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Biomedical subjects

D Kowalski

Publications and source records attributed to D Kowalski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Increased concentration of beta-endorphin in the sera of patients with severe atopic dermatitis.

Serum beta-endorphin was measured by radioimmunoassay in 25 patients with atopic dermatitis and 100 healthy subjects. The neuropeptide was found to be markedly (p < 0.001) increased in patients with atopic dermatitis (9.2 +/- 3.4 pg/ml) as compared to normal controls (6.1 +/- 1.5 pg/ml). A correlation between increased serum beta-endorphin concentration and some clinical parameters of the disease has been found. The statistically significant elevation of beta-endorphin was found in patients with widespread atopic dermatitis lesions involving more than 20% of the skin surface (11.1 +/- 3.6 pg/ml), a high disease severity score (10.7 +/- 3.7 pg/ml), and previous bronchial asthma symptoms (11.6 +/- 3.1 pg/ml). A possible explanation of increased beta-endorphin is either its generation in atopic dermatitis lesions by inflammatory cells or activation of pituitary-adrenal axis by psychoneural factors in the mechanism of chronic stress.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in plasma of patients with chronic renal failure during hemodialysis].

UNLABELLED: Two groups of subjects (uraemic and control) were studied. The group A consisted of 20 patients treated by HD (haemodialysis). The mean age was x +/- SD--36.6 +/- 7.3 years, duration of haemodialysis treatment 32.8 +/- 7.7 months, cuprophan dialyzers and acetate containing solution--35 mEq/l--were used, time of HD--4 hours 3 times weekly, predialysis serum creatinine was 876 +/- 189 mumol/l (9.8 +/- 2.1 mg%). This group of patients was subdivided in two groups. The group I comprised 9 patients with hypotensive episodes that occurred during HD (systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg), and the group II comprised 11 patients without hypotensive episodes. The control group comprised 20 healthy subjects (mean age 36.7 +/- 12.1 years, serum creatinine level 77 +/- 16 mumol/l (0.9 +/- 0.2 mg%). In all examined subjects the following experimental protocol was used. Blood pressure (BP) was determined at about 8 a.m. after an overnight rest. Then blood samples were withdrawn for estimation of ANP, haematocrit value (Ht), haemoglobin (Hb) and creatinine concentrations. Between 8 and 12 a.m. all examined uraemic subjects were dialyzed. After each hour of dialysis BP was measured and blood samples were taken. ANP (Peninsula Lab.Kids.) was measured using RIA method, and other biochemical parameters using routine methods. Serum creatinine and plasma ANP levels significantly decreased after HD. No significant differences were seen between the both uraemic groups. No significant correlations between systolic blood pressure, ANP level in examined group were observed. CONCLUSIONS: 1. In all uraemic subjects, plasma ANP level was significantly higher than in control subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Increased concentration of beta-endorphin in sera of patients with psoriasis and other inflammatory dermatoses.

Serum beta-endorphin was quantified by radioimmunoassay in 71 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, other chronic inflammatory skin diseases with T-cell infiltrates [atopic dermatitis (n = 25), and systemic sclerosis (n = 34)], and 100 healthy subjects. The neuropeptide was found to be markedly (P < 0.001) increased in patients with psoriasis (14.4 pg/ml), atopic dermatitis (9.2 pg/ml) and systemic sclerosis (9.8 pg/ml) compared with normal controls (6.1 pg/ml). The highest values of beta-endorphin were found in patients with actively spreading plaque psoriasis (17.3 pg/ml), whereas lesion-free patients showed a reduction in neuropeptide concentration (10.2 pg/ml). The levels were much higher in patients with widespread psoriatic lesions (> 60% body surface; 16.2 pg/ml), which lasted longer than 3 months (15.8 pg/ml), whereas neither the presence of stress nor itching correlated with the serum peptide concentration. Our data suggest that beta-endorphin is produced in psoriatic lesions by inflammatory cells, rather than the increased levels being the result of activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis by chronic stress. The generation of neuropeptide in psoriatic lesions and its antinociceptive effect on the peripheral sensory nerves might explain why pruritus is a relatively rare phenomenon in psoriasis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Neuropeptides in psoriasis: possible role of beta-endorphin in the pathomechanism of the disease.

