Branched phosphatidylcholines stimulate activity of cytochrome P450SCC (CYP11A1) in phospholipid vesicles by enhancing cholesterol binding, membrane incorporation, and protein exchange.

Phosphatidylcholines (PCs) with branched fatty acyl chains substituted in the two positions of the main chains (branched PCs) have been shown to be potent activators of the side chain cleavage activity of cytochrome P450SCC (CYP11A1) (Schwarz, D., Kisselev, P., Wessel, R.

Chemo-radiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer--long-term results of a phase II trial.

The feasibility and effectiveness of a combined chemo-radiotherapy treatment modality for locally advanced head and neck cancer was tested in a phase II trial. Between 1990 and 1993, 74 patients (20 female/54 male) with head and neck cancer stage III (n = 12) and IV (n = 62) were treated with accelerated radiotherapy (72 Gy) and simultaneous chemotherapy (5-FU, folinic acid, mitomycin C). The median follow-up time was 43 months (1-72).

Superior vena cava syndrome. From the bronchus to the vessel.

This paper addresses the diagnosis and management of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) due to malignant intrathoracic tumours. Diagnosis of SVCS is usually established by bedside examination. Chest X-ray and computed tomography may be helpful, but the cavography remains the "gold-standard".

Interventional pneumology in pulmonary bleeding; a review: from the bronchus to the vessel.

Interventional pneumology includes both bronchological and vascular methods of diagnosis and therapy, especially in emergency situations such as pulmonary hemorrhage. In massive pulmonary hemorrhage bronchological diagnosis is required to determine the site and extent of bleeding, as well as angiography of bronchial arteries, and of pulmonary arteries. Bronchus occlusion by aid of balloon catheter or double lumen tube are holding measures until definitive surgery or embolization of bronchial or pulmonary arteries can be performed.

Simultaneous assessment of cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamics during a motor task. A combined near infrared and transcranial Doppler sonography study.

During performance of a sequential finger opposition task we measured changes in regional cerebral blood oxygenation (rCBO) over the motor cortex and blood flow velocity changes (CBFV) in the middle cerebral artery in a combined near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and transcranial Doppler Sonography (TCD) study. Stimulus duration was 60 followed by a 90 s rest period. During performance of the motor task we observed an increase in [oxy-Hb] a decrease in [deoxy-Hb] and an increase in MCA flow velocity.

Use of non-radioactive detection in SSCP, direct DNA sequencing and LOH analysis.

Aims-To develop a protocol that is applicable to single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), direct sequencing and loss of heterozygosity analysis of DNA.Methods-The protocol is based on the detection of biotinylated DNA by a Streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate. Biotinylation of DNA was achieved by using 5'-end biotinylated primers for PCR.

Nitric oxide modulates the CBF response to increased extracellular potassium.

The response of the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to brain topical superfusion of 20 mM K+ was characterized in a closed cranial window preparation in barbiturate anesthetized and ventilated rats: Increasing K+ in the artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) induced a rCBF elevation (measured by laser-Doppler flowmetry) of +85 +/- 37% above baseline (n = 19). This elevation was stable for > 3 h with continuous superfusion of increased K+ (n = 5) and partially reversible to a level of +18 +/- 19% above baseline when returning to a physiological K+ concentration. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition by brain topical superfusion with N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) revealed (a) Addition of L-NA to high-potassium ACSF reduced the rCBF increase from +94 +/- 36% to +21 +/- 18% (p < or = 0.

Value of RARE-MRI sequences in the diagnosis of lymphangiomatosis in children.

Three patients suffering from extensive cavernous lymphangiomatosis are presented here. They were examined by MRI using RARE-MR hydrography (rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement) as well as conventional spin-echo sequences. RARE sequences, which depict each fluid-filled lymphatic space, can be used for screening.

Early urinary markers of target nephron segments as studied in cadmium toxicity.

