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M Koller

Publications and source records attributed to M Koller.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Measuring quality of life as an integral component of quality management in surgical medicine].

The concept of quality of life (QL) is hardly discussed with respect to quality management in patient care. We will show that QL-assessment can make important contributions to quality management. QL is assessed by means of standardized questionnaires and can be displayed in the form of quality of life profiles. These results are important since patients self-assessments often differ to a large extent from physicians' judgements. QL-profiles allow for a depiction of the individual case at a given time, as well as for the evaluation of the course of therapies. Adopting this methodological concept, a large field study involving practitioners in the region aims at researching therapy outcomes with regard to rectal and breast carcinoma. Regular interim data analyses and discussion of the results in quality circle groups focuses at the immediate eliminating of mismanagement in patient care (action research).

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Breast self-examination: attitudes and practices among young women in Europe.

Breast self examination (BSE) is recommended for the early detection of breast cancer in the European Code against Cancer. Evidence from North America suggests that there is reasonable public awareness of its importance, but compliance with regular BSE is reported by only a minority of young women. Attitudes to and practice of BSE has rarely been studied outside North America. In the present study, attitudes to BSE were evaluated by questionnaire in a sample of 16,486 students aged 17-30 from 20 European countries. Frequency of BSE practice was reported by the 9,181 women in the sample. Information on public recommendations concerning BSE was obtained from cancer organizations in each country. The data were collected as part of the European Health Behaviour Survey, an international study on health beliefs and health behaviour. The results showed that BSE was recommended in 16 countries and 'breast awareness' in two, while two countries did not recommend self-examination. 54% of women reported as never having practiced BSE. Regular practice (monthly) was reported by only 8% of the sample, with another 36% reporting occasional BSE. Significant differences emerged between centres in different countries ranging from 6% to 15% reporting regular BSE. Attitude towards BSE was a significant predictor of BSE practice within each centre and across all centres combined. Attitudes towards BSE were significantly less positive in the two centres from countries without BSE recommendations than in the others, but levels of practice were similar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[General practice of acute inpatient treatment of mania. Retrospective comparative study of 100 patients at each of 2 psychiatric centers].

We reviewed the literature regarding acute therapy of manic patients and compared these recommendations with actual practice by reviewing 399 therapies in 100 patients each from two psychiatric care centres between 1975 und 1991. Higher age, more serious disease and a higher percentage of compulsory commitments are typical of patients treated in institutions with a mandatory admission policy as compared to university clinics, which are not compelled to admit patients. The treatment methods practised in both centres deviated greatly from recommendations in the literature. In spite of widespread therapeutic recommendations, lithium and carbamazepin are seldom employed for acute treatment; neuroleptic agents were preferred for all grades of severity. Combinations of more potent antipsychotics with more sedative neuroleptics were preferred. In contrast, the chosen substances, the preferred combinations and the application form varied considerably. The state mental hospital preferred haloperidol and levomepromazin; in the university clinic clozapin and perphenazineoenanthate were important adjuncts. Both clinics remained in the low therapeutic range of dose recommendations. There were no statistically meaningful differences with regard to either the total amount of chlorpromazine equivalents applied or the duration of inpatient care. In the first one-tenth of the total treatment period, 85% of the maximal dose reached in the second tenth is already given. A continual reduction begins thereafter, until app. 40% of the peak dose in reached. Active treatment of side effects as well as more common use of depot neuroleptics in order to minimize custodial treatment, may explain the lower number of compulsory admissions in the university hospital. Extreme interindividual differences in both dosage and length of stay help in elucidating the apparently contradictory results of comparative investigations with small patient groups. Previous treatments have little or no predictive value due to large intraindividual variations.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Different patterns of light exposure in relation to melatonin and cortisol rhythms and sleep of night workers.

There is strong evidence to suggest that circadian psychophysiological adaptation processes are modified by light, depending on its intensity and timing. To characterize such modifications and determine whether they are associated with an alteration in the day/night pattern of melatonin excretion, measurements were obtained around the clock in 14 permanent night workers, each studied over a 48 hr period in the field. The light exposure behavior of these workers was studied with a newly developed light dosimetry by measuring light intensity at eye level. Physical activity was continuously registered and sleep indices were obtained by sleep logs and activity markings. Circadian rhythms of melatonin and cortisol were analysed from salivary samples collected for 24 hr at 2 hr intervals. The interindividual variation of melatonin acrophase determined by cosinor analysis was greater than 180 degrees (from around midnight to noon) and that of cortisol was about 135 degrees (from early morning to afternoon). Hormonal phase positions coincided significantly with light exposure: the more bright light pulses in the morning (maximum lux between 0600 and 0900), the less were the melatonin and cortisol acrophases shifted into the day. There was also a negative correlation between melatonin acrophase shift and duration of the overall light exposure above 1500 lux. Morning light maximum and sleep onset correlated highly significantly. Night workers were divided into those with less than ('non-shifters', n = 9) and more than 6 hr deviation from midnight ('shifters', n = 5) of the melatonin acrophase. The group comparison revealed a marked difference of the mean melatonin concentrations at night, and at 0700.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Control of red cell function of late chick embryos: role of extracellular ATP/AMP and egg size.

