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Biomedical subjects

B Ramot

Publications and source records attributed to B Ramot.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Antibodies to Epstein-Barr viral capsid and early antigens associated with Burkitt's lymphoma and lymphoblastic lymphosarcoma in Israel.

Before and/or after chemotherapy was administered to patients with Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) or lymphoblastic lymphosarcoma (LLS), their sera and those of matched controls were tested for antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) capsid antigen (VCA) and early antigen by the indirect immunofluorescence method. Ten of the 16 BL patients were Arab children and 8 of the 11 LLS patients were Jews of Asian-African origin. Although half the BL patients did not have elevated antibody titers when their disease was diagnosed, significantly higher ones were detected in the BL group as compared with the LLS patients and their matched controls; Arab patients had the highest titers. IgM antibodies specific for VCA were found in 2 patients concurrently with elevated titers. We found no correlation between the clinical course of BL and the patients' antibody titers to EBV.

Adolescent↗

Blood leucocyte enzymes. III. Diurnal rhythm of activity in isolated lymphocytes of normal subjects and chronic lymphatic leukaemia patients.

The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP oxidoreductase, G6PD), 6 phosphate glucono dehydrogenase (6 phospho-D-gluconate: NADP oxidoreductase, 6PGD) lactate dehydrogenase (D-lactate: NAD oxidoreductase, LDH), glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (L-aspartate: 2-oxo-glutarate aminotransferase, GOT) and hexokinase (ATP: D-hexo-6-phosphotrans-ferase, Hx) were measured over 24 h in isolated lymphocytes of normal subjects and in white cells of patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL). The activitty patterns of all enzymes in the normal lymphocytes were similar. A computed pattern of all the results exhibited a circadian rhythm of activity with the highest level at 16.00 hours. The oscillations in the activities of the same enzymes in the CLL cells differed among the patients, although all the enzymes of the same individual showed a similar diurnal rhythmic pattern. All peaks in this group appeared between 20.00 and 08.00 hours. The possible importance of these observations in setting up therapeutic schedules was raised.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

The diurnal rhythm of enzymes in human red cells.

The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP oxidoreductase, G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-phospho-d-gluconate: NADP oxidoreductase, 6PGD), hexokinase (ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, HK), lactic dehydrogeanse (L-lactate: NAD oxidoreductase, LDH) and aspirate aminotransferase (L-aspartate: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, Asp.T) were determined in red blood cells of 11 healthy individuals. The determinations were carried out on samples drawn every 4 h over a 24 h period. The activities of G6PD, 6PGD, LDH and Asp.T exhibited a semi-circadian rhythm, namely, two peaks of activity during 24 h while HK activity demonstrated a true circadian rhythm. In addition a polymorphism of the G6PD and LDH activity patterns was observed. The implications of a biological clock in enucleated cells are discussed.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

The distribution of B and T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with Hodgkin's disease.

The distribution of thymus-dependent (T cells) and bone marrow-derived lymphocytes (B cells) was studied in 74 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 33 normal controls. A T cell deficit was found in untreated patients as well as in long-term survivors in remission. Therapy slightly enhanced the T cell depletion in Hodgkin's disease patients. Concomitant with this finding was slight increase of B cells.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Preleukemia and leukemia in polycythemia vera.

A group of 76 polycythemia vera patients was followed prospectively with bone marrow examinations at regular intervals. Six terminated in acute leukemia, preceded by an indolent preleukemic phase succeeded by a very fulminant leukemia. At autopsy, all patients had extramedullary hematopoiesis. In one of them, only the bone marrow was leukemic, suggesting that it was the primary site of this transformation. In three with leukemic involvement of nonhematopoietic organs, the infiltrate consisted of myelo- or myelomonoblasts and normoblasts. The preleukemic phase was characterized by a rapidly evolving spontaneous pancytopenia, with a drop from polycythemic blood counts within 2 mo. In the bone marrow, megaloblastoid erythropoiesis with ring sideroblasts was prominent. A similar preleukemic phase evolving in other potentially leukemic conditions, has been described. Therefore, in patients at risk, the appearance of ring sideroblasts may be regarded as an early indicator of imminent acute leukemic transformation.

