PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Zeller

Publications and source records attributed to C Zeller.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

[Technical realization of an LCD-based vision test device].

We describe a computer-aided self-test vision screener for testing near and far visual acuity. The device generates images separately for each eye on a LCD. Acuity can be measured in the range between 0.1 and 1.6 for any distance between 0.34 m and 6 m. In addition, it also enables testing for colour deficiency, phoria, stereopsis and contrast sensitivity. The device is fully automatic and enables self-testing of the above mentioned functions. Initial practical application in an industrial environment has demonstrated the practicability of the device.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed2000

ET gets HIT--thrombocytotic heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in a patient with essential thrombocythemia (ET).

Immune-mediated heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a relatively common complication in patients receiving heparin, and represents a strong risk factor for thromboembolic disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. The condition is commonly defined as a platelet count fall of greater than 30-50% to values below 150 x 10(9)/l. Despite this, several cases with platelet count nadirs in the normal range have been reported. This report describes a patient with status post-carotid thrombendarterectomy presenting with neurological symptoms and thrombocytosis (1235 x 10(9)/l), which in due course was diagnosed to be caused by essential thrombocythemia (ET). Heparin therapy was established and symptoms resolved markedly. After 5 days of standard heparin therapy, serologically confirmed HIT with new neurological symptoms occurred. The platelet count nadir attributed to HIT was far above normal (633 x 10(9)/l), which nevertheless represented a substantial relative platelet count fall (49%). This is the first reported case of serologically confirmed HIT in a patient with ET. Furthermore, it represents the first published case of HIT being present in thrombocytosis. Clinicians should be aware that atypical HIT can even be present in thrombocytosis and, because of nomenclature, HIT with normal and elevated platelet count nadirs is likely to be largely underdiagnosed.

Heparin↗
PubMed1999

Aging, body composition, and lifestyle: the Fels Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Changes in body composition in men and women occur with age, but these changes are affected by numerous covariate factors. OBJECTIVE: The study examined patterns of change in body composition and determined the effects of long-term patterns of change in physical activity in older men and women and in menopausal status and estrogen use in women. DESIGN: Serial measures of height, weight, body mass index (BMI), total body fat (BF), percentage BF, and fat-free mass (FFM) from underwater weighing of 102 men and 108 women enrolled in the Fels Longitudinal Study were analyzed. Physical activity levels and menopausal status were included as covariates. RESULTS: There were significant age-related decreases in FFM and height and increases in total BF, percentage BF, weight, and BMI. Physical activity was associated with decreases in total BF, percentage BF, weight, and BMI in men and were associated with increases in FFM and decreases in total BF and percentage BF in women. Postmenopausal women had significantly higher total BF and percentage BF than did pre- and perimenopausal women. The longer the time since menopause the greater were the increases in weight, BMI, total BF, and percentage BF; however, estrogen use attenuated these increases. CONCLUSIONS: Low FFM can be improved by increased physical activity. The effects of an intervention program on body composition can be masked if only body weight or BMI is measured. The effects of physical activity were more profound in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women, and estrogen use had beneficial effects on body composition.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Human skeletal muscle HSP70 response to training in highly trained rowers.

Previous studies have demonstrated exercise-induced heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in animals. The purpose of this study was to investigate human skeletal muscle HSP70 response to rowing training. Ten male rowers trained for 4 wk with different forms, durations, and intensities of exercise. Biopsy was performed in the right musculus vastus lateralis before training and at the end of each week. HSP70 in 5 microg of total protein from the muscle sample was determined by using Western blot and immunodetection with chemiluminescence technique, by means of laser densitometer referring to a series of known standard HSP70. Compared with pretraining (100%), HSP70 increased during training (181, 405, 456, and 363% from the first to fourth training week, respectively) with the maximum HSP70 production at the end of second training week. Thus HSP70 is induced in highly trained human muscle by long-term training.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Bronchial reactivity to isocapnic hyperventilation: results in an unselected population of outpatients with known or suspected asthma.

Isocapnic hyperventilation with dry air is nearly as effective as with dry cold air, and appears to be a valuable screening test for bronchial hyperresponsiveness. However some incidental factors such as prechallenge bronchoconstriction, level of hyperventilation, age and smoking habits have barely been examined or were investigated in small samples of either normals or well-characterised asthmatics. In an inhomogeneous population of 186 outpatients with known asthma, 286 with suspected asthma and 32 normals, a single isocapnic hyperventilation challenge of 6-min duration was performed. There was a weak, but significant correlation between the degree of prechallenge airway function and the bronchial response, assessed by the change in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r = 0.27, p = 0.000) in known asthmatics, but not in patients with suspected asthma and in normals. No significant relation was found between the level of hyperventilation and the bronchial response when comparing the bronchial response to the single-dose hyperventilation test between the subjects (NS). Increasing age appears to be associated with an attenuation of the response in known asthmatics (r = 0.21, p = 0.004), but not in patients with suspected asthma. Smoking habits did not affect the bronchial response in this study. In conclusion, the main finding is that there is a weak correlation between baseline airway obstruction and the subsequent response to isocapnic hyperventilation, a slow decline in response with age and no increase in responsiveness in smokers. Hence, isocapnic hyperventilation is a relatively robust test for assessing bronchial reactivity in an inhomogeneous population of outpatients like ours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Budesonide (Pulmicort) and exertion-induced asthma].

