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Biomedical subjects

P Schulz

Publications and source records attributed to P Schulz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Pimecrolimus cream 1% is effective in asteatotic eczema: results of a randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled study in 40 patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pimecrolimus cream 1% is an effective treatment for atopic eczema. The aim was to investigate its efficacy in asteatotic eczema, a skin disease similar to atopic eczema and its associated dry skin and itching. METHODS: Single-centre, randomized, double-blind, vehicle controlled study in 40 patients with asteatotic eczema. Efficacy was assessed by eczema area and severity index (EASI), investigators global assessment (IGA), patient's self-assessment, and pruritus severity. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of treatment, EASI, the primary efficacy variable, was reduced by 62+/-7% from baseline in patients on pimecrolimus, compared to 21+/-14% in patients on vehicle (P=0.013). With pimecrolimus there was also a better control of pruritus (P=0.042) at week 4 whereas a better control of disease according to self-assessment could only be observed at weeks 2 (P=0.01) and week 3 (P=0.08). CONCLUSION: Pimecrolimus cream 1% is effective in patients with asteatotic eczema.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

[Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in pregnancy].

Recent studies suggest several problems associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) when administered during pregnancy. During organogenesis, paroxetine (Deroxat, Paxil, or generics) was associated with a significantly increased risk of major congenital malformations. Such an increase had already been reported with clomipramine (Anafranil), a tricyclic antidepressant. After the time of organogenesis, SSRIs have also been associated to risks. Of these, the more frequent is neonatal toxicity, while pulmonary hypertension in the newborn is likely to be the more severe. These newly discovered side effects arouse questions about the treatment of depression during pregnancy.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed2005

[Some preconceptions and psychotropic drugs prescription].

Prescription of psychotropic drugs should follow evidence-based medicine, i.e. be founded on well-conducted randomised controlled trials. In fact, a number of prescriptions do not follow these rules and cannot be qualified as evidence-based psychiatry. In this article, some preconceptions concerning the drug prescription in psychiatry are evoked.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

The early acquisition of verb meaning in German by normally developing and language impaired children.

The research reported here focuses on the early acquisition of event structure in German. Based on longitudinal studies from 5 normally developing (ND) and 6 language-impaired (LI) children, a model of "event structural bootstrapping" is presented that spells out how ND children log into the verb lexicon. They project a target-consistent event tree, depicting the head-of-event of transitions. Young LI children, failing to employ this bootstrapping strategy, resort to radically underspecified event representations. The results from a truth-value judgment experiment with 16 ND and 16 LI children showed that ND children perform correctly on transitional verbs, while LI children perform at chance level on the same tasks. These findings are accounted for by the model of event structural bootstrapping to the extent that LI children lack an explicit representation of the head-of-event.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Detection of herpes simplex virus type 1 in human vestibular nuclei.

The distribution of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in human geniculate, vestibular ganglia, and vestibular nuclei was determined in 10 human temporal bones and brainstems of five individuals by PCR. HSV-1 was found in 3 of 10 of each ganglia and vestibular nuclei. The various patterns of HSV-1 infection of vestibular structures are compatible with virus migration from the vestibular ganglia to the vestibular nuclei and from the ipsilateral to the contralateral vestibular nucleus via commissural fibers.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Collaborative research: a community approach.

Collaborative nursing research is an effective means to increase research productivity. The essentials of collaborative research are contribution, communication, commitment, consensus, compatibility, and a cohesive approach toward a positive outcome. The purpose of the demonstration project was to describe a collaborative process in one community, culminating in a research utilization study and development of nursing standards pertaining to an aggregate population of patients.

Clinical Nursing Research↗
PubMed1999

Distribution of herpes simplex virus type 1 in human geniculate and vestibular ganglia: implications for vestibular neuritis.

