A rapid procedure for the production and purification of vesicular stomatitis virus

Ehrlich ascites tumour(EAT) cells were infected with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) within the peritoneal cavity of mice and used to prepare milligram quanities of purified virus. The protein pattern, endogenous transcriptase activity, and specific infectivity of this virus were comparable to viral preparations from HeLa and BHK cells. A total of 2-4 x 10(11) p.f.u. of VSV were obtained routinely from one mouse. The initial high concentration of VSV grown in EAT cells in the peritoneal cavity of mice facilitates virus isolation and allows its purification by a single gradient centrifugation step.

[Extramedullary haematopoiesis as a cause of a paravertebral mass in the thorax (author's transl)]

The radiological due to extensive extramedullary haematopoiesis taking place in the posterior mediastinum in two patients are described, and the literature is reviewed. Characteristic features are a polycyclic or spindle-shaped configuration of the mass, with bilateral paravertebral localisation in the caudal and middle third of the thorax. There is absence of inflammatory or neoplastic changes in the neighbouring skeleton, but in thalassaemia there may be changes in the paravertebral portion of the ribs. Computer tomographically, the combination of a solid paravertebral tumour, with adjacent rib changes, is characteristic of thalassaemia with extramedullary haematopoiesis. In the absence of other skeletal changes, computed tomography is valuable for differential diagnosis. Lymphomas occur considerably more often and may appear identical but, because of the well know fat content of myolipoma, the scan shows contrast values between -15 and + 40 HU. Because of their high vascularity, there is a marked increase in density following intravenous contrast medium.

[Special diagnostic and therapeutic problems with primary bone tumors of the chest wall]

The rare primary bone tumors of the chest wall have to be distinguished from metastatic or specific inflammatory bone diseases as well as from neoplasm of mediastinal or bronchogenic origin secondarily involving the chest wall. Their x-ray appearance may lead to confusion with pulmonary or mediastinal tumors. Since definite diagnosis by x-ray studies including computed tomography is not possible and many of these tumors are malignant or tend to recur locally, radical resection is mandatory. From 1970 to 1982 34 primary tumors of the bony chest wall were observed. A definite histological diagnosis was obtained in 28 cases. Ten tumors were malignant, chondrosarcoma being the most frequent ones. Tumor resections were carried out in 27 patients, the surgical procedures being single rib resection (17), multiple rib resection (6), partial sternum resection (2) and thoracotomy (2) for tumor enucleation. In 8 cases chest wall defects had to be covered with lyophilized Dura mater (2), with diaphragm (2), subscapular (1) and pectoral muscle flaps (3).

[Pretherapeutic metastases diagnosis in bronchial cancer with special reference to nuclear medicine procedures]

In a retrospective study of 280 patients with histologically verified bronchogenic carcinoma, pretherapeutic diagnosis using scanning procedures yielded 13.6% skeletal metastases, 8.6% liver metastases and 3.6% brain metastases. The total 23.9% of hematogenous metastases proved to be dependent on the histological type of tumor: it was highest in small cell anaplastic carcinomas (38.8%) and large cell carcinomas (32.5%), and lowest in epidermoid carcinomas (13.3%). If the localization of metastases was also taken into account, the highest rates of metastases in the skeleton (17.5% and 22.5%) the liver (15%) and the brain (7.5%) were always found with small cell anaplastic and large cell carcinomas. Besides the histopathological type of tumor, the frequency of metastases depended also on the local stage of bronchial cancer. While scanning of the skeleton and the liver for clinical staging of bronchogenic carcinoma should always be regarded as an essential part of primary diagnosis (alternatively ultrasonography and computed tomography of liver) the necessity for brain scan and/or computed tomography depends on the neurological findings and the histomorphological type of tumor.

Endodermal sinus tumor (yolk sac tumor), seminoma and hemangiopericytoma. Rare primary mediastinal tumors. A report on the course of the disease in nine patients

The pathological and clinical features of primary mediastinal hemangiopericytoma, seminoma, and endodermal sinus tumor are presented and discussed. These tumors were found in 3 patients each out of 898 cases of mediastinal tumor. Primary thoracic hemagiopericytomas are rare. The diagnosis can be determined by histology only, but nothing can be said about the malignancy of the tumor. Tumor recurrence is relatively frequent. Two patients were radically operated, and they are living today 4 and 4 1/2 years later, without evidence of recurrence. The third patient with clinically clearly malignant hemangiopericytoma was inoperable. This patient died 6 months after diagnosis. The anterior mediastinum is a predilection site for extragonadal germ cell tumors. Histologically there is no difference between this tumor and the gonadal seminoma. This tumor is well known to be radiosensitive. All 3 male patients were inoperable and received radiotherapy. One patient died after 4 months, the other 2 are living one and 3 years later, respectively, without complaints or evidence of recurrence. Only 12 cases of primary mediastinal endodermal sinus tumors have been reported in the literature, we observed 3 more such tumors. The highly malignant alpha-fetoprotein producing tumor occurs exclusively in young males. There is, as yet, no clear-cut form of treatment. One of our patients died after 2 weeks, another received chemotherapy and died a few months after diagnosis, the third received chemotherapy and irradiation and is living today, 20 months after discovery of the tumor.

