Tumour biology of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.

Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastroenteropancreatic tract (GEP NETs) represent a rare and heterogeneous group of tumours. Based on their ontogenetic origin, GEP NETs are classified into foregut, midgut and hindgut tumours. Although they have many features in common, their molecular backgrounds are obviously different.

Somatostatin receptor targeting for tumor imaging and therapy.

Somatostatin receptors and their ligands constitute the prototype targeting system for contrast-enhanced detection and radiotherapy of cancer. Radiolabeled synthetic analogs of somatostatin have been successfully used in routine molecular imaging of primary gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and their metastases for more than 15 years. Likewise, analog conjugates for radiation therapy have been developed and have been under clinical trial for several years.

Effect of excimer laser beam delivery and beam shaping on corneal sphericity in photorefractive keratectomy.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of beam delivery and beam shaping on corneal profiles after myopic excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, Charité-Campus Virchow Hospital, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Methods: Standard myopic 193 nm excimer laser PRK of -3.

Virus isolation for diagnosing dengue virus infections in returning travelers.

Dengue fever is recognized as one of the most frequent imported acute febrile illnesses affecting European tourists returning from the tropics. In order to assess the value of virus isolation for the diagnosis of dengue fever, 70 cases of dengue fever confirmed in German travelers during the period 1993-2001 were analyzed retrospectively. In 26 patients who had developed acute febrile illness within 2 weeks following their return from a trip to a dengue-endemic area, 9 of 13 attempts to isolate the virus were successful in sera drawn 1-5 days and 2 of 13 sera drawn 6-10 days after the onset of illness.

Clinical significance of telomerase activity in basal cell carcinomas and in tumour-free surgical margins.

To distinguish the infiltrative from the non-infiltrative basal cell carcinoma (BCC), cell cycle markers are being used to supplement histopathological assessment, and proliferation markers are proving particularly useful. A successful radical therapeutic intervention depends on a clear histopathological diagnosis, especially for the tumour margins. For this purpose we investigated whether proof of telomerase activation is a suitable adjunctive molecular marker.

Fibroblast growth factor-2 protects endothelial cells from damage after corneal storage at 4 degrees C.

Background: Since the introduction of cold corneoscleral segment storage prior to keratoplasty there have been continuous efforts to ameliorate the preservation media in order to better maintain the quality of the corneal epi- and endothelium. Recent studies have shown that basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) preserves the viability of, for example, retinal ganglion cells and pigment epithelium cells. Therefore, we investigated the effect of different concentrations of FGF-2 added to a modified Optisol storage medium on endothelial damage after corneal storage at 4 degrees C.

Senescence, apoptosis and therapy--cutting the lifelines of cancer.

Apoptosis and senescence are cellular failsafe programmes that counteract excessive mitogenic signalling from activated oncogenes. Cancellation of apoptosis or senescence is therefore a prerequisite for tumour formation, and the ability of the cancer cell to disrupt these processes can be considered its 'lifeline'. Ironically, the efficacy of anticancer agents also depends on the activation of apoptosis or an acutely inducible form of cellular senescence.

Outcome of penetrating keratoplasty in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Keratolysis in rheumatoid arthritis is a well-known disorder that may rapidly destroy the entire corneal stroma, resulting in descemetocele formation and eventually corneal perforation. The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomical and functional results of therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in these patients.

Patients And Methods: We reviewed the charts of patients having undergone PK over a 5-year period and evaluated the outcome.

Telomerase activity levels in the surgical margin and tumour distant tissue of the squamous cell carcinoma of the head-and-neck.

The survival of patients with a head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma is determined by loco-regional recurrence and second primary carcinomas. As a complement to histopathology, molecular changes of tumour marginal and tumour distant tissue may confirm curative surgical tumour extirpation. We tested telomerase activity with PCR-ELISA kits.

Hemorrhagic cavernoma or ruptured dermoid of the orbit: Diagnosis with MRI.

MRI is a useful tool to study space-occupying lesions of the orbit. We present two cases of intraorbital lesions that were found to be a hemorrhagic cavernous hemangioma and a ruptured dermoid, respectively. The difficulties in arriving at the diagnosis of these rare entities with MRI are discussed.

Intracellular signaling pathway of FGF-2-modulated corneal endothelial cell migration during wound healing in vitro.

