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Biomedical subjects

M Weber

Publications and source records attributed to M Weber.

At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Clinical examination of the comatose patient].

The clinical examination of a comatose patient may be divided into neurological ang general. The neurological examination aims at determining all that is proper to the state of coma, its complication, whatever they origin (mostly cerebral oedema and herniation) and its focal signs. As for the coma itself, one may distinguish between disorders of consciousness or perceptivity and disorders of wakefulness. Specific reactivity and reactivity to pain. This must be combined with a study of muscle tone (reactions in flexion and extension, reflexes). Reflexes of the brain stem, nowadays better known, provide for a better assessment of severity and a better evaluation of tiered suffering. Vegetative symptoms, including respiration, cardiovascular system, temperature, trophicity, sphincteral function, must be studies in all comas. The classification of comas into stages of severety and the relevant scores (Glasgow, Liège) must be known with their advantages and limitations. The general clinical evaluation, including past history and associated signs, may suggest an aetiological diagnosis and point to the necessary paraclinical explorations.

Coma↗
PubMed1989

Protein import into mitochondria in a homologous yeast in vitro system.

To study the import of proteins into mitochondria we developed a homologous in vitro system in which mitochondria and cell-free translation extract are both derived from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This system allows the synthesis of precursor proteins in the presence of isolated mitochondria and offers a means of analyzing yeast mutants defective in mitochondrial protein import. The in vitro import of an artificial precursor protein into yeast mitochondria in the presence of its substrate analog was analyzed subsequent to synthesis in either a yeast or rabbit reticulocyte cell-free translation reaction. Results suggest that a component(s) present in the yeast cytosolic extract may interact with the precursor protein.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1989

Secretory immunoglobulin A in urinary tract infection, chronic glomerulonephritis, and renal transplantation.

An enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) for the quantitation of secretory IgA (S-IgA) in the urine is described. The assay is sensitive (linear down to 0.02 microgram/ml), specific, and reproducible (intraassay variation 7.8%, interassay variation 18.9%). The assay was used to determine the urinary excretion rates of S-IgA in patients with bladder catheter (n = 12), cystotomy and urinary tract infection (n = 13), urosepsis (n = 5), chronic glomerulonephritis, including IgA-nephritis (n = 31), in renal allograft recipients (n = 30), and in healthy controls (n = 46). An elevated S-IgA urinary excretion (P less than 0.01) was found in all patient groups studied. The highest values were observed in urosepsis. No significant differences between S-IgA levels in IgA-nephritis and other forms of chronic glomerulonephritis were detected. The elevated S-IgA excretion in renal allograft recipients indicates that immunosuppressive therapy does not influence the local S-IgA production in the urinary tract. The susceptibility of these patients to urinary tract infections is therefore not due to a S-IgA deficiency.

Diuresis↗
PubMed1989

Sedation for dermatologic surgery.

This review focuses on some of the most common classes of parenteral and inhalational sedating agents used during cutaneous surgery. Emphasis also is placed on potential adverse effects and their treatments.

Dermatology↗
PubMed1989

[Plasma and tissue concentrations of cefamandole during cardiac surgery].

This study aimed to determine plasma (CPC) and tissue concentrations of cefamandole during cardiac surgery, so as to compare them with the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for staphylococci (0.25 - 1 microgram.ml-1 for S. aureus; 2 micrograms.ml-1 for S. epidermidis). Cefamandole was given prophylactically to 8 consecutive patients as a single intravenous dose of 60 mg.kg-1. Tissue concentrations were measured in presternal subcutaneous loose tissue and sternal marrow. Average CPC was 233.75 +/- 58 micrograms.ml-1, 15 min after drug administration, 187 +/- 6.4 micrograms.ml-1 at the time of sternotomy, 57.9 +/- 36.5 micrograms.ml-1 10 min after the start of bypass and 36.4 +/- 18.4 micrograms.ml-1 at its end, and 15.5 +/- 5.9 micrograms.ml-1 at the end of the procedure. Sternal subcutaneous tissue and marrow concentrations were respectively 24.4 +/- 13.3 micrograms.g-1 and 31 +/- 5.6 micrograms.g-1 at the time of sternotomy, and 9.4 +/- 5.5 micrograms.g-1 and 9.2 +/- 3.5 micrograms.g-1 at the end of the procedure. Giving a high dose of cefamandole preoperatively appeared to have an effective prophylactic antibiotic action, as the plasma and tissue concentrations were always higher than the MIC for staphylococci.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Antagonism of diazepam sedation by flumazenil.

