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Biomedical subjects

U Schmidt

Publications and source records attributed to U Schmidt.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Fungal infections after bone marrow transplantation--an autopsy study].

This report analyses the frequency, the pattern and the severity of mycotic infection in a necropsy series of 103 bone marrow transplantations. Fungal infection was documented in 33 (32%) of all death cases. The risk of mycotic infection was increased in patients with graft failure and after retransplantation. At post mortem examination, most cases showed invasive fungal infections. The most frequent organ manifestations were the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, the heart and the brain. In 19 of 33 patients (57%), mycotic disease was the primary cause of death. Fungal infections still cause major problems in clinical diagnosis, because there remain cases that will be documented only if post mortem examination is performed.

Aspergillosis↗
PubMed1991

[Results of treatment of compartment syndrome of the upper arm].

Only a small number of cases of compartment syndrome in the upper arm has been reported in the literature. The authors have reviewed 14 patients with 14 cases of compartment syndrome treated at their institution from 1980 to 1988. In the majority of cases in this series, compartment syndrome was caused by blunt, high-energy trauma. There were 9 patients with multiple trauma, 7 of whom were motor cyclists, and fracture of the upper arm was present in most of these. In 5 patients scapulothoracic dissociation with disruption of the neurovascular bundle of the upper extremity concerned was present. In this series, 2 patients died of their injuries and three arms had to be amputated. At final follow-up after an average of 45 months (range 11-91 months) the functional result was dependent mainly on the severity of the associated injuries. Patients with isolated compartment syndrome had full recovery of upper limb function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Compartment syndrome of the forearm].

This paper reviews the etiology, clinical picture, treatment and follow-up in 25 patients treated for a forearm compartment syndrome at the medical school in Hanover. A volar-ulnar and, when indicated, a straight dorsal incision gave adequate decompression in all operatively treated patients. Follow-up examination revealed no damage or deficit that could be related to fasciotomy. Therefore, these results support the concept that operative treatment is widely indicated for forearm compartment syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Compartment syndrome of the hand. Diagnosis, therapy, results, late sequelae].

Ischemic necrosis of the intrinsic muscles of the hand has been known about for decades, as has the resulting local ischemic contracture in the hand. As isolated compartment syndrome of the hand is a rare condition, this term has not yet become established. The etiopathology, diagnosis, therapy and results of treatment in 13 patients treated for compartment syndrome of the hand are presented. At the time of our follow-up study, 3 patients had died and 2 did not attend. In 1 patient the upper limb had meanwhile had to be amputated. Thus, late results were examined in 7 patients, but 2 of these had not recovered any hand function, as they had suffered a brachial plexus lesion on the affected side. In 5 patients the range of motion was unimpaired, but a slight loss of strength persisted in 4 patients and 1 patient complained of moderate paresthesia at the palmar scar. Despite the small number of patients, we feel that these results emphasize the need for early and adequate decompression in the case of compartment syndrome of the hand.

Compartment Syndromes↗
PubMed1991

[Compartment syndrome of the lower leg. Long-term results].

An analysis of 134 surgically treated compartment syndromes of the lower leg was combined with a long-term follow-up concerning late sequelae. Direct trauma including simple closed as well as severely comminuted open fractures of the tibia and fibula were predisposing factors for the development of a compartment syndrome. Clinical symptoms led to the correct diagnosis, supported by intracompartmental pressure measurements. A unilateral parafibular dermatofasciotomy involving opening all four compartments was the therapy of choice. Fifty-nine per cent of the patients had no late sequelae at the 4.2 year follow-up. 12% poor results were characterized by loss of function and neurological deficits. This group included 8 amputations above the knee due to ischemic/infectious muscle necrosis. The time interval between trauma and operation was found to be the main contributing factor to the poor results, with a delay of 23 h due to secondary referral of the patients. Fasciotomy per se showed only minimal morbidity and is strongly recommended as an emergency procedure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A self-splicing group II intron in the mitochondrial large subunit rRNA (LSUrRNA) gene of the eukaryotic alga Scenedesmus obliquus.

The DNA sequence has been determined of the 3' terminus from the mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSUrRNA) gene of the eukaryotic green alga Scenedesmus obliquus (strain KS3/2). The gene contains two intervening sequences with characteristic sequence motifs of group II and group I introns respectively. The exon/intron boundaries of the introns have been revealed by sequence determination of the mature rRNA. During RNA processing of the precursor RNA, several abundant RNA molecules are stably maintained in addition to the mature rRNA in vivo. In vitro transcripts of the LSUrRNA gene containing the group II intron (608 bp) display a strong 'self-splicing' activity under high salt conditions. The 608 bp intron is the first group II intron reported to be integrated into a LSUrRNA gene and represents the smallest self-splicing group II intron from eukaryotic organelles so far described.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Self-splicing of the mobile group II intron of the filamentous fungus Podospora anserina (COI I1) in vitro.

