Cytotoxic Effect of Brain Macrophages on Developing

Brain macrophages are transiently present in different regions of the central nervous system during development or in the course of tissue remodelling following various types of injuries. To investigate the influence of these phagocytes on neuronal growth and survival, brain macrophages stemming from the cerebral cortex of rat embryos were added to neuronal primary cultures. A neurotoxic effect of brain macrophages was demonstrated by the reduction of the number of neurons bearing neurites within two days of contact between the two cell types. Neuronal death and phagocytosis were also directly observed in video recordings of living cultures. This toxicity involved the production by brain macrophages of reactive oxygen intermediates, as shown by the protective effect of catalase, a scavenger of H2O2. In addition, the respiratory bursts of brain macrophages were stimulated in the presence of neurons. These results suggest that brain macrophages could favour the appearance of neuroregressive events which occur either during neurogenesis or in neurodegenerative diseases, implying intracerebral recruitment of mononuclear phagocytes.     

Creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-BB) in combination to prostatic acid phosphatase measured by RIA in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer

Summary Creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-BB) measured by mass was used to determine its value in the early diagnosis of prostatic cancer. Sera of patients with prostatic carcinoma of various stages (treated and untreated) were compared to normal male sera and sera of patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) with respect to CK-BB. The sera were simultaneously tested for PAP content. The sensitivity of the CK-BB-RIA was 1.63+/-0.08 g/l and reproducibility in the higher and lower concentration range 7.6% and 10.5%, respectively. CK-BB alone or in combination with PAP is no marker for early detection of prostatic cancer. In individual cases changes occurred similar to those found with a malignant growth of the prostate.     

Aspecten van de samenwerking huisarts-apotheker

Samenvatting Beschreven worden enkele aspecten van de samenwerking huisarts-apotheker. Uitgaande van de integrale benadering in de gezondheidszorg wordt gewezen op de daaruit voortvloeiende noodzaak tot samenwerking. Het terrein is zo groot en zo ingewikkeld dat de werkers elkaars deskundigheid nodig hebben.Om tot een optimaal omgaan met geneesmiddelen te komen, is samenwerking nodig. Hiervoor kan men verschillende vormen bedenken. Nadat op theoretische gronden en literatuurgegevens de vraag is samenwerking apotheker-huisarts nodig? onder de loupe is genomen, wordt de ontwikkeling en het functioneren van een samenwerkingsvorm zoals thans bestaat tussen de dertien huisartsen van de stichting waarneemgroep Rotterdam-West en de vijf apothekers van die regio, besproken. De gesignaleerde noodzaak blijkt praktisch haalbaar mits aan bepaalde voorwaarden wordt voldaan.     

Neonatal thrombocyte values in children with Down's syndrome and other autosome trisomies]

Platelet counts were determined in 70 neonates with trisomy-21, 10 neonates with trisomy-18 and 6 neonates with trisomy-13 during the first days of life. 60% of all infants with trisomy-aberrations were found to have thrombocytopenia. Platelet counts in Down's syndrome averaged 104600 (SD 53000; median 90500; 10- and 90-percentile at 45000 and 175000) per microliter. A correlation with other hematological features of trisomy-21 was examined. There was no significant correlation between platelet counts and hemoglobin concentration. Similarly the difference in platelet counts between trisomy-neonates with and without polycythemia was statistically not significant. In contrast, 27 normal neonates with polycythemia showed significantly higher platelet counts (mean = 13400) than their trisomy-counterparts (mean = 98900; P = 0.01). In addition, there was no correlation, in trisomy infants, between either erythroblastosis or low birth weight and platelet count. These findings point to defective hematopoiesis as a primary cause of thrombocytopenia in trisomy-infants.     

Geneva study on the precursors of atherosclerosis: First results

Zusammenfassung Im Rahmen einer Studie zur Erfassung von Risikofaktoren die möglicherweise zu kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen im späteren Lebensalter führen, wurde eine Gruppe von 14-jährigen Schweizer Schülern und Schülerinnen untersucht. Diese Untersuchung erfolgte im Schuljahr 1977/1978 im Rahmen des schulärztlichen Dienstes. Die statistische Verteilung folgender Faktoren wird präsentiert: systolische und diastolische Blutdruckwerte, das Gesamtcholesterol, die Triglyceride, sowie die Lipoproteinfrak tion HDL des Cholesterols.

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Etude genevoise des précurseurs des maladies cardiovasculaires: premiers résultats

Resume Dans le cadre d'une étude sur les facteurs précurseurs des maladies cardiovasculaires, un échantillon de la population scolarisée âgée de 14 ans, d'origine suisse, a été examiné au cours de l'année scolaire 1977–1978. Les distributions observées des facteurs suivants sont présentées: tension artérielle (systolique et diastolique) cholestérol, HDL-cholestérol et triglycérides.

