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Biomedical subjects

J Braun

Publications and source records attributed to J Braun.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Sapho syndrome: 2 case reports].

We report on two patients with painful hyperostosis of the mandible and the thoracic skeleton. Other symptoms were arthralgia, arthritis, osteitis, and palmoplantar pustulosis. Radiographic analysis revealed regions of circumscribed hyperostosis which showed in increased uptake in scintiscan. Metastasis, chronic osteomyelitis, Ewing's sarcoma, or Paget's disease were excluded and the diagnosis Sapho syndrome was made. This recently introduced acronym describes a disease with Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis and Osteitis. Because of the possible axial skeleton involvement, an association to the spondylathropathy group is still being discussed. The etiopathogenesis of this rheumatologic disease is not known.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Sacral recurrence of rectal carcinoma].

The records and operation reports of 101 patients (52 male, 49 female) with locally recurrent rectal cancer treated between 1980 and 1994 were reviewed. 72% of these patients were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis. 51 patients were operated on with curative intent (16 with IORT), whereas 26 underwent palliative surgical resection. Multivisceral resection was performed in 62.3%. In 24 patients with recurrent tumors (11 with exploratory celiotomy) no major surgical resection was considered indicated. The operative mortality rate was 1.1%. 48 complications occurred in 32 patients with exploratory celiotomy resulting in a 36.3% morbidity rate. In the curative group partial or complete pain relief was achieved in 81%, whereas 75% of those in the palliative group had pain control. The median survival was 24 months for the curative group and 17 months for the group with microscopic or gros residual disease (p < 0.05). Initial inoperability resulted in a median life expectancy of 7 months. The 5-year survival was 13.5% for the group with surgical resection and 21% for patients with curative resection (n = 51). Actuarial 5-year survival for patients who received IORT (n = 16) was 27%, compared with 17% for those (n = 35) who did not (p > 0.05) and respective local tumor control were 50% and 34% (p > 0.05). We conclude that radical resection of tumor recurrence in the pelvis can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity, palliates local complaints and offers excellent local control and survival in patients who can undergo complete resections with negative margins.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Expression of a novel autoantibody defined by the VH3-15 gene in inflammatory bowel disease and Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis.

This study newly introduces anti-VH mAbs to assess the role of clonal B cell activity in inflammatory bowel disease. Immunohistochemistry of colonic biopsies in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), but not unaffected individuals, demonstrated uniform staining of intravascular erythrocytes with BK2, a monoclonal specific for the VH3-15 Ig heavy chain gene product. Staining was caused by erythrocytes opsinized in vivo by anti-erythrocyte Abs present in patient sera and by using the VH3-15 gene product. The erythrocyte Ag was identified by immunoprecipitation as 22- and 28-kDa membrane proteins. A direct flow cytometric assay was developed to measure this serum autoantibody and was tested in 101 individuals with UC, CD, other acute or chronic colitis, and healthy controls. Compared with normal subjects, BK2+ anti-erythrocyte Abs were elevated in most sera from patients with CD and UC (including postcolectomy). BK2+ anti-erythrocyte Abs also were elevated in 10 of 38 noninflammatory bowel disease patients, all of whom had Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis. These findings suggest that a common immunopathogenetic factor, manifested by VH3-15 B cell activation may be shared in UC, CD, and Campylobacter jejuni enterocolitis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Antibodies specific for human thyrotropin receptor induce MHC antigen expression in thyroid cells.

Autoantibodies (AAbs) to hormone receptors are found in autoimmune diseases such as Graves' disease (GD) or myasthenia gravis. A structural link between hormone receptor and MHC genes has been documented, suggesting a possible co-regulation of MHC and hormone receptor genes. Thus, in vitro experiments were designed to search for a pathologic role for AAbs. In a model study, we investigated whether adding murine anti-human thyrotropin receptor mAbs would affect MHC gene expression in either cloned human thyroid epithelial cell or primary murine thyroid epithelial cell cultures. We found that two anti-human thyrotropin receptor monoclonal AAbs, 11E7 and 34A, induced, with an intensity comparable to that of IFN-gamma, transcription and expression of class I and class II/Ii chain proteins in human and murine thyroid epithelial cells. Two other anti-human thyrotropin receptor mAbs, 12E3 and 243-3, were ineffective. These data suggest a new role for autoantibodies in the pathology of autoimmune endocrinopathies.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Use of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with fast imaging in the detection of early and advanced sacroiliitis in spondylarthropathy patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method of dynamic MRI with fast imaging in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis among patients with spondylarthropathy. METHODS: Fifteen patients with a history of inflammatory back pain without radiographic evidence of grade II or greater sacroiliitis (group 1), 25 patients with definite ankylosing spondylitis (group 2), and 12 patients with noninflammatory spinal pain (controls) (group 3) were examined. Dynamic MRI with fast imaging was performed after intravenous bolus injection of the contrast agent gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid. The degree of enhancement was graded as representing acute sacroiliitis, latent sacroiliitis, or no sacroiliitis. RESULTS: Acute sacroiliitis was detected in 22 of 30 sacroiliac (SI) joints in group 1 patients and in 27 of 50 SI joints in group 2 patients; latent sacroiliitis was seen in 25 of 80 SI joints in patients from groups 1 and 2. No group 3 patient was found to have sacroiliitis. CONCLUSION: Early sacroiliitis can be demonstrated by dynamic MRI in spondylarthropathy patients in whom abnormalities are not revealed by conventional radiography.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

