Biomedical subjects

A Nagy

Publications and source records attributed to A Nagy.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

[Results and complications of parathyroidectomy in secondary hyperparathyroidism].

Retrospective study was performed to measure the results of parathyroidectomy in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. From 1987 to 2000, 48 patients underwent surgery for secondary hyperparathyroidism. There were 30 of 48 patients on haemodialysis treatment, and 11 patients were in pre-dialysis stage. Parathyroidectomy was performed after successful kidney transplantation in 4 cases. Indication of the surgery was extremely elevated serum level of parathyroid hormone (at least 10 fold elevation), which was resistant for the conservative medical therapy. Subtotal parathyroidectomy (3 1/2) was performed in 30 patients. Five patients underwent total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation. Only 2 or 3 parathyroid glands have been removed in 13 patients. Haematoma occurred in 3 cases after parathyroidectomy. Recurrent nerve injury or septic complication did not occur. Two patients died in the early postoperative period due to cardiac failure. Tetania was noted in 2 patients after surgery. Permanent postoperative hypocalcaemia (over 6 months) occurred in 3 cases. Persistent hyperparathyroidism was diagnosed in 5 patients. In these patients 2 parathyroid glands were removed during the primary operation. Recurrent hyperparathyroidism was detected in 2 patients. Subtotal parathyroidectomy was carried out in these cases previously. At the reoperation for persistent and recurrent hyperparathyroidism, total parathyroidectomy and autotransplantation was performed. Serum alkaline phosphatase level and serum parathyroid hormone value decreased after surgery, except those patients with persistent hyperparathyroidism. Bone pain decreased in 96% of the cases and pruritus decreased in 92% of the patients after parathyroidectomy. Soft tissue calcification showed improvement in 45% of cases. In conclusion, the subtotal parathyroidectomy or total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation cause a rapid decrease of PTH level and the improvement of the clinical symptoms in patients with medical treatment resistant secondary hyperparathyroidism. Persistent hyperparathyroidism occurs in those cases when inadequate parathyroidectomy was performed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

[Desmoid tumors in three patients].

Desmoids are rare tumors of the connective tissue. It develops about 1:1000 times more in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP, Gardner syndrome) compared to normal population. It has been shown in molecular genetic examinations, that different mutations of the APC gene are responsible for desmoid tumors in FAP. It means, that this disease is one of the extraintestinal manifestations of Gardner syndrome. This tumor has high recurrence rate and is growing rapidly, and as a result it is the second most common cause of death in FAP patients. That is why genetic examination for FAP patients is advised to decide if the patient has higher risk for desmoid formation. If the result of the genetic test is positive, it is advisable to try to slow the progression of polyposis with medical treatment, and so to delay the date of the colectomy because the surgical intervention--and connective tissue damage--can induce desmoid formation in these patients. At the same time it is reasonable to examine and regularly control patients with sporadic desmoid tumors searching for other manifestations of Gardner syndrome (colon, stomach and duodenum polyposis, tumor of papilla Vateri, retinopathy, etc.). Palliative surgery is not indicated in patients with inoperable intraabdominal desmoid tumors, because partial resections (R1, R2, debulking) result in further tumor progression. In these patients medical treatment (sulindac, tamoxifen), chemotherapy (doxorubicin, dacarbazin) and radiotherapy or combination of them can result tumor remission. We describe our three patients (an abdominal wall desmoid four years following Cesarean section; a desmoid tumor in the retroperitoneum and in the pelvis diagnosed three years after total colectomy; and a retroperitoneal and abdominal wall desmoid one year after total colectomy) and etiology, diagnosis and therapy of desmoid tumors are discussed.

Abdominal Muscles↗

PubMed2001

[Electroanalytical methods in the European pharmacopoeia].

A brief survey on the electroanalytical test methods applied by the European Pharmacopoeia is presented by the authors. The frequency of the use of electrochemical tests and the main fields of their application in the monographs together with the trends of development are discussed. Paying a special attention to the measures taken by the pharmacopoeia to reduce the systematic and random error in each type of measurements, the authors are analysing the content and characteristics of texts describing the electrochemical methods. System suitability tests included in the different procedures and their efficacy in ensuring the criteria established in the validation studies carried out during elaboration of the test methods are also shown.

