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Biomedical subjects

L Henry

Publications and source records attributed to L Henry.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Ovarian steroid receptor expression in endometriosis and in two potential parent epithelia: endometrium and peritoneal mesothelium.

Endometriosis is an oestrogen dependent condition and it is expected that the tissue of origin of endometriosis will express receptors for the ovarian steroids. Two epithelia, endometrium and peritoneal mesothelium, are the potential parent epithelium. Oestrogen and progesterone receptor expression has been studied immunohistochemically in (i) timed endometrial biopsies from 25 normal subjects and 27 patients with endometriosis, (ii) 25 endometriotic biopsies and (iii) 42 peritoneal biopsies. Endometrium but not peritoneal mesothelium expresses both oestrogen and progesterone receptors. No difference in the intensity of staining between endometria of normal subjects compared with the endometria of patients with endometriosis was noted. In paired endometrial and endometriotic biopsies, the intensity of staining for the oestrogen receptor in stromal cells and for the progesterone receptor in both glandular and stromal cells was less in the endometriotic biopsies. These data provide circumstantial evidence for an endometrial origin for endometriosis although quantitative differences exist in receptor expression between endometrium and endometriosis.

Endometriosis

Is polyurethane lead insulation still controversial?

A controversy arose some 10 years ago over the reliability of polyurethane lead insulation. On the basis of one of the longest standing and largest databanks worldwide, the authors compare the cumulative survival of several thousand polyurethane, standard silastic, and high-performance silastic electrodes as it pertains to the failure criterion described as insulation degradation. With the possible exception of the Medtronic 6972 (Medtronic, Inc.) electrode, polyurethane electrodes have a 100% reliability at 84 months, which is similar to silastic electrodes.

Databases, Factual

Pericapillary collagen in the human thymus: implications for the concept of the 'blood-thymus' barrier.

The deposition of collagen in the walls of capillary-size blood vessels was studied in 95 human thymuses with respect to the site of deposition, extent of the change and relation to age and degree of involution. When examined by electron microscopy the collagen was found to be situated between the 2 basement membranes of the so-called 'double-layered' capillaries characteristic of the thymus of many species. This results in the formation of substantial 'collars' of collagen around a proportion of the blood vessels examined. Few such collars are seen before birth, but their number and thickness increase markedly during the 1st year of life. The relationship of these changes to the degree of involution is less apparent. The significance of these changes to thymic structure and function is discussed in relation to cell traffic through the thymus and the postulated 'blood-thymus barrier', the existence of which is seen to be in some doubt.

Aging

Morphology of rejection in experimental pancreas transplantation and its modification by cyclosporin A administration.

Histology of pancreas transplant rejection is complicated by non-specific appearances related to undrained exocrine secretions. Using a rat model of pancreas transplantation with exocrine drainage into the urinary tract, morphology of acute rejection has been studied with minimal interference from non-specific change. Unmodified acute rejection was complete after 7-9 days. Intralobular lymphocytic infiltration, which differentiated allografts from isografts, was present 5 days after transplantation and lymphocytic infiltration of islets and blood vessel walls developed between 5th and 7th days. Cyclosporin A immunosuppression of allografts resulted in marked attenuation of the cellular infiltrate. The nature of the infiltrate and its suppression with cyclosporin A indicated an allograft reaction.

Acute Disease

Pulsed dye laser lithotripsy of bile duct stones.

