For 3 years tissue oxygen pressure has been measured directly in the ischemic muscle of patients with chronic arterial diseases. The measuring procedure is nearly atraumatic, without pain, has no side effects, and can be performed or repeated within 10 min. The present method gives objective and quantitative data for oxygen supply to tissue and therefore muscular microcirculation. It can be used for pathophysiological studies, for diagnostic purposes, and for objective quantification of therapeutic measures.

Ancrod↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A new class of Spiegelmers containing 2'-fluoro-nucleotides.

Synthesis of 2'-fluoro-nucleosides from L-arabinose in order to perform the synthesis of 2'-fluoro-Spiegelmers binding to a neuropeptide.

Binding Sites↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic roots of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) population in Eastern Switzerland.

Overhunting of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in eastern Switzerland led to its extinction in the second half of the 17th century. Natural recolonization must have taken place later, because red deer were seen again in the canton of the Grisons (eastern Switzerland) in the 1870s. According to historical data, three different populations could have served as the source population. To determine the genetic origin of the eastern Swiss red deer population, we collected samples from five different subpopulations in the canton of the Grisons as well as from four adjacent populations in Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Italy. We analyzed the samples by genotyping 18 microsatellite loci. F(ST) values, assignment tests, correspondence analysis, and fuzzy clustering clearly pointed to Liechtenstein as the most probable source population for the red deer in eastern Switzerland. In addition, our analyses revealed high gene diversity in all examined populations. Gene flow and the high genetic admixture are discussed.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in ovarian cancer patients: a long-term follow-up.

The purpose of the study was to determine vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in ascites from ovarian cancer and to correlate these data with VEGF expression in ovarian tumors, serum VEGF concentrations, and clinicopathologic characteristics. Ascites, serum, and tumor tissue from 65 ovarian carcinomas and eight borderline tumors were collected. VEGF concentration in peritoneal fluids and sera was determined using enzyme immunoassay. VEGF tumor expression was evaluated immunohistochemically. Significantly higher VEGF concentrations were found in ascites from malignant tumors (median, 2575 pg mL(-1)) compared with borderline tumors (median 181.9 pg mL(-1)) and benign peritoneal fluid (184.5 pg mL(-1)). Both VEGF ascites concentration and tumor expression correlated with advanced tumor stages and ascites volume. Elevated VEGF ascites levels were negatively correlated to patient survival. No differences between VEGF serum levels could be observed between ovarian cancer patients and patients with benign cysts. This study showed for the first time the clinical significance of elevated VEGF ascites level in ovarian carcinomas. VEGF is expressed by ovarian tumor cells and locally released in the malignant peritoneal fluid but is not increased in the serum of preoperative ovarian cancer patients. The enhanced VEGF level support novel therapeutic perspectives by VEGF inhibition.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Preparing for a hazardous materials accident.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Disaster Planning↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Feasibility of sentinel node concept in gastric carcinoma: clinicopathological analysis of gastric cancer with solitary lymph node metastases.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility and diagnostic reliability of sentinel lymph node biopsy of gastric carcinoma are still unclear and controversial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To assess the applicability of the sentinel node concept to gastric carcinoma, we retrospectively analyzed the location of metastatic lymph nodes in patients with only one or two lymph node metastases. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients, who underwent gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy for primary gastric adenocarcinoma between 1997 and 2001, were enrolled in this study. An average of 39 lymph nodes were resected and analyzed for each patient. Of the 135 patients, 88 (65%) were subtyped as pN+ (with lymph node metastasis); of the latter, 15 cases (pT1-3; 17% of N+ cases) showed one or two lymph node metastases. In 14 (93%) of these patients, lymph nodes directly adjacent to the primary tumor were involved. Skip metastases were only seen in one patient with cardia carcinoma and lymph node involvement of compartment II (left gastric artery). CONCLUSION: In patients with gastric carcinoma, especially in early stage carcinoma, the phenomenon of skip metastasis is infrequent. Therefore, the sentinel node concept may be feasible in gastric cancer.

Feasibility Studies↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Epidermal growth factor receptor-immunohistochemical detection and clinical significance for treatment of primary breast cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor is considered to play an important role in the carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer, but its clinical significance remains controversial mainly due to different methods and methodical problems. We determined EGF-R expression by an immunohistochemical assay on paraffin-embedded primary breast cancer tissue by means of the anti EGF-R mab E30 (Merck, FRG) and streptavidin-peroxidase technique. Material and clinical data were available from 111 patients with a mean follow-up time of 75.4 +/- 1.1 months (range 61-90 months). 21 (18.9%) of the breast cancer specimens showed positive staining for EGF-R 5 year-overall survival in patients with EGF-R negative tumors was 61.7% compared with 41.6% of patients with EGF-R positive breast carcinomas. No correlation was found between the expression of EGF-R and other prognostic factors except an inverse relationship with the expression of the estrogen receptor (p < 0.05). Whereas EGF-R expression demonstrated prognostic significance in univariate analysis, this could not be confirmed by multivariate analysis. Immunohistochemical determination of EGF-R represents a reliable and simple method to obtain more data about the biological behavior of malignant breast disease with increasing impact on therapeutic procedures.

Aged↗