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Biomedical subjects

P Fritz

Publications and source records attributed to P Fritz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Immunohistochemical localization of cytochrome P450 2E1 in human pulmonary carcinoma and normal bronchial tissue.

Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) is a major xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme but data concerning its extrahepatic expression are few. CYP2E1 can metabolically activate many procarcinogens and therefore its presence in the lung might play a role in bioactivation of procarcinogens, so we studied the expression and localization of CYP2E1 in primary pulmonary carcinomas and surrounding normal bronchial tissue from 28 patients. Seromucous glands showed expression of CYP2E1 in 19 and bronchial epithelium in 18 of the 28 samples of normal bronchial tissue. Thirteen of the corresponding cases of primary pulmonary carcinoma showed staining for CYP2E1. In 11 of these 13 cases, CYP2E1 was also present in normal bronchial tissue. There was no statistically significant difference in the expression of CYP2E1 between adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. No association was observed between the expression of CYP2E1 in tumour tissue and normal bronchial tissue. However, there was a significant correlation between the expression of CYP2E1 in seromucous glands and bronchial epithelium (r = 0.61, P < 0.01) of normal tissue. We conclude that CYP2E1 can be present in both normal and neoplastic bronchial tissue.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1995

Immunohistochemical localization of cytochrome P450 3A in human pulmonary carcinomas and normal bronchial tissue.

The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes metabolize drugs and other xenobiotics in liver and also in some extrahepatic tissues. We have studied the expression and localization of CYP3A in primary lung tumours and normal lung tissue from the same patients. Thirty-two patients undergoing partial or total lung resection for therapy of primary pulmonary carcinoma were included in this study. Immunohistochemical staining for CYP3A was performed with a modification of the ABC technique. Eight of the 32 cases of primary pulmonary carcinoma showed expression of CYP3A. In 12 of the 32 cases of normal tissue, the seromucous glands were positive for CYP3A. The bronchial epithelium was positive for CYP3A in 11 cases. We observed no correlation between CYP3A expression in tumour tissue and that in seromucous glands or bronchial epithelium. We conclude that CYP3A is present in both normal and cancerous lung tissue. Our findings suggest, however, no co-expression of CYP3A in lung cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Expert consultation by use of telepathology--the Heidelberg experiences.

The benefits and constraint using visual telecommunication in pathology (telepathology) are described based upon the experiences of the authors for more than 4 years. The experiences include first trials in visual telecommunication to analyze image quality, transfer rates, handling of commercially available equipment, and need for routinely diagnostic work followed by routinely expert consultations in frozen sections. A quality control study on diagnostic reliability of bronchial carcinomas was performed later, and the diagnosticly different cases were reclassified by a panel of pathologists using visual telecommunication. The latest experiences are based upon routinely expert consultations in morphologically difficult cases by ISDN-based telecommunication. As a result, image quality and transfer rates are sufficient to permit efficient expert contribution to diagnostically difficult cases in 30-50% of transmitted cases in both common telephone lines and ISDN connections. No influence of various staining procedures, immunohistology, or in situ hybridization on image quality or transfer rates were observed. The area of transmitted images is still too small, and the reliability of ISDN lines is still not sufficient for remote control service in Germany. The handling of commercially available equipment needs to be improved; however, as a general result, telepathology will probably improve the diagnostic quality and access in histopathology within the coming years.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗
PubMed1994

