Inhalation of helium, a simple test to identify pneumoperitoneum secondary to pulmonary air leakage.
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Air↗
Biomedical subjects
E Kort
Publications and source records attributed to E Kort.
Respiratory ammonia output and blood ammonia concentration during incremental exercise.
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the increase of ammonia concentration and lactate concentration in blood was accompanied by an increased expiration of ammonia during graded exercise. Eleven healthy subjects performed an incremental cycle ergometer test. Blood ammonia, blood lactate and the amount of expired ammonia were measured until 30 minutes post exercise. The expired air was guided through a flow chamber filled with a sulphuric acid solution to trap the expired ammonia. Blood ammonia, blood lactate increased more than proportionally and the amount of expired ammonia (in micromol/min) increased exponentially with the workload. Post-exercise the amount of expired ammonia decreased within a few minutes back to pre-exercise levels while the concentrations of lactate and ammonia in blood decreased much more slowly and were still elevated after 30 minutes of recovery. We conclude that the more than proportional increase of ammonia and lactate during graded exercise, is accompanied with an exponential increase of expired ammonia output. Faster and more accurate ammonia gas detection techniques are necessary to quantify more precisely the respiratory ammonia output during graded exercise.
Adult↗
Prostate cancer susceptibility locus HPC1 in Utah high-risk pedigrees.
A prostate cancer susceptibility locus ( HPC1 ) at 1q24-25 has been identified. Subsequent analysis showed that the majority of the evidence for localization was provided by families with relatively young (<65 years) average age at diagnosis. We examined evidence for linkage to this region in a set of 41 extended multi-case prostate cancer pedigrees containing 440 prostate cancer cases. Genotyping of five short tandem repeat markers in the region was performed on DNA from 1724 individuals, including 284 prostate cancer cases. In comparison with the families reported in the initial localization, the Utah pedigrees are generally much larger (average of 10.7 versus 5.1 cases) and have an older average age at diagnosis (69 versus 65 years). Two- and three-point linkage analyses were conducted using a previously reported model and provided replication for HPC1 (two-point: LOD = 1.73, P = 0.005 at D1S196; three-point: LOD = 2.06, P = 0.002 for the interval D1S196-D1S416 ). The youngest quartile (by median age at diagnosis) yielded a maximum LOD of 2.82, P = 0. 0003 (at D1S215-D1S222 ), compared with a maximum LOD of 0.73, P = 0. 07 for the oldest quartile pedigrees at the same locus. Further analysis with an age-dependent model, specifying higher sporadic rates for older cases, suggests that the linkage evidence may be lower than expected given the power of the resource due to a high sporadic rate in the large Utah pedigrees.
Aged↗
Mini-Wright peak flow meters are reliable after 5 years use. Dutch CNSLD Study Group.
In studies with a long-term follow-up, peak expiratory flow (PEF) meters are often used to assess bronchial obstruction. The question arises whether data obtained with these frequently used meters are still reliable after several years of use, and whether the old meters should be renewed after a certain period. In the present study, we tested the reliability of PEF values measured with mini-Wright PEF meters that had been used frequently for 5 yrs. The values obtained with these meters were compared with values measured with identical but new meters, in 50 patients with obstructive airways disease. Though statistically significant, there was no clinically significant difference in mean PEF measured with the old and new meters in most patients (mean difference 10.2 L.min-1). However, on an individual basis, the differences between old and new meters could be large (upper and lower limits of agreement (mean +/- 2 SD) being 63.6 and -43.2 L.min-1, respectively). We conclude that mean peak expiratory flow values measured with frequently used mini-Wright peak expiratory flow meters are still reliable after 5 yrs. In long-term studies, renewal of peak expiratory flow meters should be restricted to cases of obvious malfunction.
Equipment Failure↗
Water vapour and carbon dioxide decrease nitric oxide readings.
Measurement of nitric oxide levels in exhaled air is commonly performed using a chemiluminescence detector. However, water vapour and carbon dioxide affect the chemiluminescence process. The influence of these gases at the concentrations present in exhaled air, has not yet been studied. For this in vitro study, mixtures of 50, 100 and 200 parts per billion (ppb) NO in air were prepared and fed into the NO analyser either directly or bubbled through water. Mixtures with CO2 were prepared by adding 0-10% CO2 to the diluent air. We found a significant decrease in NO readings in the water-saturated samples compared to the dry gas (p < 0.001), strongly dependent on the partial pressure of water. NO levels in exhaled air (mean 10 +/- 2 ppb) showed a decrease of 17 +/- 3% when water vapour was not absorbed. From the experiments with CO2 we found a decrease in NO reading of 1.04 +/- 0.07% per volume CO2 (%). Presence of water vapour, thus, leads to a systematic underestimation of NO levels. Insertion of a water absorber might, therefore, be advantageous. The influence of CO2 concentrations in the normal respiratory range is negligible. With high expiratory CO2 levels as applied in permissive hypercapnia, the effects may be substantial.
Carbon Dioxide↗
Genetic mapping of the spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene on human chromosome 12.
