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Biomedical subjects

K Huber

Publications and source records attributed to K Huber.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor in patients with angina pectoris.

Levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI) were measured in 180 patients with angina pectoris (148 males and 32 females, age range 29 to 70 years). An age-matched normal population served as a control. PAI was determined by a functional titration assay, its activity was expressed as arbitrary units (AU). PAI levels were significantly (P less than 0.005) higher in patients with angina (24.3 +/- 10.3 AU/ml) than in normals (20.4 +/- 4.6 AU/ml). PAI levels were unrelated to sex or age in both the patient and the control groups. Plasma triglyceride levels were correlated to PAI in patients and in normals. Patients with a history of previous myocardial infarction (n = 114) had similar PAI levels as patients without infarction (24.2 +/- 11.1 AU/ml as compared to 24.4 +/- AU/ml). It is concluded that PAI levels are elevated in patients with coronary heart disease, whether myocardial infarction has taken place or not.

Adult↗

Nomograms for the prediction of patient's plasma volume in plasma exchange therapy from height, weight, and hematocrit.

The knowledge of plasma volume (PV) is a basic requirement for the standardization of plasma exchange therapy. PV has to be determined by calculation, as the measurement of PV before every plasma exchange is too cost- and time consuming. A known correlation with measured values results from calculation of plasma volume by means of patient's height and weight. But the present equations are only reliable at normal hematocrit. For this reason we modified the Retzlaff-equations and compared the validity of plasma volume predictions, calculated by these and own equations, with plasma volume measured by the 51Cr-method in 59 patients with pathological hematocrit. The correlation coefficient was 0.82 for men and 0.81 for women (2 0.001) with the modified Retzlaff-equations. On the average the relative error was -1.5% for all and 2.8% for fat and thin men. No significant improvement of accuracy was achieved with other equations. Thus, plasma volume can accurately be calculated from height, weight, and hematocrit with our modified Retzlaff-equations in patients with pathological hematocrit, even if they are very fat or thin. Nomograms for men and women were constructed in order to facilitate the calculation.

Blood Volume Determination↗

Recapping the accidental needlestick problem.

A funnel-shaped shield of 1 to 2 cm diameter at the mouth of a needle cap is shown to be effective at decreasing the number of accidental misses occurring in a recapping trial. An argument is made for recapping needles and incorporating new needle cap designs in a revision of the CDC guideline on needle disposal.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Detection of sulphite in plants.

Artificially SO(2)-fumigated plant material was investigated for its sulphite content. Experiments with moderate concentrations of SO(2) (0.15-0.45 mg m(-3) lasting for 3 weeks, showed no detectable amounts of sulphite present in peas. Considering the detection limit of the method, this indicates that the steady state level in plant tissues is below 4 x 10(-5)M sulphite. Only in pea plants exposed to very high SO(2)-doses of 2.6-26mg m(-3) for 12-48 h, was sulphite recorded. We conclude from our results that sulphite dioxide, taken up by pea plants, is very effectively removed by enzymic and non-enzymic processes, and this 'detoxification' prevents accumulation of sulphite in the plant tissue, and so only very small amounts of sulphite are to be expected in SO(2)-damaged plant material. The possible role of very low sulphite concentrations in plant tissues is discussed.

Journal Article↗

Pattern of fibrinolytic parameters in patients with gastrointestinal carcinomas.

Changes in the plasma levels of components of the fibrinolytic system have been investigated in 80 patients suffering from gastrointestinal carcinomas. Urokinase antigen (RIA), tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen (ELISA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (functional assay) were determined. Patients with pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma and metastases as well as those without metastases revealed significantly increased plasma urokinase levels. Those with gall bladder or gastric carcinoma did not show significantly elevated urokinase antigen levels compared to age-matched controls. Determination of tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen in all four carcinoma groups did not reveal significant differences when compared to an age-matched healthy control group. The concentrations of plasminogen activator inhibitor were significantly increased in all carcinoma groups; there being no differences between the patient groups with or without metastases. No correlations between the different parameters of the fibrinolytic system could be obtained.

Adult↗

Model for individual substitution of immunoglobulins after membrane plasma separation.

Patients who undergo extensive plasma exchanges using albumin replacement may be more susceptible to infection because they develop significant hypogammaglobulinemia. Substitution of IgG in these patients could be beneficial. A model to calculate the individual amount of IgG required is described. The course of IgG during chronic intermittent membrane plasma separation (MPS) therapy was simulated using an one-pool model. Three modes of substitution were considered for their efficacy: infusion after MPS infusion after discarding an equivalent plasma quantity after termination of MPS, and plasma exchange at the end of MPS against an IgG solution. Mode B was shown to be most economical and was subsequently used to check the validity of the substitution model in a prospective test. The difference between predicted and measured IgG levels was 5% both for simulations from one MPS to the next and for the long-term prediction. The data prove that replacement of IgG after plasma separation is practicable. The substitution model allows to fix in advance any plasma limit value for indication and target of the substitution therapy. Thus it permits to give therapeutic recommendations for individual IgG substitution therapy of secondary antibody deficiency after MPS.