Combined external beam radiotherapy and intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy on bile duct carcinomas.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and complications of combined external beam and intraluminal high dose rate irradiation and various adjuvant biliary drainage techniques on patients with bile duct carcinomas. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eighteen patients with carcinomas of the hepatic duct bifurcation and 12 patients with carcinomas of the choledochus duct or the common hepatic duct were treated with combined external beam radiotherapy and intraluminal high-dose rate brachytherapy. Nine patients received radiotherapy after palliative tumor resection and 21 patients were primarily irradiated. Twenty-five patients completed the full course of radiotherapy. On these patients, the reference doses for the external beam varied from 30 to 45 Gy and for brachytherapy from 20 to 45 Gy. Biliary drainage after radiotherapy was achieved either with percutaneous catheters, endoprosthesis, or stents. RESULTS: The median survival for the entire group was 10 months. The actuarial survival was 34% after 1 year, 18% after 2 and 3 years, and 8% after 5 years. The subgroup with palliative tumor resection exhibit a significantly better survival (median: 12.1 months vs. 7.9 months). Three patients are still living without evidence of disease since 35 to 69 months. Major complications like bacterial cholangitis could be lowered from 37% to 28% through exchange of percutaneous transhepatic catheters to endoprosthesis or stents. The longest lasting drainages were achieved through stents. The frequency of radiogenic ulcera were lowered from 23% to presently 7.6% after the total dose of the high dose rate afterloading boost was reduced to 20 Gy. CONCLUSIONS: The present standard treatment schedule 40 Gy for the external beam and 20 Gy (fourfold 5 Gy) for the afterloading boost seems to be appropriate and well tolerated. After radiotherapy, a permanent supply of drainage should be made with a stent.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1994

Paradiaphyseal calcific tendinitis with cortical bone erosion.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical, radiologic, and histologic features of calcific tendinitis with cortical bone erosion. METHODS: The records of 6 patients with paradiaphyseal calcific tendinitis and adjacent bone cortex erosion were reviewed. RESULTS: Calcific tendinitis involved the linea aspera in 4 patients, the bicipital groove in 1 patient, and the deltoid insertion in another. Calcium deposits were associated with cortical bone erosions, revealed on plain radiographs in 4 patients and computed tomography scans in 2. Bone scans were performed in 2 patients and showed local hyperfixation of the isotope. In 4 patients, suspicion of a neoplasm led to a biopsy. Calcium deposits appeared to be surrounded by a foreign body reaction with numerous giant cells. Apatite crystals were identified by transmission electron microscopy and elemental analysis in 1 surgical sample. CONCLUSION: Paradiaphyseal calcific tendinitis with cortical bone erosion is an uncommon presentation of apatite deposition disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of bile ducts in primary biliary cirrhosis and other liver diseases by immunohistochemical demonstration of Lewis(a) or b antigen.

We investigated Lewis(a) and Lewis(b) expression of bile ducts in 68 specimens from various kinds of liver disease. In addition, the number of IgM and IgG synthesizing plasma cells in the hepatic inflammatory reactions were immunostained and counted. We found a statistically significant decrease in the number of bile ducts in PBC (primary biliary cirrhosis) in comparison with either chronic active or persistent hepatitis (CAH/CPH). Bile ducts could be detected easily and constantly by their Lewis antigen expression. Isolated bile duct epithelial cells not apparent in H&E sections could be identified by Lewis(a) and b immunostaining. The number of plasma cells in PBC was significantly different than in (CAH/CPH). A large number of IgM plasma cells was a characteristic feature of PBC. However, neither counting of Lewis(a) and b positive bile ducts nor counting of IgM plasma cells was of definite diagnostic significance in the individual clinical case, since no cut-off value could be determined above or below which a PBC was ruled out or proven.

Bile Ducts↗
PubMed1994

Two-dimensional cryostat section electrophoresis: a novel method and its application to the diseased synovial membrane.

A two-dimensional electrophoresis technique for analysing sections of human tissue is described. Cryostat sections, 10 microns thick, are placed on an isoelectric focusing gel and then transferred to an SDS gel in the second dimension. The protein pattern is visualized by silver staining and is thought to represent soluble proteins. The silver-stained proteins were found to be both reproducible and, to the extent tested, organ-specific. This method was used to analyse 43 synovial membranes from patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or degenerative joint diseases. The analysis did not reveal any specific protein pattern for rheumatoid arthritis. The protein spot number was not related to the cause of arthritis. However, the total protein spot number was related to the histomorphological synovitis type, with those exhibiting either an exudative or proliferative synovitis pattern possessing significantly higher protein spot numbers than those specimens exhibiting a sero-fibrous or lympho-plasmacytic pattern of synovitis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1993