A number of chemicals may adversely affect one or more of the anatomical structures of the kidney, such as the glomerulus, the tubular apparatus, the medullary, or interstitial cells. To recognize subclinical renal dysfunction, a battery of new, non-invasive tests was applied in comparison to established ones. The study on cadmium exposed subjects, performed within the framework of a collaborative European research project, exemplifies the concept of target selectivity within a nephron.

Preoperative assessment of cor triatriatum in an adult by dynamic three dimensional echocardiography was more informative than transoesophageal echocardiography or magnetic resonance imaging.

Classic cor triatriatum is rarely found in adults. Preoperative assessment of classic cor triatriatum in a 22 year old man without symptoms by three dimensional echocardiography was more informative than transoesophageal echocardiography or magnetic resonance imaging, which both showed only a small hole in the membrane separating the accessory atrium from the true left atrium. The size of the hole indicated a strong likelihood that symptoms would develop in this patient.

Cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients. The role of tumor necrosis factor.

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. CMV infection commonly results from the reactivation of a latent infection. Using a set of monoclonal anti-CMV antibodies, we found CMV antigen expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC), particularly in monocytes, in 312 of 816 samples from 190 allograft recipients.

Formation of 4-hydroxynonenal and further aldehydic mediators of inflammation during bromotrichlorornethane treatment of rat liver cells.

Bromotrichloromethane (CBrCl(3)) treatment is a model for studies on molecular mechanisms of haloalkane toxicity with some advantages compared with CCl(4) treatment. The formation of 4-hydroxynonenal and similar aldehydic products of lipid peroxidation, which play a role as mediators of inflammatory processes, was clearly demonstrated in rat hepatocytes treated with CBrCl(3). It may be assumed that haloalkane toxicity is connected with the biological effects of those inflammation mediatory aldehydic compounds.

2-Bromolisuride, an ergot derivative, with dopamine antagonistic and serotonin agonistic properties.

The open-field test was used to study the involvement of dopaminergic and serotonergic mechanisms in the effects of 2-bromolisuride on locomotor activity in the rat. 2-Bromolisuride produced a dose-dependent inhibition of spontaneous locomotor activity. This is most likely due to an antagonistic action at postsynaptic dopamine receptors.

Strategies in the development of human monoclonal antibodies.

A high-efficiency, HAT-sensitive heteromyeloma fusion line CB-F7 has been developed from an 8-Azaguanin-treated Ig-non-secreting human X mouse heterohybridoma. The use of this line allowed us to produce human hybridomas more successfully by fusion of cell material from blood, lymph node or spleen. A polyspecific repertoire of IgM isotype was detected among the hybridomas obtained from the spleen.

Relations between the classification of endogenous psychoses by Leonhard, the doctrine of pathoclisis by Vogt and the neurological conception of system diseases.

On the basis of 30 years of cowork with Leonhard it is attempted to enlighten the theoretical background of his classification of endogenous psychoses. Inspired by the conceptions of Wernicke and Kleist he explained the differentiation of symptomatology by the model of system diseases applying this in completing and improving the psychopathological classification. His ideas about the origin of a differentiated vulnerability of brain structures are very similar to the doctrine of pathoclisis of Vogt, although Leonhard did not use this term.

Studies on the immunomodulatory effects of anthracycline antibiotics in mice: effects on immune responses and graft immunogenicity.

The immunomodulatory effects of adriamycin, a clinically used tumor antibiotic, were studied. A 5-day course of adriamycin therapy in mice led to a suppression of the primary but not of the secondary humoral response to sheep erythrocytes without significant alterations in peripheral blood leukocyte subsets or lymphocyte subpopulations in the spleen. The delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to ovalbumin or alloantigens was not inhibited.

Pharmacokinetics of adriamycin, adriamycinol, and antipyrine in patients with moderate tumor involvement of the liver.

The pharmacokinetics of adriamycin, its metabolite adriamycinol, and antipyrine were studied in 17 patients with moderate tumor involvement of the liver and compared to that of 19 tumor patients with normal liver function (Preiss et al. 1985). The individual liver function parameters deviated from normal by a factor ranging from 2.