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Biomedical subjects

J U Prause

Publications and source records attributed to J U Prause.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Temporal arteritis without histological changes].

A patient with severe giant cell arteritis with involvement of both eyes is presented. The symptoms were partly reversible by treatment with high doses of prednison. Three months previously (having symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica) she had started treatment with a low dosage of prednison. Biopsies of both temporal arteries showed no signs of giant cell arteritis at that time, and the results of eye examinations were normal. The importance of follow-up on patients with symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica, even if biopsies of the temporal arteries show no histological changes, is emphasised.

Aged

[Choroid melanoma. A retrospective randomized comparative study of ruthenium irradiation vs enucleation].

A randomized retrospective study concerning survival of Ruthenium treatment and enucleation in melanoma patients has been performed. For 112 patients from Hamburg who underwent Ruthenium therapy individual match partners were selected in Copenhagen where during the same period of time enucleation was the standard procedure. Selection took place concerning patient's age and sex at the time of treatment, initial tumor volume and the time of treatment. The present status of the patients was not known during the selection process. During the observation time of 12 years there was a survival rate after irradiation of 77.9% and after enucleation of 78.6%. Cox' regression disclosed a coefficient of 0.049 with a standard aviation of 0.293 and a P-value of 0.867. All parameters were showing no statistical difference between Ruthenium treated and enucleated patients. The survival rate in males was 69.2%, female patients 87.2%. For male patients there was a 2,4-fold higher risk to develop metastasis compared with female patients. Patient's age at the time of treatment correlated significantly with the prognosis. There was an increase in mortality risk by factor 1.4 per decade.

Aged

Immunologically induced purulent anterior segment inflammation of the guinea pig eye.

A single conjunctival application of ovalbumin to inbred guinea pigs (IMM/S 209) immunized with the same antigen in Freund's complete adjuvant provoked an acute purulent inflammation of the anterior segment of the eyes with a duration of up to 1 week. Intense conjunctival injection and chemosis were followed by a purulent discharge. A corneal haze was observed regularly, and a considerable proportion of the animals developed a pronounced pannus and corneal ulcers. Tear fluid cytology revealed a rapid increase in cell concentration, from the normal level (less than 10(8)/l) to greater than 10(11)/l. Seventy to 95% of the cells were polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Histological examination revealed an acute inflammatory reaction which radiated from the conjunctival fornices to the entire anterior segments of the eyes. The process was characterized by an intense oedema, vasodilation and perivascular aggregations of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and to a lesser extent eosinophilic granulocytes which characteristically infiltrated and penetrated the epithelial layers. Neovascularization could be observed early after challenge in the stroma of all parts of the outer eye. Ulcerations of the conjunctival and corneal epithelia were observed frequently. After a number of reiterations of the antigenic challenge, a marked infiltration with lymphocytes and basophils/mast cells was observed, and significant scarring of the conjunctival mucosa developed. In several animals, a slight, but significant co-reaction of the contra-lateral, non-challenged eye was observed.

Acute Disease

An unusual ophthalmic tumour in a 5-year-old boy.

A rare tumour in a 5-year-old boy is presented and discussed. In time and location the story had two parts (Fig. 1): 1) a conjunctival granuloma at the nasal limbus of the right eye was surgically removed. 2) a few months later a huge lesion presented in the posterior segment of the same eye. Was it an ocular tumour with extension to the orbit or an orbital process with impression or invasion of the eye? Repeated surgical biopsies have indicated nodular scleritis of the posterior eye segment as the definitive diagnosis.

