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P Stephan

Publications and source records attributed to P Stephan.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Factorial structure of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale: confirmatory factorial analyses in nonclinical and clinical samples.

OBJECTIVE: The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) measures three intercorrelated dimensions of alexithymia: (1) difficulties identifying feelings (DIF), (2) difficulties describing feelings (DDF), and (3) externally oriented thinking (EOT). The aim of the study was to test the three-factor model of the TAS-20 using confirmatory factorial analyses (CFA). METHOD: 769 healthy subjects and 659 patients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for substance use disorders or eating disorders completed the TAS-20. The correlation matrices for each of the samples were analyzed with LISREL 7.16. RESULTS: In each sample, the three-factor model was found to be replicable. CONCLUSION: The three TAS-20 subcales can be used to explore the distinct facets of the alexithymia construct.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Alexithymia and depression in eating disorders.

We compared alexithymia and depression ratings for non-hospitalized women meeting DSM-IV criteria for anorexia nervosa (n=32) and bulimia nervosa (n=32) to ratings for healthy women (n=74). Alexithymia was evaluated by the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and depression by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). TAS and HAD scores were significantly higher in anorexic compared to bulimic patients, although these two scales were significantly and positively correlated (r=0.53, P=0.001). After taking depression into account as a confounding variable, rates of alexithymia did not vary according to the type of eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Increased autologous blood donation in rectal cancer by recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO)

A randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to study whether the subcutaneous administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) increases the donated red cell blood volume in patients with rectal cancer. Patients with resectable rectal cancer and a haemoglobin (Hb) level > or = 12.5/ > 12 g/dl (males/females) were scheduled to receive pre-operatively either erythropoietin (200 U/kg body weight daily) (n = 28) or placebo (n = 26) subcutaneously for 11 days. During this period autologous blood was collected. No serious adverse events were attributed to erythropoietin. 20 of 28 patients treated with rhEPO were able to donate > or = 3 units (71%) compared with 11 of 26 control patients (42%). The mean cumulative volume of red cells donated was 29% higher in the patients who received rhEPO (571 versus 444 ml, P = 0.02). The change in the mean reticulocyte value from baseline to the last pre-operative value was significantly higher in the rhEPO group (10.4 to 61.6/1000 versus 11.0 to 20.1/1000, P = 0.0001). The fall in the mean haematocrit from baseline to the last pre-operative value was significantly lower in the rhEPO group (41.4 to 37.6% versus 41.8 to 34.8%, P = 0.0004). rhEPO increases the ability of cancer patients to donate autologous blood during a short pre-operative period and enhances the restoration of haematological values after the donation period.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Evaluation of erythropoietic activity on the basis of the red cell and reticulocyte distribution widths during epoetin beta therapy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

The changes in the red cell and reticulocyte distribution widths during preoperative treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) were evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in cardiac surgery patients. The increases in the reticulocyte count, in the hemoglobin and in all distribution widths are the expression of the marked preoperative stimulation of erythropoiesis in the patients treated with rhEPO. Only placebo patients with a hemoglobin < or = 7.5 mmol/l or a transferrin > 4.0 g/l at baseline showed an increase in the red cell distribution width or in the reticulocyte hemoglobin distribution width on oral iron therapy alone. While the reticulocyte count and the distribution widths of red cells in the rhEPO patients decreased postoperatively, only the increases in the distribution widths of reticulocytes after the second postoperative day indicate that stimulation oferythropoiesis had taken place. In patients with a low hemoglobin or a high transferrin the rhEPO therapy should be preceded by iron therapy in order to raise the hemoglobin level and reduce the cost of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Kinetics of reticulocyte maturity fractions and indices and iron status during therapy with epoetin beta (recombinant human erythropoietin) in cardiac surgery patients.

