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J Herrmann

Publications and source records attributed to J Herrmann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Sequence and specificity of a soluble lactose-binding lectin from Xenopus laevis skin.

A 16-kDa lactose-binding lectin comprises 5% or more of the soluble protein in Xenopus laevis skin. This lectin is mainly localized in the cytoplasm of granular gland cells. In response to stress, the lectin along with a variety of toxic and antibiotic peptides are released onto the skin surface by holocrine secretion. We have purified the lectin, sequenced tryptic peptides using tandem mass spectrometry and Edman degradation, and isolated full-length cDNA using a deduced oligonucleotide. Comparison of the cDNA and peptide sequences revealed expression of at least two isolectins, which differ in sequence at only two or three amino acids. Comparison of cDNA with complementary message by ribonuclease protection confirmed expression in approximately equal abundance of two nearly identical messages. The major soluble lactose-binding lectin expressed in Xenopus muscle is composed of these same isolectins, but at 100-fold lower levels. Similarities and distinctions in sequence and carbohydrate-binding specificity indicate that this lectin is a novel member of a family of soluble lactose-binding lectins expressed in a wide range of vertebrate tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

The translocation t(1;22)(p13;q13) is a nonrandom marker specifically associated with acute megakaryocytic leukemia in young children.

We present the nonrandom occurrence, frequency, and degree of immunophenotype association of the t(1;22)(p13;q13) in children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). This karyotype anomaly occurred in leukemia cells from five of 445 (1.1%) children with newly diagnosed ANLL who were successfully studied by cytogenetic analysis at four European centers between January 1987 and January 1992. The occurrence of the t(1;22) was restricted to the French-American-British classification (FAB) subtype M7. The overall incidence in children with acute megakaryocytic leukemia (AMKL) was 27.8% (5/18 cases); in infants with AMKL, the frequency of the t(1;22) was 66.7% (4/6 cases). Three of the patients carrying this anomaly had a diploid karyotype, whereas in two cases a hyperdiploid karyotype was found. However, in all five patients, the t(1;22) was the only translocation event present at diagnosis. All patients received aggressive chemotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Two patients died within 15 months of diagnosis without entering remission. One of three patients who entered remission died 7 months after diagnosis, most likely from intramedullar hemorrhage. Only two of the five children with the t(1;22) who received autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) are alive and in complete remission (CR) 23 and 40 months after diagnosis, respectively. At the time of diagnosis, the age of the oldest child carrying the t(1;22) was 18 months. The cases with this chromosome anomaly were compared with an age-matched group of five children with AMKL lacking this translocation. The patients with the t(1;22) had a lower median value of the peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count and a higher median hemoglobin level than the patients from the matched group. In the latter cases, normocellular or hypercellular bone marrow (BM) was detected at diagnosis. In contrast, all children with the t(1;22) in our series had a hypocellular BM. Histological BM analyses were available in three of these patients and showed marked fibrosis. Other clinical and laboratory parameters showed no obvious differences between the matched groups. Despite intensive chemotherapy, AMKL in children appears to be associated with a poor prognosis. The clinical courses of the children with AMKL and the t(1;22) presented may be indicative of a beneficial effect of autologous BMT in this subset of patients.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1992

Trisomy 15 with loss of the paternal 15 as a cause of Prader-Willi syndrome due to maternal disomy.

Uniparental disomy has recently been recognized to cause human disorders, including Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). We describe a particularly instructive case which raises important issues concerning the mechanisms producing uniparental disomy and whose evaluation provides evidence that trisomy may precede uniparental disomy in a fetus. Chorionic villus sampling performed for advanced maternal age revealed trisomy 15 in all direct and cultured cells, though the fetus appeared normal. Chromosome analysis of amniocytes obtained at 15 wk was normal in over 100 cells studied. The child was hypotonic at birth, and high-resolution banding failed to reveal the deletion of 15q11-13, a deletion which is found in 50%-70% of patients with PWS. Over time, typical features of PWS developed. Molecular genetic analysis using probes for chromosome 15 revealed maternal disomy. Maternal nondisjunction with fertilization of a disomic egg by a normal sperm, followed by loss of the paternal 15, is a likely cause of confined placental mosaicism and uniparental disomy in this case of PWS, and advanced maternal age may be a predisposing factor.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Reference intervals for serum thyrotropin: dependence on the population investigated.

