Eichmann,C.; Parson,W.; The canine mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 133 dogs living in the area around Innsbruck, Austria was sequenced. A total of 40 polymorphic sites were observed in the first hypervariable segment and 15 in the second, which resulted in the differentiation of 40 distinct haplotypes. We observed five nucleotide positions that were highly polymorphic within different haplogroups, and they represent good candidates for mtDNA screening. We found five point heteroplasmic positions; all located in HVS-I and a polythymine region in HVS-II, the latter often being associated with length heteroplasmy. [Read More]

Hohlrieder,M.; Brugger,H.; Schubert,H.M.; Pavlic,M.; Ellerton,J.; Mair,P.; In avalanche accidents, the significance of major trauma as a cause of morbidity and mortality is controversial. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the severity and pattern of injury in avalanche victims admitted to the University Hospital of Innsbruck between 1996 and 2005. A total of 49 significant injuries were found in 105 avalanche victims; the most frequent were of the extremities (n = 20), the chest (n = 18), and the spine (n = 7). [Read More]

Ruttmann,E.; Weissenbacher,A.; Ulmer,H.; Müller,L.; Höfer,D.; Kilo,J.; Rabl,W.; Schwarz,B.; Laufer,G.; Antretter,H.; Mair,P.; OBJECTIVE: Extracorporeal circulation is considered the gold standard in the treatment of hypothermic cardiocirculatory arrest; however, few centers use extracorporeal membrane oxygenation instead of standard extracorporeal circulation for this indication. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether extracorporeal membrane oxygenation-assisted resuscitation improves survival in patients with hypothermic cardiac arrest. METHODS: A consecutive series of 59 patients with accidental hypothermia in cardiocirculatory arrest between 1987 and 2006 were included. [Read More]

Huemer,H.P.; Himmelreich,A.; Honlinger,B.; Pavlic,M.; Eisendle,K.; Höpfl,R.; Rabl,W.; Czerny,C.P.; Infections with orthopoxviruses usually lead to cross-protection among all species of the family. This has been a prerequisite for successful eradication of smallpox. Here we report the rare case of a 17-year-old male, who survived a generalised cowpox virus infection of unusual severity but surprisingly did not show a proper seroconversion. Only a very weak antibody production was observed in early and late serum samples, which initially appeared to be cowpox virus specific in immunofluorescence. [Read More]

Pavlic,M.; Libiseller,K.; Hermann,M.; Hengster,P.; Margreiter,R.; Wurm,M.; Background: Current approaches to support alcohol addict and/or benzodiazepine-treated patients with liver failure include culturing human cells to take over basic metabolic functions for a certain time. Methods: Small human hepatocytes (SH) were grown in a rotary cell culture system, and their potential to metabolize alcohol and the benzodiazepines oxazepam and diazepam was evaluated. Control experiments were performed with SV40-immortalized HEP cells and cell respective drug-free media. [Read More]