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Biomedical subjects

L Berger

Publications and source records attributed to L Berger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

[Immediate effects of physiotherapy session of lower limb by balneotherapy on postural control].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the immediate effects of standard physiotherapy (S) and balneotherapy (B) on the postural capacity of subjects with lower-limb injuries. METHODS: The postural sway of 12 voluntary subjects was evaluated before (REF1 and REF2) and after two different physiotherapy sessions performed in the swimming pool (B) or under (S). The centre of pressure (CP) trajectory was recorded by use of a force platform. CP displacements in the mediolateral and anteroposterior axes were then separated into two elementary superimposed components: the horizontal motion of the centre of gravity (CG) and the difference between the CP and the vertical projection of the CG (CP-CG). The amplitude of the latter component (CP-CG) is thought to express neuromuscular activity. All trajectories were then analysed in terms of classical and frequency parameters. RESULTS: Postural sway did not differ before and after the physiotherapy sessions. Following both sessions, the mean CG velocity decreased significantly (P<0.5). The area of CP-CG trajectory was diminished solely by the aquatic exercise (P<0.5) and was associated with decreased amplitude of motion along the anteroposterior axis (P<0.05), which suggests decreased neuromuscular activity to maintain posture. CONCLUSION: Interestingly, decreased motion was observed along the anteroposterior axis, which corresponds to ankle movements. Exercising lower-limb muscles under water could reinforce proprioceptive input, resulting in a better postural control.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The value of suction wound drain after carotid and femoral artery surgery: a randomised trial using duplex assessment of the volume of post-operative haematoma.

BACKGROUND: The use of vacuum suction drains after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and groin dissection for arterial reconstruction surgery remains controversial. A large multicentre prospective randomised trial would be needed to show any difference if clinical end points (infection and haematoma) are used. Therefore, we conducted a study to evaluate the value of wound drainage using accurate duplex measurement of haematoma expecting a 25% difference in volume between drained and non-drained wounds. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients undergoing CEA and 73 patients who underwent 106 groins dissection were separately and blindly randomised into two groups: group (a) with wound drain and group (b) without wound drain. A duplex scan was carried out post-operatively to document the presence and volume of any wound haematoma. RESULTS: The majority of wounds did not show any evidence of collections. 1. In the CEA patients duplex scan revealed wound haematoma in 8 patients with a median volume of 25 ml (5-65) in group (a) in comparison to 7 wound haematomas 31 ml (3-72) in group (b). Median suction drain drainage was 42 ml (10-120) when used. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Three patients 4.3% (two from the drain group) underwent evacuation of haematoma post-operatively.2. In the groin dissection patients most of the documented collections were trivial. Ultrasound scans showed 21 collections (20%), of these 7 (34%) were in group (a) and 14 (66%) were in group (b). There was no significant difference in wound collections between the two groups (p = 0.28). Only 5 collections (75%) exceeded 10 ml, three of them were in the drain group. One patient (1%), who did not have a drain, developed a wound collection, which needed re-exploration. When a drain was used the median drainage was 64.5 ml (range 10-220). CONCLUSION: These results based on accurate measurement of wound collection suggest that there is no benefit in terms of reduction of the volume of haematoma on wound drainage after CEA or arterial reconstruction surgery involving the groin. A selective policy of use of drainage is therefore recommended.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone, Premarin and Acolbifene on histomorphology and sex steroid receptors in the rat vagina.

To assess the specific estrogenic and/or androgenic effects of a potential novel hormone replacement therapy, we have examined the morphology of the rat vagina 9 months after ovariectomy (OVX) and treatment of OVX animals with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), conjugated estrogens Premarin and the selective estrogen receptor modulator Acolbifene. OVX led to atrophy and inflammatory changes while Acolbifene reduced the inflammation incidence and induced mucification of the vaginal epithelium. Premarin induced a typical keratinized stratified squamous epithelium while DHEA induced stimulation of the vaginal epithelium, with mucous cells typical of an androgenic effect, combined with increased collagen fiber compactness of the lamina propria. On the other hand, after OVX, the vaginal muscle layer decreased by 46%, an effect which was 41 and 100% reversed by DHEA and Premarin, respectively. The present data show particularly interesting effects of DHEA on the three layers of the vaginal wall, namely a highly mucified epithelium, an increased muscularis thickness and increased collagen fiber compactness in the lamina propria. DHEA exerts both androgenic and estrogenic effects on the vaginal mucosa, thus providing a more physiological replacement therapy.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Undisturbed upright stance control in the elderly: Part 1. Age-related changes in undisturbed upright stance control.

