought to be moderate.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Molecular cloning of microtubule-associated protein 1 (MAP1A) and microtubule-associated protein 5 (MAP1B): identification of distinct genes and their differential expression in developing brain.

cDNA clones encoding microtubule-associated proteins 1 (MAP1/MAP1A) and 5 (MAP5/MAP1B) were isolated and have been used to study their structural relationship as well as their regulated expression in developing rat brain. cDNA clones specific for MAP1 hybridized to a single 10-kb rat brain mRNA, and analysis of genomic DNA by Southern blotting indicated the existence of a single MAP1 gene. A second set of cDNAs specific for MAP5 hybridized to a single 11-kb mRNA in rat brain and also detected a single gene. By analysis of hybrid mouse-hamster cell lines, the MAP1 gene was located to mouse chromosome 2, designated Mtap-1, and the MAP5 gene to chromosome 13, designated Mtap-5. MAP1 and MAP5 mRNAs were expressed with different temporal patterns during rat brain development that mirrored the appearance of their protein products, suggesting that expression of these proteins is under transcriptional control. These results taken together demonstrate that although MAP1 and MAP5 have some properties that are similar, they are structurally distinct proteins whose transcription is differently regulated from separate genes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Generation of intercellular heterogeneity of growth and function in cloned rat thyroid cells (FRTL-5).

The most characteristic hallmarks of human nodular goiters are nodular growth and heterogeneity of structure and function between different areas of the same goiter. In search of the earliest detectable stage of thyroid heterogeneity we have observed doubling times, TSH dependency, and thyroglobulin production in colonies formed from individual FRTL-5 cells growing as monolayers in slide flasks. Single cells and the colonies derived thereof were followed on photographs taken daily until confluence. We observed that each cell had its individual stable multiplication rate throughout the observation period. This was true for all TSH doses tested (0.625-10 mU/ml). A wide range of doubling times (20 h to almost infinite) in the individual cells was observed. The mean growth velocity of subcloned cell lines was highly reproducible in consecutive passages, although a minority of cells escaped this rule. Cells with either high or low thyroglobulin content occurred in clusters, indicating again that specific traits tend to remain stable in the offspring. We conclude that a highly individual growth program, unrelated to mutation, appears to be switched on at the very moment a cell is generated and that this program is passed on to the majority of the offspring, with a minority of cells acquiring qualities differing from those of their sister cell. Therefore, goiter heterogeneity may be the in vivo amplification of a natural phenomenon occurring in all growing cells. Monoclonal adenomas in vivo and nontransformed immortal cell lines in vitro may represent the far end of the large spectrum of individual growth potency among normal thyrocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Intercellular propagation of individually programmed growth bursts in FRTL-5 cells. Implications for interpreting growth factor actions.

Five methods are commonly used to quantify FRTL-5 cells' and other thyrocytes' growth in vitro and the impact of growth inhibiting or stimulating maneuvers: Total cell count, mitotic index, DNA measurement, total [3H]thymidine incorporation, and the fraction of [3H]thymidine labeled cells. All of them assess cell growth as though all cells were homogeneous with an identical response to growth factors. We demonstrate here that this assumption is not valid. Rather, some intrinsically growth-prone cells appear to pass a growth signal to neighboring cells so that variably sized colonies of synchronized cells within each cluster growing from monodispersed cells are formed. This is true for FRTL-5 cells growing in vitro in monolayers and in three-dimensional, collagen embedded spheroids. The pattern is the same when cell suspensions or collagen-embedded spheroids are implanted onto nude mice. Patches with alternating high and low growth become particularly prominent in the large tumor-like organoids grown from monodispersed cells in nude mice. The pattern much reminds of similar observations in growing intact thyroids. Since there is no significant correlation between the fraction of [3H]thymidine labeled cells and the size of two- or three-dimensional clusters in any experiment, growth of signal-spreading cells is assumed to occur in leaps and bounds. Growth velocity in each subclone of a cell population depends on the mean interval between bursts of replications and on the number of cells synchronized by cell-to-cell diffusion of the growth signal emanating from one dividing cell. Thus, growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting factors may not only act on the mean interval between successive growth bursts, but they may also change cell-to-cell spreading of growth signals.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Microtubule-associated protein 3 (MAP3) expression in non-neuronal tissues.

