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Biomedical subjects

M Wolf

Publications and source records attributed to M Wolf.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Purification and characterization of a major phosphatidylserine-binding phosphoprotein from human platelets.

We describe the isolation, lipid-binding properties and partial amino acid sequence of PS-p68, a novel 68 kDa phosphatidylserine-binding protein from human platelets. PS-p68 is an abundant constituent of platelets, accounting for 0.5-0.75% of total cell protein. It was purified from platelet cytosol by affinity chromatography. Amino acid sequence analysis yielded no similarity to identified proteins. In contrast with most known phospholipid-binding proteins, PS-p68 does not bind Ca2+ and does not require Ca2+ for its binding of phosphatidylserine. Phosphatidylserine binding to PS-p68 was inhibited by phosphatidic acid and by alkylphospholipids. PS-p68 was isolated as a major phosphoprotein from 32P-labelled platelets and was found to function as a protein kinase C substrate in vitro. However, treatment of intact platelets with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, thrombin or carbacyclin did not increase PS-p68 phosphorylation. Platelets appear to be the only blood cells containing PS-p68, which was not detected in neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Tissue-specific expression, hormonal regulation and 5'-flanking gene region of the rat Clara cell 10 kDa protein: comparison to rabbit uteroglobin.

The amino acid sequence of rat Clara Cell 10 kDa secretory protein (CC10) shows 55% identity to rabbit uteroglobin. In order to define the relationship between rat CC10 and rabbit uteroglobin in detail, the tissue-specific expression and hormonal regulation of rat CC10 mRNA was analyzed. We report that like rabbit uteroglobin, rat CC10 mRNA is expressed in lung and esophagus, as well as in uteri of estrogen- and progesterone-treated females. Expression of CC10 mRNA in lung is regulated by glucocorticoids. The similarity in expression pattern of rat CC10 mRNA and rabbit uteroglobin mRNA is reflected by a striking similarity in the 5'-flanking regions of the two genes. Despite this overall similarity, two regions of 0.3 kb and 2.1 kb are absent in the rat CC10 upstream gene region. The larger region includes a cluster of hormone receptor binding sites, believed to be responsible for differential regulation of rabbit uteroglobin by glucocorticoids and progesterone. Thus, while the sequence identities in the coding and 5'-flanking regions point towards a common ancestor for the uteroglobin and CC10 gene, later events (deletions/insertions) might have caused species-specific differences in their regulation.

Animals↗

Familial variant of antithrombin III (AT III Bligny, 47Arg to His) associated with protein C deficiency.

The association of a variant of antithrombin III (AT III Bligny) and protein C deficiency is described in a 36-year-old patient having suffered from severe thrombotic episodes. His mother has protein C deficiency and showed a single episode of thrombophlebitis following surgery. His father, sister and daughter have the variant AT III and are asymptomatic. The abnormal AT III was characterized in plasma by the discrepancy between a normal progressive activity and a reduced heparin cofactor activity. This variant AT III was purified, separated from the normal protein by heparin-Sepharose chromatography and was eluted with increased NaCl concentrations. At pH 7.4, the variant AT III eluted at lower (0.3 to 0.5 M) NaCl concentrations than normal (1 to 1.5 M) AT III, thus demonstrating a decreased affinity for heparin. At pH 6.0, however, the abnormal molecule bound more avidly to heparin-Sepharose and was eluted like normal AT III at pH 7.4. Similarly, the heparin enhancement of intrinsic fluorescence of the variant AT III, markedly reduced at pH 7.4, was normalized at pH 6.0. The abnormal AT III showed a normal antiprotease activity, a normal molecular weight by SDS-PAGE, but displayed only a partial immunological identity with the normal protein. Analysis of amplified genomic DNA from this patient by dot-blot demonstrates a heterozygous substitution of arginine by histidine at position 47.

Adult↗

Circadian variation of nystagmus in healthy and sick subjects.

Rhythmic activity of various biological systems and functions have been investigated extensively. However, information about diurnal variations of the vestibular system is scarce. In the present preliminary report, diurnal variations of the spontaneous and induced nystagmus in healthy subjects and in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders have been assessed. Circadian rhythms of the vestibular responses were demonstrated. In some variables significant differences have been found between health and sick examinees. These differences may have practical clinical implications on diagnosis and treatment.

Adult↗

High-dose chemotherapy with noncryopreserved autologous bone marrow transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission.

