PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Peters

Publications and source records attributed to M Peters.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Sequence characterization of a sheep cDNA for antithrombin III.

We determined the cDNA sequence of the mRNA for antithrombin III (AT III) from sheep liver. It encodes a protein of 465 amino acids, including a signal peptide of 32 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the mature protein shows a sequence identity of 89.1%, 95.6% and 85.0% to the human, bovine and rabbit equivalents, respectively. Cysteine residues involved in disulfide bonds as well as potential glycosylation sites are conserved between the four species. In contrast, the amino acid sequence of the signal peptide shows a smaller identity, i.e., 68.7% and 56.3% compared to the human and rabbit preprotein, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Combined and alternating ganciclovir and foscarnet in acute and maintenance therapy of human immunodeficiency virus-related cytomegalovirus encephalitis refractory to ganciclovir alone. A case report and review of the literature.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes life-threatening disseminated infections and in particular vision-threatening infections of the retina in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Ganciclovir currently represents the most frequently used therapy for CMV retinitis. However, cases of ganciclovir-resistant CMV strains have been described, in which foscarnet seems to be an effective alternative. Both drugs have serious toxicities, and relapses frequently occur during maintenance therapy. In a patient with CMV encephalitis, we administered a 3-week combination ganciclovir/foscarnet induction therapy (ganciclovir 5 mg/kg every 12 h; foscarnet 60 mg/kg every 8 h), followed by an alternating maintenance administration of both drugs every other day (ganciclovir 5 mg/kg, foscarnet 120 mg/kg) to reduce toxicity and resistance. This regimen was tolerated well and seemed to be more effective than ganciclovir alone in a patient with CMV encephalitis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

Cluster analysis reveals at least three, and possibly five distinct handedness groups.

Multivariate techniques have used data from hand preference questionnaires to group hand preference items, but no attempt has been made to date to use multivariate analyses to group individuals in terms of handedness groups. This study analyzed the responses of 645 subjects on the Waterloo 60-item handedness questionnaire with a cluster analysis (BMDP) in order to determine the grouping of individuals in terms of hand preference patterns. Five distinct handedness groups were recognized by this procedure and a Discriminant Function Analysis revealed a very high accuracy of assigning individuals to the five groups. A cluster analysis of a shorter 14-item questionnaire suggested three distinct handedness groups, and the degree of accuracy of assigning individuals to these groups was also very high. As is the case with all multivariate techniques in neuropsychology, the question of whether the clusters form meaningful groupings awaits an answer in terms of their different neuropsychological properties.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

How sensitive are handedness prevalence figures to differences in questionnaire classification procedures?

Questionnaire data from 572 subjects show that the proportion of right-handers to nonright-handers varies greatly (from 1:100 to 92:8) as a function of questionnaire length, graded or forced response to items, and cut-off criteria. For this reason, the right-handed/nonright-hander dichotomy is singularly unsuited as a basis for classification when handedness is to be related to some other neuropsychological factor as an independent variable. This is especially the case when very strict cut-off criteria are used to define right-handedness (e.g., only those individuals who prefer the right hand for all activities listed).

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Do "right-armed" lefthanders have different lateralization of motor control for the proximal and distal musculature?

Geschwind and Galaburda (1985) have suggested that specialization for the control of distal and proximal musculature might be located in different hemispheres in some individuals. Because inconsistent lefthanders (as defined by Ponton, 1987; Peters and Servos, 1989) tend to write with the left hand but throw with the right arm, and have a stronger right arm (Peters, 1990), it was thought that individuals in this group might provide evidence for the prediction made by Geschwind and Galaburda. This did not prove to be the case for tapping speed, where righthanders, inconsistent and consistent lefthanders all showed congruence. It appears that the question "are some left-handers right-armed?" can be answered only relative to specific activities.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Modifying the request behaviour of clinicians.

AIM: To evaluate whether the feedback of laboratory use and cost data to clinicians modifies their request behaviour. METHODS: Over two years the effect of monthly feedback of clinical chemistry test use and revenue expenditure to three consultant physicians on their clinical chemistry and haematology requesting patterns was evaluated. Two physicians who received no information served as controls. RESULTS: Feedback over one year led to an immediate and sustained decrease of 15%, 27%, and 21% in clinical chemistry requests (p less than 0.01), tests (p less than 0.001), and revenue expenditure (p less than 0.001), respectively, and a 10% reduction in haematology tests (p less than 0.05) per outpatient visit. These changes persisted in the six months after the feedback was stopped. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that feedback of laboratory data to clinicians modifies their request behaviour and that supplying clinicians with information on what they do can influence the way they make decisions.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗
PubMed1992

Computerised protocols for laboratory investigation and their effect on use of medical time and resources.

