Medizinische Beurteilungskriterien zu bandscheibenbedingten Berufskrankheiten der Lendenwirbelsäule (I)

Occupational diseases Nos. 2108 and 2110 correspond to intervertebral disc-related diseases of the lumbar spine from many years of carrying or lifting heavy loads, occupations in extreme postures of full flexion or oscillation of the whole body when seated, and which compel the cessation of all activities which are or could be the cause for the origin, exacerbation or recurrence of the disease. These occupational diseases came into force at the start of 1993, but there have been considerable problems in their implementation. The present Part I of the contribution is the result of the work of an interdisciplinary study group and contains medical criteria for the assessment of possibly strain-related clinical characteristics and the evaluation of other possible causes. Part II is to be published in Volume 4/2005 and will deal with questions related to forced cessation and to the assessment of the loss of earning ability. Agreement was reached in many areas related to the assessment of occupational claims. This should allow for evidence-based decision making in the future for the occupational diseases Nos. 2108 and 2110.     

Age determines memory for face identity and expression

Background: The recognition of facial expressions is an important component of emotion processing which contributes to interactional behavior. One of the factors highly associated with potential decline of ability in behavioral tasks is age. Methods: We have investigated age‐related changes in facial identity and expression memory of healthy subjects in three age groups: young adults (20–40 years), elderly adults (60–80 years) and, for the first time in the literature, very old adults (over 80 years of age). Using a picture test, photographs of faces with happy or angry expressions were presented to study participants during the encoding task, and the memory for identity and emotional facial expression was investigated in a subsequent recognition task showing emotionally neutral faces. Half of the faces presented in the recognition task were initially shown in the encoding task. Results: Age interacted with the memory process: the ability to recognize both facial identity and emotional expression declined with advanced age. Happy facial expressions were better recognized in all age groups. Although there was a continuous overall decrease in recognition of both happy and angry expressions with advanced age, the effect favoring happy facial expressions was stable also in very old adults. Other factors such as gender or educational level did not affect the memory process for facial expressions. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that age is a significant determinant of memory for facial identity and emotional expression, and that, similar to younger adults, the recognition process of the elderly favors happy emotional facial expressions.     

Über Röntgenstrahlenwirkungen auf die Milz bei myeloischer Leukämie

Research in Experimental Medicine -     

Medizinische Beurteilungskriterien zu bandscheibenbedingten Berufskrankheiten der Lendenwirbelsäule (II)

The first part of this serial paper dealt with the medical criteria used in evaluation of the clinical picture caused by physical stress and the evaluation of other candidate causes and was published in issue no. 3/2005 (pp. 711–752) of Trauma and Berufskrankheit. This follow-up paper (II) presents criteria to be used in the evaluation of whether it is necessary to give up the occupations putting the spine at risk and in estimation of the degree of disability.     

Risk factors for secondary dilatation of the aorta after acute type A aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Prompt diagnosis of subsequent dilatation of the dissected aorta is crucial to reduce late mortality in these patients. This study focuses on risk factors for dilatation of the aorta after type A aortic dissection (AADA) affecting a normal-sized or slightly dilated aorta. METHODS: Overall 531 CT scans were analysed. Patients were included in the study if at least 3 CT scans were available after operative repair. 64 patients (59.8%) out of 107 patients full-field the inclusion criteria. Volumetric analyses of the aorta were performed. Patients were divided in 3 groups: group A included 26 patients (40.6%) without progression of the aortic diameter, group 2, 27 patients (42.2%) with slight progression and group 3, 11 patients (17.2%) with important progression, requiring surgery in 9 patients (81.8%). Risk-factors for progression of the aortic size were analysed and compared between the groups. RESULTS: Patients from group 3 were younger 57.7+/-13.4 vs. 61.9+/-11.6 in group 1 (P<0.05) and were more frequent female (45.4 vs. 23.1%; P<0.05). Dissection of the supraaortic branches (100 vs. 80.8%; P<0.05), the presence of preoperative cerebral, visceral or peripheral malperfusion (54.6 vs. 26.9%; P<0.05) and contrast enhancement in the false lumen during the follow-up (72.7 vs. 57.7%; P=0.07) were additional risk factors for late aortic dilatation in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Acute type A aortic dissection in younger patients, involving the supraaortic branches and/or combined with malperfusion syndrome favour secondary dilatation. A close follow-up is mandatory to prevent acute complications of the diseased downstream aorta following repair of a AADA.     

Mindestmengen

BACKGROUND: Consequences of the volume outcome relationship are controversial. Objectification based on data analysis is strongly needed. The aim of this publication was to analyse the effects of volume outcome reallocations based on German inpatient data. METHOD: The analysis based on inpatient data of the Krankenhauszweckverband Koeln, Bonn und Region (Hospital Association of the Cologne and Bonn Region) of 2002 and 2005. Relevant data sets were identified according to the effects of current German regulations on volume outcome on the special fields liver transplant, kidney transplant, complex pancreatic surgery, and complex oesophageal surgery. RESULTS: The effects of current German regulations on volume outcome results differed greatly between the four surgical specialities. There were fewer effects on kidney transplant, but due to an already very high level of centralisation 34% (oesophagus) and 8% (pancreas) of the hospitals stopped related surgery. This affected 8.9% (oesophagus) and 2.2% (pancreas) of related cases. CONCLUSION: Concentration and the formation of specialised medical centres are results of the implementation of volume outcome relationships. The quality of medical treatment does not automatically improve from this development. It is necessary to analyse any correlation between quality and frequency of treatment or other criteria such as know-how, structure and process management, and multidisciplinarity.     

Reciprocal regulation of the nitric oxide synthase/arginase balance in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages by TH 1 and TH 2 cytokines

Activation with lipopolysaccharide induces macrophages to produce the enzymes arginase and nitric oxide (NO) synthase. Both enzymes use as a substrate the amino acid L-arginine, which can be either hydrolyzed by arginase to urea and ornithine or oxidized by NO synthase to NO and citrulline. NO is important in the bactericidal and cytotoxic activities of macrophages. An equivalent functional role of arginase and its products is not known. We tested the induction of arginase in bone marrow-derived macrophages by endogenous mediators that are known to induce NO synthase, such as interferon-γ (IFN-γ), or suppress the induction of this enzyme, such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂). We find that PGE₂ and the TH2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 are potent inducers of arginase. In contrast, the TH 1 cytokine IFN-γ does not induce arginase. Simultaneous application of both types of mediators leads to reduced induction of both arginase and NO synthase. Exposure of macrophage cultures to inducers of NO synthase exhausts their ability to respond subsequently to inducers of arginase. Conversely, exposure of the cells to inducers of arginase exhausts their ability to respond subsequently to inducers of NO synthase. The results are consistent with a competition of both enzymes for their substrate, L-arginine, with a reciprocal inhibition in the induction of both enzymes, or a combination of both phenomena. The enzymes NO synthase and arginase appear to define two alternate functional states of macrophages, induced by TH 1 and TH 2 cytokines, respectively.