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Biomedical subjects

J Hak

Publications and source records attributed to J Hak.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Consolidation of therapy of acute myeloid leukemia with the AML-BFM 93 protocol in children in the Czech Republic].

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children is rare. Although more resistant to chemotherapy than acute lymphoblastic leukemia, its responsiveness and survival rates have considerably improved during the last 15 years by virtue of intensification of chemotherapy and due to the better supportive care. Relapses still remain the main cause of treatment failure. Management of children with AML was unified in the Czech Republic in 1993 according to AML-BFM 93 Study protocol. METHODS AND RESULTS: Treatment results were evaluated in 61 patients, of whom 45 (73.8%) achieved complete remission. Five-year event-free-survival (EFS) was found in 42.3%, and overall survival was 45.3%. Prognosis of the standard-risk patients was significantly better than in the high-risk group (EFS 62.5% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.03). The most important prognostic factor was the early treatment response. Compared to chemotherapy, allogeneic stem-cell transplantation did not significantly improve the outcome of high-risk patients. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment results of children with AML in the Czech Republic are comparable to those achieved by leading leukemia study groups in the world. The aim of the next study is to increase the complete-remission rate by reducing early deaths.

Acute Disease↗

[Improved results in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with the ALL-BFM 90 protocol in the Czech Republic].

BACKGROUND: Prognosis of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)--the most common cancer in childhood, has improved remarkably over the last 40 years. The authors report the treatment outcome in children with ALL cured according to ALL-BFM 90 Study protocol in the Czech Republic during the first half of nineties. METHODS AND RESULTS: Children aged 0-18 years were included into the study in 10 centers between 1990 to 1996. Patients were classified into standard-risk (SR), medium-risk (MR) and high-risk (HR) group according to initial leukaemic burden, early treatment response, and genotype of leukaemia. Duration of the chemotherapy was two years. Treatment results were evaluated in 352 children. With a median follow-up of 7.3 years, event-free-survival (EFS) was 71.3% and overall survival 76.4%. EFS was 80.3%, 74% and 28.2% in SR, MR and HR group, respectively. Relapse was diagnosed in 17.8% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment outcome of children with ALL improved significantly (p = 0.0045) compared to the previous study ALL-BFM 83 (EFS 62%). These results are comparable to those achieved by leading leukaemia study groups in the world.

Adolescent↗

Activity of liposomal amphotericin B with prolonged circulation in blood versus those of AmBisome and fungizone against intracellular Candida albicans in murine peritoneal macrophages.

Activity against intracellular Candida albicans was assessed in C. albicans-infected murine peritoneal macrophages exposed to long-circulating pegylated amphotericin B liposomes (PEG-AMB-LIP), AmBisome, or Fungizone. The level of antifungal activity of Fungizone is much higher than that of AmBisome or PEG-AMB-LIP, while PEG-AMB-LIP and AmBisome show equivalent activity levels. Previous exposure of uninfected macrophages to PEG-AMB-LIP or AmBisome is advantageous for intracellular antifungal activity.

Amphotericin B↗

Unusual ocular findings in children's acute leukemia cases.

The most frequent ocular findings in acute leukemia cases of children and two of our own observations are presented in this study. Emphasized are all difficulties in fixing the diagnosis and the necessity of close cooperation between ophthalmologist, pediatrist and radiologist to prevent the irreversible ocular changes.

Acute Disease↗

[Isolated leukemic infiltration of the iris].

A boy 3 1/2 years old with the diagnosis acute lymphoblastic leukemia, in stage of high malignity, came to the Eye clinic in Hradec Králové. The clinical and haematological findings showed the remission of the illness but a leukemic infiltration with hypopyon had arised. The diagnosis has been done selon the clinic image of the eye and selon the ultrasound examination. The histologic finding showed also an infiltration of chorioidea, iris and ciliary body, an infiltration in the nuchal region, in the spleen and in testicles. The isolated leukemic infiltration of the iris can be the first sign of a relapse and is an indication to begin a relevant therapy.

Child, Preschool↗

Urinary excretion of some metabolites of tryptophan in malignant diseases.

The urinary excretion of four tryptophan metabolites, namely indolylacryloylglycine, indolylacetic, 5-hydroxyindolylacetic and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acids, was studied in two control groups, in children suffering from acute leukemia, hepatic and brain tumours and in adults with bladder cancer. Compared with controls, a significantly lower excretion of IAcrGly was observed in all patient groups with the exception of that with hepatic tumours. Hematological malignancies were further accompanied by low excretion of indolylacetic acid, and bladder cancers by a lower 5-hydroxyindolylacetic acid level. We found no correlation of the metabolites tested in individuals of any patient group. In controls, however, indolylacryloylglycine and indolylacetic acid did correlate.

Adolescent↗

Modeling the contractility of urinary bladder smooth muscle using isometric contractions.

In the course of developing a clinical contractility index, isometric contractions of pig urinary bladder smooth muscle were analyzed in terms of phase plots (a plot of the rate of change of a variable, in this case force, as a function of the variable itself). The straight line describing the major part of the phase plots is characterized by the two parameters Fiso (the horizontal intercept) and c (the slope) of the line. It was found that changes in the geometry of the tissue sample and changes in extracellular calcium grossly influence Fiso, but not c, whereas changes in prestimulus rest time influence c, but not Fiso. It is concluded that Fiso is related to the number of available contractile units, and c is related to the limiting rate constant in the excitation-contraction coupling, which is probably determined by the release of intracellular calcium. The existence of the calcium paradox and the interpretation of the concept of facilitation or potentiation in this type of smooth muscle are discussed.

Animals↗

Acetylcholinesterase activity and its molecular forms in rectal tissue in the diagnosis of Hirsprung's disease.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and its molecular forms in the rectal tissue in Hirsprung's disease were studied. Total AChE activity was increased in Hirsprung's disease; the activity was separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into two molecular forms. The AChE form with higher electrophoretic mobility was not observed in healthy children, and it might be of diagnostic importance in this disease.

Acetylcholinesterase↗