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Biomedical subjects

J Spies

Publications and source records attributed to J Spies.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Effect of leflunomide on the peripheral nerves in rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the neurophysiological effects of leflunomide on peripheral nerves in rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort trial of 32 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with 16 patients receiving leflunomide treatment and 16 receiving other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug therapies. Clinical, laboratory and neurophysiological measurements were used to determine the presence of a peripheral neuropathy in these patients at study entry and then after a further 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: Fifty-four per cent of the leflunomide group and 8% of the control group had an increase in their neuropathy symptom score 6 months into the study (P = 0.01). No correlation was found between the electrophysiological findings and the clinical symptoms. There was no significant difference between the two groups in upper and lower limb sensory and motor amplitudes and conduction velocities recorded at 3 and 6 months. One patient developed both clinical and neurophysiological evidence of a peripheral neuropathy 5 months into the study that improved after cessation of leflunomide therapy and cholestyramine washout. CONCLUSION: After 6 months of exposure we found that leflunomide was associated with an apparent increase in the clinical symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These symptoms did not correlate with neurophysiological studies.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Effect of magnesium supplementation on the fractional intestinal absorption of 45CaCl2 in women with a low erythrocyte magnesium concentration.

The cosupplementation of magnesium with calcium has been suggested to be beneficial in the prevention of osteoporosis. We investigated the effect of magnesium supplementation on parameters of bone resorption and fractional 45Ca absorption. Twenty apparently healthy women with a mean age of 39.2 +/- 9.2 years and an erythrocyte magnesium concentration less than 1.97 mmol/L were recruited into a controlled magnesium supplementation trial. During weeks 1 to 4, they received a daily control preparation, potassium/sodium citrate malate (PSCM). During weeks 5 to 8, the subjects received magnesium citrate malate (MCM) equivalent to 250 mg magnesium per day. During the fourth and eighth weeks, blood was collected for measurement of the serum intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration and serum and erythrocyte magnesium concentration. Urine was collected for measurement of calcium, magnesium, creatinine, and deoxypyridinoline excretion. On the final day of each treatment period, 5 microCi45CaCl2 was administered orally, and the isotope was traced in the blood and urine over 7 hours. Urinary calcium, 45Ca, and deoxypyridinoline excretion, as well as serum intact PTH levels, showed no statistically significant changes as a result of magnesium supplementation. However, urinary magnesium excretion increased by 31.1% (P < .005) while fractional 45Ca absorption decreased by 23.5% (P < .001) as a result of magnesium supplementation. It is concluded that magnesium supplementation does not result in changes in bone resorption, while the fractional intestinal absorption of 45Ca appears to decrease.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The histopathology of cutaneous lesions of Kikuchi's disease (necrotizing lymphadenitis): a report of five cases.

Kikuchi's disease (KD) is an idiopathic, self-limited necrotizing lymphadenitis that can clinically and histologically mimic high-grade lymphoma, including Hodgkin's disease, or can be mistaken for the lymphadenitis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Involvement of extranodal sites is unusual but well documented, especially in Asia, where KD is more common than in North America or Europe. The successful distinction of KD from malignant lymphoma and SLE is imperative for the appropriate treatment of affected patients. We describe five patients with cutaneous involvement by KD, all of whom presented with fever, lymphadenopathy, and an eruption on the skin of the upper body, which in one case was clinically suspected to be due to SLE and in another, polymorphous light eruption. The patients ranged in age from 10 months to 42 years (median, 33 years) and included three females and two males. All five patients had negative serologic studies for collagen vascular disease. Each patient had a lymph node biopsy showing the typical necrotizing lymphadenitis of KD. Skin biopsies from all five patients shared a specific constellation of histologic features: vacuolar interface change with necrotic keratinocytes, a dense lymphohistiocytic superficial and deep perivascular and interstitial infiltrate, varying amounts of papillary dermal edema, and abundant karyorrhectic debris with a conspicuous absence of neutrophils and a paucity of plasma cells, paralleling the nodal histology in KD. CD68 immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded sections showed many histiocytes and plasmacytoid monocytes in all cases, whereas CD3, CD4, and CD8 showed highly variable staining among the cases. There was only rare staining with TIA-1 and CD30. We believe that the papular eruption of KD has recognizable histopathologic features and that a CD68 stain that marks many cells that initially seem to be lymphocytes can be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A rapid novel derivatization of amphetamine and methamphetamine using 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate for gas chromatography electron ionization and chemical ionization mass spectrometric analysis.

Amphetamine and methamphetamine are commonly abused central nervous system stimulants. We describe a rapid new derivatization of amphetamine and methamphetamine using 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate for gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis. Amphetamine and methamphetamine, along with N-propyl amphetamine (internal standard), were extracted from urine using 1-chlorobutane. The derivatization with 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate can be achieved at room temperature in 10 minutes. The electron ionization mass spectrum of amphetamine 2,2,2-trichloroethyl carbamate showed two weak molecular ions at m/z 309 and 311, but showed diagnostic strong peaks at m/z 218, 220, and 222. In contrast, chemical ionization of the mass spectrum of amphetamine 2,2,2-trichloroethyl carbamate showed strong (M + 1) ions at m/z 310 and 312 and other strong diagnostic peaks at m/z 274 and 276. The major advantages of this derivative are the presence of a diagnostic cluster of peaks due to the isotopic effect of three chlorine atoms (isotopes 35 and 37) in the derivatized molecule and the relative ease of its preparation. We also observed strong molecular ions for derivatized methamphetamine in the chemical ionization mass spectrum, but the molecular ions were very weak in the electron ionization mass spectrum. We used the scan mode of mass spectrometry in all analyses. When using a urine standard containing 1,000 ng/mL of amphetamine (a 7.4-micromol/L concentration) and methamphetamine (a 6.7-micromol/L concentration), the within-run precisions were 4.8% for amphetamine and 3.6% for methamphetamine. The corresponding between-run precisions were 5.3% for amphetamine and 6.7% for methamphetamine. The assay was linear for amphetamine and methamphetamine concentrations of 250 to 5,000 ng/mL (amphetamine, 1.9-37.0 micromol/L; methamphetamine, 1.7-33.6 micromol/L). The detection limit was 100 ng/mL (amphetamine, 0.74 micromol/L; methamphetamine, 0.67 micromol/L) using the scan mode of electron ionization mass spectrometry. We observed good a correlation between the concentrations of amphetamine and methamphetamine in five urine specimens positive for amphetamines using the more conventional pentafluoropropionyl derivative and our new derivative using 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1989

