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Biomedical subjects

A Wagner

Publications and source records attributed to A Wagner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Malignant lymphomatous polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract].

Two years after endoscopic excision of several polyps of the colon (histological examination revealing infiltration by a malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma) a 67-year-old man was again found to have blood and mucus in his stool. Because local recurrence was suspected a coloscopy was performed. This revealed multiple polyps throughout the entire colon, predominantly in the sigmoid and rectum. Biopsy showed focal infiltration of the submucosa and mucosa with centrocytic non-Hodgkin lymphoma, compatible with the diagnosis of malignant lymphomatous polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract. Gastroduodenoscopy then demonstrated duodenal polyps and massive coarsening of the gastric folds due to infiltration. For the first time tumour masses were also found in the epipharynx. After 6 chemotherapy cycles according to the CHOP scheme (day 1: cyclophosphamide, 1500 mg, adriblastin, 100 mg and vincristine, 2 mg; days 1-5: prednisolone, 100 mg) all lymphoma infiltrates regressed completely. The patient has been symptom-free for 9 months.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of terazosin effect on blood pressure and urinary output of dopamine in hypertensive patients.

In a parallel, double-blind study, 12 untreated hypertensive patients received terazosin (2-4 mg/day for 4 weeks), and 12 received placebo during the same period. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the terazosin group, from 150 +/- 5.0 mmHg systolic and 99.6 +/- 2.0 diastolic before treatment, to 134.0 +/- 7.0 systolic and 85.6 +/- 3.0 mmHg diastolic at week 4 of treatment. No significant blood pressure changes occurred in the placebo group. Blood pressure decrease showed a positive correlation (r = .62 and r = .52 for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively) with the patient's age (P less than .05). Total plasma cholesterol decreased 18% in the terazosin group (P less than .05) and 9% in the placebo group (P greater than .05). Urinary dopamine excretion decreased significantly from 692.8 +/- 180.0 to 330.5 +/- 52.0 micrograms/24 hours in the terazosin group (P less than .05) and showed a nonsignificant increase in the placebo group. Compared with 22 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers, urinary dopamine excretion in the hypertensive group before treatment was not statistically different (779.3 +/- 83.1 micrograms/24 hours). Dopamine excretion was higher in untreated hypertensive men and in male healthy volunteers compared with women. The decrease of urinary dopamine excretion observed under terazosin treatment could be due to a decrease of kidney dopamine synthesis or release induced by blood pressure reduction, or secondarily to the blockade of kidney alpha 1-receptors, modulating dopamine excretion. No significant changes were observed in urinary excretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of myelography combined with postmyelographic spinal CT and MRI in suspected metastatic disease of the spinal canal.

Comparison between myelography (MY) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was carried out in 36 patients with clinical suspicion of spinal cord or root compression due to metastatic disease in the spinal canal. In 3 patients metastatic lesions were visualized on MY but not on MRI, while there were no cases with a negative MY and a positive MRI. In 44% of the cases MY alone or combined with postmyelographic CT (pm-CT) showed a larger tumor extension than did MRI, while the opposite occurred in 25%. As for detection of bony metastases and tumor masses localized outside the spine there was no difference between MRI and MY + pm-CT. The results indicate that the choice between MRI and MY + pm-CT still can be based on the availability and quality of the procedure at a given institution.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Programmed cell death and its protective role with particular reference to apoptosis.

Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death involved in growth control of tissues. It is considered as a cellular suicide functionally opposite to mitosis. It may serve to remove "unwanted" damaged or dangerous, e.g. precancerous, cells. Chemical compounds can interfere with the regulatory network which controls apoptosis and can thereby stimulate or prevent cell death. Both induction or inhibition of apoptosis may result in various diseases such as of the immune system, malformation or tumor development. The protective role of apoptosis against carcinogenesis is described in some detail. Tumor formation seems to occur through several stages, namely initiation, promotion, progression, and involves formation and growth of premalignant cell populations. At least in some model systems initiated cells and premalignant cell populations have been found to exhibit enhanced cell replication, but also enhanced apoptotic activity as compared to the normal tissue. Therefore, initiated cells may be eliminated by apoptosis. Tumor promoters can inhibit apoptosis in putative preneoplastic cells and thereby accelerate tumor development. Furthermore, in hormone-dependent cancers malignant cells may undergo massive apoptosis in response to hormone withdrawal or antihormone treatment. Finally, the regulation of apoptosis will be addressed. Our results suggest that transforming growth factor beta 1, a negative regulator of epithelial tissue growth, is a signal inducing apoptosis of liver cells.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1992

Alzheimer's disease and depression.

This article reviews the empirical literature available on the phenomenon of depression in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although not extensively studied, there is accumulating evidence to suggest that depression affects a large number of patients with AD and can have profound effects on both the long-term functioning of these patients and the well-being of their caregivers. Thus far, the field is dominated by studies of prevalence. Considerably rarer are studies investigating etiology, association with other aspects of disease, impact on patients and caregivers, assessment, and treatment. The conceptual issues, methodological differences, and implications of the studies that exist thus far are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Epidermal growth factor plasma concentrations in healthy control persons, acute and chronic stress and during pregnancy.

