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B Elsner

Publications and source records attributed to B Elsner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

[Validation of a rapid urease test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection].

OBJECTIVE: Several non-commercial rapid urease tests have been designed with the objective of reducing the cost of Helicobacter Pylori infection diagnosis. The objective of the present prospective trial is to assess one of these tests, using the histologic evaluation for the presence of Helicobacter Pylori, as the standard reference of diagnosing this infection. METHODS: Patients undergoing upper endoscopy for various reasons were prospectively enrolled. Three endoscopic biopsies of the antrum and three from the corpus of the stomach were taken in every patient enrolled. The specimens were evaluated by the rapid urease test on an individual basis, comparing the results with the histology assessment of the Helicobacter Pylori status, which was considered as the standard reference for the diagnosis of the infection. RESULTS: One hundred and four patients were enrolled, of which 94 were eligible. Fifty-five patients (60.43%) were infected with Helicobacter Pylori. The sensibility and specificity of the urease test evaluated at 4 hours was 65.45% and 100% respectively. The evaluation at 24 hours of the sensibility and specificity was 83% and 94% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The non-commercial rapid urease test is a practical, fast, and cost effective method for the detection of Helicobacter Pylori infection, and its diagnostic utility is similar to the commercial test available.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Effect anticipation and action control.

According to the authors' 2-phase model of action control, people first incidentally acquire bidirectional associations between motor patterns and movement-contingent events and then intentionally use these associations for goal-directed action. The authors tested the model in 4 experiments, each comprising an acquisition phase, in which participants experienced co-occurrences between left and right keypresses and low- and high-pitched tones, and a test phase, in which the tones preceded the responses in forced- and free-choice designs. Both reaction time and response frequency in the test phase depended on the learned associations, indicating that presenting a tone activated the associated response. Results are interpreted as evidence for automatic action-outcome integration and automatic response priming through learned action effects. These processes may be basic for the control of voluntary action by the anticipation of action goals.

Female↗
PubMed2001

Long-term follow-up of contralateral lobe in patients hemithyroidectomized for solitary follicular adenoma.

OBJECTIVES: Since there are no available conclusive studies on the long-term evolution of remnant thyroid tissue after hemithyroidectomy in patients who undergo surgery for solitary follicular adenomas, we searched for such cases in our records to elucidate this issue. DESIGN: Search criteria were as follows: (i) presence of a single palpable thyroid nodule with the remainder of the gland normal on palpation; (ii) clinically euthyroid status at the time of surgery; (iii) histological diagnosis of nodule as follicular adenoma; (iv) a hemithyroidectomy operation, sparing the contralateral lobe; (v) normal macroscopic aspect of the contralateral lobe at the time of surgery; and (vi) at least 4 years of postoperative follow-up. PATIENTS: Only 47 female cases were found to meet above criteria, with a mean age of 45.9 years (range: 23-79) at the time of surgery and a mean follow-up of 7.2 years (range: 4-32). Besides evaluating the presence or absence of antithyroid antibodies and the extranodular histology of tissue removed during surgery, a preoperative TRH test also allowed patients to be classified into two groups: normal extranodular thyroid (NET) (n = 32) and abnormal extranodular thyroid (AET) (n = 15). RESULTS: Eleven of the 15 patients with AET had thyroid autoimmunity, with or without overt histological thyroiditis, and the remaining four had subclinical hypothyroidism with negative antithyroid antibody titres. In the entire study population, only 28 patients received treatment with L-T4 immediately after surgery, none of whom had any alterations in the contralateral lobe. However, six of the nineteen patients not treated with T4 (31.6%) developed overt abnormalities in the contralateral lobe, including the only three with AET who had not received L-T4 treatment. The remaining three were two patients with NET, who showed postoperative TSH hyper-responsiveness to TRH (peak TSH > 25 mU/l), and one who developed a new follicular adenoma 32 years later. To date, none of the patients with NET, who had a normal TRH test after surgery, have developed any kind of alterations in the contralateral lobe, even those who received no L-T4 prophylactic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that: (i) there is a higher risk of follicular adenomas developing in a gland affected by thyroid autoimmunity than in a previously normal gland; (ii) L-T4 therapy may prevent the formation of new nodules or the development of goitre in the contralateral lobe; and (iii) in the absence of prophylactic treatment after surgery, the contralateral lobe of subjects with thyroid autoimmunity and/or previous subclinical hypothyroidism develops morphological abnormalities.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2001

