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Biomedical subjects

F Heller

Publications and source records attributed to F Heller.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Ludwig's angina and mediastinitis due to Streptococcus milleri: usefulness of computed tomography.

Despite intensive use of antibiotics, Ludwig's angina remains a potentially lethal infection because of the risk of upper airway obstruction and spread into the mediastinum. We present two patients who survived mediastinitis complicating Ludwig's angina due to Streptococcus milleri. Computed tomography performed early in the course of the disease detected pus collections and directed appropriate drainage procedures.

Abscess↗
PubMed1988

Computerized Anesthesia Personnel System.

CAPS, (Computerized Anesthesia Personnel System), is a personnel management system for a large anesthesia department. It is written in BASIC for the IBM PC or IBM-compatible computer using 2 or more 5 1/4 inch disk drives or a hard disk. CAPS is designed to facilitate assignment of up to 30 attending anesthesiologists, 40 residents, 15 CRNAs, 5 interns, 5 anesthesia assistants, and up to 15 medical students to the operating room schedule. The system supports part-time personnel, regular laboratory/office/reading days, and resident rotations inside the operating suite, outside the operating suite, and to secondary hospitals. CAPS generates an availability list each day, listing all persons available for the operating room and the rotations and call days assigned. It then lists all persons not available that day and the reason for the absence. CAPS also tracts vacation, meeting, administrative and compensatory time for all members of the department, and maintains an absence record for each person listing sick times and all other absences. CAPS generates a weekly staffing list showing days each person is available to the operating room and the total number of attendings, residents, CRNAs, and assistants available each day. This article discusses why the program was developed, how it was designed, and how well it has met the objectives of the designers.

Anesthesia Department, Hospital↗
PubMed1985

Plasma activities of lipoprotein lipase, hepatic lipase and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase in patients considered for parenteral nutrition with fat emulsion.

Intralipid is a fat emulsion which is widely used for intravenous nutrition in very ill patients. In order to know more about the capacity of these patients to metabolize exogenous triglycerides, the plasma activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic lipase (HL) and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), the key enzymes in the metabolism of serum lipoproteins were measured by a radioisotope technique in 23 critically ill patients and 20 patients with recent major surgery. Compared with normal volunteers, the activities were significantly decreased. On the other hand, the capacity to clear intravenously given Intralipid (0.1 g/kg), expressed as fractional removal rate (K2), was retained in patients. It is suggested that the measurement of K2 could not be useful to evaluate the capacity of Intralipid administration to satisfy the metabolic needs and also that its utilization must be reevaluated in terms of potential harmful effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Effect of fenofibrate and LF 2151 on hepatic peroxisomes in hamsters.

Hamsters were given a diet containing fenofibrate (0.5% or 0.05%) or its metabolite, LF 2151 (0.15% or 0.015%) or a standard diet for a 3-week period. At the end of this period, the analysis of plasma lipids showed that the mean plasma triglyceride concentrations were not significantly different in the five groups of animals. The mean plasma cholesterol concentrations were significantly reduced in animals treated with both drugs but only when given at the high dosage. No consistent changes were noted in the liver weight/body weight ratio and the DNA content of the liver; the number of peroxisomes was increased in the hepatocytes of animals given fenofibrate at the high dosage. Liver homogenates were fractionated and the fractions rich in peroxisomes were used for assays of several enzymes involved in lipid metabolism. Compared with the control animals, activity of cyanide-insensitive fatty acyl-CoA (FA-CoA) oxidizing system was significantly increased by fenofibrate at the high dosage, carnitine acetyltransferase activity was markedly increased by both drugs at the high dosage and catalase activity remained unmodified. As there was a significant inverse correlation between the peroxisomal activity of FA-CoA oxidizing system and the plasma cholesterol concentrations, it is suggested that the increase of peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity can be involved in the hypocholesterolemic action of fenofibrate and LF 2151. This is further substantiated by the finding that fenofibrate and LF 2151 were present in the peroxisomal fraction only in hamsters displaying hypocholesterolemia and high activity of FA-CoA oxidizing system. The presence of fenofibric acid in the plasma of hamsters given LF 2151 suggested that hepatocytes are able to generate the parent drug from this metabolite, underlining that the pharmacokinetics of fenofibrate are rather complex in hamsters.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗
PubMed1984

[Primary linitis plastica of the rectum and colon. Report of a case and review of the literature].

