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Biomedical subjects

R Engst

Publications and source records attributed to R Engst.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Acyclovir vs isoprinosine (immunovir) for suppression of recurrent genital herpes simplex infection.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of oral acyclovir (400 mg twice daily) with oral isoprinosine (500 mg twice daily) in the suppression of recurrent genital herpes. DESIGN: Double-blind, double-dummy, randomised, controlled, parallel group trial. SETTING: 13 centres in UK, Belgium and Germany. SUBJECTS: 127 immunocompetent patients with frequently recurring genital herpes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportions of patients reporting recurrences, recurrence frequency, and mean duration of lesions during breakthrough recurrences in each treatment group during a 6 month treatment period; time to first recurrence during treatment and follow-up after treatment cessation. RESULTS: During treatment, acyclovir recipients showed significant differences (p < 0.05) when compared with isoprinosine recipients in terms of a lower proportion reporting recurrences (31% vs 96%), a reduced mean number of reported recurrences per patient (0.6 vs 3.6), a shorter mean duration of breakthrough lesions (6.4 days vs 8.2 days), and a longer mean time (standard error) to first recurrence (143.7 (9.1) days vs 40.5 (5.4) days. The mean time to first recurrence after treatment cessation did not differ between the two groups. As compared with placebo recipients, isoprinosine treated patients had an increased recurrence frequency (3.6 vs 2.5) during treatment, and a shorter time to first recurrence after treatment cessation. All treatments were well tolerated without serious adverse events or toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Acyclovir is very effective in suppressing recurrent genital herpes and is clearly superior to isoprinosine which is not clinically useful in the dosage studied.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiology of constitutional atopic neurodermatitis].

There are more and more reports of an increase in atopic diseases, and particularly atopic constitutional neurodermatitis. In this context, evidence is accumulating that atopic constitutional neurodermatitis exhibits a dominant prevalence, particularly in children. In addition to verified genetic disposition with impairment of IgE regulation, realization factors of greatly variant quality and quantity appear to be characteristically responsible for the phenotypic expression and determination of the course of the disease. In order to definitively assess the global situation, subtle longitudinal studies on representative numbers of the population are needed, with the primary objective of obtaining parameters for real preventative measures.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Borrelia infections from a dermatological viewpoint].

Erythema migrans (EM), Borrelia lymphocytoma (BL) and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA) are the established dermatological manifestations of borrelia infection, a complex multiorganic disease. Analogous to syphilis Borrelia infection can be classified by three stages, at which stage I (localized infection) and II (disseminated infection) are manifestations of early infection and stage III (persistent infection) a symptom of late infection. At all stages skin manifestations can be present, the above mentioned as stage-marker as well as other non-specific polymorphous skin lesions which sometimes appear at stage II. Because of its frequent (60-80%) occurrence in all borrelia infections EM has a pathognomonic importance for borrelia infection. In diagnosis serology is currently the only practical laboratory aid. False negative and false positive results must be considered. Treatment of choice is ceftriaxone, penicillin G (or amoxycillin) or tetracycline. Prophylactic antibiotic therapy for tick bites is not recommended. Congenital borrelia infections seem to be unusual, but it is likely that they can occur and cause different adverse fetal outcome or abortion.

Acrodermatitis↗
PubMed1989

[Exacerbation of rosacea in HIV infection].

A 38-year-old male homosexual patient, who had suffered from hepatopathy for many years and from rosacea since 15 years, showed pronounced exacerbation of the rosacea following HIV infection.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1979

[Determination and the hygienic-toxicologic significance of patulin in fruit and fruit products].

The combination of extracting, chromatographic and fluorescence densitometric steps permits to determine patulin in fruits and fruit products with great precision and sensitivity. The limit of detection is 10 microgram/kg; the recovery rates range from 86 to 92% with a variation coefficient lying between 5.6 and 13.6%. Interferences due to patulin-simulating substances are widely excluded. Patulin concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 42 mg/kg were found in the brown-rotten portions of apples. Juices domestically prepared from healthy fruits and fruits rid of rotten portions, respectively, contained no patulin. On the contrary, patulin concentrations ranging from 0.02 to 0.3 mg/l were observed in commercial apple juices. As to products with subsequent mould infection, patulin values up to 50 mg/l were found in apple juices, and up to 0.4 mg/kg in peach preserves. In a further 24 commercial fruit and vegetable juices, patulin was not detectable even not in cider, in cereals which had gone mouldy spontaneously, and in bread samples. The fruits and fruit products were analysed not only for patulin, but also for aflatoxin and ochratoxin; the latter two, however, were found in none of the samples examined. The possibilities of manufacturing patulin-free products are discussed.

