Effects of motor restrictions on preparatory brain activity.

Modifying established motor skills is a challenging endeavor due to proactive interference from undesired old to desired new actions, calling for high levels of cognitive control. Motor restrictions may facilitate the modification of motor skills by rendering undesired responses physically impossible, thus reducing demands to response inhibition. Here we studied behavioral and EEG effects of rule changes to typing in skilled touch-typists. The respective rule change-typing without using the left index finger-was either implemented per instruction only or with an additional motor restriction. In both groups, the rule change elicited delays and more errors in typing, indicating the occurrence of proactive interference. While stimulus-locked ERPs did not exhibit prominent effects of rule change or group, response-locked ERPs revealed that the time courses of preparatory brain activity preceding typing responses depended on the presence of motor restriction. Although further research is necessary to corroborate our findings, they indicate a novel brain correlate that represents changes in inhibitory response preparation induced by short-term motor restrictions.

Gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin as combined adjuvant approach in transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium.

AIM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin for urothelial carcinoma. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium were treated between 2001 and 2007. All patients received chemotherapy with intravenous gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/mC on Days 1 and 8, intravenous paclitaxel at a dose of 80 mg/mC on Days 1 and 8, and intravenous cisplatin at a dose of 50 mg/mC on Day 2. Treatment courses were repeated every 21 days. RESULTS: Median follow-up period was 32.5 months. Six patients came to progressive disease. The median overall survival was not reached, and the actuarial 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 89% and 67% respectively. The median progression-free survival was 10.0 months. Median survival time for patients with ECOG status 0, and 1 was 52.0, and 22.0 months respectively. Grade 4 neutropenia occurred in 18.5% of patients, but there was no treatment related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin is a highly effective and tolerable regimen for patients with invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium. This treatment should be considered as a suitable option that deserves further prospective evaluation. ECOG performance status is an important predictive factors for survival.

Palliative chemotherapy with gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin as first-line treatment following gemcitabine monotherapy for patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium.

AIM: Chemotherapeutic agents are active in transitional cell cancer of the urothelium, and combinations have shown promising results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the palliative chemotherapy with gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin for transitional cell carcinoma. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium were treated between 2000 and 2007. All patients received chemotherapy with intravenous gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 on days I and VIII, intravenous paclitaxel at a dose of 80 mg/m2 on days I and VIII, and intravenous cisplatin at a dose of 50 mg/m2 on day II. Treatment courses were repeated every 21 days. After completion of four to six courses in this regimen an application of intravenous gemcitabine at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 followed repeating every 28 days. RESULTS: Twelve patients (35.3%) had 1 visceral sites of metastases. Twenty two patients (64.7%) had achieved objective responses to treatment (29.4% complete responses). The median actuarial survival was 18.5 months, and the actuarial one-year and two-year survival rates were 56% and 26% respectively. After a median follow-up of 16.3 months, 18 patients remained alive. The median progression-free survival was 7 months. Median survival time for patients with ECOG status 0, 1, and 2 was 45, 12, and 10.5 months respectively. Grade 3-4 neutropenia occurred in 41.2% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin is a highly effective and tolerable regimen for patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium. This treatment should be considered as a suitable option that deserves further prospective evaluation. ECOG performance status and visceral metastases are important predictive factors for survival.

[Perioperative chemoprophylaxis in percutaneous nephrolitholapaxy]. / Perioperative Chemoprophylaxe bei der perkutanen Nephrolitholapaxie.

In 48 patients suffering from giant renal calculi a percutaneous nephrolitholapaxy was done. The use of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis using aminoglycosides or cephalosporins was effective in reduction of postoperative urinary tract infections.

[Uniform theory on the pathomechanism of closed renal stalk injuries--subpelvic ureteral ruptures and kidney vascular stalk lesions]. / Beitrag für eine einheitliche Theorie über den Pathomechanismus geschlossener Nierenstielverletzungen--subpelvine Harnleiterrupturen und Nierengefässstielläsionen.

There are no homogeneous opinions concerning the pathomechanism of closed renal stalk injuries. On the basis of a literary analysis of 168 renal vessel stalk lesions and 78 ruptures of the ureter the attempt is made to contribute to the clarification of the etiology of these injuries. Subpelvic ruptures of the ureter and renal vessel stalk lesions are regarded as a constituent of closed renal stalk injuries and traced back to a uniform pathomechanism. Deceleration traumas leading to cranial, caudal and ventral movements of the kidney are regarded as predominant cause of closed renal stalk injuries. In accidents with deceleration processes should more be thought of closed renal vessel stalk lesions and subpelvic injuries of the ureter, also when there are no blunt abdominal traumas.

[Enzyme immunoassay for pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP-1) in patients with testicular tumors]. / Enzymimmunoassay für schwangerschaftsspezifisches beta 1-Glycoprotein (SP-1) bei Patienten mit Hodentumoren.

The use of a two-side-binding-enzyme-immunoassay for pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (SP-1) in tumours of the testicles is described. The lower limit of evidence is with 4 ng/ml near to the physiological region. In 17 of 41 non-seminomatous germinal tumours of the testicles (41%) initially increased SP-1-serum concentrations were present, the other measuring values correlated with the course of the disease. In all tumours of the testicles with initially increased SP-1-titres the use of the SP-1-test gives a further possibility of the regulation of therapy and control of the course.

[Urine pseudocyst following multiple injury with closed subpelvic ureteral rupture in childhood]. / Urinpseudozyste nach Mehrfachverletzung mit geschlossenem subpelvinen Harnleiterabriss im Kindesalter.

The authors discuss special aspects concerning children and traffic accidents, prompted by the frequency of such accidents. They present a model of the pathogenesis of closed injuries of the ureter. On the basis of the mechanics of accidents and clinical experience, closed subpelvic rupture of the ureter is to be seen as the result of a deceleration trauma. Problems of the treatment of patients with multiple injuries and the diagnosis and therapy of closed injuries of the ureter are presented on the basis of a clinical observation.

[Enzyme immunoassay of alpha 1-fetoproteins in patients with testicular tumors]. / Enzymimmunoassay für Alpha-1-Fetoprotein bei Patienten mit Hodentumoren.

The use of a newly developed immunoassay for alpha-1-protein in testicular tumours is described. With 2 ng AFP/ml serum the lower detection group of the test is in the physiological range. Of 39 non-seminomatous testicular tumours, 59% had a high AFP-serum level post-operatively, of 51 on initial diagnosis 54%; 12 seminomas remained AFP-negative. Checking the AFP level ist valuable for diagnosis, staging and prognosis of all testicular tumours.