[Evaluation of a panfungal pcr assay for the diagnosis of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (pcp)]. / Evaluation eines universellen Pilz-PCR-Assays zur Diagnostik der Pneumocystis carinii-Pneumonie (PCP).

We compared a universal fungal PCR assay with fluorescence microscopy for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. 82 bronchoalveolar lavages (BALs) of 64 immunocompromised patients with atypical pneumonia and 50 BALs of 50 immunocompetent adults without lung disease were examined. 10 immunocompromised patients were clinically and/or histologically proven to suffer from PCP. For fluorescence microscopy, sensitivity and specificity in detecting P. carinii were 80.0% and 98.1%, for the PCR assay 100.0% and 96.2%, respectively. The PCR assay is a useful method for the diagnosis of PCP and is recommended as an additional test to microscopical methods.

S-nitrosoglutathione in rat cerebellum: identification and quantification by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Given the extreme lability and the facile inactivation of the messenger nitric oxide (NO) by many reactive biochemical species, it has been suggested that some intermediate compounds, for example, S-nitrosothiols, may act to stabilize NO and at the same time to preserve its biological activity. To test this hypothesis, we investigated if the S-nitrosothiol of glutathione, which is the predominant low molecular weight thiol in CNS, is present in the rat brain. The HPLC analysis of cerebellar extract from [35S]cysteine-prelabeled slices suggested that S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) was indeed present in rat brain. To detect endogenous GSNO, a methodology based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed. Besides an unequivocal identification of the endogenous GSNO, this method also permitted its precise quantification using 15N-labeled GSNO ([15N]GSNO) as internal standard. GSNO level in adult cerebellum amounts to 15.4 +/- 1.4 pmol/mg of protein. This is the first direct demonstration of the presence of endogenous GSNO in CNS. The packaging of NO in the form of GSNO might serve to facilitate its transport, prolong its life, and target its delivery to specific effectors.

Nitric oxide precursor arginine and S-nitrosoglutathione in synaptic and glial function.

In the last few years, there has been an important increase in interest in nitric oxide (NO) as an intercellular messenger, and its putative role in numerous CNS functions is being continually updated. Arginine, the nitric oxide precursor, has been found in our laboratory to be released following stimulation of the white matter in the cerebellum and of sensory afferents in the thalamus. Since arginine is localized in glial cells while the nitric oxide synthesizing enzyme is localized in different cells (predominantly in neurons), these findings may represent a transfer of arginine from glia to neurons in order to supply the nitric oxide synthase with its substrate. The mechanism underlying this glial-neuronal interaction seems to involve the activation of excitatory amino acid receptors present on glial cells. Our results speak for an intense crosstalk between neurons and glia (activation of glial receptors by neurotransmitter released from neurons) and between glia and neurons (supply of the nitric precursor arginine from glia to neurons). The form in which NO is released from cells has been much debated. The chemical identity of the endothelial-derived relaxing factor in particular is still a matter of dispute, the major contender being NO. and a S-nitrosothiol compound. Based on the strong reactivity of NO for thiols and on the presence of cysteine and glutathione at the mM level intracellularly and microM level extracellularly, we have investigated whether S-nitrosothiols, i.e. S-nitrosoglutathione, may be the potential "package" form in which NO could be stored. We demonstrated, with HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry techniques, the presence of endogenous nitrosoglutathione in rat brain tissue. This packaging of NO in the form of nitrosothiols might serve to facilitate its transfer, prolong its life, and target its delivery to specific effectors. That could confer a specificity of action to the widely diffusable messenger NO, may determine the range of effectiveness of NO and mitigate its adverse cytotoxic effects.

[Etiology of pathologic abrasions under special consideration of anorexia nervosa]. / Zur Atiologie der pathologischen Abrasionen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Anorexia nervosa.

Various factors can be cause the origin of pathologic abrasions. A rare cause is the psychosomatic disease "Anorexia nervosa". Dependent on the etiology the clinical symptoms of abrasions are differently. The author describes these symptoms and the treatment in a case of "Anorexia nervosa".

[Application of electronic data processing to patient documentation with special regard to prosthodontics]. / Computergestützte Patientendokumentation unter besonderer Berücksichtigung prothetischer Aspekte.

At the improvement of the dispensaire care and clinical follow-up examinations of prosthodontic patients was elaborated a documentation system with application of electronic data processing. For this end was developed special card for findings. The menue was programmed in DBASE II and consist of a programme for collection and a programme for analysis.

[Risk of general anaesthesia (author's transl)]. / Das Risiko der Allgemeinanästhesie.

95 506 patients who received general anesthesia during the period of 1964--1977 were studied. The account of all actual or possible life threatening complications during the anesthesia is given: oedema of the glottis, air embolism, accidental injection of the wrong drug, respiratory insufficiency, hypoxia, pulmonary oedema, airway occlusion by the cuff, vomiting and aspiration, anaphylactoid reaction, death within 24 hours, death on the table. Deaths not attributable to anaesthesia are listed separately. We have found that in one of every 139 anaesthetics given there was a life threatening complication to the patient. In every 197th anaesthetic there was a clear connection with the anaesthetic technique used. In contrast with the great number of near fatal complications the rate of irreversible damage or mortality connected with general anaesthesia was low.