Immunohistochemical determination of the appropriate anti-hTERT antibodies for in situ detection of telomerase activity in frozen sections of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and tumor margin tissues.

In previous studies we demonstrated telomerase activity in frozen tissue from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and their tumor-free tumor margins. In the present study frozen sections from the same tissues were examined for in situ presence of hTERT. In preliminary investigations we established that the most suitable method of tissue preparation was fixation in acetone and methanol followed by steaming and visualization by APAAP.

Prospective, randomized comparison of mechanical and electronic radial endoscopic ultrasound systems: assessment of performance parameters and image quality.

Objective: Implementation of electronic image technology in endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) should improve image quality, but systematic data are scarce. The purpose of this study was to compare the image quality and performance of an electronic and a mechanical radial echoendoscope.

Material And Methods: Eighty consecutive patients (42 M, mean age 56 years) in a tertiary referral center, without gross pathology (advanced tumors excluded), were prospectively randomized to EUS with the mechanical or electronic echoendoscope.

Total serum bilirubin levels during cyclooxygenase inhibitor treatment for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.

Aim: To determine whether ibuprofen use in VLBW infants is associated with increased serum bilirubin levels and impaired neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of age compared to indomethacin.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated bilirubin data and outcome parameters of 178 VLBW infants treated with COX inhibitors for a haemodynamically relevant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) between 1998 and 2003 in a single institution. In our department ibuprofen replaced indomethacin for PDA treatment in 2001, while clinical and echocardiographic criteria for the indication of PDA invention have remained unchanged.

A complex congenital anomaly: liver eventration because of intrathoracic rib and vertebral segmentation disorder--a case report.

The complicated processes of chest development and differentiation frequently lead to malformations of the ribs and vertebrae. An intrathoracic rib is a rare anomaly. We report here, for the first time, a complex congenital malformation with liver eventration because of a right intrathoracic rib and vertebral segmentation disorder of the spine in a 7-year-old girl without respiratory impairment.

A motor-driven single-use colonoscope controlled with a hand-held device: a feasibility study in volunteers.

Background: Several new instruments have been developed in the effort to improve the acceptance of colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. A new colonoscope, the Invendoscope, is presented here. It consists of an endoscopic sheath with an inverted sleeve, instrument channel, and an electrohydraulic deflecting tip.

Association of cytokines with endothelium dependent flow mediated vasodilation (FMD) of systemic arteries in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Aim of this study was to elucidate the relation between localised inflammatory heart disease and endothelial dysfunction in the peripheral circulation, considering circulating cytokines as a potential link.

Methods: In 38 patients with non-ischemic heart disease, myocardial biopsies were examined for myocardial inflammation (immunohistology) and virus persistence (PCR). Cytokines (sIL-4, IFN-g, IFN-b, IFN-a, sIL-12p7, TNF-a) were measured by ELISA in venous serum.

Correlation of epicardial and systemic flow-mediated vasodilation in patients with atypical angina but no evidence of atherosclerotic disease.

Background: Atypical angina represents a diagnostic challenge and can be observed in the absence of significant coronary atherosclerosis. Endothelial dysfunction is a relevant marker of prognosis, considering cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study was to compare flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in systemic peripheral and epicardial coronary arteries.

Surgical strategies and predictors of outcome for malignant neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas.

Background And Aim: Neuroendocrine pancreatic carcinomas are rare and little information on factors influencing the clinical course and prognosis is presently available. The aim of this study was to retrospectively review all patients who underwent pancreatic resection for malignant neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas at the one department from 1989 to 2003.

Methods: Eleven male and eight female patients with a mean age of 51 years (range 13-76 years) underwent surgery for malignant neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas.

Novel measurement of rapid treatment success with ReQuest: first and sustained symptom relief as outcome parameters in patients with endoscopy-negative GERD receiving 20 mg pantoprazole or 20 mg esomeprazole.

Background/aims: A prime concern for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients is fast symptom control. Sparse valid information is available on the rapidity of the effect of proton pump inhibitors in providing symptom relief. The new reflux questionnaire ReQuest is validated for daily assessment of changes in GERD symptoms.

Highlights of United European Gastroenterology Week 2006.

The United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) of 2006 offered an interesting variety of topics, and included many randomized studies that had not been previously presented at major meetings. Papers presented at plenary sessions will be given some priority in the following paper, whereas the selection of topics from abstracts, on the basis of poster presentations, has been more limited, necessarily reflecting to some extent the personal taste of the reviewer.

Huge intra- and extrathoracic lymphangioma in a baby successfully treated by sclerotherapy with OK-432.

Lymphangiomas are rare congenital malformations of the lymphatic system. They typically appear within the first two years of life. They present as soft, indolent and benign tumors.

Changing expression of cyclooxygenases and prostaglandin receptor EP4 during development of the human ductus arteriosus.

Programmed proliferative degeneration of the human fetal ductus arteriosus (DA) in preparation for its definite postnatal closure has a large developmental variability and is controlled by several signaling pathways, most prominently by prostaglandin (PG) metabolism. Numerous studies in various mammalian species have shown interspecies and developmental differences in ductal protein expression of cyclooxygenase (COX) isoforms and PG E receptor subtypes (EP1-4). We examined COX1, COX2, and EP4 receptor protein expression immunohistochemically in 57 human fetal autopsy DA specimens of 11-38 wk of gestation.

