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Biomedical subjects

T Schulte

Publications and source records attributed to T Schulte.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

[Disorders of consciousness as an initial symptom of intestinal invagination].

Two infants with intussusception were presented with lethargy and vomiting. Initially, the classical abdominal manifestations of the disease were missing. In order to avoid a delay of the correct treatment, intussusception should be considered in infants with altered consciousness and ultrasonography of the abdomen should be included in the diagnostic work up.

Consciousness Disorders

Mucocele of paranasal sinuses in a young infant with cystic fibrosis.

We report the case of an infant who developed severe nasal obstruction as an unusual first presentation of cystic fibrosis (CF). Computed tomography (CT) showed homogeneous opacification of the symmetrically enlarged paranasal sinuses that gave the clue for the final diagnosis.

Cystic Fibrosis

Monitoring theophylline levels in serum and saliva using fluorescence polarization immunoassay and Seralyzer.

The reliability and predictive value of salivary theophylline levels was investigated in 58 children who were treated with oral sustained-release theophylline preparations for bronchial asthma. Serum and saliva levels were assessed by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA), and Seralyzer (reagent strip reflectance photometer method). Forty-six paired serum and saliva samples from 28 patients (Group 1) were used to develop a linear regression formula. This formula was tested on 130 paired serum and saliva samples from 32 patients (Group 2). When saliva theophylline levels were assayed using FPIA, 95% of serum levels were predicted within 30% of the measured value. Using Seralyzer, 95% of serum levels were predicted within 45% of the measured value. For patients with three and more paired serum and saliva specimens, individual regression formulas were determined showing considerable variation. This study indicates that salivary theophylline levels provide for an estimation of serum levels if FPIA is used. The Seralyzer technique is only useful for serum theophylline measurements. Using a special device it is now easier to obtain saliva samples than by conventional methods.

Adolescent

The development of a novel immunoassay amplification system and its use in viral detection.

A novel amplification system has been developed for the detection of free or antibody-conjugated alkaline phosphatase. The amplification system provides a 100 fold enhancement in the detection of the enzyme, compared to direct detection with chromogenic substrates. The key to the amplification system is the dephosphorylation of a potent phosphorylated inhibitor, and the visualization of this inhibitor using a second, indicator, reaction. This system is shown to provide increased sensitivity for immunoassays detecting either herpes simplex virus or respiratory syncytial virus in clinical samples. In addition, this general concept for amplification may be applicable to a variety of other hydrolytic enzymes, and is demonstrated for the enhanced detection of beta-galactosidase.

Alkaline Phosphatase

[Lethal intoxication with leaves of the yew tree (Taxus baccata) (author's transl)].

A case of a rare lethal intoxication with yew leaves (taxus baccata) is reported. The clinical signs were dizziness (onset 1 hr after yew leaves were ingested), nausea, diffuse abdominal pain, unconsciousness, weak breathing, tachycardia, brief ventricular flutter afterwards a slow pulse, and finally death by respiratory arrest and diastolic cardiac standstill. Particular attention was given to the ECG. It showed an atypical bundle branch block with a maximal QRS-duration of 0.24 sec. A striking resemblence to the ECG in the case of hyperkalemia is seen in that P-waves were absent. Therefore, the possibility is noted that an acute hyperkalemia could be partly responsible for the cardiotoxic effect of the leaf.

Adult

An improved method for processing early rat otocysts for the electron microscope.

Various methods of dissection, fixation, osmication, sectioning and staining were tested in order to develop an acceptable technique for preparing 9, 10, 11, and 12-day-old rat otocysts for electron microscopic study. The general problems associated with embryonic tissue-difficult handling, high water content and poor stainability are discussed, and concrete methods of preparation which significantly decrease these difficulties are proposed. The specific fixation and sectioning requirements of rat otocyst are also described in the elaboration of a method which will be used in subsequent studies of the organogenesis of rodent ear.

Animals

Ultrastructural development of the early rat otocyst.

The ultrastructural development and differentiation of cells forming the rat otocyst were studied from the 9th to the 13th postcoital day (PCD). The earliest stage investigated was a simple ovoid structure with a connecting stalk to the surface ectoderm. A process of programmed cellular death involving surface ectoderm, connecting stalk, and lateral otocyst wall rapidly detached the otocyst. The cells forming the otocyst were roughly columnar, the organelles were polarized; mitochondria occurred in greatest number basally and in the supranuclear area; Golgi membranes when present were supranuclear. Luminal cells had many microvilli and cilia of various lengths were detected. The shorter, incompletely formed cilia terminated in small knob-like blebs. With each day the otocysts became more complicated and the endolymphatic duct made its appearance as an evagination of the otocyst. Many more cells were seen to have cilia in various stages of development, and by the 12th PCD possibly each cell of the main otocystic cavity had a kinocilium. Growth of the otocyst due to mitosis occurred to a great extent from a single ventromedial center. Cells in mitosis, although seen at other sites, were in greatest abundance in this area; cellular involution apparently was a related function. Together the process of over-production and programmed cellular involution of supranumerary cells not lost to other causes (e.g., environmental) may represent an evolutionary advantage.

Animals