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Biomedical subjects

J Barth

Publications and source records attributed to J Barth.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Interaction of diiodothyronines with isolated cytochrome c oxidase.

Diiodothyronines (3,3'-T2 and 3,5-T2) stimulate the activity of isolated cytochrome c oxidase (COX) from bovine heart mitochondria. Maximal stimulation of activity (about 50%) is obtained with 3,3'-T2 at pH 6.4 and with 3,5-T2 at pH 7.4. In contrast, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) exhibited no or little stimulation of COX activity. Binding of the hormones to COX leads to conformational changes as shown by modified visible spectra of the oxidized enzyme. It is suggested that 'short-term' effects of thyroid hormones on mitochondrial respiration are at least partly due to the allosteric interaction of diiodothyronines with the COX complex.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Behavior of lipids, other serum parameters and cardiovascular functions in ultraviolet therapy].

During a period of 3 years, four controlled clinical studies in 34 patients with hypercholesterolaemia and 40 healthy persons--in some cases with stratification of the basic cholesterol levels and matched pair formation--were performed to find out the effects of serial sun-like UV irradiation on various serum parameters and blood circulation functions. The following significant effects were observed. Patients with hypercholesterolaemia: increase of HDL cholesterol after termination of the serial UV irradiation, increase of serum 25(OH)D3 levels, decrease of serum triiodothyronine, decrease of serum lactate; healthy persons: decrease of resting pulse rate, decrease of recovery pulse rate, decrease of systolic blood pressure. All effects were induced by application of suberythematous UV doses, i.e. amounts of UV with a relatively low risk of side effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Still's syndrome in the adult (adult-onset Still's disease). 2 case reports and review of the literature].

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare syndrome of unknown origin consisting of recurrent fever, urticarial rash, arthralgias or arthritides, lymphadenopathia, splenomegalia and nonspecific sore throat. It is always linked with leucocytosis and negative blood cultures; rheumatic and antinuclear factors are mostly negative. Very high ferritin levels are frequent and could be a marker of the disease. We report on two cases and give a review of the literature.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1994

Neurotoxicity, haemostatic disturbances and haemolytic anaemia after a bite by a Tunisian saw-scaled or carpet viper (Echis 'pyramidum'-complex): failure of antivenom treatment.

A young man in Germany was bitten by a large captive saw-scaled viper (Echis 'pyramidum'-complex) of Tunisian origin. During the first few hours after the bite he developed evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation and fibrinolysis, and bled spontaneously. Despite being given a total of 310 ml of three different Echis-specific antivenoms (together with large amounts of fresh frozen plasma and concentrated clotting factors), venom antigenaemia (measured by enzyme immunoassay) and coagulopathy persisted for more than 10 days, and he developed a haemolytic anaemia and mild renal dysfunction. Transient bilateral ptosis was attributed to envenoming. The venom of the snake responsible for the bite was immunologically distinct from that of Nigerian E. ocellatus and was clearly not neutralised by the three monospecific antivenoms which had been administered. This case is another illustration of the geographical variation in snake venoms and the need for pooling venoms from snakes from different parts of the geographical range in the preparation of antivenoms. Envenoming by North African Echis species may not be reversible by available antivenoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Systemic interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-2 secretion in response to acute stress and to corticotropin-releasing hormone in humans.

Acute stress results in activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. ACTH and cortisol secretion is stimulated by corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). It has also been shown that activation of the HPA axis during stress is accompanied by changes in the immune response. However, little is known about the influence of acute stress on the release of cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) or interleukin-2 (IL-2). In this study, we determined serum IL-1 alpha and IL-2 levels in 19 patients undergoing the acute stress of angioplasty for coronary artery disease. A second protocol was devised to determine serum IL-1 alpha and IL-2 concentrations as well as lymphocyte subpopulations in 10 normal volunteers receiving 1 microgram kg-1 human CRH intravenously. Finally, IL-1 alpha concentrations were measured in CRH-incubated mononuclear cell (MNC) and monocyte cultures. In response to the stress of angioplasty, ACTH and cortisol as well as IL-1 alpha and IL-2 concentrations were clearly above baseline levels (IL-1 alpha, mean +/- SEM, baseline: 1.39 +/- 0.34 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 2.64 +/- 0.73 ng ml-1, P < 0.05; IL-2, baseline: 1.2 +/- 0.13 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 2.8 +/- 1.14 ng ml, P < 0.05). A similar pattern was obtained in normal subjects in response to CRH (Il-1 alpha, baseline: 0.8 +/- 0.2 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 3.7 +/- 1.4 ng ml-1, P < 0.05; IL-2, baseline: 1.9 +/- 0.4 ng ml-1, after angioplasty: 5.4 +/- 2.2 ng ml-1, P < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Rapidly growing Epstein-Barr virus-associated pulmonary lymphoma after heart transplantation.

