Intravascular ultrasound imaging of Guenther vena caval filters.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Urban.
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The a mating type locus of the phytopathogenic fungus U. maydis controls fusion of haploid cells and filamentous growth of the dikaryotic mycelium. The a locus exists in two alleles, termed a1 and a2, which are defined by nonhomologous DNA regions comprising 4.5 kb for a1 and 8 kb for a2, flanked by identical sequences. Based on functional assays, mutants, and sequencing, we demonstrate that the mating type in each allele is determined by a set of two genes. One encodes a precursor for a lipopeptide mating factor, and the other specifies the receptor for the pheromone secreted by cells of opposite mating type. Thus, U. maydis employs a novel strategy to determine its mating type by providing the primary determinants of cell-cell recognition directly from the mating type locus.
This paper gives an overview of the SMZO-PACS-Project in the form of a rough specification of the system architecture and the functional parameters related to it. The PACS architecture, determined by the large amount of data volume produced in the SMZO Hospital is outlined. In both radiology and trauma departments high technical requirements concerning data throughout and fault tolerance are demanded. Therefore these PACS modules are designed to minimize the workload of the network so that the performance is not degraded in the case of fault of a single component. A PACS module includes image acquisition devices of a certain modality with related reporting workstations and a distributed electronic archive. The functionality of the modules is described, special interest is posed on the integration of the different information management systems PACS, RIS and HIS, to achieve a complete record of data input and throughput in the hospital.
PACS development has now reached a stage where it can clearly be stated that the technology for storage, networking and display in a fully digital environment is available. This is reflected by an already large and rapidly increasing number of PACS installations in USA, Western Europe and Japan. Such installations consist of a great variety of information systems, more or less interconnected, like PACS, HIS, RIS and other departmental systems, differing in both hardware and software. Various data - even if they only concern one person - are stored in different systems distributed in the hospital. The integration of all digital systems into a functional unit is determined by the radiologist's need of quick access to all relevant information regardless where it is stored. The interconnection and functional integration of all digital systems in the hospital determine the clinical benefits of PACS. This paper (1) describes the radiologist's requirements concerning this integration, and (2) presents some realistic solutions such as the Siemens ISI (Information System Interface), and a mobile viewing station for the wards (visitBox).
Follow-up of patients with inferior vena cava filters was performed every 3 months with clinical controls, plain radiographs and duplex sonography. Whereas the clinical results were excellent (no recurrence of pulmonary embolism), radiological controls showed broken anchoring legs in 14 cases and a broken filter basket in one patient. In two cases, the broken anchoring prongs had perforated the inferior vena cava wall. All patients with broken filters were clinically asymptomatic. CT showed no morphological changes in these cases. As experience proves, strict follow-up of caval filters for early detection of complications is mandatory even with well-established filter types.
Bacterial fusion proteins, constructed from overlapping fragments of the open reading frame coding for gp86 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strain AD169, were used to localize antigenic regions recognized by antibodies from human convalescent sera. A major domain for binding of conformation-independent antibodies was localized on fusion protein AP86, containing amino acids 15 to 142 of gp86. Human antibodies, affinity purified on AP86, neutralized infectious virus in tissue culture. In addition, a mouse monoclonal antibody (AP86-SA4), raised against AP86, also neutralized HCMV. AP86-SA4 was reactive with viral gp86 in immunoblot assays and showed a plasma membrane staining on intact HCMV-infected fibroblasts late in infection. After exonuclease III deletions of the viral gene, the binding site of neutralizing human as well as mouse antibodies was localized between amino acid residues 34 and 43. The domain has sequence variation between laboratory strains AD169 and Towne, and binding of the antibodies was strain specific. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of a strain-specific neutralizing epitope on HCMV.
The levels of lipoprotein A-I (LP A-I) containing apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) and devoid of apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II) have been determined in a group of 86 children and adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes of age between 1.3 and 22 years. The duration of diabetes in the studied group ranged between 0.25 and 15 years. The patients studied were further divided into subgroups taking into account the duration of diabetes as well as the occurrence of complications of diabetes, obesity and predisposition to early development of atherosclerosis in family history. The analysis of the results took into account the relations between the levels of LP A-I and other parameters of lipid metabolism like cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, apo A-I and apo A-II concentrations as well as the effectiveness of metabolic control of diabetes. LP A-I concentration was the lowest in group of children with diabetes lasting up to one year. This parameter was correlated positively with the levels of HDL-cholesterol and apo A-I, and negatively with HbA1c. It was not related to the coexisting complications, obesity or predisposition to atherosclerosis in family history. The above results indicate that the state of metabolic control of diabetes significantly influences the level of LP A-I. Considering the importance of LP A-I in preventing atherosclerosis it should be stressed that a decrease in its level during the period of prolonged hypoglycemia constitutes still another risk factor for development of atherosclerosis in diabetic children and adolescents.
The levels of the following blood serum lipid constituents: total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, HDL-cholesterol, lipoprotein fractions, as well as apolipoproteins AI, AII and B, have been determined in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes lasting from 3 months to 15 years in relation to the degree of metabolic control characterized by the levels of fructosamine and glycosylated hemoglobin HbA1c. The group of patients having the level of HbA1c exceeding 10% was characterized by significantly higher levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and Apo-B, and lower content of alpha-lipoprotein as compared to the group with HbA1c level beneath 10%. When fructosamine concentration was considered as an index of metabolic control of diabetes, it was found that the levels of cholesterol, phospholipids and apolipoproteins apo-A and apo-AI are highest in the group with the poor metabolic control and differ significantly from the respective values found in patients with mediocre and good metabolic control. Considering biological role of the individual lipids and lipoproteins, it should be stressed that the proper control of glycaemia is important for preventing the development of atherosclerosis in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes.