The authors investigated age-related changes in postural control in 33 healthy young adults (18-31 years), 29 seniors (62-75 years), and 22 elderly people (75-96 years). A force platform recorded the results. The horizontal motions of the center of gravity (CGh) and their difference in the plane of support CP - CGv were deduced from the complex center of pressure (CP) trajectories. With fractional Brownian modeling, one can establish that the aging process seems to induce a transition phase in which seniors take more time to initiate the corrective process in the mediolateral (ML) axis than do younger people. The elderly develop a new strategy characterized by the mobilization of higher neuromuscular energy to maintain equilibrium. In the ML axis, the larger displacements could be caused mainly by a hip strategy that could facilitate step initiation. In the anteroposterior (AP) axis, seniors and elderly individuals maintain a relative ability to stabilize their CG into the base of support compared with younger people.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Undisturbed upright stance control in the elderly: Part 2. Postural-control impairments of elderly fallers.

A common way of predicting falling risks in elderly people can be to study center of pressure (CP) trajectories during undisturbed upright stance maintenance. By estimating the difference between CP and center of gravity (CG) motions (CP - CGv), one can estimate the neuromuscular activity. The results of this study, which included 34 sedentary elderly persons aged over 75 years (21 fallers and 13 nonfallers), demonstrated significantly increased CGh and CP - CGv motions in both axes for the fallers. In addition, the fallers presented larger CGh motions in the mediolateral axis, suggesting an enlarged loading-unloading mechanism, which could have reflected the adoption of a step-initiating strategy. As highlighted by fractional Brownian motion modeling, the distance covered by the CP - CGv motions before the successive control mechanisms switched was enhanced for the fallers in both axes, therefore increasing the risk that the CG would be outside of the base of support.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2004

Modifying the gain of the visual feedback affects undisturbed upright stance control.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of visual feedback gain, which express the amplitudes of the displacements of the centre of pressure displayed on a computer screen. DESIGN: The controlling variable, the centre of pressure trajectories, recorded using a force platform, were decomposed into two elementary motions: (1) the horizontal displacements of the centre of gravity and (2) the vertical projection of the difference between centre of pressure and the centre of gravity. These motions were processed through frequency analysis and modelled as fractional Brownian motion to assess their spatio-temporal linkage and their degree of control. BACKGROUND: Although tests to modify the feedback gain have already been carried out, the specific effects from a biomechanical and motor control point of view need to be assessed. METHODS: Thirteen healthy adults were tested through various visual feedback gains performed in random order. RESULTS: By increasing the visual feedback gain, no difference is observed between centre of pressure and centre of gravity motions whereas a progressive diminution of centre of gravity horizontal motions is seen. This latter effect is principally explained by a reinforcement of control during corrective processes. CONCLUSIONS: When the control of centre of gravity constitutes the main flaw in undisturbed stance maintenance, the efficiency of a visual feedback rehabilitation protocol should be largely improved by using an enhanced gain.

Acceleration↗
PubMed2004

Effect of season and temperature on mortality in amphibians due to chytridiomycosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and incidence of chytridiomycosis in eastern Australian frogs and to examine the effects of temperature on this disease. DESIGN: A pathological survey and a transmission experiment were conducted. PROCEDURE: Diagnostic pathology examinations were performed on free-living and captive, ill and dead amphibians collected opportunistically from eastern Australia between October 1993 and December 2000. We conducted a transmission experiment in the laboratory to investigate the effects of temperature: eight great barred frogs (Mixophyes fasciolatus) exposed to zoospores of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and six unexposed frogs were housed individually in each of three rooms held at 17 degrees C, 23 degrees C and 27 degrees C. RESULTS: Chytridiomycosis was the cause of death or morbidity for 133 (55.2%) of 241 free-living amphibians and for 66 (58.4%) of 113 captive amphibians. This disease occurred in 34 amphibian species, was widespread around the eastern seaboard of Australia and affected amphibians in a variety of habitats at high and low altitudes on or between the Great Dividing Range and the coast. The incidence of chytridiomycosis was higher in winter, with 53% of wild frogs from Queensland and New South Wales dying in July and August. Other diseases were much less common and were detected mostly in spring and summer. In experimental infections, lower temperatures enhanced the pathogenicity of B. dendrobatidis in M. fasciolatus. All 16 frogs exposed to B. dendrobatidis at 17 degrees C and 23 degrees C died, whereas 4 of 8 frogs exposed at 27 degrees C survived. However, the time until death for the frogs that died at 27 degrees C was shorter than at the lower temperatures. Infections in survivors were eliminated by 98 days. CONCLUSION: Chytridiomycosis is a major cause of mortality in free-living and captive amphibians in Australia and mortality rate increases at lower temperatures.

