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Biomedical subjects

J Dressler

Publications and source records attributed to J Dressler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Sequence of melanocyte migration into human scar tissue.

Scars of human skin can on occasions provide a very useful ancillary method of identification of an unknown deceased. If the age of any visible scars can be estimated objectively, then this might be of some assistance in the identification procedure. Melanocytes migrate into scar tissue as it ages and their number within the epidermal basal layers alters during the maturation of a scar. A total of 64 scar samples, all from previous surgical sites, were taken in the course of autopsies. Each scar was stained by the H & E method and by an immunohistochemical method using polyclonal S100 antibody. The number of melanocytes in the basal layer was counted in the epidermis overlying the scar and in the adjacent epidermis. This ratio was matched with the documented age of the scar and a statistical evaluation was carried out matching the chronological age of the scars to the melanocyte/basal epidermal cells ratio. Scars with a duration between 1 and 3 years showed a mean ratio of 1.85 and a maximum ratio of 1.94, 1.8 years after a surgical operation. The number of basal melanocytes declined thereafter and reached that of the adjacent epidermis after about 10 years. The immunohistochemical detection of melanocytes can be used for the diagnostic ageing of scars which may be a valuable contribution to improve the identification of unknown deceased persons.

Autopsy↗
PubMed2000

Expression of adhesion molecules in skin wounds: diagnostic value in legal medicine.

The adhesion molecules identified in recent years can help improve the diagnosis of the wound age, especially of injuries with a short survival time. This is also indicative of the vitality of the wounds. The material investigated in the study originated from 465 skin wounds. The samples were taken from human autopsy material, during the surgical treatment of wounds (excision) of patients and from experimental incised wounds of mice. To judge the age of skin wounds the endothelial adhesion molecules were detected in paraffin sections after autoclaving and using the ABC technique. Human skin wounds: strong positive staining was observed of ICAM-1 1.5 h at the earliest and 3.5 days at the latest, for the P-selectin 3 min at the earliest and 7 h at the latest, for the E-selectin 1 h at the earliest and 17 days at the latest and for VCAM-1 3 h at the earliest and 3.5 days at the latest after the time of injury. The L-selectin was expressed constitutively. Mice skin wounds: strong positive immunohistochemical reactions were found as a rule earlier than in human skin wounds. The detection of an increased expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and P- and E-selectins can improve the wound age assessment in injuries with short survival times.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Estimation of wound age and VCAM-1 in human skin.

To estimate the age of skin wounds, the endothelial adhesion molecule VCAM-1 (CD 106) was detected in paraffin sections after autoclaving and using the ABC technique. The percentage of VCAM-1 positive blood vessels was determined after the blood vessels had been marked with PECAM-1 (CD 31). Low positive staining reactions were observed for VCAM-1 on endothelial cells of uninjured skin in 18% of the samples. In injured skin, 51% of the cases investigated showed a VCAM-1 expression. Strong positive staining reactions were observed 3 h at the earliest and 3.5 days at the latest after the time of injury. The immunohistochemical results for VCAM-1 differed significantly between the injured and uninjured skin (P < 0.01). In a few cases VCAM-1 was detected (n = 6) at low intensity in postmortem skin wounds and a moderate to strong expression of VCAM-1 is indicative of the vitality of the wound. The detection of VCAM-1 can be used for estimating the age of wounds in forensic applications if the degree of expression of further adhesion molecules, especially that of selectins, is taken into account.

Forensic Medicine↗
PubMed1999

Human hypersensitivity angiitis: an uncommon cause of death after trauma.

INTRODUCTION: The article demonstrates, using a case report, that death following an accident may have rarely encountered causes that are not a direct result of trauma and that can only be detected by autopsy. CASE: An unconscious woman aged 57 years was admitted to hospital. Despite immediate surgery for intracranial haemorrhage diagnosed by means of cranial computed tomography, the patient died showing clinical symptoms of circulatory depression after a brief period of stabilisation. The autopsy established myocardial infarction with hypersensitivity angiitis as the cause of death. CONCLUSION: In this case, the authors hold the opinion that the intravenous application of antibiotics during the patient's stay in hospital resulted in hypersensitivity angiitis. The factors causing hypersensitivity angiitis, the morphological picture (clinical, histological) and therapeutic measures are described.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1998

Enhanced expression of selectins in human skin wounds.