The levels of the following blood serum lipid constituents: total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, HDL-cholesterol, apolipoproteins AI, AII and B, and lipoprotein fractions have been determined in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes in relation to sex, age, duration of diabetes, coexistence of obesity, insulin dosage and history of genetic predispositions. The age of the patients was between 1.3 and 22 years and the duration of the disease ranged between 3 months and 15 years. The analysis of the results revealed that sex, age, daily insulin dose and the known genetic predispositions have no influence on the values of the parameters of lipid metabolism. However, an increase in the levels of cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoproteins AI and B was observed along with the progressing duration of the disease. An increase in the levels of cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and beta-lipoprotein, and a decrease in the level of alpha-lipoprotein have been found in diabetic children with coexisting obesity. The above analysis indicates that besides metabolic control of diabetes its duration and accompanying obesity may negatively influence the course of the disease contributing to the precocious development of atherosclerosis.
This case report describes the development of a leiomyosarcoma in the chest wall of a patient previously treated for Hodgkin's disease. Although a similar case has not been reported previously, we managed our patient with wide local excision.
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The level of lipoprotein Lp(a), one of the risk factors of atherosclerosis, was determined in 91 children and adolescents of age ranging from 3.3 to 22 years suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes. The changes in Lp(a) were analyzed in relation to the group of patients, the duration of diabetes, possible genetic factors, other factors predisposing to early onset of atherosclerosis, and occurrence of obesity in the analyzed group. The relation between the level of Lp(a) and other parameters of lipid metabolism (total cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B) as well as a degree of metabolic normalization of diabetes (as assessed by the determination of glycosylated hemoglobin and fructosamine) was studied in addition. No relation between Lp(a) and the factors mentioned above, with exception of glycosylated hemoglobin and fructosamine concentrations, could be demonstrated. The elevated level of Lp(a) in children and adolescents during the period of poor metabolic control of diabetes may constitute an additional risk factor for early onset of atherogenic changes.
Disturbed function of the axis hypothalamus-growth hormone-somatomeding C (IGF-1) plays an important role in the development of diabetic angiopathy. Patients with insuline dependent diabetes show increased secretion on GH but secretion of IGF-1 may be normal, decreased or increased. These disturbances are especially distinct in the prepubescent period when susceptibility to develop complications is bigger. Increased secretion of GH and IGF-1 plays an essential role in the development of retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. The paper explains the role of GH in controlling glycaemia and in the development of vascular complications during diabetes.
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In spite of long-term adjunctive oral dissolution therapy, residual gallstones have been reported in up to 50% of gallstone patients 3 months after extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy. Six women and five men, aged 31-75 years, underwent percutaneous endoscopic cholecystolithotripsy between April 1988 and October 1988. The gallbladder was punctured by means of an anterior transperitoneal approach. The tract was dilated, and gallstones were removed with a modified 21-F cholecystoscope under direct visual inspection. Calculi too large for extraction were disintegrated with ultrasound or electrohydraulic lithotripsy. Eight patients were stone-free and two had small residual stones 3 months later; nine were stone-free 6 months after the procedure. Although more invasive than shock-wave lithotripsy, percutaneous endoscopic cholecystolithotripsy has the advantage of immediate removal of more calculi, causes less pain, necessitates less postoperative immobilization, and allows patients to leave the hospital sooner.
Percutaneous cholecystolithotripsy can be performed with a transhepatic or transperitoneal approach. Because the anatomy of the gallbladder varies from person to person, the authors began a study to evaluate the position of the gallbladder with computed tomographic scans of 100 patients known to have stones in their gallbladders. Four variations in the relationship of the gallbladder to the liver and anterior abdominal wall were noted: completely intrahepatic gallbladders (39%) (type I), gallbladders bulging anterior to the anterior rim at least in part (35%) (type II), gallbladders completely anterior to the liver (17%) (type III), and gallbladders in a lateral position (9%) (type IV). In 51%, the colon was in direct contact with the gallbladder, and in 13% it was positioned between the abdominal wall and gallbladder. A safe percutaneous puncture was not possible in 34% of the patients (nine type IV gallbladders, 23 type I organs, and two type III gallbladders with anterior interposition of the colon).
Distribution of the fat tissue has been estimated in 94 children with simple obesity and in 100 children with normal parameters of the somatic development. The relation of waist measurement (at the navel level) to the hip measurement (at the level of sacral bone) (p/b) was evaluated. This ratio was higher in the group of the obese than in the normotensive children. Higher values of the waist measurement can indicate an excessive fat tissue deposition in the epigastrium. This is a poor prognostic factor as it indicates the greater risk of complications of obesity. This children should be followed up.
98 children with simple obesity were investigated. The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, coronary heart disease including heart infarction, disturbances of the cerebral circulation) and diabetes in parents and relatives of the obese children have been evaluated. The relation between the type of obesity (androidal, gynoidal) and the prevalence of the above complications in the family history was assessed. No correlation between the type of obesity and the mentioned diseases was observed.