Electrochemistry↗

PubMed2000

Placental cell fates are regulated in vivo by HIF-mediated hypoxia responses.

Placental development is profoundly influenced by oxygen (O(2)) tension. Human cytotrophoblasts proliferate in vitro under low O(2) conditions but differentiate at higher O(2) levels, mimicking the developmental transition they undergo as they invade the placental bed to establish the maternal-fetal circulation in vivo. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), consisting of HIF-1alpha and ARNT subunits, activates many genes involved in the cellular and organismal response to O(2) deprivation. Analysis of Arnt(-/-) placentas reveals an aberrant cellular architecture due to altered cell fate determination of Arnt(-/-) trophoblasts. Specifically, Arnt(-/-) placentas show greatly reduced labyrinthine and spongiotrophoblast layers, and increased numbers of giant cells. We further show that hypoxia promotes the in vitro differentiation of trophoblast stem cells into spongiotrophoblasts as opposed to giant cells. Our results clearly establish that O(2) levels regulate cell fate determination in vivo and that HIF is essential for mammalian placentation. The unique placental phenotype of Arnt(-/-) animals also provides an important tool for studying the disease of preeclampsia. Interestingly, aggregation of Arnt(-/-) embryonic stem (ES) cells with tetraploid wild-type embryos rescues their placental defects; however, these embryos still die from yolk sac vascular and cardiac defects.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

[Hepatitis C virus infection and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

Oncogenesis is a multifactorial process in which environmental, genetical and infectious factors may be of importance. Specific viruses are supposed to have etiological role in about 15% of human tumors. Recently the B-cell proliferation inducing effect of the hepatotropic and lymphotropic hepatitis-C virus (HCV) came into the limelight based on the high prevalence of HCV positivity in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients. The aim of the authors was to establish the prevalence of HCV infection in NHL patients. Paralelly the HBV, CMV and EBV markers, and the alterations of the humoral immune response (immunoglobulins, cryoglobulins, rheumatoid factor) were determined. 42 patients (24 male, 18 female; the mean age: 54.1 years, range 22-80 years) classified as 16 indolent (low risk), and 25 aggressive (intermediate risk) NHL and one with very aggressive Burkitt's lymphoma, according to the modified REAL classification were examined. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HBsAg and anti-HCV, HBsAg, anti EBV, anti CMV, furthermore polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HCV-RNA were used. Anti-HCV was found in 6/42 NHL patients (14.3%), while anti-HCV and/or HCV-RNA PCR positivity revealed on overall HCV infection in 10/42 (23.8%) patients. None of them were HBsAg positive. Our findings support the hypothesis, that HCV might have an aetiological role in the lymphoproliferation leading to B-cell NHL.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

[Treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia with interferon-alpha].

The authors have treated 38 patients with chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia in their single center in the last five years. Conventional chemotherapy provided about 40-50% hematological response, interferon-alpha seems to be more effective, complete hematological remission occurred in 65%. Interphase cytogenetics and fluorescein in situ hybridisation technique was used to measure the cytogenetic response. They observed complete cytogenetic remission in two cases (8%), major response in 11 (39%), minor response in 4 (15%) and minimal response in 4 cases (15%). Interferon-alpha is an effective, well-tolerated medicine in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Expression and regulation of neuropilin-1 in human astrocytomas.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), through activation of its endothelial receptors VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2, is an important positive modulator of tumor angiogenesis and edema in solid tumors such as malignant astrocytomas. Neuropilin-1 (Npn-1) is a transmembrane receptor expressed by both endothelial and non-endothelial cells, including tumor cells. Npn-1 has been postulated to function as a co-factor in activation of the biologically relevant VEGFR-2, by the most abundant VEGF165 isoform. However, the function of Npn-1 in normal and pathological angiogenesis, its expression pattern in relation to VEGF in tumors such as astrocytomas and whether it is similarly or differentially regulated compared to VEGF remain unknown. In our study, the expression pattern of Npn-1 and VEGF by human astrocytoma cell lines and specimens was closely correlated and associated with malignant astrocytomas. Mitogens, such as epidermal growth factor and activation of p21-Ras, previously demonstrated to be relevant in astrocytoma proliferation and induction of VEGF, also induce Npn-1 expression. Hypoxia, the main physiological inducer of VEGF expression, decreased Npn-1 expression. Increased Npn-1 expression was also demonstrated in a transgenic mouse astrocytoma model. Astrocytomas are an ideal system for furthering our understanding of the functional relevance, if any, of Npn-1 in tumor angiogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

In vivo inhibition of PC-3 human androgen-independent prostate cancer by a targeted cytotoxic bombesin analogue, AN-215.

