Biomedical subjects

D B von Bassewitz

Publications and source records attributed to D B von Bassewitz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Pathologic explanation for hypoechoic halo seen on sonograms of malignant liver tumors: an in vitro correlative study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphologic substrate of the hypoechoic halo seen on sonograms of malignant liver tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used sonograms and pathologic examinations to evaluate 17 cadaveric livers with macroscopic tumors (three primary liver tumors, 14 metastases). During sonography (3.5 and 5.0 MHz), a representative section plane was marked, and the same section was examined histologically. Emphasis was placed on the architecture of the tumor and the morphology of the periphery of the tumor that could account for the hypoechoic halo seen on sonograms. RESULTS: In 13 of 17 hepatic tumors, a hypoechoic halo was detected on sonograms. Histopathologic examination showed an intratumoral rim consisting of proliferating tumor cells in 12 cases and an extratumoral rim of compressed liver parenchyma in all 13 cases. A detailed comparison of sonographic and histopathologic findings showed that the hypoechoic halo corresponded to a greater concentration of tumor cells and areas of less marked fibrosis and necrosis in the periphery of the tumors. This occurred in 11 cases. In one case, histologic studies showed that the hypoechoic rim was caused by compressed liver parenchyma. In another case, the hypoechoic halo was caused by intratumoral (cellular peripheral zone of tumor) and extratumoral (compressed liver parenchyma) components. All four tumors without a halo at sonography were uniform histologically. CONCLUSION: The sonographic halo seen on sonograms of malignant liver tumors seems to be caused predominantly by a zone of proliferating tumor in the periphery of the lesion.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1991

[The potentials and limits of percutaneous needle biopsy in the histological classification of malignant tumors].

180 sonographically guided percutaneous biopsies in a variety of anatomic regions (abdomen, 110; thorax, 33; neck, 28; breast, 4; extremity, 5) were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the percentage of correct histologic diagnoses of malignant tumours. A positive diagnosis of malignancy was established in 101 (96%) of 107 malignant tumours. A correct histologic classification was achieved in 79 (73%) of 108 malignant tumours by means of cytologic and histologic examination of the tissue acquired. Correct histologic classification of malignant tumours depends on several factors including a) needle diameter, b) location of the tumour, c) clinical constellation and, most important d) the complexion of the tumour histology. The percentage of correct histological diagnoses varied between carcinomas (79%), Hodgkin lymphomas (100%), non-Hodgkin lymphomas (45%), sarcomas (50%) and carcinoid tumours (0%). Histological classification of malignant tumours by means of percutaneous biopsy can be improved by multiple biopsies of different portions of the tumour and by using larger cutting needles.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Evaluation of the Ca2+ distribution in aortic tissue of spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats.

In the present study, particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) was used to get information on the spatial distribution of Ca2+ in aortas of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive controls aged 1 week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. To differentiate changes in Ca2+ metabolism in hypertensive arteries from secondary phenomena due to the arteriosclerosis, the animals were examined in the earliest stage of hypertension. It was found that the Ca2+ content was not elevated in the aortic smooth muscle of SHR aged 1 week (n = 11), as compared to normotensive controls (n = 10) (186.8 +/- 89.9 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue v 254.0 +/- 173.3 micrograms Ca2+/g). The Ca2+ content was raised (P less than .05) in the aortic smooth muscle of SHR aged 4 weeks (n = 13), as compared to 12 WKY rats (4 weeks) (726.0 +/- 130.4 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue v 440.3 +/- 214.4 micrograms Ca2+/g) and in 17 SHR (3 months), as compared to 13 WKY rats, respectively (3390.1 +/- 729.9 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue v 1632.1 +/- 569.5 micrograms Ca2+/g). The results confirm the age-related increase in the arterial Ca2+ content in normotensive rats and demonstrate additionally that this age-related rise in arterial Ca2+ content is accelerated in SHR.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

[Type I oxalosis in childhood--studies within the scope of terminal renal failure in the child].

