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Biomedical subjects

J Gaál

Publications and source records attributed to J Gaál.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

99m Tc-HMPAO labelled leukocyte scintigraphy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a comparison with disease activity.

The aim of this study was to test the applicability of 99mTc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) labelled leukocyte joint scintigraphy in the assessment of disease activity in 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and to compare leukocyte scintigraphy with the Disease Activity Score (DAS), a validated activity index developed by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). Twenty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis were investigated by using 99mTc-HMPAO labelled leukocyte joint scintigraphy. The clinical and laboratory data were recorded, and the DAS was calculated and compared with the scintigraphic results in each case. A relatively high DAS score (4.71+/-1.07) was found in the majority of patients. The degree of accumulation of 99mTc-HMPAO leukocytes showed no correlation with a patient's age, gender, duration of disease, use of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), visual analogue scale (VAS), Richie index, DAS, or any laboratory parameters. In contrast, a significant correlation was found between the global regional accumulation of the labelled leukocytes of the hands and feet, and the swollen-joint count. It is concluded that radiolabelled leukocyte scintigraphy could become one of the promising methods in the assessment of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Transdermal formulations of deprenyl: guinea pig and pig models.

The efficacy of many drugs relies on their presence at the site of action over a period of time. The retardation or programmed release capability of the conventional dosage forms like oral and parenteral are limited and toxic and undesired side-effects may occur after their applications. These problems may be solved using transdermal delivery systems. Transdermal systems are aimed for local, or systemic action. In the letter case controlling the rate of delivery or modulating the distribution in the organism. The selection of an adequate biological method of evaluating a new transdermal formulation is a critical point of the development. The in vitro methods can help in the characterization of the different formulas, but without an in vivo disposition study they cannot give relevant information about the expectable therapeutic behavior. We adapted and improved an in vivo test system for the evaluation of new transdermal particulate systems (patches) and liposomes containing deprenyl selegiline as active ingredient. The in vivo evaluation system consists of two steps: 1. Full biodisposition study on guinea pig, using isotope labeled selegiline. 2. Biodisposition studies on domestic pigs including dose, area, surface dependence and comparative bioavailability with traditional dosage forms and application moods. Specific examples of these studies and experimental technology are presented.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1998

A comparative study of vertical and horizontal deliveries in the presence and with the assistance of the woman's partner.

The authors are the first in Hungary to have applied the method of vertical delivery with the husband's or partner's presence in the delivery room. This is part of the authors' family-centered delivery program at the Maternity Ward of Borsod-Abauj-Zemplén County Hospital, Miskolc. A comparison of 321 births was carried out, which included 158 vertical deliveries and 163 horizontal deliveries. During both vertical and horizontal deliveries, the husband or partner was present in the delivery room. The comparison included the mother's biometrics and social characteristics, as well as the circumstances of the delivery and the clinical parameters of the newborns. Certain stages of delivery in the vertical position took a shorter period of time compared to horizontal delivery, but the differences were not significant. Episiotomies were carried out in fewer cases of vertical deliveries, and significant injuries due to the lack of an episiotomy in the case of vertical deliveries were not detected. The parameters characterizing the clinical state of the newborns were the same in both groups. The answers given to questionnaires supported the favorable psychological effects of a vertical delivery. The authors hope that vertical delivery, as a possible alternative, will find its place in obstetric practice in Hungary.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Metabolism of (-)-deprenyl and PF-(-)-deprenyl in brain after central and peripheral administration.

We examined the cerebral metabolism of L-deprenyl and its fluoro-derivative pF-deprenyl, assaying the parent compounds, their metabolites desmethyl deprenyl, L-amphetamine, and L-methamphetamine, and the fluoro analogs of these metabolites. We compared the levels of the metabolites after subcutaneous injection with those after intracerebral administration (via microdialysis) of the parent compounds. The assay of the parent compounds and their metabolites was by GC-MS measurement of the components of brain microdialysate samples. After their subcutaneous administration, deprenyl and F-deprenyl rapidly entered the brain and then their concentration decreased, with an approximate half-life of 4.5 h. After the intracerebral administration the diffusion from the site of administration was minor. A small fraction (a few percent) of the intracerebrally administered deprenyl was metabolized in situ in the brain possibly by a nonenzymatic process. Metabolism of pF-deprenyl was somewhat more rapid. The higher cerebral levels of metabolites after the subcutaneous administration indicate their exogenous origin-metabolism of parent compounds in the periphery and penetration of the brain by the metabolites.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1995

The distribution of orally administered (-)-deprenyl-propynyl-14C and (-)-deprenyl-phenyl-3H in rat brain.

Using alternatively labelled (-)-deprenyl (3H label in the ring and 14C in the propargyl group) the distribution of the compound was studied in 15 brain regions and the plasma of rats over a period of 96 h, after oral administration of 1.5 mg/kg of (-)-deprenyl. The compound is rapidly absorbed (within 15-30 min) from the gastrointestinal tract, as indicated by its high plasma level. It penetrates to the central nervous system, where it reaches a peak level within 45-60 min. During the first 2 h in the plasma the 14C label, whilst in cerebral tissues during the whole period of the experiment the 3H tracer dominates. The difference in the ratio of 3H to 14C radioactivity (compared to the 0 time relation) develops as early as in the first 15 min, which indicates the operation of a rapid "first pass" biotransformation of the compound. Our data represent the tissue molar concentration -time curves of (-)-deprenyl calculated from both the 3H and 14C radiolabels. A ratio of 1 of the concentrations of the two tracers would indicate that the molecule remained unchanged. The changes in the ratio, therefore, suggest the formation of considerable quantities of metabolites (methylamphetamine and amphetamine) and their presence in the brain. The difference between the area under the curves (AUC0-t for 3H and AUC0-t for 14C) represents the amount of metabolites expected to be formed during the experiment. The concentration of the metabolites should be taken into account while evaluating the pharmacological effect of (-)-deprenyl. We proved earlier that a dose of 1.5 mg/kg of (-)-deprenyl completely blocks MAO-B activity in the central nervous system. The fast metabolism of the inhibitor indicates that a minor part of the orally administered (-)-deprenyl is sufficient to produce a high level of selective MAO-B inhibition in the brain.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