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the lung.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors occur most frequently in bone and soft tissue but have been reported in other locations. Primary lung primitive neuroectodermal tumors without pleural or chest wall involvement are extremely rare. We present a case with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies and follow-up of the patient. An 18-year-old man presented with hemoptysis. Chest radiographs revealed a right middle lobe mass, and bronchoscopy showed an endobronchial tumor. The lesion was resected by middle lobectomy. After 2 years, a local recurrence was treated by pneumonectomy. The patient died after surgery. Histologically, the tumor was composed of uniform cells with round nuclei and scanty cytoplasm arranged in cohesive lobules with occasional rosette formation. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for vimentin, CD99, neuron-specific enolase, and neurofilaments. Ultrastructural study revealed neurosecretory granules and cytoplasmic processes. Our case shows the value of immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy in the diagnosis of primitive neuroectodermal tumors in unusual locations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Relation between natural killer cells and neoplastic cells in serous fluids.

Natural killer (NK) cells are capable of lysing certain tumor cells in vitro. We investigated whether the percentage of NK cells (NK%) in serous effusions has any relation with the presence of malignant cells. Fresh effusions were routinely processed, and a portion of them was submitted for lymphocyte immunophenotyping, using a flow cytometer. Fifty-one fluids (15 peritoneal, 36 pleural), from 47 patients were analyzed. Thirty-two cases were negative and 19 were positive for neoplastic cells: there were 13 adenocarcinomas, 2 malignant mesotheliomas (MM), 3 malignant lymphomas (ML), and 1 rhabdomyosarcoma (R). Negative cases showed an average NK% of 5.09% (1-16%). Effusions positive for adenocarcinoma had an average NK% of 22.08% (12-33%) (P < 0.001). MM, ML, and R had a low NK%, with an average of 3.01% (0-5%). Investigation of the NK% could be useful in cytologically doubtful cases and in the differential diagnosis between MM and adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

[Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in southern Argentina].

Andes virus was identified in 1995 as the etiologic agent of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in Southern Argentina. We describe herein the main clinical characteristics of 25 HPS confirmed cases acquired in this area between 1993 and September 1999. The mean age was 34 years (range 11-70), with 72% males. Clinical characteristics were similar to those previously reported for Sin Nombre virus (SNV) cases. However, in this group of patients we also observed conjuntival injection in 10/25 (42%), facial flushing in 8/25 (33%), pharyngeal congestion in 7/25 (29%) and petechiae in 3/25 (12%). On the other hand, BUN was increased in 83% of cases (mean 0.77 g/l range 0.31-2.01). Mean serum creatinine concentration was 26.8 mg/l (range: 8.1-110 mg/l) with serum creatinine being higher than 20 mg/l in 8/15 patients (53%). Urinalysis was abnormal in 12/12 cases and was characterized by presence of proteins, red blood cells and granular casts. Aminotransferases were increased in 90% of cases with levels 5-10 times over normal values in 50% of cases. Serum creatine kinase concentration was elevated in 11/14 cases. Two patients required hemodialysis. Case fatality rate was 44% (11/25) and 10 of these cases died among the first 10 days of illness. Mononuclear myocarditis was observed in two cases, a finding that has not been reported for SNV cases. During the 1996 HPS outbreak in Southern Argentina due to Andes virus, there were epidemiological and molecular evidences of person-to-person transmission, a feature not previously shown for other members of the hantavirus genus. These data would also be indicative of some distinctive clinical characteristics of HPS caused by Andes virus, with more frequent renal involvement than in SNV cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

[Kikuchi-Fujimoto necrotizing lymphadenitis. Report of 2 cases].

