[Thyroid gland ultrasound screening (Papillon Initiative). Report of 15 incidentally detected thyroid cancers]. / Schilddrüsenultraschallscreening (Initiative Papillon). Bericht über 15 zufällig entdeckte Schilddrüsenkarzinome.

In the framework of the Thyroid initiative Papillon 2001 - 2002 thyroid nodules and sonographically detectable focal lesions with a diameter more than 5 mm were verified in 23.1% of 64.123 persons without a history of thyroid disease. The frequency of such findings was with 33.0% in 46-65 years old persons three times higher then in persons aged 18-30 years (9.6%). In the diagnostic workup thyroid cancer was detected in 15 patients operated on up to now (6 women and 9 men; papillary cancers in 12 cases, follicular cancers in 3 cases) The smallest tumor had a diameter of 1.3 cm, the mean diameter was 2.3 +/- 91 cm. In 3 patients the tumor had invaded the tissue beyond the thyroid capsule, in 4 cases multicentric growth was detected. Lymph node metastases were found in 7/15 cases and distant metastases in 2/15 cases. These result reveal, that thyroid cancer detected by chance may be relatively aggressive. In daily routine, sonographically detectable lesions with poor echogenicity, irregular margins or internal calcifications with a diameter of more than 1 cm should be clarified by fine needle aspiration biopsy.

[Psychological disorders and behavioral symptoms in dementia and differential diagnostic significance]. / Psychische Störungen und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Demenzerkrankungen und ihre differentialdiagnostische Bedeutung.

Dementia is one of the most common diseases in the elderly. Rapid and comprehensive diagnosis and appropriate treatment are imperatives. Over the course of the disease, psychiatric disturbances and behavioral abnormalities will frequently occur with the most variable of manifestations and forms. The burden on caregivers is immense. Patients usually respond well to a combination of milieu therapy and pharmacological management. The nature and the manifestation of the disorder can provide important clues for differential diagnosis.

[Quantitative magnetic resonance tomography and the severity of deficits in dementia of the Alzheimer type]. / Quantitative Magnetresonanztomographie und Schweregrad der Defizite bei der Demenz vom Alzheimer-Typ.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the severity of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) with respect to morphological changes revealed by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Seventeen patients with DAT (NINCDS-ADRDA guidelines) and 10 healthy elderly controls were included. The severity of dementia was evaluated on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and the Brief Cognitive Rating Scale (BCRS). Three-dimensional MRI sequences were acquired using a 1.5-T Siemens Magnetom. Whole-brain volume and the volume of the amygdala-hippocampus complex (AHC) were assessed using the newly developed software NMRWin. This software provides a semi-automated measure of the whole brain volume, while measurement of substructures requires manual guidance. In addition, the ventricle-brain ratio (VBR) was assessed. All morphometric parameters differed significantly between the two groups. AHC volumes discriminated best between them with only a small overlap. These findings were confirmed when only the data of the mildly demented patients were included in the analysis. The degree of AHC atrophy exceeded that of generalized cerebral atrophy. The severity of dementia as indicated by the MMSE, GDS and BCRS scores was correlated significantly with the volumes of the AHC bilaterally, but not with whole-brain volume or with VBR. These results underline the importance of the mesial temporal substructures in the etiology and progression of DAT and indicate that the volume of the AHC can be monitored by MRI and may be used to follow up the disease process.

[Longterm study of the effectiveness of different dental care programs in school children]. / Langzeitstudien zur Effektivität von unterschiedlichen Betreuungsstrategien bei Schulkindern.

The caries prevalence was examined in children from the first to the tenth grade in Rostock and Krakow between 1974 and 1988. In Krakow, a town with a preventive orientated dental care program, a significance caries reduction was found. Therefore there is an increase of health and an improvement of oral situation for the children on the way to the goals of WHO for oral health by the year 2000.

[Mutagenic substances in amino acid and protein pyrolysates and in heat-treated food]. / Mutagene Substanzen in Aminosäure- und Proteinpyrolysaten sowie hitzebehandelten Lebensmitteln.

Information on the recent knowledge of occurrence and formation of heterocyclic substances as results of the pyrolysis of amino acids and protein as well as of heat-treatment of food is given. Positive results obtained by means of the Ames-test point to the possibility that the tested substances might also have mutagenic or carcinogenic effect on man. Up to now a corroboration of possible delayed lesions could not be definitely proved in animal experiments. It may be taken for granted that the preparation and especially the heat treatment of foods could induce the formation of products being injurious to health. Chemical substances being known in this respect are specified with reference to their occurrence.

Plastics from the aspect of hygiene. A contribution to the estimation of ultra-violet absorbers and light stabilizers from the aspect of hygiene.

In model elution tests migration of 2-hydroxy-3-n-octyloxybenzophenome and its isooctyl derivative from polystyrene and polyolefines and 3,5ditert. butyl 4-hydroxy-[2,4-ditert, butylphenyl]-benzoate from polypropylene always at two concentration levels was investigated. For determination photometric measurements in the ultraviolet zone of the spectrum after a previous separation by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography was used. A very low elution of the studied substances into water and aqueous acid solutions simulated by a solution of acetic acid was found. Migration of the evaluated compounds into 50% alcohol attains---depending on the conditions of the experiment---values in the order of milligrammes per one square dm of the surface of the plastic and is, moreover, 3 to 20 times higher in case of contact with fats or fat-simulating liquids. On the basis of the obtained results and after summarization of the toxicological data it was recommended to adopt a positive standpoint to all the compounds with a restriction of their amount in plastics except for the use of plastics containing these additives which come into contact with fats or fat containing food.

