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Biomedical subjects

S Shuster

Publications and source records attributed to S Shuster.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Impaired contact hypersensitivity in untreated psoriasis and the effects of photochemotherapy and dithranol/UV-B.

Cell mediated immune reactivity was studied in eighty-five psoriasis patients and twenty-five healthy controls by an improved (quantitative) method for measuring contact hypersensitivity to 2,4 dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). Patients were sensitized with 50 micrograms DNCB, the lowest dose found to sensitize all healthy subjects. Responses to epicutaneous challenge with a series of concentrations of DNCB were measured as volumes calculated from diameter and thickness and the various groups were compared by the differences in the log dose-response curves. Patients with untreated psoriasis were less responsive than healthy controls; responses were less still in patients treated with dithranol/UV-B/tar and they were least of all in patients treated with photochemotherapy with 8-methoxypsoralen and UV-A (PUVA), particularly in those who pigmented least. Sensitization and challenge at different stages of treatment showed that both induction and elicitation of sensitization were impaired by PUVA. The possible relationship of these changes to DNCB metabolism, Langerhans cell damage and a decrease in circulating T cells is discussed. Although the clinical significance of the findings is unknown, treatment with dithranol/UV-B/tar has proved safe over many years of use.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Effect of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and ovarian steroids on preputial gland function in the female rat.

Sexually experienced male rats were used to test the attractiveness of preputial gland odours of female rats. The male rats showed a clear preference for the preputial gland odours of hypophysectomized females given oestradiol benzoate (OB) for 3 or 8 days to those of control rats. Progesterone treatment had no effect on the attractiveness of the preputial gland odours of OB-treated hypophysectomized female rats. Administration of alpha-MSH for either 3 or 8 days, on the other hand, increased the attractiveness to male rats of preputial gland odours of OB-treated hypophysectomized females and the presence of progesterone produced no further change. When administered alone alpha-MSH had no effect on the attractiveness of the preputial gland odours. Other pituitary hormones, such as ACTH and prolactin, had no effect on the attractiveness of preputial gland odours of OB-treated hypophysectomized rats when administered for 3 days. An increase in preputial gland size was only seen when OB, progesterone and alpha-MSH were administered together. It would appear that no relationship exists between the size of the preputial glands and their ability to attract male rats. It is concluded that, while alpha-MSH and progesterone may be important in controlling growth of the preputial glands, an interaction between alpha-MSH and oestrogen is more important for regulating the production of sex attractants by the preputial glands.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1981

Itch following photochemotherapy for psoriasis.

Itch was measured quantitatively as nocturnal scratch in 12 patients with psoriasis treated with 8-methoxypsoralen and UVA and in 7 treated with dithranol. Three of those treated with PUVA showed an increase in nocturnal limb movement which was mostly due to itch but partly due to restlessness. There was little change in nocturnal limb movement in patients treated with dithranol.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Generalised tissue abnormality of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in psoriasis.

Microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity and inducibility were measured in jejunal mucosa, liver, and lesion-free epidermis of patients with psoriasis. In all three tissues AHH activity and inducibility were less than in controls. This demonstration of a generalised enzymatic abnormality in the tissues of patients with psoriasis is in keeping with the suggestion that it may be close to the underlying genetic defect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Acquired ichthyosis and impaired dermal lipogenesis in Hodgkin's disease.

Epidermal lipid biosynthesis was normal in patients with mild ichthyosis due to Hodgkin's disease, but greatly reduced in one patient with severe ichthyosis. Dermal (sebaceous) lipid synthesis was decreased in all patients with Hodgkin's disease, whether or not they had ichthyosis, and was greatly reduced in the patient with severe ichthyosis. Neither the mechanism nor the possible relationship between the dermal and epidermal changes is understood.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Epidermal lipid biosynthesis in acne.

Lipid biosynthesis from glucose was increased in severe acne both in dermis and in epidermis which included the top portions of the pilosebaceous follicles. Both tissues retained their characteristic lipid labelling pattern. The magnitude of the increase in dermis and epidermis was similar, suggesting that epidermis may be subject to the same sebotrophic-lipogenic stimulus which affects sebaceous glands.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1980

Decreased epidermal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase and localized pustular psoriasis.

Microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity was measured in suction separated epidermis from forearm skin of thirteen patients with localized palmo--plantar pustular psoriasis and thirteen normal subjects before and after induction by benzanthracene. AHH activity had a mean value of 2 . 32 micrometer 30H-BP/mg microsomal protein/h +/- 0 . 23 (s.e.) in the patients and 3 . 41 +/- 0 . 23 in the normal subjects. AHH induction was also decreased with a mean value of 1 . 15 +/- 0 . 1 (s.e.) compared with 1 . 98 +/-- 0 . 14 for the normal subjects. Since in twelve of the patients the psoriasis had always been localized to the palms and soles, the decreased basal and induced AHH activity appears to be a primary characteristic of psoriatic skin; AHH activity initiate an increase in epidermal cell turnover through modulation of prostaglandin and adenylate cyclase activity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Histamine weal formation and absorption in man.

1 The weal and flare response to intradermal histamine was measured over a range of doses in forearm skin of man. 2 The use of calipers to measure weal thickness was validated by measurement of observer and method errors. Repeated measurements at intervals of 5 min or more compressed the weals by 6% per reading. 3 Flare response reached a maximum at 5 min compared with 20 min for weal thickness and the sensitivity of the flare response was greater than the weal response at lower doses of histamine. 4 Sensitivity, lambda was comparable for the measurement of flare, weal diameter and thickness or volume. The advantage of weal thickness was in the measurement of weal formation and resorption. 5 The time course of histamine weal formation and disappearance was measured and found to have a T1/2 of 5.4 min and 87 min, respectively. 6 The T1/2 of disappearance of comparable 09% w/v NaCl solution and serum weals were 18 and 28 min respectively. 7 It is suggested that persistence of histamine weals is due to a vasoactive agent other than histamine.

Adult↗