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Biomedical subjects

M Moser

Publications and source records attributed to M Moser.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

Hormonal regulation of muscle protein catabolism in acutely uremic rats: effect of adrenalectomy and parathyroidectomy.

To examine the role of glucocorticoids and PTH on the enhanced protein catabolism of acute uremia, rats were rendered uremic and had their adrenals or their parathyroid glands concomitantly removed. Adrenalectomy resulted in a marked reduction of urea generation in uremic animals due to decrease of myofibrillar protein breakdown as indicated by lower serum levels of Nt-methylhistidine and a reduction in the activity of the myofibrillar proteinase from skeletal muscle. This reduced urea formation was accompanied by marked hypoglycemia. Parathyroidectomy, on the other hand, caused no change of those parameters of protein catabolism, suggesting that PTH does not account for the protein degradation observed in acutely uremic rats.

Acute Disease↗

Toxic properties of the mushroom Cortinarius orellanus. I. Chemical characterization of the main toxin of Cortinarius orellanus (Fries) and Cortinarius speciosissimus (Kühn & Romagn) and acute toxicity in mice.

The toxins of the mushrooms Cortinarius orellanus (Fries) and Cortinarius speciosissimus (Kühn & Romagn) were isolated by extraction procedures and Sephadex chromatography. All intermediate and end products of the purification process were tested in mice for acute toxicity after oral and i.p. administration. In both species a fluorescent main toxin and a nonfluorescent compound of minor toxicity were found. The main toxin of both species was identified by mass spectrometric and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses as the 2,2'-bipyridine-3,3',4,4'-tetrol-1,1'-dioxide, which is identical to orellanine. The purified compound was toxic when administered either orally or i.p. When given orally the LD50 was 33 mg/kg body weight in mice. The oral LD50 of Cortinarius orellanus (2.20 g dried mushroom/kg) and of Cortinarius speciosissimus (3.12 g/kg) depended on the orellanine content (14 mg/g in Cortinarius orellanus and 9 mg/g in Cortinarius speciosissimus). The second toxic component was ineffective in mice when given orally. It caused acute toxicity when administered i.p., but toxicity was low when compared to the main toxin. Thus it appears to be of minor importance. Intraperitoneal testing of both isolated toxins and of the extract containing the whole toxic potential of the mushrooms revealed that toxicity, time dependency and expression of toxicosis is accounted for by the sum of these two toxins. No peptidic main toxin as described by other mycologists could be detected.

2,2'-Dipyridyl↗

Reduction of urea generation and muscle protein degradation by adrenalectomy in acutely uremic rats.

The effect of adrenalectomy on the enhanced protein degradation in acute uremia was investigated. Therefore, serum urea nitrogen, urea N appearance and Nt-methylhistidine were followed in bilaterally nephrectomized rats. At 48 h after induction of uremia the animals displayed serum urea nitrogen levels of 223 +/- 9.5 mg/dl as compared to 26.0 +/- 1.0 mg/dl in sham-treated rats. This increment was significantly attenuated in acutely uremic, adrenalectomized animals (176 +/- 6.0 mg/dl). When these rats were substituted with corticosterone (5 mg/kg body weight), serum urea nitrogen readily increased to levels of acutely uremic animals with intact adrenal glands (225 +/- 6.0 mg/dl). The net generation of urea, as determined by the urea N appearance, was significantly increased during acute uremia (370 +/- 26 mg/48 h) as compared to SHAM animals (220 +/- 15 mg/48 h). This increment of urea formation could almost be completely reversed by simultaneous adrenalectomy (238 +/- 20 mg/48 h). When these rats were substituted with corticosterone, the urea N appearance rebounded to values quite comparable to acutely uremic rats with intact adrenal glands (363 +/- 30 mg/48 h). To determine whether skeletal muscle proteins might serve as a source for the enhanced protein degradation in acute uremia, plasma levels of Nt-methylhistidine were measured. Bilaterally nephrectomized rats had Nt-methylhistidine values of 9.6 +/- 1.0 micrograms/ml. In acutely uremic rats without adrenal glands, Nt-methylhistidine levels were found to be significantly decreased (6.0 +/- 0.4 micrograms/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗

[Use of methods of pattern recognition in the detection of evoked potentials].

Pattern recognition methods based on parameters and on geometry are described briefly and the results obtained with different characteristics in 79 patients with single potential recognition and subsequent sequential testing are presented. In subjectively very safely identifiable potentials accurate results in a proportion of up to 92% are obtained; if all tests with a subjective rating are considered, one obtains a correct automatic reclassification quota of 69% for the randomly selected sample. This system can help the examining person by supplying him with decision criteria. However, without additional processing of the entire context automatic processing is not sufficiently safe. Possibilities for the use of the automatic recognition method in scientific problems are demonstrated by means of examples.

Algorithms↗

[Stimulation of endogenous defense in cancer patients].

A group of 45 patients with carcinoma of the larynx who had already been treated were given a sterile dialysate extracted from the sperm of trout to stimulate their endogenous defence mechanisms. Previous research had shown that specially prepared pre-metastatic lymph nodes injected intracutaneously prolonged the average survival time of cancer patients. Similar results could be obtained by using fish extracts. The dermoreaction after the intracutaneous injection showed the patients' susceptibility to stimulation. The patients who reacted positively lived longer than the ones who reacted negatively and those of a homogeneous control group of the same size who were not vaccinated. Survival times and absence of recidivity were significantly longer in patients with supraglottic tumours, stage III.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Comparison of hydrochlorothiazide and sustained-release diltiazem for mild-to-moderate systemic hypertension.

