PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Spies

Publications and source records attributed to A Spies.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Sensate radial forearm free flaps in tongue reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Successful rehabilitation after ablative surgery requires not only the reconstruction of 3-dimensional form but also the restoration of physiologic function. OBJECTIVE: To assess sensory recovery of reinnervated radial forearm flaps used for tongue reconstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventeen patients, who underwent reconstruction of glossectomy defects with reinnervated radial forearm free flaps, formed the study group. Recovery of sensation was measured by both subjective and detailed objective tests 8 months after surgery. Sensory function of the flap was compared with that of the normal residual tongue or the adjacent oral mucosa and the contralateral forearm donor site. RESULTS: All patients involved in this study had tongue defects of hemiglossectomy or greater and adjacent floor of the mouth. Sensory recovery was observed in all of the 17 patients within 8 months. Detailed sensory testing showed that median static 2-point discrimination, moving 2-point discrimination, and pressure sensitivity (1.2 cm, 0.8 cm, and 3.7 psi, respectively) were subjectively greater in the innervated forearm flaps than in the contralateral forearm donor site (2.3 cm, 1.7 cm, and 4.6 psi, respectively) (P= .064) and similar to those of the normal tongue (0.9 cm, 0.5 cm, and 3.6 psi). CONCLUSIONS: In all modalities examined, sensate free flaps proved superior in sensory fidelity to the native forearm donor site and closely approached that of the normal tongue. Microsurgical reinnervation of flaps should be considered in tongue reconstruction.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Postpartum proptosis with ophthalmopathy.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum thyroid disease presents in two forms: postpartum thyroiditis (PPT) and postpartum Graves' disease (PPGD). CASE REPORT: A case of postpartum thyroid dysfunction with ophthalmopathy is presented. DISCUSSION: In women diagnosed with Graves' disease during the ages of 20 to 35 years, 66% have a postpartum onset; women with a previous history of Graves' disease frequently relapse in the postpartum period. Additionally, up to 25 to 30% of postpartum women can develop permanent hypothyroidism from postpartum thyroiditis. The signs and symptoms of PPT and PPGD may be indefinite after delivery and often go undiagnosed. Because complications can be significant and may become irreversible, proper diagnosis and timely treatment is important.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A subunit interaction in chloroplast ATP synthase determined by genetic complementation between chloroplast and bacterial ATP synthase genes.

F1F0-ATP synthases utilize protein conformational changes induced by a transmembrane proton gradient to synthesize ATP. The allosteric cooperativity of these multisubunit enzymes presumably requires numerous protein-protein interactions within the enzyme complex. To correlate known in vitro changes in subunit structure with in vivo allosteric interactions, we introduced the beta subunit of spinach chloroplast coupling factor 1 ATP into a bacterial F1 ATP synthase. A cloned atpB gene, encoding the complete chloroplast beta subunit, complemented a chromosomal deletion of the cognate uncD gene in Escherichia coli and was incorporated into a functional hybrid F1 ATP synthase. The cysteine residue at position 63 in chloroplast beta is known to be located at the interface between alpha and beta subunits and to be conformationally coupled, in vitro, to the nucleotide binding site > 40 A away. Enlarging the side chain of chloroplast coupling factor 1 beta residue 63 from Cys to Trp blocked ATP synthesis in vivo without significantly impairing ATPase activity or ADP binding in vitro. The in vivo coupling of nucleotide binding at catalytic sites to transmembrane proton movement may thus involve an interaction, via conformational changes, between the amino-terminal domains of the alpha and beta subunits.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1993

Cell-associated haemolytic activity of Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori cells cultured on solid medium were quantitatively tested for haemolytic activity against erythrocytes of man, sheep, the guinea pig and rabbit. Using 4-day and 8-day cultures of two standard strains (ATCC 43504, IMMi 676), human erythrocytes were not lysed by 10% bacterial suspensions. Rabbit erythrocytes were the most sensitive to 8-day cultures. Hot-cold incubation yielded the highest haemolysis titres. The extent of haemolysis strongly correlated with the number of bacterial cells. Supplementation of the test medium (PBS, pH 7.4) with L-cysteine, dithiothreitol, MgCl2, EDTA, cholesterol, lecithin or sphingomyelin did not influence the haemolysis titres. They were significantly reduced in the presence of pronase E, human serum, bovine serum albumin or CaCl2, and by heat treatment of the bacteria. Supplementation of the test medium with cardiolipin strongly increased the haemolysis titres. Comparing the cell-associated haemolytic activity of 18 strains, the titres ranged from < 2 to 64, with a median titre of 16. No correlation was found between the haemolytic activity and phospholipase C activity of the cell suspensions. It was concluded that the formation of lysophosphatides and non-enzymatic factors rather than a sulphydryl-activated cytolysin or phospholipase C are responsible for the cell-associated haemolytic activity. This property may be involved in the pathogenicity and virulence of Helicobacter pylori.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

[Antibody induced phase variation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (author's transl)].

To extend the flagella specific H antigenic schema of P. aeruginosa (ANSORG, 1978), investigations are carried out to reveal phase variation in this species as in Salmonella or Arizona. With conventional methods, i.e. examination of single colonies after plating the cultures on standard nutrient agar or the phase reversal techniques of Craigie (1931) and Gard (1938) by adding homologous anti-OH-serum of different amounts in semisolid agar medium, no change of the flagellar antigens of various P. aeruginosa strains is observed using the indirect fluorescent antibody technique. When subcultivated in pure homologous anti-OH-serum, however, the cells express stepwise a second H phase, which is different from the original flagellar antigens. In control experiments with serum from non-immunized rabbits the original flagellar antigens remain constant. The phase variation affects only the H antigen, is reversible by cultivation on soft agar medium and is characterized by the nonspecific type-overlapping antigen u. After absorption of immunserum prepared with cells cultivated in homologous anti-OH-serum by cells cultivated on soft agar medium, an antiserum specific for factor u is obtained. Since fresh isolates do not react with anti-u-serum, the diphasic nature of P. aeruginosa is probably of minor significance for H typing in practice.

Antigens, Bacterial↗