Efficacy and safety of pulsed dye laser lithotripsy was tested in 25 consecutive patients in whom bile duct stones could not be extracted after endoscopic sphincterotomy. The patients had one to six (mean, 1.8) bile duct stones (diameter, 10-35 mm; mean, 18 mm) located in the common bile duct (18 cases), the intrahepatic bile ducts (6 cases), or in a long cystic duct stump (1 case). Different approaches were tested depending on the presence of a T tube and on the localization of the bile duct stones. When a T tube was present (7 cases), the lithotripsy was performed under direct vision using a choledochoscope inserted through the T-tube tract. In 18 patients without a T tube in place, the lithotripsy was performed under fluoroscopy using a retrograde approach in case of common bile duct stones (14 cases) or under choledochoscopy using a percutaneous transhepatic approach in case of intrahepatic bile duct stones (4 cases). Fragmentation of all the bile duct stones and a complete bile duct clearance were obtained in all 11 cases with procedures performed under direct vision as compared with only 5 of 14 cases with procedures under fluoroscopic control. Moreover, 6 of the 9 failures using the latter approach were offered another session using a choledochoscope inserted through a percutaneous transhepatic tract and were also successfully treated. No complication related to the laser beam was noted. It is concluded that pulsed dye laser lithotripsy of bile duct stones (that are unable to be removed by standard endoscopic techniques) is safe and efficacious provided that it is performed under direct vision. Technical refinements are needed before this procedure can be reliably performed under fluoroscopy.

Aged

Fatal pulmonary fat embolism during total hip replacement due to high-pressure cementing techniques in an osteoporotic femur.

High-pressure cementing techniques, involving the use of a cement gun and cement restrictor, placed within the femoral medullary cavity, are commonly used to secure the femoral component of hip arthroplasties. Such techniques have been shown to be important in maintaining the integrity of the bone-cement interface and also the integrity of the cement itself. This case report illustrates that such techniques are not without complications.

Cementation

Solitary toxic adenoma of the thyroid gland.

The incidence of solitary toxic adenoma of the thyroid in a general surgical unit with an interest in thyroid disease has been reviewed over a 15-year period. Six hundred and thirty thyrotoxic cases were treated surgically, 35 (5.6 per cent) having a solitary toxic adenoma. Thyroid enlargement or toxicity had been present for more than 5 years in 7 patients (20.0 per cent). Cardiovascular complications were present in 6 cases (17.1 per cent). Thyroid lobectomy resulted in 30 (85.7 per cent) euthyroid and 5 (143.3 per cent) hypothyroid patients. One toxic adenoma contained a focus of carcinoma. The clinical features, diagnosis and management of solitary toxic adenoma, and the management of symptomatic nodules which are 'hot' but not biochemically toxic, are discussed.

Adenoma

Effect of gonadectomy and oestrogen administration on the response of lymph-node post-capillary venules to infection with Toxoplasma gondii.

The effects of gonadectomy and oestrogen administration on the response of lymph-node post-capillary venules to infection with Toxoplasma gondii have been studied in mice. The endothelial cells of the post-capillary venules were significantly higher in the female than in the male controls. Oophorectomy had no significant effect while orchidectomy increased the height of the cells. However, hexoestrol administration resulted in a rise of the height to maximum levels in the female and in the male gonadectomised animals. The endothelial cells of male and female control and gonadectomised mice were higher after infection with Toxoplasma while in the infected hexoestrol-treated animals, lower cells were seen. The number of lymphocytes passing through the post-capillary venule wall was increased by gonadectomy and decreased by hexoestrol administration in both sexes. The same pattern was seen in the infected groups. The influence of sex hormones on the post-capillary venules and its possible contribution to the differences seen in the immune response between the two sexes is discussed.

Animals

An electron microscopic study of the changes induced by oestrogens on the lymph-node post-capillary venules.

The changes induced in the lymph-node post-capillary venules of male and female mice, 1, 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days after oestrogen administration were studied in 1 micron sections and with the electron microscope. The endothelial cells of the post-capillary venules are higher in female than in male control mice. On the first and second days after Hexoestrol administration there is an increase in the number of ribosomes and polyribosomes lying free in the cytoplasm of the endothelial cells. These cells were significantly increased in height between day 2 and day 7, in both male and female Hexoestrol-receiving mice, remaining at high levels thereafter. The increase in height was accompanied by an increase in the Golgi elements which occupied the major part of the cytoplasm of the endothelial cells. Lysosomes, multivesicular bodies and signs of phagocytosis were more often seen. In contrast, the numbers of lymphocytes passing through the post-capillary venule wall were significantly decreased, probably due to a direct effect of Hexoestrol on the thymus. The relation of an oestrogenic effect on the ultrastructure of the post-capillary venules to the sex differences seen in the immune response is discussed. The possibility that this may constitute a part of a general oestrogenic effect on the reticuloendothelial system is also considered.