BACKGROUND: An increased concentration of neuropeptides in psoriatic lesional skin may be responsible for alterations in the neurogenic erythematous response and transmission of stimuli through sensory nerve fibers (sensation of pruritus). METHODS: Increasing doses of capsaicin from 0.125 to 4 micrograms/cm2 were applied to nonlesional psoriatic skin to establish the minimal dose that induced the substance P-mediated neurogenic response in 30 patients with psoriasis. Plasma beta-endorphin was quantitated in 71 psoriatics by radioimmunoassay using NEN 1251-RIA kit. RESULTS: The mean beta-endorphin concentration was increased about 2-fold compared to normals, whereas doses of capsaicin needed to induce erythema were higher (1-4 micrograms/cm2) in psoriatics (mainly in patients with type II psoriasis) than in healthy subjects (0.125-0.25 microgram/cm2). CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that increased beta-endorphin in psoriatic skin might affect both substance P-mediated neurogenic inflammation and transmission of sensory stimuli due to local antinociceptive effects of this opioid. The differences in the neurogenic response in type I and II psoriasis may be related to the degradation of substance P and beta-endorphin by neutral proteinases in the lesional skin.

Capsaicin↗
PubMed1994

Multi-centre comparison of ABBOTT MATRIX Aero to Pharmacia Standard RAST, Modified RAST and skin puncture tests.

ABBOTT MATRIX Aero is an enzyme immunoassay which measures specific IgE antibodies to 14 individually calibrated airborne allergens using a single serum specimen. In this study, ABBOTT MATRIX performance was evaluated in comparison to the results of skin puncture test and the Standard and Modified RAST procedures. The ABBOTT MATRIX demonstrated overall sensitivity of 89% vs. Standard RAST and Modified RAST, with specificity greater than 92% vs. both methods. ABBOTT MATRIX sensitivity vs. skin test (71%) exceeded that of the Standard and Modified RAST procedures (62% and 67% respectively). Positive results reported by ABBOTT MATRIX but not RAST were corroborated by skin test results for 3 of 5 allergens evaluated. All in vitro systems demonstrated specificity of approximately 90% vs. skin test. The ABBOTT MATRIX system provided results which compared favorably with the results of skin test and RAST, but required less hands-on time to obtain quantitative specific IgE measurements to multiple allergens.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Level of endothelin-1 and 2 in plasma of patients with chronic renal failure].

The aim of the study was to answer 3 questions: 1. does plasma endothelin level differ in patients with chronic renal failure from that of healthy subjects. 2. does plasma endothelin level differ in patients with chronic renal failure treated with haemodialysis from those treated without dialysis. 3. does plasma endothelin level change during haemodialysis. 63 patients with chronic renal failure (pnn, 23 treated without dialyses and 40 with dialyses) as well as 20 healthy subjects were studied. Plasma endothelin and creatinine were estimated under basal conditions and in the dialysed patients--immediately after dialysis. Plasma endothelin level was higher in patients with pnn than in normals, regardless to dialysotherapy. It rose after dialysis. Plasma creatinine fell after dialysis. Positive significant correlation was found between the levels of creatinine and endothelin in the whole group studied.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Changes in levels of glucose, insulin, c-peptide, glucagon and potassium in serum of patients with bronchial asthma during stimulation with b2-adrenergic fenoterol].

The study was carried out on 40 patients with bronchial asthma (20 with atopic and 20 with non-atopic) and 20 healthy subjects as controls. After fenoterol stimulation in asthmatic and control groups an increase of glucose level and decrease of potassium concentration were documented. Moreover, a slight increase of insulin, C-peptide and glucogene++ release was suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Levels of endothelin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in plasma of patients with chronic renal failure treated by hemodialysis].

