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Biomedical subjects

T Fülöp

Publications and source records attributed to T Fülöp.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Transmembrane signaling changes with aging.

Altered immune response and transmembrane signaling with aging has previously been demonstrated. The aim of the present study was to characterize PMNLs and lymphocyte G proteins and to determine whether their relative amounts are altered with aging. First we studied the effects of FMLP on PMNLs IP3 formation. It was found that in any group of elderly the PMNLs IP3 formation was significantly decreased compared to that of young subjects. In FMLP receptor binding affinity no measurable difference exists in either low- or high-affinity FMLP receptors. The autoradiogram of 32P-ADP-ribosylated proteins by CT in lymphocytes of young individuals showed a major polypeptide of 40 kDa, and two much less prevalent components of 52 and 45 kDa. In contrast, in lymphocytes of elderly subjects the major polypeptide was 45 kDa, and the two others were very weakly labeled. In PMNLs, CT labeled the 45-kDa band quite strongly, mainly in the elderly, and the 52- and 40-kDa bands were very weakly labeled, mainly in young subjects. When PT was used, no age-related pattern changes could be demonstrated, while differences could be observed between the two types of cells.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗
PubMed1992

Superoxide anion production and intracellular free calcium levels in resting and stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes obtained from healthy and arteriosclerotic subjects of various ages.

It has been established that phagocytic cells are integral components of advanced arteriosclerotic plaques but their role in plaque formation remains unclear. Therefore, toxic agents, such as superoxide anion produced by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) were studied in a clinically defined group of arteriosclerotic patients suffering from obliterative arteriosclerosis of the lower legs. Owing to a close correlation between O2- generation and calcium, the intracellular free calcium concentrations of PMNLs were measured in a resting state and after stimulation with various agents, for example, opsonized zymosan (OZ), the chemotactic peptide f-met-leu-phe (FMLP), and the calcium ionophore A23187. Healthy aged-matched controls were employed. The patients were divided into two age groups: 30-59 years and 60-80 years. We found that in the younger group of arteriosclerotic patients, superoxide anion production and intracellular free calcium concentrations were increased even in the resting state, and only a slight increase was observed after stimulation compared with healthy controls. Granulocyte responses seemed to be similar, independent of the patient's age, to those found in healthy elderly subjects. Arteriosclerosis appears to be associated with an early aging process expressing marked alterations that are greater than those associated with normal aging.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Sera and leukocyte elastase-type protease and antiprotease activity in healthy and atherosclerotic subjects of various ages.

Serum and granulocyte elastase-type protease activities were determined simultaneously with their main plasma proteinase inhibitors such as alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin in healthy control and atherosclerotic (ATS) subjects. The age-related associations of these parameters were also investigated. Serum elastase-type protease activity increased, but not statistically significantly, with aging in both control and ATS subjects. The enhancement of elastase-type protease activity in sera of ATS patients was significantly (p less than .02) greater than control subjects only in the case of the elderly. The granulocytes' elastase activity was significantly greater in granulocytes derived from both middle-aged and elderly ATS patients (p less than .03 and p less than .06) compared to age-matched control subjects. Alpha-1-antitrypsin was not significantly lower, whereas alpha-2-macroglobulin was significantly lower in sera of ATS subjects compared to age-matched control subjects (p less than .01). The conclusion is that increased elastase-type activity and decreased antiproteinase activity should be considered as potential factors in atherosclerotic arterial wall damage. The similarity of the results in the elderly and the ATS subjects suggest that atherosclerosis is an early aging process.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Elastin and arteriosclerosis: determination and characterization of elastin peptides in blood].

During pathologies such as arteriosclerosis and emphysema, degradation of elastin by elastases occurs and elastin peptides are produced. In order to evaluate elastin degradation, measurements of elastin peptide concentration in human blood were carried out. According to elastin peptides used for obtention of antibodies and for ELISA, the measured values are different. Elastin peptides have several biological effects: they are chemotactic, modify ion fluxes and several intracellular mechanisms.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMed1991

[The Hungarian version of the Nuremberg Geronto-psychological Inventory].