[Results of surgical treatment of bronchiogenic carcinoma and nonsurgical treatment of oat cell carcinoma (author's transl)]

Of 1732 patients, 95% were followed up. The proportion of men to women was 7:1, most patients being about 70 years old. Eighty percent of the patients smoked, 64% were considered inoperable when first seen, and 4% were found to be incurable at the time of surgery. Postoperative deaths were 8.2%; 3 bronchopleural fistulas and 17 pleural empyemas complicated recovery. Of those patients operated on without lymph node involvement, the 5-year survival rate was 45.4%, with lymph node metastasis 14.7%. Of 242 patients with oat cell carcinoma who were not operated on, 85% died within the first year after hospital discharge. Only 1.2% survived 5 years.

[Diagnosis and treatment of injuries to the tracheo-bronchial system (author's transl)]

Clinical symptoms such as mediastinal and tissue emphysema, impaired inflow with cyanosis and extreme dyspnoea, signs of tension pneumothorax suggest rupture of a bronchus; nonstop loss of air via intercostal drainage is an almost certain sign and bronchoscopy provides the final proof. Injury to smaller bronchi may remain asymptomatic. 1,600 persons were treated for chest injury during the past 17 years, 7 of them on account of a ruptured bronchus. The right and left main bronchus were involved in 4 cases and one case respectively. The bronchus of the right upper lobe and the trachea were ruptured in one case each. Once the injury has been diagnosed surgical repair should follow quickly, although the results of anastomoses performed at a later stage were also satisfactory. Closure was by chromcut knotted sutures. Partial pneumonectomy is indicated only if damage to the lungs is extensive. The postoperative respiratory function of the injured lung was satisfactory in all cases.

[Hemodynamic studies during temporary, unilateral occlusion of the pulmonary artery (author's transl)]

During pre-operative evaluation of 35 patients prior to pulmonary resection, pressure measurements in the right heart and pulmonary circulation were performed. In addition to pressure values, pulmonary ventilation and partial pressures of the blood gases were assessed before and during unilateral occlusion of the pulmonary artery at rest and during exercise. Statistically significant increased values from regression analysis were obtained for mean pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricular end-diastolic pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular work. The results show that plethysmorgraphic and ergometric studies as well as their combination with blood gas analysis, are not indicative of changes in right ventricular or pulmonary arterial hemodynamics. Prior to pulmonary resection, catheterization should be performed at rest and during exercise to assess these variables.

[Diagnostic and surgical treatment of thymic tumors (author's transl)]

X-rays in different planes, roentgenisation, tomograms and not so often the clinical symptoms today are still responsible for the diagnosis. Mediastinoscopy and lateral mediastinoscopy very often ensure the diagnosis and dignity of the tumor. From 1956 to 1976 948 patients at our clinic were operated because of a mediastinal tumor. In 67 or 7% it was a thymic tumor. With thymic hyperplasia, thymoms and cysts of the thymic gland the survival time after operation was hardly reduced. The prognosis of the malign tumors of the thymic gland was bad with or without ray-treatment. By thymectomia 43% of the patients with myasthenia showed a good recovery.

[Follow up study of patients operated on metastases of the lung and pleura (author's transl)]

From 1956 til 1974, 1851 patients have been operated on a malignancy of the lung. 29 of them had a solitary lung metastasis and 2 of them a metastasis of the pleura. Among those, the primary malignancies showed the following frequency: 7 malignancies of the uterus, 7 sarcomas, 4 carcinomas of the breast, 4 carcinomas of the large bowel, 4 malignant goiters, 3 hypernephromas, 1 seminoma and 1 malignancy of the pancreas. The mean survival time was 3.3 years. 25.8% of the patients survived 5 years. Patients with a primary malignancy of the uterus appear to do best. In case of repeated metastases we did not operate upon again.

Restrained and unrestrained eating

Nisbett's (1972) model of obesity implies that individual differences in relative deprivation (relative to set-point weight) within obese and normal weight groups should produce corresponding within-group differences in eating behavior. Normal weight subjects were separated into hypothetically deprived (high restraint) and non-deprived (low restraint) groups. The expectation that high restraint subjects' intake would vary directly with preload size while low restraint subjects would eat in inverse proportion to preload size, was confirmed. It was concluded that relative deprivation rather than obesity per se may be the cirtical determinant of individual differences in eating behavior. Consideration was given to the concept of "restraint" as an important behavioral mechanism affecting the expression of physiologically-based hungar.

Partial purification and characterization of the enzyme which converts precursor liver protein to factor X

A rat liver post-microsomal supernatant enzyme, which carries out an epigenetic conversion of a protein contained in liver microsomes to Factor X, has been partially purified 250-fold in 50% yield by a combination of salt fractionation and gel filtration. The crude enzyme is stable to freezing and thawing but unstable at 4 degrees C. However, the partially purified enzyme is more stable at 4 degrees C. It requires Ca2+ and HCO3 minus for optimum formation of Factor X activity. The supernatant enzyme is vitamin K dependent and exhibits its maximum rate of formation of Factor X between pH 8 and 8.5.