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Biomedical subjects

J Kunz

Publications and source records attributed to J Kunz.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Low-dose octreotide treatment is not effective in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Octreotide (SMS 201-995), a long-acting somatostatin analogue, has been shown to decelerate growth of human pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo. We analyzed the efficacy of octreotide treatment in 22 patients (14 men, 8 women) with histologically verified ductal pancreatic cancer. All patients had advanced tumor stages (stage III: 13 patients; stage IV: 9 patients). Octreotide was given by self-administered subcutaneous injection (3 x 100 micrograms/day). When there was evidence of tumor progression, the dose of octreotide was increased to 3 x 200 micrograms/day. A monthly follow-up, including clinical status, CT scan or ultrasonography, and tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 determination was carried out. There were no severe side effects apart from slight burning sensation at the injection site. No partial or complete remission was seen. Eighteen patients showed tumor progression with a median survival time of 17 weeks (range 3-42 weeks). In three patients a "no change" evaluation with a median survival time of 46 weeks (range 40-68 weeks) was registered. In these three patients the serum tumor markers CA 19-9 and CEA did not show an increase to more than twice the baseline value during this time. One patient discontinued the octreotide treatment because of tumor progression. The results of the analysis indicate that low-dose octreotide treatment is not effective in patient suffering from advanced tumor stages of pancreatic cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

The immunosuppressant FK506 inhibits amino acid import in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The immunosuppressants cyclosporin A, FK506, and rapamycin inhibit growth of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms and also block activation of T lymphocytes from multicellular eukaryotes. In vitro, these compounds bind and inhibit two different types of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerases. Cyclosporin A binds cyclophilins, whereas FK506 and rapamycin bind FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs). Cyclophilins and FKBPs are ubiquitous, abundant, and targeted to multiple cellular compartments, and they may fold proteins in vivo. Previously, a 12-kDa cytoplasmic FKBP was shown to be only one of at least two FK506-sensitive targets in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We find that a second FK506-sensitive target is required for amino acid import. Amino acid-auxotrophic yeast strains (trp1 his4 leu2) are FK506 sensitive, whereas prototrophic strains (TRP1 his4 leu2, trp1 HIS4 leu2, and trp1 his4 LEU2) are FK506 resistant. Amino acids added exogenously to the growth medium mitigate FK506 toxicity. FK506 induces GCN4 expression, which is normally induced by amino acid starvation. FK506 inhibits transport of tryptophan, histidine, and leucine into yeast cells. Lastly, several genes encoding proteins involved in amino acid import or biosynthesis confer FK506 resistance. These findings demonstrate that FK506 inhibits amino acid import in yeast cells, most likely by inhibiting amino acid transporters. Amino acid transporters are integral membrane proteins which import extracellular amino acids and constitute a protein family sharing 30 to 35% identity, including eight invariant prolines. Thus, the second FK506-sensitive target in yeast cells may be a proline isomerase that plays a role in folding amino acid transporters during transit through the secretory pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Ice cream preference: gender differences in taste and quality.

69 college women showed a preference for expensive ice cream while 53 college men preferred the less expensive ice cream. Analysis indicates the taste for more expensive ice cream is linked to gender, but it is not clear whether this is learned or not.

Female↗
PubMed1993

[Prognostic significance of prostatic carcinoma grading according to Helpap].

The prognostic significance of the subgrading system introduced by Helpap was retrospectively examined in 342 prostatic carcinomas, revealing a distinct decrease on survival rate with increasing grade of malignancy: during the first three years following diagnosis 21 per cent of the patients with carcinomas graded as Ib died, while all patients with grade Ia carcinomas were still alive. Thus, according to our results, a clinical observation, but no further surgical treatment is recommended in grade Ia cases. At the time of diagnosis, 54.3 per cent of our cases were at the stages T3 or T4. 15.4 per cent of the carcinomas were incidental. The majority (52 per cent) of these cases had to be graded as Ia or Ib, but only 14.8 per cent of the non-incidental tumors did belong to these prognostically most favourable groups. In summary, the prostate carcinoma grading system introduced by Helpap is characterized by prognostic significance and good reproducibility, and thus should be part of the routine diagnosis of prostate carcinoma.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1993

[Ki 67 growth fraction in carcinomas and benign lesions of the breast].

In 108 cases with benign breast lesions immunhistochemical studies using the monoclonal antibody Ki 67 yielded significantly lower values in comparison to 120 patients with breast carcinomas. The Ki 67 growth fraction showed a negative correlation with tumor size and nodal status and a positive correlation with tumor grading. The possible significance of this method performed on freeze sections in respect to the predictive estimation of nodal negative breast carcinomas and preneoplasias with indeterminate proliferative potential is emphasized.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1992

[Urinary tract infection in women in daily clinical practice].

Questions concerning the clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women related to daily practice are discussed on the basis of personal experience and a review of the literature. Indications and rationale for a single-dose therapy with Cotrimoxazole, Trimethoprim or Fosfomycin are detailed. Special considerations are given to therapeutical approaches to recurrent infection as well as special situations like asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute urethral syndrome, bacteriuria in pregnancy and nosocomial, catheter-associated infections are discussed.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1992

Comparative serological reactivity of Taenia crassiceps, Taenia solium and Taenia saginata metacestode neutral glycolipids to infection serum from Taenia crassiceps-infected mice.