In order to elucidate possible differences of reference intervals in various populations, serum basal thyrotropin (TSH) was measured in euthyroid healthy volunteers (N = 170), in thyroid out-patients (N = 215), in geriatric (N = 354) and in seriously ill (N = 32) patients. The results, except in the healthy control subjects, were compared to the TSH responses (delta TSH) in the Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone test. Normal ranges calculated from the basal TSH of the euthyroid groups of different age were similar. There was a significant positive correlation of basal to delta TSH in all groups but the regression equations expressing the qualitative connection of basal and delta TSH were rather different. The basal TSH cut off point predicting a positive TRH-test (i.e. euthyroidism) with more than 95% probability was higher in the geriatric groups (greater than 0.7 mU/l versus greater than 0.4 mU/l in the other groups). In thyroid out-patients and geriatric patients a measurable (greater than 0.1 mU/l) basal TSH indicated measurable delta TSH (thus excluding clinical hyperthyroidism), while in seriously ill patients only a basal TSH greater than 0.2 mU/l was reliably predictive in this respect. Thus, various populations have different reference intervals for TSH. This fact must be considered when the sensitive TSH is used in different populations as the primary screening parameter for thyroid dysfunctions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[A registry of medullary thyroid cancer in West Germany].

A register for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in FRG has been set up by the "German Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Study Group" in 1988. The aim is to provide a basis for collaborative work on MTC especially in the hereditary forms (i.e. multiple endocrine neoplasia [MEN] type IIa, IIb). For these hereditary varieties reliable screening tests exist and, if the disease is detected by family screening in an early stage, curative surgery is possible. Until now 408 patients (234 female, 174 male) with MTC have been reported by 17 cooperative centers. The mean age at diagnosis was 45.5 years. 25% (n = 104) are hereditary forms, most of them MEN IIa (n = 86), 13 are MEN IIb and 18 belong to the familial variety without other endocrinopathy. The mean age at diagnosis for MEN IIa was 36.5 years, MEN IIb 26.9 and for the pure familial form 27.5 years. As 33 patients per year have been diagnosed since 1982, nearly 25% of all expected cases of MTC in FRG have been registered.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Aluminum accumulation in a lotic mayfly at low pH--a laboratory study.

The authors experimentally studied the occurrence of aluminum (Al) accumulation in nymphs of the mayfly Heptagenia sulphurea at low pH (4.5). Nymphs were exposed to two Al concentrations (0.2 and 2 mg inorganic Al liter-1), and two exposure times (2 and 4 weeks), the longer time period also including a molting phase. The major part of the Al was deposited on/in the exuviae of the nymphs, as Al determination in nymphs showed a 70% decrease in Al content after molting. When nymphs were exposed for two instar periods, with a molt in between. Al content almost doubled (2.34 mg Al g-1 dry wt) compared with that of a one-instar treatment (1.24 mg Al g-1 dry wt). This indicated that Al also accumulated within the mayfly nymphs. Determination of Al in emerged adults confirmed that most of the metal was deposited externally on the nymphs. No clear indications of Al accumulation were found in this short-term experiment. The implications for food-web accumulation of Al are that internally accumulated Al may be transferred to terrestrial predators by mayflies and other aquatic insects that leave their final exuvium in the water. However, aquatic insects that make their final molt in the terrestrial environment, and thereby bring adsorbed Al out of the water are more likely vectors.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1990

Screening of geriatric patients for thyroid dysfunction with thyrotropin-releasing-hormone test, sensitive thyrotropin and free thyroxine estimation.

Hospitalized geriatric patients (N = 354) from an iodine-deficient area were screened with sensitive thyrotropin (TSH), free and total thyroxine (FT4, T4) and total triiodothyronine (T3) to determine the occurrence rate of clinical and subclinical thyroid dysfunction. The diagnostic value of the tests was compared to each other and to that of the thyrotropin-releasing-hormone test (TRH-test) in order to find the optimal first line screening test in geriatric patients. Clinical hyperthyroidism was found in 13, subclinical hyperthyroidism in 10, overt hypothyroidism in 6 and subclinical hypothyroidism in 8 cases. 20.6% of the patients were euthyroid but had subnormal TSH response to TRH, as a sign of possible thyroid autonomy. The low occurrence rate of clinical thyroid disorders (4.8%) does not justify the screening of geriatric patients in general, but the high probability of thyroid autonomy makes reasonable the investigation of every geriatric patient before iodine administration. Suppressed basal TSH and high FT4 were found to be both sensitive and specific in diagnosing clinical hyperthyroidism, but the predictive value was insufficient; elevated T4 and T3 are specific, but not sensitive. Basal TSH is sensitive, specific and has a good predictive value in diagnosing euthyroidism, whereas normal T4, FT4 or T3 are not specific enough for euthyroidism. Basal TSH is better as a first line test of thyroid function than FT4. A normal basal TSH confirms euthyroidism by itself. Other tests (TRH test, T4, FT4, T3) are necessary to elucidate the clinical importance of a subnormal or suppressed basal TSH.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Multimodal therapy for the management of nonpelvic, localized Ewing's sarcoma of bone: intergroup study IESS-II.