The difficulties of biochemical diagnosis in children and in chronic renal failure are discussed in detail, as well as the development of diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in recent years, exemplified by 4 cases. Excretion of oxalate (and glycolate) may be incorrectly assumed to be normal with: a) uncritical application of the method of measurement, b) disregard of the clearly lower oxalate excretion in children (values should be referred to m2 of body surface), c) disregard of a decreased glomerular filtration rate (values should be referred to the creatinine clearance). With compromised renal function the excretion of oxalate and glycolate in primary oxalosis drops to "normal" whereas plasma values increase considerably. In this case the biochemical diagnosis is possible only by measurement of plasma values of glycolate and oxalate. Consequently, extensive extrarenal deposition of calcium oxalate crystals will, as a rule, become clinically manifest only after chronic renal failure has turned irreversible. In recent years, several therapeutic procedures, have been developed. They are of therapeutic significance for the early stages of the disease as well. Observing especially conditions renal transplantation or combined hepatorenal transplantation can be managed with a successful outcome. As the perioxisomal enzyme is activated only in the liver cells, an early liver transplantation as a definitive treatment by enzyme replacement may be the successful therapy in the future.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

The cytogenesis of macrophages and osteoclast-like giant cells in bone tumors with special emphasis on the so-called fibrohistiocytic tumors.

Recent investigations have suggested that osteoclasts and osteoblasts belong to different cell systems: osteoclasts originate from hemopoietic stem cells, most probably via precursors of the mononuclear phagocyte system. Osteoblasts, however, arise from local mesenchyme. The present classification of bone tumors issued by the WHO, however, is still based on the assumption of osteoclasts and osteoblasts being merely different manifestations or differentiations of the same basic cell type. Consequently, histiocytes or macrophages as well as osteoclast-like giant cells are interpreted in most bone tumors as an autochthonous component of the tumor. In the present study, this theory is contradicted by histological immunohistological, electron microscopic, and autoradiographic-electron microscopic results on a larger number of osteosarcomas, chondromas, chondrosarcomas, chondroblastomas, aneurysmal bone cysts, giant cell tumors of bone, malignant fibrous histiocytomas, fibrosarcomas, desmoplastic fibromas, Ewing's sarcomas, fibrous dysplasias, nonossifying fibromas, and malignant hemangioenkdotheliomas of bone. In order to elucidate the role of macrophages and osteoclast-like giant cells, different monoclonal antibodies were applied to bone tumor specimens as markers of mononuclear macrophages and giant cells. The concept of what is called fibrohistiocytic tumors should be reconsidered. Immunohistological studies have shown that in malignant fibrous histiocytoma as well as in giant cell tumors of bone only a certain portion of macrophages will react with the highly specific antibodies, whereas the majority of tumor cells are negative. This finding alone suggests that the infiltration of macrophages is a reactive phenomenon. It is in agreement with earlier autoradiographic and electron microscopic investigations on giant cell tumors of bone, confirming that only the fibroblast-like tumors are actually proliferating. These data were verified in the present study with the aid of double labeling immunohistological techniques, using antibodies against mature tissue macrophages and others against a proliferation-associated nuclear antigen. Only the fibroblast-like cells, which do not react with the macrophage-specific antibody, will express the proliferation-associated nuclear antigen. Analogous results were obtained in malignant fibrous histiocytoma. We may infer from these results that the majority of these tumors must be neoplasms of local mesenchyme, mostly in fibroblastic differentiation, while the considerable number of macrophages is seen as a reactive phenomenon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Bone Neoplasms↗

PubMed1989

Mediastinal tumors: biopsy under US guidance.

Percutaneous biopsies of mediastinal tumors were successfully performed under sonographic guidance in 14 of 21 patients. In 10 of 11 malignant lesions, malignancy was determined by means of cytologic and histologic examination of the specimens obtained. A histologic diagnosis was reached in seven patients with malignant mediastinal tumors, including all four cases of Hodgkin lymphoma. Mediastinal biopsy under sonographic guidance is a technically simple, rapid, and accurate procedure, but its application is limited to tumors of the anterior mediastinum.

Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMed1988

Age-dependent increase in arterial smooth muscle calcium in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Alterations in cellular calcium metabolism in essential hypertensive and in the SHR have been described. In the present study, particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) was used to get some information on the spatial distribution of Ca2+ in aortas of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive controls aged 1 week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. It was found that the Ca2+ content was not elevated in the aortic smooth muscle of SHR aged 1 week (n = 9) as compared to normotensive controls (n = 8) (186.8 +/- 89.9 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue vs 254.0 +/- 73.7 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue. The Ca2+ content was significantly raised in the aortic smooth muscle of SHR aged 4 weeks (n = 9) as compared to 4-weeks-old WKY rats (n = 12) (726.0 +/- 130.4 Ca2+/g tissue vs 440.3 +/- 214.4 Ca2+ micrograms/g tissue and in SHR aged 3 months (n = 15) as compared to WKY rats (n = 12), respectively (3317.0 +/- 734.0 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue vs. 1632.0 +/- 569.6 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue). The results confirm the age-related increase in the arterial Ca2+ content in normotensive rats and demonstrate additionally that this age-related rise in arterial Ca2+ content is accelerated in SHR.

Aging↗

PubMed1988

Characterization of human extrahepatic biliary duct epithelial cells in culture.

In order to study human bile duct cells in vitro, cystic ducts were obtained during cholecystectomy and treated with collagenase and mechanical abrasion to isolate biliary epithelial cells. The culture medium was supplemented with 50% of a bovine bile duct conditioned medium obtained by incubating minced bovine extrahepatic bile ducts for 24 hr in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. Cells grew in monolayer and showed contact inhibition at confluency. The epithelial origin of primary cultures was verified by their growth pattern, ultrastructure, and indirect immunofluorescence for cytokeratin. The cultures showed specific immunofluorescence for lysozyme, collagen types I, III, and IV, fibronectin, and laminin, but were negative for collagen type V and factor VIII-associated antigen. Thus, these cultures provide an experimental model for the in vitro study of biliary atresia and other bile duct diseases.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Effect on blood pressure of chemically induced renomedullectomy in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

An antihypertensive function in systemic blood pressure control has been attributed to the renal medulla. In order to examine this hypothesis normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats of the Münster strain (SHR) were chemically renomedullectomized by 2-bromoethylamine hydrobromide (BEA), injected intraperitoneally in a single dose of 200 mg/kg body weight. Within 5 weeks blood pressure of the BEA-treated normotensive rats and SHR rose by 17.2 +/- 15.2 and 27.7 +/- 21.0 mmHg (mean values +/- s.d; P less than 0.01), respectively, returning to baseline after 2 further weeks. Blood pressure was unchanged in the normotensive rats and SHR controls that were given isotonic saline instead of BEA solution. During maximum blood pressure in BEA-treated animals histological signs of severe renomedullary inflammation with papillary necrosis were demonstrable, while urine flow rates were elevated. Despite these disturbances renal function remained normal. These similar responses make it unlikely that a lack of a renomedullary vasodilator plays a major role in the pathogenesis of spontaneous hypertension in the Münster strain.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Analysis of Ca2+ in aortic tissue: age-dependent Ca2+ content in spontaneously hypertensive rats and in normotensive controls.