The effectiveness of chemotherapy targeted to bombesin (BN) receptors was evaluated in nude mice bearing PC-3 human androgen-independent prostate cancers. Cytotoxic BN analogue AN-215, consisting of 2-pyrrolinodoxorubicin (AN-201) linked to BN-like carrier peptide RC-3094, was injected i.v. at 150 nmol/kg on days 1, 11 and 21. After treatment with AN-215, tumor volume was 69% (p < 0.01) smaller than that in controls and tumor doubling time was extended from 8.5 +/- 0.7 days to 20.3 +/- 3.5 days (p < 0.05). Cytotoxic radical AN-201, carrier RC-3094 and their unconjugated mixture administered at the same dosage were ineffective. The mortality rate was 12.5% in the AN-201 group and 16.7% in the group treated with the mixture, but no deaths occurred in mice receiving AN-215. Because the ester bond linking AN-201 to the carrier molecule is hydrolyzed much faster in mouse serum than in human serum, in the second experiment we investigated the tolerance to AN-215 and its effect in nude mice bearing PC-3 tumors after pharmacological inhibition of serum carboxylesterases. Two applications of AN-201 at 200 nmol/kg were lethal, whereas no mortality was observed after 4 injections of AN-215 at the same dose. Administration of 200 nmol/kg AN-215 on days 1, 7, 17 and 26 again produced 69% tumor inhibition. BN receptors on membranes of PC-3 tumors were detected by (125)I-[Tyr(4)]BN binding, and expression of mRNA for BRS-3 and GRP-R subtypes was also found. AN-215 showed a high affinity to PC-3 tumors, displacing the radioligand at an IC(50) of 12.95 +/- 0.35 nM. Because BN receptors are present on primary and metastatic prostate cancer, targeted chemotherapy with AN-215 might benefit patients with advanced prostatic carcinoma who relapsed androgen ablation.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

[Evaluation of myocardial perfusion using intravenous contrast echocardiography].

The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of rest myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) in detecting perfusion abnormalities after intravenous contrast administration in chronic coronary artery disease. In 21 patients (mean age 49 years) contrast agent was injected intravenously. ATL HDI 5000 ultrasound machine was used. Triggering every fifth cardiac cycle in end-systole apical 2-chamber, 3-chamber and 4-chamber views were used. All patients underwent thallium scintigraphy on the same day and coronary angiography was performed within 24 hours. Second harmonic imaging and power Doppler were used in assessing presence or absence of perfusion, localization and extent of perfusion defects, and their relation with wall motion. In the first group all the 13 patients after myocardial infarction had akinetic segments on echocardiography in accordance with the coronary occlusion detected by coronary angiography. In the second group none of the 8 patients without previous myocardial infarction had wall motion abnormality. Group I: dividing the left ventricle into 16 segments out of 208 segments 44 were akinetic. Perfusion defect was detected by MCE in 29 segments. In 12 segments with wall motion abnormality the normal myocardial perfusion was consistent with viable myocardium, 2 inferior akinetic segments could not be evaluated due to contrast attenuation and in one inferior segment MCE in contrast to the thallium scintigraphy showed no perfusion defect. Group II: good contrast effect was detected in all 128 segments except one inferior segment in which there was a fixed perfusion defect also by thallium scintigraphy and coronary angiography revealed occluded right coronary artery. In conclusion MCE and second harmonic triggered imaging is comparable with thallium scintigraphy in detecting fixed perfusion abnormalities. MCE may contribute to the detection of viable myocardium.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Peptide analogs in the therapy of prostate cancer.