Two groups of subjects were studied. The group A consisted of 40 patients treated by HD (haemodialysis) (mean age--x +/- SEM 38.6 +/- 1.47 years, duration of haemodialysis treatment 36.8 +/- 3.7 months, cuprophan dialyzers and acetate containing solution--38 mEg/l--were used, time of HD--4 hours 3 times weekly, predialysis serum creatinine was 900.8 +/- 32.1 mumol/l (10.2 +/- 0.4 mg%) postdialysis serum creatinine was 467.8 +/- 28.3 mumol/l (5.3 +/- 0.3 mg%). Patients were not treated with erythropoietin. The control group comprised 20 healthy subjects (mean age 36.7 +/- 2.7 years and serum creatinine level 76.7 +/- 3.5 mumol/l (0.9 +/- 0.1 mg%). In all examined subjects the following experimental protocol was used. In both group blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were determined at about 8 a.m. after an overnight rest. Then blood samples were withdrawn for estimation of ANP, endothelin, haematocrit value (Ht), haemoglobin (Hb) and creatinine concentrations. Between 8 and 12 a.m. all examined subjects of the group A were dialysed. After each hour of dialysis BP and HR were measured and blood samples were withdrawn ANP (Peninsula Lab.Kids.) and endothelin (Amersham Kids) were measured using RIA methods, but other biochemical parameters using routine methods. Serum creatinine and plasma ANP levels significantly decreased after HD. Plasma endothelin level was significantly higher than in the control subjects. After first hour of HD a significant decrease of plasma endothelin was observed and than plasma endothelin level started to increase. No significant correalations between creatinine, ANP and endothelin levels in examined group was observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

DNA helical stability accounts for mutational defects in a yeast replication origin.

Earlier studies on the H4 autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) identified a DNA unwinding element (DUE), a required sequence that is hypersensitive to single-strand-specific nucleases and serves to facilitate origin unwinding. Here we demonstrate that a DUE can be identified in the C2G1 ARS, a chromosomal replication origin, by using a computer program that calculates DNA helical stability from the base sequence. The helical stability minima correctly predict the location and hierarchy of the nuclease-hypersensitive sites in a C2G1 ARS plasmid. Nucleotide-level mapping shows that the nuclease-hypersensitive site at the ARS spans a 100-base-pair sequence in the required 3'-flanking region. Mutations that stabilize the DNA helix in the broad 3'-flanking region reduce or abolish ARS-mediated plasmid replication, indicating that helical instability is required for origin function. The level of helical instability is quantitatively related to the replication efficiency of the ARS mutants. Multiple copies of either a consensus-related sequence present in the C2G1 ARS or the consensus sequence itself in synthetic ARS elements contribute to DNA helical instability. Our findings indicate that a DUE is a conserved component of the C2G1 ARS and is a major determinant of replication origin activity.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Arylsulfatase A in serum from patients with cancer of various organs.

Arylsulfatase A was radioimmunoassayed in serum specimens of 96 healthy volunteers and 368 patients with histopathologically confirmed cancer of gastrointestinal tract, breast, lung, central nervous system, kidney and woman genital tract. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of the test were 43%, 82% and 90%, respectively, which means that a positive test is significant for diagnosis of cancer regardless of its localization. More detailed statistical analysis of the results indicates that determination of the serum concentration of arylsulfatase A might be helpful in the diagnosis of lung (59% sensitivity, 82% specificity) and central nervous system cancer (60% sensitivity, 82% specificity). Further studies should also be continued in respect to renal and women genital tract cancers for which the results of the test, although promising, are at present not conclusive due to the small numbers of examined cases. Particularly, determination of serum arylsulfatase A in case of endometrial cancer seems to be of diagnostic value. Arylsulfatase A concentration in serum with a lower than 40% sensitivity of the test cannot be considered as a valuable tumor indicator in the case of cancer of breast and gastrointestinal tract, although 80% predictive value of the test for the latter group of tumors is quite high and perhaps merits additional consideration.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Behavior of thyrotropic, triiodothyronine, thyroxine and cortisol hormone levels in blood serum of patients with duodenal ulcer treated with ranitidine].

Blood serum concentrations of thyrotropic hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and cortisol have been measured in 50 patients with duodenal ulcer. The determinations were repeated after a specific time of treatment with ranitidine: in 45 patients after 3 weeks and in 37 after additional 30 days of treatment. During the first period of treatment ranitidine was administered at a dose of 300 mg divided into two daily doses and during the second period of treatment at a single daily dose of 150 mg. A small but statistically significant changes, an increase in T3 and a decrease in TSH concentration, were observed before the treatment. No changes concerning these two parameters were found as an effect of the treatment. A decrease in the concentration of T4 was found, on the other hand, after three weeks of ranitidine administration. This decrease persisted after further 30 days of chronic treatment with ranitidine. No significant changes concerning blood serum cortisol concentration were found in any of the studied groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The DNA unwinding element in a yeast replication origin functions independently of easily unwound sequences present elsewhere on a plasmid.

