Biomedical subjects

W A Scherbaum

Publications and source records attributed to W A Scherbaum.

255 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Morphological changes in adrenals from victims of suicide in relation to altered apoptosis.

Endocrine dysfunction may cause psychiatric symptoms and, vice versa, psychiatric diseases may lead to endocrine alterations. The adrenal as the end organ of both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical and sympatho-adrenal axes is subject to the functional changes of the stress system. Thus, increased adrenal gland weight was observed previously in victims of violent suicide. This study was designed to analyze the morphological and morphodynamic changes of adrenals from suicide victims. We investigated 30 adrenals obtained from 15 suicide victims using immunohistochemistry and a computerized video system. In addition, apoptosis and cell proliferation were analyzed. We found a significant enlargement of the adrenal cortex to 158.8% (SD = 29.8%, p < 0.01) that was restricted to the two inner zones only (zona reticularis, 161.6 +/- 35.3%; zona fasciculata, 186.4 +/- 34.4%). This increase in adrenocortical size correlated with a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells within the zona fasciculata. In conclusion, these results clearly demonstrate chronic structural adrenal changes in suicide victims. The adrenal gland mirrors the functional changes of the stress system which leaves an imprint on the morphology of the gland.

Adrenal Glands↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The level and the persistence of islet cell antibodies in healthy schoolchildren are associated with polymorphic residues of the HLA-DQ beta chain.

Cytoplasmic islet cell antibodies (ICA) were determined in a group of non-diabetic Caucasian schoolchildren (n = 4208). The prevalence rate for ICA positivity was 1.05 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.8-1.4 per cent). Analysis of HLA risk factors revealed that HLA-DRB1*03 (p less than 0.01), HLA-DRB1*04 (p less than 0.01) and HLA haplotypes with non-charged amino acids (non-Asp) at codon 57 of the HLA-DQ beta (p less than 0.01) chain were significantly increased when compared to controls. High levels of islet cell antibodies, i.e. Juvenile Diabetes Federation units (JDF units) equal to or greater than 30 JDF units were found to be associated with amino acids other than aspartic acid at codon 57 of the DQ beta chain molecule. Also the persistence of circulating ICA was found to be associated with non-Asp homozygosity of the proband (p less than 0.03).

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Rheumatoid factors in Basedow's disease].

In patients with untreated Basedow's disease rheumatoid factors were determined by Waaler-Rose and Latex tests. The Waaler-Rose test was positive in 61.5% of 143 cases. After the acute disease stage settled the titers fell in more than 90% of the re-tested cases. In 50% the decrease in titre was of two dilutions or more. The Latex test was carried out in 152 patients. It was positive in 9.2% of the cases and became negative in 50% of the cases after the acute disease stage settled. In 5 out of 6 patients in whom the test remained positive there was in addition a rheumatic disease. The detectable rheumatoid factors are regarded as auto-antibodies against immuno-globulins. This suggests that polyarthritis in Basedow's disease is based on the same pathogenetic mechanisms as rheumatoid arthritis.

Adolescent↗