In vitro fertilization rate of horse oocytes with partially removed zonae.

Frozen-thawed ejaculated stallion spermatozoa were preincubated for 3 h in BO medium containing 5 mM caffeine and then treated with 0.1 micro M calcium ionophore A23187 for 60 sec. Aliquots of the sperm suspension (final concentration 1-2 x 10(7)/ml) were added to the oocytes which had been matured in vitro for 32 h. In Experiment 1, there were 3 groups of oocytes; cumulus intact, denuded zona-intact, and zona-free. Cumulus cells were removed with 0.5% hyaluronidase and the zona pellucida with 0.1% protease. The oocytes were fixed 20 h after insemination with acetic acid:ethanol (1:3) and stained with 1% orcein. The sperm penetration rate of zona-free oocytes was 83%, whereas the sperm penetration rate was very low (1 to 3%) in the cumulus-enclosed or zona-intact oocytes. In Experiment 2, denuded zona-intact oocytes were placed in PBS supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum 1 h before the end of in vitro maturation. The zona pellucida was micromanipulated with a metal microblade under x 100 magnification within 20 min of treatment with 0.3 M sucrose. For partial zona dissection, a slit in the zona pellucida was made. For partial zona removal, oocytes were transferred to protein-free PBS to fix the oocytes on the bottom of the Petri-dish and to remove a piece of the zona pellucida. Micromanipulated oocytes were subjected to in vitro fertilization as described above. Zona-intact and zona-free oocytes treated with sucrose solution for 20 min were used as controls. The penetration rates were 4 (2/57), 12 (7/58), 52 (31/60), and 86% (44/51) for zona-intact, partially zona dissected, partially zona removed, and zona-free oocytes, respectively. Proportions of oocytes with monospermic penetration were 100 (2/2), 57 (4/7), 58 (18/31), and 34% (15/44), respectively. In Experiment 3, sperm penetration and male pronucleus formation in the partially zona removed oocytes were examined at 2.5 to 20.0 h of insemination. Sperm penetration started 2.5 h post-insemination (22%, 11/49), and increased to 38% (21/55) at 5 h, to 46% (23/50) at 10 h, and to 56% (27/48) at 20 h. The transformation of sperm heads into male pronuclei was first observed 10 h post insemination. These results indicate that assisted fertilization techniques may be a useful tool for achieving fertilization and embryo production in vitro in horses.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Preservation of ejaculated and epididymal stallion spermatozoa by cooling and freezing.

The suitability of ejaculated and epididymal stallion spermatozoa for cooled storage (5 degrees C) and cryopreservation was examined in 5 ejaculates from each of 6 stallions and in spermatozoa recovered from the cauda epididymidis after castration of these stallions. The percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa, examined by subjective estimation (cooled samples) or by computerized analysis (frozen-thawed samples), was used as parameter. In ejaculated semen samples containing 5 and 25% seminal plasma in a skim milk glucose extender, the lower amount of seminal plasma supported spermatozoal motility significantly better throughout storage at 5 degrees C. Addition of 5 or 25% seminal plasma to perfused epididymal spermatozoa (0% seminal plasma) resulted in a significant stimulation of spermatozoal motility by 25% seminal plasma at 0 h (P<0.05) and to a lesser extent at 24 and 48 h. Post-thaw motility of ejaculated as well as epididymal spermatozoa was not influenced by slow cooling to 15 degrees or 5 degrees C with or without glycerol prior to rapid freezing in liquid nitrogen vapor. During cooled storage, seminal plasma had a stimulatory effect on epididymal spermatozoa and depressed motility in ejaculated spermatozoa. Results on cryopreservation indicate that freezability of equine spermatozoa is already determined when spermatozoa leave the tail of the epididymis.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Pregnancies following transfer of equine embryos cryopreserved by vitrification.

