PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Gunther

Publications and source records attributed to J Gunther.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Predicting conversion to Alzheimer disease using standardized clinical information.

OBJECTIVE: To identify aspects of a standardized clinical assessment that can predict which individuals within the category of "questionable" Alzheimer disease (AD) have a high likelihood of converting to AD over time. DESIGN: Detailed semistructured interviews were performed at baseline and annually for 3 years. SETTING: University-based gerontology research program. PATIENTS: The patient population consisted of 165 individuals 65 years and older: 42 of the participants had a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of normal cognition (CDR rating, 0.0) and 123 had a rating of questionable AD (CDR rating, 0.5). After 3 years of follow-up, 23 of the 123 subjects with questionable AD were diagnosed with probable AD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The interview was used to generate a summary measure based on the sum of 6 CDR categories, known as the Total Box Score. The responses to 32 selected questions from the interview also were examined. RESULTS: Likelihood of progression to AD during the follow-up period was strongly related to the Total Box Score. For example, more than 50% of individuals with a Total Box Score of 2.0 or higher at baseline developed AD during the follow-up interval, whereas about 10% of individuals with a Total Box Score of 1.0 or lower developed AD during this same period. Selected questions from the standardized clinical interview also were highly predictive of subsequent conversion to AD among the study population. Eight selected questions from the clinical interview at baseline, combined with the CDR Total Box Score, identified 88.6% of such individuals accurately (questionable group, 82/91; converter group, 19/23). CONCLUSIONS: A standardized clinical assessment can be used to identify the subgroup of individuals within the category of questionable AD who have a high likelihood of converting to AD over time. Subjects who met the criteria for questionable AD had a variety of trajectories during a 3-year follow-up, suggesting that diverse factors may influence the functional changes observed in this population.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Improved cognition in Alzheimer's disease with short-term D-cycloserine treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Glutamatergic neurotransmission is important for memory and cognition and is severely affected in Alzheimer's disease. D-Cycloserine exhibits partial agonist activity at the glycine site of N-methyl-D-aspartate subtype glutamate receptor, facilitating activation of the receptor and improving cognition and memory. METHOD: Seventeen patients with Alzheimer's disease received a three-phase, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 50 mg and 100 mg/day of D-cycloserine. RESULTS: D-Cycloserine was associated with significant improvement in scores on the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (improvement of 3.0 points) when given at a dose of 100 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS: D-Cycloserine has cognitive benefits for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

A preliminary study of D-cycloserine treatment in Alzheimer's disease.

D-cycloserine is a partial agonist on the glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor. This double-blind crossover study of 15 mg D-cycloserine in Alzheimer's disease patients did not demonstrate clinical benefit. Higher medication dosage or long-term treatment may be required.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Fatigue strength of polyethylene after sterilization by gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide.

The oxidation level of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene specimens sterilized by gamma irradiation in either air or Ar gas was compared with that of unsterilized and ethylene oxide sterilized ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. The fatigue strength of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene specimens sterilized by gamma irradiation in air was compared with that of unsterilized and ethylene oxide sterilized ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. At the specimen surface, oxidation was highest for ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene gamma irradiated in air, lower for ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene gamma irradiated in Ar gas, and absent in unsterilized and ethylene oxide sterilized ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. At a depth of 3.5 mm below the specimen surface, oxidation levels were equivalent for ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene gamma irradiated in either air or Ar gas whereas unsterilized and ethylene oxide sterilized specimens were again unoxidized. Thus, even in an inert atmosphere, oxidative degradation of gamma irradiated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene occurs. The 10 million cycle fatigue strength was similar for unsterilized and ethylene oxide sterilized ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene whereas the fatigue strength of gamma irradiated in air ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene was lower. Results of this study show that ethylene oxide gas does not degrade ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene whereas gamma radiation in air causes changes in the polymer that adversely affect its mechanical properties. Ethylene oxide gas is a viable alternative to gamma radiation in air that avoids oxidation and fatigue strength degradation known to accompany irradiation of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene polymer bearing surfaces in total joint implants.

Biophysical Phenomena↗
PubMed1995

Health insurance: impact on hospitalization rates for asthma.

Recent studies have shown that hospitalization rates for asthma have increased. Data from the 1991 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed to show the relationship between insured and uninsured persons who self-identify as having asthma. Having health insurance was found to decrease the number of hospitalizations associated with asthma, particularly at low and high income levels. A collateral finding demonstrated an inverse relationship between doctor visits and hospitalizations. This suggests that having health insurance will result in patients' seeking physician contact for preventive care; this leads to better control, infrequent hospitalizations, and, ultimately, decreased health care costs.