The dominant spinocerebellar ataxias are a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases leading to premature death of neurons in the cerebellum and other parts of the nervous system. The mutation causing SCA1 is on human chromosome (CHR) 6p and SCA3 is on CHR 14q. To refine the location of the SCA2 gene on CHR 12q, we performed genetic linkage analysis between the SCA2 locus and nine Ioci (D12S58, D12S78, D12S317, D12S330, D12S353, D12S84, D12S105, D12S79, and PLA2) in three SCA2 families. The highest pairwise lod scores were obtained between SCA2 and D12S84/D12S105 and D12S79. We determined the best order and genetic distances among these loci in ten multigenerational families by multipoint linkage analysis and established the following order: D12S101-D12S58/IGF1- D12S78-D12S317-D12S330/D12S353-D12S84/D 12S105-D12S79-PLA2. Using this genetic map, multipoint linkage analysis placed SCA2 between D12S84/D12S105 and D12S79.
Chromosome Mapping↗
The CEPH consortium linkage map of human chromosome 11.
The CEPH consortium framework map of chromosome 11 is presented. The map was generated from CEPH family DNAs with 181 probe/enzyme combinations contributed by 20 laboratories. Seventy-seven of the loci are defined by microsatellite polymorphisms that can be typed by the PCR. A total of 42 loci have been placed on the map with likelihood support of at least 1000:1. The female, male, and sex-average maps extend for 179.6, 110.8, and 145.3 cM, respectively. The largest interval on the sex-average map is less than 11 cM, and the average distance between uniquely placed loci is 4 cM. The genotypic data obtained for map construction have been used to identify the positions of crossovers on the chromosomes of CEPH family children, allowing the localization of new markers without computationally intensive likelihood models and providing a basis for efficient extension of the linkage map to higher resolution.
Adult↗
Linkage of familial Alzheimer disease to chromosome 14 in two large early-onset pedigrees: effects of marker allele frequencies on lod scores.
Alzheimer disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease leading to global dementia. In addition to sporadic forms of AD, familial forms (FAD) have been recognized. Mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene on chromosome (CHR) 21 have been shown to cause early-onset AD in a small number of pedigrees. Recently, linkage to markers on CHR 14 has been established in several early-onset FAD pedigrees. We now report lod scores for CHR 14 markers in two large early-onset FAD pedigrees. Pairwise linkage analysis suggested that in these pedigrees the mutation is tightly linked to the loci D14S43 and D14S53. However, assumptions regarding marker allele frequencies had a major and often unpredictable effect on calculated lod scores. Therefore, caution needs to be exercised when single pedigrees are analyzed with marker allele frequencies determined from the literature or from a pool of spouses.
Alleles↗
Effects of corticosteroids on bronchodilator action in chronic obstructive lung disease.
BACKGROUND: Short term treatment with corticosteroids does not usually reduce airflow limitation and airway responsiveness in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. We investigated whether corticosteroids modulate the effects of inhaled salbutamol and ipratropium bromide. METHODS: Ten non-allergic subjects with stable disease were investigated; eight completed the randomised, double blind, three period cross over study. Treatment regimens consisted of 1.6 mg inhaled budesonide a day for three weeks, 40 mg oral prednisone a day for eight days, and placebo. After each period cumulative doubling doses of salbutamol, ipratropium, a combination of salbutamol and ipratropium, and placebo were administered on separate days until a plateau in FEV1 was reached. A histamine challenge was then performed. RESULTS: At the end of placebo treatment mean FEV1 was 55.5% predicted after inhaled placebo, 67.9% predicted after salbutamol and 64.0% predicted after ipratropium. Compared with the results after the placebo period the FEV1 with salbutamol increased by 0.7% predicted after treatment with budesonide and by 0.7% predicted after treatment with prednisone; the FEV1 with ipratropium increased by 0.7% predicted after budesonide and by 4.8% predicted after prednisone; none of these changes was significant. After placebo treatment the geometric mean PC20 was 0.55 mg/ml after placebo, 1.71 mg/ml after salbutamol and 0.97 mg/ml after ipratropium. Compared with the placebo period the PC20 with salbutamol was increased by 0.86 doubling concentrations after treatment with budesonide, and by 0.67 doubling concentrations after prednisone; the PC20 with ipratropium increased by 0.03 and 0.34 doubling concentrations after budesonide and after prednisone respectively compared with placebo; none of these changes was significant. CONCLUSIONS: In non-allergic subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease short term treatment with high doses of inhaled or oral corticosteroids does not modify the bronchodilator response to salbutamol or ipratropium or the protection provided by either drug against histamine. Salbutamol produces greater protection from histamine induced bronchoconstriction than ipratropium.
Administration, Inhalation↗
Gender effects on blood pressures obtained during an on-campus screening.
In a blood pressure screening of 167 male and female college students, we varied the gender of the screener to evaluate gender effects on blood pressure. Four repeated determinations of resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure were obtained with an automated oscillometric device in a quiet semi-darkened room. Analysis of systolic blood pressure indicated a significant interaction between screener gender, subject gender, and repeated determinations. Screener/subject gender concordance produced relatively stable systolic blood pressures across four repeated determinations. Gender discordance resulted in larger changes in systolic pressures across the four determinations. This pattern was not obtained with diastolic pressures. Measures of recent stress and somatic anxiety interacted with gender effects on blood pressure. These gender effects on systolic blood pressure may explain, in part, higher reported incidence of "white coat hypertension" in females.
Adolescent↗