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Biomedical subjects

M Täuber

Publications and source records attributed to M Täuber.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Contribution of the alpha1-GABA(A) receptor subtype to the pharmacological actions of benzodiazepine site inverse agonists.

A histidine-to-arginine point-mutation at position 101 in the alpha1-subunit of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptors has been shown to switch the in vitro efficacy of Ro 15-4513 from inverse agonism to agonism. In order to assess the consequences of this pharmacological switch in vivo, the motor and proconvulsant effects of Ro 15-4513 were analyzed in knock-in mice containing point-mutated alpha1(H101R)-GABA(A) receptors. Furthermore the influence of the alpha1(H101R) substitution on the efficacy of the beta-carboline inverse agonist DMCM was examined both in vitro and in vivo. Ro 15-4513 (10 mg/kg) increased baseline locomotion and potentiated the convulsant effect of pentylenetetrazole in wild type mice. In alpha1(H101R) mice, Ro 15-4513 decreased locomotion and, at a higher dose (30 mg/kg) it displayed an anticonvulsant action. In vitro, DMCM acted as an inverse agonist at recombinant alpha1beta2gamma2 receptors whereas it potentiated GABA-evoked chloride currents at alpha1(H101R)beta2gamma2 receptors. DMCM was inactive as a convulsant in alpha1(H101R) mice. In keeping with the major contribution of these receptors to the sedative and anticonvulsant properties of benzodiazepine site agonists, the present findings identify the alpha1-GABA(A) receptors as the molecular targets for the allosteric modulation by benzodiazepine site ligands in either direction with regard to the behavioral outputs, sedation/motor stimulation and anticonvulsion/proconvulsion.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Infective endocarditis: determinants of long term outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate predictors of long term prognosis in infective endocarditis. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care centre. PATIENTS: 212 consecutive patients with infective endocarditis between 1980 and 1995 MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall and cardiac mortality; event-free survival; and the following events: recurrence, need for late valve surgery, bleeding and embolic complications, cerebral dysfunction, congestive heart failure. RESULTS: During a mean follow up period of 89 months (range 1-244 months), 56% of patients died. In 180 hospital survivors, overall and cardiac mortality amounted to 45% and 24%, respectively. By multivariate analysis, early surgical treatment, infection by streptococci, age < 55 years, absence of congestive heart failure, and > 6 symptoms or signs of endocarditis during active infection were predictive of improved overall long term survival. Independent determinants of event-free survival were infection by streptococci and age < 55 years. Event-free survival was 17% at the end of follow up both in medically-surgically treated patients and in medically treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Long term survival following infective endocarditis is 50% after 10 years and is predicted by early surgical treatment, age < 55 years, lack of congestive heart failure, and the initial presence of more symptoms of endocarditis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Helicobacter sp. flexispira bacteremia in an immunocompetent young adult.

A young immunocompetent patient was admitted for a febrile illness with malaise, arthralgias, painful leg swelling, and polyserositis. Shortly prior to becoming ill, the patient had traveled to the Northern African desert. The symptoms disappeared during treatment with antibiotics (doxycycline and ceftriaxone) but recurred twice after stopping therapy. A motile gram-negative fusiform rod was isolated from a blood culture taken on the first admission. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of the blood culture isolate revealed close similarity with Helicobacter sp. flexispira taxon 8 (99.9% identity), a species that was previously reported as "Flexispira rappini." This is the first reported case of a recurrent Helicobacter sp. flexispira bacteremia in an adult, immunocompetent patient.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Group A streptococcus clones causing repeated epidemics and endemic disease in intravenous drug users.

Clones of Group A streptococcus (GAS) may spread epidemically and may be associated with enhanced virulence. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, together with bacterial isolates, of 79 patients with GAS infection in the Berne region between January 1993 and February 1997 were analysed retrospectively. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, most strains (71%) were found to belong to one of 12 clones. Clonal strains caused significantly more frequent skin abscesses and more severe invasive disease than non-clonal strains. The largest clone (M serotype 1) occurred endemically in non-IVDU patients and caused severe disease in most. Three clones occurred almost exclusively among IVDUs: an M serotype 11 was associated with severe, endemic disease; the other 2 clones, both of M serotype 25, caused epidemics of needle abscesses. Epidemic and endemic spread of GAS clones among IVDUs may be more frequent than previously assumed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Nitric oxide synthase activity and inhibition after neonatal hypoxia ischemia in the mouse brain.

