Current immunosuppressive strategies in kidney transplantation.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Schilling.
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Glycopeptides with TN antigen (GalNAc)Ser/Thr and T-antigen structures (beta Gall-3GalNAc)Ser/Thr, described as tumor-associated antigens, were synthesized and coupled to bovine serum albumin. Alternatively, synthetic methods for the construction of beta-anomeric analogues of the TN and T-antigen glycopeptides were developed, aiming at antigenic structures having a varied stereochemistry of the linkage between the carbohydrate and the peptide moiety. As a further type of potential tumor-associated antigen, fucosyl-chitobiose asparagine glycopeptides were synthesized, deprotected, and coupled to bovine serum albumin. The chemical methods developed now make the complex sensitive glycoprotein partial structures accessible in analytically pure form and in preparative amounts.
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Two categories of compounds, substrates of sulfation and sulfate analogs, were tested for the ability to inhibit sulfation of macromolecules secreted by HepG2 cells. Several compounds which most effectively inhibited sulfation without toxic effects on cells were tested for their relative inhibition of sulfation of tyrosine residues (using the fourth component of complement as a model substrate), of N-linked oligosaccharides (alpha 2HS-glycoprotein as substrate), and of proteoglycans. Inhibitors decreased the sulfation of all three classes of substrate, but not always equally. Use of inhibitors from both categories in combination yielded synergistic effects, with more effective inhibition of sulfation and low toxicity. Such combinations of inhibitors should provide a valuable tool for probing the significance of the sulfation of macromolecules.
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Presented is an alternative surgical anchoring technique which alleviates the need for button, bolster, and osseous fixation devices. This method can be applied to the fixation of tendon and ligamentous structures in the foot and ankle. The available fixation tension is increased, while the potential for complications from hardware is eliminated.
The early detection of changes in the bones of the hand in hormonal and metabolic osteopathies is possible with the aid of soft tissue immersion radiographic technique combined with "microradioscopy". The informational value of this special method of investigation will be demonstrated by several examples from the 286 examinations of accentuated osteoporotic and osteomalacic and hyperparathyroidism changes of the skeleton. Structural changes in the normally mineralized and poorly mineralized bone as well as the neighbouring soft tissue (joint capsule, tendons, subdermal fatty tissue) and the skin layer itself can be demonstrated. Examinations following therapy in the hospital or in private practice using this painless special method can demonstrate changes of the macrostructure and during the process of healing within the bone.
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The contributions of monotic intelligibility to the right ear advantage for speech presented dichotically were examined in 3 experiments. The first experiment was mainly a replication of an earlier study by Speaks and Bissonette. Signal level in the right ear (RE) was attenuated and, separately, signal level in the left ear was amplified relative to 4 different reference intensities. Dichotic performance was not sensitive to absolute interaural-intensitive differences, but rather to something approaching an absolute sound pressure level. Thus, the RE advantage was affected only when signal level in one ear was sufficiently low (less than 60 dB SPL) to be near or below the "knee" of the monotic intelligibility function. That contention received support from the second experiment in which RE attenuation was introduced in both quiet and noise. Noise shifted the monotic intelliagibility function, and, as a consequence, less RE attenuation was required to cancel the RE advantage in noise than in quiet. The third experiment was conducted on a listener whose monotic intelligibility functions for the 2 ears were separated by 20 dB. The size and direction of the dichotic ear advantage, even though assessed at intensities that yielded 100% monotic intelligibility for both ears, depended on the proximity of the test intensity to the knees of the 2 monotic intelligibility functions. The results of all 3 experiments suggest that performance on a dichotic task does not involve central-level interactions exclusively.
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BACKGROUND: The overall frequency and severity of viral respiratory infections affecting residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is not well described. This is due primarily to the cumbersome and expensive techniques required for adequate surveillance of respiratory illnesses and the associated costs and availability of a laboratory capable of the relevant and timely report of diagnostic tests. Here we describe our technique for surveillance of respiratory illness in the LTCF. Elements of it may serve as strategies for routine care. METHODS: Nurses were trained to record respiratory complaints and to track them using a histogram-based calendar charting system. For the research technique, all new illnesses during the winter months, no matter how minor, were sampled for viral culture. RESULTS: Influenza A and B, parainfluenza types 1 through 4, herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were detected in the nursing homes studied. Outbreaks of influenza were documented annually by prospective surveillance. Outbreaks of parainfluenza type 1 and RSV indistinguishable clinically from influenza were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Intense surveillance for respiratory illness and viral pathogens using the described research technique identified viral activity reliably on an annual basis in several large LTCFs. Elements of the research protocol may be adapted for general use to create a cost-effective surveillance program for LTCFs that have limited resources. Such a technique is essential for implementing effective measures for outbreak prevention and control.
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. It is characterized by its unresponsiveness to chemo- and/or radiotherapy. Therefore, many patients demand alternative drug therapy such as mistletoe treatment. However, there are no controlled data available analyzing the effect of mistletoe treatment in pancreatic cancer. In the present phase I/II study we evaluated the effect of mistletoe (Eurixor) treatment in 16 patients (7 women, 9 men) with histologically verified ductal pancreatic carcinoma. At the time when the patients were enrolled nine patients had lymph node metastases (stage III), and in 7 patients distant metastases (stage IV) were present. Mistletoe was administered twice a week by subcutaneous injection in a dosage of 1 ng per kg body weight. Monthly follow-ups included clinical status, multidimensional evaluation of quality of life, contrast enhanced computed axial tomography scan (CT scan) or ultrasonography, and determination of the tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9). Apart from one anaphylactic reaction, which necessitated suspension of treatment for a few days, no severe side effects were observed. No partial or complete remission was seen. Eight patients (50%) showed a CT-verified status of "no change" according to World Health Organization criteria for at least 8 weeks. Median survival time in all patients was 5.6 months (range 1.5 to 26.5 months). Analysis of multidimensional evaluation of quality of life showed a stable course of disease in 7 patients. All except two patients claimed that mistletoe had a positive effect on their quality of life, with an obvious decline only during the last weeks of life. These results indicate that mistletoe is not able to significantly influence tumor growth in advanced pancreatic carcinomas. However, mistletoe treatment can stabilize quality of life, and therefore may help patients to maintain adequate life quality in their few remaining months.