Epidermal Langerhans cells in uremic patients on hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Skin biopsies of 33 uremic patients-13 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), 12 on hemodialysis (HD), 8 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) before initiation of dialysis treatment-and 10 healthy volunteers were investigated to determine the number of Langerhans cells (LC) by light microscopy after staining for S-100 protein. The epidermal LC count was significantly lower in patients on CAPD (mean: 62.9 LC/mm2; p = 0.027) and patients on HD (mean: 30.4 LC/mm2; p = 0.0015) compared to controls (mean: 110.1 LC/mm2) and uremic patients before initiation of dialysis treatment (mean: 122.6 LC/mm2). The difference between LC counts of CAPD and HD patients did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.057). There was no relation between LC count and age (p = 0.057) or epidermal width (p = 0.26). No statistically significant correlation could be demonstrated between duration of dialysis and LC count (r = -0.33, p = 0.10). LC counts of CAPD patients with diabetes mellitus (n = 7) were not significantly different from those of nondiabetics (n = 6; p = 0.77). LC counts seem to be normal in uremic patients before dialysis treatment. The reduction in LC density in the skin of dialysis patients may contribute to immunodeficiency of uremic patients on regular dialysis treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Developmental risk factors in postpartum women with urine tests positive for cocaine.

The aim of the study was to ascertain whether there was a difference in developmental experiences between two groups of inner city postpartum patients, those who used cocaine during pregnancy and those who did not. A retrospective structured interview was administered to 80 postpartum women examining demographic characteristics, adaptive function, drug use patterns, and selected risk factors for adult substance abuse encountered before age 16. The sample was divided into two cohorts of women: 40 women identified by urine tests of their babies as using cocaine shortly before delivery and a comparison group of 40 women not identified by positive urines. Comparisons between the two cohorts revealed that the cocaine identified women had significantly higher overall past and present use of a broad range of drugs, particularly crack and other forms of cocaine, as well as lower levels of general adaptive functioning despite the fact that they were demographically comparable. When compared to the nonusers, they displayed markedly elevated scores on measures of developmental risk factors for adult substance use. This study highlights the importance of early developmental risk factors on later drug use during pregnancy and general adult adaptive functioning. Further study and intervention targeted at persons with these risk factors are warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Nucleolar organizer regions in human breast cancer.

The silver staining technique for demonstration of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) was examined for their usefulness in routine clinical diagnosis for discrimination of benign breast diseases from malignant ones and for prognostic purposes. We examined the number of AgNORs in 56 cases of malignant breast lesion and 20 cases of benign breast disease, using routinely fixed material. We found a clear-cut difference between benign breast diseases as compared with breast carcinomas where the mean AgNOR count was significantly higher, whereas no statistically significant correlation was observed between AgNOR counts and survival rate of human breast cancer patients.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1992

[Candida tropicalis arthritis of the shoulder associated with articular chondrocalcinosis].

A case of infection of the scapulohumeral joint following articular infiltrations is reported in a female patient with alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. Joint destruction occurred despite appropriate treatment with fluconazole. Candida tropicalis joint infections are seen mainly in immunocompromised hosts and usually cause little destruction of the joint. Most are the result of dissemination via the bloodstream. Preexisting chondrocalcinosis in the patient reported here may have been a contributing factor to the development of extensive joint destruction.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Persistence of B19 parvovirus in synovial membranes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Recent clinical observations support the hypothesis that persistent parvovirus B19 is a triggering factor of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in certain genetically predisposed individuals. If this hypothesis is correct, a number of RA patients may exhibit parvovirus B19 DNA in their synovial membranes. We tested the synovial tissue and peripheral blood leukocytes of 20 patients with RA, 24 patients with other arthritides or osteoarthritis (non-RA), and 34 healthy blood donors for the presence of parvovirus B19 DNA using specific DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using this technique, parvovirus B19 DNA was demonstrated in the synovial biopsies of 75% of patients with RA but in those of only 16.7% of patients with non-RA. In autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells the percentage of PCR-positive patients was about 15% in both RA and non-RA groups and did not differ from that in healthy controls. When the PCR data were correlated with the presence of anti-parvovirus B19 IgG antibodies in serum and synovia all patients with parvovirus B19 DNA in peripheral blood alone or in both peripheral blood and synovial membrane were seropositive. In contrast, about 40% of patients with parvovirus B19 DNA restricted to the synovial membrane were seronegative. These data indicate a highly disease-related persistence of parvovirus B19 in the rheumatoid synovium.

