Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Rose

Publications and source records attributed to M Rose.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

[Validation of the new German translation version of the "Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire" (SIBDQ)].

In the face of a hardly predictable course of illness--potentially effecting a severe diminution of daily activities--the quality of life (QOL) represents a chief outcome measure in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). For the German-speaking area an economical disease-specific instrument measuring QOL has been missing, so far. Therefore, we translated and adapted the recently validated "Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire" SIBDQ (11). Bowel symptoms, systemic symptoms, moods, and social activities are represented by a total of 10 items. Along with this questionnaire 7 accepted instruments assessing QOL-components were administered to 125 outpatients (54 ulcerative colitis, 71 Crohn's disease) and 51 healthy controls. The psychometric properties are good. Consistency is alpha = .84, thereby slightly surpassing the Anglo-American SIBDQ (alpha = .78). Retest-reliability after 26 weeks is r = .60. Systematic covariations with accepted QOL-instruments give evidence for its convergent and discriminatory validity. Differences between groups (high vs. low inflammatory activity vs. healthy controls) substantiate its sensitivity. Thus, the German adaptation of the accepted SIBDQ supplies an economic, reliable, and valid instrument that proved able to assess clinically relevant differences in QOL in patients with IBD. We suggest that it should be used by its overall score rather than its subscales. The instrument is appropriate to be used in therapy outcome and evaluation studies. It allows international comparison.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

Opioid neurotoxicity: role of neurotransmitter systems.

We hypothesized that blockade of synthesis or release of several categories of neurotransmitters would ameliorate opioid neurotoxicity. Rats were randomly assigned to one of six groups in two sequential protocols: vesamicol (VES, n = 10), alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (FMH, n = 10), reserpine (RES, n = 10), BW1003C87 (BW, n = 7), lamotrigine (LAM, n = 10), or one of two control groups (CON, n = 19). Physiologically controlled rats received fentanyl (fen) i.v., loading dose 800 micrograms kg-1 followed by maintenance dose 32 micrograms kg-1 min-1 for 2 h. Drug dosing: CON, isovolemic (between rats) 0.9% saline i.v.; BW, 20 mg kg-1 i.v. 15 min pre-fen; LAM, 16 mg kg-1 i.v. 30 min pre-fen; VES, 2.5 mg kg-1 i.p. 60 min and 30 min pre-fen then infused 3.75 mg kg-1 during fen; FMH, 20 mg kg-1 i.p. 2 h pre-fen; RES, 0.75 mg kg-1 i.p. 18 h pre-fen. Seven days later all rats underwent cerebral perfusion fixation, followed by histologic grading (0-5, 0 = normal). Pathological data was analyzed by Wilcoxen's Signed rank test (two-tailed) for pathologic scores summated across all brain areas (overall severity score) and for scores of areas previously associated with opioid neurotoxicity. Compared to CON, overall severity was decreased by RES (p = 0.05) with an effect suggested by VES (p = 0.10). Compared to CON, lesions were decreased: (a) in the amygdala with VES (p = 0.03) and RES (p = 0.05) with a trend suggested by BW (p = 0.06); (b) in the subiculum by VES (p = 0.02) and RES (p = 0.008) with a trend suggested by FMH (p = 0.06); and (c) in the entorhinal cortex by VES (p = 0.004) and RES (p = 0.008) with a trend suggested by FMH (p = 0.07). The data indicate that brain acetylcholine and catecholamines contribute to opioid neurotoxicity, and suggest a possible role of glutamate and histamine in opioid neurotoxicity.

Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors↗
PubMed2000

Microwave study of quantum n-disk scattering

We describe a wave-mechanical implementation of classically chaotic n-disk scattering based on thin two-dimensional microwave cavities. Two-, three-, and four-disk scatterings are investigated in detail. The experiments, which are able to probe the stationary Green's function of the system, yield both frequencies and widths of the low-lying quantum resonances. The observed spectra are found to be in good agreement with calculations based on semiclassical periodic orbit theory. Wave-vector autocorrelation functions are analyzed for various scattering geometries, the small wave-vector behavior allowing one to extract the escape rate from the quantum repeller. Quantitative agreement is found with the value predicted from classical scattering theory. For intermediate energies, nonuniversal oscillations are detected in the autocorrelation function, reflecting the presence of periodic orbits.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Coronary arteriovenous fistula with papillary muscle rupture.

