A role for decorin in cutaneous wound healing and angiogenesis

Decorin is known to influence tissue tensile strength and cellular phenotype. Therefore, decorin is likely to have an impact on tissue repair, including cutaneous wound healing. In this study, cutaneous healing of both excisional and incisional full‐thickness dermal wounds was studied in decorin‐deficient (Dcn^?/?) animals. A statistically significant delay in excisional wound healing in the Dcn^?/? mice occurred at 4 and 10 days postwounding and, in incisional wounds at 4, 10, and 18 days when compared with wild‐type (Dcn^?/?) controls. Fibrovascular invasion into polyvinylalcohol sponges was significantly increased by day 18 in Dcn^?/? mice relative to Dcn^+/+ mice. The 18‐day sponge implants in the Dcn^?/? mice showed a marked accumulation of biglycan when compared with the corresponding implants in Dcn^+/+ mice. Thus, regulated production of decorin may serve as an excellent therapeutic approach for modifying impaired wound healing and harmful foreign body reactions.     

Assessment of costs to donor hospitals for organ transplantation

In 1987, die Department of Health in the UK set up a working party to identify reasons contributing to a shortfall in donor organs. One recommendation was reimbursement to the District Health Authorities for costs incurred in providing the donor organs. The figure chosen was not to be seen as an incentive to donate organs, merely as an appropriate compensation for the costs incurred. There would be no direct payment to doctors, trustees or relatives of the donor. With the development of the competitive health care environment in the United Kingdom, the reimbursement of donating hospital costs is being considered with these data.     

Selective visualization of the Fallopian tube with magnetic resonance imaging

At present, X-ray hysterosalpingography is used commonly as a screening method for testing Fallopian tube patency, but the results are often unreliable due to mucous plugs or muscular contractions. Selective catheterization of the tubes under X-ray control is feasible, but is rarely used due to exposure of young individuals aiming for pregnancy to a high ionizing dose. Here, a case is described of a patient whose Fallopian tubes were selectively catheterized and visualized three-dimensionally under contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance using a high-viscous gadoteric acid solution (Dotarem). In this patient, bilateral peritubal adhesions caused a blockage of the fimbrial part of the tube leading to transuterine spilling of tubal fluid. Laparoscopy followed by bilateral salpingectomy was then performed, which confirmed the three-dimensional MRI images, and the excised specimens were examined histologically. The advantages of this novel technique include the avoidance of ionizing damage to the gonads and the potential for development of more elaborate interventional methods, such as ballooning and stenting. It is intended to develop contrast MRI further, both for improved non-invasive visualization and for manipulative technology of the Fallopian tubes.     

The polymeric immunoglobulin A receptor is present on hepatocytes in human liver.

A monoclonal antibody raised against human colostrum secretory component produced even staining of hepatocyte plasma membranes, as well as bile duct lining cells, in all sections examined from eight normal and three abnormal human livers. Human bile samples incubated with free secretory component degraded it to varying extents, probably proteolytically; true levels of free secretory component will therefore often be higher than those reported. It seems likely that human liver resembles that of other mammals in transferring polymeric IgA through hepatocytes to the bile by means of the polymeric IgA receptor.     

Expression of c-myc oncogene in coeliac disease.

A monoclonal antibody, produced by peptide immunisation was used to detect the distribution of p62c/myc by immunohistology in normal and coeliac small intestinal mucosa. The effect of gluten in four treated coeliac patients was investigated by taking serial jejunal biopsy specimens for six hours after a 10 g oral gluten challenge. There was a progressive increase in p62c/myc staining intensity in the villus enterocytes extending to the crypts, which accompanied the classical morphological changes occurring in the mucosa.     

Nachsorge,Rezidivtherapie, psychoonkologische Versorgung und Palliativmedizin des Endometriumkarzinoms

In April 2018 the first German interdisciplinary S3 guideline for the diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up of patients with endometrial cancer was published. This article is a summary of Chap. 9 on “Surveillance/Recurrence/Metastases of Endometrial Cancer” and is a clinically oriented abbreviated version, which includes recommendations for investigation modalities in aftercare and treatment options in cases of recurrence. Also included are aspects of psycho-oncological support and palliative medical care from the S3 guideline.     

Improved detection of hepatocyte proliferation using antibody to the pre-replication complex: an association with hepatic fibrosis and viral replication in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Summary. To test the hypothesis that hepatitis C virus (HCV) might induce hepatocyte proliferation directly, thereby predisposing HCV carriers to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, we have used a new method to identify proliferating hepatocytes, employing a novel monoclonal antibody to minichromosome maintenance (Mcm) proteins, essential components of the pre-replication complex. Antibody to Ki-67, a conventional marker of cell division, was also studied. Eighty-seven patients with chronic HCV infection and a broad spectrum of histological change were studied. Proliferation was observed rarely in hepatocytes from normal liver from healthy controls (always less than 0.01%). However, proliferating hepatocytes were detected in all HCV-infected patients and the proportion of hepatocytes expressing Mcm-2 (3–40%) always exceeded that expressing Ki-67 (1–14%) and correlated positively with increasing stage of fibrosis ( P  = 0.0001) and viral replication ( P  = 0.0004). There were weaker but significant associations between the proportion of hepatocytes expressing Mcm-2 and inflammatory indices including interface hepatitis, portal tract inflammation, lobular inflammation and steatosis. There was no association between the proportion of hepatocytes expressing Mcm-2 and age, gender or past alcohol consumption, but there was a weak association with current consumption of alcohol ( P  = 0.0067). The proportion of Ki-67 hepatocytes did not correlate with any clinical, laboratory or histological parameter. Mcm-2 was also detected in bile duct cells, sinusoidal lining cells and infiltrating lymphocytes, but at low frequency. These data indicate first, that Mcm-2 is a more sensitive marker of hepatocyte proliferation than Ki-67, second that many hepatocytes in chronic HCV infection have entered the cell cycle and third, suggest that interference with the hepatocyte cell cycle might be an alternative approach to therapy.