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Biomedical subjects

R Becker

Publications and source records attributed to R Becker.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

[Rehabilitation following surgery of intraspinal tumors of the thoracic spine].

17 patients were operated on because of a spinal compression by tumour. Postoperatively, all patients had an incomplete paraparesis, 11 patients were bed-ridden and needing care, 12 had a rectovesical incontinence. On an average 3 months after intensive physiotherapy, 14 patients could walk without or with little help, only 2 had no control of faeces or urine. In general, the postoperative rehabilitation needs a long time, but has an encouraging prognosis.

Adolescent

The concentrations of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 in plasma samples from patients with benign and malignant tumours of the breast.

Peripheral plasma concentrations of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 were measured in patients with benign and malignant tumours of the breast, in patients with non-gynecological diseases, and in healthy female controls. The values were significantly higher in female patients with malignant tumours of the breast than in healthy controls (146 +/- 28 vs 13 +/- 2.5 pg/ml for 6-keto-PGF1 alpha p less than 0.01 and 78 +/- 17 vs 11 +/- 2 pg/ml for TXB2, p less than 0.01). Benign tumours of the breast were also associated with significantly raised plasma levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 compared to normal controls (52 +/- 5 vs 13 +/- 2.5 pg/ml for 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, p less than 0.01 and 26 +/- 5 vs 11 +/- 2 pg/ml for TXB2, p less than 0.05). The high levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 were not found to be correlated with clinical and histopathological data. The surgical removal of the primary tumour has apparently no effect on the plasma concentrations of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 over a follow-up period of 9 days after operation. The lack of alterations in the ratio of TXB2:6-keto-PGF1 alpha in the cancer patients and other subjects studied before and after surgery is indicative of the regulatory power of metabolic systems to preserve the homeostatic balance.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha

Influence of sulfasalazine, 5-aminosalicylic acid and sulfapyridine on prostanoid synthesis and metabolism in rabbit colonic mucosa.

The effects of sulfasalazine (SASP) and its cleavage products 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and sulfapyridine (SP) on prostanoid (PG) synthesis and degradation were determined in rabbit colonic mucosa fractions in vitro. When the microsomal fraction was incubated with (14C)arachidonic acid, 10(-3) M SASP and SP did not markedly change the formation of labeled PGE2, PGF2 alpha, TxB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha X 10(-4) M 5-ASA increased synthesis about 2.7-fold; the pattern of PG identified was unaltered. In the presence of the 10-fold higher concentration of 5-ASA, PG synthesis remained elevated at a similar level. When the cytosolic fraction was incubated with (3H)PGE2, 10(-3) M 5-ASA was without influence and 10(-3) M SP decreased slightly PGE2 breakdown. However, SASP showed a pronounced inhibitory effect at 10(-5) M and inhibition of PGE2 degradation was complete at 10(-3) M SASP. The results are compatible with the assumption that stimulation of PG synthesis by 5-ASA is related to therapeutic benefit in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Aminosalicylic Acids

Decoration and shadowing of freeze-etched catalase crystals.

Aqueous suspensions of catalase crystals were freeze-cleaved, deep-etched and either shadowed with Ta/W at 45 degrees or decorated with 0.1-0.9 nm thick deposits of Au and Pt at normal incidence. The electron micrographs of the decorated specimens were processed by correlation averaging and compared with a relief reconstruction obtained from shadowed specimens. Pronounced decoration was observed on the catalase crystals at temperatures between 130 and 180 K. Disregarding the difficulties in interpretation, the averages of 0.1-0.2 nm thick Au and Pt films reveal more structural detail than the relief reconstruction. Perfect shadowing provides information on surface topography and is relatively easy to comprehend; decoration renders variations in physico-chemical affinity visible. Problems of the interference of decoration and shadowing effects in the intuitive interpretation of freeze-etch replicas and in relief reconstruction are discussed as well as the disturbing effects of a non-ideal carbon backing. The perspectives of using decoration intentionally as a positive staining technique for the investigation of frozen-hydrated surfaces are evaluated and quality criteria are defined.

Animals

Repair of DNA alkylation adducts in mammalian cells.

Carcinogenic alkylating agents, including nitrosamines, are able to alkylate DNA at various sites. This review presents evidence of the high degree of specificity in the type of DNA damage induced by various N-nitroso compounds and in the DNA repair processes among tissues or cells of different species. The O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase activity in various human and rodent tissues is discussed as well as the detection of O6-methylguanine in human DNA, using monoclonal antibodies and radioimmunoassay. The relevance of these findings to the mechanisms of cancer induction by nitrosamines is discussed.

Alkylating Agents

A modified hydroxylapatite implant material. A preliminary report.

Hydroxylapatite implants are becoming widely used, but this new material is not without its drawbacks. These mainly concern its physical characteristics, complicating and limiting its clinical applications. A method of altering these with fibrin adhesives is described and early laboratory and clinical experience is presented.

Aged

[Spinal shock in traumatic lesions of the cervical spinal cord. 2 cases].

The spinal syndrome following traumatization of the cervical spine is associated with a typical accident mechanism and predisposing conditions within cervical spine. Two Patients with this syndrome are presented, and the treatment and the need to prevent complications are discussed. Both patients were largely rehabilitated, one returning to work after one year.

Activities of Daily Living

The heterogeneity of LDH isoenzyme patterns of human uterine sarcomas and cultured sarcoma cell lines.

Both the tissue lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzyme pattern and total LDH activity were investigated in a series of human uterine sarcomas and cell lines derived from these tumors. Abnormal LDH isoenzyme patterns characterized by shifts toward the muscle isoenzyme forms (LDH4 and 5) were found in some, but not all, of the sarcomas. The tumors containing rhabdomyosarcomatous elements usually had normal or only slightly altered LDH isoenzyme patterns. The LDH isoenzyme patterns expressed by cultured cell lines established from the uterine sarcomas, in general, resembled those found in the primary tumors. These results suggest that the normal or near normal LDH isoenzyme distributions found in uterine sarcomas with rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation may be a potential characteristic which may be used for distinguishing these tumors from other uterine sarcomas.

Adult

Electrokinetic properties of polymer and glass surfaces in aqueous solutions: experimental evidence for swollen surface layers.

Streaming potential and streaming current measuring techniques have been applied to polymer and glass surfaces to study solid/liquid interface electrical properties. The streaming current technique provides a reliable electrokinetic potential value, preexcluding surface conduction. A combination of both techniques results in experimental evidences for swollen, gel-like layers at (even apolar) polymer surfaces. Protons and hydroxide ions are the potential-determining ions indicated by the dependence of streaming potential on pH. Human serum albumin adsorption at a glass surface is discussed in terms of spatial distribution of the fixed macromolecular electric charges.

Adsorption

The hormonal and cellular control of Sertoli cell secretion.

Sertoli cells synthesize and secrete a number of cell-specific products including androgen binding protein (ABP), as well as "serum proteins" such as transferrin. The secretion of these proteins is regulated by extra-testicular hormones such as FSH and insulin; Leydig cell-produced steroids and proopiomelano-cortin-derived peptides; and the presence of peritubular myoid cells and/or factors secreted by these cells. Many of the Sertoli cell proteins are secreted in a cyclic fashion during the different stages of the spermatogenic cycle suggesting communication between Sertoli cells and developing germ cells. The availability of quantitative measurements for Sertoli cell-specific proteins such as ABP make it feasible to follow Sertoli cell function in vivo by measuring these products in serum. A bidirectional secretion of proteins by Sertoli cells is proposed to explain the presence of specific peptides in the male reproductive tract and blood.

Androgen-Binding Protein