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Biomedical subjects

M Hotz

Publications and source records attributed to M Hotz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Occupational therapy in pediatric lead exposure prevention.

Environmental lead is a toxic substance that is affecting the growth and development of 3 to 4 million U.S. preschool children today, with effects ranging from learning disabilities to death. This review of environmental lead sources and effects on children provides a background for comprehensive prevention of childhood lead exposure. Prevention strategies at the child, family, and community levels allow for widespread protection of child health and development. Prevention begins with an understanding of the person-environment-occupation framework for the factors that contribute to children at risk for lead exposure. An open system model is presented with specific interventions at the child, family, and community levels, providing innovative, integrated contributions by occupational therapy practitioners for lead exposure prevention and health promotion of children who have been exposed to environmental lead.

Child Health Services↗
PubMed1997

[Coma-associated neuropathy].

To evaluate signs of peripheral nerve dysfunction, over a period of 31 months all patients treated for more than 14 days in our intensive care unit (ICU) had clinical and electrophysiological examination. The results of 78 patients were analysed: 53 had diseases of the central nervous system, 25 suffered from general cerebral hypoxia, mainly after cardiopulmonary reanimation. 54 showed bilateral signs of denervation activity, additionally 10 patients had fibrillation potentials unilateral to their spastic hemiparesis. 19 patients had denervation potentials only in proximal muscles of the upper limbs. Generalized denervation activity developed mainly after septic organ failure. On the other hand 35 patients showed denervation potentials already between day 14 and 21, suggesting an affection of peripheral nerve function in the first week of ICU treatment. Time course, pattern of distribution and frequency of electrophysiological abnormalities are not generally consistent with alterations of nutrition, metabolism or hypoxia in the course of ICU treatment. Clinical signs of peripheral nerve dysfunction were present in 40% of the patients showing denervation in the EMG.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

An unusual case of central nervous system cryptococcosis.

Opportunistic infections of the central nervous system (CNS) in immunocompromised patients often represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to the variety of possible infectious agents causing CNS disease. We report the case of a severely immunocompromised 43-year-old woman presenting with headache, confusion, abnormal CSF findings (cell count 237/mm3 with 50% eosinophils and elevated protein), multiple contrast enhancing lesions on CT and MRI in the basal ganglia, and serologic findings compatible with latent or reactivated toxoplasmosis with high IgA and IgG antibody titers against Toxoplasma gondii in whom a final diagnosis of CNS cryptococcosis was made. This case illustrates the considerable difficulties in the differential diagnosis of opportunistic CNS infection in the immunocompromised host. We conclude from our report that (1) the diagnosis of toxoplasma encephalitis should not be based on serological findings but rather be proven by either PCR, mouse inoculation or brain biopsy, (2) CNS cryptococcosis can be associated with marked CSF eosinophilia and multiple cryptococcomas, and (3) cryptococcomas can persist on CT and MRI despite successful antifungal treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Experiences with high dosage immunoglobulin G in neuromuscular diseases].

High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) was used as alternative treatment in 39 patients with crisis in myasthenia gravis (MG), acute polyneuritis (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Of 10 patients with MG, 3 recovered completely, 5 patients improved except for long-standing ocular signs, 1 patient was weaned from artificial ventilation, and one patient did not improve after IVIG, but did so after plasma exchange. 25 GBS patients were treated with IVIG, progression of weakness was stopped in 24; 12 showed complete or near complete recovery and 6 improved markedly. Of 4 patients with CIDP, 2 responded definitely. The majority of patients with MG, GBS, CIDP, respond to IVIG treatment. The effect seems to be equivalent to plasma exchange. In GBS, IVIG may be superior. Side effects of IVIG are negligible, and there is no risk of transmission of AIDS-, hepatitis-, or other viruses.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Human brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) before and after MR examinations.

Recently significant changes of human brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) after exposure to static magnetic fields were reported (L. von Klitzing, Clin. Physiol. Meas. 7(2), 157 (1986); L. Stojan, D. Sperber, and K. Dransfeld, Naturwissenschaften 75, 622 (1988]. We recorded BAEPs of 11 subjects before and after a routine MRI examination at 1.5 T. In addition the BAEP of a healthy volunteer was measured in five different static magnetic fields (0-2.0 T). Our results indicate that routine MRI investigations do not significantly alter the interpeak latencies of the BAEPs.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed1990

Characteristics of electrically evoked 'auditory' brainstem responses elicited with the nucleus 22-electrode intracochlear implant.

Electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses (EABRs) were measured in cochlear implant patients fitted with the Nucleus 22 electrode system. The typical response waveform consisted of a series of two to three peaks. The largest peak was similar in form to the wave V of acoustically evoked ABRs and was most prominent for stimulus intensities nearly equal to the patients' maximum comfortable (MC) behavioural stimulus level for the test electrode. The first identifiable wave V amplitude was observed at stimulus levels greater than the patients' psychophysical threshold. With increasing stimulus intensity, wave V amplitude increased rapidly to plateau at a level highly correlated with the patients' MC level at the EABR stimulus rate of 17/s. Wave V peak latency was generally shorter than normal ABRs (4.0 cf. 5.5 ms) and varied with electrode position: apical electrodes had shorter latencies than basal electrodes by approximately 0.4 ms. These results suggest that EABRs can be used as an objective estimate of a patient's electrode-specific MC level, once the correlation of EABR growth functions at 17/s to those at clinically employed rates of 250/s has been determined. EABRs may indicate differences in nerve action potential generation for apical and basal electrodes.

Cochlea↗
PubMed1987

Increased prevalence of human papillomaviruses in the lower genital tract of pregnant women.

In order to evaluate the influence of pregnancy on the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the lower female genital tract, cervical smears of 92 pregnant and 96 non-pregnant women, matched by age, were examined for the presence of HPV-DNA by means of Southern blot hybridization. All patients had negative PAP smears. Twenty-six (28%) of the pregnant women and 12 (12.5%) of the non-pregnant women were positive for HPV. HPV 16 accounted for 42% of all positive pregnant cases and only 25% of the positive non-pregnant cases. Smears of pregnant patients contained more than 10 pg viral DNA in 45% of the cases against 20% in the non-pregnant group. HPV 16 showed the most active replication in both groups. This study demonstrates an increased prevalence of HPV (preferentially of HPV 16) and a higher replication rate of viral DNA during pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Dominantly inherited lower lip fistulas and facial clefts (Van der Woude syndrome). A study of 52 cases].

Congenital lip pits may occur alone or in combination with oral clefts. They characteristically present as symmetric pits close to the vermilion border of the lower lip, about 0.5 cm off the midline, and are usually connected with heterotopic salivary glands; occasionally, salivation may occur. Congenital lip pits are associated with clefts of the upper lip and/or the palate in about half of the cases. Hypodontia may also be observed. Lip pits with or without clefts are found in a few dominantly inherited syndromes, in most cases involving the autosomal dominant Van der Woude syndrome. 52 carriers of the Van der Woude gene are described. In 8 cases the syndrome occurred as a fresh mutation and the other 44 cases occurred in 5 families. Penetrance was complete and expression very variable. Sex distribution was 1:1. For genetic counselling purposes it can be concluded that all carriers of the Van der Woude gene can be identified. Every symptom (pits, micro-pits, cleft, submucous clefts, uvula bifida) may represent the only manifestation of the gene. The recurrence risks for offspring of gene carriers is 50%, but the risk of severe forms of cleft is much lower.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Early orthopaedic stabilization of the praemaxilla in complete bilateral cleft lip and palate in combination with the Celesnik lip repair.

Co-ordination of maxillary orthopaedics with two-stage lip surgery according to the Celesnik principle for complete BCLP is described, and the results of the procedure are analyzed at the 10 to 15 year age level. Taking advantage of the effects of growth within the first 6 to 8 months of the patient's life, orthopaedics and concomitant surgery achieve a considerable degree of alignment and stabilization of the praemaxilla within the alveolar arch without reverting to any active orthopaedic retrusion. Around age 10 the praemaxilla has assumed a normal sagittal position relative to the anterior cranial base. Due to relatively short and retropositioned mandibles all cases in the sample investigated display rather receding 'Class II type' profiles in early adolescence.

Cephalometry↗
PubMed1985

The physical state of human papillomavirus type 16 DNA in benign and malignant genital tumours.

Cloned DNA from human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 was subjected to restriction enzyme analysis. A genome size of 7.8 +/- 0.1 kb was determined and restriction maps were prepared. Fragments of HPV 16 DNA were nick-translated and hybridized with fragments of HPV 6b DNA. The two genomes appeared to be colinear. The physical state of HPV 16 DNA in genital tumours was analysed. In each of six benign tumours the viral DNA was detected exclusively as 8 kb circles. In four malignant tumours the viral DNA appeared to be integrated within the host genome but one cervical carcinoma and one case of Bowen's disease also contained oligomeric episomal molecules of viral DNA. One cervical carcinoma (WV 2965), containing only integrated viral DNA, was examined in detail. HPV 16 DNA was integrated as head-to-tail tandem repeats at more than one site. Three virus/cell junction fragments from this tumour were cloned. Two contained lengths of repetitive cellular DNA and one a length of apparently single copy cellular DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

[Multidisciplinary care of patients with cleft lips and cleft palates in Zürich].

Since about 10 years a coordinated timing of procedures has been used in Zürich for the management of CLP cases. It equally considers the requirements of growth and functional development. Early orthopedic treatment can, however, only be efficient if concomitant primary surgery is adequately timed and performed. The importance of two-stage palatal closure (soft palate 18 months, hard palate after 5 years of age) is emphasized. In contrast to results of former treatment methods, present cleft patients show good arch form and intermaxillary relationship in deciduous and early mixed dentition. The need for orthodontic treatment is considerably reduced. As far as speech development is concerned, the procedure proves to be beneficial as well.

Child, Preschool↗