AVAiLABLE NIS - AVASTIN® in lung cancer treatment in routine oncology practice in Germany.

Background: Bevacizumab (Avastin®), a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody, in combination with platinum-doublet chemotherapy has become a routine treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The post-authorization, non-interventional study 'AVAiLABLE' assessed the effectiveness and safety of bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy as first-line treatment.

Methods: Nine hundred and eighty-seven adult patients (mean age 61.

[New aspects in the diagnosis of herpes simplex virus encephalitis--case reports and virologic findings].

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most common causes of severe necrotizing encephalitis in men. Without adequate acyclovir treatment it has a mortality rate of 70%. An early, reliable virological diagnosis is therefore essential.

Familial chromosome translocation t(3;18)(p21;p11).

A familial translocation t(3;18)(p21;p11) was observed in a newborn male. He had multiple malformations resulting from partial trisomy 3 and partial monosomy 18. The mother, maternal uncle, and maternal grandmother were found to be balanced translocation carriers.

[The influence of exogenous and endogenous factors to physiological jaundice during neonatal period (author's transl)].

805 narrative summaries from pregnancy, delivery and neonatal period were examined to find out factors which might influence physiological jaundice in the newborn period. The normal range of bilirubin is: 70% of all newborn babies have maximum bilirubin levels below 10 mg/100 ml, while 2.6 exceed 16 mg/100 ml as maximum.

[The fructose metabolism during the neonatal period and its relation to the concentration of bilirubin (author's transl)].

An enzymatic deficiency is the main reason of neonatal jaundice. It was the question, if there were other enzymatic restrictions of liver function in newborns. This investigation deals with the fructose metabolism in dependence of the concentration of bilirubin.

[The toxicity of bilirubin (author's transl)].

This report is a short review about the cytopathogenic effect of bilirubin on the different cells of the human organism. Own investigations deal with the excretion of enzymes in urine in relation to the bilirubin in serum. The second part concerns bilirubin and teeth.

IgG-subclass concentrations in cord sera from premature, full term and small-for-dates babies.

IgG-subclass concentrations were determined in cord sera from 47 premature, 59 full-term, and 29 small-for-dates babies of varying gestational age. In permature and full term babies the relative percentages of all four subclasses were in the range for normal adult values. However, in small-for-dates babies significantly lowered IgG1-levels were found.

[Neonatal jaundice, pathogenesis and clinical aspects].

This report is a short summary of a scientific subject titled: "Studies of the pathogenesis and clinical course of the icterus neonatorum." Medical records of 805 deliveries were evaluated for factors that influence icterus of newborns. Further investigations should answer the question, if there are at the same time other disturbances of the function of the liver.

[Bilirubin level and estrogen elimination in newborns (author's transl)].

Free estradiol and estriol was determined radioimmunologically in cord blood and in peripheral venous blood during the third, fifth and seventh day of life. The steroid level of a group of children with icterus neonatorum simplex were compared with an anicteric control group. In spite of the higher level of estriol in cord blood during the first week of life, estriol was eliminated much more rapidly than estradiol and independent of the bilirubin level.

[Blood Pressure of Premature Infants within the First 3 Weeks of Life (author's transl)].

Technical difficulties which prevented routine blood pressure measurements in premature infants are nowadays overcome by the application of the ultrasound Doppler-technique. Normal values for premature infants with respect to birth weight and age are reported. They are needed for the detection of abnormal values and the therapy.

[Epidemiological studies on pneumonia in childhood (author's transl)].

Environmental influences and new methods of therapy cause a change in frequency and course of pneumonia in childhood. Although there is a decrease in morbidity and mortality the disease is still a considerable strain for each infant, and the younger the patient the more severe the illness. In this statistical investigation frequency, risks and complications of the different types of pneumonia in childhood are discussed.

[Positive end-exspiratory pressure for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome with indirect increase of pressure. Clinical experience with the Pulmarca box (author's transl)].

Harrison could demonstrate the benefit of exspiratory grunting in respiratory distress syndrome. Probably it delays alveolar collapse and promotes gasexchange. Since the publication of Gregory different methods for therapeutic use were practised.

[Membrane oxygenator for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (author's transl)].

This report deals with the extracorporeal oxygenation in the respiratory distress syndrome. Investigations were performed with a membrane oxygenator. If one considers the present results, one might suppose an extracorporeal oxygenation without pumping-system to be ineffective.