The use of peptide analogs in the therapy of prostate cancer is reviewed. The preferred primary treatment of advanced androgen-dependent prostate cancer is presently based on the use of depot preparations of LH-RH agonists. This treatment is likewise recommended in patients with rising PSA levels after surgery or radiotherapy. LH-RH agonists with or without antiandrogens can be also utilized prior to or following various local treatments in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer and at high risk for disease recurrence. LH-RH antagonists like Cetrorelix are in clinical trials. However, most patients with advanced prostatic carcinoma treated by any modality of androgen deprivation eventually relapse. Treatment of relapsed androgen-independent prostate cancer remains a major challenge, but new therapeutic modalities are being developed based on antagonists of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) and bombesin, which inhibit growth factors or their receptors. Another approach consists of cytotoxic analogs of LH-RH, bombesin, and somatostatin containing doxorubicin or 2-pyrrolinodoxorubicin, which can be targeted to receptors for these peptides found in prostate cancers and their metastases. These cytotoxic analogs inhibit growth of experimental androgen-dependent or -independent prostate cancers and reduce the incidence of metastases. A rational therapy with peptide analogs could be selected on the basis of receptors present in biopsy samples. The approaches based on peptide analogs should result in a more effective treatment for prostate cancer.

Androgens↗

PubMed2000

[Are the hemochromatosis (HFE) gene mutation and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection risk factors for porphyria cutanea tarda?].

As it is not clear whether mutations in hemochromatosis gene (HFE) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) act independently in the pathogenesis of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT), and prevalence of both risk factors reveals a great variety in different parts of the world, PCT patients from our Central East European country were investigated for this aspect. The occurrence of the C282Y and H63D mutations in HFE gene were determined in 19 PCT patients and compared with the reported control frequencies. Furthermore, the presence of HCV infection was determined and related to the patients' HFE status. The C282Y mutation was found in 3/19 cases (one patient was homozygous and two heterozygous), with an 10.5% allele frequency (vs. 3.8% control) (p < 0.05). Five patients were heterozygous for the H63D mutation, allele frequency 13.1%, which did not differ from the reported control prevalence of 12.3%. Six patients (31.7%) were HCV-RNA positive, out of the six one was heterozygous for H63D mutation and one was compound heterozygous. HCV infection and HFE C282Y mutations may probably be independent predisposing factors for development of PCT in Hungarian patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

[Effectiveness of Lisinopril in the treatment of heart failure].

A prospective study was performed in patients (30 M, 16 F, mean age of 56.0 +/- 9.2 [42-73] years) with congestive heart failure to assess the efficacy of lisinopril during a 16 weeks treatment period. Changes in clinical signs, functional capacity, blood pressure, heart rate, echocardiographic parameters, exercise duration, laboratory data and quality of life were measured. After a 2-week run-in period starting daily dose of study drug was 5 mg, and an increase of medication was considered at 4 weeks. At the end of the study mean daily dose of lisinopril was 15.1 +/- 6.2 mg. Improvement of NYHA status by 2 grades was observed in 4 cases (9%), by 1 grade in 24 cases (51%), there was no change in 17 cases (38%), and worsening was observed in 1 case (2%). During the study both systolic (p = 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.0006) decreased significantly, the changes in pulse rate were not significant. Left ventricular end systolic (p = 0.001) and end diastolic (p = 0.003) dimensions decreased, ejection fraction rose by 4.4% (p = 0.0002). One patient was removed from the study because of drug-induced cough. Comparison of all the laboratory data for pre and post-study periods did not reveal any significant difference. Patients treated with lisinopril improved significantly for clinical, haemodynamic, echocardiographic and quality of life parameters, with few adverse experiences, good tolerability and once-daily dose.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Inhibition of growth and metastatic progression of pancreatic carcinoma in hamster after somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst2) gene expression and administration of cytotoxic somatostatin analog AN-238.

