The hydration of sodium bis(2-ethyl-l-hexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reversed micelles has been studied by three independent methods: differential scanning calorimetry, ESR spin labeling, and 2H NMR. A consistent picture is evolving although the actual hydration numbers differ from method to method. This difference is most likely due to differences in the principles underlying these methods. From both calorimetry and 2H NMR it is concluded that two water molecules are tightly bound to one AOT-Na+ molecule whereas ESR spin labeling identifies four strongly bound water molecules. Our calorimetric study benefited greatly from a comparison of the thermal behavior of AOT reversed micelles and AOT smectic (lamellar) phases. Calorimetry reveals that six water molecules are unfreezable in AOT reversed micelles. This is also the case for AOT smectic (lamellar) phases; however, these six water molecules can be frozen by cooling the sample to -40 °C. The difference in the two AOT systems is attributed to supercooling that takes place in the submicroscopic droplets of AOT reversed micelles. 2H NMR gives further insight into AOT hydration. A total number of 13 water molecules are affected and structurally perturbed by 1 AOT molecule. These 13 water molecules consist of three types of water differing in the affinity for AOT-Na+. Two out of these 13 water molecules are more strongly bound; the remaining 11 water molecules appear to be weakly associated with AOT-Na+.

Low body mass index and advanced malignancies are predictors for complications after PEG application. Early installation should help prevent further nutritional deterioration and the related risk of complications.

Experience with 46 patients diagnosed with liver abscesses over a 13-year period was reviewed to ascertain the impact of percutaneous versus surgical drainage. In most of the cases the abscesses were diagnosed by sonography or computed tomography. The most common pathogenetic mechanism was ascending biliary tract infection. Of the 46 total patients, 27 were primarily treated surgically, whereas 19 underwent percutaneous drainage. In the surgical group five (18.5%) patients required reoperation. Percutaneous drainage failed in four patients (21.1%). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that a high APACHE II score, low hemoglobin level, and high serum bilirubin level were significant predictors of a complicated clinical course. Death was related more closely to the overall condition of the patient, as expressed by a high APACHE II score, and the underlying disease (malignancy) than to the mode of therapy.

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Intracytoplasmic hyaline bodies (IHBs) resemble inclusions in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, which so far have escaped further characterization. A relationship to Mallory bodies was suggested on the basis of light microscopy and filamentous ultrastructure. A hepatocellular carcinoma containing numerous IHBs was studied. Our studies revealed immunoreactivity of IHBs with the monoclonal antibodies SMI 31 and MPM-2, which recognize hyperphosphorylated epitopes present on paired helical filaments in Alzheimer's disease brains (SMI 31) or on diverse proteins hyperphosphorylated by mitotic kinases in the M-phase of the cell cycle (MPM-2). One- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of tumor extracts followed by immunoblotting with SMI 31 and MPM-2 antibodies revealed a major immunoreactive protein with an apparent molecular weight between 62 and 65 kd, which was resolved into several highly acidic (pH 4.5) protein components in two-dimensional gels. This protein was undetectable in non-neoplastic liver tissue. Sequence analysis identified the SMI 31 and MPM-2 immunoreactive material as p62, indicating that p62 is a major constituent of IHBs. p62 is an only recently discovered protein that is a phosphotyrosine-independent ligand of the SH2 domain of p56(lck), a member of the c-src family of cytoplasmic kinases. Moreover, p62 binds ubiquitin and may act as an adapter linking ubiquitinated species to other proteins. These features suggest a role of p62 in signal transduction and possibly also carcinogenesis. IHBs observed in the hepatocellular carcinoma cells presented are the first indications of a role of p62 in disease.

Over a period of seven years nine patients with vascular complications after lumber discectomy received medical care at the Clinic of Vascular Surgery, University of Graz Medical School. We report five acute bleeding complications occurring during the operation and four late manifestations of vascular lesions. Five patients presented with acute life-threatening iatrogenic haemorrhages from pelvic vessels. Three patients made a complete recovery, one patient died from acute haemorrhagic shock, one further patient died from sepsis due to an associated complication-an injury to the ureter. Over a period of two to ten years after primary surgery we corrected late complications such as 1 case of posttraumatic aneurysm of the aortic bifurcation found to have eroded the body of the fifth lumbar vertebra, and three cases of arteriovenous fistula between the common iliac artery and the common iliac vein. The four cases described below are an attempt to document the vascular surgical procedures involved and to provide typical findings. The risk of injuring the pelvic vessels intra-operatively can be explained by the close anatomical relation between the retroperitoneal vessels and the vertebral column and furthermore not only by the fact that pre-existent deficiencies but also injury to the anterior longitudinal ligament give access to the retroperitoneal space.

Three patients with dialysis access graft shunts, having a symptomatic pseudoaneurysm and a hemodynamically significant stenosis at the anastomosis between the graft shunt and the subclavian vein, were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and insertion of a Wallstent. Pseudoaneurysms were excluded by percutaneous insertion of a Cragg Endo-Pro stent-graft with a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 6-10 cm. All three aneurysms were excluded successfully. In two patients, the stent-graft was punctured repeatedly during follow-up and the aneurysms recurred after 7 and 8 months, respectively. The patency of the dialysis shunt after stent-graft insertion was 8 (n = 1) and 9 months (n = 2). Due to the recurrence of the aneurysm (n = 2) or recurrent thrombosis (n = 1) the use of these shunts was discontinued.

Background. Assessing the residual cancer burden (RCB) predictive performance, the potential subgroup effects, and time-dependent impact on breast cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy in a developer's independent cohort is essential for its usage in clinical routine. Methods. Between 2011 and 2016, the RCB scores of 184 female breast cancer patients were prospectively collected, and subsequent clinicopathological and follow-up data were obtained retrospectively. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), as well as subgroup analysis, and time-dependent variables were calculated with multivariate, complex, or linear statistical models. Results. A total of 184 patients (HER2 33%, TNBC 27%), with a mean follow-up time of 4 years, treated with neoadjuvant systemic therapy (92% anthracycline-taxane based) were analyzed revealing 43 events (38 recurrences, 28 deaths). High RCB scores were associated with recurrence (median index: 2.34 vs. 1.39 points, rank-sum p \ 0.0001), decreased RFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44-2.24, p \ 0.0001) and reduced OS (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.49-2.59, p \ 0.0001). The RCB score showed proportionality of hazards (interaction HR with linear follow-up time = 1.00, p = 0.896) and good discriminating power (Harrell's c index 0.7). Conclusions. Our results confirm the RCB score as externally valid prognostic marker and being independent of molecular subtype for RFS and OS in a clinical setting.