Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Segal.
A case of acute "acromegalic dyspnea" due to vocal cord fixation and subglottic mucosal hypertrophy is reported. The patient was treated by intubation, tracheostomy, stereotactic implantation of radioisotopes 192Ir and 198Au via the transsphenoidal route.
In studies on the membranlytic action of various saponins on mycelium of Botrytis cinerea and Rhizoctonia solani digitonin, alpha-hederin and tomatin caused considerable leakage of free amino acids, while aescin and theasaponin were less effective. Cyclamin significantly damaged cell membranes of R. solani, but did not change the selective permeability of B. cinerea. Cell membrane disruption was accompanied by an enzymatic conversion of saponins into their corresponding aglycones in cell membrane vicinity, an effect which was significantly inhibited by aldonolactones, known inhibitors of beta-glycosidases. These results lead to the conclusion that the hardly water soluble aglycones are the active part of the saponin molecules, the saponins themselves being only water soluble transport forms. It follows, that the presence of appropriate glycosidases in cell membranes, capable of converting saponins into their aglycones, is a prerequisite for the membranlytic action of saponins. The similarity of the membranlytic effects of saponins towards fungi and erythrocytes is descussed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The effect of insulin upon the lipid content, and the number and size of fat cells in the epididymal, retroperitoneal, and subcutaneous adipose tissue of a large number of rats were examined. Insulin administration began either in early life (birth, 1, or 3 wk of age) or during adulthood (age 10 wk). At different times during growth, groups of treated and control animals were killed and the size and number of fat cells in each of the three adipose depots were determined. Insulin-treated animals gained weight at an increased rate and had fatter epididymal, retroperitoneal, and subcutaneous adipose depots than untreated controls. In each site the expanded adipose tissue was accompanied by an increase in the lipid content per cell (cell size), but in no case was there an increase in the number of adipose cells. This was the case regardless of whether insulin treatment was initiated before weaning (birth, 1 wk of age), at weaning (3 wk), or post weaning (10 wk) and irrespective of the duration of the insulin treatment.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Essential oil from Achillea fragrantissima exerted a bactericidic effect on several gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains, as well as on Candida albicans. The oil was fractionated on sillica gel columns by a gradient of ether in petrol ether (30 degrees C-40 degrees C). Two fractions which contained less polar compounds were active against C. albicans only. The fractions which contained more polar compounds inhibited the growth of all the microorganisms tested. One of these compounds was identified as terpinen-4-ol. Commercial terpinen-4-ol had a similar antimicrobial activity.
The purpose of this study was to determine the cost of managing ambulatory patients with symptoms of acid peptic disorders in a managed-care organization under actual clinical conditions. Study data were collected in a large independent practice association model health maintenance organization in Gainesville, Florida, from prescription records maintained in a computerized database and from patient medical records. Patients had to be started on a histamine2-receptor antagonist (H2RA) or the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole between 1992 and 1994. A total of 113 patients qualified for inclusion in the study; 57 received H2RAs, 27 received omeprazole, and 29 received combination therapy. The costs of procedures, physician visits, and drug therapy were considered in the economic evaluation. Costs were evaluated using two methods: the capitation total cost (CTC) and the fee-for-service total cost (FSTC). The mean CTC and FSTC for managing a patient with acid peptic symptoms for 6 months were $382 +/- 356 (range, $14 to $1820) and $456 +/- 368 (range, $52 to $1925), respectively. Drug costs represented 52% of the total FSTC and 62% of the total CTC. Drug costs were followed by the costs for encounters with primary care physicians, endoscopy, referral to specialists, and upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract procedures. Documented outcomes were available for 85 patients. Compared with patients receiving H2RAs (n = 41), patients receiving omeprazole (n = 18) had significantly lower FSTCs ($317 +/- 219 compared with $423 +/- 307, respectively); diagnostic testing costs (for endoscopy, $0 compared with $44 +/- 119, respectively; for UGI procedures, $22 +/- 42 compared with $55 +/- 54, respectively); physician encounter costs ($66 +/- 40 compared with $86 +/- 38, respectively); and referral to specialist costs ($0 compared with $18 +/- 60, respectively). Patients receiving omeprazole also had more positive clinical outcomes than patients receiving H2RAs (78% compared with 49%, respectively), resulting in a more favorable cost of producing a successful outcome compared with patients receiving an H2RA. The cost of success was $407 for patients treated with omeprazole compared with $869 for patients treated with H2RAs. The findings of this analysis conducted under actual clinical conditions support findings of randomized clinical trials showing the cost-effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors.