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Biomedical subjects

R Bischof

Publications and source records attributed to R Bischof.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Isolation, characterisation and expression of mRNAs encoding the ovine CC chemokines, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1alpha and -2.

CC chemokines are important mediators of immune responses, orchestrating the differential recruitment of various leukocyte populations. Despite the large number of known CC chemokines in other species, no cDNA encoding ovine CC chemokines have been isolated. A homology cloning strategy was utilised to isolate the cDNA of ovine CC chemokines. Full-length monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1alpha and -2 cDNA have been isolated. The predicted ovine MCP-1alpha amino acid sequence shares 87 and 75% identity with bovine MCP-1alpha and porcine MCP-1, respectively. The predicted ovine MCP-2 amino acid sequence shares 92 and 85% identity with bovine and porcine MCP-2, respectively. Northern blot analysis of MCP-1alpha revealed that it is strongly expressed in cells isolated from mammary lavage fluid (MAL) of ewes given intramammary infusions of Haemonchus contortus. Weak signals were detected in mammary and abomasal tissue. Southern blot analysis of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) products indicates that MCP-1alpha mRNA levels increase in abomasum after challenge with H. contortus. MCP-1alpha mRNA levels were also increased in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and lung tissue after house dust mite extract (HDME) challenge. Similarly, MCP-2 mRNA was detected by Northern blot analysis at high levels in MAL cells after H. contortus intramammary infusion, and increased in BAL cells and lung tissue in HDME-challenged sheep. MCP-2 mRNA was not detected by Northern blots in whole mammary or abomasal tissue, but Southern blot analysis of RT-PCR products also indicates that MCP-2 mRNA increases in abomasal tissue after challenge with H. contortus. Hence, two ovine CC chemokine mRNA have been isolated that are up-regulated in response to parasite infection and allergen challenge. Ultimately the isolation of these and other ovine CC chemokines will help elucidate a wide variety of immune responses in sheep.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Polysomnographic effects of adjuvant ginkgo biloba therapy in patients with major depression medicated with trimipramine.

Sleep disturbance and cognitive impairment are frequent complaints of depressed patients under standard antidepressant medication. Therefore, additional therapies are required which specifically focus on the improvement of these deficits without exerting major side effects. Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) has been shown to improve cognitive abilities in elderly subjects and in patients with disorders of the dementia spectrum. Animal studies surmise that EGb may reduce CRH activity, which is substantially related to depressive mood and behavior, predominantly cognition and sleep. An open non-randomized pilot study has been conducted to investigate the effects of ginkgo biloba extract (EGb Li 1370) on cognitive performance and sleep regulation in depressed inpatients. 16 patients were treated with a trimipramine (T)-monotherapy (200 mg) for six weeks. In eight of the 16 patients, an adjunct EGb therapy (240 mg/d) was applied for four weeks after a baseline week, the other eight patients remained on trimipramine monotherapy (200 mg) during the entire study. Polysomnography, cognitive psychomotor performance and psychopathology were assessed at baseline, after short-term and long-term adjunct EGb treatment, and after one week of ginkgo discontinuation (at the respective evaluation times in the eight patients on T-monotherapy). This report focuses on the results of EGb on sleep EEG pattern. EGb significantly improved sleep pattern by an increase of sleep efficiency and a reduction of awakenings. In addition, sleep stage 1 and REM-density were reduced, while stage 2 was increased. Non-REM sleep, predominantly slow wave sleep in the first sleep cycle, was significantly enhanced compared to trimipramine monotherapy. Discontinuation of EGb reversed most of these effects. Based on the animal data, these results suggest that EGb may improve sleep continuity and enhance Non-REM sleep due to a weakening of tonic CRH-activity. The compensation of the deficient Non-REM component in depression by the EGb application may provide a new additional treatment strategy, especially in the treatment of the depressive syndrome with sleep disturbance.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Origin and conservation genetics of the threatened Ute ladies'-tresses, Spiranthes diluvialis (Orchidaceae).

The Ute ladies'-tresses, Spiranthes diluvialis, is listed as a threatened orchid in west-central United States by the Federal government. Information on its origin and patterns of genetic variation is needed to develop effective conservation strategies for this species. DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to evaluate genetic variation and structure of 23 populations of S. diluvialis. In addition, four congeneric species were analyzed to determine possible origins of the putative allotetraploid S. diluvialis. DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP analysis of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA noncoding regions revealed no genetic variation within or among populations of S. diluvialis. DNA sequencing revealed that S. diluvialis has rDNA of both S. magnicamporum and S. romanzoffiana, supporting the proposed origin of the allotetraploid. Parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of cpDNA and mtDNA sequences revealed that these S. diluvialis organellar sequences were most closely related to those of S. romanzoffiana, providing evidence that the latter species is the maternal parent of S. diluvialis. The lack of genetic diversity is significant for the development of a long-term conservation strategy for S. diluvialis.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Effect of zopiclone and temazepam on sleep EEG parameters, psychomotor and memory functions in healthy elderly volunteers.

