Biomedical subjects

T Köhler

Publications and source records attributed to T Köhler.

118 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of the chemiluminescence response of polymorphonuclear leukocytes stimulated with urate crystals.

We studied the luminol-amplified chemiluminescence (CL) response of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) stimulated with synthetic monosodium urate monohydrate (MSUM) crystals. Stimulation of PMNLs prepared from healthy controls with MSUM resulted in a bimodal CL response with two peaks after 1 min and 4-6 min, respectively. MSUM caused neutrophils to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are released from the cells as well as ROS with an intracellular localization. Proportionally more of the CL activity generated during the first peak was of extracellular origin. The MSUM-induced light-generating mechanism was azide-sensitive, required superoxide anion and was strongly suppressed by horseradish peroxidase.

Ascorbic Acid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in the palmar sweat index during mental arithmetic.

This study investigated the influence of activation on the number of active sweat glands (palmar sweat index, PSI), as assessed by the plastic impression method. Subjects were 50 male students, assigned to two groups. The experiment involved 5 phases: an initial adaptation for 6 min in both groups (Phase I), 3 relaxation periods for 10 min (Phases II, IV and V in Group 1, Phases II, III and V in Group 2), and 10 min of mental arithmetic (Phase III in Group 1, Phase IV in Group 2). Prints were taken every 2.5 min from the left middle and forefinger, and skin conductance level (SCL), number of spontaneous fluctuations (SF) and heart rate (HR) were recorded for the corresponding intervals. PSI rose significantly during activation conditions and decreased afterwards. Accordingly, during Phase III values were higher in Group 1, whereas during Phase IV they were higher in Group 2. Decrease of PSI during the first measurements indicated that subjects probably react to the assessment procedure itself and that interpretable baseline values can only be obtained after several initial assessments. Correlations between PSI and electrodermal variables proved to be high within subjects, whereas correlations across subjects were lower.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Do patients with rheumatoid arthritis suppress anger and aggression?].

Given the contradictory findings on aggression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this topic was examined again in two studies. In both studies RA patients and patients with arthrosis were compared (in-patients in study I, n = 28 in each sample; out-patients in study II, each sample comprising 22 subjects). Two aggression/anger inventories (Fragebogen zur Erfassung von Aggressivitätsfaktoren = FAF and State-Trait-Anger-Expression Inventory = STAXI) with a total of 10 scales were used for comparison. Samples were matched for gender and age; duration and severity of illness were used as covariates. No replicable differences between groups were found in any variable. Our results do not support aggression theories of rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Long-term management results of Pemberton's ilium osteotomy in combination with inter-trochanter derotation-varisation osteotomy in hip dysplasia of childhood].

AIM: The aim of the present study was to obtain long-term functional and radiographic results after a pericapsular osteotomy of the ilium (Pemberton) and a simultaneously performed derotation-varisation osteotomy of the proximal femur in children with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) after the end of the maturity process. METHOD: The clinical results and x-ray measurements of 79 patients with 100 operated hips were analysed. The average follow-up time after surgery was 14 years and 7 months (range: 10.4 to 19.5 years). The indication for operation was determined using the acetabular angle of more than two standard deviations. RESULTS: The clinical investigation shows that 85 % of the operated patients had no functional limitations. 14 % of the patients had minor limitations and 1 % had major limitations in their hip movement. No patient suffered constant hip pain; 62 % had no pain even after long walking; 32 % had pain after walking for more than an hour; 6 % complained of hip pain after walking for less than an hour. The radiological measurements show that 95.9 % of the patients had normal or mildly pathological ACM angle scores, and 92.8 % had normal or mildly pathological CE angle scores. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of residual hip dysplasia by simultaneously performed pericapsular ilium and proximal femur osteotomy is very effective. Although a radiographically almost normal acetabulum could be documented in patients after the end of the maturity process, revalgisation of the proximal femur occurred. With an appropriate acetabular correction additional osteotomy of the femur might therefore be unnecessary.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Midterm results after treatment of liposarcoma in the extremities].

