Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B Thiele.
20 patients suffering from vitiligo (17 with generalized, 3 with localized type) were treated with L-phenylalanine and UV-A irradiation (PAUVA). The dose of L-phenylalanine was 50 mg/kg per os. In 85% of the patients, this therapy resulted in a follicular and partially confluent repigmentation, which did not exceed 50% of the vitiliginous area.
Systemic corticosteroids play a predominant role in the treatment of urticarial vasculitis (U.V.). If steroids are contraindicated, there may be applied a variety of pharmacologically different compounds. A female patient suffering from U.V. and metabolic syndrome, who had not shown any positive response to indomethacin, H1 and H2 antagonists, or colchicine, was treated with dapsone. As a result, the clinical symptoms improved within a few days and her hypocomplementemia normalized. We discuss the possible mechanisms of action of sulphones in U.V.
Cytochrome P-450-dependent arylhydrocarbon-hydroxylase (AHH) activity and inducibility by benzanthracene (BA) was measured in cultured guinea pig and human epidermal cells. Basal AHH-activity (AHHb) in guinea pig epidermal cells was much higher than in human epidermal cells. AHHb in guinea pig epidermal cells was directly related to the labeling index and decreased to the original level between the 5th and 7th day of cell culturing. On the other hand, the induction-ratio of AHH reached its maximum level when the number of cells began to rise (proliferation phase) and remained high at day 7 of the cell culture. These results suggest a cell growth dependent activity and inducibility of carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, such as AHH, in isolated epidermal cells.
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Sixteen patients - 12 with cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), 1 with Sézary syndrome, 1 with actinic reticuloid, and 2 with parapsoriasis variegata - were treated with either a new, potent arotinoid alone or with combined etretinate (Tigason) and PUVA therapy (Re-PUVA). 92% of all patients showed a minor up to a distinct response of their skin lesions within 12.6 +/- 7.4 weeks. More than 50% of the skin lesions cleared in 67% of the patients. After discontinuation of the retinoid therapy, relapses occurred in all cases within 3-10 weeks. There was no difference between the therapeutic efficacy of arotinoid alone and the Re-PUVA regimen, but the latter was less toxic.
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Biological artefacts caused by tension of head and neck muscles, eye movements and blinking, swallowing and perspiration represent part of the patient's mimic expression and psychophysiological state. Therefore the artefact patterns in the EEG of 53 patients with different types of neuroses were analysed, quantified and statistically compared to artefact patterns in 53 EEG of an age- and sex matched control group. None of the patients and controls were receiving psychopharmacological medication. Patients with hysterical neurosis produced the highest rate of blinking and/or eye movements and displayed the most EMG-artefacts (significance level as compared to the control group 2 alpha less than or equal to 0.001 by the Wilcoxon test). The lowest artefact rate was found in patients suffering from depressive neurosis with the exception of swallowing, which occurred more frequently than in any other type of neurosis and than in the control group (2 alpha less than or equal to 0.001). The artefact pattern of patients with obsessional neurosis was instead predominated by EMG and perspiration artefacts.
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Epithelial sheets can be cultivated from isolated epidermal cells; in this way, it is possible to increase the cell number considerably. H. Green and co-workers were the first to make use of such epithelia for the autologous covering of burn wounds. We modified this method and report on our experiences with this technique in a patient with small skin defects.
Epidermal cells taken from guinea pigs were cultured on collagen in order to study the processes comparable to reepithelialization of wounds by means of time-lapse cinematography and electron microscopy. Attachment and spreading of the cells are essential for the following cell proliferation. Immediately after seeding, the cells move in streams and rotate around their axes. Flattened cells show cytoplasmic streaming and ameboid movement as they continuously alter their shapes (10-25 microns/h). The cells actively form intercellular bridges, which favor the confluence of the cells. In the present study, the phases of attachment, intercellular association, and formation of colonies have been classified and related to the activity of the DNA synthesis, as it was indicated by 3H-thymidine incorporation.
