Norepinephrine-induced changes in cardiac transforming growth factor-beta isoform expression pattern of female and male rats.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a ubiquitous growth-regulating protein with an essential role in tissue repair and formation of extracellular matrix (ECM). To better understand the role of different isoforms of TGF-beta in the cardiac remodeling process induced by norepinephrine (NE), the expression of TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, and TGF-beta3 was studied and compared with the expression of collagen. NE (0.

Cardiac remodeling in erythropoietin-transgenic mice.

Background: Transgenic (tg) mice with chronic overexpression of the human erythropoietin gene are characterized by an increased hematocrit of about 0.80 in adulthood. This is accompanied by cardiac dysfunction and premature death.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor with ectopic adrenocorticotropin production upon second recurrence.

We present a 54-yr-old woman with ectopic corticotropin syndrome caused by a neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas. At initial presentation, the patient suffered from diarrhea, heartburn, and nonspecific abdominal pain. There was no evidence of Cushing's syndrome.

INK4a-ARF alterations in Barrett's epithelium, intraepithelial neoplasia and Barrett's adenocarcinoma.

Introduction: The INK4a-ARF [CDKN2A]- locus on chromosome 9p21 encodes for two tumour suppressor proteins, p16INK4a and p14ARF, which act as upstream regulators of the Rb-CDK4 and p53 pathways. To study the contribution of each pathway to the carcinogenesis of Barrett's adenocarcinoma, we analysed the alterations of p14ARF and p16INK4a in preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions of this disease.

Materials And Methods: After microdissection, DNA of 15 Barrett's adenocarcinomas, 40 Barrett's intraepithelial neoplasms (n=20 low- and n=20 high-grade) and 15 Barrett's mucosa without neoplasia was analysed for INK4-ARF inactivation using DNA sequence and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis, methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, restriction-enzyme-related polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.

[Immunohistochemical localization of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) in tuberculous pleuritis].

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) have been found by ELISA and gelatine zymography in different concentrations in pleural fluid in tuberculous (TB) pleuritis. For further differentiation MMP and TIMP were localized in pleural biopsies by immunhistochemical staining with antibodies directed against MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 using the Labelled-Avidin-Biotin (LAB). Immunohistological reactivity of MMP-1 was found in epitheloidcellular histiocytes, Langhans' giant cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, as well as in fibroblasts of granulomatous reactions.

[35-year old male with fever and round mass of the liver].

A 35 year old male suffered from fever till 39 degrees C and malaise since 6 months; infectious or neoplastic causes have been ruled out. Ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic lesion of 75 mm diameter in the liver. The histologic examination of the needle biopsy showed an inflammatory process, and the final diagnosis was inflammatory pseudotumor.

Sequential combination therapy of HBe antigen-negative/virus-DNA-positive chronic hepatitis B with famciclovir or lamivudine and interferon-alpha-2a.

Background/aims: Hepatitis B e antigen-negative/hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHBe-) exhibits a high relapse rate on monotherapy with lamivudine or interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). We investigated, whether sequential therapy with famciclovir or lamivudine followed by combination with IFN-alpha-2a improves durable virologic response in CHBe- characterized by mutation analysis of the HBV precore genome region.

Methods: Fourteen patients were treated with famciclovir (n=3) or lamivudine for 4 weeks to reduce the viral load, and subsequently with the combination of the nucleoside analogue and IFN-alpha-2a until 16 weeks beyond the loss of serum HBV-DNA.

Quantitative TP73 transcript analysis in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Purpose: The p53 family member p73 displays significant homology to p53, but data from primary tumors demonstrating increased expression levels of p73 in the absence of any gene mutations argue against a classical tumor suppressor function. A detailed analysis of the p73 protein in tumor tissues has revealed expression of two classes of p73 isoforms. Whereas the proapoptotic, full-length, transactivation-competent p73 protein (TA-p73) has a putative tumor suppressor activity similar to p53, the antiapoptotic, NH(2)-terminally truncated, transactivation-deficient p73 protein (DeltaTA-p73) has been shown to possess oncogenic activity.

[Gallbladder and bile duct carcinoma. Biology and pathology].

Biliary tract cancers are a consequence of a stepwise malignant transformation of the biliary epithelium. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas arises from any portions of the intrahepatic bile duct epithelium: the segmental or area ducts and their finer branches or intrahepatic small bile ducts. Cholangiocarcinoma arising from the hepatic ducts or near their junction are called hilar cholangiocarcinoma or Klatskin tumour, and are considered as extrahepatic lesion.

Mutations of BRAF and KRAS2 in the development of Barrett's adenocarcinoma.

Activation of the Raf/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signal transduction cascade by RAS mutations has been found in a variety of human cancers. Mutations of BRAF provide an alternative route for activation of this signalling pathway. To determine the role of mutations in BRAF and KRAS2 in the neoplastic progression of Barrett's adenocarcinoma, we analysed both genes for common mutations.

Two somatic TSH receptor mutations in a patient with toxic metastasising follicular thyroid carcinoma and non-functional lung metastases.

In a 59-year-old patient, thyroid follicular cancer was diagnosed in two right-sided toxic thyroid nodules, which had presented clinically as unilateral thyroid autonomy. In addition, the patient had histologically proven lung metastases of thyroid cancer; however, these failed to exhibit iodine uptake and were resistant to radioiodine treatment. The functional activity of the thyroid nodules prompted us to screen for TSH receptor (TSHR) mutations, and the histological diagnosis of follicular carcinoma led us to search for the PAX8-PPARgamma1 rearrangement and mutations in the ras genes.

