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Biomedical subjects

M Kramer

Publications and source records attributed to M Kramer.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The relationship of sleep and anxiety in anxious subjects.

The present study provided polysomnographic corroboration of the frequently reported relationship between anxiety and subjective sleep disturbance. When compared to normals, anxious individuals were found to have significantly less sleep period time, total sleep time, percent stage REM and percent stage 4; shorter latency to stage REM; and greater percent stage 1. Partial correlations (holding depression constant) showed significant positive relationships between anxiety rating and number of awakenings, latency to stage 1, and percent stage 2. A significant negative relationship was found between anxiety and percent stage 4, and a nonsignificant negative trend was found between anxiety and latency to stage REM. Overall there was a tendency toward less sleep and lighter sleep in subjects with anxiety, thus validating subjective reports. The decreased latency to stage REM and its negative relation to anxiety, raised the possibility that this variable may not be specifically indicative of depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of a participative intervention on high school students' image and valuation of nursing.

In this pretest, posttest, control group study, high school biology students (N = 451) were actively engaged in a dialogue with an investigator/change agent regarding specific nursing situations in which the image dimensions of caring, useful, scientifically knowledgeable, and autonomous were highlighted. The effects of this involvement and participation on students' image and valuation of nursing were assessed. The process was found to be highly effective in expanding students' image of nursing and moderately effective in increasing their valuation of nursing.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lower accuracy of TI-201 SPECT in women is not improved by size-based normal databases or Wiener filtering.

BACKGROUND: We have shown that the diagnostic accuracy of quantitative single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) thallium 201 myocardial perfusion imaging is lower in women than in men and that much of the difference can be explained by the smaller size of the left ventricle in women. Therefore attempts at improving the accuracy of myocardial perfusion imaging in women should focus on the problem of lower accuracy in patients with small chamber size. We evaluated two strategies for this: size- and gender-based normal databases and inverse filtering with the Wiener filter. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 618 patients undergoing exercise SPECT TI-201 who either had a low pre-test probability of coronary artery disease or had catheterization-documented disease. Their images were analyzed on the basis of gender and chamber size: both gender and size- and gender-based normal databases were created. The studies were analyzed quantitatively, and the accuracy was evaluated by use of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Chamber size was significantly lower in women (size index 69+/-22 women vs 96+/-28 men; P < .0001). The accuracy of myocardial perfusion imaging was lower in women compared with men (ROC area: 0.92+/-0.01 men vs 0.85+/-0.03 women; P = .03), and there was an even greater difference in accuracy between patients with large versus small chamber size (ROC area: 0.94+/-0.01 large vs 0.81+/-0.03 small; P < .001). There was no improvement in the diagnostic accuracy either in women or in patients with small chamber size when a size- and gender-based normal database, Wiener filter, or the Wiener filter with a size- and gender-based normal database was used. CONCLUSION: The left ventricular chamber size in women is smaller than that in men. There is a significant difference in the accuracy of quantitative SPECT TI-201 between men and women and an even greater difference between patients with large versus small chamber size. Neither size- and gender-based databases nor Wiener filtering significantly improves accuracy in women or in patients with small chamber size.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrasonography for the diagnosis of diseases of the tendon and tendon sheath of the biceps brachii muscle.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the normal and diseased biceps brachii tendon and its tendon sheath in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: One hundred twenty client-owned dogs. METHODS: In the first part of the study, the ultrasonographic appearance of the normal biceps brachii muscle and the surrounding soft tissue was determined in 27 healthy dogs. Standard views were described and established. In the second part, 120 dogs with suspected pathology of the biceps brachii muscle were examined ultrasonographically. Fifty-five of these dogs had no sonographic changes, and 65 dogs had sonographically detectable pathologic changes of the tendon or the tendon sheath or both. The mean age of the affected dogs was 3.7 years. The ratio of males to females was 1.95:1. Sedation or anesthesia of the dogs was required because of the extreme movements of the leg necessary for the examination. To achieve a perpendicular view of the tendon and the tendon sheath, the area of the shoulder joint was rotated outward and abducted as far as possible. Examination of the muscle-tendon apparatus of the biceps brachii muscle was divided into 4 main sections. RESULTS: Linear transducers (7.5-10 MHz) allowed the soft tissue structures to be easily visualized with ultrasonography. Pathologic changes of the tendon and tendon sheath were visualized sonographically by using high-frequency linear probes. Partial or complete tendon rupture, medial luxation of the tendon, corpora libera in the tendon sheath, and tenosynovitis were clearly shown. CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency ultrasonography using linear transducers allows the examiner to accurately define the pathologic changes in the region of the biceps brachii tendon in dogs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of sonography for diagnosis of disease processes of the tendon and tendon sheath of the biceps brachii muscle complements clinical and radiographic examination findings.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Do organizational structures and factors influence the outcome of physiotherapy--a questionnaire survey related to whiplash-associated disorders].

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of physiotherapy in patients with whiplash injuries of the cervical spine is a subject of critical discussion. Besides the inadequate situation with regard to the medical data available and the financial cuts in drug prescription, organizational factors and structures are assumed to be factors that have an influence on the effectiveness of physiotherapy. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate data on training, patient population, communication, prescription activity and therapies of physiotherapists. METHODS: In a survey of 213 physiotherapists in the City of Ulm, data were collected with the aid of questionnaires related to "therapy of whiplash-associated disorders". RESULTS: The results show deficits in the theoretical knowledge of physiotherapists, in the exchange of information and in therapy management. The survey further revealed that 22% of the patients decide themselves which therapy they will undergo. One can assume that these factors have a detrimental effect on the effectiveness of conservative therapy. CONCLUSION: An optimization of the organizational structures is thus urgently required and constitutes the only possibility, in the short to medium term, of improving the effectiveness of physiotherapy in patients with whiplash injuries of the cervical spine.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cefotaxime toxicity studies: a review of preclinical studies and some clinical reports.