Twelve young adult asthmatic patients were selected in an asthma-free interval to be tested for exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. The degree of bronchoconstriction was estimated indirectly by spirometry, using FEV1 as parameter. Exercise was performed on a 10% steep treadmill for six minutes, leading to a pulse rate of more than 180 beats/min. Spirometry was done before, immediately after, and 10 and 20 min after the work. Only patients with more than a 10% fall in FEV1 during the 20 min period of recovery were selected. In the randomized crossover double blind trial the asthmatic patients received placebo inhalations for one week and budesonide inhalations for another week (2 X 800 micrograms daily). Spirometry was repeated at the end of each week. Under placebo we found a surprisingly high rate of protection against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (50%, p less than 0.05). With budesonide 8% additional protection (compared to placebo) was achieved (mean of all 12 patients). The patient-drug-interaction was significant at the level of F = 30, p less than 0.05. There are some nonresponders to budesonide. Of the 12 asthmatics, 8 recognized the drug inhalation period. We conclude that one week of high dosage budesonide regimen recudes the tendency to exercise-induced asthma in adults. Budesonide seems to influence and mitigate bronchial hyperreactivity in the responder group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Bronchial reactions to carbachol inhalation in patients with a suspected diagnosis of cough due to asthma].

In 50 patients with persistent cough suspected to be of asthmatic origin and in 16 healthy subjects, the bronchoconstrictor response to carbachol inhalation was determined by the method of Orehek. Data analysis yielded the following results: on average, the bronchial reactivity of patients was significantly higher than that of normal subjects (p less than 0.005), in healthy subjects, the spectrum of airway responsiveness showed a log-normal distribution, the patients' bronchial reactivities also showed a log-normal distribution, but with larger variance than in healthy subjects, both distributions overlapped to a considerable extent. These distribution patterns, and the difficulties in estimating the probability of errors, call for a cautious interpretation of the results of provocation testing in patients with chronic cough. Increased airway reactivity is an additional sign, rather than proof, of the asthmatic origin of chronic cough.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Bronchial asthma, nasal polyposis and analgesic intolerance (the ASA triad). A successful computer based analysis of free texts].

In the period 1977 to 1980 the case histories were collected of 1731 asthmatics and 3590 non-asthmatics and stored in free text form in a computer data bank. Analyzing the data, 1643 primary asthmatics were selected comprising 537 seasonal and 417 perennial asthmatics. The incidence of nasal polyposis and chronic sinusitis on the one hand, and intolerance to analgesics on the other, was, at 9.5% and 4.5% respectively, higher in asthmatics than in non-asthmatics. In perennial asthmatics the particularly high incidences of 16% and 7.2% were observed for the two symptoms. As expected, the ASA triad (common occurrence of nasal polyposis, intolerance to analgesics and asthma) was found to be particularly frequent in perennial asthma (3.1%). A higher rate of coincidence of nasal polyposis and intolerance to analgesics was found in asthma patients than pure chance would suggest. This association is statistically significant for all asthma subpopulations. The mechanism which leads to the ASA triad is still unknown. Computer-aided analysis of free text information proved of great assistance in this study.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1984

[Normal values of spirometry for the 15- to 20-year-old age group].

In 130 healthy young men and women aged 15 to 20 years, all non-smokers, volume flow curves were recorded during forced expiratory vital capacity measurements. The forced vital capacity (FVC), the forced expiratory volume of 1 sec (FEV1) and the mid-expiratory flow rate (MEF50) were evaluated in order to establish new standard values for normal people in this particular age group. FVC is strongly height and sex dependent. Our new normal values are in good agreement with those of the literature. Our FVC values, however, are in general slightly higher than those of previous authors. MEF50 turns out to be sex independent but height dependent, but not as much as FVC. Our new normal values for MEF50 are in good agreement with those of Knudson et al., though slightly lower. The FEV1/FVC quotient was found to decrease significantly with height from 0.9 to 0.8. This decrease may be due to the increase in lung volume with growth. It could also be due to lung damage caused by atmospheric air pollution in young adults who are still growing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

[Granulomatous colitis presenting as ischemic colitis].

The authors describe a case of granulomatous colitis mimicking a non gangrenous ischemic colitis. The radiological features are thumbprinting, ulcerations, then stenosis and sacculation. The resected specimen reveal some granuloma without necrosa.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Radiological aspects of gastric localizations of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Apropos of 50 cases].

The authors describe radiological features of non Hodgkin's gastric lymphomas based on a study of 50 cases, with endoscopic correlation in 43 cases. Radiographic appearance is categorized as infiltrative (40 per cent), ulcerative (26 per cent), polypoid (10 per cent) and polymorphic (24 per cent). Gastric carcinoma is the most important differential diagnosis. Since staging, therapy and prognostic are different in these two diseases, accurate radiologic diagnosis is of particular importance. Combination of several peculiar radiologic signs suggest gastric lymphoma in 56 per cent of all the cases (16 per cent for endoscopy alone); this fact demonstrate the necessity of barium meal for a more accurate diagnosis of gastric lymphomas.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1983

[Radiological aspects of rectal and colonic localizations of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Apropos of 30 cases].

The authors review radiological and endoscopical data of 30 patients with primary or secondary colonic and rectal non Hodgkin's lymphomatous involvement, and describe the radiologic pattern of this peculiar entity. Confirmation of the diagnosis is based in all cases on the pathological study of surgical specimens or per endoscopical biopsy. Eight patients (26%) presented non specific involvement secondary to small bowel or gastric localisation. The other patients (74%) had intrinsic lesions who may either remain localised (commonly endo-enteric type) or extend to whole of the colon (infiltrating type). After a description of the radiological features of these wide spectrum lesions, the authors consider the differential diagnosis and the respective contribution of colonic endoscopy and barium enema.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Meckel's diverticulum in the adult. Double-contrast study of 7 cases].

The authors report 7 cases of Meckel's diverticulum on a series of 500 double contrast small bowel enema (1,4%). In two cases, the diverticulum is not recognized by repletion study. So, they find that the double contrast small bowel enema is the most accurate method to detect a Meckel's diverticulum.

Adolescent↗