The transligamental intraoperative neuromonitoring of the recurrent nerve is established in many surgical clinics as an useful and reliable technique. It is especially suitable to identify the recurrent nerve and to monitor its function during thyroid operation. We have analysed 14 early postoperative recurrent nerve palsies between June 1997 and December 2000 (1,23% related to nerves at risk). As a result of complete follow up we found 4 permanent nerve palsies (0,35% related to nerves at risk). In 11 out of 14 cases the neuromonitoring revealed a dysfunction of the recurrent nerve. The following long distance microsurgical preparation showed no interruption of the continuity of the nerve. Knowing the fact of unilateral negative monitoring signal we adapted our operative strategy. Therefore we did not observe bilateral nerve palsies. In 3 patients we found a positive nerve signal but nevertheless these patients showed postoperative unilateral recurrent palsies. The possible reasons are discussed. We are convinced that the neuromonitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is an important progress in thyroid surgery.

The transligamental intraoperative neuromonitoring of the recurrent nerve is established in many surgical clinics as an useful and reliable technique. It is especially suitable to identify the recurrent nerve and to monitor its function during thyroid operation. We have analysed 14 early postoperative recurrent nerve palsies between June 1997 and December 2000 (1,23 % related to nerves at risk). As a result of complete follow up we found 4 permanent nerve palsies (0,35 % related to nerves at risk). In 11 out of 14 cases the neuromonitoring revealed a dysfunction of the recurrent nerve. The following long distance microsurgical preparation showed no interruption of the continuity of the nerve. Knowing the fact of unilateral negative monitoring signal we adapted our operative strategy. Therefore we did not observe bilateral nerve palsies. In 3 patients we found a positive nerve signal but nevertheless these patients showed postoperative unilateral recurrent palsies. The possible reasons are discussed. We are convinced that the neuromonitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is an important progress in thyroid surgery.

BACKGROUND Changes in the p53 gene product can be immunogenic and enable the formation of p53 serum antibodies (p53ab), detectable in patients with different cancer types. So far, there have been no reports describing the detectability of p53ab in gastric cancer patients. METHODS We investigated the presence of p53ab and their clinical relevance in a cohort of 74 gastric cancer patients, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system. RESULTS In our investigation 20.3% of all patients (15 of 74) and 46.9% of the patients with immunohistochemically (IHC) p53-positive tumors (15 of 32) showed detectable p53ab in serum. All p53ab-positive patients had IHC p53-positive tumors. We have found a significant correlation of p53ab with a higher tumor stage (P = 0.002) and also with a poor prognosis of survival (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION We have shown that in gastric cancer patients p53ab are also detectable and that p53ab positivity is a predictor of an unfavorable prognosis.

Drug Prescribing for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in General Practice: a Cross-Sectional Study

Die Versuche zeigten im Plattengußverfahren einen deutlichen Antagonismus mancher Streptokokkenstämme, besonders gegen Diphtheriebacillen, weniger gegen Staphylokokken und B. subtilis.

Die wachstumshemmende Wirkung des frischen menschlichen Speichels kommt den verschiedensten pathogenen und apathogenen Keimen gegenüber zum Ausdruck, wobei sich zeigt, daß die Intensität der Wirkung bei verschiedenen Personen und verschiedenen Keimen gegenüber verschieden stark ausgeprägt ist.

Unter der Einwirkung des flüssigen, filtrierten, keimfreien Speichels wurden Diphtheriebacillen der drei Typen (Einzellkulturen) in Formen umgewandelt, die in allen untersuchten, Eigenschaften—Bacillenform, Färbung, Kolonieform, anaerobes Wachstum, Kohlehydrat-Vergärung und Tierpathogenität—den Pseudodiphtherie-Bacillen vomHofmann-Typ glichen.

Bei 13 gesunden Affen wurden aus Rachen und Nase teils typische, teils atypische, aber für Meerschweinchen bei parenteraler Impfung pathogene (toxische)Diphtheriebacillen gefunden.

Bei normalen Meerschweinchen (6), deren Mangel an Di-Antitoxin im Blut und Gewebe und deren hochgradige Empfänglichkeit für das Diphtheriegift bekannt ist, gelang es, trotz massiger Infektion der Rachen- und Nasenschleimhaut mit echten und stark virulenten toxischen Diphtheriebacillen,nicht, eine diphtherische Erkrankung zu erzeugen.

Drug Prescribing for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in General Practice: a Cross-Sectional Study