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Biomedical subjects

W Seidel

Publications and source records attributed to W Seidel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Intraepidemic variants of influenza virus H3 hemagglutinin differing in the number of carbohydrate side chains.

During the epidemic outbreak in the region of Greifswald in the winter 1974/75, we found influenza virus variants which showed differences in the electrophoretic mobility of HA. Among the 25 isolates 13 were of slower and 12 of higher mobility. HA1 of 6 isolates was studied by determining the number of the carbohydrate side chains and by direct sequencing of vRNA. Evidence is presented that variants showing a slower electrophoretic mobility of HA1 had consistently acquired a seventh carbohydrate side chain at Asn 126 in epitope A. All the isolates differed from the reference strain A/Port Chalmers/1/73 by the loss of the oligosaccharide at Asn 81. The field strain A/Dresden/3/71 possessed only 5 oligosaccharides in HA1. These results suggest that changes in glycosylation are an important mechanism in the structural variation underlying antigenic drift of HA.

Antigenic Variation↗
PubMed1991

Polymyalgia rheumatica and rheumatoid arthritis of the elderly: a clinical, laboratory, and scintigraphic comparison.

Clinical, laboratory, and scintigraphic features of 16 patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and 23 patients matched for age presenting with classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis (American Rheumatism Association 1958 criteria) of the elderly were compared in order to define features that might distinguish between these two syndromes. The sensitivity of proposed diagnostic criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica was always higher in the group with polymyalgia rheumatica, though only significantly so for morning stiffness. A comparison of 27 different laboratory features showed few significant differences between the diseases, though correlation between laboratory variables within each of the disease groups differed, perhaps suggesting a fundamental pathogenetic difference between them. Scintigraphy of the shoulder joint proved of no value in differential diagnosis. It was concluded that polymyalgia rheumatica and rheumatoid arthritis of the elderly are probably discrete clinical entities. Bilateral upper arm tenderness, lack of positive rheumatoid factor, and a normal caeruloplasmin are the most valuable features for distinguishing polymyalgia rheumatica from rheumatoid arthritis of the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

[Determination of lymphocyte subpopulations and their activation status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with plasma exchange and pulse therapy].

In patients with systemic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and extraarticular manifestation treated with plasma exchange or prednisolute-pulse-therapy, respectively, and followed by an additional immunosuppression by cyclophosphamide we have assessed the lymphocyte subpopulations of the peripheral blood and the cells expressing activating markers by means of monoclonal antibodies using fluorescence microscopy or fluorescence flow cytometry. Before therapy the patients showed a very different level of lymphocyte subpopulations tested. During treatment in both groups of patients there was not any uniform tendency in CD3, CD4 and CD8 positive cells. The percentage of activated lymphocytes was initially elevated and we found significant reduction, mainly in the 4th week after starting of therapy. Following in the most cases the level recovered to the state before therapy. For the single patients an individual pattern of reaction was evident in relation to the initial position before treatment.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1991

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas. Clinical, morphological, and immunohistochemical findings.

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas, formerly also termed branchial cyst, is an extremely rare tumor of uncertain histogenesis. Our case, that of a 53-year-old man, is the fourth to be described. Fluid aspirated from the cyst exhibited a very high concentration of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA; 5000 ng/ml), and a high level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9; 187 U/l), suggesting a diagnosis of carcinoma of the pancreas. However, the serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels were only slightly elevated (5.5 ng/ml and 125 U/l, respectively). Histologic investigation revealed a cyst lined by squamous epithelium with closely associated lymphoid tissue, without cellular atypia. Numerous lymphocytes, mainly T cells (UCHL1 positive), were present in the lining epithelium. The lymphoid tissue surrounding the lining epithelium was composed of germinal centers and T regions. Epithelial cords contiguous with the squamous epithelium lining the cyst radiated out through the lymphoid tissue towards the pancreatic parenchyma, which suggests that lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas is a true pancreatic cyst. Since the excretory ducts of the normal pancreatic tissue and some of the epithelial cells lining the cyst were immunoreactive for CEA and CA 19-9, it can be concluded that CEA and CA 19-9 in the cyst contents are probably produced by cells derived from the exocrine pancreas. The histogenesis of lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas remains unclear, but it is probable that it derives from the duct system of the pancreas.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1990

Epoxide hydrolase, its function and determination of its activity in rat liver.