Amphibians↗
PubMed2004

Toxic effects of mebendazole at high dose on the haematology of red-legged pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica).

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of mebendazole at high dose on the haematology of macropods. Experimental. PROCEDURE: Five red-legged pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica) were dosed orally with mebendazole at 50 mg/kg/d for 5 to 6 days. Two control pademelons were dosed with water. Regular blood samples were taken for haematology over 20 days. RESULTS: All four treated pademelons sampled at 5 days developed severe leucopenia and neutropenia, moderate lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, eosinopenia and monocytopenia, as well as bone marrow aplasia within 5 to 11 days after the first mebendazole dose. Four pademelons died unexpectedly or became ill and were euthanased 5 to 11 days after the first dose while the other animal recovered after 5 days of illness. Necropsy revealed systemic infection with opportunistic enteric bacteria, non-suppurative inflammation in tissues, haemorrhage and ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract. CONCLUSIONS: Red-legged pademelons rapidly develop bone-marrow aplasia and subsequent septicaemia after administration of high doses of mebendazole. Mebendazole at high doses should not be used for macropods.

Agranulocytosis↗
PubMed2004

Recalibration of somesthetic plantar information in the control of undisturbed upright stance maintenance.

To assess the effects of changes in somesthetic plantar information on upright quiet stance, a rotary plantar massage was applied under the feet of healthy subjects for ten minutes. The controlling variable, the centre of pressure (CP) displacements, were recorded, before and after massage, through a force platform and decomposed into two elementary motions: the vertical projection of the centre of gravity (CG(v)) and the difference between the latter and the CP (CP-CG(v)) along medio-lateral ML and antero-posterior AP directions. These motions were processed through frequency analysis and modelled as fractional Brownian motion. For CP-CG(v) motions, the frequency analysis shows that massage under the plantar soles induces a decrease of the amplitudes along the ML direction suggesting reduced overall muscular activity (abductor-adductor muscles of the hip according to Winter et al.). A general trend is that the CG(v) amplitudes are also diminished after massage especially in the ML direction, indicating a better distribution of the body weight on the two supports. On the other hand, the effects tend to vanish after about 8 minutes. Conversely, when the massage was given under the toes, no particular effect on any elementary motion was observed, suggesting that the plantar mechanoreceptors under the toes necessitate stronger stimulation to respond significantly and/or that the greater sensitivity obtained was not used by the CNS. Overall, this data emphasises the fact that a recalibration of somesthetic cues may occur when enhanced afferent information is fed to the postural system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Cryo-archiving of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and other chytridiomycetes.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a major pathogen of frogs worldwide. It has been associated with catastrophic declines of frog populations including those in pristine habitats in Queensland, Australia. To facilitate genetic and disease studies of this fungus and related species, it is essential to have a reliable long-term storage method to maintain genetic integrity of isolates. We have adapted well-established techniques used for the long-term storage of tissue-culture cell lines to the preservation of B. dendrobatidis and other chytridiomycetes. This simple method has allowed us to recover these fungi from storage at -80 degrees C and in liquid nitrogen over an extended period. With this technique it is now possible to preserve saprobic and parasitic isolates from a variety of environmental and disease situations for comparative genetic and biological studies.

Chytridiomycota↗
PubMed2003

Prostate cancer susceptibility genes: lessons learned and challenges posed.