Forty adult patients undergoing elective surgery, anaesthetized with diazepam, alfentanil and nitrous oxide in oxygen, and paralysed with atracurium were given flumazenil or placebo i.v. in a double-blind randomized study to assess the efficacy of flumazenil. Awake state, heart rate, arterial pressure, rate of ventilation and arterial blood-gas values were measured at 0, 5, 30, 120 and 240 min after administration of flumazenil or placebo. Flumazenil was found to antagonize the sedative effects of diazepam; there was no resedation within the time of observation. There were no intergroup differences in any of the other measured variables. A median dose of diazepam 0.33 mg kg-1 during surgery lasting a median of 98 min was antagonized by a median dose of flumazenil 0.35 mg. No side effects related to flumazenil were observed.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Isolation and partial characterization of an 80,000-dalton protein kinase from the microvessels of the porcine brain.

A novel serine/threonine-specific protein kinase was isolated from the microvessels of porcine brains. The molecular mass of the protein is 80,000 daltons, as judged by gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions, or 122,000 daltons, on high-resolution gel permeation chromatography in the native state. The activity of this enzyme is stimulated by various histones or polyamines, like spermine or spermidine, but not by any of the common second messengers. The amino-terminal sequence data show no homologies to any of the published kinases, but rather to a heat-shock protein of unknown function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Transferable vancomycin and teicoplanin resistance in Enterococcus faecium.

Enterococcus faecium BM4165 and BM4178, isolated from immunocompromised patients, one treated with vancomycin, were inducibly resistant to high levels of the glycopeptide antibiotics vancomycin and teicoplanin but susceptible to the new lipopeptide daptomycin (LY146032). Strain BM4165 was also resistant to macrolidelincosamide-streptogramin B-type (MLS) antibiotics. The genes conferring resistance to glycopeptides and to MLS antibiotics in strain BM4165 were carried on plasmids pIP819 and pIP821, respectively; pIP819 also carried genes that encoded resistance to MLS antibiotics. The two plasmids, which were distinct although related, were self-transferable to other E. faecium strains. Plasmid pIP819 could also conjugate to E. faecalis, Streptococcus sanguis, S. pyogenes, S. lactis, and Listeria monocytogenes, in which it conferred inducible glycopeptide resistance, but not to S. aureus. Glycopeptide-inactivating activity was not detected, and the biochemical mechanism of resistance remains unknown. Based on this first report of transferable resistance to glycopeptides, we anticipate dissemination of resistance to these antibiotics in gram-positive cocci and bacilli in which it can be phenotypically expressed.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Visual evoked potentials in diabetic patients.

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were assessed in 50 adult type I (insulin-dependent) and 19 type II (noninsulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus patients and in 54 controls. P100 wave latency was significantly longer in diabetic patients (P less than .001). Twenty-eight percent of diabetic patients had P100 wave latencies above the normal range. There was no correlation between P100 latency and type or duration of diabetes mellitus, quality of metabolic control, or presence of degenerative complications. The significance of VEP abnormalities in diabetes mellitus remains speculative.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Structure and antigenicity of the glomerular basement membrane].

The glomerular basement membrane is a complex extracellular matrix formed of various molecules which build a supramolecular network. The major structural components are collagen IV, laminin, heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and nidogen/entactin. Cross-reacting antibodies against laminin, nidogen, and collagen IV may occur after several infectious diseases. They are however of doubtful pathogenetic significance. The pathogenetic relevant autoantibodies in Goodpasture's syndrome and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with linear immunofluorescence pattern are directed against epitopes which are located on the collagenase resistant C-terminal globule NC1 of collagen IV. The human NC1 globule appears as a hexamer which dissociates into monomers and dimers under various experimental conditions. Dissociation is paralleled by a significant increase in available epitopes. Immunisation with the dissociated NC1 globule initiates a pulmo-renal syndrome in rabbits similar to the human Goodpasture's syndrome. In hereditary nephritis one of the alpha-chains which form the triple-helix of collagen IV seems to be altered within the NC1 region. This may possibly explain the typical morphologic findings in this disease as well as the reduced binding of antiglomerular basement membrane antibodies to basement membranes of kidneys in Alport's syndrome.

Animals↗