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Abstract  To find out whether a certain cause of death or a certain length of an agonal period shows specific adrenaline or noradrenaline profiles, heart blood, femoral vein blood, liquor, urine and vitreous humour were taken from corpses (n = 98) at the Medical School Hannover, and noradrenaline and adrenaline were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Corpses were classified according to the following five categories: short agony, long agony, state after hanging, state after asphyxiation and state after CPR with documented administration of epinephrine. Once results were collected the adrenaline/noradrenaline quotient was determined. It became clear that there were no significant differences regarding the concentration of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the various body fluids in relation to the above-mentioned categories. The means adrenaline/noradrenaline quotients in femoral vein blood were 0.21 � 0.29 for hanged persons, 0.38 � 0.47 for asphyxiated persons, 0.17 � 0.19 for those with short agony and 0.42 � 0.43 for those with long agony, significantly below 1 (p p = 0.001; p = 0.003). For condition after CPR we found an adrenaline/noradrenaline quotient of 2.81 � 5.8. In liquor the adrenaline/noradrenaline quotients for short agony was 0.17 � 0.17, for hanged persons 0.18 � 0.19 and for asphyxiated ones 0.30 � 0.38, significantly lower than 1 (p p p  [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with leukocyte adhesion to and extravasation through vascular endothelium into synovial tissue. Recent evidence indicates that the thrombospondin 1 gene is up‐regulated in patients with RA. We have identified a region within the TSP‐1 type 3 repeats that inhibits human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and binds to human neutrophils. The present study was undertaken to investigate the therapeutic benefit of this TSP‐1–derived peptide sequence and its effect on connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a protein involved in fibrotic disorders and in neovascularization, which is a hallmark of RA.CTGF gene and protein expression, as well as protein levels of CTGF in the synovium, after treatment with the TSP‐1–derived peptide were studied in the peptidoglycan–polysaccharide animal model of erosive arthritis.Peptide treatment prevented joint infiltration and inflammation and was associated with reduced circulating antigen levels of HNE and TSP‐1. Additionally, CTGF was up‐regulated in this experimental model of RA. Treatment with the TSP‐1–derived peptide was associated with down‐regulation of the message and protein levels of CTGF. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the mean area fraction of CTGF immunoreactivity in the peptide‐treated group of animals was significantly less than that in the untreated group.These results document a role for TSP‐1 in regulating CTGF gene and protein expression in synovial tissue, suggesting a link with the disease course in this model of RA. This TSP‐1–derived synthetic peptide may represent an important template for drug development in RA and other inflammatory conditions associated with neutrophil activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-expanding stents play a major role in the interdisciplinary treatment of gastrointestinal obstructions in patients with local nonresectable tumors, advanced metastasis, and pronounced comorbidity. Reinstating the passage and sealing esophagotracheal fistulae is very effective as palliative treatment for esophageal tumor complications. In hepatobiliary occlusions, the success rate against cholestasis is also high. Enteral and colorectal stents are gaining favor. Required are an experienced endoscopy team and adequate equipment. The rate of procedural complications is generally low, but rare and severe complications such as perforation must be considered. Further improvements in the materials and construction of stents can be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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