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a form of necrotizing lymphadenitis. The disease is a usually benign, self limited cause of lymph node enlargement affecting predominantly young women. Several other clinical manifestations have been described, though the only consistent findings are a macular eruption and a fever. Occasionally, the disease has presented as a fever of unknown origin. Lymph node specimens show areas of necrosis without neutrophilic infiltration. Lymphocyte mediated apoptotic mechanisms are responsible for the necrosis observed. Clinically, it should be differentiated from many different conditions, including infections such as cat scratch disease and rheumatological diseases like Still's disease and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Pathologically, it should be differentiated from lymphomas. KFD is widely known in the Far East, but very rare in Latin America. As a matter of fact, we have only detected four reported cases from Argentina, Brazil and Chile. We here describe two additional cases from Argentina. Both occurred in young women. One had a mediastinal compromise and a recurrent course, only observed in 4% of cases. The second one had a classical cervical presentation. The diagnosis in both was made by lymph node biopsy, although, in areas of great prevalence, an aspiration may be sufficient to establish the disease. We anticipate that the real prevalence of this unusual disease is highly underrepresented.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma in a lymph node].

We report the case of a 39 years old man who presented with a rapidly enlarging, painless mass in his left side of the neck. The mass was excised and turned out to be a lymph node. Histologically, it showed a proliferation of oval to spindle cells growing in sheets and fascicles, occasionally forming a storiform pattern. Tumor cells showed large nuclei, dispersed chromatin and small evident nucleoli. Neoplastic cells were positive for immunohistochemical markers vimentin, CD 68, CD 21, CD 35 and R 4/23. Ultrastructural examination showed long cytoplasmatic processes joined by desmosomes. The patient was treated with local radiotherapy and is alive and well 18 months after the excision. Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a very unusual tumor that merits wider recognition.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Morphometric determination of AgNORs in breast carcinoma. Correlation with flow cytometry and proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs), ploidy and proliferative activity in breast carcinomas. STUDY DESIGN: AgNOR staining was performed in 25 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast, and several features were quantified by image analysis: nuclear area, mean value of the number of AgNORs (M_N_Ag), area of AgNORs (A_Ag), area of AgNOR per nucleus (A_Ag/N), A_Ag variance (A_Ag_V) and coefficient of variation of AgNOR area per nucleus (CV_A_Ag/N). These findings were correlated with ploidy and proliferative activity obtained by flow cytometry, also quantifying the latter with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Comparison of AgNORs with size of the tumor and lymph node status was also made RESULTS: We observed a good correlation between M_N_Ag and A_Ag with ploidy (P < .001), M_N_Ag and A_Ag with S-phase fraction (SPF) (P < .001), A_Ag with S+G2M (P < .02) and PCNA with M_N_Ag (P < .05). The mean value of A_Ag allowed division of the cases into two groups: diploid (D) and near diploid (ND) with low SPF (A_Ag < or = 2.50 microns2), and D and ND with high SPF and aneuploidy (A) (A_Ag > 2.50 microns2) (P < .05). There was a statistically significant correlation between M_N_Ag and A_Ag and between tumor size and lymph node metastases (P < .05). CONCLUSION: AgNORs correlate with various cell cycle and clinicopathologic features and will be used eventually as prognostic markers in breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

Neural networks as a prognostic tool for patients with non-small cell carcinoma of the lung.

Patients with non-small cell carcinoma of the lung (NSCLC) have a poor prognosis (64 and 41% survival rates in Stages I and II). It is currently not possible to predict which patients with Stage I or II NSCLC will survive the disease. Sixty-seven patients with NSCLC, including 49 patients with Stage I NSCLC and 18 with Stage II disease (11 with squamous cell carcinomas, 35 with adenocarcinomas, and 21 with large cell carcinomas) were treated with lobectomy and followed for a minimum of 5 years. The tumors were studied with DNA flow cytometry and quantitative immunocytochemical studies for proliferation cell nuclear antigen, p53 protein, and MIB-1. The data were analyzed with backpropagation neural networks, univariate analysis of variance, the Kaplan-Meier survival method, and Cox proportional hazards model. The dependent variables were "free of disease" and "recurrence or dead from disease." Twenty neural network models were trained, using all cases but one, after 1883 to 2000 training cycles. At 5 years, 30 patients were free of disease and 37 were dead or had recurrence. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen was the only statistically significant prognostic factor by univariate analysis of variance and Cox proportional hazards analysis. The S phase was statistically significant by univariate analysis of variance (P <.05). All of the 20 models classified the test cases correctly. Study with backpropagation neural networks using multiple prognostic features from patients with NSCLC suggests that this technology might be useful for prediction of survival. This preliminary study must be validated with data from a larger group of patients with NSCLC before its clinical adequacy is established.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

