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B Gerber

Publications and source records attributed to B Gerber.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Stress hyperglycemia in sick cats: a retrospective study over 4 years].

Between January 1997 and December 2000 blood glucose concentrations were measured in 2278 sick cats at the time of their initial presentation at the hospital. In 827 cats (36%) hyperglycemia (blood glucose >8 mmol/l) was documented, 1388 cats (61%) had normal blood glucose levels, 63 cats (3%) were hypoglycemic. In 674 of 827 cats (81.5%) no further investigations were performed and the veterinarian judged the hyperglycemia to be stress related. In 153 of the 827 cats (18.5%) blood glucose measurements were repeated and/or serum fructosamine concentrations evaluated. In 106 cats (69%) stress hyperglycemia and in 47 (31%) diabetes mellitus was then diagnosed. Blood glucose concentrations in cats with stress hyperglycemia were between 8.1 and 60.4 mmol/l (Median 10.3), in cats with diabetes mellitus between 8.5 and 70.0 (Median 27.7). Blood glucose concentrations in cats with diabetes mellitus were significantly higher than in cats with stress hyperglycemia. Cats with stress hyperglycemia suffered from a variety of different diseases, the most frequently encountered were surgical problems, neoplasia, heart diseases, upper and lower urinary tract diseases. Blood glucose concentrations in cats with heart diseases and in cats with neoplasia was higher than in cats with other disorders, however, the difference was not significant. Cats with diabetes mellitus were significantly more frequent male castrated than cats with stress hyperglycemia. Cats with stress hyperglycemia were significantly older than cats with normoglycemia.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

[Juvenile gigantomastia. Case report and literature survey].

A juvenile gigantomastia with wet tender ulceration in a 13-year-old premenarchal girl (155 cm, 51 kg) developed in only 6 months. Treatment consisted of a bilateral reduction mammoplasty with free transplantation of the areolae and nipples and the removal of 4.2 kg of breast tissue. Macroscopically the resections consisted of "white and solid" tissue. Histologically a fibrous-cystic mastopathia was confirmed. It is thus suggested that the etiology of this disease might be related to a local hypersensitivity to estrogen. Mediactions (Tamoxifen) are mostly ineffective. The treatment consisted of reduction plasty.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[A perioperative screening for metastatic disease is not indicated in patients with primary breast cancer and no clinical signs of tumor spread].

OBJECTIVE: Is a perioperative metastatic screening programme indicated in patients presenting with primary operable breast cancer and no signs of distant metastases? PATIENTS AND METHODS: The impact of staging results (chest X-ray, bone scanning, liver ultrasound) for prognosis, treatment, quality of life and costs was retrospectively analysed in 1 076 patients with an operable breast cancer and no clinical signs of metastases. RESULTS: Staging examinations revealed 30 (2.8 %) distant metastases, 130 (12.1 %) suspect findings and excluded metastases in 916 (85.1 %) patients. Further diagnostic procedures confirmed distant metastases in 7 (5.4 %) and excluded them in 123 (94.6 %) out of 130 patients with suspect findings. Distant metastases were detected more frequently with increasing tumor size (pT < or = 2.0 cm: 1.6 %, pT 2.1-5.0 cm: 3.0 %, respectively pT > 5.0 cm: 15.1 %; p < 0.001) and increasing number of involved axillary lymph nodes (pN0: 1.4 %, pN1-3 +: 1.8 %, pN4-9 +: 4.0 %, pN > 10 +: 12.5 %; p < 0.001). Due to false positive findings 123 (11.4 %) patients had to live for a significant period of time with the psychological distress of suspected metastatic disease. The abandonment of a perioperative screening in 1 076 patients saves costs of at least euro 259,366.68. CONCLUSIONS: In breast cancer patients without clinical signs of tumor spread perioperative screening for metastases is not warranted because of low frequency of metastases, false positive findings, missing therapeutic consequences and high costs.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Visual learning in individually assayed Drosophila larvae.

An understanding of associative learning is facilitated if it can be analyzed in a simple animal like the fruit fly Drosophila. Here, we introduce the first visual associative learning paradigm for larval Drosophila; this is remarkable as larvae have an order of magnitude fewer neurons than adult flies. Larvae were subjected to either of two reciprocal training regimes: Light+/Dark- or Light-/Dark+. Subsequently, all larvae were individually tested for their preference between Light versus Dark. The difference between training regimes was therefore exclusively which visual situation was associated with which reinforcer; differences observed during the test thus reflected exclusively associative learning. For positive reinforcement (+) we used fructose (FRU), and for negative reinforcement (-) either quinine or sodium chloride (QUI, NaCl). Under these conditions, associative learning could be reproducibly observed in both wild-type strains tested. We then compared the effectiveness of training using differential conditioning, with both positive and negative reinforcement, to that using only positive or only negative reinforcement. We found that FRU only, but neither QUI nor NaCl, was in itself effective as a reinforcer. This is the first demonstration of appetitive learning in larval Drosophila. It is now possible to investigate the behavioral and neuronal organization of appetitive visual learning in this simple and genetically easy-to-manipulate experimental system.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Cardiac tamponade due to pericardial mesothelioma in an 11-year-old dog: diagnosis, medical and interventional treatments].

