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Biomedical subjects

K Mann

Publications and source records attributed to K Mann.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

Differential effects of a new dibenzo-epine neuroleptic compared with haloperidol. Results of an open and crossover study.

Fluperlapine (NB-106-689) was tested on 26 schizophrenic patients in an open and crossover study. In addition to its good antipsychotic effect, it also alleviated the apathic and depressive syndromes. Six patients who had shown only slight or no improvement after 4 weeks of haloperidol therapy responded positively to fluperlapine. The alleviation of the anergic syndrome was especially impressive. The therapeutic response of the depressive-apathic syndromes could represent an important extension of pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia. The virtual lack of extrapyramidal motor side effects with fluperlapine supports an intensification of the search for other nonclassic dibenzo-epine neuroleptics.

Adolescent↗

Removal of serine phosphates from simian virus 40 large T antigen increases its ability to stimulate DNA replication in vitro but has no effect on ATPase and DNA binding.

The effect of phosphorylation on the ability of simian virus 40 large T antigen to stimulate DNA synthesis in vitro was tested. Treatment of affinity-purified large T antigen with calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase resulted in the removal of 70 to 80% of the phosphate residues. Only serine-bound phosphate residues were affected. Phosphatase-treated large T antigen stimulated in vitro DNA synthesis fourfold over the untreated control. The stimulation was strongest at early times of DNA replication. At later times, DNA replication proceeded at equal rates with dephosphorylated and untreated large T antigen. The ATPase activity of large T antigen was not affected by phosphatase treatment. The origin-binding activity of large T antigen was tested over a wide range of large T antigen to DNA ratios, including DNA excess, and in the presence and absence of carrier DNA. Under no condition was an effect of dephosphorylation of large T antigen on its DNA-binding activity observed. These findings might indicate that phosphorylation at serine residues modulates the interaction of large T antigen with cellular factors. During DNA synthesis large T antigen was substantially rephosphorylated by kinases in the HeLa cell extract. As shown by two-dimensional peptide mapping, this phosphorylation occurred at all known in vivo sites. No phosphatase and protease activities were detectable in the HeLa cell extract.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

[Use of cross-correlation functions in the assessment of acoustically evoked brain stem potentials in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency and multiple sclerosis].

Brainstem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEP) in patients with vertebral-basilar insufficiency and multiple sclerosis are analysed by means of cross correlation functions. By comparing BAEP recordings of the right and left side this method yields a quantitative and objective valuation of the symmetry of the electrical brainstem activity whereby the BAEP waveform is also considered. The diagnostic value of the cross correlation function is studied by demonstration of examples and comparison of the patient groups with normal subjects. The presented method of analysis is not an alternative to the usual interpretation of latencies and amplitudes. But it may be recommended as a supplementary criterion, because without any additional effort it provides further objective information which can be useful for the valuation of BAEP in some cases, especially if the potentials are not well discernible.

Adolescent↗

Thyroid-stimulating antibodies in patients with long-term remission of Graves' hyperthyroidism.

The persistence of TSH receptor antibodies in Graves' disease despite the remission of hyperthyroidism has been described. Our study was designed to evaluate whether this extends to functionally active stimulators of the thyroid, since the occurrence of thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAb) in a euthyroid patient could well have important implications on our understanding of the pathogenetic role of such autoantibodies. Forty-four patients with a previous history of Graves' hyperthyroidism were reexamined after having been in long-lasting remission for 3 to 35 years (mean 8 years). Of the patients 16 had been treated by radioiodine, 17 by surgery, and 11 exclusively by antithyroid drugs. The determination of TSAb was based on T3 release from thyroid tissue in vitro to document the final response to these immunoglobulins. TSH-binding inhibiting immunoglobulins (TBII) were evaluated by a radioreceptor assay. TSAb were highly elevated in three of the 44 patients. These three patients showed a normal TSH response to i.v. TRH, suffered from endocrine ophthalmopathy, and had been treated by radioiodine for hyperthyroidism. TBII were found positive in seven patients including the three patients mentioned. The majority of patients positive for TSAb or TBII had been treated by radioiodine and none exclusively by antithyroid drugs. In conclusion, not only TBII but also T3 release-stimulating antibodies may occur in a minority of patients with long-term remission of Graves' hyperthyroidism. However, an absence of hyperthyroidism in these patients despite the presence of such thyroid stimulators seems to be only possible in association with a lack of functional responsiveness of the target organ due to previous administration of destructive therapies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Follow-Up Studies↗

Fluorinated psychopharmacological agents: noninvasive observation by fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance.

Fluorinated psychopharmacological agents were measured with fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the brain of intact rats that had been treated with fluphenazine. These in vivo experiments were compared to in vitro measurements of fluphenazine-treated rats. A high-field shift was observed in both in vivo and in vitro measurements. On the basis of the in vitro measurements, fluphenazine concentration in the brains of treated rats was estimated. Our observations demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for determining fluorinated neuroleptics in live mammals.

Animals↗

Similar triiodothyronine releasing activity of thyroid stimulating antibodies in human and porcine thyroid slices.

