Synthesis of methyl iodide-11 C and formaldehyde-11 C.
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Carbon Radioisotopes↗
Biomedical subjects
G Berger
Publications and source records attributed to G Berger.
Deterministic hypotheses on the origin of life and of its reproduction.
The current theory of the origin of life by random polymerisation and selection of nucleic acids is challenged by the hypothesis that the primitive enzymatic sites would have been formed by abiotic polymerisation of aminoacids, specifically gathered (by saline, hydrogen, or hydrophobic interactions), around the different substrates. The information contained in these proteinoids would have been transferred to messenger-like RNAs by a mechanism reverse of that of the present protein synthesis, and then to DNA. The interactions between aminoacids and nucleotidic sequences would have been at the origin of the genetic code, as hypothesized by several authors. We propose that the specificity of the bindings would have been enhanced and 'frozen' by ternary associations with specific proteinoids (future aminoacyl tRNA synthetases). The role of chance would have been limited to the supply of the products and to the determination of the conditions of reaction. Thermodynamic considerations (dissipation of the free enthalpy through enzymatic activities) may explain the emergence of the biological systems.
Binding Sites↗
Improved tumor targeting by regional carboplatin application combined with Gelfoam. An experimental study on liver tumor-bearing rabbits.
Regional chemotherapy of liver metastases is a promising alternative to systemic chemotherapy. Despite a number of theoretical advantages, extended life expectancy has only been confirmed in two studies. Since tumors have a concentration-dependent response to cytostatics, the primary goal is to increase the cytostatic concentration applied in tumor tissue. The aim of this study on liver tumor-bearing chinchilla rabbits was to show that the regional application of carboplatin leads to an increased concentration in tumor tissue. A further increase in carboplatin concentration by additional regional application of gelatine powder (Gelfoam) was demonstrated in a subsequent test; regional compared to intravenous application increased the carboplatin concentration in the tumor tissue by a factor of 12.1 and coapplication with Gelfoam increased the cytostatic concentration by a factor of 44.3.
Animals↗
Long-term risk of gastrointestinal tumor recurrence after postoperative treatment with recombinant human growth hormone.
BACKGROUND: Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) promotes protein synthesis, accelerates wound healing, and maintains immune function in the catabolic state. It has also been claimed that rhGH may promote the activation of residual tumor cells, and therefore, increases the risk of tumor recurrence. This study aimed to investigate whether postoperative administration of rhGH increases the long-term risk of tumor recurrences in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery for malignancy. METHODS: Patients (n =104) received three different doses of rhGH (0.075 IU/kg, 0.150 IU/kg, and 0.300 IU/kg) during 5 postoperative days in a placebo-controlled trial. Follow-up was performed for 56-70 months after radical tumor resection. Mean survival period and relapse-free survival were compared with the control group. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 75 patients. Thirty-five percent (n = 20) of all patients treated with rhGH showed tumor recurrences in comparison to 44% (n = 8) of patients given placebo. Mean survival period for rhGH-treated patients was 46 months (median 59 months); in controls, 42 months (median 58 months). The length of relapse-free survival tended to be longer in rhGH-treated patients (2-47 months; median, 21 months) compared with the patients who were given placebo (2-18 months; median, 13 months). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate no evidence for an increased risk of tumor recurrence after rhGH treatment for a short period of time after removal of a gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma. Therefore, the positive metabolic effects of rhGH application can be used safely in the treatment of the postoperative catabolic state in the patient groups investigated.
Adenocarcinoma↗
The inferior turbinate mast cell population of patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.
The number of mast cells in the inferior turbinates of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and perennial nonallergic rhinitis was compared with normal controls. Mast cell counts expressed as the mean number in 100 high-power fields, assessed after Carnoy's fixation and toluidine blue staining were 1.84 in normal controls (n = 11), 4.39 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (n = 13), and 4.00 in those with perennial nonallergic rhinitis (n = 26). Statistical analysis confirmed that the density of mast cells in allergic as well as in nonallergic patients was significantly higher than in normal controls, whereas no significant difference was found between the number of mast cells in allergic and nonallergic patients. It is concluded that the number of mast cells in the inferior turbinate mucosa of patients with perennial rhinitis is increased compared with normal controls, and the increased number is not necessarily allergy-dependent.