In a dog presenting with the clinical signs of exercise intolerance and ascites, cardiac tamponade due to suspected idiopathic pericarditis was diagnosed based on thoracic radiographs, electrocardiogram (EKG) and cardiac ultrasound. Pericardial effusion recurred soon after pericardiocenteses, prescription of colchizine and again after balloon pericardiotomy. After partial pericardectomy by thoracoscopy and after obtaining a histological diagnosis of mesothelioma adjuvant intracavitary chemotherapy using cisplatin was performed. Already one week later the dog developed marked dyspnea due to severe pleural effusion. The dog was maintained at acceptable life quality judged based on playfulness and appetite using repeated pleuro-centeses for an additional two months, when the dog was euthanized due to uncontrollable pleural effusion. Despite extensive treatments life span from initial presentation to euthanasia was only 5 months. Necropsy revealed extensive mesothelioma metastases covering the whole pleura, epicardium and remaining pericardium. Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of (recurrent) pericardial effusion are discussed based on this case.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Reduction of the risk of breast cancer].

Aspects of nutrition and lifestyle may be largely responsible for the development of common cancers in Western countries, as indicated by the large differences in breast cancer rates between countries, the striking changes in these rates among migrating populations, and the rapid changes over time within countries. The better informed and increasingly health-conscious population of the present day are intensively seeking to identify and eliminate these putative carcinogenic risk factors and to exploit the preventive effects that have been attributed to certain dietary components. Nutrition and 'lifestyle' may exert its carcinogenic effects indirectly by cell stimulations (alcohol, hormone replacement therapy), inhibition of DNA-repair mechanisms (lack of vitamins), effecting estrogen metabolism (phytoestrogen), or as promotors to enhance growth of tumors (body mass index). Some 'substances' may act as a carcinogenic itself, e. g. aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco or increased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in well done meat. Individual differences in the effects of nutritional factors on mammary epithelia could be caused by genetic polymorphisms. In this critical review, we focus on current data regarding the effect of nutrition and lifestyle, on the risk of developing breast cancer. A health lifestyle, consisting of "healthy diet", physical activity, renunciation of stimulants, is recommended from childhood throughout life.

Body Mass Index↗
PubMed2003

[Adjuvant endocrine treatment of breast cancer beyond St. Gallen 2003].

During the recently held 8th International Conference on Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer, (March 12-15, 2003 St. Gallen/Switzerland) established recommendations for adjuvant endocrine treatment were confirmed, while new options were introduced. Ovarian ablation, limited for 2 years (e. g. Goserelin, combined with 5 years of Tamoxifen), was suggested as an effective treatment option in premenopausal patients with a hormonsensitive breast cancer. The efficacy of this endocrine regimen is equivalent to CMF-chemotherapy in these patients. In "very" young patients with hormonsensitive tumors, chemotherapy alone is not sufficient. These patients will particularly benefit from endocrine treatment. The reversibility of endocrine treatment is its main advantage, avoiding long lasting symptoms of hormone deficiency. In postmenopausal hormonsensitive patients the aromatase inhibitor Anastrozol (Arimidex trade mark ) has been approved as an alternative for patients with contraindications against Tamoxifen (e. g. increased risk of thromboembolism, varicosis, smokers, endometrium changes). The initiation of endocrine should be postponed until the completion of chemotherapy, because combined application reduces the efficacy of adjuvant treatment. "Older" patients will get only limited advantage of chemoendocrine treatment compared to endocrine treatment alone. Preliminary treatment recommendations comprise a wide range of possible treatment options.

Anastrozole↗
PubMed2003

[Cardiac imaging by means of four-detector row computed tomography and cardiac gating].

Electrocardiographically-assisted imaging is a recent development in multislice spiral computed tomography. In this article, we summarize the principles of four-detector row CT for cardiac applications. Following is an overview of the potential of this technique to evaluate the heart, the thoracic aorta, and the paracardiac pulmonary parenchyma. Technical considerations for optimal imaging are highlighted.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMed2002

Serum fructosamine concentrations in dogs with hypothyroidism.

Serum fructosamine concentrations were measured in 11 untreated hypothyroid dogs with normal serum glucose and serum protein concentrations. The fructosamine level ranged between 276 and 441 micromol/L (median 376 micromol/L; reference range 207-340 micromol/L). Nine of the 11 dogs had fructosamine levels above the reference range. The fructosamine levels decreased significantly during treatment with levothyroxine. It is suggested that serum fructosamine concentrations may be high in hypothyroid dogs because of decelerated protein turnover, independent of the blood glucose concentration.

Aging↗
PubMed2002

[Use of human intravenous immunoglobulin in dogs with primary immune mediated hemolytic anemia].