Myocardial gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To detect myocardial involvement in 16 patients with systemic sclerosis using radiogallium scintigraphy METHODS: Sixteen patients with systemic sclerosis were investigated by myocardial gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy. Echocardiographic studies and (in the positive cases) magnetic resonance imaging were also performed. RESULTS: Increased myocardial gallium uptake was found in five of the 16 patients. None of these positive cases exhibited any 'classical' clinical, electrocardiographic or laboratory signs characteristic of myocarditis. The mean age of the positive cases was 60.8 (SD 5.0) years compared with 44.6 (10.7) years for the negative cases; no difference was detected in the mean disease duration between these two groups. Two of the affected cases belonged to the limited scleroderma subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the low number of patients investigated, it is tempting to speculate that elderly patients with a disease onset around 60 years tend to be the candidates in whom a positive gallium-67 scintigraphy test may best indicate a silent myocardial interstitial inflammation.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Gas chromatographic procedure for simultaneous determination of selegiline metabolites, amphetamine, methamphetamine and demethyl-deprenyl in pig plasma.

A sensitive assay for the simultaneous quantitative determination of amphetamine, methamphetamine and demethyl-deprenyl in pig plasma is described. NP-Gas chromatography is used to determine the extracted plasma concentrations of the three target compounds as their N-penta-fluoro-benzoyl derivatives. Quantitation is performed using 1-phenyl-2-pentylamine as internal standard. The derivatives are separated on a phenyl-methylsilicone capillary column. Quantitation limit for each target compound was 1.2 ng ml-1. Levels of amphetamine, methamphetamine and demethyl-deprenyl have been determined in plasma of pigs treated with Selegiline in different formulations and doses.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1994

Amphetamine-metabolites of deprenyl involved in protection against neurotoxicity induced by MPTP and 2'-methyl-MPTP.

The ability of 1-deprenyl to protect against the parkinsonian effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been attributed to the inhibition of conversion of MPTP to MPP+ (1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium) catalyzed by MAO-B. We report here that deprenyl-treatment in mice has an additional neuroprotective element associated with the rapid metabolization of 1-deprenyl to 1-methamphetamine and 1-amphetamine. 1-Methamphetamine and 1-amphetamine inhibit MPP(+)-uptake into striatal synaptosomes prepared from rats. Post-treatment by 1-deprenyl, 1-methamphetamine, 1-amphetamine (at times when MPTP is no longer present in the striatum of mice) protects against neurotoxicity in C57BL mice by blocking the uptake of MPP+ into dopaminergic neurons, and even against the neurotoxicity induced by 2'CH3-MPTP, which is partly bioactivated by MAO-A. These findings may have clinical implications since deprenyl has recently been found to delay the progression of Parkinson's disease.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗
PubMed1993

Suicide inhibition of monoamine oxidases A and B by (-)-deprenyl. A computer-aided solution for determining inhibition specificity.

An analytical solution to the differential equations describing the kinetics of the suicide inhibition of a two-enzyme system has been derived and the modelling of suicide inhibition of the monoamine oxidases A and B (MAO A and B, EC 1.4.3.4) by a quasi-selective agent, (-)-deprenyl, is presented as an example. A new parameter, the specificity index is defined and used in a model which describes the specific and non-specific binding of (-)-deprenyl to MAO B and MAO A, respectively. This type of analysis may be of therapeutic value by indicating optimal dosage of quasi-selective MAO B inhibitors for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Family-centered obstetrics].

Family centralised delivery model program in the Department of Obstetrics of Borsod County Hospital in Miskolc is reviewed. This program has been started since 1986. Significance and positive emotional effects are emphasized. Preparation for the birth, the presence of the husband in the labour ward, the alternative delivery position and the rooming-in system are discussed in detail. The natural birth's behaviour, which is very important in the life of the family, would be realized with this program.

Family↗
PubMed1991

[Representation of the increase of fetal biparietal and thoracic diameter on a new (14-zone) ultrasonic diagnostic table].

From the somatic development of the fetus one may conclude to its functional maturity and if birth is near to its life prospects too. Thus the ultrasonographic examination of the biparietal and thorax transversal diameter reflecting the somatic development is of prognostic significance too. The authors composed a new table to increase the information value of the ultrasonographic finding, for the uniform designation of the given BPD and THD (biparietal and thorax diameter) sizes and for the better recognition of the tendencies of BPD and THD changes. A new system of symbols and representation method were elaborated for the description of standard positions. According to the gestation weeks 14-14 BPD and THD size-ranges were separated. The so called "UFD" Ultrasonographic index of the Fetal Development gives information besides the gestation time also on the BPD and THD standard position of the fetus and demonstrates illustratively the direction and rate of deviation of the standard positions from the average. The system provides the possibility of a better information to the obstetrician or consulting physician who evaluates the US finding, a uniform interpretation of the findings and serves better the clinical diagnostics.

Female↗