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Biomedical subjects

S Strauss

Publications and source records attributed to S Strauss.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Somatic sympathetic vasomotor changes documented by medical thermographic imaging during acupuncture analgesia.

Acupuncture is widely used for pain relief in many musculoskeletal disorders, and evidence suggests that modulation of the sympathetic nervous system responses which play an integral part in somatic pain, is an important mechanism of acupuncture action. This prospective study of 20 patients with neck and arm pain measured finger temperature, controlled by somatic sympathetic vasomotor activity before and after needle acupuncture. Responses were correlated with visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain severity. An association was found between pain relief and reduced sympathetic vasomotor activity. In 10 patients with significant reduction in visual analogue scale (VAS) pain (p less than .05), the mean change in temperature (delta t degrees C) was 0.55 (SD +/- 0.86) with significant difference in pre to post treatment temperatures (p less than .01). In 10 patients without significant pain relief on VAS scoring (p greater than .05), the mean t degrees C was 0.20 (SD +0.72) without significant difference in pre to post treatment temperatures (p greater than .05). The relevance of somatic sympathetic influences on musculoskeletal pain and modulation of sympathetic activity by acupuncture will be discussed.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗
PubMed1992

Use of percutaneous nephrostomy in hydronephrosis of pregnancy.

Traditional methods of urinary diversion in pregnancy include retrograde passage of ureteral catheter or stents and operative nephrostomy. These techniques are, however, associated with the use of anesthesia, are technically difficult to perform, and may induce labor. We report the use of percutaneous nephrostomy in four pregnant patients, two with obstruction due to ureteral calculi and two with infected hydronephrosis. The procedure provided rapid relief from pain and pyosepsis, and allowed uneventful continuation of the pregnancy to full-term, with preservation of renal function.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Detection of interleukin-6 and alpha 2-macroglobulin immunoreactivity in cortex and hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease patients.

We examined brains from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients by immunohistochemistry for the presence of protease inhibitors. Immunoreactivity for alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M), the most potent of the known human protease inhibitors, was found in a subgroup of cortical and hippocampal AD senile plaques. In addition, large hippocampal neurons in AD brains displayed intracellular alpha 2-M immunoreactivity which was consistently stronger than in normal aged brains. In cultured human cells of neurogenic origin (SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells), alpha 2-M synthesis could be strongly induced by the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) indicating that human alpha 2-M behaves as an acute-phase protein in the nervous system. Therefore, we also examined AD brains for the presence of IL-6 and found strong immunostaining in and around a subgroup of senile plaques as well as around large cortical neurons. Only very few senile plaques also stained for C-reactive protein, an acute phase protein known to be inducible by IL-6. We propose that the presence of IL-6 and alpha 2-M immunoreactivity in AD brains is functionally linked and that a sequence of immunological events is part of the pathology of AD.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Interleukin-6 and alpha-2-macroglobulin indicate an acute-phase state in Alzheimer's disease cortices.

Recent studies indicated that the formation of a major constituent of Alzheimer's disease (AD) senile plaques, called beta A4-peptide, does not result from normal processing of its precursor, amyloid precursor protein (APP). Since proteolytic cleavage of APP inside its beta A4 sequence was found to be part of APP processing the formation of the beta A4-peptide seems to be prevented under normal conditions. We considered whether in AD one of the endogenous proteinase inhibitors might interfere with APP processing. After we had recently found that cultured human neuronal cells synthesize the most potent of the known human proteinase inhibitors, alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), upon stimulation with the inflammatory mediator interleukin-6 (IL-6) we now investigated whether alpha 2M and IL-6 could be detected in AD brains. Here we report that AD cortical senile plaques display strong alpha 2M and IL-6 immunoreactivity while no such immunoreactivity was found in age-matched control brains. Strong perinuclear alpha 2M immunoreactivity in hippocampal CA1 neurons of Alzheimer's disease brains indicates that neuronal cells are the site of alpha 2M synthesis in AD brains. We did not detect elevated IL-6 or alpha 2M levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients. Our data indicate that a sequence of immunological events which seem to be restricted to the local cortical environment is part of AD pathology.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1991

In-vitro matured human macrophages express Alzheimer's beta A4-amyloid precursor protein indicating synthesis in microglial cells.