AIMS: To devise a computerised management system protocol which not only proposes the laboratory investigations to be performed on each patient but also performs related clinical functions. METHODS: The system was designed by senior members of staff. The protocols defined all laboratory investigations including haematology, biochemistry, immunology and cross-matching, and included static and dynamic rules. Patients can be changed to different or additional protocols, as required; likewise proposed tests can be deleted or added. The software is written in MUMPS and runs on a 386 PC running MSM MUMPS under MSDOS. RESULTS: The number of clinical chemistry tests requested per patient per day fell by 9.5% (p less than 0.01) for transplant recipients and by 28.8% (p less than 0.01) for non-transplant recipients. The average time spent by junior medical staff requesting laboratory investigations and enquiring about results fell from 10 minutes per patient per day to 4.1 minutes (p less than 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of this system in no way abrogates clinicians' responsibility for the management of patients, because all proposed investigations must be confirmed or modified by the authorising doctor. The system allows for the audit of requesting patterns and subsequent improvement in protocols by recording any alterations made to the proposed investigations. Significant benefits in terms of better use of house officer time and medical resources were also achieved.

Clinical Laboratory Information Systems↗
PubMed1992

[The diagnosis of Listeria encephalitis in ruminants using cultural and immunohistological techniques. I. Comparison of different selective media and culture techniques for the detection of Listeria from ruminant brains].

The selective L-PALCAMY differential enrichment broth, the Listeria enrichment broth of the International Dairy Federation, Oxford Listeria selective agar, and PALCAM Listeria selective agar were comparatively examined in the cultural isolation of Listeria spp. from ten ruminant brains. The L-PALCAMY medium proved to be superior to the IDF broth in both selectivity and productivity for Listeria spp. in the brain samples, which were also contaminated with other bacteria. The Oxford and PALCAM agars corresponded in their productivity for Listeria spp. The latter, however, was more selective than the Oxford agar. Bacterial counts of up to 1.2 x 10(9) CFU/g of brain stem sample were made from Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.), and up to 6.2 x 10(4) CFU/g from Listeria innocua. A total of 164 brains from ruminants showing CNS disturbances and/or pathoanatomical CNS alterations were examined using L-PALCAMY medium, and Oxford and PALCAM agar. L.m. could be isolated from 29 of the brains, and Listeria innocua from five. Cultural isolation of both Listeria spp. occurred in one brain. Of 27 brains containing L.m., which were also examined using cold enrichment, L.m. was isolated in 59.3% of the cases with direct culture, in 81.5% of the cases using selective warm enrichment, and in 77.8% of the cases by means of selective cold enrichment. Five cases each were identified solely by cold or warm enrichment, respectively. In investigations of further 69 ruminant brains the number of brains shown to contain L.m. could be increased from seven to 13 by means of selective cold enrichment for three months.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Results from the Frankfurt a.M. AIDS counseling unit 1988 and 1989].

An AIDS counselling office of the Public Health Service has been available to the public of Frankfurt a.M. since September 1985. 6969 blood samples were examined for HIV antibodies between January 1988 and the end of December 1989. The prevalence of positive tests was 1.9% (n = 141). Until now most of the HIV-positive clients are homo- and bisexual persons. Security and partnership were the most frequent reasons stated by heterosexual clients at the AIDS-counselling office.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1992

[The diagnosis of listeria encephalitis in ruminants using cultural and immunohistologic methods. II. Immunohistologic studies in formalin-fixed paraffin sections].

