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Biomedical subjects

C Rieger

Publications and source records attributed to C Rieger.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Aerosol derived airway morphometry in healthy subjects.

Monodisperse aerosol particles can be used to non-invasively probe intrapulmonary airspace dimensions. In this study, the aerosol-derived airway morphometry technique was used to study airspace dimensions in 79 healthy subjects, in order to assess reference data for the future clinical application of aerosol-derived airway morphometry, and to investigate the effect of lung inflation, anthropometric, and lung function parameters on aerosol-derived airway morphometry. Intrapulmonary airspace dimensions were assessed by measuring the deposition of monodisperse, hydrophobic submicron aerosol particles during breathholding. Additionally, measurements of spirometric and body plethysmographic lung function were performed. Airspace dimensions were in good agreement with morphometric lung data. Airspace dimensions increased with increasing lung inflation. Interindividual variation of airspace dimensions was lowest in the lung periphery, at high levels of lung inflation, and when the volumetric lung depth was normalized to the end-inspiratory lung volume. Analysis of variance showed an increase of airspace dimensions with age. The results of this study indicate that aerosol-derived airway morphometry is dependent on the level of lung inflation and the age of the subject. These results suggest that in contrast to conventional lung function techniques, aerosol-derived airway morphometry might be a powerful tool for the detection of small changes in peripheral airway geometry.

Adult↗

[Assessment of curriculum by medical students: comparison of participants and non-participants in voluntary anamnesis groups. An empirical study].

A representative sample of medical students (n = 121) was given a questionnaire to assess parts of their medical education (lectures, seminars, clerkships) and to design a subjectively ideal timetable, which was compared with the real faculty program. Overall traditional lectures received a low rating (n = 0.17) and individual studies with the textbooks a high rating (n = 0.53). The information given in programs in psychiatry and psychosomatics in significantly less motivating than information to be learned in other medical subjects. This is surprising because the ground work for training in the doctor-patient relationship should be in these fields. Students with former group experience (participation in peer groups on history taking (wish to have more practically oriented education compared with the students without group experience. It is not clear whether the important factor is participation in group experience before starting medical school. (64% of the participants had group experience in the first group as opposed to only 45% of the other group). This information should be taken into consideration when reforming medical school programs.

Adult↗

[Acute oral acetic acid poisoning--case report].

We report on a female patient who attempted suicide by drinking 400 ml of 25% acetic acid. This amount is normally considered to be a lethal dose. Treatment was initiated about 2 hours after ingestion. Pain and shock were treated at first followed by the symptoms of haemolysis and renal failure. In severe corrosive injuries of the upper respiratory tract, intubation and ventilation are mandatory. After acid absorption, plasma separation is the quickest and most effective way of detoxication and removal of the products of haemolysis. In cases of severe haemolysis, exchange transfusion is necessary. In addition, careful management of the acid-base status is recommended. Disseminated intravascular coagulation or anaemia may develop. In this case, we used low dose heparin, erythrocyte transfusion and AT III substitution. In secondary renal failure, haemodialysis is recommended. When the acute intoxication has been treated, attention must be paid to fluid management and calorie intake. Care must be taken to exclude injury or stricture of the oesophagus or stomach. This case underlines the importance of immediate treatment of the haemolysis and detoxification with plasma separation with the immediate substitution of blood and clotting factors. In spite of an initial deterioration, the initiation of therapy led to a rapid improvement in circulation and renal function.

Acetates↗

[A case report of malignant hyperthermia in a 14-month-old boy].

A 14-month-old boy underwent bilateral antrotomies and adenotomy for bilateral mastoiditis. During the operation, typical symptoms of malignant hyperthermia (MH) became apparent. At the time of operation, pulse oximetry and capnometry were not possible which led to a delay in making the diagnosis. Nevertheless, Dantrolene, which was available in the operating theatre, was immediately administered. The postoperative recovery was complicated by altered cerebral function (inability to concentrate), muscle exhaustion and a coagulopathy which lasted for eleven days. A muscle biopsy of the child's father was positive for MH.

Dantrolene↗

Detection of intracellular cytokines by flow cytometry.

