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Biomedical subjects

J Vollmer

Publications and source records attributed to J Vollmer.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Clinical course of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis].

A 49-year-old woman presented with increasing memory loss without dementia. The EEG showed slow activity over the temporal lobe. MRT revealed temporal areas of increased signal intensity without gadolinium enhancement. The diagnosis of limbic encephalitis was made after detection of a bronchial carcinoma. A MRT control examination after chemotherapy showed resolution of the abnormalities. This observation may indicate that chemotherapy has modified that part of the immunological system responsible for induction of limbic encephalitis.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗

An evaluation of the reliability of time sampling versus continuous observation data collection.

Thirty (10 male, 20 female) children, ages 41 to 71 months, were observed simultaneously in a freeplay setting by two observers using a validated assessment of physical activity in children (i.e. the FATS). One observer utilized a whole interval time sampling method of data recording and the second observer used a hand-held computer and continuously entered observations whenever a child's activity level changed, while the computer simultaneously calculated elapsed time (in tenths of seconds) spent in each behavioral category. Overall activity scores generated by the two approaches correlated 0.90 although the time sampling method produced lower estimates of physical activity. It is concluded that whole interval time sampling is a reliable cost-effective method of assessing physical activity levels in children and may be preferable to the continuous computer-assisted approach that was utilized.

Adult↗

Parental influences on children's eating behavior and relative weight.

We investigated the relationship between selected parent behaviors, child mealtime behavior, and infant relative weight. Subjects were 7 male and 7 female children varying in age from 12 to 30 months (mean = 23.9 months). Each subject and parents were observed during the dinnertime meal on two occasions using the BATMAN (Bob and Tom's Method of Assessing Nutrition). The children spent 58% of the mealtime eating. They spent very little time making active decisions about what and how much they ate (food requests = 2% of the time; food refusals = 1% of the time). We found significant correlations between child relative weight and (a) parental prompts to eat (r = .81, p less than .001), (b) parental food offers (r = .51, p less than .05), and (c) parental encouragement to eat (r = .82, p less than .001). Thus, the present study suggests a relationship between certain parental variables and the relative weight of their children.

Body Weight↗

Immunoreactive forms of cationic trypsin in plasma and ascitic fluid of dogs in experimental pancreatitis.

A canine model of bile-induced pancreatitis has been employed to investigate time-dependent changes in the molecular forms of trypsin in blood and ascitic fluid in this disease. The distribution of immunoreactive trypsin as trypsinogen and trypsin bound to plasma inhibitors in ascitic fluid and plasma during the course of the disease has been investigated by means of a radioimmunoassay for canine pancreatic cationic trypsin. In addition, trypsinlike amidase activity was determined in plasma and ascitic fluid using Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-beta-Nap as substrate. Early plasma and ascitic fluid samples in four dogs that died contained primarily trypsinogen, while extensive activation of trypsinogen to alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 1-protease inhibitor-bound trypsin occurred in the course of the disease. A fifth dog survived and showed little activation of trypsinogen. In the four dogs that died, the levels of trypsinlike amidase activity in the ascitic fluid were substantial throughout the course of the disease. The plasma levels of trypsinlike activity in these animals were much lower, but increased during the disease process. The dog that survived had lower concentrations of trypsinlike activity in ascitic fluid and plasma. These results suggest that activation of trypsinogen resulting in inhibitor-bound forms of trypsin in ascitic fluid and plasma is important in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.

Amidohydrolases↗

Sympathetic skin response in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

To determine a possible involvement of the autonomic nervous system in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), measurement of the sympathetic skin response (SSR) was performed in 15 patients with definite ALS. Findings were compared with those in 20 normal controls. In ALS patients the mean SSR latencies recorded from the palms and soles were both significantly prolonged (p < 0.05) and the amplitudes were reduced as compared with normal persons. In 5 patients, SSR potentials were completely lacking in one or even more extremities. Our data strongly suggest subclinical involvement of the autonomic nervous system in ALS as assessed by the SSR response. In our patients the extent of autonomic dysfunction was not related to the stage or the duration of disease.

Adult↗

Involvement of the autonomic nervous system in patients with syringomyelia--a study with the sympathetic skin response.

In order to determine the function of the autonomic nervous system in syringomyelia, the sympathetic skin response (SSR) was performed in 13 patients with syringomyelia and 20 healthy controls. SSR was recorded from both palms and soles. In patients with syringomyelia, we found absent responses, prolonged latencies and reduced amplitudes. SSRs could be recorded in 15 out of the examined 26 upper extremities. The latencies were prolonged in 12 of these cases. In the lower limbs, 11 SSRs could be obtained. In 4 of these cases the latencies were prolonged. The SSR latencies recorded from the palms and soles were both significantly prolonged (p < 0.05) and the amplitudes were reduced (p < 0.05) as compared to normal persons. Our data strongly suggest involvement of the autonomic nervous system in syringomyelia as assessed by the SSR response (in upper and lower extremities). In our patients, the extent of autonomic dysfunction was not related to the stage or the duration of disease.

Adult↗