After wounding, the corneal endothelium heals primarily by migration of adjacent cells into the denuded wound area. In this study, it has been attempted to identify elements of the intracellular signaling pathway activated through basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-2)- and Protein Kinase C (PKC)-modulated migration, using specific inhibitors and stimulators of second messengers in a cell culture model. Bovine corneal endothelial cells (BCEC) were grown to confluency and experiments performed with first passage cells under serum-free conditions.

Hyperoxia- and hypoxia-mediated activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes: a comparison of cord and adult venous blood.

Background: Among the most prominent changes occurring in newborn infants is the exposure of tissues and blood cells to increased oxygen tension. This increase is even more pronounced in neonatal resuscitation using 100% oxygen, currently recommended in the published guidelines.

Objective: To analyse the response of neonatal and adult polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) to high or low oxygen tension in vitro.

Combined CT pulmonary angiography and venography for diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis: radiation dose.

A major concern about combined pulmonary CT angiography (PCTA) and CT venography (CTV) refers to the additional radiation exposure to the patient. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the organ dose, the effective dose, and the gonadal dose of combined PCTA and CTV. Effective dose and gonadal dose in PCTA and CTV were calculated.

Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA in urine of patients with ocular Lyme borreliosis.

Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic value of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Borrelia burgdorferi DNA in patients with ocular Lyme borreliosis.

Methods: Of 256 consecutive uveitis patients six selected individuals with clinical evidence for Lyme borreliosis and 30 patients with non-Lyme uveitis were enrolled. Lyme serology was performed by ELISA and western blotting.

Registration of functional and anatomical MRI: accuracy assessment and application in navigated neurosurgery.

Objective: A procedure for acquisition, automated registration, and fusion of functional and anatomical magnetic resonance images is presented. Its accuracy is quantitatively assessed using a publicly available gold standard. A patient case is used to illustrate the technique's clinical usefulness in image-guided neurosurgery.

Posterior capsule opacification and anterior capsule opacification.

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is still the most frequent complication of cataract surgery. A variety of studies has led to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of PCO, and strategies of molecular biology have produced new therapeutic options, such as immunological techniques or gene therapeutic approaches. Surgical strategies and intra-ocular lens-dependent factors also are capable to reduce the rate of PCO.

The role of endogenous growth factors to support corneal endothelial migration after wounding in vitro.

Previous studies have shown that corneal endothelial cells contain mRNA and protein of various growth factors. However, the role of these endogenous growth factors in corneal endothelial wound healing is not fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the role of endogenous factors and several growth factor inhibitors on migration of corneal endothelial cells in an in vitro model of wound healing.

Corneal endothelial toxicity of different lidocaine concentrations.

Purpose: To examine the potential damaging effect on the corneal endothelium of unpreserved lidocaine in concentrations of 1%, 5%, and 10%.

Settings: Department of Ophthalmology, Charité Medical Faculty, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.

Methods: Experimental porcine corneas (n = 18) were exposed to 100 microL of unpreserved lidocaine hydrochloride at concentrations of 1%, 5%, and 10% for 60 minutes.

A more efficient method of texture use in surgical robot simulation.

Texture mapping is a crucial supplement to modeling in 3D graphic simulation technology. Relatively small objects in a simulation environment can be represented with textures rather than by modeling, which helps economize on precious data storage space. Textures also lend some surfaces a more realistic appearance, both for the user and the viewer.

Effect of C1-inhibitor in a rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Our aim was to investigate the effect of C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) in a rat model of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Twenty-four anesthetized and artificially ventilated rats received 0.1 mg/kg endotoxin.

Operative results after primary and secondary debulking-operations in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC).

Objective: To assess the role of primary and secondary radical surgery in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC).

Design: Retrospective study.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-one patients with AOC (FIGO III/IV) underwent altogether 191 extended multivisceral operations between 1/1992 and 2/1998.

Analysis of CD34-expressing cells in clinical practice.

The flow cytometric determination of haemopoietic cells defined as CD34-expressing cells has greatly added to the improvement of the management of harvesting circulating haemopoietic cells for subsequent autologous reinfusion in the setting of high-dose chemo/(radio)-therapy. Additionally, this flow cytometric determination has replaced, in some institutions, the in-vitro culture test for CFU-GM as the measure to estimate the haemopoietic potential of the cells to be reinfused/transplanted.