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Biomedical subjects

S Strobel

Publications and source records attributed to S Strobel.

122 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

[Treatment of Crohn's disease with metronidazole (author's transl)].

The therapeutic effect of metronidazole, alone or in combination with the basic treatment schedule of corticosteroids, salazosulphapyridine or dietary formula was analysed retrospectively for 34 patients with active Crohn's disease who had previously been treated without success on the basic schedule. Clinical remission was achieved in all ten patients with highly florid Crohn's disease but no fistulae, regardless of whether metronidazole was given alone or in combination with the basic treatment regimen. Complete closure of the fistulae was achieved in 12 or 24 patients with fistulae, while marked regression of fistulae secretion occurred in a further five. It is concluded that metronidazole is of value particularly in cases resistant to basic treatment or with fistulae.

Adolescent↗

Human intestinal mucosal mast cells: evaluation of fixation and staining techniques.

The staining properties of tissue mast cells are influenced by the method of fixation. Differences in fixation and staining techniques may explain the contradictory results in the published reports on the number of human mucosal mast cells (MMC) in the gastrointestinal mucosa in health and disease. We have examined the influence of fixatives on the staining properties of human MMC in operative biopsy specimens of human jejunum. Specimens were divided into pieces, each of which was fixed in one of the following fixatives: Carnoy's, basic lead acetate (BLA), Baker's, Bouin's, isotonic formol-acetic-acid (IFAA), 10% neutral buffered formalin, formol sublimate, and formol saline. Thereafter, tissues were paraffin-embedded and 5 micron sections were cut and stained with either astra-blue/safranin pH 0.3, or toluidine blue pH 0.5. Counts of the number of MMC/mm2 were obtained for each fixation method. The results show a critical influence of the fixative on the number of mast cells identified after staining. For example with astra-blue/safranin the mean MMC/mm2 count was 40 in formol-saline-fixed specimens, and 268 in Carnoy's-fixed specimens. In biopsies fixed with formalin-based fixatives, mast cells were more readily stained with toluidine blue. It is recommended that Carnoy's or BLA be used as the fixative for any light microscopic study of human MMC.

Cell Count↗

[Infection due to Yersinia enterocolitica in healthy and chronically ill children (author's transl)].

A septicaemic course of infection due to Yersinia enterocolitica developed in three children, two Italian girls with thalassemia (serotype 03) and a previously healthy boy (serotype 09). There were marked gastrointestinal symptoms. The boy required two transfusions for acute haemolysis. Because it may take a serious course, the possibility of this organism as the causative agent should be considered in the differential diagnosis of severe infections, especially in patients with chronic debilitating disease. The death rate is about 30%.

Blood Transfusion↗

Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: fulminant course in early infancy.

A severe course of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency in two children with Pi ZZ genotype is demonstrated. Clinically both infants presented with signs indistinguishable from biliary atresia with acholic stools and a low I131-rose bengal excretion over 72 h. Rapid development of liver fibrosis documented by serial liver biopsies, indicated a bad prognosis. The infants died at the age of 6 and 15 months. The extent of fibrosis is estimated to be the most useful prognostic sign in prediction of the probable outcome in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Bile Ducts↗

Oral tolerance--induction and modulation.

When the first encounter with an antigen is by the oral route several different immune responses can occur. The spectrum of effects on systemic immunity ranges from immunological hyporesponsiveness (oral tolerance) to active sensitisation (priming). In this paper, the immunological principles underlying these effects are discussed and circumstances which influence them are demonstrated, particular emphasis being placed on experimental work in adult and neonatal mice.

Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine↗

Induction of oral tolerance, in mice, to gum arabic.

As part of a programme of research on the immunological properties of the exudate gums, the capacity of gum arabic to induce immunologic hyporesponsiveness when fed (oral tolerance) has been examined. Inbred mice were fed saline or gum arabic; 1 week later all were systemically immunized with the antigen emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant. Mice which had been fed the antigen had significant suppression of the humoral (P less than 0.01) and cell mediated (P less than 0.01) immune responses to the antigen. These results demonstrate that although gum arabic is a complex, proteinaceous polysaccharide antigen, it is tolerogenic when an animal encounters it by the natural route, via the gut.

Animals↗

Immunogenicity, immunological cross reactivity and non-specific irritant properties of the exudate gums, arabic, karaya and tragacanth.

An animal model has been used to investigate the immunogenicity and non-specific irritant properties of exudate gums. The materials studied were four preparations of gum arabic (Acacia spp.), two of gum karaya (Sterculia spp.), two of gum tragacanth (Astralagus spp.) and a residue obtained after ethanol extraction of gum arabic. Groups of animals were intradermally immunized with the gum in complete Freund's adjuvant. Serum antibody levels were measured by an ELISA technique and delayed hypersensitivity responses by a footpad swelling test. Antigenic cross-reactivity within each gum species was tested in a crossover fashion. All gum preparations elicited systemic immune responses after immunization. Further processing reduced immunogenicity, although there was no evidence that systemic immunity to these complex polysaccharide antigens responses could be completely abolished by processing or purification. The ethanolic extract, and some of the gum preparations, particularly tragacanth and karaya, caused considerable footpad swelling when injected intradermally. It is concluded that processing and awareness of subspecies differences can reduce the inherent immunogenicity and potential irritant effects of exudate gums.

Animals↗