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Biomedical subjects

P Fischer

Publications and source records attributed to P Fischer.

464 records · Page 26Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Platelet monoamine oxidase B activity in dementia. A 4-year follow-up.

Platelet monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) activity has been found to increase significantly in demented patients. For the first time, a 4-year follow-up of platelet MAO-B activity and Mini-Mental State (MMS) was performed in patients with probable dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and age-matched controls. MAO-B activity of DAT patients increased significantly 2 years after the beginning of the study as compared with controls and remained significantly higher for the entire period of the examinations (p < 0.0001). The decrease of the MMS scores did not correlate with the time course of the increase of platelet MAO-B activity (Spearman rank correlation test). The decline of the MMS scores of DAT patients preceded the elevation of MAO-B activity. Since degenerative processes in brain areas which are responsible for cognitive function and are reflected by the MMS scores rather affect cerebral cholinergic than monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems, degeneration of the latter at late stages of DAT might be reflected by increased platelet MAO-B activity.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Tracing the human metabolism of stable isotope-labelled drugs by ex vivo NMR spectroscopy. A revision of S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine biotransformation.

A direct structural identification, and quantitative assessment below the 50 nmol/ml level, of the full pattern of renally excreted metabolites is made possible by 13C NMR measurements of untreated urine samples when stable isotope-labelled (13C) drug analogues are administered to humans. The full potential of the new ex vivo NMR approach is exemplified by a study, for a group of volunteers, of S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine metabolism. The metabolic sulphoxidation pathway of S-carboxymethyl-L-cysteine in man, accepted so far, needs to be profoundly revised on the basis of the 13C NMR results.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Kawasaki disease: update on diagnosis, treatment, and a still controversial etiology.

Diagnosis of Kawasaki syndrome still relies solely on clinical criteria because the etiology is unknown. However, the function and structure of different bacterial superantigens as potential pathogens are discussed. In this regard, the recent determination of the crystal structure of the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 superantigen complexed with major histocompatibility complex class II suggests potential implications for the controversial findings concerning a role of those superantigens in Kawasaki disease. Although a specific therapy is not available, coronary complications can be significantly reduced with the help of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy combined with oral aspirin.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Limbal relaxing incisions to correct astigmatism in clear corneal cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To prevent surgically induced astigmatism following clear corneal cataract surgery. METHODS: Limbal relaxing incisions of 6- or 8-mm length and 0.55-microm depth were performed in 52 patients (52 eyes) with a spherical cornea (20 eyes) or mean with-the-rule astigmatism (32 eyes) of 0.80 +/- 0.30 D after temporal corneal cataract incision. A control group (47 eyes; 19 spherical and 28 with-the-rule astigmatism) underwent the same surgical procedure without limbal relaxing incisions. RESULTS: Six months after surgery, mean with-the-wound change using the Holladay analysis was -0.08 +/- 0.50 D in spherical eyes with limbal relaxing incisions and +0.50 +/- 0.70 D in control eyes. Patients with preoperative with-the-rule astigmatism showed a mean with-the-wound change of -0.09 +/- 0.50 D after limbal relaxing incisions; in corresponding control eyes, mean change was +0.39 +/- 0.70 D. CONCLUSION: Limbal relaxing incisions are a reliable and safe procedure to reduce postoperative astigmatism.

Astigmatism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Premature rupture of fetal membranes, risk of infection and infant prognosis--a comparison of 2 regions].

