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Biomedical subjects

H Becker

Publications and source records attributed to H Becker.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Imbalance of CD4+ lymphocyte subsets in patients with mixed connective tissue disease.

CD4+ (helper/inducer) T lymphocyte subsets were studied in the peripheral blood from patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) by double-labelling immunofluorescence. The proportion of CD4+CD45RA+ cells was higher (P less than 0.01) when compared with controls, whereas CD4+CD29+ cells were markedly diminished (P less than 0.001). CD4+CD29+ cells were lower than in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis who were studied in parallel. Upon stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin, CD4+ cells from MCTD patients showed a strong reactivity to acquire the CD29+ phenotype. Expression of high levels of CD29 and other adhesion molecules might lead to facilitated localization of CD4+ cells to inflamed tissue. It is suggested that an increased responsiveness of CD4+ cells to activation signals in vivo and accumulation of CD4+CD29+ cells at tissue sites could result in depletion of this cell subset in the peripheral blood of patients with MCTD.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor arising in the skin. Differentiation from neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin.

We report a 25-year-old male patient with primitive neuroectodermal tumor presenting as a subcutaneous tumor on the right buttock, which was initially diagnosed as neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. Subsequently, local recurrence and metastatic spread to the lung occurred. The tumor was resistant to highly aggressive chemotherapy. The patient died 6 months later with severe pulmonary and lymph node involvement.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Transplantation of human benign hyperplastic prostate tissue into nude mice: first results of systemic therapy.

Xenografts of human benign hyperplastic prostate tissue (BPH) have been established as a model for the investigation of the etiology of BPH. In this paper it is our aim to answer the question of whether this model is useful for the established therapy of the disease. Additionally we try to evaluate the value of a commonly used plant extract for the therapy of BPH. Is there any influence of the extract from Sabal serrulatum on the BPH tissue in our model? Human BPH tissue from 2 patients was transplanted into athymic nude mice and treated with three different regimens. Animals of group I did not receive any treatment and served as control, in groups II and III the tissue was stimulated by application of silicone tubes containing crystalline 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and estradiol. Animals of group II additionally were treated orally with the lipophilic extract of S. serrulatum (contained in Prostagutt N), which is commonly used for the treatment of BPH clinically. Significant inhibition of tissue growth was observed in group III when compared to group II. In group I (control) atrophy of the graft was observed as expected. However, histologically no differences were visible between groups II and III. Our experiment shows a significant growth-inhibiting effect of the plant extract for human BPH tissue in our model (p less than 0.05). We conclude that the nude mouse model can be useful for the evaluation of systemic therapy modalities of human BPH and that the plant extract may have a certain value for clinical treatment, which is not only due to subjective criteria.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Are CAT-scans necessary for preoperative localization of insulinomas?

OBJECTIVES: Do CAT-scans provide useful information in terms of preoperative localization of insulinomas after a biochemical diagnosis is established or may CAT-scan imaging be safely abandoned? PATIENTS AND METHODS: CAT-scan results from 30 consecutive patients between 1980-1990 with established insulinomas were retrospectively evaluated with regard to actual tumour size (volume) and identification and localization as verified during surgery. RESULTS: In all patients, the tumours were easily detected by manual palpation during surgery, although the size of 67% of the tumours (n = 20) was less than 2.5 cm3. In only 7 patients (23%) the tumour had been correctly localized by computer tomography. Detected tumours were significantly larger than undetected tumours (median size 5.3 vs 1.3 cm3; p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: Despite the low sensitivity of computer tomography as documented in this study, all patients with an insulinoma were definitely cured after surgical intervention. Thus, CAT-scans are neither necessary nor helpful for preoperative localization of insulinomas.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Coexpression of CD4 and CD8 on mitogen-activated peripheral blood T cells from children with asthma: possible involvement of interleukin 4.

Mononuclear cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of 28 asthmatic and 18 healthy children aged 3 to 16 years. The cells were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin for 96 hours. Activated cells were detected microscopically by MTT staining. Expression of cell surface antigens was detected by indirect immune fluorescence using CD4-specific and CD8-specific monoclonal antibodies. Results indicate an enhanced expression of CD8 on mitogen-activated T cells from asthmatic children compared with cells from healthy controls (median 43% versus 27%). Further experiments revealed that CD8 is coexpressed with CD4 on activated lymphocytes. Coexpression is significantly enhanced with lymphocytes from asthmatic patients compared with normal controls. In addition, interleukin 4 is able to enhance this coexpression with lymphocytes from healthy but not asthmatic children suggesting an in vivo preactivation of lymphocytes from asthmatic patients with interleukin 4.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Expression of low-affinity Fc epsilon receptors on circulating monocytes in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases].

In patients with scleroderma, high proportions of circulating CD23+ monocytes could be detected by FACS analysis as compared with controls. Supernatants obtained from lymphocytes yielded high amounts of interleukin-4-(IL-4-)like activity. The results suggest that IL-4 contributes to monocyte activation in scleroderma. There were no correlations with serum IgE, or numbers of naive and memory-CD4+ lymphocytes.

Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1992

Unusual features of multiple endocrine neoplasia.