Hypoxia is the alleged stimulus for initiation of increase of carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) synthesis of red blood cells from late chick embryos. The PO2-dependent regulation of red cell metabolism is mediated by unknown humoral factors [Million et al., Am. J. Physiol. 261 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 30): R1188-R1196, 1991]. In the present investigation we have analyzed whether interindividual differences in egg size (which result in different surface area-to-mass ratios) affect the timing of initiation of 2,3-DPG and CAII synthesis in late chick embryos. We also investigated the effect of extracellular adenine nucleotides on red cell organic phosphate pattern and O2 affinity to test whether the inhibitory effect of normal or elevated PO2 on 2,3-DPG synthesis and the concomitant increase of ATP (and O2 half-saturation pressure) can be mimicked by these agents. The results show that differences in egg size affect the timing of CAII and 2,3-DPG synthesis, indicating that PO2-dependent regulation of red cell function allows adjustment to the properties of the individual egg. We also found that extracellular ATP, which is rapidly degraded to AMP by red cell ectoenzymes, can alter the red cell phosphate pattern and O2 affinity, i.e., significantly increase red cell ATP, decrease red cell 2,3-DPG and O2 affinity, and thus mimic the effect of normoxia and hyperoxia. These findings suggest that extracellular adenine nucleotides may be involved in the PO2-dependent regulation of embryonic red cell metabolism.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗
PubMed1994

[Measuring quality of life in after-care of tumor surgery. Methods, problems and applications].

The present paper deals with the feasibility and applications of quality of life measurement in the routine of a tumor follow-up clinic. 61 patients filled out the EORTC-30 questionnaire plus additional scales. Filling out the questionnaire constituted no burden for patients. Patients' responses were computed in a way as to allow for graphically presenting individual QL-profiles, as well as to compare different groups of patients. Considerations concerning the role of QL-measurement in clinical practice, in medical decision making, and in future research endeavours were brought forward.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

[Human cytomegalovirus, its significance in immune deficiency states, laboratory diagnosis, therapeutic possibilities].

The authors report on the virological findings of 59 transplant recipients. The following procedures were used for the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection: detection of antiviral antibodies by ELISA, the detection of virus-coded antigens in the patients' leucocytes (HCMV antigenemia test), "accelerated" virus isolation using immunofluorescence (IF). Serial examinations revealed the HCMV infection in 12 patients following organ transplantation. The antigenemia test proved to be positive in all cases. Two third of the cases suffered from viremia. The virus specific serology possess diagnostic value only in every second acute illness. Since the antigenemia test used to be successful in the earliest phase of acute illnesses, the chance of effective chemotherapy can be increased significantly. The virus serological examinations are of essential importance during the pretransplantation screening of donors and recipients. The "accelerated" procedure of virus isolation experiments indicates the presence of infective HCMV within 1 to 4 days. Transplant recipients obtain new life perspectives, nevertheless, the modern diagnostic procedures may only support the prevention of life-threatening virus infections under the conditions of immunosuppression. The excellent mutual cooperation of the clinicians and diagnostic virologists seems to be at least as important condition of successful transplantation medicine as the high technology in surgery and clinical diagnostics.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1993

Functional analysis of the promoters of the human CaMIII calmodulin gene and of the intronless gene coding for a calmodulin-like protein.

More than 1 kb of the 5'-flanking DNA of the human CaMIII calmodulin gene and of the calmodulin-like protein (CLP) gene have been sequenced. Notable features are the absence of a TATA-box and the presence of AGGGA elements in both upstream regions, the presence of several sequences with homology to known regulatory elements (cAMP-, retinoic acid- and interferon-responsive elements) in the CLP gene, and a high G + C-content and several putative Sp1-factor-binding sites in the CaMIII gene. 1 kb of the CaMIII upstream region was driving high-level growth hormone (hGH) reporter gene expression in human teratoma and monkey COS cells. Promoter activity dropped to about 30% and 10% when only 252 bp and 114 bp, respectively, of the CaMIII sequence were present. In contrast to the CaMIII promoter, the CLP gene upstream region was driving hGH expression only in human teratoma, but not in monkey COS cells. Addition of retinoic acid to the transfected cells had minimal effects on both promoters, leading to a 10-30% decrease of activity. The results show that the human CaMIII gene contains a strong and ubiquitously active promoter, whereas the promoter of the intronless CLP gene appears to be regulated in a cell-specific manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Localization of the intronless gene coding for calmodulin-like protein CLP to human chromosome 10p13-ter.