During the last years it has become increasingly clear that production of most cytokines is not confined to one cell type. Thus, a method to detect cytokines at the single cell level would be a helpful tool to study the contribution of different cells to cytokine production in heterogeneous cell populations. Recently, Sander et al. (1991) demonstrated that it is possible to detect intracellular cytokines by fixation with paraformaldehyde, permeabilization with saponin and subsequent indirect immunofluorescent staining using fluorescence microscopy. Here, we describe a modified method to increase the specific intracellular staining which enables us to detect IFN-gamma, IL-2 and IL-4 producing cells by single laser flow cytometry. The carboxylic ionophore monensin was used to interrupt intracellular transport processes leading to an accumulation of the cytokine in the Golgi complex. This resulting increase of the signal/noise ratio permitted us to detect weakly fluorescent cells such as IL-4 producing cells. While IL-4 was detected in approximately 1-3% of peripheral mononuclear cells from healthy donors, up to 30% of the cells produced IFN-gamma and nearly 50% IL-2 after phorbol ester and ionomycin stimulation. Microscopic and flow cytometric analysis showed a highly significant correlation. Using three-color flow cytometry it was possible to measure intracellular cytokines and cell surface markers simultaneously. Subpopulations of human T cells (e.g., CD4+ CD45R0-) producing a restricted cytokine pattern could be identified by cell surface staining and were characterized by their cytokine production. Consequently, there was no further need for cell sorting to determine cytokine producing subsets in heterogeneous cell populations. We have tested human T cell clones for intracellular cytokine production and found a high concordance to ELISA analysis of the supernatants. We conclude that detection of intracellular cytokines by flow cytometry is a rapid, easy and semiquantitative assay which may be used to study individual cells in heterogeneous populations as well as to screen homogeneous cells for their cytokine pattern. This method is particularly relevant in view of the accumulating evidence of the functional role that subsets of (T) cells may play in various diseases depending on the pattern of cytokines they produce.

Animals↗

[Fulminant autoimmune cold-type hemolysis with marked elevation of monothermic cold agglutinins. Successful therapy with membrane plasmapheresis].

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia associated with cold autoantibodies is rare in infancy. In a 7 months old infant with severe hemolysis, a hemoglobin of 5.9 g/dl and a cold agglutinin titer of 1:8000, even the transfusion of warmed, packed red cells (37 degrees C) lead to hemolysis. Hemoglobin fell to 2.8 g/dl despite prevention of exposure to cold, parenteral steroids and immunoglobulins. Cold agglutinin titer fell to 1:8 after plasma separation. Subsequent transfusion did not lead to hemolysis and permanent remission was achieved.

Agglutinins↗

Maternal criticism, mother-child interaction, and bronchial asthma.

The study investigated maternal critical attitude (CA) and negative mother-child communication in families with an asthmatic child and in controls. Twenty-five children with bronchial asthma (7-13 yr) and 25 healthy children with their mothers participated in the project. Mothers were asked to describe their child (Five Minute Speech Sample; FMSS). Additionally mother and child discussed a mutual problem (Problem Discussion; PD). Videorecordings were taken. CA was assessed from the mothers' responses during FMSS. Negative verbal behavior during PD was coded for mother and child. During FMSS significantly more mothers of the asthmatic children than of the controls showed CA. During PD mothers of the asthmatic children made significantly more critical remarks than their controls. Within the asthmatic group, CA mothers showed significantly more criticisms than those with non-CA. Significantly more long sequences of negative verbal interaction occurred in mother-child-dyads with a CA mother than in those with a non-CA mother.

Adolescent↗

Late results after intracoronary thrombolysis and early bypass grafting for acute myocardial infarction.

