Showing papers by "Medical University of Graz published in 2001"

Cardiovascular and hormonal changes with different angles of head-up tilt in men.

Abstract: Summary The purpose of this study was to assess the endocrine status, thoracic impedance, blood concentration, and hemodynamic dose-responses using different angles of passive head-up tilt (HUT) ranging from 12° to 70° in the same subjects. Measurements were performed during 20 min supine position (pre-HUT), 30 min upright (HUT12, HUT30, HUT53, or HUT70), and 20 min supine (post-HUT); subjects 70 min in the supine position only (HUT0) served as resting controls. Norepinephrine increased above resting control values by 19, 44, 80, and 102 %; epinephrine by 30, 41, 64, and 68 %; aldosterone by 29, 62, 139, and 165 %; plasma renin activity n. s., 41, 91, and 89 %; vasopressin n.s., 27, 47, and 59 %; thoracic bioimpedance n. s., 8, 13, and 16 %; heart rate n. s., 5, 26, and 45 %, and mean arterial pressure n. s., 5, 7, and 10 %; at min 27 of HUT12, HUT30, HUT53, and HUT70, respectively. Pulse pressure decreased with HUT53 and HUT70 by 4 and 10 %. Hematocrit increased by 0.2, 1.7, 6.3, and 7.2 %, respectively. Blood density increased by 2.3 and 3.0 g/l, plasma density by 1.7 and 1.8 g/l with HUT53 and HUT70. After finishing HUT, heart rate fell to values which stayed below pre-HUT, and also below resting control levels for ≥ 5 min (“postorthostatic bradycardia”) even after the lowest orthostatic load (HUT12). Thoracic impedance and arterial pressure remained increased after terminating HUT30, HUT53, and HUT70. In conclusion, passive orthostatic loading of different extent produces specific dose-responses of different magnitude in the endocrine system, blood composition, thoracic impedance, and hemodynamic variables. The heart rate is depressed even after HUT12, while arterial blood pressure and thoracic impedance exceed pre-stimulus levels after greater head-up tilt, indicating altered cardiovascular response after passive orthostasis.

Permanent depression of plasma cGMP during long-term space flight.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate plasma concentrations of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) during and after real and simulated space flight. Venous blood was obtained 3 min after the beginning and 2 min after the lower body negative pressure maneuver in two cosmonauts preflight (supine), inflight, and postflight (supine) and in five other subjects before, at the end, and 4 days after a 5-day head-down tilt (-6 degrees) bed rest. In cosmonaut 1 (10 days in space), plasma cGMP fell from preflight 4.3 to 1.4 nM on flight day 6, and was 3.0 nM on the fourth day after landing. In cosmonaut 2 (438 days in space), it fell from preflight 4.9 to 0.5 nM on on flight day 3, and stayed <0.1 nM with 5, 9, and 14 months in space, as well as on the fourth day after landing. Three months after the flight his plasma cGMP was back to normal (6.3 nM). Cosmonaut 2 also displayed relatively low inflight ANP values but returned to preflight level immediately after landing. In a ground-based simulation on five other persons, supine plasma cGMP was reduced by an average of 30% within 5 days of 6 degrees head-down tilt bed rest. The data consistently demonstrate lowered plasma cGMP with real and simulated weightlessness, and a complete disappearance of cGMP from plasma during, and shortly after long-duration space flight.

Dermoscopy: a new perspective

Abstract: The International Dermoscopy Society The IDS was founded in 2003 to promote clinical research in dermoscopy and to represent a clinically oriented international organization with a thrust towards helping and improving education in dermoscopy. Our membership is worldwide and currently more than 100 countries are represented, with individuals joining by direct application for free membership. Our organization conducts a world congress every three years and sister society meetings every year during the AAD congress in the USA and the EADV congress in Europe.

An unclear, chronic nasal ulcer

Abstract: A 44-year-old Brazilian man presented with an eight-month history of runny nose, hoarseness and progressive gingival swelling, which interfered greatly with nourishment and oral hygiene The nasal lesion had appeared three years previous to his visit, while the gingival lesions had been present for a few months The patient had been already seen by general practitioners and dentists and had received nonspecific therapy He was not taking any drugs Physical examination showed a painless ulceration on the right nasal fossa (Figure 1) and hyperplastic erythematous lesions on the upper gingival mucosa (Figure 2) He had no fever and there was no lymphadenopathy nor hepatosplenomegaly Full blood count, liver and kidney function tests were within the normal range HIV-serology was negative Cultures for bacteria, fungus and mycobacteria were negative Histological examination of a gingival lesion revealed a granulomatous inflammation without necrosis Fite, Grocott methanamine silver and Periodic Acid Schiff stains were negative What is your diagnosis? Figure 1 Painless ulceration on the right nasal fossa