Our experience using autofluorescence bronchoscopy

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is responsible for most cancer deaths in the world. The main reason for the poor prognosis is late diagnosis. Many patients could be successfully treated in early stage. AIMS: The authors performed 369 bronchological examination on 336 patients using autofluorescence bronchoscopy between 1998 and 2003 to detect preinvasive lesions and early forms of lung cancer. METHODS: Storz D-Light autofluorescence system has been used to perform the examinations. RESULTS: In one third of these patients invasive lung cancer developed during follow-up. Combining traditional white light and autofluorescence technique 50% more intraepithelial lesions have been observed and sensitivity has been increased by 69% compared to the lone use of white light bronchoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Supported by most international studies these results emphasise that autofluorescence bronchoscopy has a major role in the early diagnosis of preinvasive bronchial lesions and may help in the prevention and early therapy of lung cancer.     

Ulcerative colitis and eosinophilic corpus gastritis

Ulcerative colitis seldom associated with nutritive and/or salicylate allergy. Authors present a case of both allergic events at the course of the disease. In 1996 a 19-year-old girl was referred with a history of blood in stool as well as diarrhoea, suggesting ulcerative proctitis. Biopsy revealed ulcerative colitis of the rectum mucosa with eosinophilic infiltration and 20% peripheral eosinophilia was found. Allergic origin and worm infection were ruled out, and after tinidazol treatment, four year elapsed without any signs or symptoms. In December 2000 blood in stools and upper abdominal complaints developed without peripheral eosinophilia. Gastroscopy and biopsy showed a mild chronic gastritis. Olsalazine, budesonide enema and famotidin treatment were started, but then later changed to mesalazine and pantoprazol, because of the constant stomach complaints. The next five months passed without any symptoms. The patient had to break off her seashore journey in July 2000 because of stomach complaints, vomiting and exsiccosis. Peripheral eosinophilia (27.3%) was evident. Gastroscopy revealed erosive ulcers and the biopsy showed eosinophilic gastritis. Biopsies from the jejunum, duodenum and antrum as well as enteroscopy and biopsies from the rectum showed mild eosinophilic infiltration. An allergy test proved the presence of IgE against salicylate, egg protein, seafood protein and the lymphocyte transformation test was also positive against salicylate. Oral food challenges proved to be negative and the amino-salicylate treatment was stopped. After a temporary symptom free period, bloody stools reappeared in May 2003; the peripheral eosinophilia still existed, but had decreased (22.2%). Esomeprazol, and methyl-prednisolone containing enema (40 mg/day/2 weeks) followed by budesonide enema twice a week resulted in a symptom free period and peripheral eosinophilia became almost normalised (6.2%). The authors report a case having ulcerative proctitis first, than nutritive and salicylate allergy with eosinophilic gastritis and a proctitis flare-up thereafter.     

In vitro and in vivo antitumor effect of 2-methoxyestradiol on human melanoma

2-methoxyestradiol (2ME(2)) is an endogenous metabolite of estradiol with estrogen-receptor-independent antitumor and antiangiogenic activity. We examined the effects of 2ME(2) on the cellular proliferation of 8 human melanoma cell lines. We show that 2ME(2) inhibited cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and an arrest in the G(2)/M phase, and the mechanism of action involved microtubules, mitochondrial damage and caspase activation. In male SCID mice, 2ME(2) was effective in reducing primary tumor weight and the number of liver metastases after intrasplenic injection of human melanoma cells. In the metastases, we found a significantly higher rate of apoptotic cells after 2ME(2) treatment. These findings on the antitumor effect of 2ME(2) in cell culture as well as in an animal model may have implications for designing alternative treatment options for patients with advanced malignant melanoma.     

Attention and arousal related modulation of spontaneous gamma-activity in the auditory cortex of the cat

Sensory information processing in neocortex is associated with rhythmic synchronized gamma frequency firing of sensory cortical units and similar frequency oscillations of the field potentials. Different aspects of the gamma activity (20-80 Hz) have been suggested as correlates of attention, arousal and sensory binding. It is clear that attention has a modality selective influence, while arousal has a more general effect on the sensory systems. We used an experimental conditioning paradigm to separate these differential effects of attention and arousal on spontaneous neocortical gamma activity. We recorded field potentials with epidural electrodes placed above the auditory cortical areas of cats. The animals performed a simple instrumental alimentary conditioning task with different modality (visual and auditory) conditioned stimuli. When they attended to the auditory conditioned stimulus, both frequency and power increase of spontaneous gamma activity were detected. However when they attended visual, we found no power increase of gamma activity recorded above auditory areas, while the frequency increase was the same as in the "attend auditory" condition. We conclude that the power modulation of gamma activity is modality specific and thus can be attributed to selective attention, whereas the frequency modulation of gamma activity shows no modality specificity, it is influenced by the arousal level.     