The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo developmental abilities of equine embryos cryopreserved by vitrification. Twenty-eight embryos were recovered from Native pony and Thoroughbred mares at Days 5 to 7 by nonsurgical uterine flushing (detection of ovulation=Day 0). The vitrification solution contained 40% ethylene glycol, 18% Ficoll, and 0.3 M sucrose in PBS. The embryos were placed for 1 to 2 min in vitrification solution (Group 1) or following exposure to 20% ethylene glycol in PBS for 10 to 20 min (Groups 2 and 3). Single embryos were loaded in 0.25-ml straws, cooled for 1 min in liquid nitrogen vapor and immersed in liquid nitrogen. Straws were warmed in water (20 degrees C, 20 sec), and the contents were expelled with 0.5 M sucrose in PBS. Then the sucrose was diluted in 1-step (Groups 1 and 2) or 4-steps (Group 3). Embryos (n=21) were cultured for 120 h in TCM199 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2 in air and evaluated morphologically. Development to the hatching or hatched blastocyst stage was obtained in 0 7 , 4 7 and 4 7 embryos in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. An additional 7 embryos were vitrified-warmed according to the treatment of Group 2 (4 embryos) and Group 3 (3 embryos). Five embryos were selected after in vitro culture for 4 h and were transferred nonsurgically into the uterine horn of Day-4 recipient mares. Transfer of 2 embryos (both Day-6 blastocysts: Group-2 treatment) resulted in pregnancies with a viable fetus at Day-60 of the gestation period.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Cryopreservation of equine oocytes by 2-step freezing.

Immature equine oocytes were frozen-thawed with ethylene glycol (EG), 1,2-propanediol (PD) or glycerol (GL) in PBS and cultured to assess the rate of in vitro maturation (Experiment 1). Compact-cumulus oocyte complexes were collected from slaughterhouse ovaries and equilibrated for 10 min in the freezing medium containing 10% (V/V) cryoprotectant and 0.1 M sucrose. The 0.25-ml straws, loaded with 10 to 30 oocytes, were seeded at -6 degrees C and cooled to -35 degrees C at 0.3 degrees C/min before being plunged into liquid nitrogen. The straws were thawed rapidly in a 37 degrees C waterbath for 20 sec. The proportions of frozen-thawed oocytes reaching Metaphase II (MII) stage after in vitro maturation of 32 h were 15.8% (EG), 5.8% (PD) and 0% (GL), while 63.3% of the nonfrozen control oocytes matured in vitro. The fertilizing ability of immature and mature oocytes after freezing in EG was tested by the insemination of zona-free oocytes with stallion spermatozoa (Experiment 2). Spermatozoa were preincubated for 3 h with 5 mM caffeine, treated with 0.1 mu M ionophore A23187, and inseminated for 20 h at the concentration of 1 to 2 x 10(7)/ml with 6 to 10 oocytes in 50 mu l of Brackett and Oliphant (BO) medium. Immature oocytes (Group 1) were matured in vitro after thawing and then their zona pellucida removed using 0.5% protease. The zona of mature oocytes were removed immediately after thawing (Group 2) or maturation (nonfrozen controls). The oocytes, which had mechanically damaged plasma membrane or lost by artifact, were not examined for insemination. Significantly more control oocytes exhibited a polar body at the time of insemination (53.5%) than either frozen-thawed immature or mature oocytes (25.8 and 27.3%, respectively). Similar proportion of frozen-thawed and control oocytes were penetrated by spermatozoa (71.8 to 79.1%) and exhibited 2 or more pronuclei (73.6 to 80.8%). The mean numbers of spermatozoa per penetrated oocyte were 1.9, 3.0 and 2.5, respectively, for Groups 1 and 2 and for the control oocytes. These results indicate that immature equine oocytes mature to the MII stage in vitro following freezing and thawing in EG or PD but not in GL. Stallion spermatozoa can penetrate zona-free immature and mature oocytes following freezing/thawing in EG and form morphologically normal pronuclei.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

[Rheumatoid arthritis of the hand. The initial results with 31-phosphorus MR spectroscopy].

