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Biomedical subjects

J Rowold

Publications and source records attributed to J Rowold.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

[Actinic prurigo].

Actinic prurigo is a rare idiopathic photodermatosis, which shares some features with atopic dermatitis, polymorphous light eruption, hydroa vacciniforme and persistent light reaction. It is, however, recognized as a distinct entity. Among American Indians a familial variant is observed. Characteristic features are a chronic course with sustained exacerbations, which are seasonal at first, but later perennial. The disorder may improve in adulthood. The typical clinical features are urticarial plaques a few hours after UV exposure, and a persistent eczematous, prurigo-like rash distributed over skin areas exposed to light but sometimes extending even into photoprotected areas. Therapy is extremely difficult and unrewarding. In the present paper the entity is defined and three typical cases are presented.

Adult↗

[The tumor markers CEA, TPA and CA 19-9 and ferritin and osteocalcin in follow-up studies in breast cancer].

Radioimmunological determinations of the tumour markers CEA, TPA, CA 19-9, ferritin and also osteocalcin were carried out in 250 patients with ablatio mammae for breast cancer over a follow-up period of at least 1 year. Metastases were detected in 49 of the 250 patients. The normal control group comprised 193 healthy persons. CEA proved to be the most valuable tumour marker, but TPA and ferritin were also significantly elevated in metastatic breast cancer. Combined determination of all 3 parameters gave the best results. Additional measurement of CA 19-9 was helpful in only one of the 49 patients with metastases in whom the 3 other parameter were negative throughout. Hence, determination of CA 19-9 appears unnecessary in breast cancer. In progressive disease the markers generally increased and fell again following successful therapy. In a few cases the opposite was found or no changes were observed. Cases with small local recurrence or an additional carcinoma at an early stage did not exhibit increased marker values as compared to patients without metastases. Not infrequently the increase in markers preceded the manifestation of metastases by several months. Very high concentrations of tumour markers signify a poor prognosis. Osteocalcin was elevated in patients with bone metastases, but not soft tissue metastases. In general, however, it paralleled the serum alkaline phosphatase level.

Adult↗

Biosynthesis of vitamin B12. Different pathways in some aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.

Radioactivity from [1'-14C]riboflavin was incorporated into the 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole moiety of Vitamin B12 in the aerobes Bacillus megaterium, Nocardia rugosa and Streptomyces sp. as well as in the aerotolerant anaerobe Propionibacterium freudenreichii, but not in the anaerobe Eubacterium limosum. As recently published for E. limosum, also in the anaerobe Clostridium barkeri radioactivity from [1-14C]glycine and [2-14C]glycine was found in the 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole moiety, but not in the corrin moiety. The addition of L-[methyl-14C]methionine to C. barkeri led to the labeling of the corrin moiety and the 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole moiety, showing that the seven "extra" methyl groups in the corrin ring as well as the two methyl groups of the base part originate from this precursor. In Clostridium thermoaceticum, forming the vitamin B12 analog 5-methoxybenzimidazolylcobamide, [1-14C]glycine and [2-14C]glycine were also incorporated into the 5-methoxybenzimidazole moiety, but not into the corrin ring. In E. limosum L-[U-14C]glutamate led to the labeling of the corrin ring of vitamin B12, but not of its base moiety. These results together with data from the literature indicate that a common biosynthetic pathway might exist for the corrinoid biosynthesis in aerobic microorganisms, and in those aerotolerant anaerobes like the Propionibacteria, which form the 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole moiety of vitamin B12 only under aerobic conditions. They also show that this pathway differs from the pathway found in anaerobic bacteria.

Aerobiosis↗