The first intron of the mitochondrial gene coding for cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI I1) of Podospora anserina can undergo self-splicing in vitro at high concentrations of NH4Cl or KCl. Under these conditions cleavage at the 5' splice junction takes place without branch formation probably via hydrolysis by water or OH- and the intron is released in a linear form. In vitro transcripts that contain mutated introns with large deletions in nonconserved domain IV comprising greater than 50% of the intronic sequence display a more efficient splicing reaction and, surprisingly, 5' cleavage via transesterification and lariat formation is re-established to a low degree under NH4Cl. In contrast to the self-splicing group II introns aI5 gamma and bI1 from yeast mitochondria cleavage at the 3' splice site of the Podospora intron is reduced and cleavage by hydrolysis in trans (i.e. exon reopening) is almost completely suppressed. Both observations could be interpreted as a result of unfavourable spatial conformations of the intron that (i) lead to a steric hindrance of the 5' exon to attack the 3' splice site in cis and (ii) block intron-dependent cleavage reaction of the ligated exons in trans. Alternatively, the possibility that a weak overall interaction of the postulated exon- with the corresponding intron-binding sites (EBS-IBS pairings) is responsible for the remarkable differences to the self-splicing reaction of other group II introns is discussed.

Ascomycota↗
PubMed1990

Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia: a case report.

We present a case of acute megakaryoblastic leukemia identified by electron microscopy and platelet-specific antibodies. The histological examination of bone marrow showed distinct myelofibrosis. In accordance with recent communications, low-dose cytosine arabinoside treatment (20 mg twice daily s.c. over 21 days) was initiated. The subsequent bone marrow examination showed a severe hypoplasia with persistent blasts. Amsacrine and VP-16 were given without success. Finally the patient died of septicemia without proof of pathogen uninfluenced by antibiotic and antiseptic therapy 6 weeks after diagnosis. Our case report confirms the poor prognosis of acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1990

Changes in mitotic rate and cell cycle fractions caused by delayed fixation.

The mitosis frequency and flow cytometric data of malignant neoplasms are important, both for diagnosis and for prognosis. It is unclear to what extent these factors are affected by a delay in the fixation of tumor biopsies. We have thus studied the mitotic activity and DNA content in human soft-tissue sarcoma xenotransplants, fixed for periods of 5 minutes and 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours after biopsy. On average, the mitoses counted by two observers were 13% and 10% below initial values after 3 hours, and decreased by 46% and 39% after 12 hours. The mitosis decrease was related to the degree of mitotic activity of individual tumors, and was minimal in the sarcomas with the lowest mitotic rate. These results were reproducible. However, numerous pyknotic mitotic figures were observed, so the decrease in counts is largely due to their reduced identifiability, and only partly attributable to a completion of the cell cycle. Well-preserved mitotic figures demonstrable after 12 hours appear to indicate that the proliferation activity only gradually decreases in unfixed biopsies. The flow cytometric data did not change substantially; only a slight increase in the G2 + M-phase fraction was observed. General conclusions from the results are limited by the fact that the investigated sarcomas had a higher mitotic activity than most carcinomas. Nevertheless, early fixation of biopsies is desirable to accurately measure mitosis counts for the grading of malignancy.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

Paradoxical sleep-promoting effects of brain extract from paradoxical sleep-deprived rats.

Brain extract was obtained from whole brains of donor rats following four days of paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD). Intraperitoneal injection of this brain extract in normal (i.e., not pretreated) recipient rats led to a significant increase of paradoxical sleep (PS) which was beginning at the third hour postinjection and still present on the day after treatment. Both PS episode number and PS episode duration were increased by the PSD extract, whereas slow-wave sleep was not influenced. Brain extract of nondeprived control rats, on the other hand, had no significant effects. In the present experiments, an extract volume obtained from two donor brains was transferred to one recipient. Compared to our earlier investigations (one donor brain/one recipient) this higher "dose" of PSD extract exerted a more pronounced and prolonged effect. These results support the idea that some PS-inducing factor(s) accumulating in the brain during PS deprivation may be involved in the regulation of paradoxical sleep.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Vitreoretinal dirofilariasis].