Acute Disease↗

A family with red cell pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency.

Congenital hemolytic anemia associated with pyrimidine 5'-nucleotidase deficiency is reported in two siblings. Both have had moderate chronic hemolytic anemia, splenomegaly, and jaundice since early infancy. The peripheral blood smear is characterized by striking red cell basophilic stippling. As this feature has been found in all previously reported cases, it should be the clue to the diagnosis.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital↗

Prophylactic central nervous system therapy in childhood acute lymphatic leukemia. Effect of poor-risk patients on the results.

The results of treatment in a group of 50 children with acute lymphatic leukemia are summarized. A comparison was made between those who received prophylactic central nervous systen (CNS) therapy on attaining complete remission and those who did not. Although none of the prophylactically treated children developed CNS leukemia, the expected prolongation of median complete remission time was not achieved. It was found that there was a high percentage of poor-risk patients in the CNS-treated group, and these patients relapsed early in the course of the disease. The prevention of CNS leukemia, a late complication of the disease, did not change the natural course of the disease in poor-risk patients. A need exists for new treatment protocols aimed at better control of the disease in these poor-risk cases.

Adolescent↗

Prognostic parameters in myeloid metaplasia: agnogenic versus postpolycythemic.

Thirty-nine patients with myelofibrosis and myeloid metaplasia were diagnosed and followed during the period 1955-74. Twenty-eight suffered from agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and 11 from myeloid metaplasia following polycythemia vera. In an attempt to compare the two groups and to define prognostic guidelines, an analysis of survival with respect to various clinical parameters was made. The median survival time of patients with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia was seven years as opposed to only 28 months for the poltpolycythemic group. Older age at diagnosis, a large spleen, or its rapid enlargement, anemia and leukocytosis, but not thrombocytopenia, had a marked negative effect on survival. The clinical condition of most patients was remarkably stable during the entire course of their disease. If a significant drop in hemoglobin occurred, it was sudden, and caused by gastrointestinal hemorrhage or the development of acute leukemia. No demonstrable effect of therapy on survival was found.

Adolescent↗

Clinical and genetic aspects of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia in Israel: report of 22 cases.

Twenty two patients (12 males and 10 females) from all over Israel fulfilled the criteria for establishing the diagnosis of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia. All have been observed to have a servere bleeding tendency since infancy or early childhood. In 8 out of 10 adult patients (7 females and 3 males) the bleeding manifestations have persisted over the years. In 2 adult patients major surgery was performed under platelet transfusions which appeared to prevent excessive bleeding. Pedigree analysis was possible for 21 patients who belong to 13 unrelated kindreds. Twelve kindreds are Jewish and one is Arab. Eleven of the 12 Jewish kindreds belong to the Iraqi Jewish community. Analysis of 16 sibships disclosed a corrected segregation ratio of 0.2, which is compatible with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. No bleeding manifestation whatsoever were observed in 30 obligatory carriers of thrombasthania, and the haemostatic functions tested in 12 of them were entirely normal.

Adolescent↗

Restoration of cellular immune response by levamisole in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

Cellular responses were studied in patients with Hodgkin's disease before and after levamisole treatment "in vivo" by measuring delayed skin reactivity to various antigens (PPD, Mumps, Candida and SK-SD), and "in vitro" by evaluating lymphocyte capacity to form spontaneous rosettes and to react to the T-cell mitogen PHA. Levamisole was found to significantly increase both the delayed skin reactivity and the number of T-rosette forming lymphocytes. Patients within two years from irradiation had reduced reactivity to PHA and in them levamisole significantly increased this reactivity. On the other hand, patients who had been irradiated more than two years prior to the study had normal reactivity to PHA which tended to decrease under levamisole treatment. It is concluded that levamisole restores the depressed cellular immunity in patients with Hodgkin's disease and its administration might be indicated in patients, especially in the immediate post-irradiation period.