PURPOSE: In this retrospective analysis, survival time, local recurrence and rate of metastasis were appraised in patients with primary liposarcoma of the extremities depending upon the applied primary and adjuvant therapy procedures. Furthermore, we compared the representativity of histological results of the biopsy with the final histology of the resected tumour. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between 1990 and 1998, 27 patients were surgically treated who suffered from a primary liposarcoma of the extremities. At the mean follow-up time of 62.4 months (39-141 months) postoperative survival rate, rate of metastasis and local recurrence were determined. The results were analysed with regard to intraoperative resection distance, tumour size and localisation as well as histological classification of previous biopsy and finally resected tumour. The influence of radiotherapy on the results was also determined. RESULTS: In 5 patients (18.5%) the amputation and in 22 cases (81.5%) the limb sparing resection of the liposarcoma was performed. 6 patients underwent a marginal resection and one patient an intralesional resection. At follow-up we observed a local recurrence rate of 22.2% (n = 6) and a survival rate of 74.1%. 18.5% of the patients had metastases. After adjuvant radiotherapy three patients (50%) showed local recurrence after marginal resection. In only 8 cases (29.6%) the results of primary biopsy and final tumour classification (entity, subtype and grading) were identical. CONCLUSION: The development of metastases (often pulmonary) and local recurrences even after long tumour-free interval makes adequate follow-up investigations mandatory in liposarcoma patients. With regard to the problems in assessing liposarcoma biopsies, MRI-orientated biopsies from several tumour areas via one biopsy approach are recommended.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Further comments on the so-called migraine personality].

In order to replicate previous findings, two studies were carried out comparing migraine patients and headache free controls in terms of degree of ambition, idea of tidiness, and rigidity. Migraineurs (75 Ss in study I, 82 in study II) were recruited in the frame of two large inquiries on headache frequency; control groups were made up of persons out of the same samples and matched for age, sex, educational level and professional status. Personality variables were assessed by means of a standardized questionnaire. Group differences did not attain statistical significance in any of the scales. Configural frequency analysis revealed that combination of increased ambition, idea of tidiness and rigidity, often considered as typical for persons with migraine, was actually more common among controls.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Freiburg Personality Inventory scores of patients with chronic polyarthritis in comparison with persons with arthrotic manifestations--no indication of a typical polyarthritis personality].

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and arthrosis (33 females and 11 males in each group) were compared in terms of scores in the Freiburger Personality Inventory. After matching subjects of both groups for sex and age, t-tests for correlating samples were applied. No significant differences were found in any scale; in three of them significance was just missed (5% less than p less than 10%). Given the number of comparisons, this is not surprising; in addition, personality characteristics, as assessed by these scales, do not agree with descriptions of rheumatoid arthritis patients as given in the literature. Our results, hence, do not lend support to the assumption of a typical personality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Elevated scores as found in other studies are most likely to reflect symptoms of joint ache rather than psychopathology.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Psychogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis--what do we really know?].

Empirical studies concerning the psychogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis are critically reviewed. Alexander's thesis that patients' suppressed aggressive impulses lead to increased muscle tension and hence to articular lesions has not thus far been given sufficient empirical support; there is not much evidence that people with rheumatoid arthritis show specific personality features, either. Human studies have not yet clearly demonstrated a connection between stressful life events and the onset or exacerbation of the disease; animal studies, in which the influence of stress on the development of rheumatoid symptoms was examined experimentally, have not yielded unambiguous results. However, these somewhat disappointing findings should not lead to the premature conclusion that psychological factors play no part in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The correlation between blood pressure values and personality score in the FPI-R in a non-clinical sample].

Personality traits of persons with high blood pressure were examined again. However, in contrast to most studies, it was decided to employ non-clinical samples of hypertensives and controls who were homogeneous for age and gender and also for actual life-style. This was done with draftees in the frame of a blood donation when blood pressure was recorded by routine. In addition, subjects completed the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-R). Data of 390 persons were suitable for evaluation. Groups with different blood pressure levels did not differ significantly in any of the scales with the exception of higher emotionality scores in the high blood pressure group. This seems best explicable as a chance finding in the frame of multiple comparisons. Neither emotionality nor other personality traits showed any correlation with blood pressure values across the whole sample. Overweight, however, correlated repeatedly with the scale scores and should thus be taken into account in further personality research with hypertensives.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Polyarthritis patients with and without detected rheumatoid factor: a comparison of the psychological personality].

The study examined again the question whether the presence of rheumatoid factor in rheumatoid arthritis (rh.A.) patients has a bearing on their personality scores. For this purpose 20 seropositive rh.A. patients were compared by means of the FPI-R (Freiburg Personality Inventory) with 20 rh.A. patients in whom the rheumatoid factor was absent. Groups were matched for sex and age; severity and duration of disease were taken into account as covariates. The covariates showed significant correlations with some personality variables. Diagnostic subgroups, however, did not differ in any of the FPI scales.

Adaptation, Psychological↗