We describe a patient who had a coronary arteriovenous fistula (CAVF) and whose mitral valve papillary muscle ruptured from chronic ischemia due to a coronary steal phenomenon. He was treated surgically with ligation of the CAVF (left circumflex to coronary sinus), coronary artery bypass grafting, and mitral valve replacement. This is the first report of papillary muscle rupture related to CAVF.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗
PubMed2000

A guardian angel: the involvement of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in psychoneuroendocrine function, nutrition and immune defence.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV, also known as CD26; EC 3.4.14.5) is a non-integrin receptor glycoprotein with multiple functions, including cell adhesion, cellular trafficking through the extracellular matrix and co-stimulatory potential during T cell activation. By virtue of its exopeptidase activity, DPP IV plays a key regulatory role in the metabolism of peptide hormones. Based on data emerging from different biomedical specialties, it appears worthwhile to highlight the different facets of DPP IV in nutrition, immune responses and peptide hormone metabolism. The presentation of the complex regulatory circuits in which DPP IV appears to be involved may also serve as a note of caution, in view of attempts to apply selective inhibitors of DPP IV enzymic activity for the treatment of disease, e.g. Type II diabetes.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Reference reagents for prostate-specific antigen (PSA): establishment of the first international standards for free PSA and PSA (90:10)

BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurements in serum by immunoassay are widely used in the screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of patients with prostate cancer although the lack of common reference reagents has led in the past to wide differences in estimates. We report here the results of a WHO international collaborative study in which two preparations of PSA representative of the main immunoreactive components in serum, free PSA and PSA 90:10, and a preparation of recombinant DNA-derived PSA were assessed as potential standards for the calibration of diagnostic immunoassays for PSA. METHODS: Coded vials of the candidate materials and serum preparations containing PSA in the clinically important range were provided to the 10 laboratories in the study, and participants were asked to perform PSA assays currently in use in their laboratories. Data from 89 immunoassays by 26 different method-laboratory combinations were contributed to the study and analyzed centrally at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. RESULTS: Potency estimates of the preparations relative to the in-house calibrators were in good agreement with the target value of 1 microg of total PSA/vial, the preparation of free PSA giving 1.10 microg/vial (95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.21 microg/vial) and PSA 90:10, 1.11 microg/vial (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.18 microg/vial). No immunoreactivity was detected in ampoules containing the recombinant material. Use of a common standard of PSA 90:10 significantly reduced the between-laboratory geometric coefficients of variation for serum samples included in the study and gave a much narrower range of potency estimates. CONCLUSIONS: The preparation of free PSA was established by WHO as the First International Standard for PSA (free) with an assigned content of 1 microg of total PSA per vial. In addition, the preparation of bound PSA was established as the First International Standard for PSA (90:10) with an assigned content of 1 microg of total PSA per vial.

Calibration↗
PubMed1999

Sequence and analysis of chromosome 4 of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

The higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) is an important model for identifying plant genes and determining their function. To assist biological investigations and to define chromosome structure, a coordinated effort to sequence the Arabidopsis genome was initiated in late 1996. Here we report one of the first milestones of this project, the sequence of chromosome 4. Analysis of 17.38 megabases of unique sequence, representing about 17% of the genome, reveals 3,744 protein coding genes, 81 transfer RNAs and numerous repeat elements. Heterochromatic regions surrounding the putative centromere, which has not yet been completely sequenced, are characterized by an increased frequency of a variety of repeats, new repeats, reduced recombination, lowered gene density and lowered gene expression. Roughly 60% of the predicted protein-coding genes have been functionally characterized on the basis of their homology to known genes. Many genes encode predicted proteins that are homologous to human and Caenorhabditis elegans proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Ligation of ICAM-1 on endothelial cells leads to expression of VCAM-1 via a nuclear factor-kappaB-independent mechanism.