There is strong evidence to show an association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection with the development of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. We report the rapid development of a malignant lymphoma in a heart transplant recipient, which occurred within less than eight weeks. The diagnosis of this malignant high grade B-cell lymphoma was established by open lung biopsy, and classified as centroblastic lymphoma of polymorphic subtype. Immunohistochemically, the lymphoma showed reactivity with the B-cell markers L-26 (CD20) and Ki-B5 and with the activation marker Ber-H2 (CD30). Furthermore, an expression of the bcl-2 oncoprotein was detected. Monoclonal JH gene rearrangement was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), indicating monoclonal proliferation of B-blasts. Although serum EBV immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were negative, the association to an EBV infection could be demonstrated by EBV immunostaining pattern which revealed an expression of the latent membrane protein (LMP) of EBV in the atypical blasts. The results give clear evidence of an EBV association of this rapidly growing lymphoma developed after heart transplantation.

Heart Transplantation↗
PubMed1994

[Use of the AgNOR method for the differential diagnosis of tumors and for the quantification of non-neoplastic epidermal hyperproliferation in dermatohistology].

The AgNOR number (NN) and the AgNOR quotient (NQ) of 228 melanocytic, epidermal and fibrohistiocytic lesions were investigated by image analysis. In melanocytic nevi, dysplastic nevi and Spitz nevi, significantly less AgNORs were seen than in malignant melanomas and melanomas in situ. Significant differences in AgNOR expression were detected between the subtypes of melanoma, too. Epidermal carcinomas showed a significantly higher AgNOR expression than keratoacanthomas and other benign tumors. Between the G1 carcinomas and the G2 and G3 groups, an increase of the NN and NQ was found. Actinic keratosis demonstrated a significantly lower AgNOR expression than carcinomas and--like M. Bowen--higher NN and NQ than the benign lesions. The lowest AgNOR results of fibrohistiocytic lesions were registered in regressive palmar fibromatosis and in scars, the highest in malignant fibrous histiocytomas. Between dermato-fibrosarcoma protuberans, atypical fibroxanthoma and malignant fibrous histiocytomas, significant differences were found to exist. Furthermore we examined the suitability of the AgNOR technique for quantification of epidermal cell kinetics in non-neoplastic epidermal hyperproliferations. Especially in the grading of psoriasis this technique is helpful. First convincing results could be achieved for the use of the AgNOR method in the verification of antiproliferative effects of new substances in an experimental mouse tail test. This study demonstrated that the AgNOR technique in addition to the dermatohistological differential diagnosis of tumors is useful for the quantification of antiproliferative effects of different treatments in hyperproliferative epidermal dermatosis.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1994

Polyvinyl alcohol enhances detection of low abundance transcripts in early stage quail embryos in a nonradioactive whole mount in situ hybridization technique.

We have tested the ability of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to enhance the indoxyl-nitro blue tetrazolium alkaline phosphatase color reaction in whole mount in situ hybridizations of early stage quail embryos. Using detection of the myogenic factor qmyoD in hybridizations of 13-14 somite-pair quail embryos as a test system, 10% solutions of 13-23 kDa and 31-50 kDa PVA optimally enhanced the alkaline phosphatase color reaction. With the enhanced detection conditions, we have been able to measure qmyoD expression as early as the 3 somite-pair stage, whereas previously we were unable to detect qmyoD prior to the 10 somite-pair stage. PVA-enhanced detection of somitic qmyoD expression was specific as no corresponding signal was found in control hybridizations with a sense qmyoD probe.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Criteria for chronification of diseases of the musculoskeletal system].

