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Biomedical subjects

M Schmid

Publications and source records attributed to M Schmid.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Comparative chromosome painting of chicken autosomal paints 1-9 in nine different bird species.

In a Zoo-FISH study chicken autosomal chromosome paints 1 to 9 (GGA1-GGA9) were hybridized to metaphase spreads of nine diverse birds belonging to primitive and modern orders. This comparative approach allows tracing of chromosomal rearrangements that occurred during bird evolution. Striking homologies in the chromosomes of the different species were noted, indicating a high degree of evolutionary conservation in avian karyotypes. In two species, the quail and the goose, all chicken paints specifically labeled their corresponding chromosomes. In three pheasant species as well as in the American rhea and blackbird, GGA4 hybridized to chromosome 4 and additionally to a single pair of microchromosomes. Furthermore, in the pheasants fission of the ancestral galliform chromosome 2 could be documented. Hybridization of various chicken probes to two different chromosomes or to only the short or long chromosome arm of one chromosome pair in the species representing the orders Passeriformes, Strigiformes, and Columbiformes revealed translocations and chromosome fissions during species radiation. Thus comparative analysis with chicken chromosome-specific painting probes proves to be a rapid and comprehensive approach to elucidate the chromosomal relationships of the extant birds.

Animals↗

Epidemiology and clinical features of imported dengue fever in Europe: sentinel surveillance data from TropNetEurop.

Travelers have the potential both to acquire and to spread dengue virus infection. The incidence of dengue fever (DF) among European travelers certainly is underestimated, because few centers use standardized diagnostic procedures for febrile patients. In addition, DF is currently not reported in most European public health systems. Surveillance has commenced within the framework of a European Network on Imported Infectious Disease Surveillance (TropNetEurop) to gain information on the quantity and severity of cases of dengue imported into Europe. Descriptions of 294 patients with DF were analyzed for epidemiological information and clinical features. By far the most infections were imported from Asia, which suggests a high risk of DF for travelers to that region. Dengue hemorrhagic fever occurred in 7 patients (2.4%) all of whom recovered. Data reported by member sites of the TropNetEurop can contribute to understanding the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of imported DF.

Adolescent↗

Two-dimensional oxide on Pd(111).

The oxidation of Pd(111) leads to an incommensurate surface oxide, which was studied by the use of scanning tunneling microscopy, surface x-ray diffraction, high resolution core level spectroscopy, and density functional calculations. A combination of these methods reveals a two-dimensional structure having no resemblance to bulk oxides of Pd. Our study also demonstrates how the atomic arrangement of a nontrivial incommensurate surface can be solved by molecular dynamics in a case where experimental techniques alone give no solution.

Journal Article↗

Geometry of the valence transition induced surface reconstruction of Sm(0001).

We present a structural determination of the surface reconstruction of the Sm(0001) surface using surface x-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, and ab initio calculations. The reconstruction is associated with a large (22%) expansion of the atomic radius for the top monolayer surface Sm atoms. The mechanism driving the surface reconstruction in Sm is unique among all elements and is connected to the strong correlations of the 4f electrons in Sm and the intermediate valence observed in certain Sm compounds. The atoms constituting the top monolayer of Sm(0001) have vastly different chemical properties compared to the layer underneath and behave as if they were an adsorbate of a different chemical species.

Journal Article↗

[Recovery from anaesthesia and incidence and intensity of postoperative nausea and vomiting following a total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) with S-(+)-ketamine/propofol compared to alfentanil/propofol].

BACKGROUND: Opioids contribute to postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). An intraoperative analgesia with S-(+)-ketamine will make opioid administration dispensable and may reduce postoperative analgesic requirements. The aim of the study was to record the incidence and intensity of PONV following a total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with S-(+)-ketamine/propofol (K/P) or alfentanil/propofol (A/P) as well as recovery from anaesthesia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 145 patients received a TIVA with K/P or A/P. Recovery time,PONV, intensity of pain and overall acceptance of the delivered anaesthesia were recorded. RESULTS: Recovery times were prolonged in the K/P group. Both groups had a comparable incidence of PONV (26% and 22% for K/P vs A/P, respectively), the intensity was low in both groups with a VAS of <6/100 mm at all times. The intensity of postoperative pain and analgesic requirement did not differ. Overall acceptance of the delivered anaesthesia was lower in the K/P group. Unpleasant dreams were not more common in the K/P group. CONCLUSIONS: A TIVA with K/P did not reduce PONV when compared to A/P, but prolonged recovery.