Concentration dependent functional responsiveness to subcellular antigenic extracts of BCG and different mycobacterial PPDs, of tuberculin (Mtb-PPD) reactive human T-cell lines.

M. tuberculosis purified protein derivative (Mtb-PPD) as tuberculin, other mycobacterial PPD-preparations and subcellular antigenic extracts of BCG showed varying concentration dependent bimodal effects in lymphoproliferative assay (LA) of Mtb-PPD generated human CD4+ T-cell lines (TCLS). Inhibitory effect on LA by high dose of Mtb-PPD is correlated with the inhibition of IL-2 production during the antigen induced stimulation. Consequently, maximal and inhibitory concentrations of different antigens in dose response LA varied for different TCLS. However, inhibitory effect can be overcome by the high concentration of non inhibitory antigen for the particular TCL. These results indicate that i) dose dependent LA is essential for the evaluation of antigen specificity of TCL; ii) some mycobacterial antigen may induce anergy of certain concentration whereas some others exert positive effect to overcome such anergy related to inhibition or production of IL-2.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1988

Chromosomal translocation involving the beta T cell receptor gene in acute leukemia.

DNA spanning a t(7;19) chromosomal translocation breakpoint was isolated from the human T cell line SUP-T7 established from an acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the point of crossover on chromosome 7 occurred immediately adjacent to joining segment J beta 1.1 within the TCR-beta gene, suggesting that this translocation resulted from an error in TCR gene rearrangement. On chromosome 19, the translocation occurred within a previously uncharacterized transcriptional unit for which we propose the name lyl-1. An approximately 1.5-kb RNA is transcribed from this gene in a wide variety of hematolymphoid cell lines. The t(7;19) results in truncation of the lyl-1 gene and production of abnormal-sized RNAs, suggesting a role for lyl-1 in the pathogenesis of this leukemia.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Representativity of human mammary tumor cell cultures: DNA-cytophotometry as a method for checking tumour cell characteristics.

Short term cultures (3-6 days) of 40 primary human mammary carcinomas were prepared and compared with the original tumours from which they were derived. As a criterion the nuclear DNA Frequency Distribution Pattern (FDP), cytophotometrically measured, was used. Comparisons were made between the FDPs of smears of freshly-cut tumour surfaces and their cultures. Twenty-nine (73%) cultures showed FDPs identical with the smears. Eleven cultures (27%) showed gross shifts in ratios between different peaks or showed a complete loss of one or more peaks in the FDP and were classified as not representative. Our results show that it is necessary to check primary mammary tumour cultures to determine whether or not they are representative of the original tumour. This is especially so if conclusions are to be drawn from the cultures about the original tumour. Analysis of FDPs in the cell islands of the cultures (migration of cells from attached clumps) resulted in a better understanding of the FDPs found in the smears. We showed that cultures of human mammary tumours either can be composed of cell islands with identical FDPs (diploid or aneuploid) or may show heterogeneity between different cell islands within one tumour.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1982

[Relation between atmospheric events and internal medicine emergency situations].

Over a period of 2,541 days (7 years) patients with the diagnosis groups acute oesophageal and gastrointestinal haemorrhage, respectively (n = 395), cerebrovascular insufficiency (n = 689) and acute myocardial infarction (n = 701) were registered. From the individual meteorological data registered in the same period the temperature the evaporation warmth of the water, the specific warmth capacity of the air, the air pressure and a constant calculation factor were used for the calculation of the equivalent temperature. Thus by its means a measure for the warmth content of the air was at our disposal which is determined by a series of factors. Between the emergency situations mentioned and the equivalent temperature established a correlation test for significance was performed. In these cases was the result that there are significant relations between the cerebrovascular insufficiency. Though already a larger number of meteorological parameters entered into our investigations, the result supposes that further important meteorological data should not be neglected, such as phases of weather and front transits. This shall be taken into consideration in future investigations.

Atmospheric Pressure↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Feline mammary carcinomas as a model for human breast cancer. I. Sensitivity of mammary tumor cells in culture to cytostatic drugs. A preliminary investigation of a predictive test.

Feline mammary carcinomas were found to maintain well in short-term cultures. Principally the same types of nuclear DNA frequency distribution histograms were recognized in feline mammary carcinomas as in human mammary carcinomas. However, the more abnormal histograms are less frequent in feline than in human mammary carcinomas. Feline mammary carcinomas appeared, at least in vitro, most sensitive to Doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil. Preliminary, thymidine incorporation studies indicate both cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of Doxorubicin and 5-FU. Methotrexate was found to stimulate thymidine incorporation.

Animals↗