We evaluated the changes in reticulocyte maturity fractions and indices, as measured by flow cytometry, during preoperative treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (epoetin beta) in cardiac surgery patients. A total of 72 patients was enrolled in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial and assigned to the two treatment groups (5 x 500 U/kg bodyweight epoetin beta or placebo intravenously over 14 days preoperatively). Therapy with epoetin beta produced continuous increases in hematocrit/hemoglobin, in the most mature fraction of reticulocytes (LR), and in reticulocyte count. In the first treatment week there were parallel increases in the fraction of most immature reticulocytes (HR) and in the reticulocyte mean cell volume. During the second week of treatment the reticulocyte mean cell hemoglobin content (CHr) decreased, but CHr was independent of all iron parameters, affecting neither the reticulocyte fractions nor the hematocrit/hemoglobin increase. The total preoperative rise in hematocrit correlated with the rises in LR fraction (P = 0.0270) and reticulocyte count (P = 0.0486) during the first week of treatment. Whereas in the epoetin beta patients the preoperative change in HR fraction showed negative correlations with transferrin saturation at baseline (P = 0.0058) and with the preoperative change in iron (P = 0.0113), the preoperative change in the LR fraction correlated positively with transferrin at baseline (P = 0.0115). Postoperatively, the reticulocyte parameters revealed that the onset of increased stimulation of erythropoiesis did not occur in the placebo patients until the second postoperative day, whereas erythropoietic activity in the epoetin beta patients was much higher during the postoperative period as well, as a result of the preoperative stimulation of erythropoiesis. The reticulocyte parameters measured by flow cytometry permitted an objective analysis of erythropoietic activity during treatment with epoetin beta and in all patients postoperatively. Further studies in various types of epoetin beta therapy are needed in order to clarify the value of these reticulocyte parameters for identification of iron deficiency and optimization of epoetin beta treatment regimen.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed1993

[Mortality in past centuries].

"Mortality and life expectancy over a time period of 300 years were studied for a relatively large village population [in Germany]. From synchronous and diachronous comparisons of the data concerning different social classes of this village (subdivided according to their sex and age, social rank, number of children/family and birth rank, registration of orphans, half-orphans, illegitimate children as well as progeny of old parents and children with a high inbreeding degree, and interpretation of causes of death) significant differences in mortality were deduced." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

[Age at menarche and age at marriage in earlier centuries].

Data from parish registers have been used to estimate the menarcheal age during the 17th and 18th centuries in a village population which lies in a part of the northern lower reaches of the Harz mountains. The results, obtained by using a formula developed by the author, agree with information obtained from authors of the 17th and 18th centuries. Data from the literature on the age of menarche and marriage from the classical period up to the present time are being reviewed and evaluated. The basic observation is that the longterm fluctuations of menarcheal age run concurrently with changes in the food resources available during the respective time spans.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Dermo-epidermal distribution of ketoconazole in man.

The dermo-epidermal distribution of ketoconazole was studied in 50 patients with fungal dermatoses by simultaneously determining drug concentrations in plasma and suction liquid (SL) obtained by dermo-epidermal separation. Fifteen patients were treated with a single 200-mg dose of ketoconazole while the remaining 35 underwent chronic treatment with 200 mg ketoconazole per day. In the single-dose study, ketoconazole SL concentrations determined between 80 and 390 min showed mean peak values of 0.74 +/- 0.53 micrograms/ml at intermediate sampling times of about 180 min. The maximum mean plasma concentration of 2.37 +/- 1.26 micrograms/ml occurred at an intermediate sampling time (141 min) as well. In those patients receiving chronic treatment from 1 to 7 days, the mean plasma and SL concentrations were 1.07 +/- 1.17 micrograms/ml and 0.08 +/- 0.2 micrograms/ml, respectively, while chronic treatment from 15 to 64 days resulted in higher values of 2.22 +/- 1.91 micrograms/ml and 0.56 +/- 0.57 micrograms/ml, respectively. These results suggest that rapid and considerable passive diffusion of ketoconazole could take place during its transfer from the blood to the skin.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

[Psychopathologic symptoms in torticollis spasmodicus].

