Modulation of urokinase and urokinase receptor gene expression in human renal cell carcinoma.

In vivo and in vitro experimental models have suggested a major role for the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. The uPA proteolytic activity of tumor cells has been shown to be largely determined by the extent of the expression and saturation of the uPA receptor. We have analyzed the expression and cellular localization of both uPA and uPA receptor at the protein and mRNA levels in 33 paired samples of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and non-tumorous kidney tissue.

Polymerase chain reaction for detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae in gargled-water specimens of children.

The objective of the present study was to establish the occurrence of Chlamydia pneumoniae by direct detection in gargled-water specimens obtained from 193 children suffering from acute or chronic respiratory infections. Specimens were analyzed by an indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF), a genus-specific antigen enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The pathogen was detected in three children by PCR only.

[Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in patients of an ambulatory sterility clinic].

In order to investigate a presumed association of certain anamnestic data with Chlamydia trachomatis infection of infertile women, appropriate specimens were examined from 100 patients of an infertility clinic. PCR and nucleic acid hybridization were positive in 5% of the patients, corresponding in both tests; IgG was found in 31% and IgA in 5% of patients. The prevalence was highest in the age-group of 26-35 years (21 of 55) and higher in patients who had been trying to conceive for > 2 years (12 of 37) as than those trying < or = 2 years (3 of 13).

Expression of M-cadherin protein in myogenic cells during prenatal mouse development and differentiation of embryonic stem cells in culture.

Molecules regulating morphogenesis by cell-cell interactions are the cadherins, a class of calcium-dependent adhesion molecules. One of its members, M-cadherin, has been isolated from a myoblast cell line (Donalies et al. [1991] Proc.

Epidemiological analysis of Candida yeasts by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether yeast isolates from mothers and their new-borns are of the same genotype. In this investigation, 103 parturient mothers and their children were examined for colonization by yeasts by sampling the vaginal secretions at delivery and by taking swabs from the oral mucosa and the anus of the children on the third day after parturition. The samples were cultured on Sabouraud glucoseagar and incubated for 48 h at 37 degrees C.

Single and multiple strain colonization in patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis: detection by macrorestriction DNA analysis.

Helicobacter pylori isolates from 18 patients were examined by macrorestriction DNA analysis to determine whether > or = 2 strains can coexist in the human stomach. Four biopsy samples from different sites in each patient's stomach were cultured, and 12-14 clones of H. pylori per patient were analyzed.

[Resistance spectrum of staphylococci at the Vienna general hospital (July to December 1991)].

This study describes the antibiotic resistance of 1961 staphylococcal strains that were isolated at the University Hospital of Vienna from July to December 1991. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) represented 43.2%; coagulase-negative (CNS) staphylococci 56.

[Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for the epidemiological analysis of yeast isolates].

Up to now, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) has been used successfully for the analysis of the chains of infection of multiresistant staphylococci, enterococci and other germs involved in hospitalism. The purpose of this study was to find out whether yeast isolates from mothers and those from their newborns differed in genotypes. In this investigation, 103 parturient mothers and their children were examined for colonization by yeasts in sampling the vaginal secret at delivery and by taking swabs from the oral mucosa and the anus of the children on the third day after parturition.

Kinetics of specific IgG antibodies for monitoring the effect of anti-Helicobacter pylori chemotherapy.

A total of 104 patients with recurrent duodenal ulcer were treated with either ranitidine plus amoxicillin plus metronidazole or ranitidine plus placebo. To study the effect of the eradication of Helicobacter pylori on the systemic immune response in an IgG ELISA, sera were drawn from all patients before the onset of therapy and at 6, 16 +/- 2, 32 +/- 2, and 60 +/- 2 weeks after therapy. In patients with eradication of the organism, a significant (P < .

Comparison of three methods for the determination of the sensitivity of Helicobacter pylori to metronidazole.

A comparison of various methods for the determination of the sensitivity of Helicobacter pylori to metronidazole was undertaken. The validity of the agar dilution, the disc diffusion and the Epsilometer (E) test was studied using a total of 86 strains, 16 of which were known to be resistant to metronidazole. All tests were carried out on Mueller-Hinton agar with 5% sheep blood.

Detection of somatic changes in human renal cell carcinomas with oligonucleotide probes specific for simple repeat motifs.

The purpose of our study was to detect somatic changes in renal cell carcinoma by multilocus fingerprinting. DNA fingerprints were generated from the DNA of normal and malignant renal tissue samples of 29 patients with nonhereditary kidney carcinoma by using oligonucleotide probes specific for simple repeat motifs such as (GTG)5, (CA)8, (GACA)4, or (TTAGGG)3. Each probe rendered a typical fingerprint pattern, because it is specific with respect to the target regions recognized in the genome.

The relationship between insight and control in obsessive-compulsive disorder: implications for the insanity defense.

In this paper the authors examine the relationship between insight and control in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in an effort to better understand the concept of volitional control of behavior especially as it relates to changes in the insanity defense that were recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), specifically that the volitional prong be dropped. Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale ratings in 56 subjects with OCD were reviewed with specific attention to items measuring the patients' subjective sense of decreased volitional control over their compulsions and their insight into their behavior. No statistically significant correlation was found between the control over compulsions item and the insight item.

[Bacterial endocarditis: microbiological diagnosis].

The microbiological laboratory can assist in diagnosis and therapy of bacterial endocarditis with the following parameters: cultivation and identification of the causative organism, sensitivity testing including assessment of the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) and testing of antibiotic combinations with checkerboard titrations and time-kill curves. Serum bactericidal titers, although controversial with respect to their utility in prognosing the clinical outcome, are regarded useful by some authorities but not by others. Antibiotic assays, mainly for aminoglycosides and vancomycin, serve to monitor antibiotic serum levels.

