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Biomedical subjects

M Zimmermann

Publications and source records attributed to M Zimmermann.

428 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome].

Forty-four children, aged between 0.4 and 16.2 years (median 2.0 years) with Down's syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) including subacute megakaryoblastic leukemia (M7) were diagnosed between 1980 and 1986 (group 1, n = 16) or between 1987 and 1992 (group 2, n = 28). The leukemic blasts from Down's syndrome patients often proved difficult to classify. In group 1 the most frequent diagnoses were FAB M5 (6 pts.), M6 (3 pts.), in 3 patients the morphological diagnosis of M7 can retrospectively be assumed. In group 2, 15 of 28 patients were classified as M7, in 3 patients based on morphology alone, and in the other 12 patients confirmed by immunophenotyping or biopsy. The other children in group 2 were classified as: FAB M0 (3 pts.), M1 (1 pt.), M4 (2 pts.), M5 (2 pts.), M6 (4 pts.), M6/M7 (1 pt.). Initially, the latter and 10 of the patients with M7 presented with < 30% of blasts in the bone marrow. Karyotyping in 12 of 13 children frequently revealed numeric abnormalities, particularly trisomies involving chromosomes 8 (n = 6), 11 (n = 3), 21 (n = 3) and 14 (n = 1) in addition to the constitutional + 21c. Six patients in group 1 received no specific treatment, while 10 children were treated according to the protocols AML-BFM-78 or -83. Four of them are still alive for more than 5 years, two others died from infections in remission after 1.0 and 3.8 years. Fourteen of the 28 patients in group 2 did not receive any chemotherapy (10 with M7), and subsequently died.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[NHL-BFM 90 therapy study in treatment of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in children and adolescents. Part 2: An intermediate term analysis of the non-B-NHL therapy group. BFM Study group].

The goals of study NHL-BFM 90 for the therapy group Non-B NHL are to prospectively evaluate the dynamic of tumor regression and the persistence of a residual mass after induction therapy for its prognostic impact. Patients (pts) of stages I and II receive induction composed of prednisone, vincristine (VCR), daunorubicin, L-asparaginase (L-ASP), cyclophosphamide (CP), cytarabine (ARA-C), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and intrathecally (i.th.) methotrexate (MTX), followed by consolidation (6-MP,MTX 5 g/m2 x 4, MTX i.th.), and maintenance up to 24 months. Pts of stages III and IV receive additionally reinduction (Dexamethasone, VCR, doxorubicin, L-ASP, CP, ARA-C, 6-thioguanine, MTX i.th.) and cranial irradiation. Pts with < 70% tumor regression at day 33 of induction receive an intensified chemotherapy. Pts with > 70% tumor regression at day 33 but a persistent mass at the end of induction have a surgical resection. Pts with a completely necrotic residual mass continue with consolidation therapy. Pts with active residual lymphoma receive an intensified chemotherapy. No local radiotherapy is given. From 4/1990 to 12/1992, 80 pts were registered; 71 pts are evaluable for response. The distribution of stages is as follows: 6, 1, 47, 17 pts of stage I, II, III, IV, respectively. The probability of event free survival at 3 years is 87 +/- 4% for the whole group (median observation time 21 months). 66 pts are evaluable for the dynamic of response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[NHL-BFM 90 therapy study in treatment of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children and adolescents. Part 3: An intermediate term analysis of the B-NHL/B-ALL].