The NAI (Nürnberger Alters Inventar) has been elaborated by Oswald and Fleischmann (1982). The NAI introduced as a standardized psychometric method for the description of the most significant fields of the cognitive performance as well as of the behaviour and general condition of the elderly. This inventory, which is extended currently, tries to join a wide-scope theory with an easy to use psychometric method. It aims at a comprehensive evaluation of psychological aging as well as therapeutical intervention caused effects. The first practical application of the Hungarian version of NAI was a double blind clinical trial to study the effect of centrophenoxine in human dementia. Both the result of this trial and previous experiences confirm the drug sensitivity of the NAI. The main fields of the application of NAI: gerontopsychological research, geriatrical units, social and health care for elderly. The development of the Hungarian standard is in process on 500 elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Human aortic elastin from normal individuals and atherosclerotic patients: lipid and cation contents; susceptibility to elastolysis.

Aortic elastins, isolated from 30 humans of different ages, were purified by alkaline extraction, and separated into two groups depending on the presence of atherosclerotic plaques and calcification (grades 0 and 1). It was confirmed that the severity of atherosclerosis increases significantly with age (P less than 0.001) and elastin content decreases with atherosclerosis (P less than 0.001). The hydrolysis of the aortic elastins using pancreatic porcine elastase (PPE) was studied. It was observed that increased elastolytic activities are connected with severity of atherosclerosis (P less than 0.001) and both Vm and Km apparent kinetic parameters are affected (P less than 0.001). Correlation tests have shown that enzymatic hydrolysis is significantly modified by cholesterol (P less than 0.05), calcium (P less than 0.001) and magnesium concentrations (P less than 0.01) but only cholesterol changes significantly Vm and Km parameters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

A marked drop in the incidence of the null allele of the B gene of the fourth component of complement (C4B*Q0) in elderly subjects: C4B*Q0 as a probable negative selection factor for survival.

The incidence of allotypes of the genes of the fourth component (C4) and factor B of the complement system was compared in 252 persons under 45 years of age ("young" group) with 482 people between 61 and 90 years of age ("old" group). One hundred people older than 90 years of age (nonagenarians) were also investigated. A striking difference was found between the "young" and "old" groups in the incidence (16.1% and 5.4%, respectively) of a silent gene of the C4B allele (C4B*Q0). This difference was even more marked among "young" and "old" men (17.6% vs 3.4%). The incidence of the C4B*Q0 allele in women dropped to the level of the men only in the nonagenarian group. The most probable explanation for this finding is that people carrying the C4B*Q0 allele die from as yet unidentified disease(s) in their middle-age. Therefore, male (and to a lesser extent female) carriers of this allele may have a considerably shorter life expectancy than individuals without a silent gene in the C4B locus.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Body composition in hypertensive elderly and middle-aged patients.

The occurrence of hypertension, leading to various life-threatening complications in the elderly is a widely recognized problem. The changes of body composition were determined in 120 control and untreated hypertensive subjects of various ages. In middle-aged hypertensive males, the total blood volume and plasma volume increased significantly compared to those of the healthy controls, while this increase was not significant in the case of hypertensive middle-aged females. In contrast, in the elderly hypertensive male subjects, the volume of all fluid components decreased, except the total body fat and the vascular volumes. There was a slight, statistically non-significant, increase in all the vascular volumes except in the red cell mass. The elderly hypertensive females showed the same tendency compared to the healthy controls of the same age. The vascular compartments seem to be decreased in elderly males, compared to those of the middle-aged males, while slightly increased in elderly females.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1991

Determination of interleukin 2 receptor number of Con A stimulated human lymphocytes with aging.