The unlabelled peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP)-technique was compared with the avidin-biotin-peroxidase-complex (ABC)-technique in the identification of Listeria antigen in formalin-fixed paraffin sections of 58 ruminant brains, 44 of which showed histopathological lesions typical for listeric encephalitis. Rabbit hyperimmune serum, obtained by immunization with a Listeria monocytogenes strain of serotype 1/2 a, served as primary serum in the immunohistochemical investigations. The antiserum was tested for specificity using formalin-fixed smears of various bacterial species. Listeria antigen was demonstrated in 40 of the 44 brains with histopathological CNS alterations, as seen in listeriosis, using the ABC method, whereas their identification with the PAP method only succeeded in 34 of the brains. Despite the higher dilution of the primary antibody, the ABC method distinguished itself further, in comparison with the PAP method, through more intense immunohistochemical staining of Listeria antigen. Listeria spp, could be isolated from 46 of 52 brains, which were also examined bacteriologically. They could be isolated from 14 brains, which showed no histopathological lesions indicative of listeriosis. In contrast to this, Listeria antigen was only detected immunohistologically in brains with typical histological listeric CNS alterations. In three cases the presumptive histological diagnosis could not be confirmed immunohistologically.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Results of studies of cardiovascular risk factors in 1875 visitors to the Frankfurt Health Days 1990].

In 1990 the Public Health Department of Frankfurt organised the third "Frankfurter Gesundheitstage" (Frankfurt Days for Health). Informations on healthy life style and prevention of diseases were available, as well as a screening programme for cardiovascular diseases. 1875 persons (1207 women and 668 men) had their total cholesterol, blood pressure and weight measured. They were asked about their age and body height, activities in sports, smoking behaviour, medications and their personal and family history for cardiovascular diseases. Mean age of the persons tested was 60 years (33% 40-59 yrs; 55% greater than 60 yrs). 13% of them smoked, 16% were obese. In 19% we found elevated blood pressure values, 5% of these values were not known before. 85% of the screened persons exhibited hypercholesterolaemia (greater than 200 mg/dl), and in 46% cholesterol exceeded 250 mg/dl. More than 25% of the hypercholesterolaemic values were not known before. Our data are not representative. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that persons at risk can be reached by voluntary public screening programmes.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Cardiovascular risk factors in participants of screening procedures in the framework of the Frankfurter Health Days 1990--comparison with representative screenings].

During the public information programme, "Frankfurter Gesundheitstage" 1990 (Frankfurt Days for Health), organised by the Frankfurt Public Health Office, informations on healthy lifestyle and prevention of diseases were available, as well as a screening programme for cardiovascular diseases. 1,875 persons took part in that screening programme. Their total cholesterol, blood pressure and body weight were measured; they were asked about their age and body weight, activities in sports, smoking behaviour, medications, and their personal and family history for cardiovascular diseases. After accounting for sex and age, the results were compared with the representative epidemiological data of the DHP-Surveys, as well as other representative data of Germany. Body mass index was lower than expected; the heavily obese underrepresented. Mean of serum-cholesterol and blood pressure were comparable with the DHP-Survey, as well as the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia. The prevalence of hypertension was less than expected. Smokers were underrepresented; in women aged greater than 40 years the prevalence of smoking did not differ from the representative data, and in women aged 30-50 years the prevalence of heavy smokers was much higher than expected. Our data are not representative: participation was voluntary, and it may be supposed that especially people who take care of their health and thus may exhibit less risk factors than others took part in the programme. Direct conclusions from our data on the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors of the Frankfurt population are hence not possible. It may be speculated, however, that the extremely high lung cancer mortality of women in Frankfurt can be explained by the high prevalence of heavily smoking women.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A prospective randomized trial of perioperative cefazolin treatment in axillary and groin dissection.

One hundred thirty-four patients undergoing axillary or inguinal lymph node dissection were randomized to receive perioperative treatment with either cefazolin or placebo. Risk factors for wound complications (age greater than 60 years, open wound, obesity, smoking, extremity edema, diabetes, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease) were recorded. The rate of complications was 36% in 97 patients (72%) with any risk factor present, compared with 14% in patients with no risk factors. Complications were seen in 30% of patients: in 14% after axillary lymph node dissection, and in 64% after inguinal lymph node dissection. The risk of complications was 23% in the group administered antibiotic treatment compared with 36% in that administered placebo treatment. This trend toward fewer complications was seen only after axillary lymph node dissection, when the rate of complications was 8% in the antibiotic-treated group compared with 20% in the placebo-treated group. After inguinal lymph node dissection, the rate of complications was 69% in the antibiotic-treated group compared with 62% in the placebo-treated group.

Axilla↗