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Biomedical subjects

H Frank

Publications and source records attributed to H Frank.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Water flow through frog gastric mucosa.

The transport of water through biological membranes can be attributed to several causes. Gradients of chemical activity caused by the application of hydrostatic pressure or differences in solute concentration across the membrane may produce a net water flow, called passive transport (1). In the absence of such gradients a net flow may also occur which is defined as active transport, and is presumed to arise from metabolic processes occurring in the membrane. Pappenhehner, Renkin, and Borrero (2) and Koefoed-Johnsen and Ussing (3) have independently shown that passive flows can be interpreted to give a model of the membrane in terms of pore structure. In the present study two types of experiments have been performed on passive water transport across the isolated gastric mucosa of the frog. First, the unidirectional diffusion flow of water in either direction has been measured using tritiated water as a tracer. Second, an osmotic gradient has been applied across the membrane and a passive net flow has been measured. At the same time an active net flow in the same direction as HC1 secretion has also been observed. In addition to the water transport studies, separate measurements have been made of the restriction offered by the membrane to diffusion of various sized molecules. The combined results of these experiments are interpreted in terms of a polydisperse population of pores in the membrane.

Animals↗

Chlorophyll a fluorescence: a tool for the investigation of toxic effects in the photosynthetic apparatus.

The effects of environmental pollutants, such as triazines, urea herbicides, phenols, nitro aromatic compounds, aldehydes, hydrogen sulfide, volatile halogenated aliphatic and aromatic compounds, and alkylbenzenes, the photosynthesis of green algae were investigated by using detailed analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence. Application of quenching analysis by means of a pulse amplitude-modulated fluorometer allows the discrimination of different modes of action. Blocks of the electron-transport chain, the action of uncouplers, and fluorescence quenching by nitroaormatic compounds could be distinguished. Hydrogen sulfide and short-chain aldehydes seem to react in the same way, probably by reaction with components of the electron-transport chain. Nonreactive volatile compounds affect chlorophyll fluorescence in a strictly hydrophobicity-dependent manner. The quenching analysis suggests an inhibition of utilization of proton-motive force for ATP synthesis. Detailed analysis of fluorescence patterns may be of great help for identification of toxic pollutants and their sources.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Quantification of regurgitant lesions by MRI.

We examined 46 patients with angiographically documented regurgitant lesions (26 patients with mitral regurgitation, 20 patients with aortic regurgitation) using an 0.5 Tesla magnet. In each patient a multislice-multiphase spinecho sequence in sagittal-coronal double angulated plane was performed to assess left and right ventricular volumes, ejection fraction and regurgitant fraction. Additionally a blood flow sensitive gradient echo technique was done to visualize direction and extension of the regurgitant jet. MRI data were compared with quantitative and qualitative assessment of regurgitation by angiography and echocardiography. Using the gradient echo technique MRI could demonstrate the regurgitant jet in all patients. A linear correlation for volume parameters by MRI and angio was found with best correlation for the left ventricular stroke volume (r = 0.82, p less than 0.0001). Furthermore MRI regurgitant fraction correlated with angiographically determined regurgitant fraction in patients with aortic regurgitation (r = 0.91, p less than 0.0001) and mitral regurgitation (r = 0.67, p less than 0.001), respectively. Semiquantitative assessment of regurgitation by gradient echo technique showed an agreement with angiographic grading by Sellers in 70% of mitral and 75% of aortic regurgitation, respectively. The comparison of MRI and color Doppler sonography showed only moderate correlation of r = 0.72 (p less than 0.01).

Aortic Valve Insufficiency↗

Magnetic resonance imaging of absent pulmonary valve syndrome.

A neonate with absent pulmonary valve syndrome was examined by means of echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI provided an excellent evaluation of the intracardial morphology, vessel anatomy, mediastinal structures, and shunt flow; and it was superior to echocardiography for detection of aortopulmonary collaterals and vessel abnormalities. This case report of an uncommon cardiac abnormality confirms that MRI is a useful complementary modality to echocardiography in neonates and is recommended for problems with central pulmonary vessels and their relation to tracheobronchial structures.

Echocardiography↗

Transverse sectioning of plastic-embedded immunolabeled cryosections: morphology and permeability to protein A-colloidal gold complexes.

In order to provide data for meaningful interpretation and quantitation of immunogold labeling on cryosections their morphology and permeability to protein A-gold were evaluated: We studied plastic sections of immunogold-labeled ultrathin and semithick cryosections cut perpendicular to the original cryosection plane. Various soluble and insoluble antigens in different specimens (hemoglobin and histone H5 in chicken erythrocytes, tubulin in Leishmania cells, and outer membrane protein OmpA in Escherichia coli) were fixed with glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde, formaldehyde, or periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde and incubated with specific antibodies and protein A-gold of different sizes. The cryosection surface may be rough or smooth depending both on the sectioned material and on dehydration and drying artifacts or possibly on the cutting process itself. Well-preserved sections are capable of withstanding considerable deformation without showing clefts or cracks. If the sectioned specimen is sufficiently fixed, protein A-gold is not able to enter the IgG-labeled sections significantly but follows surface irregularities. However, gold particles can be detected within visibly damaged sections.

Animals↗

Post-mortem findings in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the German North and Baltic Seas.

Between 1991 and 1996, necropsies were performed on 445 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), in various states of preservation, stranded on German coasts or accidentally caught by German fishermen. The animals originated from the North and Baltic Seas, and 133 were considered suitable for histopathological, immunohistochemical and microbiological examination. Most of the lesions in these 133 porpoises were caused by parasites, in particular in the respiratory tract, two-thirds of the animals exhibiting pneumonia associated with the parasites. Pneumonia was considered to be the cause of death in 46% of the stranded subadult and adult animals. The findings gave no evidence of any epidemic due to bacterial or viral infection. Bacteriological examination suggested that pneumonia was mainly caused by secondary bacterial infection and not by parasitic infestation alone. Beta-haemolytic streptococci were considered to be the main infectious agents. Morbillivirus antigen was not detected immunohistochemically.

Animals↗

[Comparative in vitro analysis of vacuum plasma-sprayed titanium implants--evaluation of OPG, Osteokalzin and AP expression].

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different surface topographies on the expression of bone cell-associated proteins, such as osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (AP), and the production of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vitro. Another aspect was the question as to whether a hydroxyapatite (HA) coating offers additional advantages. Vacuum plasma-sprayed (VPS) pure titanium was used to generate different surface topographies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vitro response of human bone marrow cells to VPS implants (porosity ranging from 25 to 50%, pore size ranging from 50 to 200 microm and roughness ranging from 0.191 to 0.547 mm) and cancellous structured titanium (cs-Ti) as a reference material (55% porosity, pore size of 500 microm, roughness 0.836 mm) were compared. The expression of bone cell-associated proteins, such as OPG, osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (AP), was evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to judge the production of ECM. RESULTS: All implant materials induced the release of OPG, osteocalcin and AP. Significant differences were evident between the cs-Ti and the different VPS-Ti surface structures. There was no difference in the response between the VPS-Ti surfaces. SEM showed a dense and increased production of ECM on the VPS-Ti surfaces. An additional HA coating caused a faster production of ECM and higher levels of OPG. CONCLUSIONS: The in vitro data presented here demonstrate the superiority of VPS-Ti surfaces over cs-Ti, which is already in clinical use. Differences between the VPS-Ti surfaces were not evident. Presumably, VPS-Ti surfaces offer good prerequisites for a successful integration of the implant in the surrounding tissue. An additional HA coating could influence these events positively.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