Asthma↗
PubMed1994

Long-term performance and wear of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene in total joint replacement prostheses: a brief overview and perspective.

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used extensively in total joint replacements, particularly in hip and knee joints. At present, there is extensive concern with the long-term consequences of wear of this material, specifically osteolytic reactions to wear debris. The relationship of wear behavior to polymer morphology is almost completely unknown. Information on the effects of radiation sterilization on crystallinity is available, but gross conflicts exist. A central problem is the release, over long time periods, of huge numbers of submicron particles by wear. It has not been generally recognized that short-term, severe wear and long-term wear of UHMWPE in total joint replacements are very different in character and results. When the long-term wear regime is correctly defined, it is clear that knowledge of the influence of structure and properties on this specific phenomenon is almost completely absent.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Oral physostigmine treatment for patients with presenile and senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Twelve patients aged 53 to 89 years with presenile or senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type participated in a treatment trial of oral physostigmine. Patients first received the drug during an open dose-finding phase. In a double-blind crossover design phase, the patients' memory performance during treatment with an optimal memory-enhancing dose was compared with memory performance during placebo treatment. Response to medication was assessed by the Delayed Recognition Span Test, the Selective Reminding Test, and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale. Intergroup differences in response to physostigmine were nonsignificant. Age at onset of the disease did not differentiate partial responders from nonresponders.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1986

Anovulation in postpartum suckled beef cows. I. Associations among size and numbers of ovarian follicles, uterine involution, and hormones in serum and follicular fluid.

Changes in sizes and numbers of ovarian antral follicles, uterine size and weight, serum hormones, and frequency and duration of suckling were examined during the postpartum anovulatory period in primiparous, suckled beef cows. Twenty-one anovulatory, suckled cows (n = 4 to 6/d) were slaughtered on d 7, 14, 28 and 42 to 56 after parturition. In addition, a total of 11 postpartum cows that had begun cyclic activity were slaughtered on d 28, 42 or 56. Blood was collected at 10-min intervals for 6 h 1 d before slaughter for measurement of prolactin, cortisol and progesterone in serum. Numbers of medium (4.0 to 7.9 mm) follicles increased fourfold (P less than .05) between d 7 and 42 to 56 in anovulatory cows, whereas numbers of small (1.0 to 3.9 mm) and large (greater than or equal to 8.0 mm) follicles did not change (P greater than .10). Uterine involution was complete by d 28. In anovulatory cows, a higher (P less than .05) proportion of largest (but not second-largest) follicles was opposite the ovary containing the corpus albicans from pregnancy (CAP). In addition, 90% of these largest follicles opposite the CAP had concentrations of estradiol greater than progesterone. In cyclic cows, however, first ovulations occurred with equal frequency on either ovary. Concentrations of prolactin or cortisol in serum or duration of suckling were not associated with changes in uterine or ovarian measurements. In conclusion, growth and function of the largest (but not second-largest) follicle were reduced when located on the ovary containing the CAP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Combination therapy with lecithin and ergoloid mesylates for Alzheimer's disease.

A 10-week placebo-controlled double-blind crossover protocol of combination therapy with lecithin and ergoloid mesylates was conducted in seven patients with presenile and senile dementia, Alzheimer's type. The patients' abilities to detect spatial arrangements, to recognize faces, and to identify new words on the Delayed Recognition Span Test were not significantly improved. Dementia Rating Scale scores before treatment were not significantly different from those after treatment.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oral physostigmine as treatment for primary degenerative dementia: a double-blind placebo-controlled inpatient trial.

Twenty-three patients with primary degenerative dementia (Alzheimer's disease) were administered an optimal dose of oral physostigmine and placebo, each for a 1-week period, under double-blind conditions on a research unit of a general hospital. Each patient served as his or her own control. The optimal dose of physostigmine for each patient was determined previously by a dose-finding phase. There were no significant group differences on a number of neuropsychological tests. Along with other studies in the literature, this study casts serious doubt on the efficacy of short-term administration of oral physostigmine when used alone in an attempt to ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease patients. The possibilities that physostigmine may slow the course of the disease or may acutely improve symptoms when combined with other agents are discussed.

Administration, Oral↗