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Biomedical subjects

L Danielsen

Publications and source records attributed to L Danielsen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Antigen-free diet in adult patients with atopic dermatitis. A double-blind controlled study.

The efficacy of an antigen-free diet on the activity of atopic dermatitis was examined in a double-blind study, comprising 33 adults with severe atopic dermatitis. The antigen-free diet (Vivasorb) was compared to a placebo diet during three weeks of hospitalization. Twenty-five patients were evaluable, two of whom had their diet stopped after a few days due to exacerbation. Nine patients improved, while 16 patients were unchanged. Among those who improved five patients had Vivasorb and four placebo diet. In the remaining group 11 patients had Vivasorb and five had placebo. Four patients reported of less pruritus, sleeplessness and antihistamine consumption (three Vivasorb, one placebo) while 21 did not (13 Vivasorb, eight placebo). Thus, there were no significant differences between the groups. Paraclinical studies of circulating eosinophilocytes, serum IgE, orosomucoid, HLA-antigens, and immunofluorescence of skin biopsies showed no differences between the Vivasorb and the placebo groups. The results from the examination of this relatively small number of patients suggest that elementary intolerance plays little role in the etiology of atopic dermatitis in adults.

Adolescent↗

Tracing the use of torture: electrically induced calcification of collagen in pig skin.

Reports of the use of electrical torture are usually denied, so that there is an urgent need of diagnostic methods to distinguish the consequences of electrical torture from other superficial injuries. The 'electrical group' of Anti-Torture Research (ATR) has accordingly studied the possibility of distinguishing between the sequelae of electrical and heat injury. Among the reported differences of the two types of injuries is the occurrence in epidermis, vessel walls and sweat glands of vesicular nuclei exclusively in electrically injured skin. On the basis of experiments with anaesthetized pigs, we now report that the late sequelae of electrical injury appear to include the deposition of calcium salts beneath the area of an electrical cathode.

Aggression↗

The effect of direct current, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid on pig epidermis. A light microscopic and electron microscopic study.

Lesions in pig skin were induced by direct current, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide, and the morphology of the lesions was compared in order to establish the influence of electrolysis in the electrical lesions. Both light microscopically and electron microscopically a pronounced similarity was found between cathode lesions and base-induced lesions including the presence of vesicular nuclei in both kinds of lesions. Some features were also common to anode lesions and acid induced lesions, but dissimilarities were present as well. From the results it is concluded that electrolysis in the tissue with the subsequent shift of pH, especially towards the alkaline side, is responsible for the formation of the vesicular nuclei which we repeatedly have found to be characteristic of electrical skin lesions. The shift of pH also induces the cytoplasmic feature called "white necrosis" which therefore is found more regularly in electrical lesions than in heat lesions.

Animals↗

Epidermal changes in heat and electrically injured pig skin. A light microscopic study of the influence of heat energy intensity and electrical current frequency.

Pigs were exposed to heat of low and high temperature and electricity of various frequences. Comparable amounts of energy were transferred in all experiments. In lesions induced by heat of low temperature granularity and/or fibrillarity of the cytoplasm were present in the epidermal cells. Lesions induced by heat of high temperature had a similar appearance, but occasionally "white necrosis", defects in the epithelium and light yellow material in stratum corneum were present. Lesions induced by 100.000 hz alternating current were segmental but otherwise microscopically often indistinguishable from lesions produced via transfer of heat of low temperature. Lesions induced by 8000 hz and 59 hz alternating current were segmental. Vesicular nuclei, "white necrosis" and yellow, clumped keratin were present in most lesions. Anode areas in direct current induced lesions showed a shrunken epidermis. The cytoplasm of the epidermal cells were often eosinophilic and homogeneous, and the nuclei were small with condensed chromatin. Occasionally, "empty" nuclei were noted. Yellow, clumped keratin was presented in all lesions. In cathode areas epidermis was of varying thickness and "white necrosis" and vesicular nuclei were present. The pathogenesis of the individual morphological features is discussed based upon theoretical concepts and the difference in morphology of the various lesions encountered in the present study as well as in other studies in this series of experiments. It is concluded that except for lesions produced via transfer of high frequency alternating current the morphology of electrical lesions is specific. Further, an alleged torture instrument was able to produce lesions similar to those observed in the experimental studies.

Animals↗

Epidermal changes in heat and electrically injured pig skin: a light microscopic study of the sequences in morphology.

Biopsies were obtained from heat and electrically exposed pig skin at different at different times after exposure, in order to describe the morphological sequences in heat and electrically injured skin. The work is part of a series of studies in which it is investigated whether morphological methods can be used in disclosing electrical torture. Epidermal changes in heat lesions differed from those of electrical lesions in all experiments. Heat lesions typically showed a detached epidermis with fibrillar or granular cytoplasm. In older lesions the epidermis appeared concrete. Electrical lesions showed an attached epidermis with small defects, a white, homogeneous cytoplasm, vesicular nuclei and curled, clumped keratin. The electrical lesions were rejected at day 4 or 5. The number of characteristic morphological changes in epidermis decreased with the age of the lesions. It is concluded that epidermal electrical lesions differ in morphology from heat lesions and that it is possible to evaluate the age of the lesions.