The sst2 somatostatin receptor mediates the antiproliferative effects of somatostatin analogs. The present study demonstrates that stable expression of sst2 in the hamster pancreatic cancer cells PC-1 and PC-1.0 activates an autocrine negative loop leading to an in vitro inhibition of cell proliferation. In vivo studies conducted in Syrian golden hamsters after orthotopic implantation of PC-1.0 cells showed that both tumor growth and metastatic progression of allografts containing 100% of sst2-expressing cells were significantly inhibited for up to 20 days after implantation, as compared with control allografts that did not express sst2. A local antitumor bystander effect was observed after induction of mixed tumors containing a 1:3 ratio of sst2-expressing cells to control cells. Tumor volume and incidence of metastases of mixed tumors were significantly reduced at day 13 post implantation. This effect decreased with time as at day 20, growth of mixed tumors was similar to that of control tumors. After administration of the cytotoxic somatostatin conjugate AN-238 on day 13, antitumor bystander effect observed in mixed tumors was significantly extended to day 20. We also observed that in vitro invasiveness of sst2-expressing PC-1.0 cells was significantly reduced. Tyrosine dephosphorylation of E-cadherin may participate in restoring the E-cadherin function, reducing in turn pancreatic cancer cell motility and invasiveness. This dephosphorylation depends on the tyrosine phosphatase src homology 2-containing tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) positively coupled to sst2 receptor. The inhibitory effect of sst2 gene expression on pancreatic cancer growth and invasion combined with chemotherapy with targeted cytotoxic somatostatin analog administration provides a rationale for a therapeutic approach to gene therapy based on in vivo sst2 gene transfer.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Regulation of targeted chemotherapy with cytotoxic lutenizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue by epidermal growth factor.

Targeting chemotherapy selectively to cancers can reduce the toxic side effects. AN-152, a conjugate of doxorubicin and [D-Lys6]-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH), is more potent against LH-RH receptor-bearing cancers and produces less peripheral toxicity than doxorubicin. Many cancers, e.g., 50% of breast cancers, but few normal tissues express these receptors, providing a selective target for this cytotoxic conjugate. In this study, the effectiveness of AN-152 was heightened by receptor up-regulation. The cytotoxic effect of AN-152 can be regulated by the number of active LH-RH receptors on cancer cells. LH-RH receptor-positive (MCF-7) and -negative (UCI-107) cancer cells were treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) or the somatostatin analogue, RC-160. EGF and RC-160 have been shown previously to regulate LH-RH receptors through phosphorylation. The effect of receptor regulation, by hormone exposure, on the cytotoxicity of AN-152 and doxorubicin and on the cellular uptake of AN-152, [D-Lys6]LH-RH, or doxorubicin was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and by two-photon laser scanning microscopy. The results demonstrated that the cellular entry of the conjugate was: (a) specific for cancers with LH-RH receptors; (b) up-regulated by EGF; (c) down-regulated by RC-160; and (d) the cytotoxicity of the AN-152 paralleled the efficiency of entry. This study illustrates the potential use of receptor regulation for increasing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic approaches that are directed to cell surface receptors.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2000

Inhibition of metastatic renal cell carcinomas expressing somatostatin receptors by a targeted cytotoxic analogue of somatostatin AN-238.

The effectiveness of chemotherapy targeted to somatostatin (SST) receptors based on cytotoxic SST analogue AN-238, consisting of 2-pyrrolinodoxorubicin (AN-201) linked to SST carrier octapeptide, was investigated in human renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). SST receptors, which showed high-affinity binding for AN-238, were found in the SW-839 RCC line with sst2A subtype and in the 786-0 RCC line, which expressed the sst5 subtype. CAKI-1 RCC, which does not express sst2A or sst5, was used as a negative control for testing the specificity of SST receptor targeting. Using microsatellite analysis, AN-238 was shown to selectively inhibit the proliferation of 786-0 line, but not the CAKI-1 RCC line in vitro. The effects of three i.v. injections of 150 nmol/kg of AN-238 or AN-201, given on days 1, 8, and 21, were evaluated in groups of nude mice bearing s.c. xenografts of SW-839 and 786-0 RCC. After 5 weeks, the volumes of SW-839 and 786-0 RCC tumors were decreased by 67.2 (P < 0.05) and 78.3% (P < 0.01), respectively, whereas AN-201 had no significant effect on tumor growth. The inhibition of SST receptor-negative CAKI-1 tumors by AN-238 was only marginal. To investigate the efficacy of SST receptor-targeted chemotherapy in metastatic RCC, three i.v. injections of AN-238 or AN-201 at 150 nmol/kg were given at biweekly intervals to nude mice implanted with 786-0 tumors under the renal capsule. After 6 weeks, the weight of orthotopic tumors treated with AN-238 (55.3 +/- 44.3 mg) was significantly lower (87% reduction; P < 0.001) than that in the control group (414.2 +/- 41.0 mg) or in animals given AN-201 (270.2 +/- 603 mg; P < 0.05). Five of six animals (83%), both in the control and the AN-201 group, developed metastases to lymph nodes, but only one of seven mice (14%) given AN-238 showed lymphatic spread. Lung metastases were found in 83% of controls and 50% of AN-201 treated animals, but none occurred in mice treated with AN-238. This study demonstrates that targeted cytotoxic SST analogue AN-238 provides an effective therapy for chemoresistant neoplasms such as RCC. Because most clinical RCCs express SST receptors, this treatment modality might be beneficial to patients with metastatic disease.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Stability of cytotoxic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone conjugate (AN-152) containing doxorubicin 14-O-hemiglutarate in mouse and human serum in vitro: implications for the design of preclinical studies.