Despite the emergence of therapies for hypoxic-ischemic injury to the mature nervous system, there have been no proven efficacious therapies for the developing nervous system. Recent studies have shown that pharmacological blockade of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity can ameliorate damage after ischemia in the mature rodent. We have previously shown that elimination of nNOS neurons, either by targeted disruption of the gene or by pharmacological depletion with intraparenchymal quisqualate, can decrease injury after hypoxia-ischemia. Using a simpler pharmacological approach, we studied the efficacy of a systemically administered NOS inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole, a relatively selective inhibitor of nNOS activity. Using multiple doses and concentrations administered after the insult, we found that there was only a trend for protection with higher doses of the drug. A significant decrease in NOS activity was seen at 18 h and 5 days in the cortex, and at 2 h and 18 h in the hippocampus after the hypoxia-ischemia. nNOS expression decreased and remained depressed for at least 18 h after the insult. When nNOS expression was normalized to MAP2 expression, a decrease was seen at 18 h in the cortex and at 2 and 18 h in the hippocampus. These data suggest that further inhibition of NOS activity at early timepoints may not provide substantial benefit. At 5 days after the insult, however, NOS activity and normalized nNOS expression returned to baseline or higher in the hippocampus, the region showing the most damage. These data suggest that delayed administration of nNOS inhibitor after hypoxic-ischemic injury might be beneficial.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Ectopic expression of the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor alters behavioral rhythms in Drosophila melanogaster.

To study the function of the neuropeptide pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) in the circadian system of Drosophila, we misexpressed the pdf gene from the grasshopper Romalea in the CNS of Drosophila and investigated the effect of this on behavioral rhythmicity. pdf was either ectopically expressed in different numbers of neurons in the brain or the thoracical nervous system or overexpressed in the pacemaker neurons alone. We found severe alterations in the activity and eclosion rhythm of several but not all lines with ectopic pdf expression. Only ectopic pdf expression in neurons that projected into the dorsal central brain severely influenced activity rhythms. Therefore, we conclude that PDF acts as a neuromodulator in the dorsal central brain that is involved in the rhythmic control of behavior. Overexpression of pdf in the pacemaker neurons alone or in the other neurons that express the clock genes period (per) and timeless (tim) did not disturb the activity rhythm. Such flies still showed a rhythm in PDF accumulation in the central brain terminals. This rhythm was absent in the terminals of neurons that expressed PDF ectopically. Probably, PDF is rhythmically processed, transported, or secreted in neurons expressing per and tim, and additional PDF expression in these cells does not influence this rhythmic process. In neurons lacking per and tim, PDF appears to be continuously processed, leading to a constant PDF secretion at their nerve terminals. This may lead to conflicting signals in the rhythmic output pathway and result in a severely altered rhythmic behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Perhexiline maleate-induced hepatitis.

We report on a case of perhexiline maleate-induced hepatitis secondary to a long-term administration of recommended daily dosages of 300 mg. The patient had a spectacular weight loss of 29 kg. He developed hepatitis, which subsided after drug withdrawal. Our electron-microscopic findings with the typical inclusion bodies and impaired hydroxylation capacity point to an underlying metabolic disorder as the pathogenetic mechanism.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1988

[HIV serological parameters in the prognosis and follow-up assessment of an HIV infection].

