PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

U Becker

Publications and source records attributed to U Becker.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Treatment of problem fractures with the Ilisarow procedure. Minimally invasive fixation technique and callus distraction].

Between march 1990 and december 1992, 19 patients with compound fractures were treated with Ilisarow's external fixator at the Department of Traumatology of the University of Ulm. The device was applied as a primary implant in 7 patients, most of whom showed fractures of infectious cavities or refractures in a latent state of infection. 12 patients were stabilized with a change to the ringfixator in secondary fracture treatment during 4 weeks after trauma. 5 of these patients suffered of acute osteomyelitis after internal fracture fixation, 3 patients had metaphyseal fractures and in four cases extensive bone defects were filled by callotasis. Treatment could be completed with the ring device in 16 patients whereas in 3 patients a change to internal fixation had to be performed due to delayed union or atrophic pseudarthrosis. The main disadvantages of this system consisted in the comparatively time consuming operative procedure and limited comfort for the patient. Nevertheless, Ilisarow's device has proved to be an useful tool in the treatment of compound fractures or fracture treatment under poor biological conditions due to its minimal invasive fixation technique.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1993

Urinary growth hormone (U-GH) excretion and serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

Basal serum growth hormone (GH) levels are elevated and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations in serum are suppressed in patients with chronic liver disease. The aim of this study was to measure the urinary GH (U-GH) excretion and IGF-1 concentrations in patients with cirrhosis and to correlate these both to clinical and biochemical characteristics and survival rate. Urinary GH excretion, IGF-1, and other biochemical parameters were measured in 36 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, while in the control group of 34 healthy individuals only U-GH excretion was measured. U-GH excretion was significantly higher in patients than in the healthy controls (p < 0.00001), and increased with deteriorating liver function assessed by modified Child-Turcotte score (p < 0.01). The highest U-GH excretions were found in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (p < 0.003). IGF-1 levels were reduced in cirrhosis and correlated with liver function (p < 0.001). Serum IGF-1 concentrations below 3.1 nmol/l were associated with a poor prognosis (p < 0.004). The elevated U-GH in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis may reflect high serum levels of GH due to increased pituitary secretion or decreased hepatic degradation of GH. In addition, the IGF-1 levels reflect the degree of hepatic insufficiency and, thus, seem to provide new prognostic information.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Hepatic cytosolic oestrogen receptors in patients with liver disease.

Patients with liver disease present many of the features of 'feminized' hepatic metabolism. Oestrogens exert their effects through interaction with specific cellular high-affinity receptors (ER). We measured hepatic ER in 102 needle biopsies from patients with chronic alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease using an enzyme immunoassay. Fifteen patients with no or minimal changes in liver histology served as controls. The hepatic ER concentrations were significantly (P = 0.05) lower in the 44 men (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 7-17 fmol mg-1 protein) compared to the 58 women (median 15 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 10-21 fmol mg-1 protein). Patients with alcoholic liver disease (n = 63) had significantly (P < 0.05) lower ER concentrations than controls (n = 15) (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 7-17 fmol mg-1 protein vs. median 16 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 10-26 fmol mg-1 protein), and compared with patients with non-alcoholic liver disease (n = 24) (P < 0.05, median 20 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 11-24 fmol mg-1 protein). ER concentrations were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in patients with alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic hepatitis (n = 21) compared to those without alcoholic hepatitis (n = 42) (medians 10 vs. 14 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile ranges 6-15 fmol mg-1 protein vs. 9-18 fmol mg-1 protein), while ER concentrations did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between actively drinking (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein, interquartile range 7-17 fmol mg-1 protein) and abstaining alcoholic patients (median 13 fmol mg-1 protein. interquartile range 7-18 fmol mg-1 protein). In summary, the small but significant variation in hepatic ER concentrations reflects variation in liver function rather than an effect of ethanol.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The influence of ethanol and liver disease on sex hormones and hepatic oestrogen receptors in women.

In contrast to the numerous studies of men, very few studies have been concerned with sex hormone disturbances in women with chronic alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases. The aim of the study was, to evaluate the effect of ethanol and liver dysfunction on menstrual cycle, serum sex hormone concentrations and hepatic oestrogen receptors in women. In premenopausal female alcoholics ethanol consumption increase the frequency of menstrual disturbances, abortions, and miscarriages, while infertility is not frequent. Acute ethanol intoxication has only minor effects on pituitary-gonadal hormones in premenopausal women, while chronic ethanol abuse lead to reduced concentrations of sulphated steroids, and these changes may be seen before severe liver dysfunction has appeared. In women liver dysfunction lead to earlier occurrence of menopause in comparison with normal controls, while information is insufficient or lacking regarding the influence upon fertility, pregnancy outcome and sexual behavior in women. In postmenopausal women with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease, the main disturbances of sex hormone metabolism consist of elevated oestrone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations, while serum concentrations of steroid sulphates and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are reduced, and the degree of liver dysfunction is a major determinant for the observed disturbances. The presence of high affinity, low capacity, specific oestrogen receptors (ER) in the liver is confirmed using a ligand binding assay (DCC), specificity analyses, and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Furthermore, the sensitivity of an enzyme immunoassay has been improved enabling the quantitative measurement of hepatic ER in 102 small liver biopsies from patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases. The method is suitable for quantitative assessment and ER in small tissue samples, and can be applied to other tissues than the liver. Patients with chronic liver diseases have significantly lower hepatic ER concentrations, and this reduction is determined by the degree of liver dysfunction, while the degree of alcoholic hepatitis or active ethanol consumption are less important factors. The importance of this observation for hepatic physiology and pathophysiology remains to be determined.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Insulin-like growth factor 1 and growth hormone in chronic liver disease.