The aim of this study was to demonstrate metabolic changes in the small joints of the hand due to rheumatoid arthritis by means of 31-phosphorus spectroscopy. Suitable measurements were developed and 11 normals and 12 patients were then examined during the course of treatment. Relative concentration of low energy phosphorus metabolites was increased in arthritic joints. The phospholipid quotient (phosphomonoester/phosphodiester) and the relationship of inorganic phosphate and beta-nucleoside triphosphate were significant factors during the course of individual treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Individualized care alternatives used in the process of removing physical restraints in the nursing home.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the individualized care alternatives used during the process of removing physical restraints in a nursing home. DESIGN: Descriptive survey. SETTING: A non-profit geriatric long-term care facility. SUBJECTS: Sixty-three physically restrained residents (mean age = 85.3 years). MEASURES: Information regarding the different care alternatives used to replace physical restraints was obtained from the Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist implementing the process of removing restraints. RESULTS: The physical restraints of six of the 63 participants were removed without implementing any care alternative. With the remaining 57 participants, an average of 3.3 different care alternatives were used (range 1-7 care alternatives). Environmental alternatives (such as wheelchair adaptations and alternative seating) were used with 86% of the restrained residents; alterations in nursing care (such as additional supervision and toileting schedules) were used with 77% of the participants. Psychosocial and physiological alternatives, as well as the use of structured activities, were used less frequently. At the end of the study period, five residents remained restrained. CONCLUSIONS: This papers shows the complexity of the process of removing physical restraints in the nursing home. The need of an individualized approach is stressed.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Chlamydia pneumoniae--a new causative agent of reactive arthritis and undifferentiated oligoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether reactive arthritis (ReA) known to occur after a urogenital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can also follow an infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae, a recently described species of Chlamydiae that is a common cause of respiratory tract infections. METHODS: Specific antibodies (microimmunofluorescence test) and lymphocyte proliferation to C trachomatis and C pneumoniae in paired samples of peripheral blood and synovial fluid were investigated in 70 patients with either reactive arthritis (ReA) or undifferentiated oligoarthritis (UOA). RESULTS: Five patients with acute ReA after an infection with C pneumoniae are reported. Three had a symptomatic preceding upper respiratory tract infection and two had no such symptoms. In all patients a C pneumoniae-specific lymphocyte proliferation in synovial fluid and a high specific antibody titre suggesting an acute infection was found. CONCLUSION: C pneumoniae needs to be considered a new important cause of reactive arthritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Oxidative metabolism of pulmonary phagocytes in acute pneumonia.

The oxidative response of activated phagocytes is a primary host defense mechanism in pneumonia, but is in addition capable of causing tissue damage. We evaluated amount and significance of the local oxidant production in immunocompetent and immunocompromised pneumonia patients; the relative contribution of neutrophils and alveolar macrophages to the total oxidant load was differentiated using chemiluminescence (CL) with different amplifiers. Luminol-enhanced CL correlated to neutrophil percentage and myeloperoxidase levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage and was markedly increased in both pneumonia groups. Lucigenin-enhanced CL was produced by both phagocyte types and not significantly increased. In both pneumonia groups elevated levels of serum proteins indicated severe alveolocapillary leakage. In conclusion the oxidative response in acute pneumonia was mainly due to neutrophil recruitment and activation; this defense mechanism was preserved even in severely immunocompromised patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of protein-antiproteinase imbalance in bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with pneumonia.

In order to clarify the mode of inactivation of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1-PI) in pneumonia, 21 immunocompetent patients and 19 immunocompromised patients with acute pneumonia (Groups I and II) were studied. Nine patients successfully treated for pneumonia and 10 healthy volunteers served as controls (Groups III and IV, respectively). The concentrations of alpha 1-PI, elastase and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined using a luminometric assay. Elastase inhibition capacity was determined using a colorimetric assay. Thus, the functional activity of alpha 1-PI was calculated. Both elastase and MPO were significantly higher in group I, when compared with the other groups. The mean concentration of alpha 1-PI was significantly higher in patients with acute pneumonia (Group I 13 mg.l-1, Group II 4.22 mg.l-1) than in Groups III and IV (2.65 and 0.33 mg.l-1, respectively), whereas, the proportion of active alpha 1-PI was significantly lower in Group I than in the other groups. Only a small proportion was present as a complex with elastase (ca. 5.9%) or in oxidised form (ca. 4.8%), 85% of alpha 1-PI was irreversibly proteolyzed. This resulted in free elastase activity in 7 of the 40 patients (18%) with acute pneumonia. We conclude that functional activity of alpha 1-PI is markedly impaired due to irreversible proteolysis in acute pneumonia, despite high immunological concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is upregulated on alveolar macrophages from AIDS patients.

In acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, alveolar macrophages (AMs) have an increased ability to serve as accessory cells during the generation of an immune response. In addition to soluble mediators, like cytokines, molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and adhesion molecules, like intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), play a major role in the regulation of these cellular interactions. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique and immunocytochemical staining, we investigated ICAM-1 and human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) expression on AMs from 20 AIDS (HIV+) patients in context with other parameters of macrophage activation, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) secretion and the release of superoxide anion, comparing the results to a group of healthy volunteers. In addition, we quantified soluble ICAM-1 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) using a commercially available kit. We found a nearly twofold increase in ICAM-1 expression (0.81 +/- 0.30 (SD) versus 0.42 +/- 0.12 ELISA units (EU) (mean +/- SD)), whilst the number of HLA-DR+ AMs was slightly decreased in AIDS-patients (80 +/- 5 versus 89 +/- 3%). Furthermore, soluble ICAM-1 in the BALF of these patients was significantly increased (41.9 +/- 26.1 versus 19.1 +/- 5.1 ng.ml-1). ICAM-1 levels on AMs in the patient group correlated strongly with the sodium fluoride triggered release of superoxide anion (O2-) but not with the spontaneous secretion of TNF-alpha by AMs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1994

Comparison of an immunoradiometric and an immunoluminometric assay for the evaluation of the tumour associated antigens CA 19-9 and CA 125.

We evaluated the levels of CA 19-9 and CA 125 in the sera of healthy individuals, patients with non-neoplastic diseases known to produce elevated serum concentrations of CA 19-9 and CA 125, and patients with malignant tumours. The serum concentrations determined with an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) and an immunoluminometric assay (ILMA) were compared. The accuracy was determined (as far as this is possible in the absence of reference method values), as well as the precision (intra-assay variation and inter-assay variation), using internal and external controls. The serum concentrations were comparable in both test systems (coefficient of correlation, Kendall's Tau of CA 19-9: 0.88, p < 0.001; CA 125: 0.87, p < 0.001). The linearity of both assays was excellent when serum samples were diluted (r > 0.98 in all assays tested). The intra-assay variation of CA 19-9 IRMA was less than that of CA 19-9 ILMA, and was comparable for CA 125 in both assays. The coefficients of variation of duplicates were nearly independent of the antigen concentration within the range 20-1000 kU/l (mean CV CA 19-9: 3.7% and 3.9% for IRMA and ILMA, respectively; mean CV CA 125: 3.9% and 5.6% for IRMA and ILMA, respectively). In the assay of external controls, the performance of the IRMAs was found to be slightly better than that of the ILMAs, but it was not satisfactory. We conclude that, with some improvements in quality control, luminescence assays are a possible alternative to isotopic assays in the clinical laboratory.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1994

A rapid semiautomatical enzyme linked immunoassay identifying intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on the alveolar macrophage surface.

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a member of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily, is a cytokine-inducible adhesion molecule, which plays a central role in leukocyte migration into sites of acute or chronic inflammation. In this article we describe a sandwich immunoenzymometric method which allows rapid, semiquantitative (in "enzyme immunoassay units", EU) identification of ICAM-1 on the surface of alveolar macrophages. We evaluated this method in two groups of patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis (n = 12) or bacterial pneumonia (n = 11) and a group of healthy volunteers (n = 6), comparing the results with those obtained by immunocytochemical staining. ICAM-1 expression on the sarcoid alveolar macrophages surface was significantly elevated, as compared with control alveolar macrophages (0.76 EU +/- 0.27 vs. 0.44 EU +/- 0.12, p < 0.01). ICAM-1 expression on the surface of alveolar macrophages from patients with pneumonia was not elevated (0.48 EU +/- 0.35). Stimulation with tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or interferon-gamma (100 kU/l) led to a significant induction of ICAM-1 on the surface of control alveolar macrophages (0.76 EU +/- 0.18, p < 0.005 for TNF-alpha, 0.64 EU +/- 0.10, p < 0.005 for interferon-gamma), whereas alveolar macrophages from both patient groups did not respond to cytokines even at high dosages. ICAM-1 expression on the surface of alveolar macrophages from patients with sarcoidosis correlated with the spontaneous release of TNF-alpha by macrophages (R = 0.77, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