Musculoskeletal disorders, especially low back pain, are responsible for most of the days of work absenteeism in western industrial countries. Part of these disorders will get chronic in course of time. The question is, which criteria could be used to identify persons with chronic complaints. In the present study were selected persons with degenerative disorders and persons with idiopathic low back pain. As criterion for chronic complaints we used accumulated days of work absenteeism in two different ways. The first method identified persons with chronic complaints by percentiles of days of work absenteeism in 1990 leading to four groups (Q1-4). The second method used as the relevant criteria the number of years with days of work absenteeism for rheumatic complaints identifying three groups (Q1-3). Both suggested methods were compared for plausibility and validity with relevant parameters (progress of days of work absenteeism, sociodemographic variables, health status). Any method could identify persons with chronic disorders, so we propose to integrate subjective data to get a more valid index.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1993

Receptor-based pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis of corticosteroids.

The pharmacodynamics of three corticosteroids were investigated after intravenous administration of the phosphate esters of methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone acetonide to healthy subjects at 20, 50, and 80 mg as well as placebo. Twenty-two different pharmacodynamic parameters were followed as a function of time for 48 hours. Statistically significant effects of the glucocorticoids were an increase in blood glucose levels, a decrease in the number of lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes, and an increase in the number of granulocytes and stab cells. For the most significant pharmacodynamic effects (lymphocytes, granulocytes, and glucose) a previously derived integrated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model using plasma concentrations, protein-binding data, and in vitro receptor-binding affinities was used to predict the pharmacodynamic effect-time profiles. Good agreement of predicted and measured effects was observed, confirming the validity of the model. The clinical significance of the model was demonstrated by comparison of model-predicted maintenance doses with empirically determined clinical equivalency doses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Inhibitory effects of inhaled flunisolide on inflammatory functions of alveolar macrophages.

We have studied 15 patients with slight or moderate bronchial obstruction, all of whom were being treated by inhalation of the beta-mimetic fenoterol 4 x 400 micrograms/day, and 7 of whom were also receiving inhaled flunisolide 2 x 500 micrograms/day. The therapy had been given for longer than 1 month in each case. Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was done for diagnosis or follow up of bronchial diseases. None of the patients showed signs of any interstitial lung disease. Conditioned culture supernatants were produced by cultivating alveolar macrophages (AM) for 24 h using standard conditions. To detect all the biological effects both of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta in the culture supernatants a modification of the standard mouse IL-1 thymocyte bioassay was used. The TNF concentration in culture supernatants was measured by ELISA. Free oxygen radical release by alveolar macrophages was determined by the detection of chemiluminescence. Both IL-1 and TNF production were significantly lower in patients receiving fenoterol plus flunisolide than in patients on fenoterol alone. In contrast, no difference could be observed in the release of free oxygen radicals from alveolar macrophages. Thus, for the first time an ex vivo study has revealed an interrelation between inhaled glucocorticoid therapy and inhibition of important mediators of inflammatory processes in the lower respiratory tract.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1993

Isolation and maintenance of the human pilosebaceous duct: 13-cis retinoic acid acts directly on the duct in vitro.

The human pilosebaceous duct was isolated and maintained for 7 days in defined medium, and defined medium supplemented with 1 microM 13-cis retinoic acid. Freshly isolated ducts retained their in vivo morphology, showing a stratified squamous keratinizing epithelium. On maintenance there was a loss of basic duct architecture, and a significant reduction in the rate of [methyl-3H] thymidine uptake. The addition of 1 microM 13-cis retinoic acid resulted in an improved duct architecture and caused a further significant reduction in the rate of [methyl-3H] thymidine uptake. [Methyl-3H] thymidine autoradiography showed that freshly isolated ducts maintained their in situ pattern of cell division. It was difficult to discern the region of cell division in ducts maintained for 7 days, but the degree of graining reflected the measured rates of [methyl-3H] thymidine uptake into PCA precipitable material. The pattern of keratin synthesis of the freshly isolated duct was similar to patterns previously described for the duct in situ. This study reports the successful isolation and maintenance of the human pilosebaceous duct, and demonstrates that 13-cis retinoic acid acts directly at the level of the duct.

Cell Division↗