Laser-induced fluorescence studies of the biodistribution of carotenoporphyrins in mice.

The biodistribution of two recently developed tumour markers, trimethylated (CP(Me)3) and trimethoxylated (CP(OMe)3) carotenoporphyrin, was investigated by means of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) after i.v. injection into 38 tumour-bearing (MS-2 fibrosarcoma) female Balb/c mice. At 3, 24, 48 or 96 h after administration, the carotenoporphyrin fluorescence was measured in tumoral and peritumoral tissue, as well as in the abdominal, thoracic and cranial cavities. The fluorescence was induced by a nitrogen laser-pumped dye laser, emitting light at 425 nm, and analysed by a polychromator equipped with an image-intensified CCD camera. The fluorescence was evaluated at 490, 655 and 720 nm: the second and third wavelengths represent the carotenoporphyrin (CP)-related peaks, whereas the first one is close to the peak of the tissue autofluorescence. The tumour and the liver were the two tissue types showing the strongest carotenoporphyrin-related fluorescence, whereas the cerebral cortex and muscle consistently exhibited weak substance-related fluorescence. In most tissue types, the fluorescence intensities decreased over time. A few exceptions were observed, notably the liver, in which the intensity remained remarkably constant over the time period investigated.     

Herzoperationen wegen Herztumoren in Deutschland – Ergebnisse eienr Umfrage für das Jahr 1996

Zusammenfassung Zahlen zur H?ufigkeit von Herztumoren im operativen Krankengut liegen bisher für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland nicht vor. Um einen entsprechenden überblick für das Jahr 1996 zu erhalten, wurde allen 77 herzchirurgischen Zentren der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ein standardisierter Fragebogen zugesandt. Daten von 65 der 77 Herzzentren (=84%) waren schlie?lich verfügbar: 187 Patienten waren wegen Myxomen, lediglich 44 wegen nichtmyxomat?sen Tumoren, davon 28 wegen malignen prim?ren oder sekund?ren Herztumoren, operiert worden. Im Jahr 1996 waren somit 0,32% (231/72 763) der Eingriffe mit Herz-Lungen-Maschine (erfa?t 72 763 von insgesamt 87 372) wegen eines Herztumors vorgenommen worden. Ausgehend von diesen operativen Daten liegt die Inzidenz ausschlie?lich der prim?ren Tumoren des Herzens zumindest bei 3 Tumoren pro 1 Million Einwohner pro Jahr (253 Tumoren/81,814 Millionen Einwohner). Wenn auch kleine Tumoren asymptomatisch und unentdeckt bleiben k?nnen, wird heute doch die Mehrzahl prim?rer kardialer Tumoren durch Echokardiographie, Computer- und Kernspintomographie bereits zu Lebzeiten des Patienten diagnostiziert, und diese Patienten werden in aller Regel einer Operation zugeführt. Somit werden gut 0,3% aller Eingriffe mit Herz-Lungen-Maschine in Deutschland wegen Herztumoren durchgeführt, wobei es sich weit überwiegend um Myxome handelt. Eingegangen: 23. September 1997, Akzeptiert: 11. Februar 1998     

Histamine and H2 agonist amthamine increase oxidative burst activity of human leukocytes determined by flow cytometry

Inflammation Research -     

Oligoclonal populations of T and B cells in a case of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma predominantly infiltrated by T cells of the VB5.1 family.

AIMS: Immunohistological and molecular characterisation of a case of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILD) type. METHODS: Frozen and paraffin wax sections of the diagnostic lymph node were stained with a panel of T- and B-cell lineage monoclonal antibodies. DNA was isolated from the paraffin wax embedded biopsy material for T-cell receptor (TCR) and immunoglobulin (Ig) PCR amplification, and resultant PCR products were cloned and sequenced. RESULTS: Immunohistological analysis of the presenting lymph node was consistent with an extensive infiltrate of pleomorphic CD3+CD8+ lymphocytes. Most (>80%) of these infiltrating CD3+ cells were also positive for the TCR VB5.1 gene family product, and were shown to be oligoclonal by TCRB PCR amplification and sequencing. Three oligoclones of B cells were also demonstrable by PCR amplification with Ig heavy chain primers and sequencing, a finding at variance with the diagnosis of AILD. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the complexity and heterogeneity of PTCL which require extensive histological examination and molecular characterisation.     

A Decade of Change in Obesity Surgery

Background: The International (formerly National) Bariatric Surgery Registry began collecting data in January 1986. The aim of this study was to examine changes in the practice of surgical treatment of severe obesity that occurred during the decade of 1986 through 1995, as observed in the IBSR data. Methods: All data submitted to the IBSR during the decade were transferred to the IBM mainframe computer for analysis. Characteristics of operative type populations were compared over time using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for age, body mass index (BMI), operative weight and Chi-square (χ²) test for gender. Results: There has been a steady increase over the decade in mean patient weight. The operations used have changed from predominantly ‘simple’ operations to more frequent use of ‘complex’ operations. Within the categories of ‘simple’ and ‘complex’, an increase in the variety of operations occurred. As a group, patients with ‘simple’ operations have been heavier, more often male and public pay patients than those who have undergone ‘complex’ operations. One year weight loss was greater for Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RGB) than vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), but follow-up rates were too low to study the relative merits of the operations used. The reported incidence of operative mortality and serious complications (leak with peritonitis, abscess and pulmonary embolism) remained low. Conclusions: These observations and their implications can be summarized in three statements which relate to action for improved patient care in the beginning of the new century: (1) increasing weight of candidates for surgical treatment during this decade indicates the need for earlier use of operative treatment before irreversible complications of obesity can develop; (2) low risk of obesity surgery, decreasing postoperative hospital stay, and early weight control support the continued and increased use of surgical treatment; (3) continued widespread use of both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ operations with increased modifications of standard RGB and VBG procedures emphasizes the need for standardized long-term data and analyses regarding both weight control and postoperative side-effects.     

Recurrent dislocation of the patella and the Goldthwait operation

In this study 17 patients with recurrent dislocation of the patella were followed up 10 years after their Goldthwait operation. The subjective and clinical findings were excellent or good in 70%. X-radiographs indicated osteoarthritis of the femoropatellar joint in 60%. Concerning the aetiopathological factors, we found an increased external torsion of the afflicted extremity (measured by computed tomography).