Defective proliferative responses of lymphocytes from elderly donors to various mitogens have been reported in numerous studies. The aim of the present work was to monitor the kinetic response of lymphocytes obtained from elderly and young individuals regarding the Con A stimulated proliferative response and IL-2 receptor expression. The studies were performed by flow cytometric analysis using FITC conjugated anti-IL-2 receptor monoclonal antibody. The data obtained show that beside a detectable decrease in the proliferative capacity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from elderly subjects, the mean IL-2 receptor number/cell did not decrease, but even slightly increased under ConA stimulation. The pattern of distribution of IL-2 receptor positive lymphocytes is different in young and elderly individuals. These data suggest that the decreased proliferative response observed with aging is not due to the decrease of IL-2 receptor number, but most probably to an altered post-receptorial signal transduction mechanism, coupled to changes in responsive cell populations.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Altered phosphatidylinositol breakdown after K-elastin stimulation in PMNLs of elderly.

The degradation of elastic fibres during atherosclerotic plaque formation in arterial wall is a well known process. The liberated elastin peptides such as K-elastin possess various biological activities: They are chemotactic for monocytes and fibroblasts, stimulate the oxidative burst and the intracellular free Ca2+ mobilisation through the phosphatidylinositol (PIP2) breakdown in PMNLs. It was found that the PIP2 breakdown induced by K-elastin is a pertussis toxin sensitive process in PMNLs of young subjects. In the case of the elderly, the K-elastin-induced oxidative burst, intracellular free Ca2+ elevation was less than in young, and could not be inhibited by pertussis toxin. Studying the K-elastin-induced inositol phosphate (IP) formation in PMNLs of elderly a disturbed PIP2 breakdown was found. K-elastin stimulated the IP formation at a very low level in PMNLs of elderly. This alteration of the second messenger formation (e.g. IP3 and Ca2+) after KE stimulation, might be the consequence of their originally elevated levels in resting PMNLs of elderly.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Determination of elastin peptides in normal and arteriosclerotic human sera by ELISA.

The degradation of elastin during various pathological processes such as emphysema or arteriosclerosis was demonstrated by several investigators. In the present work, we adapted an ELISA technique for the determination of elastin peptide (EP) levels in human sera and plasma, in healthy and arteriosclerotic subjects. This test makes use of human aorta elastin hydrolyzed by a chemical procedure (kappa-elastin) instead of EP produced by pancreatic or leukocyte elastase. Polyclonal antibodies to this antigen were obtained in rabbits. The indirect ELISA procedure is sensitive, specific and reproducible. No correlation could be demonstrated between EP level and anti-EP antibody concentration of IgG or IgM types determined in the same serum samples. These antibodies did not interfere with EP determinations. EP concentration did not change with age in control subjects. In obliterative arteriosclerosis of the legs and in type IIb hyperlipoproteinemia, EP levels showed a marked increase, while in hypertension, ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, the increase was moderate. In stroke, only slight changes were observed. In type IV hyperlipoproteinemia, EP levels were lower than in controls.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Manpower for health services with special regard to primary health care.

The World Health Organization recently reoriented its HMD program. Its aim is to collaborate with the 150 member states in their efforts to make the HMD process (planning, "production," management of health personnal) relevant to the needs of well planned health services. On the basis of this principle, properly planned PHC services should be manned by health teams in which each member is responsible for, and prepared to carry out, certain well-defined tasks to cover primary preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative health needs of the entire population. After an overview of the present situation and solutions which are often largely medically biased, a logical approach is proposed. On the basis of a functional analysis, job patterns should be defined for each worker in the PHC team on the principle that all health activities should be undertaken at the most peripheral level of the health activities as is practicable, by the workers most suitably, and not most highly, trained to carry out those activities. Health manpower plans should then be translated into training programs to help the learners to prepare themselves, and motivate them, to meet the challenges of PHC. Proper management of PHC teams is equally important to ensure both job satisfaction of team members and "consumer" satisfaction and improvement of health status for the people.

Health Planning↗