A chemical-plant worker sustained hydrofluoric acid burns during cleaning procedures. Intra-arterial perfusion and intralesional injections of calcium gluconate solution prevented progression of the burns into deeper tissue layers.
T cell receptors which are members of the "immunoglobulin-superfamily" are capable of discriminating "self" from "non-self" and can be considered as analogues membrane-bound immunoglobulins. The minimal essential component, an alpha/beta glycoprotein heterodimer, is structurally similar to Fab1-fragments of immunoglobulins with constant and variable domains. Its genomic organisation strongly resembles that of antibodies. The alpha/beta-heterodimer is found to be associated with the CD3 complex of T lymphocyte membranes triggering cell activation. Another member of the T cell receptor family, the gamma-chain, is expressed during early stages of intrathymic differentiations. Cytotoxic and helper T cell lines contain gamma-chain-specific mRNA in much smaller amounts. It may be a reliable marker of T cell malignancies. The T alpha-gene family is also involved in the pathogenesis of T cell malignancies.
Immunological studies of normal pregnancies as well as of recurrent spontaneous abortions serve as indicators that certain immune responses are linked to reproductive success or failure. Some of the observed often contradictory phenomena concerning intraspecies mammalian pregnancies will be discussed in this review.
Red blood cell differentiation involves the coordinate expression of a set of polypeptides some of which are erythroid-specific (the abundant globins as well as minor species such as glycophorin, carbonic anhydrase I and the RBC lipoxygenase) whereas others are found also in a subset of other cells, e.g. beta spectrin and a 19 kd polypeptide (ep 19) found in adult liver and kidney as well as erythroid cells. To investigate the genetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of these classes of genes, the expression of lipoxygenase, ep 19 and beta globin mRNAs was investigated in cell hybrids between mouse erythroid (Friend) cells and mouse T-lymphoma or neuroblastoma cells. All three mRNAs are expressed or repressed together in cell hybrids between the Friend cell and lymphoma or neuroblastoma cells respectively. Moreover, studies of the chromatin structure surrounding the genes reveal that erythroid cell-specific DNaseI hypersensitive sites within the ep 19 and beta major globin genes are lost in the Friend cell X neuroblastoma hybrids whereas they are retained in the Friend cell X lymphoma cell hybrids. This implies that the trans-acting mechanism responsible for regulating the RBC phenotype in these cell hybrids acts at the level of the early chromatin changes thought to reflect a pre-activation stage in gene expression.
We report on a 17-year-old patient suffering from generalized verrucosis. This diagnose had been confirmed by means of light microscopy, electron microscopy, and DNA hybridisation (HPV type 2). The study of immunological parameters revealed reduced numbers of T-lymphocytes, especially of helper-T-cells. Skin tests with recall antigens were normal. Three brothers of our patient showed slight reduction of helper-T-cells. Treatment with topical retinoic acid was not effective. Treatment with alpha-interferon i.m. intralesionally was effective in the beginning, but two weeks after onset of therapy no further improvement could be achieved. Discontinuation of therapy was followed by a relapse. Tigason which was given thereafter led to flattening of the warts but failed to bring about complete regression within the following four months.
We report on a 17-year-old patient suffering from generalized mottled hyperpigmentation and multiple telangiectatic lesions of the skin. The subcutaneous fatty tissue was lacking or deficient. The patient showed a bird-like face. The cutaneous changes had been present since birth. X-ray studies revealed acro-osteolysis of the hands and feet. The metabolic and endocrine data were within normal ranges except of latent hypothyroidism. The clinical picture presented all criteria of metageria. The patient's mother and sister showed similar cutaneous changes, however, restricted to the distal parts of the extremities. We diagnosed acrogeria Gottron. The incidence of both metageria and acrogeria in one family makes metageria as an independent entity doubtful.
We report on two female patients suffering from mycosis fungoides, tumorous type but without systemic involvement, who have been treated with 400 mg Zovirax (Acyclovir) 3 times daily (about 15 mg/kg/day) for 12 days. The follow-up period amounted to 11 and 14 days, respectively. This therapy did not result in regression of the disease; one patient even showed progression of her skin tumors.
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