ICAM-1 is an Ig-like cell adhesion molecule expressed by several cell types, including the endothelium. Cross-linking of ICAM-1 on the surface of different cell types has previously been shown to cause an increase in cellular activation within the cytoplasm. In this study, we have compared signaling events following ligation of ICAM-1 by cross-linking with mAbs with events after activation of HUVEC by TNF. ICAM-1 cross-linking caused activation of Erk-1 and the AP-1 transcription factor complex, without any increase in NF-kappaB activity, in contrast to TNF stimulation. Transcription of VCAM-1 mRNA was observed by reverse-transcriptase PCR after ICAM-1 cross-linking, with no associated transcription of E-selectin. This was reflected by the presence of VCAM-1 protein after immunoprecipitation, without E-selectin expression, in ICAM-1 cross-linked cells. In contrast, mRNA and protein for both VCAM-1 and E-selectin were observed in TNF-treated HUVEC, as expected. Addition of the MEK (MAP/Erk kinase) inhibitor PD98059 reduced expression of VCAM-1 after ICAM-1 cross-linking, suggesting that the Erk pathway is involved in ICAM-1-mediated VCAM-1 expression. In conclusion, ICAM-1-induced expression of VCAM-1 represents a pathway for adhesion molecule up-regulation that is distinct from the TNF-induced pathway. It may be similar to the IL-4 pathway or it may represent a novel pathway.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
PubMed1999

Severe anorexia nervosa associated with osteoporotic-linked femural neck fracture and pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report.

We report a case study of a 38-year-old woman who had been suffering from anorexia nervosa (AN) since the age of 26. Before admittance to our clinic, she weighed 23.8 kg (at a height of 164 cm, 8.8 body mass index [BMI]) but still carried out strenuous physical activities. After good psychotherapeutic response and weight gain (34.4 kg), she accidentally fell and broke her femoral neck-favored as it was by osteoporosis. The X-ray taken before dynamic hip screw implantation coincidentally showed signs of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), which could then be proven by computed tomography (CT) scans and cultures from a bronchoscopy. Other than lack of appetite and loss of weight, which we attributed to AN, there were no other clinical or biochemical indicators which could have pointed to an earlier TB diagnosis. As a result, the need for screening procedures is discussed. The manifestation of TB during the first weight gain after 12 years of severe malnutrition, during which there were no serious infections, seems to endorse former observations that AN patients appear to be "resistant" to some extent against infectious diseases, a "protection" which may be lost with convalescence and weight gain.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Antibodies to endothelial cells identify myocardial damage and predict development of coronary artery disease in patients with transplanted hearts.

BACKGROUND: Transplant-induced coronary artery disease is a leading cause of graft failure in cardiac allograft recipients after the first year of transplantation, but there presently is no test to identify patients at high risk for developing the disease. Our research is focused on development of a predictive test to identify patients at high risk of developing the disease. METHODS: Sixty-eight cardiac allograft recipients transplanted and followed at Methodist Hospital between 1982 and 1996 were studied. Serial annual angiograms were used to diagnose coronary artery disease, and serial endomyocardial biopsies were used to detect cellular infiltrates and microvascular disease. Biopsy-matched serum samples were used for cardiac troponin-T determinations as measures of myocardial damage, and serum antibodies to endothelial cells were determined by using flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting techniques. The endothelial antibody data were evaluated statistically for associations with angiographic changes, biopsy findings and biochemical evidence of myocardial damage. FINDINGS: Antibodies to endothelial cells were identified by all three techniques, and significant associations were found for the amount of antibody identified by Western immunoblotting with histological rejection grades in biopsies, which were confirmed immunocytochemically as macrophages (p<0.01) and T lymphocytes (P = 0.03). These antibodies also associated significantly with vascular antithrombin depletion (p = 0.02), biochemical evidence of myocardial damage (p = 0.005) and subsequent development of coronary artery disease (p = 0.03). INTERPRETATION: The significant association of anti-endothelial antibodies with cellular infiltrates, depletion of vascular antithrombin and myocardial damage suggests a role for antibody in the development of transplant-induced arteriopathy. The significant association of antiendothelial antibodies with the future development of coronary artery disease further suggests that assessment of these antibodies may provide a non-invasive test to predict the development of transplant-induced coronary artery disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Intrathecal busulfan treatment of human neoplastic meningitis in athymic nude rats.

