Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Braun

Publications and source records attributed to S Braun.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Stimulating effects of prednisolone on acetylcholine receptor expression and myogenesis in primary culture of newborn rat muscle cells.

Prednisolone at concentrations of 10(-5) to 10(-8) mol/l, added to 3-day (day D + 2) tissue cultures of newborn rat myogenic cells at the time myoblasts are beginning to fuse, increases the level of myotube acetylcholine receptor expression at the 8th day (day D + 7) of culture. This effect is associated with increases in the number and size of the formed myotubes, not with a changed affinity of the receptor for its ligand, and is very probably mediated by one or more extracellular proteins the synthesis of which is induced early by the presence of prednisolone.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effect of ambient ozone and acid mist on aphid development.

The effect of ambient air with increased ozone concentrations and artificial acid mist on the population growth of two different aphid species was studied: Aphis fabae on Phaseolus vulgaris and Phyllaphis fagi on seedings of Fagus sylvatica. Whereas the ambient air inhibited growth of Aphis fabae, it stimulated population growth of Phyllaphis fagi. In Fagus, analysis of a phloem exudate revealed that the amino acid/sugar ratio was significantly increased by the ambient air compared to filtered air. In Phaseolus, no significant differences in amino acid or sugar content of the phloem exudate could be found. Acid mist inhibited population development in both aphid species; the strongest effect was observed in the first weeks after artificial infestation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

[Cerebral achromatopsia (symptoms, course, differential diagnosis and examination strategy). II].

To the patient, the sudden onset of cerebral achromatopsia is like switching to black and white on a color TV. As a rule, the defect arises due to bilateral ischemic infarction in the inferior occipitotemporal region. Bilateral upper homonymous quadrantanopsias usually leave the macula more or less unimpaired, so that visual acuity is largely preserved. Prosopagnosia and loss of topographic memory are often associated with central achromatopsia. Investigations of color vision must include color-naming procedures and large-field tests in addition to the conventional methods. Color-naming tasks are indispensable in differentiating cerebral achromatopsia from the aphasic and disconnective types of color anomia. The authors' recommended strategy for investigating color vision relies on records of a case of cerebral achromatopsia obtained six months and two years, respectively, after the onset of symptoms. In addition to the above-mentioned procedures, spectral increment thresholds on white and colored backgrounds were determined. For the first time in cerebral achromatopsia, examinations with large-field spectral matches were performed using the projection anomaloscope. Large-field tests are indispensable for monitoring recovery in cases of central achromatopsia. In the author's patient, recovery of blue-green discrimination was far more complete than that of red-yellow-green discrimination, and for both conditions large-field color vision was far superior to small-field.

Anomia↗
PubMed1989

Impaired left ventricular functional reserve in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.

To determine whether patients with hypertension and especially those with left ventricular hypertrophy have subtle changes in cardiac function, we measured the increase in left ventricular ejection fraction and in systolic blood pressure to end-systolic volume index ratio with exercise in 40 hypertensive patients and 16 age-matched normotensive volunteers. Twenty-two hypertensive patients without hypertrophy had normal end-systolic wall stress at rest and exercise responses. In contrast, the 18 patients with echocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy demonstrated a significant increase in end-systolic wall stress at rest compared with normal subjects (69 +/- 16 vs. 55 +/- 15 10(3) x dyne/cm2, p less than 0.05) despite having normal resting left ventricular size and ejection fraction. In patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, the increase in ejection fraction with exercise was less than in the normotensive control subjects (7 +/- 7 vs. 12 +/- 8 units, p less than 0.05), and delta systolic blood pressure to end-systolic volume with exercise was reduced (3.3 +/- 3.8 vs. 8.3 +/- 7.7 mm Hg/ml/m2, p less than 0.05). The hypertensive patients with hypertrophy displayed a shift downward and to the right in the relation between systolic blood pressure to end-systolic volume ratio and end-systolic wall stress compared with control subjects and hypertensive patients without left ventricular hypertrophy. Thus, hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy by echocardiography and normal resting ejection fraction exhibit abnormal ventricular functional responses to exercise. This finding may have implications in identifying patients at higher risk for developing heart failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Allogenic bone marrow transplantation: report of 3 cases in Chile].