Toxicologic studies indicate that cefotaxime is well tolerated by animals. It is difficult to demonstrate acute toxicity. Subacute and chronic effects include local reactions at the site of injection, some hematologic changes with enlargement of the spleen, cecal enlargement in rats and mice, and slight changes in kidney tubules. Special studies indicate that the potential for nephrotoxicity in animals is minimal, and limited clinical reports show no nephrotoxicity in humans. In animals cefotaxime is well tolerated when combined with furosemide, gentamicin, lidocaine, or probenecid. Intrathecal or suboccipital injections of cefotaxime produce convulsions. At concentrations studied cefotaxime was not mutagenic, and no effects on fertility or teratology were observed in animals.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A preliminary evaluation of the Gonozyme test.

Gonozyme is a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay that detects antigens of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in clinical specimens. The test was 100% sensitive and 96.8% specific when applied to 71 urethral specimens from men with symptomatic urethritis, and 89.5% specific for 19 urethral specimens from men examined after eradication of gonorrhea by antibiotics. For cervical specimens obtained before therapy from 368 women with gonorrhea, the Gonozyme test had a sensitivity of 88.5% and a specificity of 94.3%. The test was 100% specific when used for testing of 37 cervical specimens obtained after therapy of gonorrhea. The predictive values of a positive Gonozyme test were 90.5% for cervical specimens from women attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic and 97% for urethral specimens from men with urethritis. The predictive values of negative Gonozyme tests in these same circumstances were 100% for urethral specimens and 93.6% for cervical specimens.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sonography of the musculoskeletal system in dogs and cats.

Sonography of the musculoskeletal system in dogs and cats was undertaken to evaluate the application of this imaging procedure in orthopedics. In most of the patients a 7.5 MHz linear transducer was used because of its flat application surface and its resolving power. The evaluation of bone by sonography is limited, but sonography can provide addition information regarding the bone surface and surrounding soft tissue. Ultrasound is valuable for assessing joint disease. Joint effusion, thickening of the joint capsule and cartilage defects can be identified sonographically. It is also possible to detect bone destruction. Instabilities are often identified with the help of a dynamic examination. Soft tissue abnormalities of the musculoskeletal system lend themselves to sonographic evaluation. Partial or complete muscles or tendon tears are able to be differentiated and the healing process can be monitored. Most of the diseases that are in the area of the biceps or the achilles tendon, such as dislocation of the tendon, old injuries with scarification, free dissecates in the tendonsheath, tendinitis and/or tendosynovitis can be differentiated by sonography. In addition, with clinical and laboratory findings, it is often possible to make a correct diagnosis with ultrasound in patients with abscesses, foreign bodies, hematomas, soft tissue tumors and lipomas.

Abscess↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sonography of the canine stifle.

When diagnosing disease of the stifle in dogs ultrasonography is a good addition to clinical and radiological examination. Radiology can evaluate the bony aspects of the joint and their relationship to each other. In contrast, sonography allows visualization of the soft tissue. For most evaluations the 7.5 MHz linear scanner is suited best. Normal stifles of 58 dogs of different breeds were evaluated using a standardized examination procedure. This procedure had been derived from that used in humans. The stifle is divided into several regions which are examined and evaluated. These are the suprapatellar, infrapatellar, lateral, caudal and medial region. One hundred twenty seven patients which had problems associated with the stifle joint were examined sonographically after a clinical and radiographic exam. Osteochondrosis dissecans, ruptured cranial cruciate ligament, meniscal damage, arthritis, tumor, post surgical conditions, injuries of the patella, patellar ligament or tibial tuberosity and luxating patella were examined sonographically and the findings recorded.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Approaches for ultrasonographic evaluation of long bones in the dog.

The objective of this study was to identify access portals for ultrasonographic evaluation of canine long bones (humerus, radius, ulna, femur, and tibia). A 7.5 MHz linear transducer was used in five medium-sized dogs (range of 25-35 kg body weight). Good approaches could be identified for all long bones. For the proximal humerus, a cranial portal, and the distal humerus, a lateral portal is suggested. For the radius and ulna, a craniolateral approach seemed to be the best. In the hindlimb, a medial approach for the femur and a craniolateral approach for the tibia were the most effective approaches.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Necrotizing choroiditis-retinitis as presenting symptom of disseminated aspergillosis after lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Endogenous endophthalmitis due to Aspergillus is rare affecting the severely immunosuppressed population, in particular recipients of heart and lung transplants. Ocular involvement of aspergillosis has always been observed late in the course of the disease. SUBJECT: A young woman noted blurred vision in one eye three weeks after lung transplantation. At this stage, no systemic manifestations of fungal infection were detected and the ocular findings were attributed to viral infection. RESULTS: Twenty-four hours after the original ocular complaint, an aggressive endophthalmitis developed in the left eye. The possibility of fungal endophthalmitis was raised. Within 48 hours of her first ocular complaint the patient died. Cultures from a vitreous tap and from autopsy ocular specimens were positive for Aspergillus fumigatus. CONCLUSIONS: Aspergillus endopthalmitis may occur in patients undergoing lung transplantation despite antifungal therapy. Increased awareness of this unusual entity may be life and vision saving in these patients.

Adult↗