Acetic Acid↗
Goblet cell density of the inferior turbinates in patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.
Nasal mucus production is regulated by submucosal glands and epithelial goblet cells. The role and especially the number of the latter are quite debatable. The present study compares the distribution and density of goblet cells in the inferior turbinates of patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis to normal controls. The periodic acid Schiff-alcian blue whole-mount method was used to identify and count their number. Goblet cell distribution was found nonhomogeneous, and considerable variations were observed among adjacent localities of the same specimen. The mean number of goblet cells per mm2 was 6499 in normal controls (n = 12), 6818 in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (n = 13), and 6801 in patients with perennial nonallergic rhinitis (n = 18). Statistical analysis confirmed that the density of goblet cells did not differ significantly between patients with and without allergy, as well as between each group of patients and controls. Therefore, it could be concluded that the number of goblet cells in the inferior turbinate is not influenced by the presence of perennial allergic or nonallergic rhinitis.
Cell Count↗
Inferior turbinate goblet cell secretion in patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.
Perennial rhinitis is clinically associated with a significant increase in nasal mucus secretion. Moreover, it has already been established that the number of goblet cells, in the inferior turbinates of patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis, does not differ from that of normal subjects. Thus a question is raised, whether the above-mentioned phenomenon is ascribed exclusively to submucosal glandular activity, or may also be a result of a nonhyperplastic increase of goblet cell functional activity. This study was conducted to assess inferior turbinate goblet cell mucus secretion in a cohort of patients with perennial allergic and nonallergic rhinitis compared with normal controls. A semiquantitative morphometric method was used to examine goblet cell mucus secretion in sections stained with Alcian blue and periodic acid Schiff. Mucus secretion in each section was established in terms of secretory ratio, calculated as the number of secreting goblet cells divided by the number of nonsecreting ones. The mean secretory ratio of patients with perennial allergic (n = 11) and nonallergic rhinitis (n = 23) was 0.89 and 0.57, respectively, compared to controls (n = 10) 0.25. Statistical analysis confirmed that the secretory ratio of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis was significantly higher than that of the control group. No significant difference prevailed between patients with perennial nonallergic rhinitis and controls, as well as between allergic and nonallergic patients. Based on the results of the study, a basal state of nasal goblet cell mucus secretion in nonstimulated healthy people was established. Furthermore, it was concluded that the enhancement in mucus discharge, from the inferior turbinate goblet cells of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis, was attributed to a nonhyperplastic increase of nasal goblet cell functional activity.
Analysis of Variance↗
Histamine levels in middle ear effusions.
The presence of histamine in 131 middle ear effusions was determined by the fluorometric assay technique. This potent mediator of inflammation was found in significant amounts in most of the samples, suggesting that it may play an important role in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion. It is postulated that mast cells located in the lamina propria of the tympanic mucoperiosteum are triggered to degranulate and release histamine by anaphylatoxin derived from activation of the complement system.
Adolescent↗
Bone resorption in chronic otitis media. The role of mast cells.
Twenty-two surgical specimens of eroded middle ear ossicles were removed from patients with chronic otitis media, with and without cholesteatoma. By using specific mast cell stains, increased numbers of mast cells were found in connective or granulation tissue adjacent to eroded surface of the bone. Mast cells possess the biological machinery necessary for enhancing bone resorption, and the population density of mast cells is increased in a variety of disorders that are associated with bone resorption. It is hypothesized that mast cells contribute to bone resorption in chronic otitis media, and the possible mechanisms by which mast cells exert their action are discussed.
Adolescent↗
Prolongation of survival of rats injected with hepatoma cells treated by nuclei extracts from mouse and rat embryo cells.
Cancer cells express particular genes, part of which are normally active during the embryonic development. On the other hand, young embryos are able to differentiate teratocarcinoma or leukemia cells, likely by producing differentiation factors. In this work, rat and mouse embryo cell nuclei extracts were tested on hepatoma carcinoma cells LFCl2A: they inhibit the cell growth in culture and increase the survival of syngeneic rats injected with hepatoma cells incubated with these extracts. This inhibition is correlated with a decrease of DNA synthesis without toxic effect: It seems to be due to the mixture of tight binding DNA proteins, possibly transcriptional factors.
