In the working rat heart we investigated heart function (aortic and coronary flow) during a normoxic, a hypoxic, and a reoxygenation phase after hypoxia. A depressed heart function was obtained by limiting oxygen supply and reducing left ventricular filling pressure (preload). After hypoxic perfusion for about 90 min, reoxygenation resulted in a 50% decrease of aortic flow. Lactate production and release increased immediately after oxygen deprivation and reached a maximum after about 35 min of hypoxia. Following reoxygenation, lactate release decreased. Lactate dehydrogenase became significant after reoxygenation. After stabilization of aortic flow at 50% in the reoxygenation phase different reagents were examined for their influence on heart performance. 1.5 mM of 2-Mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG) significantly increased aortic flow by 40%. The oxidized form of MPG (ox-MPG) at a concentration of 0.6 mM increased aortic flow by 125%. A molecular mechanism is proposed involving reorientation of the ATPase molecules at their membrane sites.

Animals↗

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Uncoupler- and hypoxia-induced damage in the working rat heart and its treatment. I. Observations with uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation.

In the isolated working rat heart, the damaging effect of 0.05-0.06 microM Carbonylcyanide-p-trifluoro-methoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) was reversible within 20 sec by perfusion with fresh buffer. Cysteine 3 mM restored the aortic flow to the initial value within an additional 15-20 sec. Thereafter, the FCCP effect became irreversible due to a progressive structural membrane change. The structural change by FCCP is probably brought about by 'internalization' of polar groups (R-SH; R-NH3+) of the mitochondrial (and other) membrane.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Alcoholism, malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, and the skin.

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Alcoholism↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Analysis of treatment efficiency of carboplatin and etoposide in combination with radical surgery in advanced and recurrent childhood hepatoblastoma: a report of the German Cooperative Pediatric Liver Tumor Study HB 89 and HB 94.

BACKGROUND: Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common liver tumor of childhood, and comprises approximately 1% of all pediatric malignancies. Although recent data from multicenter trials of GPOH, SIOP, CCG and POG indicate a remarkable improvement of therapy results, the prognosis of advanced or recurrent HB is still not satisfying. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During 1989 and 1997, the German Cooperative Pediatric Liver Tumor Studies HB 89 and HB 94 registered 141 patients with HB, who were treated according to the study protocols. These patients received standard chemotherapy with ifosfamide, cisplatin and doxorubicin (IPA) pre-operatively and/or post-operatively. Fourteen children with recurrent or advanced HB were additionally treated with carboplatin and etoposide (CARBO/VP 16), the reason being observations of drug resistance in children with HB after four or more courses of IPA-therapy in the HB 89 study. The clinical data and course of these patients were evaluated to investigate the efficiency of CARBO/VP 16 chemotherapy and for analyzing the role of surgery. RESULTS: Mean follow-up for survivors was 4.3 years (range 13 months-8 years). Tumor resection was attempted in 13 children but, in only 3 cases, was a complete tumor resection achieved in one operation. There was no perioperative death, and 7 of the patients (50%) are in remission. Two patients underwent adjuvant chemotherapy with CARBO/VP 16 for advanced HB at first operation: all are alive and well. Five patients with local relapse and/or distant metastases responded partially to CARBO/VP 16 therapy, and a complete remission was achieved in one patient. In five patients, progressive disease was observed during therapy with CARBO/VP 16. One patient, stable while on chemotherapy, had a successful resection. Acute toxicity of chemotherapy was observed in 7 patients (50%). CONCLUSION: An aggressive approach using IPA and CARBO/VP 16 chemotherapy and highly developed surgical techniques may improve the prognosis of advanced or recurrent HBs.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

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[Central venous indwelling catheter systems in pediatric oncology from the surgical viewpoint].

A total of 307 central venous access devices were implanted by open surgery in 268 pediatric oncology patients. Their data were retrospectively evaluated from a surgical point of view. The cumulative duration of implantation of 116 subcutaneous tunneled Catheter (STC) was 12,206 days and 45,524 days for 191 portsystems. According to the duration in each group, ports were superior to STC when infection, complication and occlusion were taken into consideration. Infection of the ports was more frequent in children under 3 years than in older patients. Conversely, in the STC-group, children over 10 years presented with the highest rate of infection episodes. The number of complications was high in young children for both types of catheter, decreasing with age. Occlusion rates were similar for both systems and were not age related. However, thrombolysis was more successful in portsystems and few catheters had to be removed for this reason. The age-related data of the presented study are discussed with regard to the surgical procedure. Recommendations are made concerning the adequate choice of catheter system, the surgical technique and postoperative management. Additionally, the medicotechnical aspect of different catheter types is discussed and some suggestions and/or requests are directed to the industrial developing laboratories.