Animals

A light and electron microscope study on the origin of Foà-Kurloff cells.

Numerous Foà-Kurloff (FK) cells have been found in the circulation, spleen, bone marrow, thymus and placenta of guinea pigs under endogenous or exogenous oestrogenic stimulation. The origin of these cells is obscure. In the present experiment, the distribution of FK cells in organs other than those stated above was studied following gonadectomy and hexoestrol administration in guinea pigs of both sexes for either 1 or 10 weeks. More FK cells than those expected from the vascularity of the organ were found in the liver and lungs of male and female animals. The number of FK cells in these organs was larger after the long-term treatment with hexoestrol and it was accompanied by a significant decrease in the number of Kupffer cells of the liver. The latter observation is in contrast to previous reports of increased numbers of Kupffer cells in the liver of oestrogen-receiving mice, a species not producing FK cells. These observations suggest a relation between the two types of cells. No transformation of mature Kupffer cells into FK cells was seen with the electron microscope. However, other findings suggest that both Kupffer cells and FK cells may well be derived from a common precursor of MPS in the bone marrow.

Animals

Effect of sex hormones on the immune system of guinea-pigs and on the development of toxoplasmic lesions in non-lymphoid organs.

The role of cell-mediated immunity in the pathogenesis of toxoplasmic lesions in non-lymphoid organs and its significance in resistance to infection with Toxoplasma gondii were studied in guinea-pigs. Alteration of the sex hormonal environment in both sexes has significant effects on the immunological status of the guinea-pig, changing its reaction to toxoplasmic infection. Thus, gonadectomy appears to enhance delayed hypersensitivity, leading to a greater prominence of lesions in the non-lymphoid organs of gonadectomized male and female animals than in controls. This observation supports the possibility that delayed hypersensitivity plays a major role in the pathogenesis of non-lymphoid, toxoplasmic lesions. Hexoestrol administration for a long period of time induces complete thymic atrophy and severe involution of the thymus-dependent areas of the lymph nodes and spleen, leading to the suppression of cell-mediated immunity and overwhelming disease in those animals infected with Toxoplasma gondii, suggesting that cell-mediated immunity is of importance in resistance to toxoplasmic infection. In view of these findings, the difficulties in the treatment of non-lymphoid toxoplasmic lesions, such as ocular ones, by depressing cellular immunity, are discussed.

Animals

Hyperpigmentation of pernicious anemia in blacks. Report of three cases.

We investigated three black women who had anemia and skin hyperpigmentation. They were found to have pernicious anemia (PA) and normal adrenal functions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of skin hyperpigmentation of PA in black patients. This report reemphasizes the similarities in clinical features of PA and Addison's disease.

Addison Disease

Experimental toxoplasmosis in young piglets.

Piglets eight to 10 days old and one day old were infected with a cyst-forming strain of Toxoplasma gondii of low virulence. The older piglets developed an immunological response to the infection and survived, although inflammatory lesions were demonstrable in a variety of tissues. Some of the one-day-old piglets died; they exhibited more severe inflammatory lesions and lymphoid depletion in the lymph nodes, spleen and thymus. The tissue reaction resembled infection with a high-virulence strain of the organism. Control animals showed a delay in maturation of the lymphoid system during the first week of life. The virulence of the organism in therefore modified to a certain extent by the competence of the animal to develop an immunological response to the infection.

Animals