Antigen-Antibody Reactions↗
PubMed1992

[The question of amino acid isomerization in the microwave field. Results of a model study with standard solutions].

Aqueous standard-solutions of L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, and L-proline do not reveal any increase of D-enantiomers after 30 min heating--neither by the conventional method on a hotplate, nor in a standard microwave oven. A specific "microwave effect" and, hence, a special consumer risk is, in contrast to recent assumptions, not detectable. Effects on the amino acids which were observed in conventionally heated samples are explained by higher heat-exposure during the treatment of these samples.

Alanine↗
PubMed1992

Sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis: its progression and radiological features. A study of 12 cases.

Twelve cases of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis were followed up over four to 16 years. The patients underwent repeated radiological examinations of the sternocostoclavicular joints and the sternum, and the extrasternal osseous manifestations of the disease were studied to show changes in the radiological features during long term follow up. Five of 12 (41%) patients had extrasternal manifestations. With the exception of one patient extrasternal manifestations were first detected by scintigraphs because they were asymptomatic. With respect to the sternal manifestations the initial radiological diagnosis was made during an acute phase while painful swelling over the sternum and decreased mobility of the shoulders occurred. The radiological examinations showed the signs of a proliferative destructive arthritis in most patients. In contrast with the frequent occurrences of clinical symptoms, the radiological signs of progression take several years to become detectable. There are no specific bacteriological, serological or histological findings. Usually a permanent increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rates is found. Sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis is a slowly progressing disease, characterised by a chronic aseptic destructive sternoclavicular arthritis with a reactive low turnover sclerosis that begins in a similar way to an enthesopathy and ends after several decades with total ankylosis. The radiological identification of retrosternal proliferation of soft tissue by computed tomography was found to be a valuable criterion for the differential diagnosis from other benign hyperostotic processes of the sternoclavicular region.

Cervical Vertebrae↗
PubMed1992

Determination of cytokines in synovial fluids: correlation with diagnosis and histomorphological characteristics of synovial tissue.

In a study aimed at correlating cytokine levels in synovial fluid with the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1 beta and interferon gamma were immunoassayed in 27 patients with RA, 16 patients with other arthritides, 23 with osteoarthritis, 13 patients with trauma, and 18 patients at necropsy without inflammatory disease and not known to have had joint disease (median 27 hours after death). The results for interleukin 1 beta clearly show higher cytokine levels in patients with RA and other arthritides than in patients with osteoarthritis, trauma, or the patients at necropsy. Interferon gamma levels in patients with osteoarthritis and the patients at necropsy, however, were significantly greater than in patients with RA, and tumour necrosis factor alpha levels were also greater in the patients at necropsy compared with patients with RA. This study also correlated histomorphological patterns of synovitis and indicators of local inflammatory activity with synovial fluid cytokine levels, showing, for example, a positive association of interleukin 1 beta titre and a negative association of interferon gamma titre with ulcerogranulomatous synovitis (itself associated with RA). Taken together, these results extend and strengthen data suggesting a possible part played by increased synovial fluid levels of interleukin 1 beta in joint destruction in RA, but provide no evidence for increases in levels of tumour necrosis factor alpha or interferon gamma affecting the disease pathology.

Adult↗