Differentialdiagnose von Ovarialtumoren — hilft dem Gynäkologen die NMR-Tomographie

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Bacterial ghosts (BGs)—Advanced antigen and drug delivery system

Bacterial ghosts (BGs) are empty bacterial envelopes of Gram-negative bacteria produced by controlled expression of cloned gene E, forming a lysis tunnel structure within the envelope of the living bacteria. BGs are devoid of cytoplasmic content and possess all bacterial bio-adhesive surface properties in their original state while not posing any infectious threat. BGs are ideally suited as an advanced drug delivery system (ADDS) for toxic substances in tumor therapy. The inner space of BGs can be loaded with either single components or combinations of peptides, drugs or DNA which provides an opportunity to design new types of (polyvalent) drug delivery vehicles. Uptake of BGs loaded with Doxorubicin (Dox) by CaCo2 cells led to effective Dox release from endo-lysosomal compartments and accumulation in the nucleus. Viability and proliferative capacity of the cells were significantly decreased (2–3 orders of magnitude) after internalization of Dox loaded BGs as compared to cells incubated with free Dox. The same effect was observed with leukemia cells. Melanoma cells also revealed a high capability to internalize BGs. These results indicate that BGs are able to target a range of types of cancer. BGs have also been investigated as DNA delivery vectors. Studies show DNA loaded BGs are efficiently phagocytosed and internalized by both professional APCs and tumor cells with up to 82% of cells expressing the plasmid-encoded reporter gene. Our studies with BGs as an ADDS system contribute (i) to optimize drug delivery for the treatment of cancer; (ii) define specific conditions for selection and preparation of BG formulations; (iii) and provide a background for the clinical application of BGs in cancer therapy.     

Congenital herpes simplex retinitis

An 1,810-g girl born at 37 weeks of gestation had true congenital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection. The neonate was born with hypo-pigmented skin lesions, brain lesions, and old heavily pigmented retinal scars in the posterior pole. There was no active ocular disease. Viral cultures, immunoperoxidase stains, and antibody determination by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were all positive for herpes simplex virus. Treatment with acyclovir healed the lesions within ten days. The clinical and laboratory findings indicated that the herpetic infection probably occurred in the second trimester.     

Molecular characterization of water-soluble,cationic polyelectrolytes

Poly{acrylamide-co-[2-(acryloyloxy)ethyltrimethylammonium chloride]} (1) , Poly{acrylamide-co-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyltrimethylammonium chloride]} (2) and Poly{acrylamide-co-[3-(acryloylamino)propyltrimethylammonium chloride]} (3) with cationic monomeric unit mole fractions of 8, 25, and 50 mol-%, and the corresponding homopolymers were characterized with respect to their molecular dimensions in 1 M sodium chloride solution at 25°C in the molecular weight range from 200000 to 16000000, using light-scattering and viscometric measurements. It was possible to establish correlations between molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity and radius of gyration. Whereas a steady increase in the exponents of the [η] vs. M- and 〈R²_G〉^0,5 vs. M-relationships can be observed with increasing charge density, there is an initial decrease in the values of the exponents for 2 and 3 , when 8 mol-% of the cationic monomer is inserted into poly-acrylamide. If the charge density is increased further, these values can also be seen to rise steadily. The findings are explained by the different structures in solution, which are formed by the copolymers and homopolymers investigated due to their chemical structure. The radii of gyration were calculated from the intrinsic viscosities with the aid of the Flory-Fox equation. However, neither the results obtained with the Flory-Fox constant Φ₀= 3,69. 10²⁴ mol^?1, nor those with the value of Φ₀= 2,10. 10²⁴ mol^?1 showed good agreement with the experimentally recorded data.     

Anaphylaxis to isosulfan blue and cross-reactivity to patent blue V: case report and review of the nomenclature of vital blue dyes.

BACKGROUND: Blue dyes used for lymphatic mapping in sentinel lymph node biopsy cause intraoperative anaphylactic reactions in up to 2.7% of patients. With increasing implementation of this technique, the incidence of anaphylaxis to these dyes can be expected to increase. In the literature, the chemically often unrelated and inconsistently designated dyes have been confused, adding to other inconsistencies in the nomenclature. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the nomenclature, chemical and physiologic differences, and allergenicity of the various blue dyes used in a medical context. METHODS: We describe a patient with an intraoperative grade IV anaphylactic reaction to isosulfan blue. Immediate-type hypersensitivity was proved by positive skin test reactions and CD63 expression to isosulfan blue and cross-reactivity to patent blue V. RESULTS: A review of the literature clarified the exact nomenclature of the blue dyes and the possible pitfalls of confusing nomenclature in the context of structurally closely related dyes with different allergenic properties. For the detection of type I hypersensitivity, intracutaneous tests are valuable tools. An IgE-mediated mechanism has been shown recently. In most cases, sensitization exists without known previous exposure in a medical context. This may be due to the widespread use of such dyes in objects of everyday life. Preoperative antiallergic medication use does not prevent anaphylactic reactions but apparently reduces their severity. CONCLUSION: For better comparison and precision, the Chemical Abstracts Service number of the respective dye should always be given.     

MR characteristics of prostatic carcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia at 1.5 T

Sixty-one patients with histologically proven disorders of the prostate [prostatic carcinoma (PC), 41; benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 9; PC and BPH, 11] underwent magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5 T. Using single [spin echo (SE) 400/30] and dual (SE 1,600/30, 90) SE sequences, multislice contiguous scans were obtained in transverse, sagittal, and coronal planes through the prostate. In 27 patients (PC 14, BPH 6, PC and BPH 7) multiecho sequences with eight echoes (SE 1,600/30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240) were acquired and T2 images were calculated in the planes with best depiction of circumscribed prostatic pathology. In these patients the Bhattacharyya coefficient, a quantitative criterion for the discrimination between normal and pathological tissue, derived by means of mathematical decision theory, was applied. This analysis showed the best discrimination between PC and normal prostate with echo time (TE) 90 and 120 ms [error rate (ER) for confusing these tissues 20-30%]. There was no significant difference between the signal intensities of PC and BPH at any parameter setting, but PC could be discriminated from the compressed peripheral glandular regions that often accompany BPH [minimal ER (20-30%) at TE 90 and 120 ms]. This distinction is of clinical value, since PC usually arises in the periphery of the prostate. Calculated T2 images did not show advantages for the detection of PC.     

Propagation of hepatitis A virus in human embryo fibroblasts

human diploid fibroblasts and human primary liver cell carcinoma cells (PLC/PRF/5) were infected with hepatitis A virus (HAV) adapted to growth in cell culture or derived directly from human stool. Viral antigen was expressed in PLC/PRF/5 cells 28 days after infection with cell culture-adapted HAV, and 50 days after infection with virus from human stool. In human fibroblasts the periods until first expression of viral antigen were 90 and 210 days, respectively. During further passages of HAV in fibroblasts the time of first appearance of antigen decreased to about 28 days. Biophysical properties of HAV extracted from infected fibroblasts were comparable to those of HAV derived directly from human stool. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the antigen was located exclusively within the cytoplasm of the infected fibroblasts. Kinetics of antigen production indicated that an equilibrium between virus multiplication and cell metabolism was reached in persistently infected fibroblasts.