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Biomedical subjects

Martin Grassberger

Publications and source records attributed to Martin Grassberger.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Ichthyotherapy as alternative treatment for patients with psoriasis: a pilot study.

Ichthyotherapy (therapy with the so-called 'Doctorfish of Kangal', Garra rufa) has been shown to be effective in patients with psoriasis in the Kangal hot springs in Turkey. This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of ichthyotherapy in combination with short-term ultraviolet A sunbed radiation in the treatment of psoriasis under controlled conditions. We retrospectively analyzed 67 patients diagnosed with psoriasis who underwent 3 weeks of ichthyotherapy at an outpatient treatment facility in Lower Austria between 2002 and 2004. Main outcome measures are as follows: overall relative reduction in Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score; proportion of patients with an improvement in their PASI score of >/=75% (PASI-75) and >/=50% (PASI-50); patient-reported outcomes assessed with a custom questionnaire; and patient follow-up with a questionnaire sent out in March 2005. Safety was evaluated by reviewing adverse events and vital signs. Overall there was a 71.7% reduction in PASI score compared to baseline (P < 0.0001). Of the 67 patients studied, 31 (46.3%) achieved PASI-75 and 61 patients (91%) achieved at least PASI-50. Patients reported substantial satisfaction with the treatment. The reported mean remission period was 8.58 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.05-11.11]. A total of 87.5% of patients reported a more favorable outcome with ichthyotherapy, when asked to compare ichthyotherapy to other previously tried therapies. Sixty-five percent stated that after the relapse their symptoms were less severe than before treatment. There were no significant adverse events. The benefit demonstrated in this study along with the favorable safety profile suggests that ichthyotherapy could provide a viable treatment option for patients with psoriasis.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

[Wound healing by steril fly larvas: basic mechanical, biochemical and microbiological principles].

Recently an old treatment for refractory wounds, the so-called "Maggot-Therapy", once again received attention in medical literature. It seems, that the biggest obstacle for a broad clinical use of fly larvae of the species Lucilia sericata in wound treatment is the lack of knowledge about the biology of these animals and the underlying mechanisms with respect to wound therapy. In this review, the known and possible mechanisms of action of Maggot-Therapy are presented and opportunities for further research are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as a new forensic indicator in Central Europe.

During the summer months of the year 2001, six forensic cases (one is reported in the present paper), a pig carrion study in the city of Vienna (latitude 48 degrees 12'N, longitude 16 degrees 22'E) and several liver-baited traps north of Vienna, yielded large numbers of maggots of the blowfly Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Apart from some records from France, reports of C. albiceps from the palearctic region north of the Alps (i.e. north of a latitude of 48 degrees N) have been scarce. Our findings provided an opportunity to derive developmental schedules for C. albiceps at five different constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 degrees C). The minimal duration of development from oviposition to adult was inversely related to temperature, ranging from 8.3 +/- 0.5 days at 35 degrees C to 19.2 +/- 0.92 days at 20 degrees C. Although eggs hatched after 1.9 +/- 0.16 days at 15 degrees C, larvae did not complete development and frequently died during the first instar stage. We also found a high mortality rate (up to 99%) of native L. sericata larvae caused by predation of C. albiceps larvae under laboratory conditions, indicating a high susceptibility of L. sericata to attack by C. albiceps. Apart from this, the current and possible future distribution of C. albicepsin Europe is discussed. The northward expansion of its range beyond southern Europe obviously decreases the value of C. albiceps in estimating the site of death, in that it is no longer exclusive to southern European regions. Moreover, the aggressive feeding behaviour of second and third instar larve of C. albiceps could reset the post-mortem insect clock by clearing a corpse of all earlier arrivers.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Effect of temperature on development of the forensically important holarctic blow fly Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

Immature development times of the blow fly Protophormia terraenovae (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830) were studied in the laboratory at five different constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 degrees C). The minimal duration of development from oviposition to adult emergence was inversely related to temperature, ranging from 9.19+/-0.3 days at 35 degrees C to 37.78+/-2.96 days at 15 degrees C. From linear regression of development rates at the five studied constant temperature regimes, it followed that the minimum development threshold (t(L)) for total immature development is 8.95 degrees C ( approximately 9 degrees C) and the overall thermal constant (K) for P. terraenovae is 240.2+/-9.3 day-degrees (DD) above the threshold. Linear regression of developmental rates from oviposition to pupariation resulted in a minimum development threshold of 9.8 degrees C. However, it is possible that developmental time from oviposition to adult eclosion might be different in various regions of the world, and that the thermal constant of a holarctic species like P. terraenovae is not same everywhere. Additionally, as the present paper shows, studies characterizing variation in these parameters between geographically distinct populations of the same species would be of great value for future forensic entomological casework.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Effect of temperature on development of Liopygia (= Sarcophaga) argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) and its forensic implications.

The temperature-dependent development of the forensically important flesh fly Liopygia (Thomsonea) argyrostoma (Robineau-Desvoidy) (=Sarcophaga argyrostoma) was studied at six constant temperature regimes in the laboratory. Total developmental time of L. argyrostoma from larviposition to adult emergence was 54.9+/-1.45, 31.3+/-1.1, 22.2+/-0.67, 16.3+/-0.54, and 14.9+/-0.4 days (+/-S.D.) when reared at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C, respectively. At 8 degrees C, larval development was not completed. From linear regression of development rates of five of the six studied constant temperature regimes, it was determined that the minimum development threshold (tL) for total immature development is 7.4 degrees C, and the overall thermal constant (K) for L. argyrostoma is 396.4+/-19.18 (mean +/- S.D.) day-degrees (DD) above the threshold.

Animals↗