[Identification of Epstein-Barr virus in nasopharyngeal carcinomas in Argentina. Its relation with p53 and the determination of proliferation indices].

Thirty-seven nasopharyngeal carcinomas were studied obtaining the tissue from nasopharyngeal biopsies that were formalin fixed and paraffin embedded. The patients were born in Argentina, 23 men and 14 women with a mean age of 50 years. Histologically the tumors were classified as queratinizing squamous cell carcinomas, 1 case (2%); non-queratinizing squamous cell carcinomas, 15 cases (41%) and undifferentiated carcinomas, 21 cases (57%). The proliferating index (PI) was determined using monoclonal antibodies against PCNA and Ki-67 (MIB-1), resulting in 26% for PCNA and 17% for Ki-67 while no differences were found comparing PI with histological type and cases with clinical stage III and IV. The PI was of 2% in the 3 cases with clinical stage II. Immunostains for p53 were positive in 30 out of the 37 cases with no differences between the histological types, exception made for the queratinizing carcinoma which was negative. With a cut off point of 7% in the 12 cases with follow up, two groups were found with a mean survival of 35 and 12 months, a finding that was not statistically significant. Epstein-Barr virus was detected by PCR using the paraffin embedded material in 31 out of the 37 cases: 21 were undifferentiated carcinomas and 15 non-queratinizing squamous cell carcinomas; the queratinizing squamous cell carcinoma was negative. These results, published for the first time in samples from Argentinian patients are similar to those found in areas of high and low incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinomas and can be of clinical use in determining the nasopharyngeal origin of a cervical metastatic lymph node of an unknown primary.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Liver histology in chronic hemodialysis patients infected with hepatitis C virus].

Liver biopsies were analyzed in 21 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) who tested positive for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), using Elisa II and/ or PCR. The study included 14 men and 7 women, the average age being 41 years old (range: 20-65). The average span of time under dialysis was 64 months (range: 12-192). Hbs ag. was positive in six patients. Patients underwent biopsy for showing persistent rise of transaminase for more than 6 months. The modified Knodell Index was used to grade hepatic lesions. All biopsies showed chronic hepatitis, of which 2 were associated with cirrhosis. Eight patients were infected with mild chronic hepatitis, ten were infected with moderate chronic hepatitis, and only three patients had a severe lesion. Fibrosis was mild in 13 cases, moderate in 6, and 2 had cirrhosis. Chronic Hepatitis C characteristic lesions analysis showed lymphoid nodules in 6 cases (29%), ductal epithelium lesions in 7 (33%), and steatosis in 7 (33%). Chronic HCV infection in our patients seems to have histologic characteristics similar to those reported in HCV positive non CRF patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. An infrequent cause of prolonged fever syndrome and leucocytosis in a young adult].

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare neoplasia usually associated with exposure to asbestos. The incidence in the population not in contact with asbestos is of one per million per year. The disease is most common in males over the age of 40, with signs and symptoms of neoplasic disease together with abdominal pain and ascitis with or without a palpable abdominal mass. We report the case of a young male without a history of exposure to asbestos who presented with prolonged fever, leukocytosis and a septated peritoneal exudate. With a presumptive diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis, the patient received empirical antituberculosis treatment. Because the clinical picture persisted and microbiological studies remained negative, a second exploratory laparotomy was performed which demonstrated the presence of a malignant epithelial peritoneal mesothelioma.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Is the M. Frostig perceptual training effective or not? On evaluation of the program for promoting visual perception in the German speaking areas].