The safety and efficacy of sustained-release diltiazem, 120 to 180 mg twice daily, was compared with those of hydrochlorothiazide, 25 to 50 mg twice daily, in 207 patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension (supine diastolic blood pressure [BP] 95 to 114 mm Hg) using a baseline, placebo, parallel-design study protocol. All patients received placebo for 2 to 4 weeks, followed by either study drug during the double-blind phase, titrated over 8 weeks to achieve a goal of supine diastolic BP reduction of at least 10 mm Hg and/or a diastolic BP of less than 90 mm Hg. Patients not achieving the treatment goal with either drug alone received the other drug in combination. Both drugs produced significant decreases in supine and upright BP throughout the 26-week study. The magnitude of decrease in mean supine diastolic BP was similar for both drugs as monotherapy at week 14 (-11.4 and -12.1 mm Hg, respectively). Hydrochlorothiazide produced significantly greater reductions at week 14 in mean supine systolic BP than sustained-release diltiazem (-19.5 and -12.7 mm Hg, respectively). The difference in mean supine diastolic BP reduction with the 2 drugs diminished when hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg/day) was compared with sustained-release diltiazem. The BP effects were sustained for 6 months with both drugs. The 2 drugs appeared to lower BP more in patients older than 60 years and more in black than in white patients. The combination of the 2 drugs decreased supine diastolic BP to goal levels in about 56% of the patients not achieving goal with either drug alone. Adverse effects were minimal with either drug alone and in combination, except for hypokalemia, which increased with thiazide alone and in combination.

Adult↗

Graft-vs-host reaction limited to a class II MHC difference results in a selective deficiency in L3T4+ but not in Lyt-2+ T helper cell function.

Hybrid mice of the (B6 X bm12)F1 combination were inoculated i.v. with parental B6 spleen cells to induce a class II graft-vs-host disease (GVH). Such mice failed to generate in vitro cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses that were dependent upon L3T4+ T helper cell (Th) function (e.g., anti-B6-TNP) but were capable of generating in vitro CTL responses that could be mediated by Lyt-2+ Th cells (anti-allo class I). When Th function was assayed directly by interleukin 2 (IL 2) secretion, class II GVH animals were found to be deficient in L3T4+ but not Lyt-2+ IL 2-secreting Th cells. This selective deficiency in L3T4+ Th function correlates with a selective decrease in class II GVH mice of host-derived derived L3T4+ T cells. In addition, it was found that the spleens of class II GVH mice contained cells capable of selectively suppressing L3T4+ Th function. In contrast, mice in which a class I + II GVH occurred were depleted of both L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ Th function as assessed by IL 2 production. The findings that class II GVH selectively depletes L3T4+ T cells and T cell functions are discussed with respect to the immune function of distinct T cell subsets in normal and diseased states.

Animals↗

Calcium entry blockers for systemic hypertension.

Calcium entry blockers appear to be effective antihypertensive agents in both young and older patients. Studies comparing diltiazem and placebo, diltiazem and propranolol, and diltiazem and hydrochlorothiazide indicate that this calcium entry blocker is more effective than placebo, equally effective as the beta-adrenergic inhibitors at least in short-term studies, but not as effective in lowering systolic blood pressure (BP) when compared with hydrochlorothiazide (diastolic BP -11.5 mm Hg with diltiazem vs -12.2 mm Hg with hydrochlorothiazide; systolic BP -12.2 mm Hg with diltiazem vs -20.0 mm Hg with hydrochlorothiazide). Combination therapy with diltiazem and hydrochlorothiazide proved effective in a high percentage of mono-therapy nonresponders. The most common adverse reactions to diltiazem included headaches, dizziness and edema. The exact place of calcium entry blockers in therapy as initial or step-2 therapy with a diuretic in hypertension must be determined by additional long-term experience in large numbers of patients.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

The influence of V kappa gene polymorphism on the induction of silent idiotypes in the arsonate system.

It has been previously shown that it is possible to modify the expressed repertoire of a given individual using idiotypic manipulation. For example, A/J mice respond to arsonate challenge by synthesizing a dominant idiotype, CRIA, whereas BALB/c mice do not. However, after treatment with rabbit polyclonal anti-CRIA antibodies (Ab2 or anti-idiotypic antibodies) and arsonate, BALB/c mice are able to synthesize a CRIA-like idiotype. To determine whether this modification of repertoire is dependent on the immunoglobulin loci (Ig-h, kappa), we have analyzed the anti-arsonate response after anti-idiotypic treatment of three strains of mice (C58, C.C58, AKR), chosen because they are among a small group of strains which express Kappa V regions not seen in other strains. There are also L chains lacking in these strains which are expressed in other mice. The C58 and C.C58 strains share the same Ig-h locus (Ig-ha) with BALB/c mice but C.C58 are congenic mice, that express the kappa loci on a BALB/c genetic background. AKR mice express the Ig-hd haplotype. AKR, C58 and C.C58 do not produce CRIA positive antibodies in response to arsonate; a defect which has been previously mapped to the kappa locus. These three strains of mice (C58, C.C58 and AKR) were treated with rabbit anti-CRIA and boosted with Ars-KLH. The results show that after such treatment, the C.C58 mice were able to express CRIA-like antibodies which are serologically identical to those of BALB/c.

Animals↗