Three patients, a 28 years old female (case 1), and two males aged 32 and 18 (cases 2 and 3) received allogeneic bone marrow transplants for acute non lymphatic leukemia (cases 1 and 2) and severe aplastic anemia (case 3) from HLA identical siblings. All patients were conditioned with Busulfan and Cyclophosphamide, and received GVHD prophylaxis with cyclosporin and steroids. Disease free survival is greater than 232, greater than 50 and greater than 201 days. Hematological reconstitution was detected 12, 13 and 10 days post transplant. All patients presented fever during the first month and received broad spectrum antibiotics including amphotericin in case 3. Acute GVHD presented in case 3 and chronic GVDH in case 1. Both patients responded to higher doses of cyclosporine and steroids. Allogeneic bone marrow transplant is a complex and expensive therapy, but can benefit a selected group of patients who fare poorly with conventional therapy. This report communicates the first three successful allogeneic bone marrow transplants performed in Chile.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Value of 2-dimensional echocardiography in infective endocarditis].

We analyzed the two dimensional echocardiograms (2D echo) of 41 patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The diagnosis of endocarditis was based on typical clinical findings, positive blood cultures or anatomical findings at operation or necropsy. Age ranged from 21 to 73 years. Endocarditis was localized in a native valve in 30 patients (aortic 18, mitral 11 and tricuspid 1), a biologic prosthesis in 9 (mitral 4, aortic 4, unknown 1) and a mechanical valve in 4 (aortic 3, mitral 1). The echocardiogram showed vegetations, valve rupture or abscess in 83% of IE in native valves, 56% of IE in biologic prosthesis and 25% of IE in mechanical valves (p less than 0.05, native vs prosthetic valves). The sensitivity of 2D echo was studied in 27 subjects with known anatomical findings. It was 79% for vegetations (mitral 91%, aortic 72%, NS), 53% for valve rupture (mitral 83%, aortic 33%, p less than 0.05) and 70% for abscess. Specificity was over 89% for all lesions. Systemic embolism occurred in 41% of patients with vegetations and in 25% of those without (p = 0.07).

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Mechanism of action of glucocorticoids: role of lipocortins].

Glucocorticoids have long been used for their antiinflammatory properties, but the mechanism of this antiinflammatory effect has only recently been clarified. It involves 3 steps: 1. activation of a cytoplasmic receptor following binding of the glucocorticoid; 2. binding of the activated receptor at a specific site on nuclear DNA; 3. synthesis of one or more specific lipocortin proteins. The lipocortins inhibit phospholipase A2, one of the first links in the arachidonic cascade and a principal agent in the inflammatory reaction. Other therapeutic effects of the glucocorticoids, such as immunosuppression and regulation of cellular growth and differentiation, seem to involve a similar mechanism: effect on a cellular receptor, then on the genome, and transcription leading to the synthesis of specific proteins. But are these proteins that are synthetized, different, or are they derivatives of the same family, the lipocortins, the properties of which might be modulated according to the nature of the target cell and the pathological conditions?

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Surgery of evolving myocardial infarction].

Limitation of infarct size has been proven to improve the prognosis in patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI). Emergency coronary bypass surgery may be used for this aim. We operated on 44 such patients within 15 days of onset of MI. Operation was done within 6 hr in 11 patients and later on in the other 33, due to post infarction angina or incomplete MI. One patient died in the perioperative period. Thirty nine patients were followed at a mean of 33 months: 2 have angina, one dyspnea and the rest is asymptomatic. We believe that bypass surgery is an effective treatment in selected patients with recent MI.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of nalbuphine hydrochloride versus morphine sulfate for acute myocardial infarction with elevated pulmonary artery wedge pressure.