We report a new case of primary linitis plastica of the rectum in a 32-year-old man. The diagnosis was made two months after the onset of clinical symptoms. Computerized tomography was helpful in the evaluation of the locoregional extension of the tumour. Despite intensive therapy (i. e. surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy) peritoneal carcinomatosis developed and death occurred fifteen months after diagnosis. As it has been emphasized in the literature which was reviewed extensively (less than eighty cases), this report confirms the very poor outcome of this disease.

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗
PubMed1982

[Peroxisomes and hypolipidemic agents ].

Peroxisomes (microbodies) have been localized in the cytoplasm of various cells, mainly the hepatocytes and the renal tubular cells. Various enzymes were found in the granular matrix and sometimes in the nucleus; they were involved in the production and the degradation of hydrogen peroxide, in regulation of the energetic processes of the cell, and in the oxidation of fatty acids. Several xenobiotica and drugs such as hypolipidemic agents clofibrate-like, have induced in rodents a proliferation of peroxisomes and frequently, the appearance of malignant tumors. In men, the precise role of peroxisomes in the physiology of the cell, their link with the hypolipidemic action of some drugs and the development of cancer remain to be established.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Attacks of ventricular fibrillation and unconsciousness in a patient with prolonged QT interval. A family study.

A syndrome previously recognized by Romano and Ward is characterized by prolonged QT interval on the ECG, and spells of unconsciousness. The case of a patient is reported with successive ECG recordings during the attacks; ventricular flutter and multifocal ventricular tachycardia were noted, with rapid spontaneous recovery and relapse. Cases of stillbirth and sudden death in infancy among the siblings, together with QT interval tachycardia were noted, with rapid spontaneous recovery and relapse. Cases of stillbirth and sudden death ininfancy among the siblings, together with QT interval prolongation in the relatives point to an autosomal dominant transmission, with the propositus being apparently homozygous. The chromosomes of the patient are normal. The attacks were controlled by the association of propranolol and digitalis which seems to be the optimal long-term therapy in such cases. In view of the poor prognosis in untreated cases, and the good results of a correct therapy, an ECG should be recorded at rest and after exercise in all children suffering from spells of unconsciousness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

LP-X test in sarcoidosis patients with liver involvement: comparison with other liver function tests.

In the serum of many patients with sarcoidosis, alkaline phosphatase activity is increased due to sarcoid liver involvement. A study was carried out of various tests expressing intrahepatic cholestasis in 26 patients with sarcoidosis, 18 of them with a positive liver biopsy and 8 with a negative liver biopsy. SAP was elevated in 23% of the patients and its thermoresistance pointed to an hepatic origin. The predictive value of a positive test (PV-positive, the percentage of times that a positive test is in agreement with an involved liver) and the predictive value of a negative test (PV-negative, the percentage of times that a negative test will detect a nondiseased liver) were calculated. LP-X test is more reliable than SAP, which in turn is better than CB, BSP retention, and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, in that order. LP-X seems to be more specific and more sensitive than alkaline phosphatase for predicting liver involvement in sarcoidosis.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1973

Cholesterol and bile salt studies on the bile of patients with cholesterol gallstones.

Gallbladder bile from patients with cholesterol stones and control patients without cholesterol stones was analysed for the relative concentrations of bile salts, phospholipids, and cholesterol. It was not possible to distinguish stone-forming from control biles when these were plotted on triangular coordinates. There was a significant increase in the dihydroxy: trihydroxy bile salt ratio in the patients with cholesterol gallstones. The maximum cholesterol holding capacity for the bile salts was determined and no difference could be detected in the ability of the bile salts from either cholesterol stone-containing and control bile samples to dissolve cholesterol.

Bile↗