In the present study particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) was used to analyse the spatial distribution of Ca2+ in aortic tissue of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive controls aged 1 week, 4 weeks and 12 weeks. Ca2+ was not elevated in the aortic smooth muscle of SHR aged 1 week (n = 9) compared with normotensive controls (n = 8; 186.8 +/- 89.9 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue). Ca2+ was significantly increased in the aortic smooth muscle of SHR aged 4 weeks (n = 9) compared with 4-week-old Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats (n = 12; 726.0 +/- 130.4 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue versus 440.3 +/- 214.4 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue) and in SHR aged 3 months (n = 15) compared with WKY (n = 12), (3317.0 +/- 734.0 tissue versus 1632.0 +/- 569.6 micrograms Ca2+/g tissue, respectively). The results confirm an age-related increase in arterial Ca2+ in normotensive rats and demonstrate that this age-related rise is accelerated in SHR.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

A comparative study of IgA nephritis in Japan and Germany. An approach to its geopathology.

A comparison of clinical and pathological features in 357 Japanese cases and 29 German cases of primary IgA nephritis was performed. Male population was higher than female in the German cases (2.6:1), while it was almost even in the Japanese (1.07:1) (p less than 0.05). Age distribution was similar. At the time of detection of the disease, asymptomatic patients were more frequent in Japanese (78%) than in German cases (60%) (p less than 0.05). The most common findings were mild mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in both series (65% in Japanese, 61% in German cases), but severe histological changes were more frequent in German patients (25%) than in the Japanese (16%). The incidence of IgA nephritis in primary glomerulonephritis was 38.8% in Japanese and 11.9% in German cases, and the incidence in mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis was 65.6% in Japanese and 29.2% in German patients (p less than 0.01). It is considered that the divergent incidence of IgA nephritis may be a real geopathological event, although its variability may be intensified by different indications for biopsy or different population. It is suggested that various possible pathogenetic agents may be irregularly distributed throughout the world, which may contribute to the divergent clinical and pathological manifestations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

The ultrastructural heterogeneity of potentially preneoplastic lesions in the human bronchial mucosa.

170 consecutive biopsies from the bronchial tree were subjected to ultrastructural analysis. 62 were identified as preneoplastic lesions: of these, 7 as goblet cell hyperplasia, 20 as basal cell hyperplasia, 17 as combined goblet and basal cell hyperplasia, 10 as epidermoid metaplasia, and 8 as dysplasia. The ultrastructural features of these lesions are described. According to these results, preneoplastic lesions of the human bronchial mucosa are composed of heterogeneous populations that display mixed or combined morphologic features signaling abnormal differentiation patterns at this stage. The findings are tentatively correlated with bronchial carcinoma cell heterogeneity and histogenesis.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Severe course of glycogen storage disease type II (Pompe's disease) without development of cardiomegalia.

Glycogen storage disease type II Pompe (GSD II) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by an inherited deficiency of acid alpha-glucosidase. In addition to the classical infantile form of GSD II, several clinical variants are known. We describe an infant with the classical course of the disease. Our patient differs from the classical variant by the lack of cardiomegalia and the high residual activity of acid alpha-glucosidase in cultivated skin fibroblasts and muscle tissue. In the present case, however, glycogen storing lysosomes were found in peripheral lymphocytes and skeletal muscle cells. This finding underlines the particular value of ultrastructural investigation in the diagnosis of GSD II.

Biopsy↗

PubMed1986

Isolation and characterization of the fatty acid binding protein from human heart.

We have isolated in pure form a fatty acid binding protein (FABP) from human cardiac muscle. After preparation of a 100,000 g supernatant fraction, the procedure required only one gel chromatographic (Sephacryl S 200) and two cation exchange (CM-Sephadex C 50) steps. The recovery of FABP was 55%. Pure FABP (12.5 mg) was obtained from a 1-g of dry powder equivalent of the high-speed supernatant. The protein had an Mr of 15,500 +/- 1,000 Da and an isoelectric point of 5.3. The properties of human cardiac FABP, i.e., molecular mass, isoelectric point, amino acid composition, ultraviolet spectrum, and affinities for hydrophobic ligands, were close to those found for FABPs from bovine heart (Jagschies et al. 1985. Eur. J. Biochem. 152: 537-545). In addition, immunological cross-reactivities showed a relationship between FABPs from several mammalian heart tissues. The data elaborated by us and others support the existence of a cardiac-type FABP that is distinct from the well-defined hepatic-type and gut-type FABPs.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1985

Rudimentary cilia in hyperplastic, metaplastic and neoplastic cells of the lung and pleura.