[Analysis of volatile nitrosamines in food of animal origin]. / Beitrag zur Analytik flüchtiger Nitrosamine in tierischen Lebensmitteln.

A method is described for the fluorescence-spectrophotometric densitometric determination of nitrosamines. For this purpose, foods of animal origin are vacuum-distilled, the distilled-over nitrosamines are extracted with methylene chloride from an acid medium and, after cleavage by hydrogen bromide, the corresponding amines are reacted with 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. The purificaton of the extract and the resolution of the corresponding fluorescent amine derivatives are effected simultaneously by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography. The determination is achieved by in situ fluorescence spectrophotometry against test substances on the same slab. This method seems useful for investigations into the formation of nitrosamines in foods of animal origin because it permits to detect nitrosamine concentrations as low as 0.1 microgram/kg of food.

[Migration behavior and toxicology of methyltin stabilizers]. / Migrationsverhalten und Toxikologie von Methylzinnstabilisatoren.

With a view to studying the possible use of methyltin compounds as PVC stabilizers in food industry, the authors elaborated a method for the thin-layer chromatographic and subsequent spectrophotometric or polarographic determination of mono-, di- and trimethyltin compounds in the stabilizer and after migration. Monmethyltin compounds are determined spectrophotometrically after reaction with quercetin. Dimethyltin compounds are incinerated by the wet method using sulphuric and nitric acids, and inorganic tin is then estimated polarographically. Prior to identification trimethyltin compounds must be converted into dimethyltin compounds by ultraviolet irradiation or by treatment with triethylamine and bromine. Corresponding to the different conditions of use, the authors investigated the migration of the methyltin stabilizer from PVC into distilled water, 3% acetic acid, 20% alcohol, 50% alcohol und Fettsimulans HB 307. They stated that its tendency to migration into foods is not greater than that of the octyltin stabilizer. The experimentally obtained migration values are discussed in connexion with toxicological data.

[Antistatic finishing of plastics from food hygiene and toxicological viewpoints]. / Zur antistatischen Ausrüstung von Plasten unter lebensmittelhygienisch-toxikologischen Gesichtspunkten

The authors investigated experimentally the migration behaviour of formed plastics with antistatic finish. The degree of molecular coating on the surface and the rate of diffusion of the antistatics used (ethoxylated amines and alkyl sulphonate) were calculated from the results of washing-off and continuous extraction experiments. The findings are indicative of a good depot effect, i.e. the antistatic action is steadily regenerated by secondary migration. Certain agents such as polyethylene glycol enhance diffusion whereby the values for the migration in normal polystyrene are increased; but this increase is acceptable from the viewpoint of safety. In impact polystyrene, the limiting value for total migration is largely exceeded so that considerable contamination may be expected when it comes in contact with foods. From the viewpoint of food-toxicology, there are concerns about the high specific migration values of alkyl sulphonate. For this reason, its use in the food sector should be limited to such cases where direct contact with foods is excluded.

[Contribution to the migration and toxicology of 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-tert-butyl-5'-methylpheny)-5-chlorobenzotriazole]. / Beitrag zur Migration und Toxikologie von 2-(2'-Hydroxy-3'-tert.butyl-5'-methylphenyl)-5-chlorbenztriazol.

Studies on the use of an ultraviolet-absorbing agent based on hydroxybenzotriazole for commodities of low-pressure and high-pressure polyethylene and polypropylene show that the migration is only slight in aqueous and acidic foods and in foodstuffs with low alcohol content. Sunflower oil, n-heptane (as a fat-stimulating test solution) and 50% ethanol as test solutions yielded higher migration values. Gas chromatographic, polarographic and thin-layer chromatographic methods were used to determine the ultraviolet-absorbing agent. Concerns about a possible photosensitizing effect of 2-(2'-hydroxy-3'-tert-butyl-5'-methylphenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole were experimentally tested and turned out to be unfounded. From the viewpoint of safety, there are no contraindications to the use of polyolefines in packing materials for most foods. As to fat-containing and strongly alcoholic foodstuffs, the authorization should be conditioned on the circumstances of use.

[New results on migration behavior of benzophenone-based UV absorbents from polyolefins in foods]. / Neuere Ergebnisse zum Migrationsverhalten von UV-Absorbern auf Benzophenon-Basis aus Polyolefinen in Lebensmittel

The authors deal with the migration behaviour of bezophenone-based ultraviolet absorbents for commodities of low-pressure polyethylene, high-pressure polyethlene, polypropylene and polystyrene. These ultraviolet-absorbent-stabilized plastics (up to 0.5% of ultraviolet absorbent) show a very slight tendency of the light stabilizers towards migration into aqueous, acid or dilute alcoholic foods. Very high migration values are obtained for sunflower oil, Fettsimulans HB 307 or 50% ethanol. The amount of 2-hydroxy-4-octoxybenzophenone which migrates into fat-free foods is only a fraction of the maximum daily dose; a risk to the consumers' health might thus be excluded. In fat-containing foods, the maximum daily dose is also not reached, but the single migration value is higher than the limit value (100 p.p.m.) for total migration. Consequently, the above ultraviolet absorbents should not be used for the ultraviolet stabilization of plastics designed for packing these products. An evaluation of the safety of ultraviolet absorbents of the Dastib type will be possible only if sufficient toxicological data are available.