Detection of cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in dogs using indirect immunoenzyme assay, indirect fluorescent antibody test and polymerase chain reaction.

The aim of this study was to detect cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thus, 408 blood samples were collected from dogs domiciled in Araçatuba Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil; the dogs were of both sexes, of several breeds and aged 6 months. For Leishmania spp., 14.95% (61 out of 408) of dogs were reactive using IFAT. Positivity was 20.10% (82 out of 408) using ELISA and 29.66% (121 out of 408) using PCR, with significant differences for the sex and age of these animals (p < 0.05). For Trypanosoma spp., antibody occurrence using ELISA was 10.54% (43 out of 408), while PCR indicated 2.45% (10 out of 408) positive dogs. Using IFAT, 10.29% (42 out of 408) of animals were considered positive and only sex showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). In this study, 10.54% (43 out of 408) of animals were seropositive according to ELISA for Trypanosoma spp., of which 79.07% (34 out of 43) showed positive results in the molecular diagnosis for Leishmania spp., while of the 10.29% (42 out of 408) positive dogs according to IFAT, 95.24 % (40 out of 42) had confirmed infection by this parasite. The obtained results demonstrate evidence of cross infections by both protozoa in the animals analysed in this study.

[Biofunctional age diagnosis in humans. Potentials and limits]. / Biofunktionale Alter(n)sdiagnostik des Menschen. Potenziale und Grenzen.

The demand and requirements for valid, practicable, and reliable procedures for age diagnosis are increasing worldwide. In contrast, few studies and only a small number of procedures exist. The authors review the theoretical and methodological requirements for the development of models for age diagnostics. They describe the fundamentals for further studies, based on an analysis of current gerontological research in this area. A following publication will report the valid systems measuring vitality and biofunctional age(ing) of human beings.

[Personal contextual factors (short version), part II]. / Personbezogene Kontextfaktoren (Kurzversion), Teil II.

In this journal a group of medical experts recently compiled a proposal for a systemic classification of personal contextual factors into domains, categories and items with respect to the ethical guidelines of the ICF (part I). In a second step the main issues have been transferred into the preliminary draft for a short version which is presented in this paper to give support for practical daily use in health insurance matters (part II).

[Personal contextual factors, part I]. / Personbezogene Kontextfaktoren, Teil I.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) does not yet classify personal contextual factors. To determine the interaction of these factors on activities and participation of a person as well as their influence on the probable outcome of interventions, they must be taken into account in individual sociomedical expertises. Therefore, a group of medical experts working for the social health insurance medical advisory boards in Germany compiled a proposal for a systematic classification of personal contextual factors into domains, categories and items with respect to the ethical guidelines of the ICF. In a second step the main issues were transferred into the preliminary draft for a short version which will be published later to give support for practical daily use in health insurance matters.

[Diagnosis of muscle function in hereditary muscular dystrophies]. / Muskelfunktionsdiagnostik bei hereditären Muskeldystrophien.

The evaluation of musclefunction im myopathies has been done upto now only by clinical trial. But in contrast in the field of medicine in sports has been proved the method of dynamometry of the muscles for a longer time which are necessary for objectivation of musclefunktion in myopathies. In this paper we present first results of health children and children suffering from Duchenne myopathy.

[Objective assessment of the reactive effectiveness of middle frequency electromyostimulation using mechanical muscle diagnosis (myomechanography)]. / Mitteilung zur Objektivierung der reaktiven Wirksamkeit mittelfrequenter Elektromyostimulation mit Hilfe muskelmechanischer Diagnostik (Myomechanographie).

Using a new method of measuring passive-mechanical tonus-parameters of muscle tissue in situ ("Myomechanographie, MMG") we evaluated in 12 healthy men reactive changes of the muscle tonus immediate after one middle-frequent Electromyostimulations (EMS)-period (duration: 15 min). With the MMG was proved, that the applied EMS cause an organic effectiveness; the muscle in situ is more "elastic". This showes especially the increase of the single parameters 'elastic retraction' and 'total compressibility'. In the comparison group (n = 12) we obtained contrary after relaxly steady position (duration: 15 min.) clear reduced single parameters. The muscle is reactive less "elastic".