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Biomedical subjects

B Bock

Publications and source records attributed to B Bock.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

[Obstetric and ethical-legal problems in a twin pregnancy with anencephalus and polyhydramnios of the leading twin beyond the 28th week of pregnancy].

Malformations are found twice as often in twins than in singletons. In the following case, we report on a twin pregnancy with anencephaly and polyhydramnion of the leading twin I, which was first diagnosed after 28 weeks of pregnancy. The foetal disease of twin I led to an appreciable dyspnoea of the mother that exacerbated to an incipient respiratory failure by the thirty-second week of pregnancy. The projected termination of pregnancy by Caesarean section based on a maternal indication was not performed, but instead a selective foetocide of the diseased twin. The live twin was delivered spontaneously without complications after thirty-eight weeks of pregnancy. The obstetric and legal ethical problems are discussed.

Anencephaly

Hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus infection in street youths in Toronto, Canada.

Hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus are transmitted by venereal contact or by the sharing of used needles during drug use. A questionnaire was administered to street youths admitting to prostitution and to a group denying prostitution, as well as to sexually active adolescents who lived with their family and were attending an adolescent medical clinic. The age, gender, race, number of sexual partners, condom use, illicit drug use, anal intercourse and admission to prostitution were recorded for each of the subjects. Serology was obtained for hepatitis B markers and human immunodeficiency virus antibody. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors which might predict hepatitis B serologic status. A single subject, who admitted to prostitution, was found to be human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive. Seven of 43 (16%) admitted prostitutes compared with 1 of 44 (2%) other street youth and none of 27 controls demonstrated anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies. The higher rate of seropositivity in admitted prostitutes was statistically significant (P less than 0.0097). Two seropositive prostitutes had IgM hepatitis B core antibody suggesting recent infection. Two factors, number of partners (P less than 0.0007) and practice of anal intercourse (P less than 0.05), were identified in the multiple regression analysis as predictive of seropositivity. Thus adolescents who live on the street are at increased risk for becoming infected with hepatitis B virus. The difficulty in ensuring vaccine coverage in this population would support calls for including hepatitis B vaccination as part of childhood immunization.

Adolescent

[Prenatal diagnosis of a sacrococcygeal teratoma with hydrops fetalis and placental hypertrophy--consequences for the further course of pregnancy].

A fetal sacrococcygeal teratoma may cause hypertrophy of the placenta and fetal hydrops. This is dangerous for the fetus and also for the mother. The maternal risk results from preeclampsia and respiratory insufficiency, associated with elevated beta-HCG. In that case, pregnancy should be terminated by caesarean section due to maternal reasons.

Adult

Epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow of patients with colorectal cancer: immunocytochemical detection, phenotypic characterization, and prognostic significance.

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed against the cytokeratin (CK) polypeptide no. 18 specifically expressed in cells derived from simple epithelia was used to detect epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow aspirates. Of 156 patients with colorectal carcinoma, 42 presented with cells at the time of primary surgery. The incidence of positive findings varied considerably with the size and the localization of the primary tumor, the involvement of regional lymph nodes, and the presence of clinically manifest metastases. Applying a sensitive double-staining procedure, we could demonstrate that epithelial cells in bone marrow showed a heterogeneic expression of receptors for epidermal growth factor (EGF-R) and transferrin (Tf-R) as well as of the proliferation-associated Ki67 antigen. Also human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I antigens differed widely in their expression on the CK-positive cells. Clinical follow-up studies on 85 patients showed a significantly higher relapse rate in patients presenting with CK-positive cells in their bone marrow at the time of primary surgery. Twenty-three patients were monitored for the presence or absence of CK-positive cells in bone marrow over time. The majority of monitored patients (18 of 23) exhibited a constant pattern of immunocytochemical findings during the time of observation. Thus, the technique may be useful in identifying high-risk patients as well as in monitoring adjuvant therapeutic trials.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

[Monoclonal antibodies--new probes for diagnosis and therapy. Their use as an example of the micrometastasizing of solid tumors].

Monoclonal antibody CK2, recognizing component No. 18, appeared to be the most suitable reagent for the detection of epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow. Its specificity was confirmed in a double-marker staining procedure (combination of APAAP-technique and radioautography). CK2 positive cells were demonstrated not to reveal any cross-reactivity with an antibody directed against the "leucocyte common antigen". A significant correlation between the presence of epithelial tumor cells in bone marrow and certain conventional risk factors was found. A more detailed phenotypic characterisation could demonstrate the expression of proliferation associated antigens on these cells. Furthermore in an immunotherapeutic approach with monoclonal antibody 17-1A, labelling of the disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow after infusion of the antibody was shown.

Antibodies, Monoclonal