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Biomedical subjects

M Koller

Publications and source records attributed to M Koller.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

The influence of nutritional factors on biopterin excretion in laboratory animals.

Nutritional influences on urinary total biopterin levels in rats and pigs were investigated. During the first nights in metabolic cages with food deprivation a significant increase in biopterin values was found in rats. This could be diminished either by feeding, adaptation to food deprivation or by oral glucose application. With food deprivation under normal housing conditions, this increase could not be found. Rats that were fed a cellulose preparation without metabolizable energy had no increase in biopterin excretion. The circadian rhythm of biopterin excretion was influenced by food deprivation as well as by cellulose. Alterations in water intake and urinary output had no effect on biopterin levels related to creatinine. Remarkable changes in biopterin excretion are more likely due to hormonal functions and regulations related to stress than to nutritional factors. More investigations into these problems are being performed.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Adjusted hypervolemic hemodilution in acute ischemic stroke.

We prospectively randomized 47 patients with acute ischemic stroke of the middle cerebral artery of less than 24 hours' duration to either adjusted hypervolemic hemodilution or control treatment and followed them up for 90 days. Rapid hemodilution to a target hematocrit of 30-35% as monitored with bedside determinations was achieved by using infusions of dextran 40, venesections, and infusions of additional crystalloid solution when necessary. There was no difference in the death rate between the two treatment groups. Of these 47 patients, 37 (19 in the hemodilution group and 18 in the control group) could be followed up for the entire study period of 3 months. The relative improvement in neurologic function from day 1 to days 8, 21, and 90 was significantly better in the hemodilution group than in the control group. In accordance, special tests for fine motor control of the paretic arm disclosed better performance in the hemodilution group. The frequency of patients with severe disability was significantly lower in the hemodilution group on days 8 and 21. Plasma viscosity (measured in 11 patients) was not affected by infusions of dextran 40. Vigorous hypervolemic hemodilution in patients with acute ischemic stroke is well tolerated and improves early neurologic outcome with an effect lasting at least 3 months.

Aged↗

Early relapses of varicella-zoster virus infection in immunocompromised children treated with acyclovir.

Authors observed one or more early VZV relapses in 8 out of 98 Acyclovir treated immunocompromised children with varicella. None of the 8 children developed VZV antibodies by the end of the 5-day ACV treatment. All VZV relapses were successfully treated with ACV or Vidarabine, but were stopped only after the appearance of VZV antibodies in the patients' sera. The possible role of ACV treatment in pathogenesis of early VZV relapses could be excluded by comparing the VZV antibody production of patients treated with ACV from the first day of varicella on with the antibody response of those, who received ACV as late as on the 5th day of varicella. By prolonging the ACV treatment till the appearance of VZV antibodies, early relapses could be avoided.

Acyclovir↗

[Fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarct. Treatment rate, assessment and follow-up treatment in the Zürich hospitals].

We report the results of i.v. fibrinolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated in four major hospitals in Zürich. Between 1986 and 1988 only 96 (9%) of 1069 patients admitted to intensive care units with acute myocardial infarction received thrombolytic therapy (less than 3 hours after onset of symptoms), 7% (50/703) during the first treatment period (streptokinase for 14 months), 13% (46/306) during the second treatment period (rt-PA for 8 months). The hospital mortality was 4% and severe complications of fibrinolytic therapy occurred in 4%. Coronary angiography was performed in 60% of patients in 1986/87 and in 87% in 1987/88. Despite this significant increase in invasive diagnostic procedures the percentage of patients after thrombolysis qualifying for invasive therapy remained unchanged at 53%. The indications for PTCA or bypass surgery were postinfarct angina in 41%, silent ischemia in 5%, left main coronary artery stenosis or multivessel disease with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction in 16%, and residual high grade stenosis with preserved contractility of the infarct-related myocardium in 38%. The mean in-hospital stay was 16 days, with significant variation from 13 to 22 days between the different hospitals (p less than 0.05). In the follow-up of 65 men aged below 65 years, 75% of the patients undergoing invasive therapy and 65% of those treated medically had returned to work 6 months after myocardial infarction. Due to the limited possibility of detecting viable myocardium by non-invasive methods, and the high rate of invasive therapy necessary in our patients, further management after thrombolysis should generally include large scale coronary angiography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anticoagulants↗

Multiple divergent mRNAs code for a single human calmodulin.