Successful thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction reduces early mortality. For definite correction of the underlying arteriosclerotic lesion, invasive treatment is mandatory. Early bypass grafting has been performed in 70 patients with an ischemic interval of less than 4 hours before reperfusion by thrombolysis. Surgery was undertaken an average of 4.5 days after the streptokinase administration. The hospital mortality rate was 1.4%. At 8 years the actuarial survival rate was 88% and the complication-free survival rate, 84%. At the latest follow-up study, 90% of the patients were in functional class I or II. Because of advanced age, 37% of the survivors have retired and 29% are working. Thirty-four percent did not return to work after the operation. In 24 patients a transmural needle biopsy specimen was taken at operation to study the extent of ischemic damage. Surprisingly, the extent of necrosis did not correlate with the ischemic interval (r = 0.17), whereas enzyme activity and extent of necrosis did correlate (r = 0.76). Late angiography was done in 44 patients (56%). The correlation between ischemic interval and regional wall motion score was weak when the whole group was considered (r = 0.35), but 70% of the patients with an ischemic interval of less than 3 hours had normal or near normal regional wall motion. In patients with prolonged ischemia, distribution between normal function and severe damage was uniform. In patients with ultrastructural and wall motion studies, early necrosis and late left ventricular function correlated fairly well (r = 0.69). We conclude that additional early bypass grafting after successful thrombolysis yields excellent long-term clinical results, especially in patients with an ischemic interval of less than 3 hours.

Age Factors↗

Persistently circulating C3 nephritic factor (C3 NeF)-stabilized alternative pathway C3 convertase (C3 CoF) in serum of an 11-year-old girl with meningococcal septicemia--simultaneous occurrence with free C3 NeF.

Hemolytic complement was found to be absent in the serum of an 11-yr-old girl (R.N.) with meningococcal septicemia. C1, C4, and C2 were slightly decreased, C3 was absent, C5-C9 within the normal range. B levels immunochemically and electrophoretic mobility of B were normal. C3d was greater than 1000% of a pooled EDTA-plasma standard indicating hypercatabolism of C3. On incubation of the patient's serum with normal human serum activation of C3 occurred even in the presence of 0.04 M EDTA. The amount of C3b generated was, however, greater without any chelating agent or in Mg-EGTA. On gel filtration of the serum two protein containing peaks were found to be responsible for activation of C3: the IgG containing peak was able to activate C3 in normal human serum without chelating agents and in Mg-EGTA but not in the presence of EDTA. The IgM-containing peak activated the third component of complement even in the presence of EDTA. The factor responsible for this phenomenon was termed C3 converting factor (C3 CoF). The IgG fraction of the patients serum caused activation of C3 in Mg-EGTA. However, in the presence of EDTA no activation of C3 could be induced even if physiological concentrations of the patients IgG were added to normal human EDTA-plasma. Thus the activity of the patient's IgG did not differ from typical C3 nephritic factor. The decay of C2 in EAC42 intermediates in the presence of the patient's IgG was uninfluenced indicating that it did not carry autoantibody activity against the classical pathway convertase C4b,2a, an activity recently termed NFc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child↗

Anatomical studies into the ruminal mucosa of pygmy goats in relation to their age.

The ruminal mucosa of 15 pygmy goats of different age (Z1 approximately 4-5 months, Z2 approximately 1 year, Z3 approximately 1.5-5 years) were studied gross-anatomically concerning their colour, clumping of papillae, fodder precipitations on the papillae, areas poor in papillae or devoid of them and the development of papillae. The density of papillae/cm2 in the 3 groups investigated was 79.4; 67.3; 58.0; the mean length of the papillae (mm) 1.75; 1.86; 2.96; the mean breadth of the papillae (mm) 1.3; 1.2; 2.0; the area of the ruminal mucosa (cm2) 799; 943; 1 195; the area of the ruminal pillars (cm2) 38; 41; 69; the number of the papillae/rumen 59,940; 58,022; 64,782; the total absorptive area (cm2) 3,802; 3,854; 11,268; the surface magnifying factor 4.0; 3.4; 8.4.

Aging↗

Histological studies into the ruminal mucosa of pygmy goats in relation to their age.