Hodgkin Disease↗

Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in patients with Hodgkin's disease and leukemia.

Sera from 67 Hodgkin's disease patients, 71 leukemia patients, and 186 healthy subjects were tested for antibodies to Epstein-Barr (EB) viral antigens by immunofluorescence methods. In both disease categories, in particular Hodgkin's disease patients, levels of antibodies to the viral capsid antigen (EBV-VCA) and MGT were higher than in the healthy controls. Significantly higher titers were found in Jewish patients of Asian-African origin, as compared to Jews of European origin, with Arab patients as intermediates. The effect of ethnic origin was independant of age and histopathologic type. Sex had no effect on titer. Inconsistent differences in titer were found between age groups in the various ethnic-histopathologic type groups. Some of the leukemia patients had no detectable antibodies to EBV, while all Hodgkin's disease patients showed previous contact with EB virus. Antibodies to the early antigen (EBV-EA) were found in 27% of Hodgkin's and 37% of leukemia patients, and in none of the healthy controls tested.

Adolescent↗

Childhood Hodgkin's disease in Israel. A study of 17 cases.

A study of 17 children suffering from Hodgkin's disease (H.D.) is presented. The special ethnic distribution with predominance in Arab and Oriental Jewish children is noted. A high incidence of mixed cellularity histology in Arab children is emphasized. A conservative approach to therapy, i.e. extended field regional radiotherapy only, resulted in a long first complete remission period in lymphocyte predominance and nodular sclerosis H.D. Stages IA and IIA. All children in Stage IIIB and IV were treated by six courses of combined chemotherapy, and were maintained either on chlorambucil and vinblastine or on MOPP. Patients with mixed cellularity H.D. Stage IIA and all patients in Stage IIIA were treated by four courses of MOPP after the completion of extended regional radiotherapy. The 5 children who did not receive the schedules treatment died. The remaining 12 are well, with a survival of 8 to 104 months.

Adolescent↗

Blood leucocyte enzymes. II. Activities at 8-9 a.m. in cells of normal subjects, chronic lymphatic leukaemia and chronic myeloid leukaemia patients.

The activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP oxidoreductase, G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-phospho-D-gluconate: NADP oxidoreductase, 6PGD), hexokinase (ATP: D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, Hx), lactate dehydrogenase (D-lactate: NAD oxidoreductase, LDH). glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (L-aspartate: 2 oxoglutarate aminotransferase, GOT) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) were measured at 8 a.m. in leucocytes of healthy individuals and patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL), myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia and polycythaemia vera. In view of the heterogeneity of the leucocyte populations in these conditions, the enzyme activities were correlated to the number of immature cells in CML and to the percentage of lymphocytes in CLL. No differences in the enzyme activities were found between the white cells of healthy individuals, myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia and polycythaemia vera. In CML the activities of all enzymes except GOT correlated directly with the number of immature cells; an inverse correlation with the number of lymphocytes was observed in CLL. GOT was the only enzyme whose activity correlated with the number of lymphocytes in the cell suspension. Furthermore, a significantly higher activity of this enzyme was found in Ficoll-isolated CLL lymphocytes as compared to normal lymphocytes.

Aspartate Aminotransferases↗

Complement-sensitive red cells in aplastic anemia.

In view of the clinical association of aplastic anemia (AA) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), the complement-dependent lysis of the youngest red cells of AA patients was studied. A complement-sensitive population of young red cells was found in five of six patients with AA. These cells were rapidly cleared from the circulation and were undetectable in the oldest cell fraction. Such cells were not found in normal controls or in a variety of hematologic disorders, with the exception of PNH. This study suggests that in most patients with AA, even without any clinical manifestations of PNH, there is a population of dyserythropoietic, short-lived complement-sensitive cells.

Acetylcholinesterase↗