The isolation of a novel complementary DNA (cDNA) clone coding for human calmodulin (CaM) is reported. Although it encodes a protein indistinguishable from the only known higher vertebrate calmodulin, its nucleotide sequence varies extensively from that of two previously reported human CaM cDNAs (Wawrzynczak and Perham, 1984; SenGupta et al., 1987). Only 82 and 81% identity, respectively, is found between the newly isolated and the two known human mRNAs in their coding regions. No striking homology is present in their noncoding regions. Codon usage in the three CaM mRNAs is also surprisingly divergent. A 2.3-kilobase mRNA corresponding to the newly isolated clone is expressed to varying extents in several human tissues, together with an approximately 0.8-kilobase mRNA species presumably arising from alternative polyadenylation of the same primary transcript. The results indicate that the human genome contains at least three divergent CaM genes that are under selective pressure to encode an identical protein while maintaining maximally divergent nucleotide sequences. Partial characterization of a genomic clone specifying the 3' portion of the newly identified CaM mRNA shows that this gene contains introns at identical positions as the previously characterized bona fide vertebrate CaM genes. Evolutionary implications of the presence of a CaM multigene family are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of an intronless human calmodulin-like pseudogene.

We report the isolation and characterization of a human genomic clone encoding a calmodulin-like pseudogene. It contains an open reading frame of 444 nucleotides, not interrupted by introns. The nucleotide sequence of the open reading frame shows 80%, 71% and 69% identity to the previously reported human calmodulin cDNAs lambda ht6 [17], hCWP [22], and lambda hCE1 [23], respectively. The derived amino acid sequence has only 85% identity to vertebrate calmodulin, but shows four potentially functional Ca2+-binding loops. In the human tissues tested, this pseudogene is not expressed, though gene structure including promoter elements and a putative polyadenylation site seems to be intact.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Fasciola hepatica infection. Successful therapy using triclabendazole].

We report a case of human fascioliasis treated successfully with a single dose of triclabendazole, a benzimidazole compound. The most obvious effect was the rapid cessation of faecal egg excretion, which had been refractory to two previous treatment courses of albendazole. Cure seems to be confirmed by the absence of Fasciola eggs in repeated stool examinations after six months, achievement of clinical wellbeing, and normalization of laboratory tests. The only side effect of the treatment was a brief episode of fever and right upper abdominal pain occurring four days after administration of triclabendazole. The syndrome was probably due to disintegrating dead parasites; further observations are needed to explain the pathogenesis of this episode.

Animals↗

Iatrogenic mechanical ileus due to over-distended uterus.

The combination of an over-distended uterus caused by a multiple-fetus pregnancy with therapeutic bed-rest may cause mechanical ileus. Iatrogenic triggering of a pathological consequence of events is presented in purpose to highlight the simplicity of its prevention.

Adult↗

Results for 74 substances tested for interference with determination of plasma catecholamines by "high-performance" liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Various catecholamine metabolites, catecholamine-related compounds, catechols, drugs, amines, and other nitrogen compounds were injected onto an HPLC system ("ClinRep Catecholamine-Plasma" assay kit with a reversed-phase C18 column) used for measuring catecholamines. None of the 74 substances tested co-eluted with any of the catecholamines--norepinephrine, epinephrine, or dopamine--or with the internal standard, 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine.

Catecholamines↗

Coarctation of the aorta: review of 362 operated patients. Long-term follow-up and assessment of prognostic variables.