53 individuals negative for anti-HIV by screening test and 79 individuals positive for anti-HIV were prospectively surveyed for clinical progression and by quantitatively measuring anti-p24 (antibodies against an HIV core protein), anti-gp41 (antibodies against an HIV surface protein) and HIV-(p24) antigen. The patients were classified into four categories of HIV-markers: 1. Anti-p24 in high concentrations, HIV-Ag negative, 2. anti-p24 in high concentrations, HIV-Ag positive (most often transitory only), 3. anti-p24 absent/deficient, HIV-Ag negative and 4. anti-p24 absent/deficient and HIV-AG positive. Within a minimum of 18 months, 4 of the 53 (8%) initially anti-HIV negative individuals contracted HIV infection. 17 of the 79 (22%) initially anti-HIV positive individuals showed disease progression. 8 of the patients in category 4 already had AIDS when entering the study, and 3 of the 6 (5%) remaining patients of this category developed AIDS. Amongst the 19 patients in the third category 2 individuals (11%) developed AIDS and in a further 5 (26%) individuals the disease progressed but in no case to AIDS. None of the patients of the categories 1 and 2 developed AIDS but 2 of the 10 (20%) individuals in the second category and 3 of the 29 (10%) in the first category showed disease progression but not to AIDS. In conclusion, the quantitative measurement of anti-p24 and of HIV-Ag affords prognostic pointers for the clinical outcome of HIV infection.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1987

Prevalence of HIV antibodies among prostitutes in Zürich, Switzerland.

The prevalence of antibodies to the human immune deficiency virus was determined in 123 prostitutes. Of 18 intravenous drug abusers 14 were anti-HIV positive, all others, with one exception, were seronegative. Neither race, nor number of clients, nor sexual practices correlated with seropositivity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1985

[HTLV-III antibodies and risk factors for healthy homosexuals in Zurich].

Sera of 100 healthy homosexual men were tested for antibodies to AIDS virus HTLV-III. Significant differences were found between 45 seropositive and 55 seronegative men, such as a higher number of sexual partners per year, more contacts with AIDS patients, positive serological markers for syphilis, and reduced skin reaction after intradermal application of 7 recall antigens.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Prizidilol (SK & F 92657), a new vasodilator with beta-blocking properties in the treatment of essential hypertension.

The antihypertensive effect of a new vasodilator with betablocking properties (SK & F 92657) was investigated in 10 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. After a mean treatment period of 26,5 weeks (6,5-49 weeks) blood pressure was significantly reduced, from 168 +/- 22/106 +/- 6 mmHg to 144 +/- 19/94 +/- 12 mmHg (p less than 0.05 and 0.025). The mean dose was 410 mg (100-700 mg). Heart rate decreased slightly from 77 +/- 12 to 70 +/- 8 beats/min. Plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone showed only minor changes. Nausea, heavy dreams, facial and hand flushing and mild depression were reported as side effects. In most patients the symptoms disappeared without reduction in the dose. In one patient anaemia developed after 7 weeks and treatment with prizidilol was stopped. A slight but statistically significant decrease in haemoglobin concentration of 1.1 +/- 0.6 g/dl was observed in 5 of the 10 patients (p less than 0.02). Thus, a mean dose of prizidilol of 410 +/- 242 mg/day had a mean blood pressure lowering effect of 24/12 mmHg. In 7 of the 10 patients (70%) diastolic blood pressure could be reduced to 95 mmHg or less. However, the observed haematological side-effects should be carefully monitored in further studies and may limit the clinical use of prizidilol.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1979

[Sinus arrest after intravenous administration of lidocaine].

A 60-year-old patient with coronary artery disease and antecedent (1976) myocardial infarction developed sinus standstill with nodal bradycardia of 41/min while on antiarrhythmic treatment with lidocain (2 mg/min drip infusion). Severe hypotension (70/50 mm Hg) occurred concomitantly. Withdrawal of lidocain and intravenous injection of 0.5 mg atropine restored sinus rhythm within 4 min, followed by a very sluggish, gradual increase in blood pressure over the next 45 minutes. Fortunately this episode did no harm to the patient. He was allowed to leave hospital 6 days later as there was no evidence of a second myocardial infarction and anginal pain was successfully controlled.

Atropine↗
PubMed1979

[Examination of the retest reliability of the findings of the first psychopathological examination (AMP system)].

80 inpatients were interviewed two times by the same rate during 24 h. Using Kappa, the retest reliability of the following parts of the psychopathological findings was determined: (1) aspects of the interview (median 0.54); (2) AMP symptoms (median 0.72); (3) AMP syndromes (median 0.79); (4) clinical syndromes (median 0.77), and (5) nosologic diagnoses (median 0.93). Based on structured rating of the psychopathological symptoms, a good retest reliability was found.

Adolescent↗