Adolescent↗

The sensitivity of posturographic parameters to acquisition settings.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of posturographic parameters (PP) to changes in acquisition settings. A group of eight young adults underwent a set of typical orthostatic posture trials, and selected PP were then calculated from a set of centre of pressure (CoP) displacement time series obtained by applying different cut-off frequencies to the same set of raw data. Four PP out of 11 showed significant changes with respect to cut-off frequency. Statistical mechanics parameters exhibited smaller sensitivity than summary measures. On the basis of the results obtained, a proposal for a standard cut-off frequency and a sampling rate value is embodied in the paper together with some suggestions on measurement settings, with a view to standardized use of instrumentation for quantitative analysis in orthostatic posturography.

Acceleration↗

Chromosome banding in Amphibia. XXII. Atypical y chromosomes in Gastrotheca walkeri and Gastrotheca ovifera (Anura, Hylidae).

The chromosomes of the rare South American marsupial frogs Gastrotheca walkeri and G. ovifera were extensively reexamined with various banding techniques. The karyotypes of both species are distinguished by a new category of XY female symbol /XX male symbol female sex chromosomes. The unusual Y chromosomes are characterized by containing the least amount of constitutive heterochromatin in the karyotypes. This is in contrast to all previously known amphibian Y chromosomes and does not fit the evolutionary model of early XY differentiation in vertebrates. In male meiosis, the heteromorphic XY chromosomes of both species still exhibit the same pairing configurations as the autosomes. DNA flow cytometric measurements show the nuclear DNA amount of G. walkeri to be 10.90 pg. The significance of the XY/XX sex chromosomes of these marsupial frogs, the various classes of constitutive heterochromatin detected, and the data obtained from meiotic analyses are discussed in detail.

Animals↗

Conservation of avian Z chromosomes as revealed by comparative mapping of the Z-linked aldolase B gene.

A chicken Z-linked BAC probe containing the aldolase B gene was used for fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) mapping in four different avian species. The biotinylated BAC clone showed distinct unique hybridization sites on the structurally different Z chromosomes. This result, together with previous data, lends credence to the notion that, despite undergoing structural rearrangements, the gene content of the avian Z chromosome remained conserved during evolution. Our study also demonstrates the feasibility of using large genomic clones for comparative mapping of Z-linked genes in birds.

Animals↗

Chromosome banding in amphibia. XXIII. Giant W sex chromosomes and extremely small genomes in Eleutherodactylus euphronides and Eleutherodactylus shrevei (Anura, Leptodactylidae).

Highly differentiated, heteromorphic ZZ female symbol /ZW male symbol sex chromosomes were found in the karyotypes of the neotropical leptodactylid frogs Eleutherodactylus euphronides and E. shrevei. The W chromosomes are the largest heterochromatic, female-specific chromosomes so far discovered in the class Amphibia. The analyses of the banding patterns with AT- and GC base-pair specific fluorochromes show that the constitutive heterochromatin in the giant W chromosomes consists of various categories of repetitive DNA sequences. The W chromosomes of both species are similar in size, morphology and banding patterns, whereas their Z chromosomes exhibit conspicuous differences. In the cell nuclei of female animals, the W chromosomes form very prominent chromatin bodies (W chromatin). DNA flow cytometric measurements demonstrate clear differences in the DNA content of male and female erythrocytes caused by the giant W chromosome, and also shows that these Eleutherodactylus genomes are among the smallest of all amphibian genomes. The importance of the heteromorphic ZW sex chromosomes for the study of Z-linked genes, the similarities and differences of the two karyotypes, and the significance of the exceptionally small genomes are discussed.

Animals↗

Chromosome banding in Amphibia. XXV. Karyotype evolution and heterochromatin characterization in Australian Mixophyes (Anura, Myobatrachidae).