362 patients operated upon for coarctation of the aorta from 1961-1980 were analyzed retrospectively. Age at operation was less than 2 years in 74 (group A) and greater than or equal to 2 years in 288 patients (group B). Associated cardiovascular malformations were common, especially in group A patients. Early mortality was 12.2% for group A and 1.4% for group B patients. 336 patients were followed for 6 months to 21 years (mean 8.9 years). Late mortality was 0.8% per patient year. Associated cardiac defects and postoperative hypertension were responsible for most of the late deaths. Late reoperations were performed because of aortic valve disease, residual coarctation (with persistent hypertension) and aortic aneurysms at the site of anastomosis. The incidence of hypertension decreased from 82.5% preoperatively to 33.5% at discharge from the hospital. It decreased further during follow-up in patients operated less than 10 years of age, but remained constant in the older patients. In conclusion, morbidity and mortality after operative repair of coarctation are determined mainly by (1) associated cardiac malformations, and (2) postoperative hypertension. Patients with isolated coarctation and postoperative normal blood pressure have an excellent prognosis. Patients operated upon from between 2-9 years of age carry the lowest risk for residual coarctation and late postoperative hypertension.

Aortic Aneurysm↗

Different electrophoretypes of human rotaviruses in Hungary.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of rotaviral double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) extracted directly from faecal specimens collected in three different parts of Hungary was applied to characterize and distinguish 21 randomly selected viral isolates. This technique made it possible to define 7 different electrophoretypes. Of the isolates 11 exhibited an identical "long" electrophoretic migration pattern. "Short" RNA pattern was found in two cases, and one atypical rotavirus was also revealed. This is the first description of rotavirus RNA electrophoretypes in Hungary.

Child, Preschool↗

[Auditory adaptation and auditory fatigue].

Twenty subjects without otological disease were examined for auditory thresholds by Békésy audiometry and by the Feldmann Test (Adaptogramm), before and after noise exposure to one ear of 90 db SPL at 3 kHz for 15 minutes. The exposed ear was also tested for hearing fatigue (TTS). There was no significant correlation between Békésy audiometry and Feldmann test curves or between these adaptation tests and the hearing fatigue test (TTS) after noise exposure. Our results suggest that these methods of measuring adaptation do not correspond, and that adaptation measurements, prior to noise exposure, have no predictive value for hearing fatigue test results following noise exposure. After noise exposure changes were found in the non-exposed ear which were manifested as variability of the Békésy audiometry curves and flattened Feldmann curves. We thought that these results might indicate a central adaptation following noise exposure. There was interference of this so called "central adaptation" with peripheral fatigue in the exposed ear.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗

Low molecular weight heparin (KABI 2165) as thromboprophylaxis in elective visceral surgery. A randomized, double-blind study versus unfractionated heparin.

In two randomized double-blind studies perioperative bleeding complications and thromboembolic events were assessed in 189 patients (pts) undergoing elective visceral surgery after subcutaneous administration of a low molecular weight (LMW) heparin fragment (KABI fragment 2165) or unfractionated (UF) heparin. The first study comparing 1 X 7'500 anti-factor Xa IU LMW heparin daily with 2 X 5'000 IU UF heparin was interrupted because of excessive bleeding complications (LMW heparin: 11/23 pts, UF heparin: 2/20 pts, p less than 0.01). In the second study (146 pts) the dose of LMW heparin was reduced to 1 X 2'500 anti-factor Xa IU. Bleeding complications (LMW heparin: 14.9%, UF heparin: 15.3%) and thromboembolic events (LMW heparin: 2.86%, UF heparin: 2.94%) were equal among the two groups. 2'500 anti-factor Xa IU/day of this LMW heparin fragment, corresponding to 15 mg/day, is the lowest dose of a LMW heparin used in a randomized clinical trial and was found to be a safe and efficient regimen in perioperative thrombosis prophylaxis. An advantage of LMW heparin over UF heparin is its once daily administration.

Adult↗