The present paper reports on a 41-year-old patient who complained of moving shadows and impaired vision after vacations in southern Europe and central Africa. On ophthalmoscopic examination the cause was found to be an extremely agile worm, whitish, as thin as an end-artery, and approx. 6 mm long, in front of the macula and later in the vitreous. Following treatment with Hetrazan (diethylcarbamazine) and Mintizol (thiabendazole) the worm could no longer be detected. On the basis of morphologic and chemical studies normal helminth worms were ruled out, as were human filariae. It may be assumed with reasonable confidence that the worm observed was an animal parasite of the genus Dirofilaria.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of traditional oriental soy products on iron absorption.

The effect of a variety of traditional oriental unfermented and fermented soy products on iron absorption was evaluated in 242 Indian women. When compared with a soy-flour meal containing an equal amount of protein, iron absorption was found to be significantly improved with silken tofu, natto, tempeh, rice miso, barley miso, and soybean miso. This improvement could not be adequately explained except with reference to changes in the protein composition of the products. The protein fraction profiles of the soy products were obtained by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography. An inverse relationship between food iron absorption and the high-molecular-weight fraction of the soy products was demonstrated (r = 0.66, p = 0.01). However, anomalous results obtained with three products (sufu, tempeh, and fully hydrolyzed isolated soy protein) did not make it possible to reach firm conclusions concerning the effect of the protein fraction of soy on iron bioavailability.

Biological Availability↗
PubMed1990

[Unilateral iritis by cysticercal larva in the anterior chamber].

An 8-year-old girl complained of progressive pain, visual loss and photophobia in her right eye for 1 week. Treatment with local steroids for acute iritis had not been successful. Slitlamp examination revealed a marked cellular and fibrinous inflammatory reaction of the anterior chamber and a whitish, fibrin-like structure on the surface of the iris. There was mild serum eosinophilia and leucocytosis. The suspected organic material was removed surgically. By light and electron microscopy, parts of the wall of a helminthic parasite were discovered, anatomically consistent with the diagnosis of an immature stage of Taenia solium found in cysticercosis. Such cases of intra-ocular parasitosis are described very rarely but might still occur, although there is no history of suspicious typical exposition to parasites. It is important to know that eosinophilia may be insignificant or even absent and that complete surgical removal will be the only successful treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[The content of Hb and the hematocrit value in blood and the total proteins, urea, glucose, free fatty acids, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Pa, Fe, Fe-binding capacity, Cu and Zn in the blood plasma of Warmblood horses during feeding with oat-hay or barley-hay rations over a period of 9 months].

4 horses (Group A) received an oat-hay ration, through 9 months running, while 3 horses (Group B) were fed a barley-hay ration over the same period of time. Blood samples were collected and examined in 4-week intervals. All values considered, no differences were found to exist between the 2 groups with regard to Hb and haematocrit in blood as well as to protein, glucose, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron fixation capacity, copper, and zinc in blood plasma. The urea level in plasma of Group A was higher than that in Group B, values being 5.76 +/- 0.64 mmol/l and 5.14 +/- 0.72 mmol/l. The same applied to free fatty acids, values being 150 +/- 83 mumols/l in Group A and 95 +/- 42 mumols/l in Group B. Calcium was 3.10 +/- 0.27 mmol/l in Group A and 2.92 +/- 0.26 mmol/l in Group B, while the A-B difference in inorganic phosphorus amounted to 1.62 +/- 0.65 against 1.99 +/- 0.77 mmol/l. Group A was inferior to Group B also with regard to iron in plasma, values being 28.6 +/- 2.42 mumols/l against 32.8 +/- 4.62 mumol/l. Causes underlying these differences are discussed in some detail.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1990

[The content of Hb in blood and the protein, Fe, Fe-binding capacity, Cu and Zn in blood plasma of low parity sows before and after oral iron administration].

In investigations of 51 pregnant sows, blood Hb levels above 7.45 mmol/l (mean value of 8.94 +/- 0.88) were recorded from 43 animals (Group A), while levels below that margin were recorded from eight (Group B) (mean value of 6.73 +/- 0.31). Iron levels in blood plasma of Group A were 36.9 +/- 8.07 and were thus higher (p less than 0.01) than those in Group B (28.9 +/- 5.19 mumol/l). No difference was found to exist between the two groups with regard to iron fixation capacity as well as copper and zinc in blood plasma. Oral uptake of 50, 500 or 2,000 mg of iron in the form of FeSO4.7H2O with cereal shred as morning ration by 17 or 15 sows failed to cause any increase in blood plasma iron levels, within 360 minutes from uptake. Literature data as well as the results of these analyses have supported the recommendation that Hb variations between 4.96 and 9.93 mmol/l (8-16 g/dl) should be rated as physiological in the blood of pregnant sows. The GDR Standard TGL 35,423 on "Monitoring of Metabolism on Pig Breeding and Fattening Units" should be accordingly amended.

Animals↗