Immune mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) in dogs is a severe disease with a high mortality rate. As human immunoglobulin (HIG) was reported to be beneficial for the treatment of IMHA in dogs we examined the influence of HIG on the course of the disease in our dogs with IMHA. Of 22 dogs with primary IMHA 9 dogs received in addition to routine immunosuppressive therapy HIG at a dose of 0.19 to 0.68 g/kg (median 0.35 g/kg), 13 dogs did not receive HIG (-HIG group). Both groups were similar in terms of age, weight, the presence of autoagglutination, spherocytosis, positive Coombs' test, icterus and pigmenturia. The lowest hematocrit measured during the disease was significantly lower in the +HIG group compared to the -HIG group and dogs in the +HIG group received significantly more transfusions than those of the -HIG group. This is an indication for more severe disease signs of the +HIG group dogs. Although mortality during hospitalization and the time from hospital admission to release or death was not significantly different between the two groups, we interpret this similar course of the IMHA despite more severe signs of the +HIG group dogs as a potential positive effect of the HIG therapy.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune↗
PubMed2002

Feline relapsing polychondritis: two cases and a review of the literature.

Only 11 reports of cats with relapsing polychondritis (RPC) were found in the literature. We describe two additional cases and provide a review of the literature. Predominantly young to middle aged cats are affected (range 1.5 to 14.5 years, median 3 years). There is no sex predilection for feline RPC. In all cats with feline RPC, the ears were affected. The findings in one of our cases and one case in the literature raise the question if other organs such as the joints, the eyes or the heart may be involved in feline RPC. The histological lesions observed in biopsy samples of the ears were similar in all cats. Glucocorticoids were not effective in the treatment of RPC. Dapsone appeared to result in some clinical improvement but side effects were observed in one of four cats. Some cats improved without treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes in placental tissue of pre-eclampsia: up-regulation of obesity-related genes.

Susceptibility genes present in both mother and fetus most likely contribute to the risk of pre-eclampsia. Placental biopsies were therefore investigated by high-density DNA microarray analysis to determine genes differentially regulated within chorionic villous tissue in pre-eclampsia and normal pregnancy. The pooled RNAs of pre-eclamptic and normotensive subjects were hybridized to the HuGeneFL array representing sequences from approximately 5600 full-length human cDNAs. The differentially expressed genes that were detected could be categorized into nine groups: adhesion molecules, obesity-related genes, transcription factors/signalling molecules, immunological factors, neuromediators, oncogenic factors, protease inhibitors, hormones and growth factor-binding proteins. Among those, the obesity-related genes included putative candidate genes associated with the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. One of the most up-regulated transcripts was the obese gene (43.6-fold change), and this was reflected by elevated leptin protein levels. In the case of feto-maternal contribution of polymorphic genes to pre-eclampsia, expression analysis of placental tissue has lead to numerous target genes waiting for large scale genetic linkage analyses.

Female↗
PubMed2001

Simultaneous immunohistochemical detection of tumor cells in lymph nodes and bone marrow aspirates in breast cancer and its correlation with other prognostic factors.

PURPOSE: We studied the prognostic and predictive value of immunohistochemically detected occult tumor cells (OTCs) in lymph nodes and bone marrow aspirates obtained from node-negative breast cancer patients. All were classified as distant metastases-free using conventional staging methods. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 484 patients with pT1-2N0M0 breast cancer and 70 with pT1-2N1M0 breast cancer and a single affected lymph node participated in our trial. Ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes and intraoperatively aspirated bone marrow were examined. All samples were examined for OTCs using monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratins 8, 18, 19. Immunohistological findings were correlated with other prognostic factors. The mean follow-up was 54 +/- 24 months. RESULTS: OTCs were detected in 180 (37.2%) of 484 pT1-2N0M0 patients: in the bone marrow of 126 patients (26.0%), in the lymph nodes of 31 patients (6.4%), and in bone marrow and lymph nodes of 23 (4.8%) patients. Of the 70 patients with pT1-2N1MO breast cancer and a single involved lymph node, OTCs were identified in the bone marrow of 26 (37.1%). The ability to detect tumor cells increased with the following tumor features: larger size, poor differentiation, and higher proliferation. Tumors of patients with OTCs more frequently demonstrated lymph node invasion, blood vessel invasion, higher urokinase-type plasminogen activator levels, and increased PAI-1 concentrations. Patients with detected OTCs showed reduced disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OAS) rates that were comparable to those observed in patients who had one positive lymph node. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors revealed that OTCs, histological grading, and tumor size are significant predictors of DFS; OTCs and grading of OAS. CONCLUSION: OTCs detected by simultaneous immunohistochemical analysis of axillary lymph nodes and bone marrow demonstrate independent metastatic pathways. Although OTCs were significantly more frequent in patients with other unfavorable prognostic factors, they were confirmed as an independent prognostic factor for pT1-2N0M0, R0 breast cancer patients.

Adult↗