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Biomedical subjects

R Weis

Publications and source records attributed to R Weis.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Efferent projections of the intergeniculate leaflet and the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus in the rat.

The intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) and the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (VLG) are ventral thalamic derivatives within the lateral geniculate complex. In this study, IGL and VLG efferent projections were compared by using anterograde transport of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin and retrograde transport of FluoroGold. Projections from the IGL and VLG leave the geniculate in four pathways. A dorsal pathway innervates the thalamic lateral dorsal nucleus (VLG), the reuniens and rhomboid nuclei (VLG and IGL), and the paraventricular nucleus (IGL). A ventral pathway runs through the geniculohypothalamic tract to the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the anterior hypothalamus (IGL). A medial pathway innervates the zona incerta and dorsal hypothalamus (VLG and IGL); the lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area (VLG); and the retrochiasmatic area (RCA), dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, and subparaventricular zone (IGL). A caudal pathway projects medially to the posterior hypothalamic area and periaqueductal gray and caudally along the brachium of the superior colliculus to the medial pretectal area and the nucleus of the optic tract (IGL and VLG). Caudal IGL axons also terminate in the olivary pretectal nucleus, the superficial gray of the superior colliculus, and the lateral and dorsal terminal nuclei of the accessory optic system. Caudal VLG projections innervate the lateral posterior nucleus, the anterior pretectal nucleus, the intermediate and deep gray of the superior colliculus, the dorsal terminal nucleus, the midbrain lateral tegmental field, the interpeduncular nucleus, the ventral pontine reticular formation, the medial and lateral pontine gray, the parabrachial region, and the accessory inferior olive. This pattern of IGL and VLG projections is consistent with our understanding of the distinct functions of each of these ventral thalamic derivatives.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Tay's syndrome: MRI.

Tay's syndrome is a trichothiodystrophy associated with congenital ichthyosis. We report the findings on MRI and spectroscopy in a young girl with sparse, short, ruffled hair, dry skin and delayed milestones. T2-weighted images showed prominent diffuse confluent increase in signal symmetrically in all the supratentorial white matter. These findings are similar to those in a previously described case, and consistent with dysmyelination. Spectroscopy showed increased myoinositol and decreased choline.

Brain↗
PubMed2000

Lyme borreliosis mimicking central nervous system malignancy: the diagnostic pitfall of cerebrospinal fluid cytology.

We report two children with acute loss of neurological functions and signs of an increased intracranial pressure. Imaging techniques ruled out space occupying lesions, whereas CSF cytology indicated CNS involvement of a non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the form of abnormal lymphocytic pleocytosis with malignancy criteria fulfilling lymphoid cells. CSF protein electrophoresis and Borrelia burgdorferi serology revealed neuroborreliosis which was successfully treated with antibiotic therapy. The malignancy mimicking cytology is based on a blastoid transformation of B- and T-lymphocytes due to the antigenic stimulus of B. burgdorferi infection. Lymphoid cells in the CSF of a patient with acute or chronic neurological symptoms raise the differential diagnosis of inflammatory etiology versus CNS lymphoma. Monomorphism and higher quantity of the lymphoid cells point to CNS lymphoma. A lower quantity and polyclonal pattern of lymphoid cells associated with an elevated protein fraction caused by intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis suggest an inflammatory etiology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Specific binding of recombinant foamy virus envelope protein to host cells correlates with susceptibility to infection.

The interaction of simian foamy viruses (FVs) with their putative cellular receptor(s) was studied with two types of recombinant envelope protein (Env). Transient expression of full-length Env in BHK-21 cells induced syncytia formation. However, selected stable transfectants fused with naive cells but not with each other. A soluble fusion protein of the Env surface domain with the Fc fragment of a human IgG1 heavy chain (EnvSU-Ig) was produced in the baculovirus expression system, purified to homogeneity, and used for binding and competition analyses. EnvSU-Ig but not unrelated Ig fusion proteins bound to cells specifically. Neutralizing serum blocked binding of EnvSU-Ig and, vice versa, serum-mediated neutralization was abrogated by the chimeric protein. Concomitant reduction of EnvSU-Ig binding and FV susceptibility was seen in Env-expressing target cells. Although EnvSU-Ig did not inhibit FV infection, very likely due to its displacement by multivalent virus-cell interactions, this divalent ligand should help to characterize functionally and to identify the ubiquitous FV receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Anticytoplasmic antibodies (cANCA) in syphilitic nodules of the lung].

HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A chest radiograph was done in a 75-year-old man with cough productive of a whitish sputum. It showed round foci in the right middle and upper lobes. Serum anticytoplasmic antibody (cANCA) was 1 : 160, suggesting Wegener's granulomatosis. But the pulmonary foci actually increased in size on administration of prednisolone, 10 mg daily. INVESTIGATIONS: As the lung biopsy was not diagnostic, a diagnostic thoracotomy with biopsy was done and the anterior segment of the right middle lobe resected. Histological examination revealed a gumma. Active syphilis was confirmed by a TPHA-Test with a titre of 1 : 40960. TREATMENT AND COURSE: Antisyphilitic treatment was given for 35 days, at first 1 mega (Penicillin E daily for five days, then erythromycin, 1000 mg, for five days, a penicillin rash having occurred. Serial serology showed a continual fall of the lues and cANCA titres. Four months postoperatively the titre in the TPHA test had fallen to 1 : 640, and was nonreactive after five years. cANCA titre fell to 1 : 16 and was negative 42 weeks after resection. CONCLUSION: The connection between pulmonary gumma and the presence of antiplasmatic antibodies remains unclear. Inflammatory changes in the vascular wall, which occur in both Wegener's granulomatosis and tertiary syphilis, may have played a role.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Inhibition of HIV-1 in cell culture by synthetic humate analogues derived from hydroquinone: mechanism of inhibition.

Humic acids are natural constituents of soil and ground water and mainly consist of mixtures of polycyclic phenolic compounds. A similar complex of compounds with a mean size of about 1000 Da, designated HS-1500, was synthesized by oxidation of hydroquinone. HS-1500 inhibited HIV-1 infection of MT-2 cells with an IC50 of 50-300 ng/ml and showed a mean cell toxicity of about 600 micrograms/ml. Inhibition of HIV-induced syncytium formation was observed at 10-50 micrograms/ml. Treatment of free and cell-attached HIV with HS-1500 irreversibly reduced its infectivity, whereas the susceptibility of target cells for the virus was not impaired by treatment prior to infection. The HIV envelope protein gp120SU bound to sepharose-coupled HS-1500 and could be eluted by high salt and detergent. HS-1500 interfered with the CD4-induced proteolytic cleavage of the V3 loop of virion gp120SU. Furthermore, binding of V3 loop-specific antibodies was irreversibly inhibited, whereas binding of soluble CD4 to gp120SU on virus and infected cells was not affected. In conclusion, our data suggest, that the synthetic humic acid analogue inhibits the infectivity of HIV particles by interference with a V3 loop-mediated step of virus entry.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1992

Operative laparoscopy and postoperative pain relief.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immediate postoperative pain and discomfort in patients who underwent operative laparoscopy under general anesthesia with or without peritoneal lidocaine and incisional bupivacaine instillations. DESIGN: Fifty-four participants were prospectively randomized to three groups: group I, intraperitoneal (IP) lidocaine + intraincisional bupivacaine; group II, intraincisional bupivacaine; and group III, no additional drugs after general anesthesia (controls). SETTING: University Hospital, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Clinics. PATIENTS: Private patients needing operative laparoscopy. INTERVENTIONS: One hundred milligrams of lidocaine were instilled with the irrigation device into the peritoneal cavity at the completion of surgery. Twenty-five milligrams of bupivacaine were injected into infraumbilical and suprapubic incisions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The analgesic use and modified McGill Present Pain Intensity scores were used for pain evaluation. RESULTS: McGill Present Pain Intensity scores for pain, and narcotic use in the recovery room were less in IP lidocaine-instilled group of patients (P less than 0.05). The mean maximum plasma lidocaine level achieved was 1.01 +/- 0.25 micrograms/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal lidocaine and incisional bupivacaine use in operative laparoscopy as described after general anesthesia is safe and effective in reducing postoperative pain in the recovery room.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Present limitations of molecular biological diagnostics in Gillespie syndrome].

BACKGROUND: Gillespie syndrome is the phenotype partial aniridia, cerebellar ataxia and mental retardation. Further malformations can be associated, mainly females are affected. Inheritance and genetics of the syndrome are unknown. Autosomal dominant aniridia is an important differential diagnosis of fixed dilated pupils and is usually associated by mutations of the PAX6 gene. In 1998 the first report of a chromosomal abnormality presenting a de novo translocation t(X;11) (p22.32;p12) detected in a patient with Gillespie syndrome has been published. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 8 year-old girl with Gillespie syndrome phenotype associated with congenital pulmonary stenosis and helix dysplasia is reported. Karyotyping as well as molecular biological investigations of the PAX6 gene were performed. RESULTS: The karyotype of the girl and her clinically inconspicuous mother showed no abnormalities, especially no de novo translocation of the chromosomes X and 11. PAX6 gene analysis of the affected girl presented no mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of muscular hypotonia and fixed dilated pupils in infancy is suspicious of Gillespie syndrome. Congenital pulmonary stenosis and helix dysplasia can be associated. PAX6 gene analysis can be helpful to distinguish between autosomal dominant aniridia and Gillespie syndrome. To illucidate the underlying genetic defects karyotyping and the search for de novo translocations especially of chromosome X and 11 should be performed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