The current study was designed to evaluate the toxicity and activity of Spartaject Busulfan, a microcrystalline preparation of busulfan, following its intrathecal administration into a nude rat model of human neoplastic meningitis. Animals were treated through permanent indwelling subarachnoid catheters. Human glioma D-456 MG growing in the subarachnoid space was treated with 8.1 micromol of intrathecal Spartaject Busulfan. Single-dose therapy was also subsequently compared with 4 doses of 8.1 and 2.0 micromol busulfan, respectively, against D-456 MG neoplastic meningitis. Additional experiments evaluated a saline control versus 8.1 micromol x 1, 6.2 micromol x 4 and 4.1 micromol x 4, respectively, against D-456 MG. A single dose of 8.1 micromol of intrathecal Spartaject Busulfan resulted in an increase in median survival of 61.7% compared with the saline control. In experiment 2, all busulfan treatments showed increases in median survival of 142.8% (8.1 micromol x 1), 52.3% (2.0 micromol x 4), and 23% (8.1 micromol x 4) (p < 0.001 for all groups) compared with the saline control. These results suggest that a narrow therapeutic dose range for both toxicity and activity has been defined for intrathecal busulfan in the treatment of human neoplastic meningitis in athymic nude rats. Although busulfan has only limited activity against solid tumors, the high doses achievable in the CSF following intrathecal administration coupled with the steep dose-response relationships of alkylating agents, provide rationale for further evaluation of this agent.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

A phase I study of paclitaxel for mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells.

We conducted a phase I trial to determine the dose and schedule of paclitaxel, when given together with filgrastim, which would optimally promote mobilization of stem cells with tolerable toxicity. Dose escalation began at 275 mg/m2 3 h infusion. Dose-limiting neuropathy was observed at the 300 mg/m2 dose level. A second dose escalation was conducted utilizing 24 h infusion schedules, beginning at 225 mg/m2. Dose escalation was continued by 25 mg/m2 increments to 300 mg/m2, at which dose neuropathy was again dose-limiting. The recommended dose and schedule of paclitaxel for the purpose of mobilization of stem cells, when given together with filgrastim, are 275 mg/m2 as a 24 h infusion. The median stem cell yield after this dose of paclitaxel was 6.6 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg/apheresis (range 3.6 x 10(6)-7.7 x 10(6)).

Adult↗
PubMed1999

ClpE, a novel type of HSP100 ATPase, is part of the CtsR heat shock regulon of Bacillus subtilis.

Clp ATPases, which include the ubiquitous HSP100 family, are classified according to their structural features and sequence similarities. During the course of the Bacillus subtilis genome sequencing project, we identified a gene encoding a new member of the HSP100 family. We designated this protein ClpE, as it is the prototype of a novel subfamily among the Clp ATPases, and have identified homologues in several bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Lactobacillus sakei and Clostridium acetobutylicum. A unique feature of these Hsp100-type Clp ATPases is their amino-terminal zinc finger motif. Unlike the other class III genes of B. subtilis (clpC and clpP ), clpE does not appear to be required for stress tolerance. Transcriptional analysis revealed two sigmaA-type promoters, expression from which was shown to be inducible by heat shock and puromycin treatment. Investigation of the regulatory mechanism controlling clpE expression indicates that this gene is controlled by CtsR and is thus a member of the class III heat shock genes of B. subtilis. CtsR negatively regulates clpE expression by binding to the promoter region, in which five CtsR binding sites were identified through DNase I footprinting and sequence analysis.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1999

Alterations in expression and in serum activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV, CD26) in patients with hyporectic eating disorders.