Vestibular neuritis is a common cause of partial unilateral vestibular paralysis, which usually spares posterior semicircular canal function. The cause is assumed to be a viral reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in human vestibular ganglia. The existence of an anastomosis between the intermediate nerve and the superior vestibular nerve suggests the question of whether selective affliction of the superior vestibular nerve is the result of migration of HSV-1 from the geniculate ganglion along this faciovestibular anastomosis. We determined the distribution of HSV-1 among geniculate ganglia, vestibular ganglia, and within Scarpa's ganglion by examining 35 human temporal bones by polymerase chain reaction. HSV-1 was found in 66% of geniculate ganglia and 60% of vestibular ganglia; all examined parts of vestibular ganglia were almost equally HSV-1 infected. Our data provided no support for viral migration along this anastomosis or for a preferential latency of HSV-1 in the superior vestibular nerve. We suggest that the common double innervation of the posterior ampulla by two nerves running in two separate bony canals could offer an alternative explanation for the regular sparing of posterior canal function in vestibular neuritis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

High-Resolution Infrared Spectra and Simultaneous Rovibrational Analysis of the nu2, nu3, nu5, and nu6 Bands of H3SiF.

A high-resolution FT infrared spectrum of H3SiF (resolution 0.0024 cm-1) in the region 620-1130 cm-1 was measured and used to analyze the fundamental bands nu2 (A1), 990.851 cm-1; nu3 (A1), 875.011 cm-1; nu5 (E), 962.213 cm-1; and nu6 (E), 729.528 cm-1. A total number of 7241 transition wavenumbers (including 53 perturbation-allowed transitions) with J' </= 49 have been fitted by taking into account various Coriolis interactions, alpha-resonance terms, and l-type interactions between and within the vibrational levels v2 = 1, v3 = 1, v5 = 1, and v6 = 1. The strongest interaction in this system of levels is the x-y Coriolis coupling between the v2 = 1 and v5 = 1 vibrational states. However, it turns out that the x-y and z-type Coriolis interactions also have to be introduced explicitly between the v5 = 1 and v6 = 1 states as well as the x-y Coriolis interactions between v3 = 1 and v5 = 1, and v3 = 1 and v6 = 1 states, in order to fit the data quantitatively. The standard deviation of the fit was varsigma = 8.6 x 10(-5) cm-1 for 7241 transition wavenumbers and 68 fitted parameters. The sign relations between the fitted parameters and the possibility of fitting the parameters in different schemes are discussed. The results have been used to find close coincidences between the frequencies of the CO2 laser lines and the transition wavenumbers of the nu2 and nu5 bands of H3SiF for the main natural isotopomer. We report integrated absorption band strengths which are important for infrared laser chemistry. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Anti-labyrinthine antibodies in a patient with relapsing polychondritis.

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare inflammatory disease that causes destruction of cartilaginous tissue in various anatomical regions. We report here about a 55-year-old female patient with relapsing polychondritis that involved the right auricle, both audiovestibular organs and both eyes. The patient presented with persisting inflammation of the right auricle, sudden lower-frequency hearing loss, acute moderate vertigo with nausea and mild ocular symptoms. Immunofluorescence assays were used for the detection of antibodies against the cochlea and the vestibular organ and demonstrated the presence of circulating antibodies against the audiovestibular organ. No staining for anti-corneal IgG was detected. Improvement of clinical disease was achieved by treatment with systemic steroids and vasodilator drugs, and long-term medication with low-dose corticosteroids.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1999

Impact of overall treatment time on local control of slow growing human GL squamous cell carcinoma in nude mice treated by fractionated irradiation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The impact of overall treatment time of fractionated irradiation on local control of slow growing human GL squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was determined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Moderately well differentiated and keratinizing human GL SCC with a volume doubling time of 8 days were transplanted subcutaneously into the right hindleg of NMRI (nu/nu) mice and irradiated with 30 fractions under ambient conditions over 2, 3, 4.5, 6 and 10 weeks. Endpoint of the experiments was local tumor control at day 180 after end of treatment. RESULTS: The tumor control dose 50% (TCD50) increased from 40 to 57 Gy when the treatment time was extended from 2 to 10 weeks. The data can be well described by a linear increase in TCD50 with time. The recovered dose per day (D(r)) was 0.28 Gy (95% confidence interval 0.06; 0.48). The fit to the data was not significantly improved by assuming a biphasic (dog-leg) time course with constant TCD50 values in the initial part of treatment followed by a more rapid increase of TCD50 thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: D(r) in GL SCC was significantly less than the value of 1.0 Gy (0.7; 1.3) previously reported for poorly differentiated, non-keratinizing and fast growing human FaDu SCC (Baumann M, Liertz C, Baisch H, Wiegel T, Lorenzen J, Arps H. Impact of overall treatment time of fractionated irradiation on local control of human FaDu squamous cell carcinoma in nude mice. Radiother. Oncol. 1994:32:137-143), indicating important heterogeneity of the time factor between different tumors of the same histological type.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1999

