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Several authors reported about acute haemodynamic effects of ADM years ago. We studied this problem in five patients in the invasive and noninvasive way and thus obtained the most important haemodynamic parameters. Acute haemodynamic effects in the meaning of a negative inotropy and vasodilatation are confirmed. The usual intravenous injection does not avoid the decrease of important haemodynamic parameters (SV, SWI, CI) even though injected over ten minutes. Possible infarction and complications during the injection may be the result of decrease of perfusion pressure in the meaning of a "steal phenomenon".

Surface phenotypes of lymphocytes and the assessment of cytotoxic NK activity were determined in peripheral blood leukocytes in a group of heavy smokers and respective non-smoking people control group. Cell phenotypes were evaluated by a panel of monoclonal antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence on cell sediments. Cytotoxic activity was assessed by single cell cytotoxic assay on target K 562 cells. There were no significant differences in T cell (CD 3+) as well as in CD 43+ ones (large sialoglycoprotein) per cent values. The cells possessing receptor for sheep red blood cell (CD 2+) were however more numerous in smokers as compared to non-smokers. Per cent value of B lymphocytes in the former group was significantly decreased vs control one. There was no difference in per cent values of activated and immature cells in both examined groups. Per cent values of NK cell activity were higher in non-smokers in relation to smokers. It was reflected by an increase of cytotoxicity of effector cells, while frequency of incidence of NK cells was comparable in both groups examined.

Evidence supporting a role of mycotoxin, in particular ochratoxin A (OA) and citrinin, in the etiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) and associated urinary tract tumours (UTT) is reviewed. Both diseases occur in subjects born and/or living in certain rural areas where home-produced and home-stored stable foods were found to be more frequently contaminated by the OA and citrinin. OA levels in blood and urine from patients with BEN or UTT were higher than in controls. OA and possibly other mycotoxins cause endemic porcine nephropathy, a disease with morphology and clinical course similar to those of BEN. OA was carcinogenic in two rodent species with kidney as a major target organ. Animals and strains phenotype as fast metabolizers of debrisoquine were more susceptible to OA-induced carcinogenicity. Among BEN/UTT patients, a greater proportion of fast metabolizers was reported. Although no epidemiological proof of a direct causal role of mycotoxins in BEN/UTT etiology has been presented, the data accumulated so far indicate a need for prospective studies in which mycotoxins as well as other risk factors should be considered.

Cancer incidence rates in Turkey are compared to those in two regions of West Germany, namely Hamburg and Saarland. Incidence rates of laryngeal, colorectal and prostatic cancer are significantly different in males of the two countries. Additionally, incidence rates of skin and trachea, bronchus, lung cancer show statistically significant differences in males of Turkey and Saarland. Between females, only the incidence of colorectal cancer is significantly different in both countries. These variations in cancer occurrence may be due to differences in tobacco and alcohol consumption, age distribution of the two populations and exposure to sunlight.

The pre- and postnatal administration of DEMNU induces a high frequency of tumors when applied via the intravenous route, and the latency periods show a dose dependence (table I). Tumors of the brain, spinal cord and cranial nerves clearly predominate. Furthermore, a large number of neoplasms of kidney, heart and soft tissue was observed (table II). As DEMNU is per se a very stable compound, it is suggested that this agent is metabolized by monooxygenases. 3-Ethyl-1-methyl-1-nitrosourea should be formed as an intermediate product via this pathway, which is relatively stable and might explain the mainly neurotropic carcinogenicity of DEMNU. Species differences in the carcinogenicity of trialkyl-nitrosoureas and the mode of metabolic activation are discussed.

In an experimental murine metastasis model host pretreatment protocol (HPP) was tested to abrogate lung colonization of tumor cells. The stimulation of the host defense by lentinan or TP4, and the PGI2 administration was effective in the case of the immunosensitive low metastatic tumor. The modulation of the host cells and/or the extracellular matrix by the glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis blocking agent KL-103--but not by the degradation inhibitor suramin--inhibited the lung colonization of the highly metastatic immunoresistant tumor variant. In combination with the cytotoxic antiproliferative agents these non-toxic drugs could be useful in new protocols to prevent tumor dissemination.

We have developed a novel and efficient transfection method based on the introduction of foreign DNA into mammalian cells in form of complexes of vector DNA with the nuclear protein HMG1. In this study, it is shown that a stabilization of the complexes against dilution dissociation by addition of soluble CaCl2 or by excessive HMG1 enhances the transfection efficiency. Furthermore, there are no differences in the transfection abilities between the 3 topological DNA forms, viz., supercoiled, open relaxed and linear DNA, if delivered to cells as HMG1-DNA complexes. It is further shown that transfection-inactive complexes of the core histones with foreign DNA can be activated in transfection by the addition of HMG1.

Dietary influences on carcinogenesis have been shown in various tissues on the basis of epidemiological and experimental approaches. The present paper demonstrates that the oral application of fructose over long periods to rats previously treated with N-nitrosomorpholine increases the incidence of atypical acinar cell nodules (AACN) in the pancreas. Whereas an increase in AACN was statistically significant (P less than 0.005), no effect on ductule-like structures was detectable. AACN have been regarded as precursor lesions of the acinar cell carcinoma. Although the AACN observed frequently exhibited severe atypia and numerous mitotic figures, no clearcut evidence for malignancy could be detected under our experimental conditions.

At present, the influence of BSE on mortality reduction from breast cancer is not yet clear. Within a larger case-control study in 195 cases and 390 controls, BSE practice, factors influencing BSE-frequency and the impact of BSE on tumor size as well as on the number of positive lymph-nodes have been investigated. 44% of women practised BSE monthly. Factors significantly positively correlated with BSE were older age, higher education, prior breast biopsy, participation in cervical cancer screening and regular physical breast examination. In comparison to non-users, BSE users had a relative risk for breast cancer more than 3 cm in tumor size of 0.65 (0.35-1.21). The relative risk of BSE-users for breast cancer with more than 3 positive lymph-nodes at the time of diagnosis amounted to 0.62 (0.33-1.18).