Child, Preschool

Histopathological changes in exocrine glands of murine transplantation chimeras. I: The development of Sjögren's syndrome-like changes secondary to GVH induced lupus syndrome.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a connective tissue disease characterized by general affection of exocrine glands. The three main components of SS are: dry eyes, dry mouth, and other connective tissue disease. When only two of these, dry eyes and dry mouth, are present, the disease is designated primary SS. In the presence of the third component, most commonly SLE or RA, with one or both of the two first components the disease is designated secondary SS. In murine transplantation chimeras, we have demonstrated the development of both primary and secondary SS depending upon the mouse strains used. We transferred large numbers of viable leucocytes from homozygotic donors to heterozygotic recipients. When DBA/2 mice were used as donors, a full-developed SLE-syndrome, with autoantibodies against native DNA, nuclear antigens, and red blood cells was observed. We found immune deposits in skin ("lupus band") and kidneys, immune complex glomerulonephritis (ICGN), proteinuria, ascites, and hepatosplenomegaly. In later stages, we found a generalized dacryoadenitis. In the kidneys we found interstitial nephritis, and occasionally "half-moon" nephritis. In skin, immune deposits were demonstrated in intercellular spaces. These findings are similar to those found in patients with Sjögren's syndrome secondary to SLE. The murine transplantation chimera is therefore an experimental model for spontaneous autoimmune diseases.

Animals

Histopathological changes in exocrine glands of murine transplantation chimeras. II: Sjögren's syndrome-like exocrinopathy in mice without lupus nephritis. A model of primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Autoimmune reactions are evoked in hybrid mice after induction of a chronic graft-versus-host reaction by transfer of viable leucocytes from one of the parental strains to non-irradiated F1 recipients. We have previously demonstrated an SLE-like syndrome early in the reaction, with an additional Sjögren's syndrome-like glandular affection occurring later. In this study, we used Balb/c mice as donors and Balb/cxCBA/H-T6 F1 hybrids as recipients. We found serum autoantibodies characteristic of SLE after 9 weeks but not after 20 weeks. No clinical signs of disease were seen at any time. After prolonged studies (5 months), we found heavy inflammation in Harderian, salivary, and tear glands. All animals survived the entire length of the experiment without signs of renal failure. The pathological manifestations: lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, and enlargement of lymph nodes, are similar to those seen in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. This murine transplantation chimera may be a useful experimental model for primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Animals

The normal human tear glycoprotein profile detected with lectin probes.

Tear samples were collected from 46 healthy volunteers evenly distributed according to sex and age (mean age 43.5 years). Samples were denatured in a Tris-HCl sample buffer containing 2-mercaptoethanol and SDS, and applied to a gradient SDS-polyacrylamide gel for electrophoresis. The proteinaceous material was transferred to nitrocellulose by a semi-dry blotting technique, and the glycoprotein content subsequently visualized by incubation with four lectins (WGA, PHA, PSA and SBA) and staining with avidin horseradish-peroxidase. Glycoprotein bands were generally found to be significantly less frequent in persons under the age of 30 years. Apart from this the technique gave a uniform picture of the glycoprotein profile, with only modest differences according to age and/or sex. The technique may therefore be suitable for the detection of differences in the glycoprotein composition indicative of disease.

Adolescent

Beneficial effect of sodium sucrose-sulfate on the ocular surface of patients with severe KCS in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Sucralfate (aluminium sucrose-sulfate), a well known gastric mucosal protectant, has been tested topically on 22 patients (20 females and 2 males) suffering from primary Sjögren's syndrome. Median treatment period was 6 months (range 1-19 months). Statistically significant improvement in the ocular surface condition was found judged from the reduction in Rose-Bengal score (P less than or equal to 0.00005). The beneficial effect appeared within the first 1-4 months of treatment. No adverse side effects were encountered.

Administration, Topical

Biochemical changes in rabbit sclera following destruction of pigment epithelium.

The long-term effect of destruction of the pigment epithelium by sodium iodate on the biochemistry of rabbit sclera was studied in one group with intravenous injection of sodium iodate, and in a second group with injection of sodium iodate into the right eye. Intravenous treatment produced a non-significant increase in the uronic acid concentration. In the second group the untreated fellow eye was microscopically intact, but was shown (as the treated eye) to alter the concentration of uronic acid in different parts of the sclera. All eyes from treated animals exhibited changes in the relative content of the various glycosaminoglycans and in the content of hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine and proline. This work indicates that the pigment epithelium may play a key role in the control mechanism of the scleral connective tissue, and this again has major implications in terms of a possible medical treatment of axial myopia.

Amino Acids

[Sociomedical aspects of primary Sjögren's syndrome].