Chromatography, Thin Layer↗
PubMed1979

[Interactions of toxic trace elements with special regard to selenium].

The significance of the trace elements in nutrition is often decisively affected by the interaction of trace elements with other trace elements and of trace elements with other substances. These processes, which include synergistic and antagonistic effects, are of great importance not only to the essentiality, but also to the toxicity of trace elements. There is considerable experience with interactions of essential elements. There is considerable experience with interactions of essential elements or of elements in essential concentrations. On contrast, there is a scarcity of information pertaining to toxic effects that are influenced by synergisms and antagonisms. This situation is illustrated by some examples and especially by the role of selenium. It is shown that these problems deserve closer attention.

Cations↗
PubMed1979

[Effect of the trace element supply on element dependent enzymes in man].

Whole blood samples from 40 male and 40 female individuals were analyzed for zinc, copper, selenium and iron, and in part also for cadmium and lead. Correlations were established between the element contents and the activities of blood enzymes (carbo-anhydrase, leucine aminopeptidase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, glutathione peroxidase). The zinc-copper ratio exerted no effect on the zinc-dependent enzymes. There was a correlation between the glutathione peroxidase activity and the selenium content in whole blood (r greater than 0.73). A cluster analysis was performed. In women, the authors stated a significant effect of oral contraceptives especially on the zinc and copper balance. It was evidenced that detectable (more marked) changes in the mineral equilibrium are not produced in all cases by the contraceptives. Nevertheless, changes in the mineral equilibrium are likely to occur in 25% of all women. In the present study further changes (for example in enzymes) were observed in 50% of all women. The results obtained from the male individuals were indicative of certain relationships between the zinc-copper ratio and the content of total lipids or lipid fractions in human blood.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Determination of residues of the fungicide benzimidazole carbamic acid methyl ester and its metabolites 2-aminobenzimidazole and benzimidazole].

The authors describe a method for extracting and determining benzimidazole carbamic acid methyl ester (MBC) in the presence of its metabolites 2-aminobenzimidazole and benzimidazole. The determination is performed thin-layer and paper chromatographically using visual spot comparison. A sensitive biological method is employed for the detection of MBC. The metabolites are assayed by chemical procedures. The smallest amounts of residues that the authors could detect were: 0.01 p.p.m. of MBC and approximately 0.2 p.p.m. of the metabolites, the recovery rate ranging from 70--85%.

Benzimidazoles↗
PubMed1979

[Contamination of foods and feeding stuffs from selected areas of the Erfurt district with lead and cadmium. I. Determination of lead and cadmium in vegetable material by inverse voltammetry].

An inverse voltammetric method is used for determining the trace elements lead and cadmium in vegetable foods and feeding stuffs. The organic meterials are mineralized by nitric acid vapour and, in the second stage, with the addition of perchloric acid. The procedure is very sensitive and suited for routine work. The detection limits are: 0.66 ng/ml for lead, and 0.30 ng/ml for cadmium. The error of the method is: VPb = 20.5% and VCd = 28.6%. The respective recoveries of amounts of lead and cadmium added to the samples prior to digestion were: 102.0 +/- 10.8% and 101.6 +/- 11.4%.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1977

[Comparative studies on the contamination of foods by cancerogenic hydrocarbons in the Soviet Union and in the GDR (author's transl)].

Investigations on the relationship of the environmental contamination with cancer are shown to be necessary. Epidemiologic investigations point to a connection of the increased occurence of cancer in the gastro-intestinal tract with dietetic factors. The high cancer rate in the gastro-intestinal tract (amongst other factors) is discussed as a result of the uptake of exogenic foreign matterns with the food. The possibilities of the contamination by cancerogenic compounds are summarized. The necessity of international co-operation in the field of finding out, as far as possible, sources and degree of food contamination by cancerogenic compounds is motivated beginning with polycyclic aromatic compounds, whereby at present benzo-(a)-pyrene comes into question as a reference substance. The laying down of controllable hygienic norms as preliminarily tolerable limits in the proper sense of an unavoidable dose are discussed. They could be a basis of oncological preventive measures (minimization or elimination of cancerogenic compounds in foods).

Benzopyrenes↗