RATIONALE: The increased prevalence of sleep disturbance in old age is accompanied by a higher prescription rate of hypnotics, predominantly benzodiazepines in the elderly. In young volunteers zopiclone exerts a beneficial effect on sleep continuity without suppression of SWS and REM sleep; psychomotor performance and vigilance seemed to be less impaired than under classical benzoediazepines. OBJECTIVE: The present study investigates the effects of zopiclone on sleep EEG and cognitive performance in comparison to temazepam and placebo in the elderly population. METHODS: Single oral doses of zopiclone (7.5 mg), temazepam (20 mg) and placebo were administered in a randomized double-blind, completely counterbalanced cross-over design to 12 healthy elderly men and women (65.9 +/- 3.6 years, range 60-70 years). On each of the 3 study nights a sleep EEG was registered from 10 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. and cognitive performance tests were applied at 8 p.m., 2 a.m. (when subjects were awake for 30 min), 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. RESULTS: After zopiclone treatment, sleep continuity had significantly improved and sleep stage 4 was increased compared to temazepam and placebo. In addition, both active substances significantly reduced REM density. Neither active compound substantially altered psychomotor and memory performance. CONCLUSIONS: Zopiclone and temazepam can be considered as effective hypnotics in elderly subjects when administered in that dosage. The superiority of zopiclone on sleep architecture may be related to a more specific action of zopiclone at the GABA-A benzodiazepine receptor complex. The suppression of REM density by both compounds and their subtle effects on cognition may reflect a GABAergic mediated reduction of cholinergic neuro-transmission.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Leucocyte phenotypes in involuting and fully involuted mammary glandular tissues and secretions of sheep.

Mammary glandular tissues and mammary secretions were obtained from sheep at 2-60 d after weaning to study the leucocyte phenotypes associated with mammary involution. From 2-4 d after weaning, neutrophils were the predominant leucocytes in the alveolar and ductal lumina. Lymphocytes were present in the alveolar and ductal epithelium, interalveolar and periductal areas. Most of the lymphocytes in the alveolar and ductal epithelium (IEL) were CD8+, some were CD45R+ and few were CD4+. In the periductal clusters and in the interalveolar areas most of the lymphocytes were CD4+. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the percentages of CD45R+ granulated IEL from 2 to 7 d after weaning, and this paralleled the increase in the percentages of apoptotic cells in the glandular epithelium. By 7-60 d after weaning, most cells within the alveolar and ductal lumina were macrophages followed by predominantly CD8+ lymphocytes. CD8+ lymphocytes were still predominant in the alveolar and ductal epithelium while CD4+ cells were predominant in the interalveolar areas. Very few gammadelta+ T cells were observed at all the stages examined. The cells in the mammary secretions correlated with those observed in the alveolar and ductal lumina. At the early stages of involution, the neutrophils and macrophages were heavily laden with lipid droplets, casein and cellular debris. The most interesting feature was the presence of cells either with extensive cytoplasmic processes (LCA+MHC class II+) or cytoplasmic veils (LCA+MHC class II+CD1+), probably dendritic cells. It is concluded that the cellular constituents of the mammary gland at the latter part of involution may afford the mammary gland more resistance to infection than the lactating gland and the gland at early stages of involution. The CD45R+IEL may trigger apoptotic cell death in the mammary glandular epithelium during mammary involution.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Microsleep during partial sleep deprivation in depression.

BACKGROUND: Sleep deprivation (SD) exerts a beneficial effect on mood and sleep in about 60% of depressed patients usually followed by a relapse into depression after the recovery night. Short phases of sleepiness, especially naps in the early morning, may be responsible for this phenomenon. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of short, even ultrashort phases of sleep-microsleep (MS) during partial sleep deprivation (PSD) on mood, cognitive psychomotor performance (CPP), and sleep, an electroencephalograph (EEG) was continuously recorded over 60 hours in 12 patients with major depression. Subjective mood was assessed by a visual analogue scale and CPP by a letter cancellation test. RESULTS: The results illustrate that in depressed patients during PSD the amount of MS is increased, predominantly in the early morning, which was subjectively unrecognized and not observed by nursing staff. Patients with a low cumulative amount of MS during PSD improved significantly in mood, CPP, and sleep pattern compared to the patients with a high amount of MS who showed only slight changes. CONCLUSION: Therefore, accumulated MS may influence the SD-induced positive effects in depressed patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Report on the behaviour of monoclonal antibodies in the First International Pig CD Workshop identifying the Null cell families.

Clustering analyses were carried out on data from five independent laboratories testing 22 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) reacting with CD2-sIg-lymphocytes on 14 pig blood and/or tissue lymphoid target cells using cytofluorometry. This was coupled with extensive further studies on blood lymphocytes from normal and thymectomised SLAb/b inbred pigs. These mAbs formed two groups: those mainly identifying the large blood-borne thymus-dependent Null T cells (N) and those reacting with tissue and a small number of blood-borne thymus-independent lymphocytes (N'). Based on their tissue cell reaction patterns, the 10 N' mAbs formed three main groups: N'1A and B; N'2A and B; and N'3. The 12N mAbs fell into four groups N4-N7; N6 was divided into subgroups A-D. One N' (032) and two N mAbs (010 and 063) were unclustered. Based on these data, swine workshop cluster numbers were designated to groups N5 (021, 022 and 059) as SWC4, N6 (061 and 117) as SWC5 and N7 (020 and 141) as SWC6, the latter exceptionally as a single antibody, MAC320, since it is the 'type' mAb identifying effectively all blood Null T lymphocytes. Future research and workshops will have to define with a wider range of techniques the relationships, molecular properties and functional roles of the several new, perhaps novel, antigens identified by this family of fascinating, as yet still poorly defined, mAbs.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The levels of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) in the four seasons in uranium miners.

A cohort of 104 miners working for a long time in one uranium mine was examined on the blood serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA, and IgM content. A significant circum-annual oscillations of the values of all three Ig were shown. The peaks of the IgG values were reached in summer, those of IgA in winter, and those of IgM in spring. The largest drops of the IgG values were reached in spring, those of IgA in summer, and those of IgM in autumn. The frequency distribution analysis suggested the possibility that a subpopulation separating itself from its remainder takes part in the seasonal swing towards the low level limits of the Ig.

Adult↗