The paper presents the results of detailed diagnosis of 51 patients with torticollis spasmodicus. A discussion of the results would seem to indicate the possibility of there being one group with prior neuroses, one group compulsive in nature, and one group whose diminished performance arises from the condition of the brain. Reliable diagnosis is only possible when both mental and physical parameters have been taken into consideration.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The indirect binding of triose-phosphate isomerase to myofibrils to form a glycolytic enzyme mini-complex.

Binding of triose-phosphate isomerase (D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate ketol-isomerase, EC 5.3.1.1) to muscle myofibrils depends upon the concurrent binding of either fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.12) or both of these enzymes together. Thus triose-phosphate isomerase does not bind directly to myofibrils but to glycolytic enzymes already bound to the myofibril. This was established using 125I-labelled enzymes, which are required to provide the necessary sensitivity for the measurement of the complex multiphasic adsorption isotherms. In the presence of aldolase, the most stable stoichiometric relationship is two aldolase bound per triose-phosphate isomerase. The results show that not all sites of aldolase or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase binding are available for triose-phosphate isomerase binding. Nevertheless, the results suggest the formation under particular circumstances of a minicomplex spanning the catalysis of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate to 3-phosphoglycerate. Such a complex could provide the physical basis of metabolic channeling in which metabolic intermediates are not released from the complex.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Metabolic dependence of glycolytic enzyme binding in rat and sheep heart.

Perfused rat hearts show a markedly increased binding of phosphofructokinase and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase as a consequence of ischaemia, but little change in binding of pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. After 10 min ischaemia over one quarter of the phosphofructokinase and three quarters of the aldolase are bound. The effect of anoxia is less well marked in its influence on binding with only aldolase showing a significant increase in binding. These results suggest that one factor involved in the increased binding during ischaemia is the fall in pH of the heart. Binding studies with isolated myofibrils confirm that the affinity and stoichiometry of aldolase binding are considerably increased as the pH is lowered over a range comparable to that which occurs in ischaemic heart. The low level of binding of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in perfused rat hearts correlates with the relatively low affinity of this enzyme for binding to rat or rabbit cardiac myofibrils. There are species differences in the enzyme binding response to ischaemia. Sheep hearts show rapid and large increases in the binding of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in addition to changes in aldolase and phosphofructokinase binding. The greater binding of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase reflects the greater affinity of sheep cardiac myofibrils. It is suggested that the altered metabolic demands of ischaemia are satisfied by changes in glycolytic enzyme organisation as the enzymes shift from the soluble to the particulate phase of cardiac muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Morphology of horizontal cells in the frog retina.

Two types of horizontal cells, H1 and H2, were classified using the Golgi technique on flat mounts of the retina of the frog. Cell type H1 possesses rather short, thick dendrites; the diameter of its dendritic field ranges from 40-90 micrometers. H2-cell displays long and thin dendrites; the diameter of its dendritic field is 70-160 micrometers. H1-cells possess an axon running horizontally within the outer plexiform layer. The axon terminals are slight swellings emitting fine processes that end in the outer plexiform layer. H2-cells do not have a discernible axon.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

[Myxoma of the mitral valve in a child. Apropos of an operated case].

The case of an 8 year old child with a symtomless murmur of mitral incompetence is reported. Echocardiography showed the presence of an intracardiac tumour, a mass of dense echos between the two mitral leaflets being recorded; multiscan examination suggested insertion on the anterior mitral leaflet. The tumour and its pedicle were resected, causing some loss of valvular tissue, which required repair with a strip of pericardium. This would appear to be the first reported case of mitral valve myxoma in children. Left atrial myxoma, the commonest cardiac tumour, is rarely observed before 15 years of age; insertion on the mitral valve itself is rare at any age. The site of insertion is determined by quite separate echocardiographic criteria compared to left atrial myxoma. This is important as surgery may sacrifice the mitral valve, and mitral valve replacement may be needed; valvuloplasty should be attempted in this age group, despite the risk of tumour recurrence, which is porbably greater with this unusual location.

Child↗