Epoxides are a group of reactive intermediates formed by the cytochrome P-450-mediated monooxygenation of unsaturated xenobiotics. Epoxide hydrolase inactivates these epoxides by addition of water to form diols. Commonly the function of epoxide hydrolase is finally followed by excretion of the diols. However, reactivation of certain diols by a second epoxidation may happen. Epoxide hydrolase inactivates also the epoxides existing in the metabolism of endogenous compounds. The determination of the activity of epoxide hydrolase by the addition of water to styrene oxide (1,2-epoxyethylbenzene) and measurement of the concentration of the produced phenylglycol (1-phenyl-1,2-ethandiol) with subsequent separation of the 2 substances by HPLC is described. Lipophilic xenobiotics tend to accumulate into tissues, and they must be transformed to water soluble compounds to enable the excretion. In this transformation process reactive intermediates are produced. If biotransformation fails to detoxify these reactive intermediates, they may react covalently with critical targets like the genetic material, or start harmful reaction chains like lipid peroxidation. As a result of this carcinogenicity, mutagenicity etc. may ensue Miller and Miller (1976). Depending on the chemical structure of the molecule, different kinds of reactive substances are generated. Epoxides originate from oxidation of an aliphatic or aromatic double bond by the action of cytochrome P-450-mediated monooxygenases (Leibmann et al. 1979). One detoxifying pathway is the addition of water to form diols, which are of low reactivity; this reaction is catalyzed by epoxide hydrolase. Other possible pathways are the formation of glutathione conjugates or the rearrangement to aldehydes or ketones (Habig et al. 1974; Oesch 1979).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

A comparison of prednisolone with azathioprine and prednisolone with intramuscular gold in rheumatoid arthritis.

Pulse prednisolone hemisuccinate therapy (500 mg given intravenously on three occasions over two weeks) has been combined with either intramuscular sodium aurothiomalate or azathioprine in an assessment of 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Significant improvement in a variety of clinical and biochemical assessments was seen in both groups. Both treatments were well tolerated by the patients and prednisolone appeared to accelerate the response to sodium aurothiomalate and azathioprine but there was no great evidence that it enhanced it.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Adenosine deaminase activity in levamisole treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Nine patients who fell ill with a classical or unequivocal rheumatoid arthritis were treated with 150 mg Levamisol a week. Before the beginning of the therapy and on the day after the fourth intake of medicaments the activity of the adenosine deaminase in lymphocytes, erythrocytes and in the plasma was determined. An influence on the enzyme activity by Levamisol could not be proved. Before as well as after the Levamisol therapy the enzyme activity in the erythrocytes was diminished.

Adenosine Deaminase↗
PubMed1986

[Diagnostic and prognostic significance of so-called rheumatoid vasculitis--2].

51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and high rheumatoid factors (mean titres 928) underwent examination for the demonstration of an extraarticular organ manifestation within the scope of the cooperation between the Department of Medicine of the Karl-Marx-University Leipzig and the Institute for Rheumatology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR in Moscow. The frequency of nodous rheumatism (about 60%) is comparable with the frequency of polyneuropathy. In 20% of the patients a systemic muscle atrophy, a hepatomegaly as well as a Raynaud-syndrome were stated. By means of skin biopsy in 28% perivascular infiltrates were found. Altogether in 6 patients (12%) a participation of the lungs and the pleura, respectively, could be proved. Only rarely a clinically manifest heart disease caused by the rheu-we we found an pericardial effusions in 3 cases. In systemic manifestation, such as myositis, participation of the eyes or vasculitis of the digital arteries with necrosis, were only sporadically to be established. Among 22 patients we found an pericardial effusions in 3 cases. In systemic manifestation in most cases increased parameters of activity were found. From the practical point of view apart from increased titers of the rheumatoid titres and circulating immune complexes (C1q-BT) increased concentrations of the C-reactive protein are prognostically significant. The presence of high rheumatoid factor titres alone as well as the isolated presence of rheumatic nodes must not always be connected with an unfavourable prognosis. When severe extraarticular manifestations are present a possibly early, intensive occasionally extracorporeal treatment is indicated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Effectiveness of plasma exchange therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic manifestations].