Animals↗

Torture sequelae located to the skin.

Torture sequelae and associated diagnostic problems within the field of dermatology are reported. Patient 1 claimed to have been subjected to torture in 1973 in South America and reported that he had a thick rubber-like rope tied around each thigh just above the knees. Six years later a linear zone of alopecia was observed extending circularly around each thigh, probably representing cicatricial alopecia. Patient 2 claimed to have been subjected to torture in November 1978 in Iraq and reported that he was burned on several areas of the skin with a metal rod of the size and shape of a cigarette. One year later, several circular or serpiginous scars with a markedly atrophic centre and a narrow hypertrophic, distinctly demarcated peripheral zone were observed on the skin. They probably represent the sequelae to deep third-degree burns produced by an electrically heated, cylindrical metal rod. Patient 3 claimed to have been subjected to torture in July and August 1974 in India. She reported to have been burned on several areas of the skin with a cigar as well as lifted by her hair. A few days after the torture she developed transient features typical of traction alopecia in the scalp, including the appearance of pimples. The examination 6 years later revealed on the extremities two irregularly shaped and indistinctly demarcated scars, one of them slightly atrophic, which might be sequelae to burns produced by an ember from a cigar.

Adult↗

Characterization of an amyloid fibril protein from localized amyloidosis of the skin as lambda immunoglobulin light chains of variable subgroup I (A lambda I).

Amyloid fibrils obtained from a case (Hud) of localized, tumorous amyloidosis of the skin were investigated by immunological and biochemical methods including amino acid sequence studies. Evidence was obtained that a lambda immunoglobulin light chain protein, A lambda I, and differently sized N terminal fragments (mol. wt 14,000 and 10,000) of the same protein comprised a major component of the fibrils. The chemical nature of this protein suggested that this case of cutaneous amyloidosis belonged to the idiopathic form of amyloidosis, probably as a special type of systemic, idiopathic amyloid disease.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Apatite crystals in pseudoxanthoma elasticum: a combined study using electron microscopy and selected area diffraction analysis.

Calcium deposits in elastic fibers of involved skin of patients suffering from pseudoxanthoma elasticum have previously been reported. In the present work, the crystalline structure and composition were studied. Involved skin was obtained from 5 patients. Bright-field and dark-field electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction of the calcium deposits were applied. The study demonstrates calcium apatite crystals.

Apatites↗

Ultrastructural changes in disseminated connective tissue nevi.

Skin biopsy specimens from a patient with disseminated connective tissue nevi and from her son and daughter who had no such clinical alterations were studied with the electron microscope. The nevi showed increased amounts of thick elastic fibres, which were composed of irregularly arranged, often finger-like, subunits surrounded by a thready material. Both structures probably represent malformed components of elastic fibres, the thready material representing malformed elastic fibrils. Many of the collagen fibrils showed increased diameters and twistings, which alterations are believed to represent malformation of collagen. The fibroblasts showed changes which might be related to a pathological protein synthesis. Examination of biopsy specimens from normal skin of the patient and from the skin of her son and daughter failed to demonstrate similar alterations. The present case is regarded as an entity, distinct from dermatofibrosis lenticularis disseminata and from shagreen patch.

Adult↗

Ultrastructure of localized myxedema.

Five biopsies from three patients with localized myxedema were studied by electron microscopy. The dermis showed an overwhelming accumulation of microfibrils with knobs (acid glycosaminoglycans) and an amorphous material containing glycoprotein. Furthermore, evidence of degradation without new formation of collagen fibrils was found. Considerable numbers of mast cells with various types of granules, fibroblasts with dilated granular endoplasmic reticulum, and macrophages were seen in the mucinous areas.

Adult↗

Ultrastructural changes in scleromyxedema.

Skin biopsy specimens from a 60-year-old patient with paraproteinemia and generalized changes of the skin typical of scleromyxedema were studied with the electron microscope. The dermis was dominated by collagen fibrils and accumulations of peculiar connective tissue cells, while elastic tissue was sparse and in some areas completely absent. Large, sharply demarcated areas of a filamentous material were occasionally observed. The collagen fibrils were often surrounded by thin filaments with a periodic segmentation and by many glycosaminoglycan (mucopolysaccharide) filaments. The elastic fibres contained large amounts of elastic fibrils and small amounts of a homogenous matrix. The cytoplasm of the above-mentioned cells was dominated by lysosomes in different stages of development, often occupying almost all the cytoplasmic area. The collagen fibrils were found in close relation to these cells, frequently inside invaginations of the cells. Furthermore, collagen fibrils were observed free in the cytoplasmic area and inside the lysosomes, indicating lysosomal degradation of collagen.

Cell Membrane↗