Ruminal mucosae of 15 pygmy goats of different age (Z1 approximately 4-5 months, Z2 approximately 1 year, Z3 approximately 1.5-5 years) and sex were investigated histologically. The thickness of the Stratum corneum of the 3 experimental groups was in the Atrium ruminis 23.0, 23.0 and 29.1 microns, in the Recessus ruminis ventralis 22.8, 28.0 and 30.0 microns, that of the Stratum germinativum and Stratum granulosum in the Atrium ruminis 74.8, 78.4 and 82.3 microns and in the Recessus ruminis ventralis 87.4, 84.7 and 87.7 microns, that of the Corpus papillare in the Atrium ruminis 75.3, 75.2 and 74.4 and in the Recessus ruminis ventralis 85.0, 78.9 and 71.6 microns. The cell nuclear volumes of the basal and parabasal cells of papillae originating from the Atrium ruminis (a) and the Recessus ruminis ventralis (b) in the individual experimental groups were in case of a 103.2; 100.2 and 117.3 microns3 resp. in case of b 93.4; 96.4 and 119.7 microns3.

Aging↗

[Cystic fibrosis: long-term treatment at a specialized centre, and its prognostic value (author's transl)].

Data are presented on morbidity, mortality, and age at diagnosis of 90 patients with cystic fibrosis who were seen at the Medical School of Hannover from 1975 to 1981. The status of patients was characterized by the clinical score and the score of chest roentgenogram. Course and prognosis in groups of patients defined by the items "false diagnosis", "false negative sweat test", "meconium ileus", "late onset of clinical symptoms after age 5", and "comprehensive long-term treatment at a centre for cystic fibrosis" were compared. In patients with intestinal or pulmonary symptoms a delay in diagnosis for patients, who died, died in early childhood. However, for those patients who receive proper medical care at a specialized CF-centre a clinical course can be achieved which may resemble the course of disease in patients with late onset of symptoms.

Adolescent↗

Some biochemical indices of nutrition in treated cystic fibrosis patients.

Postprandial levels of copper, ceruloplasmin, iron, total iron binding capacity, cholesterol, vitamin A, carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, albumin, and total globulins in plasma, of 25-OH-vitamin D in serum, and of glutathione reductase activity, an index of riboflavin status, in erythrocytes were determined in a group of 18 juvenile cystic fibrosis patients receiving specialized outpatient care with attention to diet, vitamin supplementation, and pancreatic enzyme replacement. Bone mineralization was assessed by radiographic and photon beam technique. In the plasma of cystic fibrosis patients, levels were elevated for copper, ceruloplasmin, total globins, and total proteins and were depressed for iron, vitamin D, vitamin A, carotene, and albumin. Cortical thickness was diminished in the patients, but bone density was not. For patients with cystic fibrosis, a relation was established between forced vital capacity and certain biochemical indices in plasma. As forced vital capacity decreased, plasma levels increased for copper, total globulins and total proteins and decreased for albumin.

Adolescent↗

[Clinical symptoms and therapy of the hereditary angioneurotic edema (author's transl)].

Sera of 333 patients showing clinical symptoms of "Quincke edema" have been tested for their deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor. The diagnosis "Hereditary Angio Neurotic Edema" (HANE) could be stated in 39 cases, i.e. 11.9%. Clinical manifestations consisted of peripheral edema (80%), abdominal colics (77%), and facial edema (72%). Edema of the larynx have been observed in 51% of the cases. 10 patients have been treated with purified C1 esterase inhibitor during the attack as a substitutional therapy, and 10 patients received danazol during their attackfree intervals. Both of these treatments were therapeutically successful.

Angioedema↗

Zinc status and vitamin A transport in cystic fibrosis.

Zinc status and the retinol transport system were examined in 18 retinol supplemented cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and 40 age-matched controls. Plasma vitamin A was significantly lower in the CF group as compared to the controls and correlated positively with plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP) in both the CF and control groups. Plasma zinc of the CF group was not significantly lower than controls whereas hair zinc was. Plasma zinc was positively correlated with plasma RBP, vitamin A, and albumin in the CF group but not in the controls. Plasma concentrations of vitamin A, RBP, albumin, and zinc decreased with age in the CF group but not in the controls. The data support previous suggestions that low plasma vitamin A levels in CF are due to defects in the retinol transport system. The zinc status of the CF groups as a whole was judged to be low-normal however a subgroup of CF patients were in the marginal to deficient category. This subgroup also had lower levels of plasma vitamin A and RBP. The data suggest that zinc may be a contributing factor in the low plasma vitamin A/RBP levels of CF patients with marginal or deficient zinc status.

Adolescent↗