In addition to the common presentations of the multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, unusual organ involvement as rare manifestations of a single disease may occur. Among our patients we have identified four cases in which unusual features of MEN were present. In the first patient, bilateral adrenal cortical adenoma, parathyroid adenoma, multiple pancreatic tumors, and follicular thyroid carcinoma were observed. The second patient suffered from thymic carcinoid, parathyroid hyperplasia, gastrinoma, and pituitary adenoma. Additionally, one family was discovered in which medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), Hirschsprung's disease, and pheochromocytoma occurred and another family had MTC and ovarian cancer. Based on these observations, we stress the importance of screening for MEN syndromes in all patients with pathologic findings in any endocrine organ.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

[Continous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)].

Eleven patients were treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for periods of 2-7 months (48 patient-months). Clinical and biochemical control of uremia was adequate in all patients. Control of hypertension and serum phosphate level was easier than with previous intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD). Mean protein loss during CAPD was 9.7 +/- 2.7 g/day. Seven episodes of peritonitis occurred in 3 patients (1 peritonitis/6.8 months). General use of CAPD cannot be recommended until the high incidence of peritonitis is reduced by urgently needed technical improvements. A potential complication of CAPD was that triglycerides were markedly elevated in 4 patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

CT fogging effect with ischemic cerebral infarcts.

Systematic CT studies on ten patients with persistent ischemic cerebral infarct revealed a constant phenomenon, the fogging effect. The hypodense infarct at the beginning will be isodense, or close to isodense, on the plain CT during the seond of third weeks and at a later stage will be hypodense again. The fogging infarcted area shows homogeneous intensive contrast enhancement. Knowledge of the fogging effect is important for correct interpretation of the CT image and the indication for contrast medium CT. CT without contrast medium may lead to misinterpretation during the second and third weeks after the onset of cerebral infarction.

Brain Ischemia↗
PubMed1979

Simultaneous determination of seven unconjugated steroids in maternal venous and umbilical arterial and venous serum in elective and emergency cesarean section at term.

In order to assess specific gluco- and mineralocorticoid functions in both mother and fetoplacental unit in relation to the presence or absence of labor, serum levels of unconjugated aldosterone (A), corticosterone (B), deoxycorticosterone (DOC), progesterone (P), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), cortisol (F), and cortisone (E) were determined simultaneously. These levels were determined by specific radioimmunoassays in two groups of 24 paired maternal venous and umbilical arterial and venous samples obtained at term delivery by either elective (Group I, N = 8) or emergency (Group II, N = 8) cesarean section. In Group II, after spontaneous labor, mean maternal serum levels of all steroids investigated exceeded those found in Group I (not in labor). These increases were most pronounced (p less than 0.005) in F (74%) and DOC (106%) levels demonstrating stimulation of both the glucocorticoid (cortisol)--and the mineralocorticoid (aldosterone)--producing pathways of the maternal adrenals by spontaneous labor. Arteriovenous differences in umbilical steroid levels revealed in both groups the placental origin of P, 17-OHP, and E (p less than 0.05 to 0.005), with greater (more negative) mean AV differences after labor (Group II). The negative AV difference of DOC, B, A, and F found in Group I, however, decreased after labor and became even positive in the cases of B and F, reflecting the close relationship between spontaneous labor and the fetal adrenal's active production not only of the glucocorticoids B and F, but also, to a lesser extent, of the mineralocorticoids DOC and aldosterone.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1979

Diagnosis and control of diverticular bleeding by arteriography and vasopressin infusion. A report of 2 cases.

Large-bowel bleeding usually arises from either angiodysplasia or colonic diverticula. Diverticular bleeding is more common in the right or the transverse colon, even though diverticula are more common on the left. Arteriography in these patients may identify the bleeding site, and in some cases vasopressin infusion controls the bleeding. Embolization of the large bowel is not recommended because of the danger of necrosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Cerebral atrophy in Parkinson's disease--represented in CT.

To clarify the importance of brain atrophy in relation to the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, 173 patients were examined by computed tomography (CT). In 51.4% of the CT findings, brain atrophy was considered to be pathological. Statistically significant relations of age and sex were found with regard to the extent and localization of brain atrophy. Cortical atrophy also showed a significant dependence on duration of disease. Linear measurements at the lateral ventricles and the third ventricle lead us to assume that brain atrophy in Parkinson's patients is more prevalent than in normal patients within the scope of age involution.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The course of brain atrophy in Parkinson's disease.

In 110 parkinsonian patients (53 men, 57 woman) aged 38--81 years, computer-tomographic follow-up investigations were done to assess the development of brain atrophy. The control examinations were done after an average of 28 months. At that time an increase in brain atrophic changes of different localization could be observed in 23% of the patients. In addition, it could be demonstrated that the increase in pathologic CT findings is to be observed especially in patients with higher age, a more marked impairment in psycho-organic capacity, more pronounced handicaps in the fine-motorial performances at the beginning of the study. From the neuroradiological point of view, patients with more marked pathologic CT findings upon the first examination, be these ventricular enlargement and/or cortical atrophy, more often showed a progression of brain atrophy.

Adult↗