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Biomedical subjects

A Gross

Publications and source records attributed to A Gross.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Time course of PCDD/PCDF/PCB concentrations in breast-feeding mothers and their infants.

PCDD/PCDF/PCB concentrations were measured in samples from four mothers (at delivery and during lactation) and their infants (at birth and the end of first year of life). For two of these mothers it was the second delivery and breast-feeding period, and additional data were available from first lactation period and the first-born infant at the age of 11 to 12 months. Five of the six infants were fully breast-fed for at least 17 weeks. In four of them a distinct PCDD/PCDF/PCB accumulation was observed at the end of the first year of life: concentrations in blood fat were 1.5 to 3.6 times higher than maternal levels measured at the same time. Due to decreasing maternal body burdens during lactation, PCDD/PCDF concentrations at 11 to 12 months of life were only about half as high in the second infant as in the first one at the same age. During second pregnancy, no important change of the concentrations was observed in maternal blood.

Adult↗

IgE antibodies to Malassezia furfur, M. sympodialis and Pityrosporum orbiculare in patients with atopic dermatitis, seborrheic eczema or pityriasis versicolor, and identification of respective allergens.

Malassezia yeasts may be a trigger factor for atopic dermatitis. Following the recent reclassification of the genus, the presence of specific IgE antibodies was examined in the sera of patients with atopic dermatitis (n = 223), pityriasis versicolor (n = 83), seborrheic eczema (n = 50) and hymenoptera allergy (n = 39) and in controls without skin diseases (n = 50). In addition to using the commercially available radioallergosorbent test (RAST) for Pityrosporum orbiculare couplings were also made against the reference strains for M. furfur and M. sympodialis. To characterize the specificity and molecular weight of corresponding epitopes identical material was used for production of an immunoblot. Despite high total levels of IgE, controls and patients with pityriasis versicolor showed no specific IgE antibodies. Six patients (12%) with seborrheic eczema were positive while 78 patients (35%) with atopic dermatitis had specific IgE antibodies in higher RAST classes that differed between the Malassezia species. The molecular weights of the main antigens of M. sympodialis and M. furfur were determined to be 15, 22, 30, 37, 40, 58, 79, 92, 99 and 124 kDa and 15, 25, 27, 43, 58, 92, 99 and 107 kDa, respectively. Evaluated according to the location of their disease, patients with head and neck lesions most frequently showed Malassezia-specific IgE antibodies. However, there were differences between the Malassezia species tested, the previously used strain P. orbiculare being assignable to the species M. sympodialis.

Adult↗

BCL-2 proteins: regulators of the mitochondrial apoptotic program.

BCL-2 family members are pivotal regulators of the apoptotic process. Mitochondria seem to be a major site-of-action for these proteins. Several prominent alterations occur to mitochondria during apoptosis that include the release of intermembrane space molecules, changes in the membrane potential, ionic changes, and more. All these changes seem to be part of the mitochondrial apoptotic process. The BCL-2 family members are believed to be the major regulators of this program; however, their exact mechanism of action still remains a mystery. In addition, the exact contribution of mitochondria to the apoptotic process is still unclear. This review summarizes and examines the current knowledge regarding these two issues.

Animals↗

Epithelial cells associated with the development of dental plaque.

Transmission and scanning electron microscopy were used to study desquamated epithelial cells in the developing and mature dental plaque. Epithelial cells were found attached to enamel as early as one hour after clean enamel cylinders were placed in the mouth, and they were seen in great numbers after two days. These cells generally had bacteria attached to their surfaces. Epithelial cells adsorbed to the surface of the enamel appeared to alter their morphology, and mineralization of these structures was also observed. Desquamated epithelial cells could play a role in the initial bacterial colonization of tooth enamel since it is known that bacteria selectively adsorb onto their surfaces. Hydroxyapatite may affect the morphologic alteration of epithelial cells adsorbed to tooth enamel. From the observation of developing and mature plaque samples, it seems that certain suprasurface pelliclelike structures might be epithelial cells.

Adolescent↗

[Cerebral gigantism. Review of the literature apropos of one case].

The authors report a case of cerebral gigantism and review 83 cases found in the world literature. The diagnosis depends on the association of several factors, none of which alone are specific but which, on the whole, form a fairly characteristic picture. Large size at birth, leading only rarely to gigantism at adult age. Facial dysmorphia of acromegaloid type. Ecephalopathy with mental deficiency without any neuroradiological abnormality. Finally, endocrine investigations and somatotropic function were normal. No etiology has been found up to now. The most satisfactory theory is that of a hypothalamopituitary disturbance. Treatment may simple avoid excess height at adult age and is based on sex hormone therapy to accelerate bony maturation.

Acromegaly↗

[Insulin-requiring diabetes].

The insulinorequiring diabetes is a notion which deserves a clear definition, essentially clinical, because it covers a wide range of physiopathological situations. The progressive degradation of Diabetes type II means a progressive discrepancy of insulinosecretion and above all an increase of insulinoresistance. The noxious part of chronical hyperglycemia is at present well known. The present therapeutical prospects tend to delay or limit insulinotherapy, by trying to obtain remission of insulinorequiring and some attempt to give a combined treatment associating insulin and hypoglycemic drugs.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1↗