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Biomedical subjects

R Kellner

Publications and source records attributed to R Kellner.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of target antigens from anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in autoimmune hepatitis type-I.

The occurrence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) has been described in sera of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The significance of this finding remains uncertain and the nature of the target antigen(s) has not yet been defined. We studied 32 sera from patients with AIH type-I and prepared extracts of human neutrophils to identify the target antigen(s). A 43 kDa dominant immunoreactive protein was found and identified as the cytoskeletal component actin. Initial studies to define the antigenic determinants identified three different actin domains.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Proteomics. Concepts and perspectives.

Within the last five years the field of proteomics has changed the understanding of molecular biology. Proteins manifest physiological as well as pathophysiological processes in a cell or an organism, and proteomics describes the complete protein inventory in dependence on in vivo parameters. Disease mechanism or drug effects both affect a protein profile and, vice versa, characterising protein profiles reveals information for the understanding of disease and therapy. Analytical methods for proteomics are based on conventional tools for protein characterisation. The technical challenge is the complete coverage of physico-chemical properties for thousands of proteins. Nucleic acids display a relative chemical homogeneity and therefore genomics was considered more promising in the past than proteomics. Further improvements in proteomics technologies will likely change this course with proteomics complementing genomics as a tool to study life sciences.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The phenomenology of panic attacks in panic disorder with and without agoraphobia.

The frequency of symptoms during panic attacks and anticipation of the panic consequences were compared in patients with the subtypes of panic disorder (PD). Patients with moderate and severe agoraphobic avoidance reported that they had experienced more symptoms than patients with an uncomplicated PD (without agoraphobia [AG]); they also experienced almost all of the symptoms more frequently, with the difference being significant for a quarter of the examined panic symptoms. Panic patients with moderate and severe AG were also significantly more concerned about the loss of control and social and physical consequences of panic attacks. Taken together, these findings suggest that the severity of panic attacks, defined as the number of panic symptoms, along with a variety of anticipatory fears about the consequences of the attacks may contribute to the development of AG in panic patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypochondriacal fears and beliefs in DSM-III melancholia. Changes with amitriptyline.

The authors administered the Illness Attitude Scales, which identify hypochondriacal patients, to 20 nonpsychotic inpatients with DSM-III diagnosis of melancholia before and after 4 weeks of treatment with amitriptyline, and to a matched group of normals. Before treatment characteristic hypochondriacal responses occurred in over one-third of melancholics whereas after treatment the number was the same as in normals. The findings are in accord with the clinical observation that melancholia is one of the causes of hypochondriacal fears and beliefs and these tend to remit with recovery from depression.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rating depression in normals and depressives: observer versus self-rating scales.

Different methods of assessing depression and anxiety were tested in 20 patients suffering from a major depressive disorder with melancholia and 20 matched control subjects. Depressives were assessed before and after treatment with amitriptyline and normals were retested at the same interval. The scales used were: Paykel's Clinical Interview for Depression--which is an expanded version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; the Brief Depression Rating Scale; and Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). All scales discriminated sensitively between patients and normals and the scores changed substantially with treatment. Except for the well-being subscales of the SQ, the scales showed an adequate test-retest reliability in normals. Although all scales were suitable for the measurement of depression, they differed in psychometric properties. For example, the Depression subscale of the SQ showed an unusually high test-retest reliability in normals, whereas the Contentment subscale was unreliable. Yet, the latter has been found to be highly sensitive in detecting differences between the effects of psychotropic drugs and placebo in drug trials, so it appears to measure sensitively a fleeting mood. The combined use of all three scales in patients with affective disorders yields information that might not be revealed if only one scale is used.

Adult↗