The importance of PET in the diagnosis and response evaluation of esophageal cancer.

The major aims of imaging in esophageal cancer are to distinguish between locoregional and systemic disease (M-stage), to determine local tumor extension (T- and N-stage), to assess response to chemo- or chemoradiotherapy and to identify recurrence of cancer. The sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) for detection of distant metastases ranges between < 50% and > 90%. In esophageal cancer, F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been shown to detect metastatic disease in approximately 20% of patients who are considered as having only locoregional disease on CT.

Nuclear magnetic resonance metabonomics: methods for drug discovery and development.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomics is gaining popularity in drug discovery and development and in academia in a variety of settings, ranging from toxicology, preclinical, and clinical approaches to nutrition research, studies on microorganisms, and research on plants. This chapter focuses on the basic steps in a metabonomics study and emphasizes experience and lessons learned in our lab where we focused on metabonomic analyses of plant extracts, cell lines, and a variety of animal tissues and biofluids. We emphasize that a comprehensive and suitable study design is pivotal for a correct biological interpretation of the results, as well as highly controlled experimental conditions.

Metabolic imaging predicts response, survival, and recurrence in adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction.

Purpose: A previous study suggested that measurement of therapy-induced changes in tumor glucose metabolism by positron emission tomography (PET) with the glucose analog [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) allows to select patients most likely to benefit from preoperative chemotherapy in adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). The aim of this study was to prospectively validate these findings by using an a priori definition of metabolic response.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-five patients with locally advanced AEGs were included.

The thymidylate synthase tandem repeat promoter polymorphism: A predictor for tumor-related survival in neoadjuvant treated locally advanced gastric cancer.

We evaluated DNA polymorphisms in the thymidylate synthase (TS) and 5,10-methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genes for an association with response and survival in locally advanced gastric cancer treated with 5-FU based preoperative chemotherapy (CTx). DNA of 238 patients (CTx-group: total n = 135, completely resected (R0) n = 102; without CTx: R0 n = 103) was isolated from blood or from nontumorous tissues. In the CTx-group, genotyping of the tandem repeat and the G/C polymorphism in the triple repeat in the promoter region of the TS gene and of the C677T polymorphism of the MTHFR gene was performed.

Efficiency of the polymer bur SmartPrep compared with conventional tungsten carbide bud bur in dentin caries excavation.

SmartPrep is a rotating instrument for dentin caries excavation made from a special polymer. The manufacturer's product information stated that SmartPrep removes carious dentin selectively. This in vitro study compared the efficiency of SmartPrep with conventional tungsten carbide bud burs.

Metabolomic analysis using optimized NMR and statistical methods.

NMR-based metabolomics requires robust automated methodologies, and the accuracy of NMR-based metabolomics data is greatly influenced by the reproducibility of data acquisition and processing methods. Effective water resonance signal suppression and reproducible spectral phasing and baseline traces across series of related samples are crucial for statistical analysis. We assess robustness, repeatability, sensitivity, selectivity, and practicality of commonly used solvent peak suppression methods in the NMR analysis of biofluids with respect to the automated processing of the NMR spectra and the impact of pulse sequence and data processing methods on the sensitivity of pattern recognition and statistical analysis of the metabolite profiles.

Reaction of rat pulp tissue to Carisolv 'new gel'--a histocytological evaluation.

Background: This study was an histological examination of pulp tissue exposed to Carisolv 'new gel' after 1 to 28 days.

Methods: An occlusal cavity was prepared in 64 caries-free molar teeth of 16 Wistar rats. The roofs of the pulp chambers were perforated and Carisolv 'new gel' solution was placed onto the exposed pulps of 32 molar teeth for 20 minutes.

Adenocarcinomas of esophagogastric junction: multi-detector row CT to evaluate early response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) in the assessment of early response during neoadjuvant chemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG).

Materials And Methods: The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients.

[Curative vs palliative strategies in locoregional recurrence of gastrointestinal malignancies].

Locoregional recurrence is a relevant problem in surgical oncology. Intraluminal local relapse only occurs when the primary resection is carried through with inappropriate safety margins. If possible, a second surgical resection with wider margins is the treatment of choice.

FDG PET and CT in locally advanced adenocarcinomas of the distal oesophagus. Clinical relevance of a discordant PET finding.

Aim: The incidence of adenocarcinomas of the distal oesophagus (ADE) has dramatically increased in Western countries. The clinical importance of a FDG PET finding discordant with CT was determined in patients with locally advanced ADE. In addition, tumour standardized uptake values (SUV) were correlated with patient survival.

Comparison of changes in tumor metabolic activity and tumor size during chemotherapy of adenocarcinomas of the esophagogastric junction.

Unlabelled: We evaluated the temporal relationship between chemotherapy-induced changes in tumor glucose use and tumor size.

Methods: Twenty patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) were studied by 18F-FDG PET and CT scans before neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 14 d after the initiation of therapy, and 4 wk after the completion of therapy.

Results: The relative change in 18F-FDG uptake was more than 2 times larger than the decrease in tumor size at all time points (P<0.