In an approach to addressing species specificity of thyroid stimulating antibodies (TSAb) stimulation of T3 release by Graves' sera was comparatively studied in human and porcine thyroid slices. A high sensitivity and specificity was found for the T3 bioassay independently on the use of human or porcine thyroid. Moreover, activity indices of the individual sera in both tissues were significantly correlated to each other and to circulating hormone levels in untreated disease. In conclusion, we suppose a lack of functionally relevant differences between target antigens, brought about probably by the TSH receptor itself and other membrane components, in human and porcine thyroid. Thus, for clinically applicable T3 releasing bioassay porcine thyroid may be alternatively used. In addition, this bioassay renders the advantage of reflecting the activity of disease.

Adult↗

[Magnetic resonance tomography and safety. Electroencephalographic and neuropsychologic findings before and after MR studies of the brain].

The influence of MR on the EEG and neuropsychological functions was investigated. An EEG was done in 8 of 20 patients before and after 0.5 Tesla MRI. Computerized EEG analysis showed no significant differences in respect of the dominant frequency and the power spectrum. The memory functions of 12 patients were investigated by clinically proven neuropsychological tests before and after MRI (0.5 and 1.5 tesla). The results demonstrated no measurable influence of MRI on cognitive functions.

Brain Injuries↗

Purification of six human vitamin K-dependent proteins in a single chromatographic step using immunoaffinity columns.

The major human vitamin K-dependent proteins were purified from plasma using immunoadsorbents made with antibodies specific for each protein. Monoclonal antibodies to Factor VII, Factor IX, Factor X, Protein C, and Protein S were prepared from mice immunized with isolated vitamin K-dependent antigens. Purified monoclonal antibodies and a purified burro polyclonal anti-prothrombin immunoglobulin were individually coupled to Sepharose and used in a tandem series of columns to purify each of the vitamin K-dependent proteins from eluates of barium citrate precipitates of plasma. The proteins were eluted from the columns by sodium thiocyanate and retained functional activity following dialysis. Prothrombin, Factor VII, Factor IX, Factor X and Protein C were essentially homogeneous as judged by NaDodSO4-PAGE; Protein S was isolated as a Protein S-C4b binding protein complex. These results indicate the utility of monoclonal antibody immunoadsorbents for purifying the human vitamin K-dependent proteins and represent a considerable simplification over other purification schemes.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Anti-lymphocyte antibody Leu-7 (HNK-1) recognizes a constituent of neuroendocrine granule matrix.

Anti-lymphocyte monoclonal antibody HNK-1 (Leu-7) reacts with the cell surfaces of natural killer (NK) lymphocytes and with myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). This antibody reacts intensely with normal and neoplastic adrenal medullary cells. A small proportion of normal pancreatic islet cells, anterior pituitary, and gastroenteropancreatic endocrine cells also show Leu-7 immunoreactivity. In adrenal medulla, ultrastructural immunocytochemical studies and immunoblot analyses reveal that Leu-7 reacts with an intracellular protein of MW 75 KD which is localized within the matrices of the chromaffin granules. The MW of this protein differs from those of MAG and chromogranin A. The findings suggest that Leu-7 immunoreactivity might be a new marker for specific subsets of secretory granules.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Thyrotropic activity of acidic isoelectric variants of human chorionic gonadotropin from trophoblastic tumors.

Previous studies have indicated that hCG has a weak intrinsic thyroid-stimulating activity. Differences in the molecular composition and biological activity of hCG in patients with trophoblastic diseases and pregnant women occur, but are not well defined. Therefore, we have studied the effect of serum samples and purified hCG preparations from patients with trophoblastic diseases on T3 release from human and porcine thyroid slices in vitro. We examined 30 serum samples from 13 patients with nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumors, 3 from women with choriocarcinoma, and 5 from patients with hydatidiform moles. In all but 1 serum sample from the tumor patients, but in none of 11 serum samples of pregnant women, T3-releasing activity was found. Two patients with testicular cancer and 1 patient with molar pregnancy experienced episodes of frank hyperthyroidism. Isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gels of tumor sera (n = 15) revealed substantial amounts of acidic isoelectric variants, pI 3.3-3.9, which were only barely detectable in pregnancy sera. The percentage of acidic hCG variants with pI 3.3-4.0 to total hCG with pI 3.3-5.2, as determined by hCG (+hCG beta) RIA of the eluted fractions of polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focussing, varied from 12-45% in sera of tumor patients and from 0-4% in pregnant sera. We purified the acidic variants of hCG with pI 3.6-3.8 (hCGav) from the urine of our patients. The beta-subunit of purified hCGav had a slightly higher mol wt (35,750) than that of hCG CR 119 (34,190) on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The hCGav showed a dose-dependant stimulation of T3 release and cAMP generation from human thyroid slices, whereas the other hCG fractions on isoelectric focussing had no thyrotropic effect in similar dose levels. The TSH-like activity of hCGav could be roughly estimated as 10 mIU TSH/IU hCGav. Anti-hCG (+hCG beta) antiserum, but not anti-hTSH antiserum, neutralized the biological activity of hCGav. These findings strongly suggest that acidic hCG variants act as functional stimulators of the human thyroid in vitro. Since these molecular variants of hCG can exist in patients with trophoblastic diseases in significant amounts, they could be responsible for some cases of hyperthyroidism in trophoblastic diseases.

