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Biomedical subjects

U C Dubach

Publications and source records attributed to U C Dubach.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Quantitative distribution of lysosomal hydrolases in the rat nephron.

The activities of N-acetyl-beta, D-glucosaminidase (NAG, EC 3.2.1.30), beta, D-galactosidase (beta-gal, EC 3.2.1.23) and acid phosphatase (ac-Pase, EC 3.1.3.2) were measured in the glomeruli, five segments of the proximal and four segments of the distal tubule of normal male Wistar rats. The activities of NAG and beta-gal are 3- to 5-fold higher in the first part of the proximal tubule than in other segments and very low in glomeruli. We propose that the distribution of these two glycosidases reflects the contribution of the different tubular segments to the reabsorption of glycoproteins. The maximal activity of ac-Pase was found in the straight part of the proximal tubule. It was only 1.5-fold higher than in the distal tubule. Moreover, the activity in glomeruli is rather high. We conclude that ac-Pase is not primarily involved in the handling of reabsorbed molecules.

Acetylglucosaminidase

Effect of intravenous glibornuride and tolbutamide on myocardial contractility.

The acute effects of therapeutic doses of intravenous tolbutamide and glibornuride on the systolic time intervals (QS2c, LVETc, PEPc and PEP/LVET) were examined in 5 healthy volunteers. Blood sugar was maintained constant throughout the study. No significant changes of these intervals as well as of heart rate and blood pressure were observed. Therefore, it is concluded that tolbutamide and glibornuride have no acute positive inotropic action.

Adult

[Tumors of the efferent parts of the urinary tract and abuse of analgesics].

Since 1965, when Swedish authors first suggested that analgesic abuse could cause uroepithelial tumors associated with or without analgesic nephropathy, an increasing number of cases have been reported from many parts of the world. In a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to the medical department of the University Hospital in Basel from 1966 to 1976, records of 20 patients with analgesic nephropathy and tumors of the urinary tract (excluding hypernephroma) were found (17 uroepithelial tumors, 2 sarcomas, 1 chorionepithelioma). Typical symptoms, outcome and actuarial survival of the patients with uroepithelial tumors are summarized. Phenacetin as the common ingredient in analgesic mixtures has been regarded as carcinogenic, since some of its metabolites are similar in chemical structure to well-known industrial carcinogens. In animal experiments malignant tumors have in fact been induced with 2-hydroxylated metabolites and areneoxydes of phenacetin and paracetamol, and there is even more convincing evidence of the carcinogenic properties of N-oxydized metabolites such as N-hydroxy-phenetidine and N-hydroxy-phenacetin. Dimethylnitrosamine formed from aminophenazone appears to be improbable as a cause of uroepithelial tumors associated with analgesic abuse, since aminophenazone has not been a common ingredient of analgesic mixtures in Australia, where the incidence of uroepithelial tumors appears to be as high as in Sweden, where abuse of aminophenazone-containing analgesics has been massive.

Acetaminophen

Use and abuse of non-narcotic analgesics.

The definition of abuse and dependence of non-narcotic analgesics should take into consideration the interaction of drug and personality. Usually, definitions are based on qualitative aspects of the risk-benefit ratio in the use of psychotropic drugs. By means of modern research methods in epidemiology and clinical psychology, quantitative aspects might be integrated in the process of defining persons and drugs when evaluating their risk of abuse or dependence. In a prospective field study with working housewives of northwestern Switzerland who showed objective evidence of intake of non-narcotic analgesics and a control group, the interaction of drug use and personality features has been investigated. There was significant evidence that heavy use of non-narcotic analgesics was paralleled with a high risk of depression, emotional liability and disturbance in sexual identity. Using urine analysis, the study group was divided into two subgroups showing low or high intake of drugs, respectively. Special attention was focused on persons shifting from the study group into the control group and vice versa.

Acetaminophen

Epidemiological study in Switzerland.

A study group of originally 623 employed women of Northwestern Switzerland who were aged 30 to 49 yr and showing objective evidence of intake of phenacetin-containing analgesics, and a control group of 621 comparable women showing no such intake, were examined in 1968 and followed-up five times from 1969 to 1975 for laboratory evidence of urorenal disorders. Mortality was higher in the study group, with 21 deaths, compared to the control group, with 5 deaths, and was higher than expected in a comparative population in Switzerland (P less than or equal to 0.05). In both study and control groups, morbidity was low. There was no difference between the study and control groups with respect to subsequent proteinuria and hematuria. The seven-year incidence of low urine specific gravity after overnight thirsting was higher in the study group than in the control group (2.9% vs. 1.0%), and the incidence of raised serum creatinine was also significantly higher in the study group (2.9% vs. 0%). However, when the study group was further subdivided into a subgroup showing evidence of high intake of phenacetin-containing analgesics and one showing low-intake, only the high-intake subgroup had an incidence of raised serum creatinine concentrations (5.3%), significantly higher than the control group (0%), whereas the low-intake subgroup had an incidence (0.4%) similar to the control group. Also the high-intake subgroup showed significantly higher rates of bacteriuria than the controls (P less than or equal to 0.004).

Adult