Somatomedins or insulin-like growth factors (IGF) are peptides synthesized in the liver. IGFs have different anabolic and metabolic actions and are important in normal growth and development. The concentration of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is low in patients with chronic liver disease mainly due to the decreased liver function. Low levels of somatomedins are also seen in patients with growth hormone (GH) insufficiency, renal impairment, and malnutrition. GH stimulates the production of IGF-1, and both are part of a negative feedback system acting on hepatic, pituitary, and hypothalamic levels. The basal and stimulated GH concentration is pathologically elevated in patients with chronic liver disease and may be due to a disturbed regulation. Alterations in liver IGF receptors in patients with chronic liver disease still require investigation as they may be important for the liver function.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1992

Variation in hepatic estrogen receptor concentrations in patients with liver disease. A multivariate analysis.

Hepatic estrogen receptor concentrations were measured in liver biopsy specimens from 102 patients (58 women and 44 men) with liver disease and correlated to several clinical, biochemical, and histologic background variables by means of multiple regression analysis. Half of the tissue was processed for histologic evaluation with a semiquantitative registration of histologic characteristics, whereas the other part was used for receptor analysis by enzyme immunoassay. Fifteen patients with no or minimal histologic changes served as controls. The analysis shows that the reduced estrogen receptor concentrations observed in patients with chronic liver diseases reflect the degree of liver dysfunction and not the specific type of liver disease. Serum albumin, log serum bilirubin, log serum alkaline phosphatases, and the degree of parenchymal fibrosis were significantly related to hepatic estrogen receptor level in the final regression model, but only part of the variation can be explained by these variables, and other factors must be of importance.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Micronucleus assay prediction and application optimized by cytochalasin B-induced binucleated tumor cells.

Improvement in the predictive assertion of the micronucleus assay was achieved by treating human malignant melanoma cells (Mewo) with cytochalasin B (CB), generating binucleated cells (BNC) representing cells after a single karyokinesis. Optimal cell binucleation was determined by testing several cytochalasin B concentrations and different incubation times. On average, 56% binucleated cells were found after incubation with 2 to 3 micrograms/ml cytochalasin B for 48 h. Cells with at least one micronucleus (Mn) were defined as fraction of cells with micronuclei and describes the degree of damaged cells. We found in binucleated cells 2.2 fold the fraction of cells with micronuclei than in mononucleated cells (MNC), as expected assuming that an induced micronucleus is associated with only one single daughter cell after mitosis. The mean of micronuclei per binucleated cells, however, was enhanced about 2.9 fold in relation to that of micronuclei per mononucleated cells and is related to the nuclear damage per cell. The application of cytochalasin B did not enhance the fraction of damaged cells although the degree of the injury per cell is intensified. A micronuclei promoting or inhibiting effect of the experimental design due to changes in cell proliferation was excluded by cytofluorometric investigations of DNA content and synthesis after cytochalasin B application. A comparison of the modified with the conventional micronucleus assay shows the superiority of the former.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1991

Menopausal age and sex hormones in postmenopausal women with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease.

In order to evaluate age at menopause and serum sex hormone profiles in postmenopausal women with stable chronic liver disease, six non-cirrhotic alcoholics, 13 with alcoholic cirrhosis, eight with non-alcoholic cirrhosis, and 46 healthy controls were studied. In all three groups, patients were significantly (p less than 0.05) younger at the time of natural menopause than controls. Compared to controls, non-cirrhotic alcoholic women had significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced levels of DHAS, significantly (p less than 0.05) more alcoholic cirrhotic women had detectable oestradiol concentrations, elevated concentrations of oestrone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and reduced levels of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), while women with non-alcoholic cirrhosis had significantly elevated concentrations of SHBG and reduced levels of oestrone sulphate, DHT, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS) (p less than 0.05). The observed changes may be a consequence of liver disease since similar changes were observed in patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease, but an additional effect of alcohol cannot be excluded.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Enzyme immunoassay of oestrogen receptors in needle biopsies from human liver.

For quantitative assessments of sex hormone receptors in liver tissue, ligand binding assays are inconvenient, as they require large biopsies (0.5-1.0 g). The present study shows that it is possible to measure oestrogen receptors (ER) quantitatively in needle biopsy specimens as small as 10 mg by modifications of a commercial enzyme immunoassay employing monoclonal antibodies. Sucrose gradient centrifugation and the dextran charcoal method served as reference methods. A consecutive series of needle biopsies from patients suspected of liver disease were investigated. The biopsies (n = 37) had a median weight of 14 mg and cytosolic protein concentrations greater than 1 mg/ml (median 1.28 mg/ml). The median ER concentration was 20 fmol/mg cytosolic protein (range 5 to 57 fmol/mg). The intra-assay coefficient of variation was 8.9%, the inter-assay 13.2%, and the detection limit 2.7 fmol/ml cytosol. Women had significantly higher ER concentrations (median 22 fmol/mg) compared to male patients (median 16 fmol/mg) (P = 0.007). The enzyme immunoassay measures ER in liver specimens as small as 10 mg, compared to the large tissue specimens necessary for the conventional DCC assay, and the method is a convenient tool for further studies of ER in routine needle biopsies from the liver.

Biopsy, Needle↗