Animals↗
Detection and prognosis of recurrent gastric cancer--is routine follow-up after gastrectomy worthwhile?
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although routine follow-up after surgery for gastric cancer is recommended its value after gastrectomy has not been evaluated. METHODOLOGY: All patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer entering the routine follow-up program between January 1987 and August 1996 were identified. The patients studied were those with either histologically proven recurrence or those in whom recurrence was highly probable from clinical course. Two groups were compared. The first group comprised the patients whose recurrence was detected by routine follow-up prior to the development of clinical signs (asymptomatic group). The second group consisted of the patients who developed clinical symptoms due to a recurrence that was detected subsequently (symptomatic group). The main parameters were the time until recurrence occurred, the pattern of recurrence, treatment and survival. RESULTS: Out of 184 patients entering the routine follow-up 135 patients had undergone potentially curative gastrectomy. Sixty-seven patients (49.6%) had recurrences. Only 15 (22.3%) belonged to the asymptomatic group and 52 (77.7%) to the symptomatic one. The time until recurrence occurred was not different between the 2 groups (17.1 vs. 18.0 months). Chemotherapy was performed more frequently in the asymptomatic group and survival was longer (8.4 vs. 5.9 months). This difference was due to the time the patients remained asymptomatic (average 43 months). No effect of either early detection or chemotherapy was seen. In the asymptomatic group distant recurrence was common while recurrence in the symptomatic group was more often local but this difference did not reach statistic significance. CONCLUSIONS: Routine follow-up after gastrectomy for gastric cancer does not contribute to early detection of gastric cancer recurrence. It has no benefit with respect to treatment and survival of patients with recurrent disease and should therefore be reduced to symptomatic and psychological aftercare.
Adult↗
Models of nursing care: a comparative study of patient satisfaction on two orthopaedic wards in Brisbane.
Patient satisfaction measures assist nurses in the evaluation of effectiveness of nursing practice and assist the process of improvement regarding established practice. A comparative study was carried out on 36 patients from a ward using team nursing (Model 1) and 38 patients from a ward using patient allocation (Model 2) in two orthopaedic wards of a 900 bed teaching hospital in Brisbane, Australia. The purpose of the research was to measure if differences in the levels of patient satisfaction were evident. The Patient Satisfaction Survey (Greenhill and Henderson 1997) used in this study encompassed aspects such as patients' feelings and perceptions; nurses' skills, behaviour and attitudes; nurses' communication and education skills; and continuity of care experienced. The results indicated that there were no differences between models of nursing care and levels of patient satisfaction. However, there were significant relationships between patient satisfaction and patients' characteristics such as age, education and health status.
Female↗
Stealth liposomal 5-fluorouracil with or without degradable starch microspheres for hepatic arterial infusion in the treatment of liver metastases. An animal study in VX-2 liver tumor-bearing rabbits.
PURPOSE: Regional application of cytostatics in liver metastases leads to increased concentrations in tumor tissue. Flow retardation by temporary occlusion and drug targeting via liposome encapsulation (PEG liposomes) will further increase tumor concentrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Liver tumor-bearing rabbits were submitted to i.v. or i.a. therapy with or without liposome-encapsulated 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). I.a. groups were additionally treated with or without degradable starch microspheres. Tumor concentrations were calculated by HPLC as area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: A comparison with i.v.-applied 5-FU yielded the following increasing concentrations: 5-FU-PEG liposomes i.v. 6-fold, 5-FU i.a. 20-fold, 5-FU i.a. + DSM 226-fold, 5-FU-PEG liposomes i.a. 319-fold, 5-FU-PEG liposomes i.a. + DSM 2203-fold. CONCLUSION: The intratumoral concentration of 5-FU was increased up to 2203 times the intravenous dose by combination of regional application via the hepatic artery with temporary embolization by degradable starch microspheres and drug targeting by liposome encapsulated 5-FU.