Adult↗

Anterior pituitary hormone responses to a kappa-opioid agonist in man.

The present study was designed to investigate pituitary hormone responses to a kappa-opiate receptor agonist in man. Normal men were given the racemic benzomorphan kappa-agonist MR 2033 or its levorotatory isomer MR 2034 iv. Plasma levels of PRL and GH markedly increased after injection of 3.5 micrograms/kg MR 2033 or 1.9 or 3.8 micrograms/kg MR 2034. These effects of MR 2033 were blocked by the opiate antagonist naloxone (10 mg), thereby demonstrating their mediation by opiate receptors. The kappa-agonist did not change plasma levels of LH and FSH. The secretion of TSH was significantly suppressed by MR 2033 and MR 2034, but this action was not antagonized by pretreatment with naloxone. The suppression of plasma TSH was, however, stereospecific since the (+)-isomer, MR 2035, did not affect TSH secretion. These data indicate that kappa-opiate receptors are located on neuronal pathways regulating GH, TSH, and PRL secretion. The pattern of pituitary responses elicited by the kappa-agonist differs from that of mu-opioid agonists, indicating differential endocrine functions for the endogenous agonists.

Adult↗

T3 releasing activity by Graves' sera from Graves' thyroid in vitro.

The insensitivity of Graves' thyroid to stimulation of cAMP formation by TSH as well as Graves' immunoglobulins in vitro is well known. The present study was performed to find out Graves' sera which may induce a final activation i.e. stimulation of T3 release in Graves' thyroid slices despite this insensitivity of tissue and to characterize determinants responsible for the efficiency of those sera. Out of 20 sera from patients with active untreated Graves' disease 6 were found to stimulate T3 release from Graves' thyroid in vitro. These 6 sera were effective in stimulating different Graves' glands, irrespective of pretreatment with propranolol, thiamazole (methimazole) or thiamazole plus iodine. In contrast, a significant response to bTSH was not observed in any Graves' gland. For comparison, 17/20 of the same sera were able to stimulate T3 release when tested on human goitrous thyroid. Sera which stimulated Graves' slices revealed no higher stimulating activities in goitrous tissue than serum samples which did not. All sera were additionally assessed for TSH binding inhibiting immunoglobulins in a radioreceptor assay. Remarkably, Graves' thyroid stimulating sera had a low or absent TSH binding inhibiting activity. Thus, hormone release from Graves' thyroid in vitro - in contrast to that from goitrous tissue - could only be activated by a minority of Graves' sera. These Graves' thyroid stimulating sera could be characterized to contain a selected spectrum of biologically active antibodies with a high TSH agonistic potency stimulating in the presence of a negligible TSH binding inhibiting activity.

Adult↗

[Cross correlation functions of acoustic evoked brain stem potentials].

A method for the analysis of brainstem acoustic evoked potentials (BAEP) is presented. The calculation of the normalized cross correlation function between BAEP recordings of the right and left side yields a quantitative and objective valuation of the symmetry of the electrical brainstem activity. Contrary to the usual interpretation of latencies and amplitudes the BAEP waveform is also considered. To demonstrate the regular properties of the normalized cross correlation function 20 healthy subjects were tested. Different stimulus and recording conditions, the influence of the BAEP signal length on which the calculation of the cross correlation function is based as well as filtering of the BAEP with varying cutoff frequencies are studied.

Brain Stem↗

Prognostic value of thyroid stimulating antibodies and TSH-binding inhibiting immunoglobulins in the follow-up of Graves' disease.

The prognostic value of the determinations of autoantibodies in Graves' disease is still questionable. So far, the role of different assay procedures used has not been intensively investigated. We simultaneously applied two different techniques, a radioreceptor assay and a T3 releasing in vitro assay, in the follow-up of patients with Graves' disease to directly compare the course of the antibody activities determined by these assays and to find out a prognostic significance of the composition of the antibody spectrum present. The initial activities of thyroid stimulating antibodies (TSAb) and TSH-binding inhibiting immunoglobulins (TBII) were not significantly correlated in patients before treatment. During a 12-month antithyroid medication antibody titres showed a concordant course in the majority of patients. In 6 of 25 patients, however, a discordant behaviour was clearly documented including dose-response curves. At the end of treatment, the patients could be divided into three groups: group I included 5 patients positive for both TSAb and TBII, group II 6 patients positive for TBII and negative for TSAb and group III 14 patients negative for both of them. During the following survey of 18 months all patients of group I, 2 patients of group II and 6 patients of group III experienced a relapse of hyperthyroidism. In conclusion, TSAb and TBII activities dissociate in some patients during antithyroid drug therapy. For the individual patient, the disappearance of both TSAb and TBII was no certain indicator for a longstanding remission of Graves' hyperthyroidism. The persistence of TSAb seems to be more reliably associated with persisting or rapidly relapsing disease than the persistence of TBII.

Adult↗