Seven patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete remission were treated with escalating high doses of cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). In all patients autologous bone marrow preservation was performed prior to therapy. Bone marrow was stored in blood bags in a refrigerator for 48-72 h at 4 degrees C and then reinfused over a central line. All patients had a full hematological recovery. The mean time of neutropenia (neutrophils less than 500/microliters) was 14 days (range 9-24 days), and the mean time of thrombocytopenia (platelets less than 20,000/microliters) was 9 days (range 7-11 days). The nonhematological toxicity was tolerable with mild to moderate nausea/vomiting, mucositis and diarrhea, and so far not dose-limiting. Six patients remain in complete remission 17+, 9+, 5+, 5+, 4+, and 1+ months after autotransplantation. One patient relapsed 8 months after autotransplantation. High-dose chemotherapy with noncryopreserved bone marrow autotransplantation may be useful as intensified consolidation for patients with AML in first complete remission.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Classification of brain tumours by CT-image Walsh spectra.

Besides clinical and anamnestic data, image information from CT-image data in the tumour border was used for classification of brain tumours. If the image regions are properly selected a classification rate of 85% is obtained with a hierarchic classifier, although our study is based on only 139 patients.

Algorithms↗

Capillary hemangioma of the maxilla. A report of two cases in which angiography and embolization were used.

This article presents two clinical cases of capillary hemangiomas of the maxilla. Such lesions are rare, as demonstrated by the review of the literature included in this article. The presentation, differential diagnosis, histopathology, management, and follow-up for each case are discussed. Our rationale for approaching these types of lesions, as well as our opinion that microembolization should be considered as a first line approach to treatment, is presented.

Adolescent↗

Alternating chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer.

Based on the hypothesis of Goldie and Coldman, rapid cyclic alternating chemotherapy has been supposed to be a favorable treatment modality in small cell lung cancer. This approach has been tested in a large series of trials since the late 70's. A few trials performed randomization between alternating and continuous treatment after a period of initial common continuous therapy. The results of these studies are controversial and their interpretation is complicated by the effects of the continuous pretreatment. Recently, most trials were designed as 2-arm approaches with a comparison of continuous standard therapy based on the CAV- or CMC-protocol with an alternating schedule often consisting of the CAV- or CMC-derived combinations and a second regimen including cisplatinum and/or etoposide. In these trials the addition of the second regimen in the alternating treatment arms has improved the treatment results. However, these trials could not clarify whether this advantage was due to the concept of alternating treatment or to the high activity of new drugs given early in the course of therapy in the alternating treatment arms. To ameliorate this weakness, 3 studies were designed as 3-arms approaches using both alternating protocols as continuous control arms. Whereas one investigation noticed an advantage of the alternating schedule, the two others observed no difference. These studies did not report their criteria for shifting non-responding patients from continuous treatment to second line therapy. The longer these patients stayed on the continuous protocol the more the study design favoured the alternating therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Cytochemical determination of intracellular polymorphonuclear leukocyte elastase content in patients with severe bacterial infection and septicaemia correlated with coagulation parameters.

Haemorrhagic disorders are known to occur during septicaemia. We studied the role of elastase-like protease (ELP) of human granulocytes in the activation and consumption of clotting factors and their specific inhibitors. Patients with septicaemia and severe bacterial infection were examined for ELP content in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PNL), as well as plasma levels of ELP complexed to alpha-1 protease inhibitor, total alpha-1 protease inhibitor (alpha-1 PI), clotting factor VII and partial thromboplastin time (PTT). In all patients, a decrease in ELP content of PNL was accompanied by an increase in plasma ELP complexes. The degree to which ELP content of PNL was lowered was related both to the clinical diagnosis and the course of illness. The ELP content of PNL showed a significant positive correlation with plasma factor VII and significant negative correlations with PTT and alpha-1 PI. These data suggest that ELP release is accompanied by stimulation of the production of alpha-1 PI, and may contribute in vivo to the consumption of coagulation factors. The correlation with PTT might point to an activation of Hageman factor, which may activate both intrinsic coagulation and ELP release. The estimation of ELP content in PNL in patients with septicaemia is likely to represent intravascular ELP release during the inflammatory process. It appears to be useful in combination with the assay of ELP complex in plasma the level of which is influenced by the capacity of the reticuloendothelial system for clearance.

Adult↗

Conservative management of adult epiglottitis.