Animals↗
Multicenter pilot study of 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid, interferon alpha-2b and degradable starch microspheres via hepatic arterial infusion in patients with nonresectable colorectal liver metastases.
BACKGROUND: It is necessary to establish therapeutic regimens for patients with nonresectable hepatic metastases of colorectal carcinoma. A new regional chemotherapy regimen was tested in a prospective study in three centers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An arterial port system was implanted in 95 patients. From January 1994 to March 1999, intra-arterial treatment was applied via the hepatic artery using 450 mg starch microspheres with 5 million IU recombinant interferon-alpha 2B, 500 mg/m2 folinic acid and 600 mg/m2 5-FU body surface for 5 days with a 14-day interval. RESULTS: The tumor response rate was 70%. Median disease progression was 17 months, median survival 24 months. The subgroup analysis shows a significant advantage (p<0.00001) for patients with a liver tumor involvement of <25% and a median survival of 39 months compared to a tumor involvement of 25-50% (24 months) and >50% (14 months). Major toxicity problems were observed in 11%. However, there was no termination of therapy on account of these problems. CONCLUSION: Intra-arterial chemotherapy with our new regimen was useful in patients with colorectal liver metastases who had only an intrahepatic tumor burden of <50%.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Hepatic arterial infusion (HAI). Comparison of 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid, interferon alpha-2b and degradable starch microspheres versus 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid in patients with non-resectable colorectal liver metastases.
BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with advanced colorectal tumor is poor. Therefore, other therapy regimes for non-resectable hepatic metastases are necessary. In this prospective study, two regional chemotherapy protocols were compared. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An arterial port system was implanted in 64 patients. Sixty patients were assigned to the two therapy protocols for hepatic arterial infusion (HAI): protocol A (n=24): 5-FU/FA (300 mg/m2 folinic acid and 600 mg/m2 5-fluorouracil daily for 5 days with a 14-day interval); protocol B (n=36): 5-FU/FA/IFN/DSM (450 mg starch microspheres (DSM) with 5 million IU recombinant interferon (IFN), alpha 2b 500 mg/m2 FA and 600 mg/m2 5-FU). RESULTS: The response rate was 50% in protocol A patients and 69.4% in protocol B. The median times for disease progression were 11 months for protocol A and 20 months for protocol B (p = 0.038), while median survival times of 14 months and 26 months, respectively, were obtained (p = 0.015). There were no significant differences in terms of toxic side-effects. Major toxicity problems were observed in 12% of the protocol A-treated patients and in 11% of the protocol B-treated patients. CONCLUSION: Combination therapy with HAI-5-FU/FA/IFN/DSM was superior to HAI-5FU/FA, with a high response rate (69% vs. 55%) and few toxic side-effects. These findings suggest that these combinations should be evaluated in larger studies as first- or second-line therapy in patients with hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer.
Aged↗
[Myospherulosis: a riddle asked by strange bags of marbles. A report of four cases (author's transl)].
Four cases of "myospherulosis" are presented with a review of the thirty cases previously reported in the litterature. The disease is characterized by clusters of spherules, surrounded by a thin membranous bag, within a multicystic reaction of muscular and subcutaneous tissue or of paranasal sinuses. The actual nature of these spherules still remains unknown. Several pathogenic hypothesis are suggested.
Adolescent↗
[Duodenal ulcer and pyloric micro-gastrinoma. A report of one case (author's transl)].
We report a case of micro-gastrinoma associated with a duodenal ulcer. This ulcer was severe and a gastrectomy (Finsterer) was performed. Pathologic examination showed a "carcinoid islet cell-tumor" with argyrophil granules in the cells' cytoplasme and ultrastructural studies confirmed neurosecretory granules with dense central core. Using the immunofluorescence and immunoperoxydase technic with several anti sera against polypeptide hormones we were able to show it was a pure gastrinoma. We presume this association is a new entity in gastrin-cells pathology.
Duodenal Ulcer↗
[Filling cystic bone defects with surface-modified alpha-tricalcium phosphate. A clinical, radiographical and histological study].
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Bone Cysts↗