Expression of HER-2/neu in renal-cell carcinoma. Correlation with histologic subtypes and differentiation.

Twenty-four renal-cell carcinomas (RCC) and corresponding non-neoplastic kidney tissue were examined for amplification and expression of the HER-2/neu gene. Gene amplification was examined by slot-blot analysis, mRNA expression by in situ hybridization and Northern blot analysis, and protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Northern-blot analysis revealed lower expression of HER-2/neu mRNA in clear-cell (p less than 0.

Test models for hygienic handrub and hygienic handwash: the effects of two different contamination and sampling techniques.

Two methods for artificial contamination of hands and two sampling techniques to recover the test organisms were compared for their effects on the results of two post-contamination hand treatments: a handrub with two portions of 3 ml of 2-propanol 60% v/v for 1 min, and a handwash with liquid soap 20% w/v for 1 min followed by a 15 s rinse. The two contamination methods involved a short immersion of the hands (up to the middle of the mid-hand) in a suspension of the test organism followed by either air-drying (3 min) or drying by rubbing the hands' vigorously against each other (3 min) in a standardized way. The two sampling techniques consisted of rubbing the fingertips in either 10 ml trypticase soy broth (TSB) against the bottom of a Petri dish; or 100 ml TSB against glass beads contained in a bowl.

Absence of interaction between tenoxicam and warfarin.

The influence of tenoxicam on plasma warfarin concentrations and on its anticoagulant effect has been studied in healthy volunteers. Tenoxicam did not alter the plasma warfarin concentration versus time profile. Treatment with it for 14 days had no effect on the average dose of warfarin required to maintain the prothrombin time within a specified range.

Evaluation of a commercial latex test for serological diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in treated and untreated patients.

The value of a commercially available latex test (Pyloriset) for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection by demonstration of specific antibodies was compared with that of direct diagnostic methods such as culture, biopsy-urease test and microscopy of fuchsin-stained smears. The sera were from 136 patients who prior to this study either had or had not been treated for Helicobacter pylori-infection simultaneously with amoxicillin (3 x 750 mg/day) and metronidazole (3 x 500 mg/day) for 12 days. On average, the sensitivity of the test was 90%.

A new plate medium for rapid presumptive identification and differentiation of Enterobacteriaceae.

A new selective differential agar medium for rapid presumptive identification of Enterobacteriaceae from water and food samples is described (EMX ID agar). By a combination of fluorogenic and chromogenic substrates, the medium detects the presence of beta-D-glucuronidase, beta-D-galactosidase, beta-D-xylosidase, tryptophane deaminase and H2S; additionally, cytochrome-oxidase and indole production can be demonstrated. This medium provides an inexpensive means for simple and rapid presumptive identification of E.

Educational programmes for infection control in Austria.

Educational aims and strategies (simply arousing awareness, sensitivity and understanding; and/or training in practical skills and knowledge; or the ability to teach infection control, and to convince those taught) depend on the target group. Infection control is part of the curriculum for students of medicine and other health care professions, and is included in course examinations. Postgraduate doctors may seek training on courses which are organized by the Hygiene Institute of the University of Vienna in co-operation with the Austrian Society of Hygiene, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine.

The influence of cosmetic additives on the acceptability of alcohol-based hand disinfectants.

A prospective, randomized double-blind study with intra-individual comparison of the results was undertaken with 20 volunteers to assess the influence of cosmetic additives on the acceptability of a mixture of n-propanol (50% v/v) and isopropanol (30% v/v) for hand disinfection. Three to 5 ml of antiseptic was rubbed into the hands until dry 15 times a day, 5 days a week and for 2 weeks per preparation. For self-assessment the parameters 'appearance', 'intactness', 'turgor' and 'sensation' were evaluated weekly by visual analogue; for assessment by a dermatologist the same parameters except 'sensation' were used.

[Vascular malformations of the uterus].

Arteriovenous fistulae of the uterus are rare. We report on a patient with a vascular malformation of the uterus complicated by hypermenorrhea. Symptoms, possible complications and therapy are discussed.

An ABA and GA modulated gene expressed in the barley embryo encodes an aldose reductase related protein.

In most higher plants a period of desiccation is the terminal event in embryogenesis. Excised barley embryos acquire desiccation tolerance at a precise developmental stage and cDNA clones have been isolated which are temporally linked with desiccation tolerance. One such clone (pG22-69) with a putative gene product of 34 kd displays high structural homology to mammalian genes encoding an NADPH dependent aldose reductase involved in the synthesis of sorbitol.

The human embryonic myosin alkali light chain gene: use of alternative promoters and 3' non-coding regions.

Recently we have found evidence that the human embryonic myosin alkali light chain (MLC1 emb) gene has two functional promoters and that its mRNAs exhibit heterogeneity in their 3'untranslated regions (UTR). To study this more in detail we have isolated and characterized the human MLC1emb gene. We focussed in particular on 2 kilobases of 5'flanking region and the alternative 3'UTRs.

[Endoscopic and percutaneous implantation of self-expanding endoprostheses in biliary stenosis].

Self-expanding metal stents were implanted in 30 patients (14 men and 16 women, mean age 67 [40-86] years) with malignant (n = 27) or benign (n = 3) obstruction of the biliary tract (hepatic duct bifurcation: n = 14; choledochal duct: n = 16). The stents were introduced and left in place endoscopically in 13, percutaneously and transhepatically via a 7 or 9 F catheter in 17 patients. The stents, which expand to a diameter of 7-10 mm, in all cases achieved complete drainage, as confirmed by cholangiography.