Whereas the question concerning the efficacy of the Frostig program for the development of visual perception has been discussed controversely among American scientists, most German authors speak positively about the training. In this article, eight studies applying German versions of the Frostig training are shortly presented and their results summarized to find a statement about the effects of the German version of the Frostig program. The comparison of the eight studies turned out to be difficult, because the authors trained children with different handicaps. Moreover, the material was composed differently and the children were trained for different time periods. The interpretation of the positive results in the eight studies turned out more difficult because of unprecise presentation and of methodic shortcomings. The most severe shortcoming in most studies concerned the use of either no or of inappropriate control groups. Overall, the Frostig program seems to lead to improvements in different areas of performance when compared to normal school or preschool lessons. But it seems questionable if the Frostig material itself or the social interaction between trainer and child is responsible for the effects. Besides, the impact of the Frostig training on different performances may be a hint that the training not only affects visual perception, and that improved attention may be responsible for some of the effects.

Attention↗
PubMed1995

[Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 and c-erbB-2 in breast cancer].

We have studied by immunohistochemistry the nuclear expression of p53 and the finding of oncoprotein c-erbB-2 in a series of 85 breast carcinomas. The tissue was fixed in buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. The primary antisera were obtained from Biogenex (USA), Bp53-12, monoclonal, used in a dilution of 1:100 for p53 and from Triton Diagnostics (USA), pAB-1, polyclonal, used in a dilution of 1:200 for c-erbB2. The detection system was the Vectastain Elite kit obtained from Vector Laboratories (USA). The results were compared with several morphological features of the tumors such as size and type of the tumor, extension of the intraductal component, nuclear grade, axillary lymph node metastasis and estrogen receptor data as well as with total and disease free survival. The oncoprotein p53 was detected in the nuclei in 25 (29.4%) of our cases (Fig 1). Its presence was correlated with tumor size (p < 0.01), high nuclear grade (p < 0.0001) and estrogen receptor negative tumors (p < 0.0001). There was an inverse relationship between p53 expression and 5 year disease free survival (p < 0.005). In 21 (24.7%) of the cases we found amplification of c-erbB-2. The staining pattern was membranous (Fig. 2). It was correlated significantly with the ductal type of invasive carcinoma (p < 0.05), an associated extensive intraductal component (p < 0.001), estrogen receptor negative tumors (p < 0.0001) and shortening of disease free survival in the patients with positive axillary lymph nodes (p < 0.005). In 9 cases we found staining for both markers without statistically significant relationship with the other features studied. We conclude that the presence of these genetic alterations demonstrated by immunohistochemistry were, in our series, unfavourable prognostic factors in invasive breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Immunohistochemical analysis of cathepsins D, B, and L in human breast cancer.

Cathepsins D, B, and L are acidic lysosomal proteinases involved in intracellular protein turnover. Increased levels of these enzymes have been reported to be indicators of aggressive tumor behavior in human and rodent tumors. In breast cancer increased levels of cathepsin D have been reported to be an independent prognostic factor in women with stage I disease. We used standard immunohistochemical techniques on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue to examine the levels of cathepsins D, B, and L in 80 carcinomas of the breast and compared that with other indicators of aggressive tumor behavior, including stage of disease, tumor size, nuclear grade, estrogen receptor status, disease recurrence, and 5-year survival rates. Positive granular cytoplasmic staining was detected for cathepsin D in 90% of the tumors, for cathepsin B in two thirds of the tumors, and for cathepsin L in approximately one half of the tumors. Positive staining also was seen in normal breast epithelium, areas of apocrine metaplasia, stromal fibroblasts, and macrophages. Our results did not show a correlation between the expression of cathepsins D, B, and L and other indicators of aggressive tumor behavior. We conclude that the results obtained using polyclonal anticathepsin antibodies do not support the prognostic usefulness of immunohistochemical analysis of these three proteinases in tumor cells in human breast cancer.

Adult↗