The hemodynamic and respiratory effects of intravenous nalbuphine hydrochloride and morphine sulfate were compared in a randomized fashion in 20 patients (age 65 +/- 11 years) with acute myocardial infarction and elevated pulmonary artery wedge pressure. Titration of the nalbuphine dose to lower pulmonary artery wedge pressure by greater than or equal to 25% resulted in a decrease of this parameter from 22 +/- 3 to 15 +/- 4 mm Hg, and was associated with a reduction in heart rate from 106 +/- 20 to 96 +/- 19 beats/min (p less than 0.05) and decreases in mean blood pressure (78 +/- 8 to 70 +/- 12 mm Hg, p less than 0.05) and mean pulmonary artery pressure (31 +/- 4 to 22 +/- 5 mm Hg, p less than 0.05), without any remarkable change seen in cardiac index (2.21 +/- 0.43 to 2.22 +/- 0.50 liter/min/m2, difference not significant), stroke volume index (22 +/- 7 to 23 +/- 4 ml/m2, difference not significant), stroke work index (17 +/- 7 to 18 +/- 7 g.m/m2), or systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances (1,675 +/- 333 to 1,513 +/- 508 and 191 +/- 78 to 170 +/- 109 dynes.s.cm-5 respectively, all differences not significant). Nalbuphine also significantly reduced respiratory rate (32 +/- 8 to 26 +/- 8 resp/min, p less than 0.05) and pH (7.45 +/- 0.04 to 7.41 +/- 0.03, p less than 0.05) and increased arterial PCO2 (32 +/- 6 to 35 +/- 6 mm Hg, p less than 0.05) without any major change in arterial PO2 (63 +/- 13 to 66 +/- 17 mm Hg, difference not significant).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Rat interferon enhances the expression of acetylcholine receptors in rat myotubes in culture.

Interferon enhances alpha-bungarotoxin binding on 5-day-old rat myotubes. The increase is time- and dose-dependent. KD for alpha-bungarotoxin remains unchanged in the presence and in the absence of interferon, while the maximum number of binding sites is dramatically affected by interferon. Cycloheximide inhibits the effect of interferon, which suggests that the enhancement of alpha-bungarotoxin binding depends on protein synthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

A double-blind comparative study of doxazosin and nitrendipine in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension.

The antihypertensive efficacy and safety of doxazosin, a selective alpha 1-inhibitor, were compared with nitrendipine. Seventy-two hypertensive patients were entered into the 18-week, double-blind parallel group study, which involved three phases: a 4-week baseline period, a 10-week period in which patients received 1 to 8 mg of doxazosin or 10 and 20 mg of nitrendipine once daily, and a 4-week maintenance period. For all patients, the mean final daily doses were 2.5 mg for doxazosin and 13.9 mg for nitrendipine. In efficacy evaluable patients the percentages of therapy successes (standing diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 90 mm Hg with greater than or equal to 5 mm Hg reduction or greater than or equal to 10 mm Hg decrease) were comparable for doxazosin (94%) and nitrendipine (91%), as was the proportion in whom blood pressure was "normalized" (standing diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 90 mm Hg), 91% and 85, respectively. Blood pressures (diastolic and systolic in supine and standing positions) were significantly reduced (p less than 0.05) at all visits in both treatment groups. Ten patients (28%) in each treatment group experienced at least one adverse event. No clinically significant laboratory changes were apparent in either the doxazosin or nitrendipine groups, and no trends were observed with regard to organ systems or correlations with dose or duration of treatments. The investigators' global assessment of efficacy was rated excellent or good for all doxazosin-treated patients and excellent or good for 32 and fair for four in the nitrendipine group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed1988

[Cerebral achromatopsia (symptoms, course, differential diagnosis and strategy of the study). I].

