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ABSTRACT: Isospora suis, a common intestinal parasite of piglets, causes neonatal porcine coccidiosis, which results in reduced and uneven weaning weights and economic losses in pig production. Nevertheless, there are no detailed studies available on the immune response to I. suis. The aim of this study was to carry out phenotypical characterization of lymphocytes during primary infections on day 3 after birth. Infected and noninfected piglets were investigated between days 7 and 16 after birth. Lymphocytes from the blood, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (flow cytometry) and of the jejunal mucosa (immunohistochemistry) were analysed. A decrease in T cells, especially with the phenotype of resting T-helper cells, T-cell receptor-gammadelta-T cells, and regulatory T cells in the blood, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes was noticeable. An increase in cells with the phenotype of natural killer cells in the spleen of infected animals was found, and the subset of TcR-gammadelta-T cells was strongly increased in the gut mucosa. Our findings suggest an accelerated migration of those cells into the gut. This study provides a strong indication for the involvement of adaptive and innate immune response mechanisms in the primary immune response to I. suis, especially of TcR-gammadelta-T cells as a linkage between innate and adaptive immunity.
Parasite Immunology 04/2010; 32(4):232-44. · 2.60 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The objective was to provide a systematic review of the screening accuracy of both versions of the Geriatric Depressions Scale (GDS-30, GDS-15).
An electronic search was performed by using Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Psyndex and the Cochrane library. The selection and examination of papers were performed by two reviewers independently.
Among the 42 papers included, important methodological aspects such as sampling methods or blinding of research workers often were not reported. For both GDS versions, similar validity indices were found (GDS-30: sensitivity 0.753, specificity 0.770; GDS-15: sensitivity 0.805, specificity 0.750). Using comparative studies based on the identical samples, both GDS versions showed significantly better validity indices than the 'Yale-1-question' screen, but were similar to the 'Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale' (CES-D).
The GDS does not show a better criterion validity than the CES-D, but methodological limitations of primary studies hamper the generalizability of pooled analyses.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 01/2007; 114(6):398-410. · 4.22 Impact Factor
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Advances in psychosomatic medicine 02/2004; 26:74-97.
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ABSTRACT: Several authors have pointed out that in the next few decades dementia will affect a considerably increasing number of the elderly. To our knowledge there exist no calculations of the number of demented persons for the whole European region. We made calculations on the number of dementia cases for the period 2000-2050 based on the population projections of the United Nations. For this purpose, we used the results of several meta-analyses of epidemiological studies. The number of prevalent dementia cases in the year 2000 was 7.1 million. Within the next 50 years, this number will rise to about 16.2 million dementia sufferers. The number of new dementia cases per year will increase from about 1.9 million in the year 2000 to about 4.1 million in the year 2050. Contrarily, the working-age population will considerably decrease during the next 50 years. In the year 2000, 7.1 million dementia cases faced 493 million persons in working-age. This equals a ratio of 69.4 persons in working-age per one demented person. Until the year 2050, this ratio will decrease to only 21.1. Thus, the financial and emotional burden placed by dementia on the working-age population will markedly rise.
European Psychiatry 11/2003; 18(6):306-13. · 2.77 Impact Factor
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S Aharinejad,
R Schäfer,
R Hofbauer,
D Abraham,
R Blumer,
A Miksovsky,
H Traxler,
D Pullirsch, R Alexandrowicz,
S Taghavi,
A Kocher,
G Laufer
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ABSTRACT: Little is known about the long-term impact of cardiac transplantation on activity and modifications of endothelin (ET)-1 system, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and mitochondrial metabolism and morphology in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) versus dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of ET-1, endothelin converting enzyme (ECE)-1, VEGF-C, carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT)-1, and carnitine acetyltransferase (CARAT), as well as the number of normal, edematous, and degenerated mitochondria were assessed in left ventricular biopsies of 21 patients with DCM and 20 with ICM (New York Heart Association class III-IV) before and up to 3 months after cardiac transplantation. Cardiac samples of donated, nonfailing hearts served as controls (n=10). In cardiac biopsies of both ICM and DCM patients, ET-1, VEGF-C, CPT-1, and CARAT mRNA were up-regulated, whereas ECE-1 mRNA was down-regulated (P<0.05). Degenerated mitochondria had the highest number in both groups, followed by normal and edematous mitochondria. After cardiac transplantation, in ICM patients impaired gene expression levels decreased to, or below, normal levels, and the number of normal mitochondria increased (P<0.05). In implanted hearts of DCM patients, however, up-regulated ET-1 transcript levels persisted and the number of normal mitochondria decreased, whereas the number of degenerated mitochondria increased (P<0.05), and edematous mitochondria remained unchanged in number. These results show that cardiac transplantation corrects the impaired hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters in both groups, whereas in DCM, the molecular pathology of ET-1 system and mitochondria persists. Therefore, it is more likely that these changes are the cause rather than a consequence of DCM.