We have previously identified a DNA unwinding element (DUE) in autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs) and demonstrated a correlation between single-strand-specific nuclease hypersensitivity of the DUE and ARS-mediated plasmid replication in yeast. The DUE in the H4 ARS is the most easily unwound sequence in a supercoiled DNA molecule, in the context of the Ylp5 plasmid. To determine whether sequences which are more readily unwound than the ARS can influence replication activity, we have inserted such sequences, called 'torsional sinks', into the plasmids at a site distal to the ARS. We show that the torsional sink sequences effect reduction or elimination of the nuclease hypersensitivity of a variety of H4 ARS derivatives. However, we detect no difference in the in vivo replication activity of an individual ARS plasmid with or without a torsional sink. Thus, the function of the DUE in a yeast replication origin is unaffected by easily unwound sequences present elsewhere on the same plasmid.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Thermal energy suppresses mutational defects in DNA unwinding at a yeast replication origin.

Yeast replication origins contain a DNA sequence element whose biological activity correlates with hypersensitivity to single-strand-specific nucleases in negatively supercoiled plasmids. By using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of plasmid topoisomers, we demonstrate that thermodynamically stable origin unwinding accounts for the nuclease hypersensitivity and, furthermore, that increased thermal energy facilitates stable origin unwinding in vitro. In living cells, increased thermal energy can suppress origin mutations that raise the free-energy cost for unwinding the nuclease-hypersensitive element. Specifically, mutational defects in autonomously replicating sequence (ARS)-mediated plasmid replication are less severe in cells grown at 30 degrees C as compared to 23 degrees C. Our findings indicate that the energetics of DNA unwinding at the nuclease-hypersensitive element are biologically important. We call the nuclease-hypersensitive sequence the DNA unwinding element (DUE) and propose that it serves as the entry site for yeast replication enzymes into the DNA helix.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

The developmental record: reliability and validity in a clinical population.

Currently, the Developmental Record is widely used with developmentally disabled adults, at least in the midwestern and southwestern region of the United States. Since it inception in 1974, there have been no subsequent reliability and validity studies confirming its clinical usefulness. For the present study a total of 1,069 Developmental Record protocols were obtained from archival files of a large midwestern facility for mentally retarded persons. Analyses revealed high internal reliabilities, but questionable validity. Specifically, the subscale structure of the instrument was not confirmed by the factor analysis.

Disability Evaluation↗
PubMed1989

The DNA unwinding element: a novel, cis-acting component that facilitates opening of the Escherichia coli replication origin.

We have discovered that DNA supercoiling, in the absence of replication proteins, induces localized unwinding in the Escherichia coli replication origin (oriC) at the same sequence opened by the dnaA initiator protein. The DNA helix at the tandemly repeated, 13mer sequence is thermodynamically unstable, as evidenced by hypersensitivity to single-strand-specific nuclease in a negatively supercoiled plasmid, and demonstrated by stable DNA unwinding seen after two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of topoisomers. A replication-defective oriC mutant lacking the leftmost 13mer shows no nuclease hypersensitivity in two remaining 13mers and no detectable DNA unwinding on two-dimensional gels. The replication defect in the oriC mutant can be corrected by inserting a dissimilar DNA sequence with reduced helical stability in place of the leftmost 13mer. Thus, the helical instability of the leftmost 13mer, not the specific 13mer sequence, is essential for origin function. The rightmost 13mer exhibits helical instability but differs from the leftmost 13mer in its strict sequence conservation among related bacterial origins. The repeated 13mer region appears to serve two overlapping functions: protein recognition and helical instability. We propose that the cis-acting sequence whose helical instability is required for origin function be called the DNA unwinding element (DUE).

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1989

[Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) levels in patients with bronchial asthma].

In 212 patients with bronchial asthma and 115 healthy controls the serum levels of T4 and T3 were determined. In patients not treated with corticosteroids a statistically significant rise of T3 and fall of T4 were noted. These changes were non-significantly smaller in the patients with pronounced dyspnea . During long-term corticoid++ therapy a tendency was observed for normalization of these changes.

Adult↗