A comparative survey was undertaken of the neutral fraction glycolipids from the metacestodes of 3 taeniid species, Taenia crassiceps, Taenia solium and Taenia saginata, to determine their chemical and serological staining patterns on separation by thin-layer chromatography. The orcinol-positive patterns of T. solium and T. saginata metacestodes exhibited a closer superficial resemblance to each other than to T. crassiceps or T. saginata adults. A comparison of component migration properties against standards of known structure indicated the main oligosaccharide chains to be mono-, di-, tri- and tetrasaccharides; however, in T. solium this was extended to at least a heptasaccharide. The multiple banding characteristic of each component is a consequence of lipid moiety heterogeneity. Serologically, the patterns of the 3 taeniid species neutral fraction glycolipids showed virtually the same immunological reactivity towards mouse normal serum, infection serum and a monospecific, polyclonal antibody directed against the trisaccharide component of T. crassiceps. The latter antibody was isolated from mouse infection serum by affinity chromatography on a column of glycolipid-bound octyl-Sepharose CL-4B. Immunochemically, the major common epitope expressed by the neutral fraction glycolipids of the 3 taeniid species is the same or very similar to the glycosphingolipid, neogalatriaosyl ceramide derived from the marine mollusc Turbo cornutus (Gal(beta 1-6) Gal(beta 1-6) Gal(beta 1-1)Cer). Host tissue neutral fraction glycolipids, porcine muscle and bovine muscle, as well as human spleen, were not immunoreactive.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[DNA synthesis activity and growth fractions of brain tumors].

Histoautoradiographic and immunohistochemical studies of biopsies from 27 brain tumors yielded the following preliminary conclusions: 3H-thymidine labeling indices and Ki-67 growth fraction indicate the proliferative activity more reliable than counting of mitoses, the fraction of DNA synthesizing tumor cells and the Ki-67 growth fraction show an equal behaviour, as expected, the immunohistochemical values are higher than the labeling indices because all tumor cells within the proliferation cycles express the nuclear antigen. By the increase of the number of tumors and the use of the different cell kinetic methods on the same tumor tissue the prerequisite to grading of brain tumors as a basis of therapeutic strategy can be improved.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1991

[Sterilization of mentally retarded women].

The sterilization of mentally retarded women raises gynecologic, psychiatric and legal questions. Gynecologic considerations include the experience of the reliability of reversible contraceptive methods with mentally retarded patients and questions concerning the type of operation. From the psychiatric point of view the prognoses of mentally retarded patients and the expected psychic coping with the operation are essential aspects in the indication for sterilization. Last but not least, the Swiss legal framework for sterilization must be considered. This aspect is illustrated on the basis of the results of a catamnestic analysis of 21 patients operated on between 1980 and 1987.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Immunological recognition of larval Taenia crassiceps glycolipids by sera from parasite-infected mice.

The isolation and purification of a neutral glycolipid fraction from Taenia crassiceps metacestodes (KBS strain), harvested from both male and female NMRI mice at 70-80 days following intraperitoneal infection, revealed 24 thin-layer chromatography-designated glycolipid bands. The glycolipids were defined as ceramide mono- (n = 3), di- (n = 3), tri- (n = 4), tetra- (n = 5), and greater than tetrasaccharides (n = 9) according to their running properties as defined by thin-layer chromatography against standards of known structure. The defined glycolipids were tested for immunoreactivity with sera from noninfected and T. crassiceps-infected NMRI mice (intraperitoneal injection or implantation of 15 larvae/animal) using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) until day 33 p.i. (IgM and IgG reaction) and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) combined with immunostaining (IgG reaction) until day 7 p.i. ELISA-determined IgM and IgG titres were significantly elevated from day 5 p.i. Immunostaining revealed early reactivity for certain ceramide tetra- and greater than tetrasaccharides (n = 6) on day 3 p.i. From day 5 p.i. onwards, nearly all glycolipids, including ceramide mono- and disaccharides, were recognized by the sera from metacestode-challenged mice. On day 7 p.i., a total of 22 bands were serologically active; of these, a considerable number (n = 10) showed increased staining intensity. Remarkably, in many cases (10 of 20), 3 glycolipids (tetra- and greater than tetrasaccharides) were weakly recognized by mouse sera taken before infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[S-phase fraction of benign mastopathies and breast carcinomas].

The S phase fraction of breast biopsies of 110 patients determined in vitro using 3H-thymidine. In fibrocystic lesions the 3H-thymidine labeling index (3H-TMI) increases parallel to the degree of dysplasia. In our opinion proliferating mastopathies are only those with a 3H-TMI of more than 1%. Invasive ductal mammary carcinomas with the histological structure demonstrate a strong variable proliferative activity histoautoradiographically as expression of their different growth dynamics.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed1990

Active transport of proteins into the nucleus.

Nuclear proteins are actively and posttranslationally transported across the nuclear envelope. This transport is a highly selective process that can be divided into two steps, receptor-binding followed by translocation through the nuclear envelope. Receptor-binding is mediated by nuclear localization signals that have been identified in many nuclear proteins. Translocation is energy-dependent and occurs through the nuclear pore complex.

Amino Acid Sequence↗