Transplantation 09/2001; 72(6):1043-9. · 4.00 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: An attempt was made to improve the validity of the 30-item General Health Questionnaire by excluding items. This exclusion was performed by using correlations of sum-scores with an external case criterion. This hierarchical approach based on subsets of items (stepwise hierarchical variable selection) resulted in a 9-item questionnaire whose discriminating performance was significantly better than that of the original version.
European Journal of Epidemiology 02/2001; 17(11):1001-4. · 4.71 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: An algorithm is given in order to quantify the similarity of a couple's test profile in the Giessen-Test as concerns that 16 typical test profiles discovered by Brähler and Brähler (1993). The German Giessen-Test is a personality-inventory based on psychoanalysis. The Euklidian distance was chosen as a measuring unit. The identification of that typical test profile to which any couple belongs succeeds very easily, a task which is otherwise only possible with difficulty. However, any allocation is merely for reasons of description, not based on statistical decisions. As a special service, the respective computer programme is placed at everyone's disposal.
PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 08/1999; 49(7):249-52. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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PPmP - Psychotherapie · Psychosomatik · Medizinische Psychologie 01/1999; 49:249-253.. · 1.02 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE/MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective randomized study, the techniques of stereotactic breast biopsies in prone and sitting position were compared. Part of the data has already been published. A total of 103 women underwent stereotactic breast biopsies, either prone (n = 51; using TRC-Mammotest, Sweden) or in the sitting position (n = 52; using Stereotix 2, General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA). With the help of pre- and post-biopsy questionnaires, anxiety, pain, and subjective experience were recorded in all patients. Vasovagal reactions were scored from 0 to 2 according to their severity. All biopsy results were verified by surgery. The specificities and sensitivities for the two positions were calculated and statistically compared. RESULTS: With regard to overall tolerance no statistically significant difference between biopsies performed in the sitting or the prone position was noted. Significantly more patients (p = 0.04) in the prone position stated they would prefer premedication prior to a repeat biopsy. Three patients (prone; n = 1; sitting; n = 2) fainted during the procedure. There was no statistically significant difference between the two biopsy positions regarding sensitivity (95%) and specificity (100%). CONCLUSIONS: More attention should be paid to patient care and, especially, preintervention information. Biopsies in the prone or sitting position are equally well tolerated. Somatic reactions are not a major problem during breast biopsy. Success and validity are independent of the biopsy position.
Der Radiologe 09/1997; 37(8):629-35. · 0.61 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Objective/Material and Methods: In a prospective randomized study, the techniques of stereotactic breast biopsies in prone and sitting position were compared.
Part of the data has already been published [11]. A total of 103 women underwent stereotactic breast biopsies, either prone
(n = 51; using TRC-Mammotest, Sweden) or in the sitting position (n = 52; using Stereotix 2, General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA). With the help of pre- and post-biopsy
questionnaires, anxiety, pain, and subjective experience were recorded in all patients. Vasovagal reactions were scored from
0 to 2 according to their severity. All biopsy results were verified by surgery. The specificities and sensitivities for the
two positions were calculated and statistically compared.
Results: With regard to overall tolerance no statistically significant difference between biopsies performed in the sitting or the
prone position was noted. Significantly more patients (p = 0.04) in the prone position stated they would prefer premedication prior to a repeat biopsy. Three patients (prone; n = 1; sitting; n = 2) fainted during the procedure. There was no statistically significant difference between the two biopsy positions regarding
sensitivity (95 %) and specificity (100 %).
Conclusions: More attention should be paid to patient care and, especially, preintervention information. Biopsies in the prone or sitting
position are equally well tolerated. Somatic reactions are not a major problem during breast biopsy. Success and validity
are independent of the biopsy position.
An Hand einer prospektiv randomisierten Studie sollen in diesem Beitrag die sitzende und die liegende Brustbiopsie verglichen
werden. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie wurden teilweise bereits publiziert [11]. Insgesamt wurden 103 Patientinnen stereotaktisch
gezielt biopsiert. In 51 Fällen wurde die Biopsie in liegender Position (TRC-Mammotest, Schweden), in 52 Fällen in sitzender
Position (Stereotix 2; Genereal Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA) durchgeführt. Mit Hilfe von prä- und
postbioptischen Fragebögen wurden die allgemeine Unruhe/Angst, Schmerz sowie subjektive Erfahrungen aller Patientinnen bestimmt.
Zusätzlich wurden etwaige vasovagale Reaktionen nach ihrem Ausmaß (0–2) bewertet. Sämtliche Biopsieergebnisse wurden operativ
verifiziert und die Spezifität und Sensitivität beider Biopsiepositionen ermittelt und verglichen. Es konnte kein statisch
signifikanter Unterschied zwischen beiden Biopsiepositionen bezüglich der allgemeinen Toleranz festgestellt werden. Signifikant
mehr Patientinnen (p = 0,04) der liegenden Position würden vor einer neuerlichen Biopsie Medikation zur Beruhigung wünschen. Insgesamt 3 Patientinnen
(liegend: n = 1; sitzend: n = 2) fielen während der Biopsie in Ohnmacht. Kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied fand sich bezüglich Sensitivität
(95 %) und Spezifität (100 %) zwischen beiden Biopsiepositionen. Besonderes Augenmerk sollte auf eine „intensive“ Patientenaufklärung
und Betreuung vor der Biopsie gerichtet werden. Beide Biopsiepositionen werden von den Patienten gleich gut toleriert. Allgemeine
vasovagale Reaktionen stellen kein großes Problem der Brustbiopsie dar. Der Erfolg bzw das Ergebnis der Biopsie ist unabhängig
von der Biopsieposition.
Der Radiologe 04/1997; 37(8):629-635. · 0.61 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We investigated to see if motion artifacts (MA) occurring in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are related to prescan anxiety measures and test the feasibility of identifying patients at risk for the development of MA before scanning. Furthermore, to determine a possible influence of constructional differences between a 1.5 and a 0.5 tesla scanner on the frequency of MA. Two hundred and ninety-seven first time MRI patients were surveyed before and after imaging with anxiety and attitude questionnaires. Frequency and impact on diagnostic quality of MA were documented. 12.8% of all scans showed MA not related to normal body pulsations. In 6.4% the diagnostic quality was impaired. Constructional differences did not influence the frequency of MA. Also, anxiety as determined with the most common anxiety measuring instrument was not related to the development of MA. Concern about the technical apparatus identified 70.6% of all individuals developing MA. Patients at risk for the development of MA can be identified prior to scanning. It seems necessary to further develop reliable methods to detect them and to evaluate strategies to prevent MA.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging 02/1997; 15(3):301-6. · 1.99 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In a prospective randomized study, 103 women had stereotactic biopsies performed either in the prone (n = 51) or sitting (n = 52) position. Questionnaires were administered before and after biopsy, to measure anxiety, pain and subjective experience in all patients. Vasovagal reactions were scored from 0 to 2 according to severity. There was no significant difference between biopsies performed in the sitting or the prone position with regard to overall tolerance. Significantly more patients biopsied in the prone position (15 of 51, 29 per cent) than in the sitting position (seven of 52, 13 per cent) would prefer premedication before a repeat biopsy (P = 0.04). Of the total patient group, three women fainted, one in the prone position and two others in the sitting position. Breast biopsies performed in the prone or sitting position are equally well tolerated. Somatic reactions such as fainting are not a major problem during breast biopsy; however, attention should be focused on patient care, including information given before the procedure.
British Journal of Surgery 10/1996; 83(9):1252-5. · 4.61 Impact Factor