Dysgammaglobulinemia↗

Rapid diagnosis of liver cancer by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

Because of the relatively favorable prognosis to the patient with early detected hepatocarcinoma followed by surgical treatment if resection is possible, it is important to differentiate quickly between primary and secondary liver cancer. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) was used as a first diagnostic measure in patients with sonographic evidence of liver tumors. Biopsies were done under sonographic control and antiseptic conditions from the center and the border zone of solid tumors of the liver, and the aspirated cell material was air dried on glass slides and Giemsa stained. The cytologic diagnosis was proved by clinical course and in most cases by surgical or autoptic histology. Cytologic evaluation lead in 15 cases to the diagnosis of definitive or suspicious malignant liver disease; the sensitivity was 93% and the specificity was 87%. One case classified as suspicious for malignancy by cytologic examination could be identified as cirrhotic nodule by further investigations. In none of the patients did we find complications from the biopsy procedure. From these data it is concluded that US-FNAB can serve as a rapid, inexpensive, safe, and highly accurate first diagnostic step in patients with solid lesions of the liver.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗

An interactive processing system for ultrasonic compound imaging, real-time image processing and texture analysis.

An interactive processing system for ultrasonic imaging, real-time image processing and texture analysis was developed and has been used under real clinical conditions at the 2nd Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Vienna, since 1983. The major goal of this system is to determine what digital approaches to ultrasonic imaging, aided by computer processing, can contribute to ultrasonic diagnosis and whether clinically-relevant information can be extracted which is not obtained by conventional approaches.

Computer Systems↗

Urokinase antigen in plasma of patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatoma.

Plasma urokinase antigen levels were studied in 78 patients suffering from liver diseases. Blood was drawn before any specific medication was initiated. Impairment of liver function was comparable in all patients. In both groups of cirrhotic liver disease (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), normal levels of plasma urokinase antigen were found as compared to age-matched control groups. In both groups of patients with hepatomas (with or without a history of liver cirrhosis), however, significantly increased plasma urokinase antigen levels could be determined. These data indicate that an increase in plasma urokinase antigen might rather relate to malignant growth in liver disease than to impaired liver function.

Adult↗

Characterization of a specific anti-human urokinase antibody: development of a sensitive competition radioimmunoassay for urokinase antigen.

Specific inhibiting IgG antibodies were raised in a rabbit using purified human high molecular weight urokinase as antigen. The antibodies reacted with both high molecular weight and low molecular weight human urokinase using an Ouchterlony double-immunodiffusion technique in such a way that one line of complete identity was obtained. Neither precipitation nor functional inhibition was observed for the tissue-type plasminogen activator. Kinetic studies with plasminogen as a natural high molecular weight substrate or the synthetic low molecular weight p-nitroanilide substrate pyro-Glu-Gly-Arg-pNA revealed, for both substrates, mainly a competitive type of inhibition for the Fab fragments of the specific anti-urokinase antibodies. This characterized anti-urokinase IgG was employed to develop a competitive radioimmunoassay, for human urokinase with 125I-labeled urokinase as tracer. In this radioimmunoassay, the lower detection limit for urokinase antigen was 10 pg/ml sample; the intrassay variation was 2.8%, and the interassay variation was 5.3%. Applying this radioimmunoassay to plasma samples obtained from healthy young volunteers, urokinase antigen could be measured in a concentration of 7.82 +/- 3.97 ng/ml for mean and 6.66 +/- 2.39 ng/ml for women (mean +/- SD).

Adult↗

Natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity in the domestic cat: properties and specificity of effector cells.

Using a 51Cr-release microcytotoxicity assay, natural cytotoxic cell activity was demonstrated in the peripheral blood of clinically normal, nonimmune cats. Cytotoxicity was enhanced against virus-infected feline cells over that in noninfected cells. Xenogeneic mouse and hamster target cells were also susceptible to lysis. The cytotoxic activity increased as effector-to-target cell ratios were increased and required a 16-hour assay to be expressed. The specificity of the natural cytotoxicity was selective in that some, but not all, target cells tested were susceptible to lysis. Characterization of the cytotoxic cells showed them to be nonadherent and to possess Fc receptors for immunoglobulin G.

Animals↗

Rapid isolation of high molecular weight urokinase from native human urine.

Urokinase (UK) could be purified to apparent homogeneity starting from crude urine by sequential adsorption and elution of the enzyme to gelatine-Sepharose and agmatine-Sepharose followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. The purified product exhibited characteristics of the high molecular weight urokinase (HMW-UK) but did contain two distinct entities, one of which exhibited a two chain structure as reported for the HMW-UK while the other one exhibited an apparent single chain structure. The purification described is rapid and simple and results in an enzyme with probably no major alterations. Yields are high enough to obtain purified enzymes for characterization of UK from individual donors.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