Rudimentary cilia are cilium-like processes of the cell usually found within non-ciliated cells. The incidental electron microscopic finding of rudimentary cilia in 10 out 50 cases of hyperplastic, metaplastic and neoplastic lesions of the lung and pleura is reported. The fine structure of these peculiar structures is fully described. Reference is made to their significance and it is suggested that they represent deviations of the differentiation patterns of both normal and neoplastic cells.

Aged↗

PubMed1985

Thymus carcinoid.

A carcinoid of the thymus was studied by light- and electron-microscopy, immunohistology and flow-cytometry. The tumor showed a ribbon- and festoon-like growth-pattern with foci of necrosis, invasion of vessels and infiltration of mediastinal lymph nodes. The cytoplasma of the tumor-cells contained neuroendocrine granula and immunohistochemistry of ACTH was positive. The tumor-cells were connected by desmosomes, correlating to a pre-keratin positive immunohistology. In flow-cytometry the tumor-cells showed a near haploid DNA aneuploidy which is an extremely rare finding in solid tumors and in the few cases described indicative for treatment resistance.

Carcinoid Tumor↗

PubMed1985

Differential pattern of DNA-aneuploidy in human malignancies.

The differential pattern of DNA-aneuploidy, detected by flow cytometry (FCM) regarding its frequency, grade and multiclonality, was investigated and correlated to tumor type, malignancy grade, tumor stage and prognosis in a multi-institutional study at the University of Münster. High resolution measurements using admixed normal blood reference cells were undertaken in 2413 cases of 13 different malignant diseases and in 776 benign lesions or samples. The incidence of DNA-aneuploidy was highest in melanomas, carcinomas, testicular tumors, sarcomas (75%-95%) and myelomas (65%). Acute leukemias showed an intermediate DNA-aneuploidy rate of 40% with special subgroups represented by common ALL (44%), p less than 0.05) and myelomonocytic/monocytic AML (47%, p less than 0.01). The lowest DNA-aneuploidy-rate was found in basal cell skin carcinomas (19%) and congenital melanocytic nevi (9%). No case of DNA-aneuploidy was observed in the 776 benign lesions or samples.--DNA-indices giving the grade of DNA-aneuploidy with 1.0 for normal diploid G1/0 cells were found distributed predominantly between 1.0 and 2.0 in the solid tumors, except testicular tumors, clustering around a triploid maximum at 1.5. DNA-indices of myelomas and acute leukemias generally ranged below 1.25 with lower DNA-aneuploidy grades in AML than in ALL (p less than 0.01).--In melanomas the aneuploidy rate was higher (86%) in metastases than in the primary tumors (54%, p = 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Atypical cilia in hyperplastic, metaplastic, and dysplastic human bronchial mucosa.

Twenty-two cases displaying potentially precancerous epithelial changes of the bronchial mucosa--including basal and goblet cell hyperplasia, epidermoid metaplasia, and dysplasia--showed a wide variety of cilial abnormalities on the ultrastructural level. The changes comprised abnormal configurations of the ciliary plasma membrane, variations in the amount of ciliary matrix, disorganization of basal bodies, and diverse alterations of the axonemal microtubular pattern. More than one such alteration was observed in one and the same case, and there was no correlation with the actual type of epithelial lesion nor the degree of dysplasia. These changes, interpreted as abnormal ciliary regeneration in severely damaged ciliated cells, are potentially reversible and seem to represent a nonspecific response of the affected cells to an ample spectrum of noxes. Their diagnostic significance is poor, especially with regard to the modification of the axonemal microtubular pattern, unless the entire clinical picture suggests an immotile cilia syndrome.

Adult↗