The mitotic chromosomes of the Australian ground frogs Mixophyes fasciolatus and M. schevilli were analyzed by means of banding techniques and restriction endonuclease digestions. Chromosomal differentiation in these two species occurred exclusively by considerable changes in the amount of telomeric and centromeric heterochromatin, whereas the sizes and locations of interstitial heterochromatic regions, the sizes of all euchromatic segments as well as the positions of centromeres remained nearly identical during karyotype evolution. The major heterochromatic regions in the karyotypes of M. fasciolatus and M. schevilli amount to 30.2% and 20.7%, respectively. They consist of AT base pair-rich repetitive DNA sequences that are brightly labeled by AT-specific fluorochromes and display quenched fluorescence after staining with GC-specific fluorochromes. The heterochromatic regions can be differentiated by treatment of metaphase chromosomes and interphase cell nuclei with various restriction enzymes which either disclose the complete set of C-band patterns in the karyotypes of both species, or else reveal several subsets of these C-bands.

Animals↗

Chromosome banding in Amphibia. XXIV. The B chromosomes of Gastrotheca espeletia (Anura, Hylidae).

The mitotic chromosomes of an Ecuadorian population of the marsupial frog Gastrotheca espeletia were analyzed by means of banding techniques and fluorescence in situ hybridization. This species is characterized by unusual supernumerary (B) chromosomes. The maximum number of B chromosomes is 9 and they occur in three different morphological types. Banding analyses show that the B chromosomes are completely heterochromatic, consist of AT base pair-rich repeated DNA sequences, replicate their DNA in very late S-phase of the cell cycle, and are probably derived from a centromeric or paracentromeric region of a standard (A) chromosome. Exceptionally, the B chromosomes carry 18S + 28S ribosomal RNA genes and the conserved vertebrate telomeric DNA sequence appears to be underrepresented. Flow cytometric measurements of the nuclear DNA content differentiate between individuals with different numbers of B chromosomes. Significantly more B chromosomes are present in female than in male animals.

Animals↗

Spectral karyotype analysis of colon cancer cell lines of the tumor suppressor and mutator pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is characterized by the size variation of microsatellites in tumor DNA as compared to matching normal DNA due to defects in the mismatch repair system. To examine the chromosomal differences in microsatellite-stable (MSS) and -unstable (MSI) tumors in detail, we analyzed MSS (Caco-2, Colo-205, SW948) and MSI (HCT-15, HCT-116, LoVo) cell lines by spectral karyotyping (SKY). METHODS: SKY is a sensitive method to detect chromosome aberrations by visualizing each chromosome in a different color. Metaphases were hybridized with a SKY probe mixture. Images were visualized with the SpectraCube system and analyzed with the SKYview imaging software. RESULTS: The average number of chromosomes was 49 in LoVo, 45 in HCT-116, 46 in HCT-15, 71 in Colo-205, 89 in Caco-2 and 66 in SW-948. Three aberrant chromosomes were detected in LoVo, three in HCT-116, two in HCT-15, seventeen in Colo-205, fourteen in Caco-2 and nine in SW948. CONCLUSION: The karyotypes of MSS colon cancer cells displayed complex numerical and structural aberrations. In contrast the chromosomes of MSI colon cancer cells were mostly unaltered but displayed a few isolated numerical and structural aberrations. We speculate that these isolated aberrations may be specifically involved in the pathogenesis of MSI tumors.

Chromosome Banding↗

Effects of higher-order nuclear structure and Rad51 overexpression on radiation-induced chromosome rearrangements.

The microchromosomes (MICs) in chicken DT40 lymphocytes are usually clustered in the center of the nucleus, whereas the macrochromosomes (MACs) are preferentially located toward the nuclear periphery. This compartmentalized architecture of the nucleus is associated with a low frequency of translocations between MICs and MACs after induction of DNA breaks by a radiation track(s). In contrast, the MICs in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) tend to be located throughout the entire nuclear volume. The resulting side-to-side arrangement of MIC and MAC territories favors radiation-induced MIC/MAC translocations, which occur more frequently in CEF cells than MIC/MIC or MAC/MAC rearrangements. Collectively, our results suggest that preformed physical contacts are a prerequisite for the generation of chromosome rearrangements through recombinational repair of DNA damage. Cell type-specific higher-order nuclear organization may prevent or stimulate the formation of particular chromosome aberrations in pathology and evolution. Ectopic expression of the recombination protein Rad51 can protect cells from radiation-induced translocations. The repair activity of overexpressed Rad51 is more important for cells that are irradiated in S/G(2) phase than for cells in G(1) phase. Evidently, homologous recombination between sister chromatids of a replicated chromosome is more frequent than that between homologous or heterologous chromosomes during G(1) phase.