The notion that patients with eating disorders maintain a functional immunosurveillance in spite of severe malnutrition has attracted researchers for years. Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV), a serine protease with broad tissue distribution and known activity in serum, operates in the cascade of immune responses. Membrane-bound DPP IV expressed on lymphocytes, also known as the leucocyte antigen CD26, is considered to participate in T-cell activation. We hypothesized that the activity of DPP IV in serum and expression of CD26 in lymphocytes may be altered in patients with eating disorders. Serum DPP IV activity and the number of CD26 (DPP IV)-positive peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured in 34 patients [anorexia nervosa (AN): n = 11, bulimia (B): n = 23] in four consecutive weekly analyses. In addition, the expression of CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain) was evaluated to estimate the degree of T-cell activation. The same analyses were carried out in healthy female volunteers (HC, n = 20). CD2-CD26-positive cells were reduced in patients compared with healthy controls [mean 40.2% (AN) and 41.1% (B) versus 47.4% (HC), P < 0.01], while the DPP IV activity in serum was elevated [mean 108.4 U/l (AN) versus 91.1 U/l (B) and 80.3 U/l (HC), P < 0.01]. The potential implications of our observations on, and beyond, immune function are discussed.

Anorexia Nervosa↗
PubMed1999

A study of the variability seen in the international normalized ratio obtained using different sensitivity thromboplastin reagents on different instrument types.

We performed an extensive study to check international normalized ratio (INR) recovery using three different rabbit thromboplastin reagents of different sensitivities [international sensitivity index (ISI) circa 1.1, 1.3 and 2.0] on two different instrument types. Both instrument types used an optical end point: one nephelometric at 660 nm, one photometric at 880 nm. Each thromboplastin reagent in the study had an instrument-specific ISI value assigned to it by the reagent manufacturer. Samples obtained from stable orally anticoagulated patients were tested on four different instruments of each type with the three different sensitivity reagents. Excellent correlation between INR values was seen between all results (r values between 0.97 and 0.99). Regression analysis gave slopes between 0.92 and 1.07, and a maximum deviation of intercept from zero of 0.21. Variations in CV of less than 2% were seen within each instrument type. This study shows that if instrument-specific ISI values are used, comparable INR values can be obtained using reagents of different sensitivity on multiple instruments of the same or different types. This study demonstrates the validity of the INR/ISI system.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Detecting and analyzing DNA sequencing errors: toward a higher quality of the Bacillus subtilis genome sequence.

During the determination of a DNA sequence, the introduction of artifactual frameshifts and/or in-frame stop codons in putative genes can lead to misprediction of gene products. Detection of such errors with a method based on protein similarity matching is only possible when related sequences are available in databases. Here, we present a method to detect frameshift errors in DNA sequences that is based on the intrinsic properties of the coding sequences. It combines the results of two analyses, the search for translational initiation/termination sites and the prediction of coding regions. This method was used to screen the complete Bacillus subtilis genome sequence and the regions flanking putative errors were resequenced for verification. This procedure allowed us to correct the sequence and to analyze in detail the nature of the errors. Interestingly, in several cases in-frame termination codons or frameshifts were not sequencing errors but confirmed to be present in the chromosome, indicating that the genes are either nonfunctional (pseudogenes) or subject to regulatory processes such as programmed translational frameshifts. The method can be used for checking the quality of the sequences produced by any prokaryotic genome sequencing project.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1999

Functional identification of the product of the Bacillus subtilis yvaL gene as a SecG homologue.

Protein export in Escherichia coli is mediated by translocase, a multisubunit membrane protein complex with SecA as the peripheral subunit and the SecY, SecE, and SecG proteins as the integral membrane domain. In the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, SecA, SecY, and SecE have been identified through genetic analysis. Sequence comparison of the Bacillus chromosome identified a potential homologue of SecG, termed YvaL. A chromosomal disruption of the yvaL gene results in mild cold sensitivity and causes a beta-lactamase secretion defect. The cold sensitivity is exacerbated by overexpression of the secretory protein alpha-amylase, whereas growth and beta-lactamase secretion are restored by coexpression of yvaL or the E. coli secG gene. These results indicate that the yvaL gene codes for a protein that is functionally homologous to SecG.

Amino Acid Sequence↗