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Biomedical subjects

H Wolf

Publications and source records attributed to H Wolf.

At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources

Urothelial dysplasia in random mucosal biopsies from patients with bladder tumours.

A prospective study of the incidence of urothelial dysplasia in random mucosal biopsies from cystoscopically normal appearing mucosa was carried out in 90 patients with bladder tumours at the initial diagnosis. More than 50% of invasive bladder tumours were accompanied by wide-spread urothelial dysplasia, in half of these cases characterized as carcinoma in situ supporting the idea that bladder cancer is a diffuse urothelial disease. Although suggesting an early radical treatment of invasive bladder cancer, such action should not be taken before a careful follow-up study of these patients have provided information on the natural history of diffuse urothelial dysplasia associated with bladder tumours.

Adult↗

Characterization of antisera against bovine prolactin for in vivo studies on prolactin function in the rat.

The IgG fraction of rabbit antisera to bovine prolactin (PRL), intended for in vivo studies on the role of PRL in the rat, was prepared and characterized in vitro and in vivo. The antibodies showed a strong reaction with bovine PRL in double diffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, radioimmunoassay and passive haemagglutination using bovine PRL-coated erythrocytes. In indirect immunofluorescence on paraffin sections of bovine pituitary glands the antibodies could be used for the detection of PRL-producing cells. Cross-reaction with rat PRL was observed in passive haemagglutination with rat PRL-coated erythrocytes and in indirect immunofluorescence on rat pituitary gland, but not in any of the other test systems. The ability of the antibodies to neutralize homologous, i.e. bovine, PRL was tested in lactating rats depleted of endogenous PRL by bromergocriptin treatment. The impaired lactation performance of such animals can be restored by substitution with bovine PRL. If the bovine PRL used for substitution was complexed with anti-bovine PRL-IgG, it lost its biological activity. On the other hand, injections of even high amounts of the antibodies into lactating rats failed to reveal any effect on lactation. It is concluded that either the antibodies do not cross-react with circulating rat PRL in contrast to pituitary PRL (preprolactin?) or that the cross-reacting antibody-populations(s) lack(s) the ability to neutralize the biological function of rat PRL.

Animals↗

Analysis of enzymatically isolated adults of Onchocerca volvulus after treatment of patients with suramin or metrifonate.

The application of a new technique is described permitting a better recognition of activities of drugs on macrofilariae of Onchocerca volvulus. In two villages of a hyperendemic focus in Liberia onchocercomata were excised from untreated persons and from patients treated with conventional doses of suramin or metrifonate. The adult worms were enzymatically isolated with collagenase and microscopically examined for degenerative alterations including calcifications and for the presence of eggs and embryos in the female parasites. Six weeks after the last dose of suramin the degenerative alterations could not be distinguished qualitatively from those in untreated worms, but a statistically significant macrofilaricidal efficacy could be shown by quantitative analyses, although more than half of the parasites were still alive at this early date. Metrifonate did not show any macrofilaricidal effect.

Animals↗

Pulvomycin, an inhibitor of prokaryotic protein biosynthesis.

Antibiotic 1063-Z isolated from culture fluids of Streptoverticillium mobaraense was identified as pulvomycin. Pulvomycin was observed to inhibit protein biosynthesis in growing cells of Bacillus brevis. The poly(U)-directed poly(Phe) synthesis in cell-free systems of Bacillus brevis and Escherichia coli was highly susceptible to the antibiotic. Pulvomycin did not affect the transfer of Phe to tRNA. The results suggest that the target of pulvomycin action is the polypeptide chain elongation.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Avian antigen binding cells: enrichment methods.

Data are presented comparing different methods for the fractionation and enrichment, respectively, of specific antigen binding lymphoid cells from immunized chickens. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) anti-BSA system was chosen as a model. To enrich avian antigen binding cells (ABC) from a mixture of chicken peripheral blood and spleen lymphocytes 3 different methods were used: (1) separation of cells forming rosettes with antigen-coated sheep red blood cells (SRBC) from non-rosetting cells by density centrifugation; (2) isolation of ABC by their specific adherence to antigen bound to immunoadsorptive surfaces (gelatin, plastics); (3) column affinity chromatography with antigen-coated agarose, cross-linked dextran for plastic beads. The most efficient method was column affinity chromatography with antigen-coated polyacrylamide beads which affords up to 12-fold enrichment of ABC. Both the other methods are also suitable for separation and enrichment of specific ABC but can only with difficulty be adapted for processing the large numbers of cells which would be necessary, e.g., for in vivo transfer studies.

Animals↗

Immunoglobulin M anti-hepatitis A virus determination reorienting gradient centrifugation for diagnosis of Acute Hepatitis A.

The persistence of antibody to hepatitis A antigen (anti-HAV) of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) class was evaluated in 88 sera of 51 acute hepatitis A patients. IgM was separated from IgG by a 2-h reorienting sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation, and the titer of anti-HAV was determined in the IgG- and IgM-containing fractions by solid-hase radioimmunoassay. IgM anti-HAV was the predominating antibody at onset of jaundice and persisted in these patients for at least 60 days, but not longer than 115 days. The demonstration of IgM anti-HAV is therefore a valuable tool for the diagnosis of recent hepatitis A infection.

Acute Disease↗

Ankylosing hyperostosis: a study of HLA A, B, and C antigens.

HLA A, B, and C antigens were studied in 25 patients with ankylosing hyperostosis. There was no evidence of an increased frequency of any antigen in association with the condition itself. However, a high frequency of several antigens was found, reflecting the predominance of Jewish patients in the series.