Two hundred fourteen eligible patients with previously untreated, localized Ewing's sarcoma of bone were randomized on IESS-II to receive Adriamycin (ADR; doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dactinomycin by either a high-dose intermittent method (treatment [trt] 1) or a moderate-dose continuous method (trt 2) similar to the four-drug arm of IESS-I. Patient characteristics (sex, primary site, type of surgery) were stratified at the time of registration; these and other patient characteristics (age, time from symptoms to diagnosis, race) were distributed similarly between treatments. Surgical resection was encouraged, but not mandatory. Local radiation therapy was the same as for IESS-I. The median follow-up time is 5.6 years. The overall outcome was significantly better on trt 1 than on trt 2. At 5 years, the estimated percentages of patients who were disease-free, relapse-free, and surviving were 68%, 73%, and 77% for trt 1 and 48%, 56%, and 63% for trt 2 (P = .02, .03, and .05, respectively). The major reason for treatment failure for both treatment groups was the development of metastatic disease. The lung was the most common site of metastases followed by bone sites. The combined incidence of severe or worse toxicity (67%) was comparable between the treatments; however, severe or worse cardiovascular toxicity was significantly greater on trt 1. Tne only treatment-associated deaths (N = 3) were on trt 1 and were cardiac-related.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Clinical aspects of the detection of early arthrosis. Degenerative changes of the menisci of the knee joint].

In a series of 420 persons the knee and hip joints were examined anamnestically and clinically. From this series, 146 persons were selected for further examination of one knee joint by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a 1.5 Tesla Magnetom; there was a wide range of indications. Only four MRIs showed no pathological findings in the cruciate ligaments, cartilage surfaces, or menisci. Fifty-one menisci showed grade 3 degenerative changes. In 29 cases (57%), isolated horizontal tears were found, in 1 case (2%) an isolated vertical tear, and in 3 cases (6%) combined horizontal and vertical tears. The correlation of the degenerative changes in the medial meniscus and age was significant (P = 0.01). There was no correlation between the degenerative changes of the medial meniscus and femoral or tibial changes of the cartilage. In this series, there was no significant connection between degenerative changes of the medial meniscus and the previously accepted clinical symptomatology.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Computer-controlled sequencing of peptides by tandem mass spectrometry.

A fully automated computer-controlled system was used to generate series of different linked scans at constant B2E and constant neutral loss in the second field-free region. This system has been shown to be suitable for deriving the amino acid sequence of oligopeptides.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone in geriatric patients: intravenous versus intranasal application.

The effect of intravenous versus intranasal TRH stimulation was compared in geriatric patients. In patients receiving both iv and nasal tests (N = 35) there was a good correlation between the TSH responses, but in 3 cases the suspicion of inadequate nasal TRH effect arose. The coefficient of correlation of basal to delta TSH was better in iv tested patients (116 patients in each group, one half having a positive the other half a negative TRH test). In the majority of patients with suspicious incongruity of basal and delta TSH the nasal test was done. The specificity and sensitivity of various basal TSH 'cut-off' points to predict a positive TRH test were better in patients with iv TRH tests (in each group 96 consecutively admitted patients). Insufficiency of the nasal test in geriatric patients is mainly explained by the inability of the old people to aspirate the nasal spray effectively. Besides the advantages of iv TRH application in geriatric patients, the frequency of adverse reactions (14% versus 0%) must be considered. Thus, in a hospitalized geriatric patient, the TRH test should be performed iv in the recumbent position; however, for examination of geriatric outpatients the nasal test is recommended.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1989

Antigenic reactivity of matrix protein and nucleoprotein of influenza virus as detected by EIA after dissociation with different detergents.

Solid phase enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) was employed to assess the antigenic reactivity of matrix protein (M) and nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A virus adsorbed to polystyrene in the presence of different detergents such as beta-octaglucoside (OG), Triton X-100, Tween-20, sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), sodium deoxycholate (Doch-Na), Nonidet P-40 (NP-40), and sarcosyl at concentrations ranging from 0 to 2%. The antigenic reactivity of NP was the highest in the absence of detergents. For M protein, Doch-Na, SDS, NP-40 and sarcosyl of 0.05-0.1% enhanced the chromatophoric response in EIA 1.5-2 times. In contrast, the antigenic reactivity of M protein remained unchanged after OG or Triton X-100 treatments, and it decreased in the presence of Tween-20.

Adsorption↗