Pet birds and risk of lung cancer in North-Western Germany

The relationship between non-small cell lung cancer and platelet counts, serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endostatin, is unclear. Platelet counts and serum VEGF and endostatin levels were measured preoperatively in 99 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, and the relationship between these factors and clinicopathological features, including prognosis, was examined. Mean serum VEGF level was slightly higher in patients than in healthy subjects (P=0.23). Mean serum endostatin level was 42.4+/-40.4 ng/ml in patients compared to 16.3+/-10.3 ng/ml in healthy subjects (P=0.0003). Serum endostatin levels were significantly higher in patients with involvement greater than T2 or stage IB, compared to other patients. Platelet count and serum endostatin level greater than the median were associated with poor prognosis. Our results suggested that platelet count and serum endostatin level may be useful markers for non-small cell lung cancer.     

Intravenous C-type natriuretic peptide augments behavioral and endocrine effects of cholecystokinin tetrapeptide in healthy men.

Given the anxiogenic effects of the type-B natriuretic peptide receptor agonist C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) in rodents, we investigated the influence of CNP pretreatment upon the behavioral and endocrine action of the panicogen cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK-4) in healthy men. In a randomized double-blind balanced design, 20 male volunteers were given an intravenous infusion of 300 microg of CNP vs. placebo followed by 25 microg of CCK-4. The behavior was assessed using panic, anxiety, and dissociation questionaires before the infusion and after the CCK-4 stimulus. Furthermore, the stress-sensitive hormones adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and prolactin were measured. CNP pretreatment enhanced the anxiogenic and prodissociative effects of CCK-4 and significantly augmented the ACTH surge after CCK-4. However, no effect of CNP was seen upon panic symptoms. Our preliminary data support a role of type-B natriuretic peptide receptors in anxiety modulation in normal man.     

Radiation-induced effects on gene expression: an in vivo study on breast cancer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Breast cancer is diagnosed worldwide in approximately one million women annually and radiation therapy is an integral part of treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular basis underlying response to radiotherapy in breast cancer tissue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tumour biopsies were sampled before radiation and after 10 treatments (of 2 Gray (Gy) each) from 19 patients with breast cancer receiving radiation therapy. Gene expression microarray analyses were performed to identify in vivo radiation-responsive genes in tumours from patients diagnosed with breast cancer. The mutation status of the TP53 gene was determined by using direct sequencing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Several genes involved in cell cycle regulation and DNA repair were found to be significantly induced by radiation treatment. Mutations were found in the TP53 gene in 39% of the tumours and the gene expression profiles observed seemed to be influenced by the TP53 mutation status.     

Feminist perspectives on the social construction of chronic fatigue syndrome

We contrast Western medical views of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) etiology, diagnosis, and treatment with views maintained by a predominantly female CFS population. We argue that the failure of Western medicine to demonstrate a viral etiology for CFS led to a paradigmatic shift in research perspectives, which then embraced psychiatric and sociocultural explanations for CFS. As a result, CFS was delegitimized as a biomedical phenomenon within medical, academic, governmental, and public arenas. We compare alternative social constructions of CFS with issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis (MS), an illness that similarly predominates among women. Patient perspectives suggest that the history of medical attitudes toward CFS may eventually parallel the transformations that occurred in relation to MS. In particular, the discovery of biological markers for CFS may lay to rest the categorization of CFS as largely within the psychiatric realm.     

Immunosuppressive effects and clinical response of fludarabine in refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia

BACKGROUND:: Fludarabine monophosphate is a new adenine nucleoside analoguewith a promising efficacy in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia(B-CLL) with response rates, including hematological completeremissions, of 50%–60% in previously treated and 75%–80%in previously untreated patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS:: Here, the clinical experience with and side effects of fludarabineare reported in 19 patients with refractory CLL (17 B-CLL, 2T-CLL). All patients were pretreated with one to four differentregimens and had progressive disease. Fludarabine was administeredat a dosage of 25 mg/m² daily for 5 days as a 30-minute intravenousinfusion. This course was repeated every fifth week. Dosageand time course were adapted to toxicity. RESULTS:: 12/18 (67%) evaluable patients achieved partial remissions (PR),1/18 (6%) had stable disease (SD) and 5/18 (28%) were progressive.The median duration of partial remission until relapse or deathwas 6 months. Most responses to fludarabine occurred withintwo treatment courses. Major toxic effects included infectionsin 11 patients and nausea in 8 (mainly grade 1). Meanwhile,three patients died of progressive disease and 8 of pneumoniasor other infections. Two patients had pneumocystis carinii pneumoniasand one an aspergillus pneumonia. The high infection rate maybe due not only to hypogammaglobulinaemia or fludarabine-inducedgranulocytopenia but also to a remarkable decrease of CD4⁺-cellsduring fludarabine therapy. In one case a tumor lysis syndromewas observed. No CNS toxicity was noted. CONCLUSION:: It is concluded that fludarabine is effective even in patientswith advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia refractory to multiplechemotherapy regimens. However, fludarabine has a remarkablesuppressive effect on T-lymphocytes, predominantly CD4⁺-lymphocytes.Long-term antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended. fludarabine, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, immunosuppression, infection rate     

Evaluation of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the UL10-UL13 genomic region for rapid identification of human cytomegalovirus strains

A sensitive semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was established which allows rapid identification of human cytomegalovirus strains directly on clinical specimens, thereby permitting virus isolation and propagation on cell cultures to be avoided. The assay is based on restriction analysis of PCR products derived from the polymorphic UL10-UL13 region of the human cytomegalovirus genome. The method was evaluated using clinical samples from 23 subjects comprising 16 breast-feeding mothers and seven bone marrow transplantation recipients. For eight mothers, postnatal virus transmission to their offspring via breast milk was studied. Interestingly, for one mother-infant pair, a double infection with two distinct human cytomegalovirus strains could be demonstrated. Stepwise digestion with different restriction enzymes raised the possibility of detecting different strains almost twofold compared to analysis with only one enzyme. This assay is a practical tool for monitoring human cytomegalo-virus transmission in various clinical settings.     

Phalloidin poisoning of the isolated rat liver at 40°C

Summary The first effect of phalloidin on the potassium content of the isolated liver is a small potassium uptake or a decrease of the spontaneous potassium release. This occurs at 40°C as well as at 27°C. At 40°C the potassium release due to phalloidin starts 14±3 min after the toxin has come in contact with the liver, while the increase of the weight, of the light scattering, and of the oxygen consumption of the liver start 10–12 min earlier.