Plasma concentrations of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) in healthy control persons do not change significantly during adult lifetime and no diurnal changes could be detected. In addition, no alterations of plasma EGF concentrations occur during acute and chronic stress and in all three trimesters of pregnancy. Thus, the previously suggested theories that EGF might play a causative role in the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis during the stress reaction and in the prevention of peptic ulcers in pregnancy could not be confirmed by the present data.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

[Conversion symptoms of patients in psychiatric liaison care].

At the consultation-psychiatric service of a large university hospital conversion disorders present ca. 50% of the "somatoform disorders". The rate of incidence of conversion disorders was 4% of all patients seen in the service, i.e. 20-30 referrals per annum. A report on 103 patients referred during 1987-1990 is given concerning basic sociodemographic data, symptom clusters, course of illness, age at onset of the disorder, psychiatric and family history, psychosocial conditions and intrapsychic conflicts, additional affective disorders and psychophysiological symptoms, illness behaviour, cognitive attitudes towards illness. The rate of 35% patients showing an underlying somatic disorder in addition to their conversion symptoms had to be appreciated. Possible relations of conversion disorders to affective illness, somatization disorder and neurologic disease had to be discussed as to course of illness and theoretical concepts.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

[Public patient education in pneumology].

Since February 1990 public information evenings pertaining to respiratory tract diseases have been held every month in the cities of Fellbach, Backnang and at times in Waiblingen. These sessions have met with a great show of interest from patients, doctors and the public in general, as indicated by the consistently large number of over 100 participants. This continual educational work with its accompanying measures, such as, asthma-sport, breathing exercises, and books and videos on loan, represents an effective alternative to the formally structured, patient training programs limited to a specific time period. A broad range of effectiveness is attained by engaging public media in the informative process.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1992

Diagnostic imaging in fracture of lumbar vertebral ring apophyses.

The findings at plain radiography, myelography, CT, and MR imaging in 3 cases of fracture of the lumbar vertebral ring apophysis are presented. Familiarity with this entity is important in evaluating low back pain in children and young adults. Conventional radiographs and/or MR imaging may suggest ring apophysis fracture; CT will confirm and classify the diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Heat shock factor-independent heat control of transcription of the CTT1 gene encoding the cytosolic catalase T of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Transcription of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CTT1 gene encoding the cytosolic catalase T has been previously shown to be derepressed by nutrient stress. To investigate whether expression of this gene is also affected by other types of stress, the influence of heat shock on CTT1 expression was studied. The results obtained show that expression of the gene is low at 23 degrees C and is induced rapidly at 37 degrees C. By deletion analysis, a promoter element necessary for high level induction by heat shock was located between base pairs -340 and -364 upstream of the translation start codon. This region was demonstrated to be sufficient for heat shock control by placing it upstream of a S. cerevisiae LEU2-lacZ fusion gene. Mutagenesis of the region showed that the response to heat shock is not mediated by a sequence similar to canonical heat shock elements, but by DNA elements also involved in nutrient control of transcription. Catalase T appears to have a function in protecting yeast cells against oxidative damage under stress conditions. Catalase T-containing strains are less sensitive to exposure to 50 degrees C ("lethal heat shock") than isogenic catalase T-deficient mutants, and catalase T-containing strains pretreated by incubation at 37 degrees C are less sensitive to H2O2 than pretreated catalase-deficient mutants.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

[Quality control by autopsy. How often do the postmortem examination findings correct the clinical diagnosis?].

To ascertain whether autopsies still provide important information in the face of modern diagnostic procedures, the findings in 780 autopsies (543 men and 237 women: mean age 58 [1-94] years), performed between 1977 and 1990, were compared with the clinical diagnoses. Autopsy confirmed the clinical diagnosis in 74.9% of cases, a clinically not diagnosed basic disease was demonstrated in 13.6%, and a not recognized final complication in 11.5%. In 9.7% of autopsies previously unrecognized but clinically important additional diseases were found. There was no decrease in the proportion of unrecognized basic diseases in the course of the observation period. It was unrelated to the duration of hospital stay, but increased with increasing age of the patients. These observations indicate that even nowadays, in the age of highly technical medicine, autopsies point to any limitations of diagnosis and are thus of importance for clinical quality control.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Negative regulation of transcription of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalase T (CTT1) gene by cAMP is mediated by a positive control element.