The functional intronless gene coding for a calmodulin-like protein (CLP) has been localized to human chromosome 10p13-ter. Chromosomal assignment was performed by Southern blot analysis of DNA from human-rodent somatic cell hybrids and amplification of a CLP gene-specific 1090-bp DNA fragment by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA from human-hamster cell hybrids. Chromosomal sublocalization was carried out by in situ hybridization of human chromosome metaphase spreads. The CLP gene is the first member of the human calmodulin/calmodulin-like gene family to be chromosomally sublocalized. Its presence near the telomeric end of the short arm of chromosome 10 may be of significance with respect to its highly (epithelial) cell-type restricted expression in vivo and strong downregulation upon malignant transformation. The generation of a human CLP gene-specific sequence tag site specified by the two primers used for PCR should prove useful for future linkage studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The circadian melatonin and cortisol secretion pattern in permanent night shift workers.

In permanent night shift workers the impact of environmental time cues on the circadian system is conflicting. Rhythm adjustments to the nocturnal work schedule have been described, and their significance for tolerance to shift work is under discussion. Reports concerning the effect of this work situation on the setting of the endogenous clock are, however, inconsistent. We examined nine healthy young male permanent shift workers with high work satisfaction at the end of a week on night work and seven male controls with normal diurnal working hours. All subjects were admitted to a research facility for 28 h, and blood was collected with a continuous-withdrawal pump in portions taken hourly for the estimation of the circadian melatonin (MT) and cortisol secretion pattern. One control did not exhibit a circadian secretion pattern. When compared with the other controls (n = 6), all except one of the shift workers showed no difference in the phase or phase relationship of their hormonal profiles. In the shift workers, a minor trend toward elevation of the MT amplitude and an increase in two indicators for the amount of MT secreted were noticed. One individual displayed inverse hormone rhythms with an undisturbed phase relationship of MT and cortisol and inconspicuous hormone amplitudes. He showed, however, an inverse day-night rhythm in his private life, too. The data collected suggest that even permanent night workers with a high degree of work satisfaction do not usually lose the diurnal orientation of their endogenous clock. Factors other than reorientation of the circadian system may be more important for high tolerance to shift work.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Personal light dosimetry in permanent night and day workers.

Light exposure was measured in six day and six night watches (working 12-hour shifts five days in a row) during 48 h on work days and 48 h on days off using a photocell with a sensitivity corresponding to photopic vision. The photocell was mounted on a frame of spectacles, thus measuring in viewing direction. Light exposure was low both in night and day watches; however, in night watches exposures were significantly lower: On work days, night watches spent a mean of 13 min above 1,500 lx, day watches 52 min; on days off, night watches spent 3 min above 1,500 lx but day watches 89 min. Unexpectedly, night watches had no higher exposure during days off. We suspect that this is due to a light avoidance tendency in permanent night workers. High negative correlations between the acrophases of subjective state (e.g., alertness and mood) and light exposure in night watches indicate that bright light would probably increase desynchronization between subjective state, sleep, and activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Connection between air quality and room climate and estimation of dwellings by health-impaired inhabitants].

The investigation was performed in winter 1990 and 1991 when measurements were taken in 16 dwellings of patients, recruited from a pulmologic outpatient centre. Patients suffered from repeated respiratory irritations which they attributed to dwelling conditions. Inhabitants reported by means of questionnaires and standardized scales the dwelling situation and their dwelling behaviour, subjective ratings of indoor environmental quality as well as ratings of wellbeing. The load of indoor pollutants (CO2, CO, NO2, HCHO), biological agents (fungal spores, house dust mites) as well as indoor climate factors were assessed. The measurements revealed an evident load at least in one parameter; in the majority of dwellings combined loads of air pollutants and biological agents were apparent. Homes supplied with gas as main energy source had significantly higher concentrations of CO2, CO and NO2. At noon, exposure limits of CO2 and NO2 were frequently exceeded. Inhabitants of homes being supplied with electricity instead of gas gave significantly better air quality ratings. The correlations between the average score concerning the rated health quality of their homes and the rate of excess of exposure limits are significant: The health quality ratings are significantly related to the concentrations of "air quality indicators", which induce the feeling of stale air (CO2) and mucosa irritations (NO2). Ratings of wellbeing are significantly connected to objective parameters, i.e. NO2 baseline load, fungal spores in the air and the difference between wall-air temperature. Our study suggests that people suspecting a connection between their health impairment and dwelling conditions should be taken serious. The measurement program proved to be a suitable screening procedure to assess adverse environmental influences in homes. More homes should be investigated to further support our findings.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of the human calmodulin-like protein expressed in Escherichia coli.