In most developed countries, prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in men. The extent to which the marked racial/ethnic difference in its incidence rate is attributable to screening methods, environmental, hormonal and/or genetic factors remains unknown. A positive family history is among the strongest epidemiological risk factors for prostate cancer. It is now well recognized that the role of candidate genetic markers to this multifactorial malignancy is more difficult to identify than the identification of other cancer susceptibility genes. Indeed, despite the localization of several susceptibility loci, there has been limited success in identifying high-risk susceptibility genes analogous to BRCA1 or BRCA2 for breast and ovarian cancer. Nonetheless, three strong candidate susceptibility genes have been described, namely ELAC2 (chromosome 17p11/HPC2 region), 2'-5'-oligoadenylate-dependent ribonuclease L (RNASEL), a gene in the HPC1 region, and Macrophage Scavenger Receptor 1 (MSR1), a gene within a region of linkage on chromosome 8p. Additional studies using larger cohorts are needed to fully evaluate the role of these susceptibility genes in prostate cancer risk. It is also of interest to mention that a significant percentage of men with early-onset prostate cancer harbor germline mutation in the BRCA2 gene thus confirming its role as a high-risk prostate cancer susceptibility gene. Although initial segregation analyses supported the hypothesis that a number of rare highly penetrant loci contribute to the Mendelian inheritance of prostate cancer, current experimental evidence better supports the hypothesis that some of the familial risks may be due to inheritance of multiple moderate-risk genetic variants. In this regard, it is not surprising that analyses of genes encoding key proteins involved in androgen biosynthesis and action led to the observation of a significant association between a susceptibility to prostate cancer and common genetic variants in some of those genes.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed2002

Single-strand conformation polymorphism-based analysis reveals genetic variation within Spirometra erinacei (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) from Australia.

This study examined genetic variability within Spirometra erinacei (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) from different host species and geographical origins in Australia using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based mutation detection approach, followed by DNA sequencing. Part of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (p cox 1) was amplified by PCR, scanned for sequence variation by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), and representative samples from different host species were selected for DNA sequencing. While no variation in SSCP profiles was detected among S. erinacei samples from dog, fox, cat, tiger snake and python, they differed in profile from 5 specimens from the green tree frog (Litoria caerulea). This was supported by sequence data which demonstrated that p cox 1 sequences of samples from the latter host species differed at 8 of 393 (2%) nucleotide positions from those from the non-amphibian host. Using a nucleotide difference in the p cox 1 sequence, a PCR-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) could be employed to unequivocally delineate between samples from non-amphibian and amphibian hosts. These findings demonstrate the existence of at least two genotypes within S. erinacei, which may have important implications for studying the epidemiology, ecology and systematics of this cestode.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

How old is that child? Validating the accuracy of age assignments in observational surveys of vehicle restraint use.

OBJECTIVES: Many large scale observational studies of child restraint usage require observers to estimate the ages of the vehicle occupants. The accuracy of age assignments were assessed and possible methods to improve observational accuracy in research and field studies of child restraint use were identified. METHODS: The validation study was performed at fast food restaurants in a metropolitan area. Three, two person teams observed 449 occupants of vehicles with at least one child passenger. The drivers were then interviewed to obtain the actual ages of the vehicle occupants. The primary outcome measure was the per cent of age assignments that were correct by age category (infant, toddler, school age, teen, adult). The observers had previously conducted a statewide child restraint observation study and were trained in estimating age categories. RESULTS: A total of 391 (87%) of the 449 occupants were assigned to their correct age categories. Incorrect assignments were more common among infants (22% incorrect), but few infants (nine) were observed. The most frequent error was classifying adults (19 years and older) as teenagers (13-18 years). CONCLUSION: Trained, experienced observers approached 90% accuracy in their assignment of children to specific age categories. Additional study is required to determine whether these results are applicable to different age categories and observers. It is recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local agencies, and other sponsors of observational surveys consider observer competence as an important variable. The validity of age assignments can be assessed by randomly interviewing a sample of drivers. More accurate age estimates will improve decisions regarding prevention programs, funding, and policies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Delayed penile replantation after prolonged warm ischemia.

We report a case of microsurgical replantation of traumatic self-amputation of penis after prolonged warm ischemia as a result of delayed presentation. At 12 weeks postoperative follow-up evaluation, the patient exhibited good urinary flow, spontaneous erection, and a normal response to pharmacological stimulation.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

Stw 441/465: a new fragmentary ilium of a small-bodied Australopithecus africanus from Sterkfontein, South Africa.

In 1986 and 1987, a hominid left ilium fragment consisting of a spina iliaca anterior superior and crista iliaca was discovered during excavations at Sterkfontein, South Africa. Although the specimen is small it gives valuable hints for muscle insertions and origins at the pelvis of Australopithecus africanus. It indicates that the anatomy of the abdominal muscles and of the mm. glutei medius et minimus of A. africanus was quite different from that of the great apes and more similar to that of modern humans. This has major implications for the interpretation of the bipedalism and locomotor efficiency of the early South African hominids.

Animals↗