Ankylosis↗

N-acetyltransferase phenotype and risk in urinary bladder cancer: approaches in molecular epidemiology. Preliminary results in Sweden and Denmark.

A variable but often significant proportion of urinary bladder cancer in urban areas can be attributed to occupational and cultural (cigarette smoking) situations associated with exposures to various arylamines. The variable N-acetylation of carcinogenic arylamines by human hepatic enzyme systems, the known genetic regulation and polymorphic distribution of this enzyme activity in humans, and the known enhanced susceptibility of individuals with the genetically-distinct "slow acetylator" phenotype to various arylamine toxicities, has prompted examination of possible correlations between N-acetyltransferase phenotype and urinary bladder cancer risk in rural and urban populations. In this context, N-acetylation is viewed as a component of detoxication pathways with respect to arylamine bladder carcinogenesis. In preliminary utilizations of this approach, a population of urban urinary bladder cancer patients from Copenhagen, Denmark displayed a 13% excess (p = 0.065) of individuals with the slow acetylator phenotype (46/71 = 64.8%) when compared to a Danish control population (38/74 = 51.4%). These data are consistent with the possibility that arylamines may play an etiological role in bladder cancer in this locale and that slow acetylator individuals may be at higher relative risk (1.74) than rapid acetylator individuals. As 95% of patients reported histories of smoking, it was not possible to isolate and examine smoking factors. In contrast, a population of rural urinary bladder cancer patients from Lund, Sweden, where bladder cancer incidence (20/100,000) (1971) is lower than in Copenhagen (43.8/100,000) (1968-72), no difference in slow acetylator distribution was observed between bladder cancer (80/115 = 69.6%) and Swedish control (79/118 = 66.9%) populations, indicating a relative lack of involvement of arylamines in the etiology of rural bladder cancer. Populations of "spontaneous" bladder cancer patients would be expected to contain variable portions of disease related to arylamine exposure and would be less likely to display a detectable correlation than would an industrial population with documentable arylamine exposure. Consequently, confirmation of this hypothesis is being pursued by examination of industrial populations in an effort to obtain an empirical estimate of relative risk for slow and rapid acetylator phenotypes. These studies involve exposure-matched workmen both with and without bladder cancer.

Acetyltransferases↗

Tryptophan metabolism in bladder cancer patients from Copenhagen.

Urinary excretion before and after a loading dose of tryptophan, plasma pyridoxal phosphate concentration and urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid was studied in 44 male bladder cancer patients from Copenhagen. Six patients (14%) had abnormal tryptophan metabolism, decreased plasma pyridoxal phosphate concentration and in most cases low urinary excretion of 4-pyridoxic acid indicating decreased availability of vitamin B6 or decreased formation of pyridoxal phosphate from vitamin B6. It is concluded that abnormal tryptophan metabolism only plays a minor role for bladder cancer carcinogenesis in Copenhagen. It is, however, stressed that such studies do not rule out the possibility that the aromatic degradation products of tryptophan may be cocarcinogens or promotors as other studies have indicated.

Denmark↗

[Significance of virus-specific antibodies to EBV-antigens in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (author's transl)].

Sera collected from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, patients with other head and neck neoplasms, patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM), and healthy donors were titrated for antibodies (IgM, IgG, IgA) against Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV) specific antigens (VCA, EA, EBNA) by indirect and by antikomplementary immunfluorescence. NPC-patients develop significantly high anti-EBV titers of IgG and IgA. In contrast patients with neoplasms (mainly carcinomas) arising in sites of the head and neck other than the nasopharynx revealed a lower incidence of high titers. Our results emphasize the remarkable predominance of IgA-antibodies to VCA and EA in NPC-patients and shows that Europeans to not differ in that respect from Asian patients. The significance and implications of these findings are discussed.

Antibodies, Viral↗

[Visceral kala-azar disease in a child (author's transl)].

Repeated blood cultures were negative in a six-year-old boy with high septic temperature. Rheumatoid arthritis, typhoid and brucellosis were excluded. There was no evidence of leukaemia (bone-marrow tests). There was hepatomegaly with increased transaminase activity. Cortisone treatment was begun for suspected collagen disease. Several liver needle biopsies at first revelaed increasingly severe necrotising changes, predominantly in the centres of the acini. There were no parasites demonstrable histologically. The spleen was increased in the isotope scan but, covered by the liver, not definitely palpable. Diagnosis of mediterranean Kala-Azar disease was then suspected (the parents reporting a camping holiday in Yugoslavia) and finally proven serologically. The previously treatment-resistant disease improved dramatically after administration of trivalent antimony (Fuadin).

Alanine Transaminase↗

Changing electrocardiographic recording technology and diagnostic accuracy of myocardial infarction criteria. Improved standards for evaluation of ECG measurement precision.

An analytical study was performed to estimate the magnitude of the visual Q wave duration bias produced by pressurized ink round stylus electrocardiographic (ECG) recorders. With a paper speed of 25 mm/sec and the ECG tracing width of 0.25 mm, the visually measured Q waves are on the average 8 msec too short. The corresponding error with the older type flat stylus recorder is less than 2 msec. Considerable differences can thus be anticipated in the frequency of observed ECG abnormalities in studies which use different types of electrocardiographs. The effect of the visual Q wave duration measurement bias on the diagnostic ECG classification was investigated in a group of 237 patients with old myocardial infarction and 299 subjects with no clinical evidence of infarction. An 8 msec measurement bias toward too short Q wave duration was observed to result in a potential loss of diagnostic accuracy of about 25% in some ECG coding categories. As a corrective procedure, it is recommended that the baseline width produced by a round recording stylus of uniform thickness irrespective of the vertical deflection velocity should be less.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