Animals↗

Comparative mapping of Z-orthologous genes in vertebrates: implications for the evolution of avian sex chromosomes.

Sex chromosomes of birds and mammals are highly differentiated and share several cytological features. However, comparative gene mapping reveals extensive conserved synteny between the chicken Z sex chromosome and human chromosome 9 but not the human X sex chromosome, implying an independent origin of avian and mammalian sex chromosomes. To better understand the evolution of the avian Z chromosome we analysed the synteny of chicken Z-linked genes in zebrafish, which is the best-mapped teleost genome so far. Existing zebrafish maps do not support the existence of an ancestral Z linkage group in the zebrafish genome, whereas mammalian X-linked genes show at least some degree of synteny conservation. This is consistent with in situ hybridisation mapping data in the freshwater pufferfish, Tetraodon nigroviridis where mammalian X-linked genes show a much higher degree of conserved synteny than human chromosome 9 or the avian Z chromosome. Collectively, these data argue in favour of a more recent evolution of the avian Z chromosome, compared with the mammalian X.

Animals↗

X chromosomes of American marsupials contain minimal amounts of euchromatin.

The karyotypes of four South American didelphid marsupials, representing diploid numbers of 2n = 14 and 18, have been analyzed by a variety of banding techniques. The 2n = 14 karyotypes display a high degree of homoeology, but there also exist distinct similarities between the 2n = 14 and 2n = 18 karyotypes. The interspecific differences found are due to centric fissions, pericentric inversions, and variations in the amount and composition of the constitutive heterochromatin. Contrary to the evolutionary conservation of the banding patterns in all autosomal arms, there are multiple differences in the number and chromosomal location of the nucleolus organizer regions. In species with X-linked nucleolus organizers, the 18S + 28S ribosomal RNA genes escape inactivation in female cells. Measurements on the X chromosomes of Marmosa fuscata and Micoureus demerarae unexpectedly reveal the lowest quantities of euchromatin so far determined in the X chromosomes of mammals: 1.5% and 1.8%, respectively, of their haploid female genomes. This is significantly less than the amount of euchromatin in the basic X chromosomes of other marsupials (3%) or eutherians (5%).

Animals↗

Chromosome banding in Amphibia. XXVI. Coexistence of homomorphic XY sex chromosomes and a derived Y-autosome translocation in Eleutherodactylus maussi (Anura, Leptodactylidae).

A 15-year cytogenetic survey on one population of the leaf litter frog Eleutherodactylus maussi in northern Venezuela confirmed the existence of multiple XXAA male symbol /XAA(Y) female symbol sex chromosomes which originated by a centric (Robertsonian) fusion between the original Y chromosome and an autosome. 95% of the male individuals in this population are carriers of this Y-autosome fusion. In male meiosis the XAA(Y) sex chromosomes pair in the expected trivalent configuration. In the same population, 5% of the male animals still possess the original, free XY sex chromosomes. In a second population of E. maussi analyzed, all male specimens are characterized by these ancestral XY chromosomes which form normal bivalents in meiosis. E. maussi apparently represents the first vertebrate species discovered in which a derived Y-autosome fusion still coexists with the ancestral free XY sex chromosomes. The free XY sex chromosomes, as well as the multiple XA(Y) sex chromosomes are still in a very primitive (homomorphic) stage of differentiation. With no banding technique applied it is possible to distinguish the Y from the X. DNA flow cytometric measurements show that the genome of E. maussi is among the largest in the anuran family Leptodactylidae. The present study also supplies further data on differential chromosome banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments in this amphibian species.

Animals↗

[First experiences with a miniaturized heart-lung-machine].

Conventional heart-lung-machines (HLM) used for many cardiosurgical procedures lead to an impaired function of nearly all organs. This deleterious effect may be reduced by miniaturized HLMs. Therefore we report on our first experiences in 9 patients (4 women, 5 men) undergoing beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting from 10/01 to 04/02 in our department employing a miniaturized HLM with the Deltastream extracorporeal rotary blood pump. Eight patients had an uneventful postoperative course, one patient died on the first postoperative day. Using this miniaturized HLM beating heart coronary artery bypass grafting was successful in all patients. Further studies are necessary to support these results.

Aged↗