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Biomedical subjects

M E Herrmann

Publications and source records attributed to M E Herrmann.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

High amount of dietary carbohydrate does not cause an adaptational increase of stimulated human pancreatic amylase secretion.

In order to investigate whether the human pancreas is capable of adapting to a diet with high-carbohydrate, low-fat, and normal protein content, 10 healthy volunteers were given a defined elemental diet (60% of calories as carbohydrates, 22% as fat, and 18% as protein) for 7 d. For the next 7 d they received an elemental diet with a further increased carbohydrate content (76% of calories) and a decreased fat content (10% of calories). A complete secretin-pancreozymin test was carried out at the end of the first wk and at d 14. The results show that an increase in dietary carbohydrate does not provoke an adaptational response of stimulated secretion rates of amylase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin in humans, as expected from animal experiments.

Acclimatization↗

Congenital sacrococcygeal teratomas: effect of gestational age on size, morphologic pattern, ploidy, p53, and ret expression.

Prognosis of infants born with sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) correlates with gestational age (GA). The survival rate after 30 weeks of gestation is 75%, compared to 7% before 30 weeks of gestation. Studies correlating GA with size, morphologic composition of teratomas, ploidy or expression of cell cycle control proteins such as p53, and ret [a tyrosine kinase receptor of the GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factors)] receptor family may provide information explaining differences in survival. Seven SCTs (GA 21 to 41 weeks), ranging in size from 5 to 15 cm, were evaluated for morphologic composition. DNA ploidy was assessed in mature and immature neural elements. Immunohistochemical reactivity with monoclonal antibodies recognizing p53, and ret was quantitated and correlated with morphological pattern and GA. Relative size of teratomas to infants' weight and content of immature neural tissues correlated inversely with advancement of GA. Yolk sac tumor (YST) and immature tissues showed aneuploid cell populations. Nuclear p53 reactivity was apparent in the teratoma with YST in the microcystic patterns, the neuroectodermal rosettes, and the glandular patterns. Ret reactivity was seen in osteoclasts adjacent to bone formation surrounding developing teeth in an immature teratoma, and in rare mature neural cells of one SCT of 35 weeks GA. The rapid growth of SCT (GA <30 weeks) correlates with increase in immature neural tissues. Our study confirms aneuploidy in YST and suggests aneuploid populations within immature tissues. p53 accumulates in a variety of patterns of YST and may be seen in immature components of SCTs. To understand the possible role of ret, further studies comparing ret expression in immature human tissues are needed.

Aneuploidy↗

Subjective distress during continuous enteral alimentation: superiority of silicone rubber to polyurethane.

A small-bore feeding tube of silicone rubber was developed in order to improve the acceptance of enteral feeding. The insertion procedure was facilitated by providing a double guidewire which allows continuous adjustment of tip rigidity. The usefulness of this tube was tested in a short-term and a long-term volunteer study as well as in a prospective follow-up of patients receiving enteral nutrition. The volunteer study showed that the newly developed tube significantly reduced subjective distress (rank value 14) when compared to a conventional tube made of polyurethane (rank value 20). In the patient study, 131 silicone rubber tubes were used in 85 patients who received enteral nutrition for a total period of 2080 days and complained about foreign-body feeling and rhinorrhea in only 3.7% and 0.5% of the days, respectively. The rate of inadvertent removals was relatively low (32%), mainly due to restricted mental status of the patients.

Enteral Nutrition↗