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Biomedical subjects

T Weber

Publications and source records attributed to T Weber.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Affinity cytochemistry of vascular endothelia in brain tumors by biotinylated Ulex europaeus type I lectin (UEA I).

The vascularization of 50 tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) including 17 meningiomas, 25 neuroectodermal tumors, i.e., astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, mixed gliomas, glioblastomas, medulloblastomas, seven metastatic carcinomas, and one malignant hemangioendothelioma were investigated using biotinylated Ulex europaeus type I lectin (UEA I) in an indirect avidinbiotin-peroxidase procedure. The cytochemical staining pattern of UEA I on paraffin sections was compared with that of biotinylated Dolichos biflorus lectin (DBA), and with the immunocytochemical staining of factor VIII related antigen (F VIII/RAG) by polyclonal antisera using the PAP technique. UEA I visualized the endothelia of blood vessels with equal intensity, sensitivity, and reliability in normal brain and in tumor tissue with neovascularization. While large, medium, and small vessels were equally well demonstrated by UEA I and antibodies against FVIII/RAG, capillaries and endothelial sprouts were stained more consistently and intensely by UEA I. No reliable cytochemical staining could be obtained by DBA regardless of tissue or cell type investigated. It is concluded that UEA I is a highly useful cytochemical marker for the identification of vascular endothelia in paraffin sections of human brain tumors.

Antibodies↗

Immunocytochemical studies of serum proteins and immunoglobulins in human sural nerve biopsies.

Post-embedding immunocytochemical studies on immunoglobulins (Ig) and other serum proteins were carried out on 38 human sural nerve biopsies using the PAP method. In addition to toxic, hereditary, metabolic, dysproteinemic, and vasculitic-neuritic neuropathies, morphologically normal sural nerves were included as controls. The intensity of the immunocytochemical reactions was strong for proteins, such as IgG, the light chains of Igs, and albumin, but weak or absent for others like complement component C3, IgA, ceruloplasmin, and alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) in normal nerve biopsies and in all pathologic groups. IgG, the light chains of immunoglobulins, and albumin could readily be detected in perineurium, endoneurial interstitium, and blood vessel walls. IgM, C3, and beta-lipoprotein (BLP) were largely confined to the walls of blood vessels and perineurium, thus indicating that they do not penetrate the blood nerve barrier. Only in a few cases, in vasculitic-neuritic and dysproteinemic neuropathies, staining of the endoneurial interstitium for IgM and C3 was observed. Increased staining for the corresponding heavy or light chains was not detected in the endoneurium in any of the neuropathies associated with gammopathy. The results stress that PAP immunocytochemistry is suitable for studying the blood-nerve barrier (BNB) and provides new aspects to the concept of the BNB with respect to the steady state of serum proteins between endoneurial and vascular spaces. It is suggested that, in addition to serum concentration and molecular weight of serum proteins, the permeability of the BNB is influenced by other yet undefined factors.

Adolescent↗

Continuous acid-base assessment of the human fetus during labour by tissue pH and transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring.

Simultaneous monitoring of fetal tissue pH (t-pH) and transcutaneous carbon dioxide (Tc-PCO2) was performed in 30 labours. Both t-pH and Tc-PCO2 at delivery were positively correlated with pH (r = 0.69) and PCO2 (r = 0.68) of the umbilical artery blood. A tissue/transcutaneous standard base excess (t-SBE) was derived from the t-pH and the Tc-PCO2 and calculated for 13 fetuses at delivery; there was a correlation with standard base excess of umbilical artery blood. An analysis of t-pH and Tc-PCO2 changes during the last hour of labour revealed that only infants who were born with decreased pH of the umbilical artery blood had decreasing t-SBE, while all others had a constant t-SBE.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

A beginner's guide to the problem-oriented first family interview.