The aims of trial NHL-BFM 90 for patients (pts) suffering from B-cell neoplasms are to prove whether: 1. Treatment for pts with complete resection can be reduced from 3 to 2 therapy courses; 2. Results for pts of stage III with large abdominal tumors can be improved by high dose (HD) chemotherapy; 3. Survival for pts with incomplete initial response can be improved by therapy intensification; 4. Intraventricularly applied CNS chemotherapy can improve the outcome for CNS positive pts. Therapy is stratified into 3 branches. Branch 1: completely resected; branch 2: not resected, extra-abdominal localization only or abdominal localization and LDH < 500 U/l; branch 3: abdominal localization and LDH > or = 500 U/l, and all pts with BM or/and CNS involvement or multifocal bone disease. A 5-day prephase is followed by 2 (R1), 4 (R2), 6 (R3) therapy courses composed of dexamethasone (DEXA), methotrexate (MTX) 5 g/m2/24 h (in branch R1, 500 mg/m2), MTX/Cytarabine (ARA-C)/prednisolone (PRED) i.th., vincristine (not in branch R1), ifosfamide alternating with cyclophosphamide, ARA-C/etoposide (VP16) alternating with doxorubicin. CNS pos. pts receive MTX/ARA-C/PRED applied intraventricularly. Pts with incomplete response after 2 courses receive an intensification (DEXA, Vindesine, HD-ARA-C, VP16, and MTX/ARA-C/PRED i.th.). Pts with viable tumor after the intensified course receive mega-dose chemotherapy with autologous BM rescue (aBMT). From 4/1990 to 12/1992, 228 pts were registered; 212 pts are evaluable for response. The probability of event free survival (pEFS) at 3 years is 89 +/- 2% for the whole group, 97 +/- 3% for pts of branch R1 (n = 32), 99 +/- 1% for patients of branch R2 (n = 87), and 77 +/- 4% for patients of branch R3 (n = 94) (median observation time 21 months). 7 pts of branch R3 died early due to infections. 15 pts failed therapy (one pt each in branch R1, and R2, 13 pts in branch R3). pEFS for pts with stage III abdominal disease and LDH > or = 500 U/l is 80 +/- 6 as compared to 53 +/- 8% in the preceding studies (p < .02). Of 13 evaluable pts with CNS disease 3 died early of infection, however none suffered from relapse. Only 1 of 22 pts of branch R2 who had residual tumors after 2 therapy courses suffered from progress in contrast to 9 of 33 such pts of branch R3. Only 2 pts had viable tumor after the intensification course CC. They received aBMT, both are in CCR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Intermediate dose methotrexate is as effective as high dose methotrexate in preventing isolated testicular relapse in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the influence of three different dosages of methotrexate (MTX) during consolidation on the incidence of testicular relapse in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: One thousand one hundred forty-four boys with newly diagnosed ALL, enrolled in three consecutive trials of the Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster group (ALL-BFM 81, 83, 86), were retrospectively evaluated for the influence of MTX on testicular relapse-free interval. The basic treatment design was similar in all trials. No intravenous MTX was used in trial ALL-BFM 81 in the group who received cranial irradiation (CRT) except for a part of standard risk patients. Four courses of intermediate dose MTX (IDM) (0.5 g/m2) were introduced for all patients in trial ALL-BFM 83 (IDM group), which were replaced by high dose MTX (HDM) (5 g/m2) in trial ALL-BFM 86 (HDM group). The media observation time was > 9 years. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of isolated testicular relapses was significantly higher in the CRT group as compared to the IDM and HDM groups (6.7% versus 2.5% and 2.3%, p = 0.02 and 0.01). HDM decreased neither the incidence nor the rate of isolated testicular relapses any further. Event-free survival (EFS) for boys was similar between trial ALL-BFM 81 and 86 (64% versus 69%, p = 0.35), but differed significantly between trials ALL-BFM 83 and 86 (61% versus 69%, p = 0.0078). CONCLUSION: The introduction of IDM reduced the incidence of isolated testicular relapses significantly by a factor two, but had no significant influence on overall survival. HDM did not result in a more effective prevention of testicular relapses, but resulted in better systemic control and hence better survival than IDM.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Heterologous overexpression of membrane-anchored subunit II of spinach chloroplast ATP synthase and its detergent-free purification as a soluble protein.

Subunit II is one of the four nonidentical subunits of the membrane integral, proton-transporting moiety (CFo) of the chloroplast ATP synthase. In chloroplasts of spinach leaves, it is the only nuclear-encoded CFo subunit. It has been deduced that CFoII is not an additional subunit typical for photosynthetic organisms with no counterpart in E. coli, but equivalent to E. coli subunit b (Tiburzy, H.-J. and Berzborn, R. J. (1997), Z. Naturforsch. 52c, 789-798). Heterologous expression of subunit II was achieved by using the bacterial expression vector pT7-7. Recombinant subunit II (IIrec) does not integrate into the bacterial membrane nor does it precipitate into inclusion bodies. Gel filtration chromatography indicates that IIrec forms higher order aggregates. In three chromatographic steps approx. 10 mg of soluble IIrec of electrophoretic homogeneity are obtained from one liter of bacterial culture without using detergents. Thus, a eukaryotic membrane-anchored protein has been overexpressed in E. coli and has been purified in a soluble form.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Theoretical and experimental investigations of a newly developed intracavitary applicator system for the radiothermotherapy of gynaecological tumours.

This paper describes a new type of applicator system for the intracavitary radiothermotherapy of gynaecological tumours. Hyperthermia and radiation can be delivered by one and the same applicator. The hyperthermia is delivered by a modified capacitive heating technique (27.12 MHz) combined with cooling systems, the radiation by the numerically controlled oscillation of a gamma source on the inside of the main applicator, the RF gamma applicator (HDR afterloading technique). Isotherms and isodoses can be adapted to the anatomical-pathological situation. Interactions between the applicator system and the surrounding tissue were investigated in a theoretical model (FEM). Complex two-dimensional SAR calculations as well as three-dimensional temperature calculations were carried out. The RF gamma applicator was also examined by thermography; the thermography proved the theoretical modelling to be correct. The applicators were also tested in animal experiments.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immediate-early genes in the nervous system-are they involved in mechanisms of chronic pain?