For the advantage of the therapeutic plasma exchange in the active rheumatoid arthritis there exist at present contradictory opinions. Three patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic manifestation as well as high activity of the disease, in whom the conventional therapy with antirheumatic drugs showed only little effectiveness and which was stopped due to severe side effects, respectively, underwent 6 plasma exchange treatments within 14 days. The subjective condition as well as standardized clinical and laboratory-chemical activity parameters quickly ameliorated. A positive therapeutic effect was to be proved still after 6 to 12 months. In 2 patients a proposed synovectomy could be renounced. The reasonable indication for the plasma exchange will be given when there is an acute immunological reaction which can be shortened by a rapid reduction of pathogenic protein fractions before irreversible morphological injuries occur.

Acrodynia↗
PubMed1986

Differences of nucleoproteins of human and avian influenza A virus strains shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by the peptide mapping technique.

Electrophoretic mobility differences in polyacrylamide gels were detected between (35S)-methionine-labelled nucleoproteins (NPs) induced in monolayer cells by 15 human and 4 avian reference strains of influenza viruses. The (35S)-methionine-labelled tryptic peptides of nucleoproteins of these strains were also analyzed by peptide mapping technique. Based on several detectable hydrophilic peptides the NPs could be arranged in 7 clearly differentiable groups. After radioiodination of NPs from 4 human and 3 avian reference strains the tryptic peptide patterns showed one clear difference between human and avian strains.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
PubMed1986

Variation of influenza A (H3N2) viruses isolated in the G.D.R. during 1969-1980 epidemics.

A collection of 39 influenza A virus strains of the subtype H3N2 isolated in G.D.R. and of six reference strains were analysed with regard to the antigenic structure of their surface proteins haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) as well as regarding their polypeptide variations. For the field strains during the drift period from spring 1969 to spring 1980 seven main variations resulted from eight polyclonal sera with the haemagglutination inhibition test, and five main variations from six polyclonal sera with the neuraminidase inhibition test. Using the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis polypeptide variations in HA, nonstructural proteins NS1, NS2 and nucleoprotein (NP) were detected. It could be shown that, even during one epidemic, strains circulated with different polypeptide composition. With the help of peptide mapping further variations of NP and NS1 were registered. The mechanisms leading to the emergence of new epidemic strains are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Periodic leg movements during sleep in the elderly.

Periodic leg movements in sleep (PLMS) occur frequently in the sleep of elderly persons but their significance is unknown. In this study, 63 elderly persons with symptoms of insomnia but without history of renal disease were evaluated polysomnographically. All received laboratory evaluations for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine and completed a questionnaire on sleep complaints. Results indicated a positive relationship between PLMS and urea nitrogen in elderly women. In addition, symptoms of leg twitching and prolonged sleep latency could distinguish arbitrarily formed high and low PLMS groups. These results suggest that PLMS could be a window on the age-related decline in renal function and that these movements are related to several highly specific symptoms of geriatric insomnia.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

The variability of genes of influenza A (H3N2) virus strains isolated in the G.D.R. during the 1970-1978 epidemic seasons.

Gene variability of all influenza A virus strains (H3N2) isolated in the G.D.R. during the epidemic seasons of 1970-1978 was investigated by cRNA:vRNA hybridization. From 1970 through 1975 a gradual smooth variability of the majority of genes and moderate heterogeneity in gene homology of the isolates were observed. From 1975 through 1977 the genome variability was more profound and the isolates differed from one another in gene homology. In 1978 the variability became less pronounced again. Quantitative evaluation of the variability for individual genes gave the following results: 0.4% nucleotides per year for genes, 1, 2, 3 (P proteins), 1.4% for gene 4 (HA), 0.1% for gene 5 (NP), 1.0% for gene 6 (NA), 0.1% for gene 7 (M) and 0.4 for gene 8 (NS).

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1985

Studies of proteins soluble in acidic chloroform-methanol isolated from crude human leukocyte interferon preparations.

Acidic chloroform-methanol soluble proteins possessing hydrophobic properties and capable of inhibiting in vitro transcriptase activity of influenza virus RNP were detected in native and partially purified human leukocyte interferon (IFN) preparations. Purification of IFN resulted in the removal of at least a portion of such proteins; however, no proteins have been found in highly-purified IFN preparations.

Chloroform↗