Microglia which are consistently associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) senile plaques are part of the mononuclear phagocyte system. In-vitro matured human monocyte-derived macrophages feature many immunological characteristics of microglia. We found strong constitutive expression of Alzheimer's beta A4-amyloid precursor protein (APP) in human mononuclear phagocytes after terminal in-vitro maturation from monocytes to macrophages. Amyloid has previously been found to be associated with microglia in AD brains, however, it remained unclear whether the material was synthesized in or had been phagocytosed by the cells. The findings presented here support the assumption that brain microglia may contribute to APP synthesis in AD brain.

Amyloid beta-Peptides↗
PubMed1991

Alpha 2-macroglobulin synthesis in interleukin-6-stimulated human neuronal (SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma) cells. Potential significance for the processing of Alzheimer beta-amyloid precursor protein.

Cultured human neuronal (SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma) cells synthesize and secrete the potent protease inhibitor alpha 2-macroglobulin (a2M) upon stimulation with interleukin-6 (IL-6) indicating that alpha 2-macroglobulin behaves as an acute-phase protein in the human central nervous system. Exogenous addition of a2M to the cultured neuronal cells resulted in only a slight inhibition of Alzheimer beta A4-amyloid precursor protein (APP) synthesis, but markedly inhibited its secretion pointing to the possibility that a2M may affect the proteolytic APP processing. Evidence is provided that IL-6 and a2M are involved in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1990

[3H]Harman labels selectively and with high affinity the active site of monoamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.4) subtype A (MAO-A) in rat, marmoset, and pig.

[3H]Harman was used in binding studies with CNS tissue of rat, pig, and marmoset and with visceral organs of the rat. In the mitochondrial fractions of the CNS of the 3 species [3H]harman binding exhibits the same pharmacological profile in displacement studies. A detailed analysis reveals a high specificity for MAO-A. Furthermore, we applied [3H]harman binding to quantify the MAO-A content in 6 CNS regions of each species as well as in 6 visceral organs of the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

High-resolution sonography of the undescended testis in childhood: an analysis of 45 cases.

A prospective study correlating the ultrasound and operative findings was carried out in 45 consecutive pediatric patients with undescended testes. Thirty-six of 37 (97%) palpable testes were located preoperatively by ultrasound. Six of eight impalpable testes (75%) were correctly localized by ultrasound. The three testes missed by the ultrasound examination were found to be atrophic at surgery. Three intra-abdominal (palpable) testes were found at surgery just proximal to the internal ring; all three had been identified by ultrasound preoperatively. The main contribution of ultrasound was the preoperative detection of impalpable testes (six of eight), which modified the consequent surgical approach. Ultrasound also helped in providing objective support to the clinical diagnosis in 36 of 37 children with palpable undescended testes. The ultrasound examination is noninvasive, nonionizing, readily available and of low cost. It is therefore suitable as the initial routine procedure for the evaluation of undescended testis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Sonography of the hip joint as part of the evaluation of acute lower abdominal pain.

Ultrasound evaluation of the hip joint was performed in 17 patients as part of the sonographic investigation of lower abdominal pain with referred symptomatology to the groin and thigh. Sonographic features consistent with hip joint effusion were detected in 12 of the patients. In four patients with positive arthrosonogram the possibility of hip joint involvement was not considered by the examining physician. In 11 other cases, hip pathology was included in the differential diagnosis. Of these, hip involvement was confirmed by sonography in eight patients and excluded in three. Sonography was found to be a useful objective method for the confirmation or exclusion of hip joint effusion. The examination had a significant influence on the patient management for shifting the attention of the clinician from the abdomen to the hip joint in four of the cases in this series.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1988

Sonographic detection of occult bone fractures.

Two infants of 24 and 20 months of age with painful local swelling at the femoral and clavicular regions were investigated by ultrasound after a negative radiographic study of the adjacent bones. In both children high resolution ultrasound clearly revealed the presence of bone fractures in addition to the soft tissue hematomas. These fractures were confirmed by a repeat radiographs performed 6 and 8 days later. Although sonography is not the method of choice for the detection of bone fractures, it may be worthwhile to examine the bone contour for a fracture when a painful swelling adjacent to bone is present. The method may be particularly rewarding in children due to its rapid non-invasive nature and to the small tissue thickness that has to be penetrated.

Child, Preschool↗