Transcription of the CTT1 (catalase T) gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled by oxygen via heme, by nutrients via cAMP and by heat shock. Nitrogen limitation triggers a rapid, cycloheximide-insensitive derepression of the gene. Residual derepression in a cAMP-nonresponsive mutant with attenuated protein kinase activity (bcy1 tpk1w tpk2 tpk3) demonstrates the existence of an alternative, cAMP-independent nutrient signaling mechanism. Deletion analysis using CTT1-lacZ fusion genes revealed the contribution of multiple control elements to derepression, not all of which respond to the cAMP signal. A positive promoter element responding to negative control by cAMP was inactivated by deletion of a DNA region between base pairs -340 and -364. Upstream fragments including this element confer negative cAMP control to a LEU2-lacZ fusion gene. Northern analysis of CTT1 expression in the presence or absence of heme, in RAS2+ (high cAMP) and ras2 mutant (low cAMP) strains and in cells grown at low temperature (23 degrees C) and in heat-shocked cells (37 degrees C) shows that CTT1 is only induced to an appreciable extent when at least two of the three factors contributing to its expression (oxidative stress signaled by heme, nutrient starvation (low cAMP) and heat stress) activate the CTT1 promoter.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

[The radioecology of the grapevine. 2. Effects of the nuclear reactor accident in Chernobyl on the radioactivity in the soil, leaves, grapes and wine].

Natural (tritium, 14C, 40K, 226Ra) and man-made radionuclides (90Sr, 134Cs, 137Cs) were determined in soil (top 30 cm), vine leaves, grapes and wine in eight locations of the most important viticultural regions in the Federal Republic of Germany. The results obtained in 1983-1985 have been published previously. Part II of this study presents results obtained in 1986 and 1987, i.e. after the reactor accident at Chernobyl in the Soviet Union. The mean content of 137Cs before (after) Chernobyl was 4 (9) Bq/kg dry matter in soil, 0.07 (3) Bq/kg fresh matter in leaves, 0.02 (0.4) Bq/kg in grapes, and 0.008 (0.9) Bq/L in wine. As compared with 1986, distinctly lower levels were found in leaves, grapes and wine in 1987. In 1986 the content of 134Cs was about half that of 137Cs. Owing to its shorter half-life, 134Cs was below the detection limit in many of the 1987 samples. Transfer factors such as from soil to leaves and from soil to grapes for caesium agreed well in 1983-1985 and 1987, but showed considerable deviations in 1986, due to the ubiquitous contamination of the environment. Results of 90Sr determinations confirmed other reports showing this radionuclide to be a very minor contributor to the total radioactivity released at Chernobyl. No effect of the reactor accident on levels of the other radionuclides was detected.

Accidents↗
PubMed1991

Fracture of the lumbar vertebral ring apophysis imitating disc herniation.

Three cases of fracture of the lumbar ring apophysis representing type I, II, and III are described in detail and the natural history of these fractures is discussed. The symptoms of apophyseal fractures are usually low back pain, sciatica, tension signs, and neurological deficits, thus imitating the symptoms of lumbar disc herniation. Plain radiography and magnetic resonance are often inconclusive and computed tomography is essential for the true diagnosis. An explanation of the different types of fractures, based on the osteogenesis of the human vertebra, is proposed. Recognition of these fractures is essential for proper planing of surgery, and apophyseal ring fractures must be suspected when children and young adults show signs of lumbar disc herniation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Ratio of complement receptor over Fc-receptor III expression: a sensitive parameter to monitor granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor effects on neutrophils.

In vitro activation of human granulocytes leads to altered expression of distinct surface antigens. Compared with the changes observed with classic activating reagents such as the phorbol ester PMA similar, but less pronounced alterations of surface antigen expression were observed upon granulocyte activation with human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hrGM-CSF). In particular, stimulation with hrGM-CSF is followed by an enhanced expression of the complement receptors CD35 (CR1) and CD11b (CR3) while the low affinity Fc-gamma receptor CD16 (FcRIII) is downregulated. In order to investigate whether there are similar effects under in vivo conditions, we studied the granulocytes from patients undergoing rhGM-CSF therapy before, during, and after treatment. We found a marked increase in CD35 (CR1) and CD11b (CR3) expression and a substantial decrease or even loss of CD16 (FcRIII) on these granulocytes. These changes correlated well with our in vitro data and occurred extremely rapidly after therapy onset. Furthermore, therapy monitoring using ratios calculated by the mean fluorescence channel numbers of CR and FcRIII stainings may combine the advantage of high sensitivity with high reproducibility as a result of the contrasting change in CR and FcRIII expression during granulocyte activation. Being nonparametric values, such ratios are not influenced by individual flow cytometry standardization. Taken together, these activation-associated changes of surface receptor expression and especially of CR over FcRIII ratios are useful parameters for monitoring the in vivo effects of rhGM-CSF.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1991

Additive effects of psychostimulants, parent training, and self-control therapy with ADHD children.

Utilizing a double-blind, placebo design, the effects of a high (0.8 mg/kg) and a low (0.4 mg/kg) dose of methylphenidate alone and in combination with behavioral parent training plus child self-control instruction were evaluated with 96 attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children. No evidence of the superiority of the combined conditions relative to medication alone was found. Some limited support was found for the hypothesis that the effects of a high dose of psychostimulant medication could be achieved by combining the low dose with a behavioral intervention. The importance of the latter finding is highlighted by the fact that both the benefits and untoward effects of the psychostimulants appear to increase with the dose.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