Forty patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome were interviewed. Poor social conditions during adolescence were not predisposing factors. A significantly higher number of patients grew up in urban than in rural districts, but this difference may be because most of these patients were from Zealand. Patients over the age of 35 years had left school later than the normal population. The matrimonial status did not differ from the normal population, except that the patients had significantly fewer children. The first symptoms of disease were recorded at an age of 20-50 years by 73%. More than half of the patients employed at commencement of the disease had to give up, and received disability pensions or retired early. A number of patients found less demanding jobs. The reasons were extreme fatigue (54%), arthralgia (42%), ocular- (17%) or oral dryness (8%). Social isolation was a problem for many patients and about 50% reported psychological problems. Drug expenses were moderate, whereas dental treatment was often considered to be a major economic problem.

Adolescent

Immunoelectrophoretic determination of tear fluid proteins collected by the Schirmer I test.

Using reservoirs containing 50 microliters of antigen solution in combination with a micro-modification of the electroimmunoassay a detection limit of 0.05 ng applied in 400 microliters corresponding to 0.125 ng/ml has been achieved. Tear fluid eluate from Schirmer paper strips has been tested in the assay. The eluation procedure failed to extract all tear proteins as 32 ng were left in the paper. Despite the loss, experiments have shown the method to be suitable for immunological determination of tear proteins collected by the Shirmer I test.

Eye Proteins

Morphological, histochemical and X-ray microanalytical examination of deposits on soft contact lenses in extended wearing.

The deposits on 29 contact lenses of various water content from 20 wearers were analysed by the methods given in the title. Six lenses were used as bandage lenses, the remaining for optical correction. The age of the patients varied from 7 to 56 years, two-thirds being under 45 years. Wearing time had been from 1 week to 1 year, with an average of 13 weeks. The results obtained by the methods applied showed that calcium was present in just over two-thirds of the cases (20/29), other elements being infrequent. Mucopolysaccharides were found in just under two-thirds (18/29). Chlorine was present in one-fifth of the cases. No significant amounts of lipid were detected. Fungi were found in three cases (3/29). Bacteria were also found in these cases, but never without fungi. Evaluation of the methods applied showed that the methods of choice were macroscopical examination and scanning microscopy in combination with X-ray microanalysis, in a few cases combined with histochemistry. None of the methods applied is sufficient for protein analysis.

Adolescent

Effects of different cyclophosphamide treatment schedules on collagen and collagenolytic activity in granulation tissue.

Cyclophosphamide was injected intraperitoneally into rats in doses of 6 or 10 mg/kg/day. The controls had daily intraperitoneal injections of physiological saline. After 14 days of treatment, granulation tissue was produced by subcutaneous implantation of viscose cellulose sponges. The treatment with cyclophosphamide and physiological saline was continued in different sequences for a further one or two 14-day periods. The rats were killed 14 or 28 days after the sponge implantation. Cyclophosphamide caused a decrease in body weight, in the number of leucocytes, in granuloma dry weight and in the granuloma content of free OH-proline while the water percentage increased. Ten mg/kg/day of cyclophosphamide had a more pronounced effect than 6 mg/kg/day. The results are consistent with an inhibitory effect of cyclophosphamide on granuloma formation and on the degradation of collagen. Accordingly, measurements of collagenolytic activity in granulation tissue after culture in vitro suggested an inhibition of collagenolysis after cyclophosphamide treatment. No effect of pretreatment was observed, and the effect of cyclophosphamide was independent of whether cyclophosphamide was given during the early or late phase of granulation tissue production.

Animals

Collagenolysis of rat tail tendons by crude corneal collagenase and clostridiopeptidase A.

An experimental apparatus, which uses freshly collected, nondenatured rat tail tendons as substrate against crude corneal collagenase from alkali-burned rabbit corneas and clostridiopeptidase A, is introduced. The apparatus makes it possible to compare the collagenolytic activity of the two enzymes directly on intact connective tissue similar to intact corneal tissue. It was found that the two enzymes were able to reduce the tensile strength of rat tail tendons to less than 100 g in less than 5 h. The two enzymes attacked the tendons in structurally the same manner, estimated from a statistical model. The conclusion drawn is that crude corneal collagenase can degradate intact connective tissue indicating that it can attack the intact cornea.

Animals