Cogan's syndrome: clinical significance of antibodies against the inner ear and cornea.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathological significance of antibodies against cornea and inner ear tissue in the development of audiovestibular and ocular symptoms in patients with Cogan's syndrome (CS). We analysed the serum of 5 CS patients for binding of IgM and IgG to fresh cryosections of rat labyrinth (semicircular canals, ampulla, utricle, saccule) and cornea by indirect immunofluorescence (IF). The predominant pattern of anti-corneal IgM was staining of the superficial cell layer of the non-keratinizing squamous epithelium. IgM against cornea was found in 3 patients, all of whom had bilateral inflammatory eye signs at the start of the disease. However, IgM was also detected in the chronic stage of the disease when no clinical signs of eye involvement were apparent. The study includes the first follow-up examination of anti-corneal IgM and IgG antibodies during a complete episode of active CS. During the first episode of CS in 1 patient, anti-corneal IgM became detectable 1 week after the onset of interstitial keratitis and 3 weeks after the onset of audiovestibular symptoms. It increased over several weeks and then fell to very low levels. However, at no time was anti-corneal IgG found. In the course of follow-up examinations, the serum of 4 patients intermittently contained low titre IgG antibodies against inner ear labyrinthine tissue, but without any clear correlation with the active stages of CS. In addition, high-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) of the inner ear was performed in the acute and chronic stages of CS to evaluate the activity of CS. In the acute stage, HR-MRI revealed abnormal MRI signals in the vestibule, semicircular canals, vestibular nerve, or cochlea. In the chronic stage, patients showed narrowing or occlusion of semicircular canals and the cochlea on the 3D-CISS images, but no high signal lesions (T1) and no enhancement. Antibodies against cornea or labyrinthine tissue were not consistently detected in CS and the level of organ-specific antibodies did not correlate with the activity of the disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Sympathetic contralateral vestibulopathy after unilateral zoster oticus.

A unique case of initially right sided varicella zoster induced Ramsay-Hunt syndrome with complete vestibular loss is reported. The patient subsequently developed deficits of the left vestibule 5 months later. An autoimmune pathogenesis of the left vestibular failure rather than bilateral varicella zoster infection was suggested by the following data: (1) no evidence of vesicular eruptions on the left auricle and the virtual absence of antiviral antibodies after onset of bilateral vestibulopathy; (2) prompt response of the left vestibule to immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids; and (3) presence of atypical nervous tissue specific autoantibodies against a 45 kDa protein.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Multiple correlations and Bonferroni's correction.

Correlation coefficients between biological measurements and clinical scales are often calculated in psychiatric research. Calculating numerous correlations increases the risk of a type I error, i.e., to erroneously conclude the presence of a significant correlation. To avoid this, the level of statistical significance of correlation coefficients should be adjusted. Threshold levels of significance for correlation coefficients were adjusted for multiple comparisons in a set of k correlation coefficients (k = 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100) by Bonferroni's correction. Significant correlation coefficients were then calculated according to sample size. The change in the threshold values of significance is larger when the number of correlations goes from 1 to 5 than when it goes from 50 to 100. A correlation coefficient, statistically significant at 5% when calculated alone, can be under the threshold level of significance when calculated even among a few other coefficients. Focusing on the most relevant variables or the use of multivariate statistics is advocated.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed1998

Highly variable distribution of HSV-1-specific DNA in human geniculate, vestibular and spiral ganglia.