[Prophylactic gastric surgery].

A premalignant condition with high risk of gastric cancer is the basis for prophylactic gastric surgery. The germline mutation carrier in the E-cadherin gene has a lifetime risk of 70-80% for diffuse-type gastric cancer, and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia has a 60-70% gastric cancer risk. Other premalignant conditions such as HNPCC syndrome (5% gastric cancer) and low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (10% risk) are moderate risk factors for developing gastric cancer.

Disability and the practice of public history: an introduction.

Museums, exhibitions, and public history have long engaged with the subject matter of disability. Shared social conventions and exhibition traditions about people with disabilities--the common stereotypes of people as persevering heroes or objects of pity--have often led to skewed and inaccurate historical presentations. The medical model of disability, equally strong in framing disability, has also reduced the range of possibilities for including content for the public.

Effectiveness of Carisolv compared with sodium hypochlorite and calcium hydroxide.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Carisolv with that of two other alkaline substances: NaOCl and Ca(OH)2. Sixty extracted teeth were randomly divided into three groups and split down the center of a carious lesion. In group I, one half of the cavity was excavated with NaOCl (0.

Combined GADD45A and thymidine phosphorylase expression levels predict response and survival of neoadjuvant-treated gastric cancer patients.

Purpose: We evaluated the expression of seven therapy-related genes to predict the clinical outcome of advanced gastric cancer patients treated with a neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic protocol.

Experimental Design: Pretherapeutic, formalin-fixed, and paraffin-embedded biopsies of 61 patients, who received a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)- and cisplatin-based chemotherapy were studied. The expressions of the 5-FU-related genes TS, DPD, and TP and of the cisplatin-related genes ERCC1, ERCC4, KU80, and GADD45A were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR.

Scanning electron microscopic investigation of incidence, location, and size of accessory foramina in primary and permanent molars.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the incidence, location, and size of accessory foramina in the furcation region of permanent and primary molars.

Method And Materials: A random sample of 100 extracted human permanent maxillary and mandibular first and second molars (25 teeth of each type) and a random sample of 100 extracted human primary maxillary and mandibular molars (50 teeth of each type) were used. The crowns and roots of each tooth were removed at a point 1.

Temperature rise in the pulp chamber induced by a conventional halogen light-curing source and a plasma arc lamp.

Purpose: To assess and compare the pulp chamber temperature increase during resin-based composite polymerization with two different light-curing units.

Methods: A Class I cavity was prepared in an extracted lower molar under standardized conditions using a specially designed industrial robot system. The dentin layer between the pulp chamber and the floor of the cavity was 1 mm thick.

Imaging of esophageal and gastric cancer.

The three major aims of imaging in esophageal and gastric cancer are to distinguish between locoregional and systemic disease (M stage), to determine local tumor extension (T and N stages), and to assess response to chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Depending on the applied standard of reference, the sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) for detection of distant metastases ranges between less than 50% to greater than 90%. In esophageal cancer, positron emission tomography with the glucose analog fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) has been shown to detect metastatic disease in approximately 20% of the patients who were considered to have only locoregional disease with CT.

Comparison of different SUV-based methods for monitoring cytotoxic therapy with FDG PET.

Purpose: Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) is a promising tool for monitoring cytotoxic therapy in tumours. Due to the limited data available, a standard imaging protocol for the prediction of tumour response has not yet been approved. The aim of this study was to compare commonly applied imaging protocols and calculations of the standardised uptake value (SUV) for the early prediction of histopathological response to chemotherapy.

Polymerisation characteristics of resin composites polymerised with different curing units.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the plasma arc light source Apollo 95E and the conventional halogen lamp Elipar Visio regarding a number of polymerisation characteristics of different resin composites.

Methods: Four different resin composites (Arabesk Top, Herculite XRV, Pertac II, Tetric) were irradiated using the Apollo 95E unit for one, two or three cycles of 3 s and using the Elipar Visio unit for 40 s. The investigated polymerisation characteristics were: flexural strength and modulus of elasticity, bond strength to dentine, depth of polymerisation, and quantity of remaining double bonds.

[Osteosynthesis of combined radius head and capitulum humeri fractures with mini-implants].

Introduction: Combined injuries of the capitellum humeri and the radial head are rare. Most of them show combined osteocartilaginous lesions and collateral ligament lesions. Recommendations for treatment of these fatal injuries of the elbow are missing.

Prediction of response to preoperative chemotherapy in gastric carcinoma by metabolic imaging: results of a prospective trial.

Purpose: We prospectively evaluated the predictive value of therapy-induced reduction of tumor glucose use for subsequent response and patient survival in patients with gastric cancer treated by preoperative chemotherapy.

Patients And Methods: Forty-four consecutive patients with locally advanced gastric carcinomas were studied by positron emission tomography with the glucose analog fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG-PET) at baseline and 14 days after initiation of cisplatin-based polychemotherapy. On the basis of a previous study, a reduction of tumor FDG uptake by more than 35% was used as a criterion for a metabolic response.