A 10-year retrospective study of 30 adults suffering from acute epiglottitis is reported. Two clinical forms of onset were noted: gradual and accelerated. Abscess formation was present in 27% of cases. None of the patients required intubation or tracheotomy. In contrast to the accepted interventionist approach in children, conservative management in adults is recommended.

Abscess↗

Application of the chromogenic reaction to conventional silver staining, the Ag-NOR staining and the silver-intensified immunogold technique.

The principle of the chromogenic reaction and the transformation of "black and white" histochemical staining results or immunohistochemical signals to coloured microscopic images is described. The chromogenic reaction was optimized and is, so far, possible with either cyan-blue or magenta-red reaction products. The application of the chromogenic reaction to conventional silver stain was optimal in the Lendrum staining resulting in red or blue stained reticulin fibres. The Ag-NOR staining of the nucleolus organizing region (NOR) could be transformed by the same reaction to coloured reaction products as well as the silver-intensified immunogold technique in immunocytochemistry.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Prognostic value of response to chemotherapy using ultrasound in lung cancer with metastatic liver involvement.

Between January 1981 and December 1989, a total of 205 patients with lung cancer were treated in different multicenter trials in our hospital. In 130 cases, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), and in 75 cases, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was diagnosed. Abdominal sonography for pretreatment staging revealed liver metastasis in 59 patients (42 SCLC, 17 NSCLC), sonographic patterns of liver metastasis were described and the prognostic significance of evaluation of response according to abdominal ultrasound after the first two cycles of treatment was investigated. For both histological types of lung cancer, the hypoechoic or isoechoic (80%), small noduled (97%) liver metastasis with multifocal spread (86%) was found to be typical. Sonographic follow-up examinations for liver metastasis were performed in 46 patients (35 SCLC, 11 NSCLC), and 134 chemotherapy cycles. Response to chemotherapy according to abdominal ultrasound was seen in only 3 out of 11 patients with NSCLC (27%) and 17 out of 35 with SCLC (49%). Best response was achieved after the first two cycles with only 6 patients (6 SCLC, 0 NSCLC) exhibiting complete liver metastasis remission. All other patients exhibited on ultrasound a progressive or non-responsive illness. In summary, sonography is reliable with respect to the diagnosis and follow-up examination of liver metastases in lung cancer. A lack of metastasis regression subsequent to the first two cycles of therapy is associated with poor prognosis and continued treatment cannot be justified in such patients.

Adult↗

[Severe thrombocytopenia induced by heparin in an infant with acute myocarditis].

A severe heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is reported in a child suffering from acute myocarditis. Thrombocytopenia (80.10(9)/l) occurred on day 5 (D5) of heparin therapy which was thus discontinued during 8 hours but reintroduced on the view of a negative platelet aggregation test using standard heparin. On D10, while thrombocytopenia persisted the presence of two intra-cardiac thrombi led to replace standard heparin by low molecular weight heparin (Fraxiparin), associated with vitamin K antagonist (phenindione). On D12, a 3rd intra-cardiac thrombus required immediate discontinuation of Fraxiparin therapy. Platelet aggregation tests performed on D14 were positive in the presence of standard heparin and of low molecular weight heparin, thus demonstrating the existence of thrombocytopenia induced by standard heparin and secondly by low molecular weight heparin. This observation led the authors to discuss the diagnosis and the therapeutic management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Acute Disease↗

[Recent developments in x-ray luminescent imaging systems].

The paper is a survey on the latest developments in luminescent x-ray imaging systems. Special attention was given to two problems, the reduction of cross-over in screen-film-systems by variation of the spectrum of luminescence and the development of digital storage phosphor systems. Recent developments in the evaluation of x-ray luminescent screens are also discussed.

Humans↗

[Metaphylaxis of puerperal disorders in cattle].

The effects of metaphylactic measures in cattle herds with the aim of diminishing puerperal disturbances and ensurement of high reproductive performance were studied. About 5000 cows in more than 30 groups (experimental and controls) were included into the clinical investigations. Dietary supplementation by sodium propionic acid over a period of 4 weeks, oxytocin or parasympathomimetics administered during the first 3 days post partum had a certain metaphylactic effect, only when the therapeutic principle met the prevalent cause of the given puerperal disturbance. In herds with high incidence of noninfectious retention of fetal membranes the metaphylactic application of Se and Vitamin E (10 days ante partum) can be taken into account. Stimulation of the ovarian activity by GnRH is recommended in animals which fail to have developed follicular activity by the 12th-15th day post partum.

Animals↗