The protein-coding region of an intronless human calmodulin-like gene [Koller, M., & Strehler, E. E. (1988) FEBS Lett. 239, 121-128] has been inserted into a pKK233-2 expression vector, and the 148-residue, M(r) = 16,800 human protein was purified to apparent homogeneity by phenyl-Sepharose affinity chromatography from cultures of Escherichia coli JM105 transformed with the recombinant vector. Several milligrams of the purified protein were obtained from 1 L of bacterial culture. A number of properties of human CLP were compared to those of bacterially expressed human calmodulin (CaM) and of bovine brain CaM. CLP showed a characteristic Ca(2+)-dependent electrophoretic mobility shift on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, although the magnitude of this shift was smaller than that observed with CaM. CLP was able to activate the 3',5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase to the same Vmax as normal CaM, albeit with a 7-fold higher Kact. In contrast, the erythrocyte plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase could only be stimulated to 62% of its maximal CaM-dependent activity by CLP. CLP was found to contain four Ca(2+)-binding sites with a mean affinity constant of 10(5) M-1, a value about 10-fold lower than that for CaM under comparable conditions. The highly tissue-specifically-expressed CLP represents a novel human Ca(2+)-binding protein showing characteristics of a CaM isoform.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1991

Characterization of two novel human retropseudogenes related to the calmodulin-encoding gene, CaMII.

Two human genomic clones (lambda hg22 and lambda hg29), containing two novel calmodulin (CaM) retropseudogenes, were isolated and characterized. The two pseudogenes show high similarity with the human CaMII cDNA, hCE1 [SenGupta et al., J. Biol. Chem. 262 (1987) 16663-16670] and the CaMII-type retropseudogene, hCE2 (CaMII-psi 1) [SenGupta et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 17 (1989) 2868]. One of them, in clone lambda hg22 (CaMII-psi 2), shows all the characteristics of a processed pseudogene. In clone lambda hg29 (CaMII-psi 3), however, an Alu repetitive sequence was detected immediately upstream from the ancestral 5'-untranslated region. Downstream from the truncated 3'-untranslated region, three additional copies of Alu repetitive sequences flanking about 750 nucleotides of unknown origin were found. Such a processed retropseudogene flanked by multiple Alu repeats may be a target for further recombination events. The three retropseudogenes CaMII-psi 1, CaMII-psi 2 and CaMII-psi 3 are estimated to be about 49, 21 and 25 million years old, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Concentrations and patterns of released pterins of various animal cell cultures.

Neopterin, biopterin, pterin, 6-hydroxymethylpterin and isoxanthopterin were determined in the supernatants of various animal cell cultures. The different cell lines showed distinct variations in the concentrations as well as in the pattern and total amount of the released pterins. In cells from the same organ but from diverse species differences in pattern and release were found. Cell lines derived from primates had a high release of neopterin. A further difference resulted from the origin of fetal or adult organs. Neoplastic cell lines showed different patterns of pterins, dependent on the type of tumour. Primary cultures from embryonic bovine lung had the highest total amount of released pterins in all cell lines examined.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A survey of cattle for antibodies against bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer viruses in British Columbia and southwestern Alberta in 1987.

In 1987 a serological survey of cattle for antibodies (Ab) to bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) was undertaken in British Columbia and southwestern Alberta after infection with the viruses was diagnosed in wild and domestic ruminants in the Okanagan Valley. Of 4610 cattle tested, five had Ab only to BTV, 125 had antibodies only to EHDV and 16 had Ab to both viruses. The Ab were identified as specific for BTV type 11 (BT-11) or EHDV type 2 (EHDV-2). All but one of the seropositive cattle originated in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. The remaining one seropositive animal which had Ab to EHDV-2 was pastured with a bull purchased from the Okanagan Valley.

Alberta↗
PubMed1990

Structural organization of the human CaMIII calmodulin gene.

The complete structural organization of the human calmodulin III gene has been determined. This gene specifies the mRNA represented by the previously reported cDNA ht6. The gene contains six exons spread over a total of approx. 10 kb of DNA. Its exon-intron organization is identical to that of the only known chicken calmodulin gene and to that of two of the three characterized rat calmodulin genes. As in many other genes encoding Ca2+ binding proteins, intron 1 separates the ATG initiation codon from the remainder of the coding region. The major and two minor sites of transcription initiation have been determined by primer extension and ribonuclease protection assays. The DNA sequence in the promoter and 5' untranslated region is extremely GC-rich. No typical TATA and CAAT boxes are present upstream of the major transcriptional start site; however, a consensus CAAT box sequence is found further upstream and may play a role in transcriptional initiation from the minor start sites. Six sequence elements with high similarity to monkey SV40-like Sp1-binding regions are present in the putative promoter region, two of which contain perfect GGGCGG core sequences. The structure of the human calmodulin III gene promoter indicates that this gene belongs to a class of 'house-keeping' genes but that its level of expression may also be specifically regulated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