Microtubule-associated protein 3 (MAP3, Mr 180,000), which in previous studies has been shown to be associated with glial processes and neurofilament-rich axons in rat brain, was examined in various non-neuronal rat tissues. Immunoblots of adult rat tissues (brain, liver, heart, spleen, adrenal medulla and kidney) showed that MAP3 is present in all organs tested. In addition we demonstrated that MAP3 is a heat-stable protein. Using immunohistochemistry, we established the localisation of MAP3 in various cell types. MAP3-containing cells appeared to have in common an asymmetric morphology with long processes that need structural support. In kidney MAP3 is limited to epithelial podocytes and in liver to Kupffer cells. In the adrenal gland, the cells of the cortex are devoid of MAP3 compared to the cells of the medulla. High concentrations of MAP3 are also found in cardiac muscle along the Z-disc and in the smooth muscle cells of the digestive tract. In spleen MAP3 is found in cells of the white pulp surrounding central blood vessels. A co-distribution of MAP3 with microtubules and intermediate filaments but not with microfilaments was found in each cell type examined. The widespread distribution pattern of MAP3 together with its molecular size and heat-stability indicate that MAP3 might be a member of the recently postulated family of homologous 200,000 Mr mammalian tissue MAPs. Potential functions for MAP3 in specific cell types are discussed.

Actins↗
PubMed1990

[Does symptomatic schizophrenia exist?].

The question if there are "symptomatic schizophrenias" has been discussed since the 20s. Schizophrenic psychoses caused be definable and well known brain diseases are presented. All schizophrenic symptoms and syndromes, the first rank symptoms (K. Schneider) too, occur in somatically founded psychoses. The group of paroxysmal transition syndromes in the sense of aura prolongata (continua) and the episodic schizophrenic psychoses in psychomotor epilepsy may be a model for the schizophrenia research. Vital threatening, so-called pernicious catatonic schizophrenias are found on the basis of infectious brain diseases, sometimes only diagnosed in autopsy. Beside acute and reversible symptomatic schizophrenic psychoses there are, even if rarely, recurrent and chronic courses of symptomatic schizophrenias. That certain conditions for the developing of symptomatic schizophrenias are rarely realised, could be an explanation for their rarity. Some findings indicate that the limbic system is significant for symptomatic (and idiopathic) schizophrenic psychoses and the pre- and postpsychotic basic stages determined by dynamic and cognitive basic symptoms, which are phenomenologically very similar to aura symptoms released by stereoelectroencephalographic depth recordings (Wieser). The characteristic features of marked fluctuation, discontinuity and insteadiness of the cognitive thought, perception, psychomotor and cenesthetic phenomena do not speak against an organic brain disorder provided that the traditional process hypothesis is abandoned in favor of a neurobiochemic disorder, fluctuating on its part depending on endogenous as well as psychic-reactive factors.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1989

[The transformation of Basedow's struma into nodular goiter: a reason for recurrence of hyperthyroidism].

Graves' disease is characterized by a diffuse and homogeneously hyperfunctioning goiter, presumably caused by thyroid stimulating, TSH-receptor directed antibodies (TRAB). However, in many patients the serum concentration of TRAB is in no way parallel to the severity of the clinical course of Graves' hyperthyroidism. In particular, hyperthyroidism may persist or repeatedly relapse over many years despite the absence of high TRAB titers. The present study summarizes the existing evidence that this course of Graves' disease may be due to gradually evolving autonomously growing and functioning micro- or macronodules within the originally diffuse goiter.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Food intake, body and heart composition, and heart rate in T3 plus atenolol-treated rats.