Sapheno-peritoneal shunt (Routte-operation) in the treatment of refractory ascites

We describe the results of an operative method applied in patients suffering from refractory ascites. Instead of the well-known shunt-implants we started to re-use Ruotte's method, which was published 100 years ago. According to our observations the anastomosis formed by the long saphenous vein and the peritoneal surface eliminates not only the known complications of the traditional shunt-operations but also provides an effective early and a late ascites inflow. The flow of the ascites was convincingly proven by regularly performed colour Doppler UH tests. This old/new method is applicable in patients with therapy-resistant ascites to eliminate the traditional shunt-models.     

The use of ROMICRO set in plastic surgery

More than thousand plastic operations were performed in our departments with ROMICRO-set during the last ten years. First we applied it for reconstructive and aesthetic augmentation of the breast. Thereafter, we developed new technique for gynecomastia and reconstruction of diastasis of the m. rectus abdominis sheath. According to our experience, the ROMICRO-set is a useful tool in plastic surgery. The ROMICRO-set can be used through a small incision to achieve three dimensional views with excellent exposure and lighting.     

m-CPP-induced self-grooming is mediated by 5-HT2C receptors

m-Chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), a potent 5-HT receptor agonist, is known to induce self-grooming in rats and exacerbate symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To characterise the possible role, 5-HT(2B) and 5-HT(2C) receptors play in m-CPP-induced self-grooming, subtype-selective receptor antagonists were used. m-CPP significantly increased the amount of self-grooming in male Sprague-Dawley rats. This effect followed a bell-shaped dose-response curve with a peak at 0.6 mg/kg, i.p. Pretreatment with SB-242084, a subtype-selective 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist (0.1-0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), reversed m-CPP-induced self-grooming. In contrast, pretreatment with the subtype-selective 5-HT(2B) receptor antagonist SB-215505 (1 mg/kg, i.p) did not block the effect of m-CPP. Two days after depletion of brain 5-HT by p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA, 2 x 50, 2 x 100 mg/kg, i.p.) m-CPP-induced responses were significantly enhanced compared to controls. Our studies provide evidence that direct activation of 5-HT(2C) receptors mediate m-CPP-induced self-grooming and the depletion of brain 5-HT sensitizes these receptors.     

Familiar ochronotic arthropathy–caused by a gene mutation traced three hundred years

Authors trace an ochronotic Hungarian family, which moved from Slovakia to Hungary 300 years ago. As the family members lived in a relatively close village community the gene mutation had been survived silently for ages before the clinical symptoms developed. Family tree analysis could detect with the use of allele specific PCR amplification–the p.G161R mutation of the homogentisic acid 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) gene, which resulted in a specific genotype appearing in the Slovak population. We found a heterozygote member of this family who has children with an alkaptonuria-homozygote and known–heterozygote genotypes so there would be a high risk of alkaptonuria in their offsprings. Therefore genetic counselling is highly recommended to minimize the risk factors.     

A cross-sectional study of newborns over a 20-year period in Szeged,Hungary

Objective: Records of metric data of birth, serve not only the medical needs of the newborn baby, but are also indicators to assess the status of public health.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 4946 newborns (singleton: 2508 boys and 2365 girls) born in 1989 and in 2009 at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Szeged. We aimed as to compare and map the metrical changes over 20 years, and to describe the averages of four body parameters of the normal birth weight (2500–4000?g) subgroup (3993 singleton babies) in both years. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 17.0.

Results: In 1989, the mean birth weight was 3223.770?±?559.595?g, birth length 49.551?±?2.729?cm, chest circumference 32.181?±?2.231?cm, and head circumference 34.122?±?1.688?cm. In 2009, the birth weight was 3309.673?±?582.630?g, birth length 49.515?±?2.658?cm, chest circumference 32.736?±?2.392?cm and head circumference 33.854?±?1.768?cm. The mean birth weight, chest circumference and the maximum value of birth weight have thus increased. The mean maternal age shifted to 30.21?±?4.863 years, which is an increase of 3.57 years in 20 years.

Conclusion: The body parameters of newborns changed significantly between 1989 and 2009. As underlying causes changes in eating habits and lifestyle of the mother are to be mentioned.