Assessment of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury by simultaneous measurement of tissue pO2, pCO2, and pH.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine whether the simultaneous measurement of tissue pH, pCO(2), and pO(2) with a multiple-parameter fiberoptic sensor (Paratrend 7) can be used for continuous monitoring of hepatic microperfusion in a pig model of hepatic ischemia given endothelin(A) receptor antagonist (ET(A)-RA) or isotonic saline.

Methods: Fourteen anesthetized swine were subjected to 2 h of hepatic vascular exclusion. The animals were randomized into two groups: control group (n = 7, saline solution iv) and therapy group (n = 7, ET(A)-RA).

Novel bacteriochlorine for high tissue-penetration: photodynamic properties in human biliary tract cancer cells in vitro and in a mouse tumour model.

Photodynamic therapy of bile duct cancer using hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) and laser light of 630 nm wavelength is confined to a tumouricidal tissue penetration of 4 mm, which might be doubled with laser light between 700 and 800 nm. Therefore, we investigated the photosensitising properties of a novel bacteriochlorine, tetrakis-pyridyl-tetrahydroporphyrin tosylat (THP) with high absorption at 763 nm. Two biliary cancer cell lines (BDC, GBC) were incubated with HPD or THP to assess cellular uptake kinetics, dark cytotoxicity, and photodynamic cytotoxicity (laser light exposure 1-20 J/cm2).

In vivo studies comparing the biocompatibility of various polypropylene meshes and their handling properties during endoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) patchplasty: an experimental study in pigs.

Background: Polypropylene (PP) meshes are currently being used in millions of operations for hernial repair. We tested several recently modified PP meshes to evaluate them in terms of their biocompatibility and handling characteristics during minimally invasive procedures.

Methods: Four different PP meshes (a heavyweight PP, Atrium; a lightweight PP incorporating absorbable polyglactic acid, Vypro II; a lightweight PP, Parietene; and a titanium-coated lightweight PP, Ti-Mesh Extralight), all implanted using the endoscopic total extrapreperitoneal (TEP) technique, were investigated in groups comprising 11 pigs each.

Absence of mutations of the BRAF gene and constitutive activation of extracellular-regulated kinase in malignant melanomas of the uvea.

The v-raf murine sarcoma viral homolog B1 (BRAF) gene, one of the human isoforms of RAF, is activated by Ras, leading to cooperative effects in cells responsive to growth factor signals. Recently, somatic missense mutations of the BRAF gene have been detected in more than 66% of malignant melanomas of the skin. We analyzed 42 malignant melanomas of the uvea, 3 corresponding liver metastases, and 10 cutaneous melanomas for possible BRAF mutations: after microdissection, mutation analysis of BRAF and KRAS was performed.

[MRI-guided pediatric interventions].

Aim: There are only a few diagnostic or therapeutic procedures where MR imaging is applied during pediatric interventions. This study will describe indications, complications as well as the advantages and disadvantages of MRI-guided interventions based on a case study in an open MRI scanner.

Materials And Methods: 14 procedures were performed in an open MRI scanner (Signa SP/i, GEMS) on 13 children (1 - 16 yr) with bone, soft tissue and brain lesions (1 - 4 cm diameter).

Identification of novel proteins associated with hepatocellular carcinomas using protein microarrays.

Characterization of the protein profiles expressed by hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) may identify the genes involved in hepatocellular carcinogenesis and offers the possibility of elucidating clinical biomarkers. In an effort to discover such proteins and pathways that are deregulated in hepatocellular carcinogenesis, cellular proteomes of matched normal liver cells and carcinoma were analysed by tissue microdissection and protein microarrays. Using protein microarrays made up of 83 different antibodies, it was possible to monitor alterations of the protein levels in HCC and non-neoplastic liver tissue.

Pulmonary edema and pleural effusion in norepinephrine-stimulated rats--hemodynamic or inflammatory effect?

Stimulation with norepinephrine (NE) leads to pulmonary edema and pleural effusion in rats. These pulmonary fluid shifts may result from pulmonary congestion due to the hemodynamic effects of NE and/or inflammation with an increase in vascular permeability. The contribution of these two factors were investigated in the present study.

Genetic and epigenetic alterations of 9p21 gene products in benign and malignant tumors of the head and neck.

The multistep process of tumorigenesis has not been decoded to date, although numerous investigations into probable molecular changes have meanwhile been conducted. However, not only DNA changes or loss of alleles cause deregulation of gene function, but also epigenetic alterations (e.g.

Lyme borreliosis.

Lyme borreliosis is a multi-organ infection caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group with its species B burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia afzelii, which are transmitted by ticks of the species Ixodes. Laboratory testing of Lyme borreliosis includes culture, antibody detection using ELISA with whole extracts or recombinant chimeric borrelia proteins, immunoblot, and PCR with different levels of sensitivity and specificity for each test. Common skin manifestations of Lyme borreliosis include erythema migrans, lymphocytoma, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans.

Endothelin(A) receptor blockade reduces ischemia/reperfusion injury in pig pancreas transplantation.

Objective: The effect of prophylactic administration of a selective endothelin(A) receptor antagonist (ET(A)-RA) on ischemia/reperfusion injury in an experimental model of graft pancreatitis after pancreas transplantation was evaluated.

Summary Background Data: It is well established that endothelin-1 (ET-1), a powerful vasoconstrictor, plays an important role in the development of pancreatitis. Recent studies have shown a beneficial effect of endothelin receptor antagonists in the therapy for experimental pancreatitis.

Histopathological parameters of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis in children and adolescents: comparison with findings in adults.

Background: The pathohistological features of Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis in children and adolescents are less well understood than they are in adults. The aim of the study was to compare histological parameters of H. pylori-infected children with those of adults.