The aim of the study was to characterize the vitality and age of skin wounds by the detection of selectins. A prospective study was conducted for this purpose in which 197 vital human skin wounds (time since injury ranging from 3 min to 790 days) were investigated immunohistologically. Of the samples tested, 97 were taken from autopsy material and 100 from patient material from the department of surgery at the university hospital. The selectins were detected in paraffin sections after autoclaving and using the ABC technique. The intensity was rated by a semi-quantitative evaluation using a four-stage ordinal scale. Strong positive immunohistochemical reactions were observed for the P-selectin 3 min at the earliest and 7 h at the latest after the time of injury. For the E-selectin a positive staining was evident I h at the earliest and 17 days at the latest from the time the skin was injured. The staining intensity decreased significantly after an interval of 12 h from the time of injury (P < 0.05). The L-selectin was regularly detected on leukocytes in the samples of injured skin. The immunohistochemical results for the P- and E-selectins were significantly different between injured and uninjured skin (P < 0.01). The expression of the selectins is indicative of the vitality of the wound. P-selectin was detected in a few cases (n=4) at low intensity while E-selectin could not be found in the control samples (n=31) of postmortem skin wounds. The use of P- and E-selectins for forensic purposes can help to achieve better estimates of the age of wounds with short survival times.

Female↗
PubMed1998

Screening of pharmaceuticals and drugs in synovial fluid of the knee joint and in vitreous humor by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA).

The investigations presented are aimed at testing whether ABBOTT's fluorescence polarization immunoassays for identification of drugs of abuse and pharmaceuticals in serum and urine are applicable to knee joint synovial fluid and vitreous humor. The survey confirms the general applicability of the tests to the respective body fluids without previous precipitation, only after liquefaction using hyaluronidase. The calculated cross-reactivities are shown in tables.

Cross Reactions↗
PubMed1997

Enhanced expression of ICAM-1 (CD 54) in human skin wounds: diagnostic value in legal medicine.

OBJECTIVE: It was the aim of this study to characterize the vitality and the age of skin wounds by verifying the presence of ICAM-1. MATERIAL: 132 intravital human skin wounds (time since injury 15 min-19 days) were investigated by immunohistochemistry. The samples were taken either after surgical treatment of the wounds or from autopsy cases. METHODS: CD 54 was detected in paraffin sections by monoclonal antibodies after an autoclaving pretreatment using the ABC peroxidase technique. RESULTS: In samples of uninjured skin (n = 30), ICAM-1 appeared at a low concentration on keratinocytes and the endothelial cells of blood vessels. In injured skin, an increase in the surface expression was found to occur initially after a post-trauma interval of 2 h. The evaluation was made on a semiquantitative basis. A moderate to strong ICAM-1 expression occurred in 80% of the wounds investigated. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of ICAM-1 correlates with the degree of wound inflammation, which may be considered as an early evidence of the vitality of the wound.

Forensic Medicine↗
PubMed1997

Time dependence of the expression of ICAM-1 (CD 54) in human skin wounds.

To characterize the vitality and age of skin wounds by means of the ICAM-1 pattern, 157 intravital human skin wounds (time since injury ranging from 5 min to 730 days) were immunohistochemically investigated. ICAM-1 was detected in paraffin sections after autoclaving and using the ABC technique in 86% of the wounds investigated. The correlation between ICAM-1 expression and the degree of wound inflammation is weak. Strong positive staining was observed 1.5 h at the earliest and 3.5 days at the latest after the time of injury. ICAM-1 also appeared at low concentrations in samples of uninjured skin (n = 65), on keratinocytes and the endothelial cells of blood vessels. Moderate to strong ICAM-1 expression is a valuable indication of the vitality of the wound. However, at present the detection of ICAM-1 alone is not sufficient to fix the wound age with the accuracy which is required for forensics applications.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Drugs in East Germany.

Germany was divided into two parts after World War II. The closed border and a nonconvertible currency in the Eastern part were the factors that did not allow a drug market to develop. Alcohol and medicaments were used as substitute drugs. Since Germany was reunified 5 years ago, there are now the same conditions prevailing for the procurement and sale of drugs in East Germany as there are in the Western German states. This report describes the current state of drug traffic, especially in Saxony, under the new social conditions.

Adult↗