Improving skin function with CM-glucan, a biological response modifier from yeast.

Preparations from yeast have been used for a long time for cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes. Studies have identified glucan from the cell wall of baker's yeast as an immunologically active agent. Glucan is a poly beta-( 1-3)-linked glucopyranose of high molecular weight and belongs to the class of compounds known as biological response modifiers.

[Nuclear medicine kidney diagnosis in progressive systemic scleroderma].

Kidney involvement is one of the most frequent causes of death in progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS). It is therefore important to detect potential impairment of renal function in PSS very early. In 76 patients referred for nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures, 42 pathologic results were found with 131I-hippurate clearance, while only 14 abnormal results were detected by static 99mTc-DMSA scans.

[Possible advantages of Excimer lasers in dermatology: an in vitro comparison of ArF and XeCl Excimer, Ar+ and Nd: YAG lasers].

ArF and XeCl excimer lasers were compared with argon ion and Nd: YAG lasers regarding their respective cutting characteristics in human skin. Our light and SEM microscopic findings revealed that all lasers except the ArF excimer laser caused thermal damage to the skin.

[Risk factors for the development of malignant melanoma in West Germany. Results of a multicenter-case control study].

In this multicenter case-control study (1,079 melanoma patients, 778 control persons), the significance of the well-known risk factors for the development of malignant melanoma (MM) was assessed for a German population. The multifactorial analysis of the data confirmed the total number of melanocytic nevi (MCN) as the most robust indicator for an increased melanoma risk. For persons with more than 50 MCN the relative risk was 4.

[Value of Varady percutaneous microsurgical phlebologic extraction of varicose veins].

Varicectomy is a particularly useful procedure in the surgical treatment of varicose branch veins and perforating veins, since it allows selective estirpation without affecting the main trunk of the long saphenous vein (LSV). At the same time, there is usually no need of further sclerotherapy. The operation can be performed under local anaesthesia in the outpatient's department or, if a saphenofemoral junction insufficiency has to be simultaneously removed, during a short stay in hospital.

[Nuclear medicine diagnosis of heart involvement in progressive systemic scleroderma].

The frequency and extent of heart involvement in progressive systemic scleroderma (PSS) can be underestimated when current clinical diagnostic methods are used. We therefore studied 53 PSS patients with planar (201Tl) chloride myocardial scintigraphy, and 44 PSS patients with radionuclide ventriculography using red blood cells labeled in vitro with 99mTc. Comparison of maximal exercise and resting myocardial scans demonstrated pathologic findings in 18 of 38 patients.

[Organoid nevus syndrome (Schimmelpenning-Feuerstein-Mims syndrome): case report and literature].

The main symptom of the organoid nevus syndrome (Schimmelpenning-Feuerstein-Mims-Syndrom) is the nevus sebaceous, which is mostly linear and can be of variable expression. Malformations of the skeletal system and the eyes are usually associated, while malformations of the cardio-vascular system are less common. Neurological findings such as mental retardation and seizures are of clinical relevance.

Serum selenium levels in patients with malignant melanoma.

The incidence of malignant melanoma of the skin has increased rapidly among white people during the last decade. Although the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma is not clear, epidemiologic data and experimental work indicates that ultraviolet (UV) radiation plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. Recent data implicate peroxidative reactions in UV-carcinogenesis and clearly demonstrate that selenium (Se) confers protection, in part by inducing cellular-free radical scavenging systems and by enhancing peroxide breakdown, thus enhancing the capacity of the cell to cope with oxidant stress.

[Dowling-Degos disease--an autosomal dominant genetic dermatosis].

We present 2 cases of Dowling-Degos disease out of a German family with 9 affected members and discuss the autosomally dominant inheritance and clinical features of this disease.

[Neuron-specific enolase and beta 2-microglobulin in the serum of patients with melanoma].

Both neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and beta 2-microglobulin were detected immunohistologically in malignant melanomas. In addition, serum NSE and beta 2-microglobulin were reported to be elevated in patients with malignant melanoma. The radioimmunoassay results presented did neither reveal any elevation of serum neuron-specific enolase nor of serum beta 2-microglobulin in more than 30 serum samples of patients with malignant melanoma in different tumour stages.

[Profilometry, a method for the assessment of the therapeutic effectiveness of Kamillosan ointment].

Experimentally induced toxic contact dermatitis was topically treated with 3 different ointments (Kamillosan ointment, Kamillosan ointment base. 0.1% hydrocortisone acetate).

Reactivity of human keratinocytes with the antimonocytic monoclonal antibody anti-Leu M2.

Skin biopsies from 49 patients with 21 different dermatoses and biopsies of normal skin were investigated with regard to the reactivity of keratinocytes with the monoclonal antimonocytic antibody anti-Leu M2 using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. In all excisates, a cytoplasmic reaction of keratinocytes was seen which was regularly weaker in the basal layers of the epidermis than in the upper layers. Marked differences in the labelling intensity were shown between the individual dermatoses.

[Long-term therapy of multiple piloleiomyomas with nifedipine].

We report on a 46-year-old female patient suffering from painful disseminated cutaneous piloleiomyomata on her left leg. Treatment with nifedipine over 3 years resulted in suppressing the pain almost totally.

[Reactivity of conventional and immunologically standardized allergen extracts in the prick test].

In comparison with conventional allergen preparations immunologically characterized allergens were tested by skin-prick-tests for reactions. These results were compared with those of Rasttests.

[Scintigraphic detection of malignancies with radioactively labelled tumor antibodies. Clinical results based on immunohistochemical research].

69 patients with different tumors (colorectal, melanoma, testicle, ovary, bladder, carcinoid, lungs) were investigated by radioimmunoscintigraphy. The corresponding antibodies or their F(ab')2 fragments against CEA (n = 30), melanoma antigen (n = 25), TPA (n = 6), beta-HCG (n = 5), HMFG-2 (n = 2) and CEA/CA 19-9 (n = 1) were selected on the basis of immunohistochemical investigations of the primary tumors. The precision was 62%, and the number of false-negative findings was 32%.

[DTIC: effect on fibrinolysis and thrombocyte function].

Pathogenesis of Budd-Chiari-syndrome, under treatment e.g. of malignant melanoma with DTIC (dacarbacin) is still unknown.

Clinical results of immunoscintigraphy in a variety of malignant tumors with special reference to immunohistochemistry.

Radioimmunoscintigraphy was performed in 52 patients with a variety of malignant tumors (colorectal, melanoma, lung, testicular, ovarian, bladder, carcinoid). Respective antibodies or their F(ab')2 fragments against CEA (n = 23), melanoma antigen 225.28 S (n = 18), TPA (n = 4), beta HCG (n = 5) and HMFG2 (n = 2) were selected by immunohistochemistry of the primary tumor.

Effect of diethyldithiocarbamate on the metabolic elimination of hexobarbital, phenazone, tolbutamide and four halogenated hydrocarbons.

The present study describes the inhibitory effects of diethyldithiocarbamate (dithiocarb) on the metabolic elimination of hexobarbital, phenazone, tolbutamide and four halogenated hydrocarbons. The plasma half-life for the beta-slopes of hexobarbital (25 mg/kg, i.v.

[The influence of ethanol, dithiocarb, diethylmaleate and phenobarbital on the metabolic elimination of halothane in rats (author's transl)].

Rats exposed to halothane (100 ppm) in a closed allglass-system eliminate halothane from the atmosphere of this system with a half-life (t0.5) of 0.99 h.