Bacteremia↗

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Idiopathic edema in a male.

A 15-year-old boy who suffered from leg edema of unknown origin is described. The exclusion of any other cause for the edema, the clinical features, and the results of the dynamic tests performed suggested the diagnosis of "idiopathic edema," a syndrome described previously in women only. Spironolactone therapy brought about the disappearance of the edema and enabled the patient to return to his normal activities. This case report suggests that "idiopathic edema" is a syndrome common to both sexes, and is therefore not related to estrogen disturbances.

Adolescent↗

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Chemiluminescence in semen of infertile men.

Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) can be used to determine the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by cells. Enhanced formation of ROS in human semen was reported to be of pathological significance for a disturbed sperm function. To investigate incidence of elevated CL-signals in semen samples and their correlation to conventional semen parameters, CL-signals in the semen of both 49 consecutive infertile men and 20 controls were measured. Semen was analysed according to WHO-criteria including bovine mucus-penetration- and water-test. A CL-signal of 1.5 x 10(5) counts min-1/2 x 10(6) spermatozoa was considered to be the upper normal limit. The CL in infertile men's semen was elevated with statistically significant differences in oligozoospermia patients/controls (P < 0.0001) and normozoospermia patients/controls (P < 0.05). In the group with elevated CL-signals, a higher percentage of spermatozoa with a pathologic morphology was detected (P = 0.05). In the groups with pathologic results of eosin- and water-tests, the CL-counts were elevated (P < 0.006; P < 0.03). The spermatozoa motility in the group with elevated CL-counts was significantly reduced after 4 h (P < 0.05). The CL-signals correlated inversely with the results of the bovine mucus-penetration-test (r = -0.67), P < 0.0001). In conclusion, semen samples of 28% of our patients showed elevated CL-signals; these were associated with pathological results of membrane integrity-tests. The negative correlation of CL with the results of Penetrak-test reflects its importance to depict the functional capacity of spermatozoa.

Adult↗

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Electron spin resonance detection of UVA-induced free radicals.

Free radicals generated during UV irradiation of human skin biopsies were measured with electron spin resonance spectroscopy by using spin traps. The generation of hydroxyl and lipid radicals in skin is mainly caused by the UVA part of the solar spectrum.

Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cranial nerve paralysis following carotid endarterectomy.

During the past seven years 347 patients have been entered into a data bank at the Duke University Medical Center for evaluation of transient neurologic ischemia. One hundred fifty eight of these patients had carotid endarterectomies of whom 24 (15.1%) developed 26 (16.4%) peripheral cranial nerve palsies. Injury to the peripheral portion of the hypoglossal nerve was noted in 13 patients, to the cervical branch of the facial nerve in five and to the recurrent laryngeal nerve branch of the vagus in eight. Complete recovery of nerve function usually occurred within four months but residual deficit was present at one year in two patients with facial nerve and four with hypoglossal nerve involvement. Even though these complications of carotid endarterectomy are generally benign and transient, the frequency of occurrence can be reduced if careful attention is given to anatomic localization of the cranial nerves during surgery.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of highly polar DNA adducts derived from dibenz[A,H]anthracene (DBA), 3,4-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-DBA, and 3,4,10,11-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA.

Two highly polar DNA adducts were found after metabolic activation of 3,4,10,11-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydrodibenz[a,h]anthracene (DBA-3,4,10,11-bisdiol) by liver microsomes isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with Aroclor 1254 in presence of calf thymus DNA. These DNA adducts could be assigned to the metabolites of dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DBA), of 3R,4R,10R,11R-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA and of 3R,4R,10S,11S-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA. DNA adducts derived from metabolites of 3S,4S,10S,11S-tetrahydroxy-3,4,10,11-tetrahydro-DBA were not found. These highly polar adducts also could be detected by reversed phase HPLC after incubation of dibenz[a,h]anthracene, 3R,4R-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-DBA ((-)-DBA-3,4-diol) and 3S,4S-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-DBA ((+)-DBA-3,4-diol) with DNA in presence of the activating system. After incubation of 14C labelled DBA DNA adducts derived from DBA-3,4,10,11-bisdiol were found in a fraction of 38% and bay region 3,4-dihydroxy-1,2-epoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-DBA-DNA adducts at a level of 25%. DBA-3,4,10,11-bisdiol exhibited a higher DNA binding yield (38 +/- 12 pmol/mg DNA) than (-)-DBA-3,4-diol (23 +/- 6 pmol/mg DNA), the most mutagenic 3,4-diol enantiomer. For (+)-DBA-3,4-diol the highly polar DNA adducts derived from DBA-3,4,10,11-bisdiol were by far the most predominant adducts in vitro.

Animals↗