The question to be answered was: Does premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and duration of PROM lead to increased mortality, neonatal and late morbidity and adverse cognitive developmental outcome? We present data of a bi-national cohort observation study in South Bavaria (SBy) and South Finland (SF). The sample included all children, who were admitted to a children's hospital (SBy N: 7505/70,600 live births; SF N: 1536/15,618), and some not transferred control infants (916 and 658, respectively). Obstetric details like PROM were obtained from perinatal records. Mortality and neonatal morbidity were recorded prospectively. Somatic, neurological and cognitive development was assessed at five and 20 months (corrected age), and final diagnosis of cerebral palsy (CP) and severe mental retardation was made at 56 months of age. Data were analysed separately for three gestational groups (< 32 (I), 32-36 (II), and > 36 weeks PMA (III)). PROM occurred more frequent in SBy than in SF and in both areas with preterm delivery. PROM irrespective of its duration had no adverse effect on mortality, morbidity, CP-rate or cognitive outcome of groups I and III in either SBy or SF. There was even a slightly lower mortality rate in extremely preterm infants after PROM. In SBy only, group II with PROM > 24 hours had a slightly increased incidence of CP. Unfavorable outcome was closely related to perinatal infections, which increased with duration of PROM. PROM and/or preterm labor occurred more often without than with inflammations of amnion and placenta. We conclude: PROM per se has no adverse effects on longterm outcome of special care infants, but it is closely associated with the developmental risk factors perinatal infections and, in particular, preterm birth. The prevention of ascending infections deserves further investigation, although such action may be beneficial lately to only a minority of individuals.

Brain Damage, Chronic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A nuclear magnetic resonance study of sparteine delta metabolite structure.

Originally, the enamines 2,3- and 5,6-didehydrosparteine (2a and 3a, respectively) had been characterized by GC/MS as metabolites after administration of (-)-sparteine sulfate (1a.H2SO4). Since the existence of free enamines in aqueous medium seemed rather doubtful, the metabolism of (-)-sparteine was reinvestigated by high-resolution 1H-, 2H-, and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. When synthetic 1,2-didehydrosparteinium monoperchlorate (4a.ClO4) is dissolved in aqueous medium at pH 4-9, sterically uniform (2S)-hydroxysparteine (6a) is formed, as is proven unequivocally by 1H- and 13C-NMR. However, at pH less than or equal to 2, this carbinolamine eliminates water under reconstitution of the iminium structure 4a. No carbinolamine is formed, in contrast, from synthetic 1,6-didehydrosparteinium monoperchlorate (5a.ClO4). Upon oral application of [2R-2H]sparteine (1b), as the sulfate, the respective carbinolamine and iminium structures 6b and 5b are identified in the urines by 2H-NMR spectroscopy. Reversed-phase TLC likewise confirms the different structural principle of the two main sparteine metabolites. The free enamine bases, characterized by GC/MS, thus must be regarded as artifacts, formed in the work-up requisite for GC analysis.

Chromatography, Thin Layer↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The A-K-T ("Alters-Konzentrations-Test") a new psychometric test for geriatric patients.

The A-K-T is a newly developed concentration test for geriatric patients. First results in demented patients show the test to be a good indicator of severity of dementia. Since the method is non-verbal, it can be applied to aphatic patients too. But, comparing results of patients suffering either from dementia of Alzheimer's type, multi-infarct dementia or Parkinson's disease with dementia, we are not able to objectify specific deficits of a certain dementing disease.

Aging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Upper digestive system endoscopy in Gabon. Contribution of 2 years' experience].

Reporting on 805 endoscopies of upper digestive tract performed in a rural area of Gaboon during a period of 28 months, the authors describe the indications and the results by analysing comparatively their findings with some other African ones. Their experience is deeply in favour of performing much more often fibreoptic endoscopy, even if the percentage of investigations revealing no anomaly is high, because its indisputable medical and economical interest.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The office laboratory director's guide.

More than 90% of primary care physicians have access to an office laboratory. These physicians serve as the director of their laboratory services and are legally responsible for test results. This responsibility has become a greater challenge as more sophisticated laboratory testing is available for office use. Yet clinicians find few reliable sources to help them face these changes. This article is intended to serve as a guide for the clinician facing the new responsibilities as laboratory director.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Relation between old age and professional performance requirements--constancy and change of work from the viewpoint or work economics and work sociology].

In connection with the scientific and technical revolution new structures of demands come into existence, which have to correspond with the change of the individual ability to produce during employment. In this connection it is necessary to correct the often one-sided negative interpretation of the change of work during the last twenty years of working employment. As analyses to works-motivations and jobs-satisfaction have shown, it is essential to consider carefully the most opportune time and methods to change of work being performed. Positive effects on the development of individual performance-potential can be expected with the adaption of early preventive measures during the bio-social adaption period.

Aged↗