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Study supported by the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research, Grant. No. 6.175-1.75.     

Endocrine patterns in patients with benign and malignant prostatic diseases

BACKGROUND: The known importance of the endocrine system, particularly of steroid hormones, for development of the prostate gland and the fact that steroid hormones act as immunmodulators prompted us to compare hypophyseal, adrenal, and gonadal hormones, including cortisol, in patients with benign and malignant prostatic diseases. METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer (PC) (n = 75) and, as a control population, those with untreated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (n = 159) entered this prospective study. In all patients, the following parameters were obtained by serum analysis: prostate-specific antigen (PSA), human luteinizing hormone (hLH), human follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH), testosterone, estradiol (E2), cortisol, and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEA-S). Serum samples were collected of fasting patients between 7. 30-10.00 AM. RESULTS: Age was comparable in both groups (PC: 65.6 +/- 7.6 years (mean +/- standard deviation) vs. controls: 64.9 +/- 8. 1 years; P = 0.56). HFSH (PC: 6.6 +/- 3.9 mIU/ml; controls: 8.4 +/- 6.4 mIU/ml; P = 0.04), hLH (PC: 5.3 +/- 4.8mIU/ml; controls: 7.6 +/- 6.2 mIU/ml; P = 0.009), and estradiol (PC: 25.8 +/- 12.7 pg/ml; controls: 32.6 +/- 12.6 pg/ml; P = 0.0003) were significantly lower in PC patients than controls. Cortisol (PC: 16.7 +/- 4.2 microg/dl; controls: 13.5 +/- 4.3 microg/dl; P < 0.0001) was significantly higher in cases. The difference for cortisol and estradiol concentrations between PC patients and controls held true in all life-decades. Serum concentrations for DHEA-S and testosterone were comparable between PC and control patients. In PC patients, none of the endocrine parameters correlated to serum PSA or clinical/pathological stage. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with newly diagnosed, untreated PC yielded significantly higher cortisol and lower estradiol serum concentrations than controls. The known effect of cortisol on the immune status warrants further studies.     

Combined treatment with arsenic trioxide and all-trans-retinoic acid in patients with relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia.

PURPOSE: Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is capable of inducing a high hematologic response rate in patients with relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Preclinical observations have indicated that all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) may strongly enhance the response to ATO. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1998 and 2001, we conducted a randomized study of ATO alone versus ATO plus ATRA in 20 patients with relapsed APL, all previously treated with ATRA-containing chemotherapy. The primary objective was to demonstrate a significant reduction in the time necessary to obtain a complete remission (CR) in the ATO/ATRA group compared with the ATO group. Secondary objectives were safety and molecular response. RESULTS: The CR rate after one ATO with or without ATRA induction cycle was 80%. Clinical and pharmacokinetic observations indicated that the main mechanism of action of ATO in vivo was the induction of APL cell differentiation. Hematologic and molecular response, time necessary to reach CR, and outcome were comparable in both treatment groups. Of 16 CR patients, three patients who reached a molecular remission after one induction cycle had all received chemotherapy for a treatment-induced hyperleukocytosis. Three additional patients who received further additional ATO with or without ATRA cycles converted later to molecular negativity. CONCLUSION: ATRA did not seem to significantly improve the response to ATO in patients relapsing from APL. Other potential combinations, including ATO plus chemotherapy, have to be tested.     

A comparison in cosmetic outcome between per-operative interstitial breast implants and delayed interstitial breast implants after external beam radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Interstitial implants for brachytherapy boost in the breast conserving therapy of breast cancer can be performed in two ways; implants during the tumor excision (per-operative implants) or after the external beam therapy (delayed interstitial implants). Differences in cosmetic outcome were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cosmetic results in 47 patients having a per-operative implant were compared to 123 patients having a delayed interstitial implant in a matched case-control study. Cosmesis was scored on a four-point-scale varying from 0 (excellent) to 3 (poor). RESULTS: After mean follow-up of 63 months, three observers found no difference in cosmetic outcome between the two groups after adjustment for variables found to be related with cosmesis (difference in mean score 0.50, P=0.26). Implant volume at 100% isodose was not found to differ (P=0.084) between the per-operative group (mean 102 cm3, S.D. 34 cm3) and the delayed group (mean 93 cm3, S.D. 29 cm3). CONCLUSIONS: Performing per-operative implants has not led to smaller implants. The method of performing brachytherapy does not result in marked differences in cosmetic outcome.