Viral reactivation in temporal ganglia is the suspected cause of Bell's palsy, vestibular neuritis and sudden hearing loss. Since the distribution of latent herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) in geniculate, vestibular and spiral ganglia of individual human temporal bones could have implications for the explanation of isolated as well as combined disorders of these three cranial nerves, we examined these ganglia in 18 human temporal bones of adults by nested polymerase chain reaction. In all of the temporal bones HSV-1 specific DNA was detected: 10/18 (56%) of the geniculate, 11/18 (61%) of the vestibular and 9/18 (50%) of the spiral ganglia samples were positive. All combinations of positive and negative ganglia were found in individual temporal bones at roughly equal frequencies. These data support a viral etiology of all three conditions, especially their occasional combinations.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

High-performance capillary electrophoresis for in-process control in the production of antithrombin III and human clotting factor IX.

Antithrombin III (ATIII) and factor IX (FIX), two proteins from the clotting cascade, were investigated in parallel experiments, using capillary gel electrophoresis and capillary isoelectric focusing. The results from these experiments were compared with the results obtained from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and slab gel isoelectric focusing. In the case of ATIII, capillary gel sieving showed comparable results to SDS-PAGE with the added advantage of the shorter time required for analysis. By optimizing capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF), a separation of the ATIII isoforms was achieved. In the case of FIX, capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CE) of a FIX preparation gave similar results to those obtained by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography and SDS-PAGE, but turned out to be less sensitive in detecting protein impurities at low concentrations. The microheterogeneity of this protein was shown by using cIEF.

Antithrombin III↗
PubMed1998

Size-exclusion chromatography of plasma proteins with high molecular masses.

Two different hydrophilic materials with large pores, Superose 6 and Fractogel EMD BioSec (S), which are designed for size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) of plasma proteins with high molecular masses, are tested for their performance on a preparative scale. The model mixtures are preparations of the clotting factors VIII (FVIII) and IX (FIX). A combination of a Fractogel EMD BioSec (S) column and a Superose 6 column has proved to be particularly effective for separations in a wide molecular size range, from several millions down to about 20,000. Superose 6 showed good results on a small scale as well as on a large scale, even in the molecular mass range over 1,000,000. However, recovery of FVIII clotting activity was less than 70% with this material and therefore not satisfactory. Fractogel did not perform well in terms of separation on a small scale. However, in the case of biopolymers with high molecular masses, separation was improved by using larger columns. With Fractogel, recovery of activity of the two clotting factors FVIII and FIX was satisfactory, above 80%. On a large scale, the active fraction in the clotting factor concentrate was successfully separated from the non-active fraction with either size exclusion (SE) material. In the preparation under investigation, the clotting factor VIII is found in a complex with the von Willebrand factor (vWF). The FVIII-vWF complex has a molecular mass of several millions. It dissociates in the presence of high concentrations of Ca2+ ions. Under such conditions FVIII and vWF were successfully separated with both SEC columns.

Chromatography, Gel↗
PubMed1998

Serum antibodies against membranous labyrinth in patients with "idiopathic" bilateral vestibulopathy.

To investigate the possibility of an autoimmune mechanism in idiopathic bilateral vestibulopathy (IBV), we screened patients' sera for antibodies against inner ear structures. IgG antibodies against membranous labyrinth (ampulla, semicircular canals, saccule and utricle) were detected in 8 of 12 patients by immunofluorescence on rat inner ear cryosections. All but one serum of 22 healthy controls and the sera of 6 patients with known autoimmune disorders showed only background staining. Low-titre anti-nuclear IgM antibodies were present in three control sera and one IBV serum. High-titre anti-nuclear IgM was found in a patient with lupus erythematosus and in one with scleroderma. Anti-nuclear IgM was not organ-specific. No human serum used contained detectable anti-vascular preformed antibodies. Cross-reactivity to sections of liver, kidney, cornea, brain and skeletal muscle was absent. Double-staining for IgG and F-actin, the primary constituent of hair cell cilia, did not show predominant Ig-coating of sensory hair cells. Immunosuppressive therapy in 3 IBV patients did not improve the disorder, probably owing to irreversible loss of sensory and neural structures. These data suggest that the bulk of anti-labyrinthine autoantibodies may be an epiphenomenon, yet a small subgroup of organ-specific autoantibodies may synergize with a cellular response in the development of vestibular lesions.

Autoantibodies↗