Thyroid hormones and beta-blockers both affect energy balance and the heart. The interaction of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and the beta-blocker atenolol on some cardiac and energy balance parameters was therefore investigated. Stock-fed male Wistar rats (approximately 400 g) received 5 micrograms (expt 1) or 1.5 micrograms (expt 2) T3.100 g body wt-1.day-1 for 3 wk, with or without atenolol. In expt 3, rats were overfed with a "cafeteria" diet before and during the experiment and otherwise treated as in experiment 2. Compared with stock-fed (expt 1 and 2) or overfed (expt 3) controls, T3 caused an increase in food intake in experiments 1 and 2 but not in experiment 3. There was a large loss of body fat in all experiments, disproportionately greater than the body weight loss. Protein loss was significant only in experiment 1 and negligible in cafeteria rats. Heart rate and weight were increased, although heart composition remained unchanged. Atenolol, in a dose that abolished T3-induced tachycardia, did not modify any of the other T3 effects investigated, including the hypertrophy of the heart. These results indicate that T3-induced tachycardia can be abolished by concomitant treatment with a beta-blocker without altering parameters connected with energy balance, whereas protein loss caused by T3 can be attenuated by lowering the dose of T3 used and can be further blunted by dietary manipulation (cafeteria overfeeding).

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Basic symptoms in schizophrenic and affective psychoses.

The study compares schizophrenic and affective psychoses with regard to basic symptoms. 30 patients in schizophrenic pre-, intra-, and postpsychotic basic stages and 30 patients in endogenous-depressive phases were examined according to the Bonn Scale for the Assessment of Basic Symptoms. The most important result is that certain cognitive basic symptoms and cenesthesias which are decisive for the development of florid productive-psychotic phenomena are found more frequently in the group of schizophrenias.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Slow growth but intense hypertrophy of thyrocytes in long-standing Grave's goitres.

In order to evaluate the relative contribution of true cell replication, in comparison to mere cell hypertrophy, to the notoriously slow growth of toxic Graves' goitres persistently exposed to TSH receptor antibodies and requiring continuous thyrostatic treatment for more than one year, we have determined the fraction of dividing cells in 8 such goitres, using the monoclonal antibody Ki-67. This antibody identifies cells in late G1-, S-, G2- and M-phase. The fraction of Ki-67 positive cells ranged from 0.1 to 4.1% with a mean of 2.3 +/- 1.6. The apparently low absolute number of dividing cells is in full accordance with growth rates observed in multinodular goitres and in benign tumours of thyroidal and non-thyroidal origin. It is compatible with continuous, intense growth stimulation of the gland, particularly since thyrocytes may down-regulate their growth response when exposed to chronic stimulation. The observations account for the clinical observation that goitres, and in particular Graves' goitres, may take years to double their total mass of thyrocytes, whereas cell hyperplasia and functional overactivity (if untreated) continue unabated.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The concept of basic symptoms in schizophrenic and schizoaffective psychoses.

This paper presents the psychiatric aspects of the concept of basic symptoms (BS), especially history, actual position and tendencies of development of the doctrine of BS, phenomenology and clinical picture of basic stages, the Bonn Scale for the assessment of dynamic and cognitive basic deficiencies (BSABS) and the importance of this concept for early diagnosis, therapy, prevention and rehabilitation. The patients experience and communicate the BS as deficiencies and are able to cope with, adapt and compensate for them. The BS were termed as basic symptoms because they represent the basis of the productive-psychotic symptomatology. Follow-up studies of cases with the suspicion diagnosis "prodrome of schizophrenia" based on BSABS rating, revealed that the subgroup passing over in schizophrenic psychoses after an average of 6.3 years showed significantly higher scores of cognitive BS at the time of index investigation. It now seems possible to impede increase of cognitive BS already present in prepsychotic prodromal states before reaching the threshold of transition into productive-psychotic symptomatology. Long-term development is more favorable if therapy commences as early as possible including the prepsychotic basic stages and also taking into consideration BS which were, until now, disregarded in DSM-III. Summarizing our findings of the last 30 years we suggest that the BS-concept may be an approach to overcome the dichotomy of negative and positive psychopathology in schizophrenia.

Cognition Disorders↗
PubMed1988

[Aneurysms as a rare cause of chronic subdural hematomas].

Chronic subdural haematomas are nowadays usually diagnosed via computed tomography. Followups are also by this method. It is therefore inevitable that aneurysms or other vascular malformations are overlooked as rare but important causes of such haematomas. If anamnesis, findings and course are atypical, it is recommended to attempt additional angiographic clarification at least in such cases.

Cerebral Angiography↗