To the patient, the sudden onset of cerebral achromatopsia is like switching to black and white on a color TV. As a rule, the defect arises due to bilateral ischemic infarction in the inferior occipitotemporal region. Bilateral upper homonymous quadrantanopsias usually leave the macula more or less unimpaired, so that visual acuity is largely preserved. Prosopagnosia and loss of topographic memory are often associated with central achromatopsia. Investigations of color vision must include color-naming procedures and largefield tests in addition to the conventional methods. Color-naming tasks are indispensable in differentiating cerebral achromatopsia from the aphasic and disconnective types of color anomia. The authors' recommended strategy for investigating color vision relies on records of a case of cerebral achromatopsia obtained six months and two years, respectively, after the onset of symptoms. In addition to the above-mentioned procedures, spectral increment thresholds on white and colored backgrounds were determined. For the first time in cerebral achromatopsia, examinations with large-field spectral matches were performed using the projection anomaloscope. Large-field tests are indispensable for monitoring recovery in cases of central achromatopsia. In the author's patient, recovery of blue-green discrimination was far more complete than that of red-yellow-green discrimination, and for both conditions large-field color vision was far superior to small-field.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Work and depression among women in the Federal Republic of Germany.

A study was carried out to test the association between workplace stress and depression among working women and men in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The data are from the 1984 German national health survey. The sample (N = 795) was composed of 319 working women and 476 working men. The hypothesis tested was that depression is related to high job demands and low job decision latitude. Correlation and multiple regression analyses supported the hypothesis for both women and men. However, the mean level of decision latitude was lower for women than men, as was the level of job demands. The mean depression score was higher for women, and correlations between depression and high job demands/low decision latitude were stronger for women than men. It was concluded that low decision latitude combined with high job demands, a condition experienced frequently by working women, contributes to depression among working women in the FRG. Study findings shed light on the health of employed women in the FRG and may also have implications for working women in other Western industrialized countries.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1988

Sex hormones modulate the response of pulmonary perivascular inflammation to cyclophosphamide therapy in MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr mice.

Responses of pulmonary perivascular infiltrates to immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide (CY) were evaluated in the MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr (MRL/1) mouse, a model for the study of systemic lupus erythematosus. Male and female mice were divided into the following groups: controls injected with saline; intact mice receiving CY; castrated CY-treated mice; castrated, hormone implanted, CY-treated mice. CY treatment began at 30 days of age and animals were killed at 60 days of age. Lungs were fixed-inflated to 26 cm H2O pressure with glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde fixative. The pulmonary perivascular response to immunosuppressive therapy was graded depending on the extent of infiltrates surrounding 15 pulmonary vessels per animal. Intact males treated with CY alone had almost complete clearing of perivascular infiltrates, whereas intact females did not respond to therapy. Castrated CY-treated males showed a decreased response to CY compared to intact CY-treated males. Castrated, estradiol-implanted males had no response to CY therapy. Estradiol interfered with the therapeutic response to CY in male MRL/1 mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Thyroglobulin and 131I uptake of remaining tissue in patients with differentiated carcinoma after thyroidectomy.

In 158 thyroidectomized patients with well-differentiated non-metastatic thyroid cancer the results of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) determination and 131I uptake values established immediately before radioiodine treatment (19 days after surgery) were compared. In 113 patients (72%) Tg was above 6 ng ml-1 (lower limit of detection) and 131I uptake exceeded 2%. In 11 patients (7%) Tg was undetectable and 131I uptake less than 2%. In these cases a radioiodine treatment was not performed; the thyroid ablation was achieved by surgery only. In 34 patients (21%) with undetectable Tg, 131I uptake values, however, varied between 3 and 46% (mean value: 9.6%). Only in 4 of these 34 patients was TSH not maximally (50 microU ml-1) stimulated because of a shorter (9, 10, 11, 13 days) period from thyroidectomy. In conclusion, remaining thyroid tissue, highly stimulated by TSH, can trap a remarkable amount of radioiodine, but may be unable to produce detectable amounts of Tg. Therefore, in contrast to 131I, measuring Tg is insufficient to document the success of thyroid ablation. For the first follow-up study after ablative therapy, the uptake test with radioiodine is mandatory.

Adenocarcinoma↗