Late spontaneous in-the-bag intraocular lens and capsular tension ring dislocation in pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

Two patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in whom late spontaneous in-the-bag intraocular lens (IOL) and capsular tension ring (CTR) dislocation occurred 3 and 6 years after cataract surgery are described. The patients received CTRs because of phacodonesis due to zonular laxity. The IOLs were centered postoperatively, and there was no postoperative ocular trauma.

Evaluation of the use of RT-PCR for the early diagnosis of dengue fever.

RT-PCR was used to diagnose dengue virus infections confirmed serologically in 26 returning travellers. RT-PCR was positive for three (75%) of four samples taken on or before day 3 of the illness, for 15 (78.9%) of 19 samples taken between days 4 and 7, and for none of three samples tested on or after day 8 (p 0.

Peptide microarrays with site-specifically immobilized synthetic peptides for antibody diagnostics.

Peptide microarrays bear the potential to discover molecular recognition events on protein level, particularly in the field of molecular immunology, in a manner and with an efficiency comparable to the performance of DNA microarrays. We developed a novel peptide microarray platform for the detection of antibodies in liquid samples. The system comprises site-specific solution phase coupling of biotinylated peptides to NeutrAvidin, localized microdispensing of peptide-NeutrAvidin conjugates onto activated glass slides and a fluorescence immuno sandwich assay format for antibody capture and detection.

Oxaliplatin, folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil (OFF) in patients with recurrent advanced head and neck cancer: a phase II feasibility study.

The purpose of this phase II trial was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of oxaliplatin combined with folinic acid (FA) and 5-FU in patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (scchn) in advanced stage of disease. Thirty-six patients with recurrent/metastatic disease with median age of 59 years were enrolled. Patients received oxaliplatin (85mg/m(2)) and FA (200mg/m(2)) followed by 5-FU (2000mg/m(2)) as 24h continuous infusion on day 1 and 15 in a 4-week cycle.

p75 Neurotrophin Receptor-Mediated Signaling Promotes Human Hair Follicle Regression (Catagen).

Nerve growth factor (NGF) and its apoptosis-promoting low-affinity receptor (p75NTR) regulate murine hair cycling. However, it is unknown whether human hair growth is also controlled through p75NTR, its high-affinity ligand pro-NGF, and/or the growth-promoting high-affinity NGF receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA). In microdissected human scalp anagen hair bulbs, mRNA for NGF, pro-NGF, p75NTR, and TrkA was transcribed.

Overexpression of Midkine in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor cells inhibits apoptosis and increases angiogenic potency.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue tumors arising sporadically although more frequently in patients with Neurofibromatosis type 1. Prognosis remains dismal as chemo- and radiotherapy have not been shown to be successful. The heparin-binding growth factor, Midkine (MK), is implicated in the tumorigenesis of benign and plexiform neurofibromas, and thereof arising MPNSTs.

Novel measurement of rapid treatment success with ReQuest: first and sustained symptom relief as outcome parameters in patients with endoscopy-negative GERD receiving 20 mg pantoprazole or 20 mg esomeprazole.

Background/aims: A prime concern for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients is fast symptom control. Sparse valid information is available on the rapidity of the effect of proton pump inhibitors in provid ing symptom relief. The new reflux questionnaire ReQuest is validated for daily assessment of changes in GERD symptoms.

A metabolically active dermal replacement (Dermagraft) for vestibuloplasty.

This article describes the use of tissue-engineered dermal replacement in the vestibular extension instead of palatal donor tissue or (split-thickness) skin graft. In three patients the living human-derived fibroblast skin substitute (Dermagraft) was implanted on the wound surface after mucogingival junction and supraperiosteal dissection. Following application of Dermagraft, epithelial closure starting from the resection margins of the defect was observed, obviating further surgical treatment.

Control of human hair growth by neurotrophins: brain-derived neurotrophic factor inhibits hair shaft elongation, induces catagen, and stimulates follicular transforming growth factor beta2 expression.

Neurotrophins are important modulators of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Previously, we had shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its high-affinity receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) are prominently involved in the control of murine hair follicle cycling. We now show that BDNF and TrkB are also expressed in the human hair follicle in a manner that is both hair cycle dependent and suggestive of epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk between BDNF-secreting dermal papilla fibroblasts of anagen hair follicles and subpopulations of TrkB+ hair follicle keratinocytes.

Valproic acid induces differentiation of a supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor.

In preclinical models the antiepileptic drug valproic acid induces differentiation of neoplastic cells, representing an evolving anticancer approach that takes into account that malignant cells resemble immature progenitor cells capable of terminal differentiation. The authors report on a child suffering from a relapsing supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor that received valproic acid for epilepsy treatment over 7 months before the relapse. In contrast to the initial tumor, the relapsing tumor showed glial differentiation and low proliferation index.

From basic to clinical research in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor disease -- the clinician-scientist perspective.

Patients with rare tumors represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for non-specialized physicians, surgeons and other medical doctors. Whereas several specialized centers have gathered data for an improved diagnosis and therapy of neuroendocrine tumor disease, numerous clinical issues have not been resolved on an evidence-based medicine level. Furthermore, the evaluation of new treatment options has been overshadowed by the low incidence of the disease.