Recently, we developed a series of cytotoxic peptide conjugates containing 14-O-glutaryl esters of doxorubicin (DOX) or 2-pyrrolino-DOX (AN-201). Serum carboxylesterase enzymes (CE) can partially hydrolyze these conjugates in the circulation, releasing the cytotoxic radical, before the targeting is complete. CE activity in serum of nude mice is about 10 times higher than in human serum. Thus, we found that the t(1/2) of AN-152, an analog of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) containing DOX, at 0.3 mg/ml is 19. 49 +/- 0.74 min in mouse serum and 126.06 +/- 3.03 min in human serum in vitro. The addition of a CE inhibitor, diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), to mouse serum in vitro significantly (P < 0. 01) prolongs the t(1/2) of AN-152 to 69.63 +/- 4.44 min. When DFP is used in vivo, 400 nmol/kg cytotoxic somatostatin analog AN-238 containing AN-201 is well tolerated by mice, whereas all animals die after the same dose without DFP. In contrast, DFP has no effect on the tolerance of AN-201. A better tolerance to AN-238 after DFP treatment is due to the selective uptake of AN-238 by somatostatin receptor-positive tissues. Our results demonstrate that the suppression of the CE activity in nude mice greatly decreases the toxicity of cytotoxic hybrids containing 2-pyrrolino-DOX 14-O-hemiglutarate and brings this animal model closer to the conditions that exist in humans. The use of DFP together with these peptide conjugates in nude mice permits a better understanding of their mechanism of action and improves the clinical predictability of the oncological and toxicological results.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

[A case of datura stramonium poisoning--general problems of differential diagnosis].

In past year drug abuse becomes more and more general in Hungary. In addition to consume traditional drugs, other substances are used frequently too. One of them is the Datura stramonium, which contains alkaloids (mostly atropine), and can result in hallucinations. Therefore Datura stramonium is seemingly becoming popular as a hallucinogenic drug. The consumption of any part of the plant causes atropine intoxication, thus anticholinergic delirium. Differential diagnosis of Datura intoxication can be difficult in the everyday medical practise. In our paper the symptomatology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and therapy of Datura intoxication are discussed and we report one of our cases.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Gene-trap-based target site for cre-mediated transgenic insertion.

There is an increasing need for tissue-specific gene expression regulatory elements to study normal and disease development in the mouse. However, the cloning and characterization of these elements are time-consuming and costly. Thus, there is a particular need to be able to identify gene expression patterns without having to clone the promoter elements. Gene-trap strategies identify expression patterns assigned for endogenous genes using reporters, such as LacZ (Gossler et al., 1989; Skarnes, 1990) or green fluorescent protein (GFP) (Ishida and Leder, 1999; Zheng and Hughes, 1999). The gene-trap vector randomly inserts into the genome and "steals" regulatory elements for the reporter. Here we describe an improved gene-trap strategy, which allows an efficient Cre recombinase-mediated insertion of any transgene into the trapped loci as a post-integrational modification and links the expression of the transgene to that of the reporter.

Animals↗