The large volume and diversity of family therapy resources can often confuse trainees who are in need of more abbreviated guidelines for managing their clinical responsibilities. This paper presents a structured outline of a problem-oriented first family interview for the family therapy supervisor and the beginning family therapist. We view the first interview as an integrated process including the important tasks preceding and following the initial family meeting. After the goals that shape the work of the first interview are described, a step-by-step guide to the twelve phases of the interview is presented: telephoning; forming hypotheses; the greeting; the social phase; identifying the problem; observing family patterns; defining goals; contracting; checklist; revising hypotheses; contacting the referral person; and gathering records. This approach to the first interview integrates a variety of structural and strategic procedures. The guide, intended for use in conjunction with close supervision, may serve as a foundation on which beginning therapists can build their unique styles.

Family↗

Pleural fluid ferritin concentrations in human disease.

The concentration of ferritin was measured in the pleural fluid of 108 patients with pleural effusions. In all groups of patients the ferritin concentration was higher in pleural fluid than in serum. The greatest differences, with up to 100 times more ferritin in the pleural fluid, were found for patients with rheumatoid pleurisy, malignant effusions, and empyema. In patients with non-malignant inflammatory pleural effusions the concentration of ferritin in pleural fluid correlated significantly with other pleural fluid indices of inflammation: there was a positive correlation with lactate dehydrogenase activity and a negative correlation with concentrations of glucose and complement components C3 and C4. Ferritin was detected immunocytochemically only in the macrophages found among the pleural fluid cells. Our study shows that large amounts of ferritin accumulate locally in the pleural cavity in certain types of pleural inflammation. The accumulation is probably partly the result of increased local reticuloendothelial system activity. Determination of the concentration of ferritin in pleural fluid may provide corroborative information for differential diagnosis and may further our understanding of the pathogenetic events that lead to the perpetuation of inflammatory activity in pleural effusions.

Adolescent↗

Correlations between PRL and chloride, sodium, potassium and calcium in amniotic fluid.

The concentration of prolactin in amniotic fluid from 91 pregnant women (Group I: 51 specimens obtained at 15th-20th week of gestation; Group II: 40 specimens at term) has been correlated with the amniotic fluid concentrations of calcium, of the ions sodium, chloride, and potassium, and with the clinical data. When the week of gestation in multiple regression analyses was predetermined for inclusion in the first step, the amniotic prolactin concentration was found to be significantly correlated with sodium or chloride in both groups and the correlation coefficients in the two groups were alike. The correlation coefficients of potassium and of calcium differed between the two groups and no general pattern could be detected. The results indicate that the amniotic sodium and chloride concentrations could be of importance for the regulation of the amniotic prolactin concentration.

Adult↗

Torsion of the fallopian tube during pregnancy.

We describe 3 cases of torsion of the Fallopian tube during pregnancy, caused by sactosalpinx, a cyst of the mesosalpinx, and an ovarian cyst. Other causes of torsion of the Fallopian tube are discussed. The difficulty of diagnosing this condition during pregnancy is emphasized.

Adult↗

Measurement of ionized calcium with five types of instruments. An external quality assessment.

An external quality assessment for ionized calcium determinations was carried out in 24 laboratories in Northern Europe. Both protein-free and protein-containing test materials were included in the study. The average within-laboratory variation (CV) for all test materials was 3.1, 1.7, 1.2, 1.8 and 1.3% for the AVL 980 (AVL, Graz, Austria), the Microlyte (Kone, Espoo, Finland), the Nova 2 (Nova Biomedical, Newton, Ma USA), the Orion SS-20 (Orion, Cambridge, Mass., USA), and the ICA1 (Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark) respectively. The corresponding interlaboratory CV was 3.1, 2.9, 3.1 and 2.4%. The variation between types of instruments was even larger and caused differences of up to 33%. The results indicate a need for well-defined protein-containing control material.

Calcium↗

Transcutaneous carbon dioxide measurements in the fetus during labor.

Transcutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide (transcutaneous PCO2) was measured in 55 fetuses during labor with a carbon dioxide electrode applied to the fetal scalp by a suction ring. The application procedure was simple and reliable, with reapplication required only 0.6 times per patient. The transcutaneous PCO2 recordings were of good quality and were correlated to carbon dioxide tensions in the umbilical artery (r = 0.60, p less than 0.001) and vein (r = 0.69, p less than 0.001) as well as to capillary PCO2 obtained by fetal scalp blood sampling (r = 0.96, p less than 0.001). If fetal distress occurred, transcutaneous PCO2 was significantly higher than in the uncompromised fetus. Although transcutaneous PCO2 monitoring might be useful for surveillance of the fetus during labor, it must still be reserved for scientific purposes for the time being.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Preoperative evaluation of pediatric abdominal tumor volumes by computerized tomography.

The volumes of two neuroblastomas and two Wilms' tumor masses were calculated by computerized tomography (CT) within 48 hours of surgical removal of the tumor. True volumes of the tumor masses were obtained by volume displacement. CT was very accurate in predicting volume with an error ranging from 1.5% to 7.5%. This accurate method of evaluating tumor volume will allow precise monitoring of the response of nonoperable tumors to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

Fetal transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension during the second stage of labour.

Fifteen women were studied during the second stage of labour by measuring simultaneously fetal transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension (Tc PCO2 and maternal end-expiratory PCO2. A linear increase of Tc PCO2 with time was observed, predominantly because of changing maternal respiration patterns. The degree of maternal hyperventilation had no adverse effect on the status of the newborn infant.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Cross-reaction of snRNA and an Alu I-like sequence from rat with DNAs from different eucaryotic species.

Sequence homologies to rat U1-snRNA and U2-snRNA were investigated in DNA from 23 eucaryotic species (3 lower eucaryotes, 4 plants, and 16 animals) using dot hybridization at various stringency conditions. Cross-hybridization among very distantly related species in e.g. plants-insects or mold-vertebrates is not the rule; there are, however, examples for stronger homologies like Rattus-Dictyostelium. Furthermore, DNA from all 23 species was analysed for sequence homologies with the repetitive DNA sequence B1 (an Alu I family equivalent) from rat. We observed a wide range of homologies covering some plants and insects, up to vertebrates. Hybridization at increasing stringency conditions revealed species with higher degree of homology to the rat B1 sequence: maize, chicken, and hamster.

Animals↗

A new look at the neonatal bowel-contrast studies with metrizamide (Amipaque).

Metrizamide is the first water-soluble radiographic contrast agent which, because it is nonionic, can be used in isotonic solution and gives good visualization of the desired body structure. Its only major disadvantage is that it is very expensive. Metrizamide can be used to study the neonatal bowel in clinical situations where all the other existing contrast agents are contraindicated. The results of 55 metrizamide studies of the bowel in infants are reviewed. In necrotizing enterocolitis metrizamide aids in confirming or rejecting the diagnosis, identifying patients for surgery, and in evaluating the response to surgery. Metrizamide can identify the etiology in unusual cases of bowel obstruction. Metrizamide correctly identified a thoracic origin of free peritoneal air in four cases and a bowel origin in two cases. It identified bowel perforation in two patients in the absence of pneumoperitoneum. In six patients, the metrizamide study identified the cause for a gasless abdomen. It is concluded that metrizamide has a valuable role to play in evaluating a variety of neonatal bowel disorders.

Drug Evaluation↗

The role of computerized tomography in the diagnosis and management of patients with bilateral Wilms tumor.

We report 2 cases of bilateral Wilms tumor. In both cases computerized tomography provided accurate data for the diagnosis of bilateral tumors and predicted surgical resectability, without nephrectomy, of the smaller tumor. In 1 patient computerized tomography demonstrated tumor growth while on chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The role of angiography in the management of these patients is discussed.

Combined Modality Therapy↗