Evidence suggests that long-term changes in the nervous system may represent a cause of chronic pain. Recent processes became accessible at the cellular level of the nervous system by analyzing immediate-early genes (IEG). The nuclear proteins encoded by these genes function as transcription factors, i.e. they control the expression of other genes. Many conditions of physiological and pathological stimulation can activate IEGs in the nervous system, and these findings have led to the concept of "stimulation-transcription-coupling". Noxious stimuli such as electrical C-fibre stimulation, noxious skin heating or subcutaneous formalin injection result in the transsynaptic induction of the IEG encoded proteins c-Fos, C-Jun and Krox-24, in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Non-noxious stimuli usually fail to induce the expression of IEGs. Nerve lesions result in a selective expression of C-Jun protein in the axotomized nerve cells, both in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Expression of IEGs after noxious stimuli and nerve lesions last for days or weeks, indicating profound alterations in the biochemistry and function of nerve cells. These changes could be involved in central nervous mechanisms of chronic pain.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Studies on the therapeutic efficacy of a HeNe laser].

Numerous manufactures recommend He-Ne-Lasers for a wide range of applications in medicine and dentistry. An athermal biostimulating mechanism of action is postulated to result in rapid reduction of pain and accelerated wound healing. The efficacy of a commercially available He-Ne-Laser in the treatment of alveolitis, solitary aphthae, ulcers caused by dentures, herpes simplex labialis, marginal periodontopathy and pericoronitis was investigated in 90 cases. Except for a placebo effect no reproducible therapeutic effects could be seen. Nevertheless, there is a high degree of acceptance for laser application by most of patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Survival rate of periodontal ligament cells after extraoral storage in different media].

In this study 380 freshly extracted anterior teeth and premolars were stored for periods of 30 to 360 min in different types of media subsequently the residual vitality of periodontal ligament cells was assessed by means of the fluorescein diacetate reaction. It was found that after 90 min of dry storage 88% of the periodontal cells were devitalized, whereas after 180 min of storage in saliva or normal saline solution the loss of vitality was 40% or, respectively, 37%. Stored in Alpha MEM or UHT milk for 360 min 48% or, respectively, 49% of the periodontal ligament cells showed vital reaction.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Oral submucosal pseudosarcomatous nodular fasciitis. Case report].

A case of enoral submucosal pseudosarcomatous fasciitis is described to demonstrate the possible localisation of this lesion in the oral cavity and correlated diagnostic problems. It is a rapid, local invasive growing, self-limiting tumor which seldom exceeds a diameter of 1-2 cm. Malign transformation and metastatic spread did not occur when the tumor was excised. A simple surgical excision is the adequate treatment. The knowledge of this lesion seems to be important for different-diagnostic exclusion of malignant mesenchymal tumors and to prevent in this way a too extended surgical therapy.

Fasciitis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical and chemical laboratory course of HELLP syndrome--a retrospective analysis].

The HELLP-Syndrom (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count) is considered as a severe complication of eclampsia with unpredictable development of pregnancy including high maternal and fetal risk. The result of retrospective analysis of all deliveries of the years 1986-1991 at the UFK Marburg were 28 cases of proved HELLP-Syndrom. Medical history, correlation of clinical and laboratory findings as well as the development of the disease and the neonatal dates were evaluated by computerized documentation. The incidence of HELLP-Syndrom was 28 of 8111 deliveries at all (0,34%). 82% of the women with HELLP-Syndrom were primiparae. The leading symptom was right upper abdominal pain in 75%, which lasted already 5,7 days before presentation in the clinic. Hypertonus, edema and proteinuria were present in 71%, 61% and 89% of the cases. The diagnosis indicating laboratory finding was the thrombocytopenia (mean 62 G/l). In comparison to the thrombocytes, which were at the 4.-7. day pp in 89% within the normal range, the liver function tests normalized just between the 9. and 13. day pp (SGOT 89%, SGPT 77%). The shortening of the prepartal hospitalization from 6 days in 1986/87 to 8 hours in 1990/91 decreases the periand postnatal complication rate from 43% to 23%. 26/28 patients (92%) were delivered by caesarean section from healthy babies through which were 75% premature infants and in 27% of the cases small for gestational age additionally. We conclude that the decrease of the diagnosis-delivery interval and the intensive medical care are responsible for the diminution of the maternal and neonatal mortality rate to 0%.

Abdomen, Acute↗