Biomedical subjects

O Brawman-Mintzer

Publications and source records attributed to O Brawman-Mintzer.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Phenomenology and course of psychiatric disorders associated with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Studies indicate that chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently associated with other psychiatric disorders. Questions regarding the nature and interrelationships of these conditions require clarification. The purpose of this study was to address primary and secondary illness relationships by focusing on the specific phenomenology and course of illness onset of PTSD comorbidity. METHOD: In order to minimize confounding factors, only outpatients without recent substance use disorders were included. Sixty subjects who had been exposed to severe combat stress including veterans of Vietnam and veterans of World War II or Korea, 15 of whom were former prisoners of war, received structured assessments over serial evaluations. RESULTS: PTSD was the most prevalent lifetime disorder followed by major depression, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobic disorder or symptoms. Endogenous-appearing features overlapping other clinical populations were common; however, some specific symptom patterns also were suggestive of traumatic influence. Unlike generalized anxiety disorder and past substance use, the mean onset of phobias, major depression, and panic disorder, respectively, occurred later than PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that persistent conditions related to PTSD progress toward symptoms that are increasingly autonomous in their pattern of occurrence.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Distribution of complement in the sclera.

In the present study, we compared hemolytic activities of C1, C4, C2, C3, C5, C6 and C7 in the anterior and posterior sclera. Additionally, we used radial immunodiffusion to measure levels of Factor B, IgG, IgA and albumin in the anterior and posterior sclera. Except for C1, complement levels were significantly higher in the posterior than anterior sclera. Additionally, levels of immunoglobulins as well as albumin were significantly higher in the posterior than anterior sclera. These results suggest that the posterior sclera has a better adjacent vascular supply than the anterior sclera. On the other hand, the results of this study show that the anterior sclera has more C1, the recognition unit of the classical pathway, than the posterior sclera. Because there is nearly twice as much C1 in the anterior sclera, it may be easier for antigen-antibody complexes, whether formed in the sclera itself or derived from the neighboring vessels, to set off the complement cascade in the anterior sclera. This finding may help explain why scleritis associated with immune complex disease is more common in the anterior than posterior sclera.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

The complement system in sclera.

Sclera from donor globes was eluted in phosphate-buffered saline at 4 degrees C for 24 hr. Hemolytic assays were used to measure functional C1, C4, C2, C3, C5 and C6 in scleral eluates. Radial immunodiffusion was used to measure Factor B, a component of the alternative complement pathway, and albumin in scleral eluates. Molecular weight appeared to be a factor in determining the hemolytic activities of complement components C1-C6 in the sclera, because complement components with higher molecular weights had lower percentages of hemolytic activity in sclera relative to serum, while complement components with lower molecular weights had higher levels of hemolytic activity in sclera relative to serum. The sclera contains complement which could be activated by immune complexes that may be important in the pathogenesis of scleritis.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Immunological complications of soft contact lenses.

Immunologic reactions may be the basis of some complications associated with the use of soft contact lenses. In the case of giant papillary conjunctivitis, the antigen causing the problem is not known but is presumed to be protein adherent to the lenses. Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis and dendritic corneal lesions related to soft contact lenses are associated with thimerosal, but occlusive patch tests do not demonstrate consistent delayed hypersensitivity responses to this preservative in these patients, suggesting that a toxic response may be involved. The association of corneal infiltrates and conjunctival hyperemia with delayed hypersensitivity to thimerosal probably represents the strongest immunologic association to date. These patients consistently show delayed hypersensitivity reactions to thimerosal in occlusive patch tests and intradermal tests.

Conjunctival Diseases↗

PubMed1987

Corneal antibody levels to ribitol teichoic acid in rabbits immunized with staphylococcal antigens using various routes.

Although Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of infectious diseases of the eye and hypersensitivity lesions of the cornea, little is known about ocular immunity to this pathogen. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we measured antibody titers to ribitol teichoic acid, the major antigenic determinant of S. aureus, in corneas as well as serum and tears after immunizing rabbits using the following routes: intradermal injection of cell wall mixed with complete Freund's adjuvant, subconjunctival injection of cell wall mixed with complete Freund's adjuvant, topical application of cell wall to the eye or topical application of viable S. aureus to the eye. IgG titers to ribitol teichoic acid were found consistently in corneas after intradermal and subconjunctival immunization with cell wall and topical immunization with viable S. aureus. After intradermal immunization with cell wall, IgG titers in cornea were higher than tears but lower than serum, which was presumably the source of the IgG antibodies for the cornea. After subconjunctival immunization with cell wall or topical immunization with viable S. aureus, IgG titers in corneas were higher than tears and generally higher than serum, suggesting that the ocular tissues were a local source of IgG. On the other hand, IgA titers to ribitol teichoic acid were found in tears but not in serum and were found only occasionally in corneas, suggesting that IgG responses to staphylococcal antigens may be more important than IgA responses in the cornea. The results of this study suggest that corneal antibodies to ribitol teichoic acid may be influenced by exposure to staphylococcal antigens not only in the external eye but also at sites remote from the eye.

Administration, Topical↗