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Biomedical subjects

M Stoll

Publications and source records attributed to M Stoll.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

CD16- CD56+ natural killer cells after bone marrow transplantation.

Natural killer (NK) cells are phenotypically defined as lymphocytes expressing the antigens CD56 and mostly CD16 (Fc gamma RIII), but lacking CD3. A small CD3- CD16- CD56+ NK cell subset has been described in normal individuals representing less than 2% of peripheral blood lymphocytes. We analyzed here 70 patients for their reconstitution of the immune system during follow-up after autologous or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. In 35% of these patients, two different NK cell subsets, namely CD56+dim and CD56+bright cells, were observed. The mean duration of these two subsets after transplant was 4 months. Sixty-five percent of the patients exhibited an increased number of NK cells, but only the typical CD16+ CD56+dim population. The CD56+bright subpopulation represented a particular CD3- CD16- NK subset, with posttransplant frequencies up to 70% of all NK cells and 40% of peripheral blood lymphocytes, respectively. In contrast to normal CD56+dim NK cells, CD56+bright cells coexpressed the activation antigens p75 beta-chain of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), CD2R, and CD26, but were negative for CD16. NK and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity of CD56+bright cells was low compared with CD56+dim NK cells. But using IL-2 and interferon gamma, their cytotoxicity could be enhanced even more than in CD56+dim lymphocytes. These different subsets may reflect distinct activation or differentiation steps of NK cells during reconstitution of the immune system. Their differential response to IL-2 may be of functional importance for posttransplant cytokine therapy.

Adult

Ultrasound examination of the stomach contents of parturients.

A noninvasive method to determine the actual stomach contents of parturients may help to identify factors responsible for delayed gastric emptying as well as define the risk of aspiration of gastric contents in individual patients. Therefore, we tested the ability of ultrasound imaging to identify noninvasively the stomach contents of laboring and nonlaboring pregnant volunteers. A preliminary study demonstrated that the stomach contents could be identified by ultrasound in 20 healthy volunteers and in 34 parturients, not yet in active labor, scanned after consuming liquids or solid food. Next, 39 parturients in active labor were scanned at varying postprandial times. Sixteen parturients in active labor who had not eaten for 8-24 h still had food detected in the stomach. In fact, nearly two-thirds of the patients in active labor who were scanned had solid food present in the stomach independent of the interval between last oral intake and the ultrasound scan. The present study demonstrates that high-resolution ultrasonography is capable of noninvasively identifying the stomach contents of parturients. These results confirm the clinical impression that emptying of the stomach is delayed for many hours after the onset of labor.

Adult

[A personal computer-based system for online monitoring of neurologic intensive care patients].

In the management of neurological intensive care patients with an intracranial space-consuming process the measurement and recording of intracranial pressure together with arterial blood pressure is of special interest. These parameters can be used to monitor the treatment of brain edema and hypertension. Intracranial pressure measurement is also important in the diagnosis of the various subtypes of hydrocephalus. Not only the absolute figures, but also the recognition of specific pressure-patterns is of particular clinical and scientific interest. This new, easily installed and inexpensive system comprises a PC and a conventional monitor, which are connected by an AD-conversion card. Our software, specially developed for this system demonstrates, stores and prints the online-course and the trend of the measurements. In addition it is also possible to view the online-course of conspicuous parts of the trend curve retrospectively and to use these values for statistical analyses. Object-orientated software development techniques were used for flexible graphic output on the screen, printer or to a file. Though developed for this specific purpose, this system is also suitable for recording continuous, longer-term measurements in general.

Cerebral Hemorrhage

Cardiac and vascular effects of chronic angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition at subantihypertensive doses.

AIM: We performed two sets of experiments in order to prevent or to regress cardiac and vascular hypertrophy, using antihypertensive and subantihypertensive doses of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor zabicipril. METHODS AND RESULTS: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) begin to develop hypertension at less than 4 weeks of age and reach stable hypertension levels after 12-14 weeks. The blood pressure increase is accompanied by the development of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy. Treatment of SHR in utero and up to the age of 20 weeks with an antihypertensive dose of zabicipril (1 mg/kg per day) not only prevented the development of high blood pressure but also the development of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy. This effect was demonstrated by a significant decrease in left ventricular weight and the number of smooth muscle cell layers in the vascular media, media thickness and the media:lumen ratio in mesenteric arteries. In contrast, antihypertensive treatment with the Ca2+ antagonist verapamil (100 mg/kg per day) and the subantihypertensive dose of zabicipril (0.01 mg/kg per day) did not affect the development of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy. We found a significant increase in the length and surface density of myocardial capillaries after treatment with zabicipril at 1 mg/kg per day, indicating that the capillary density had improved and therefore that the oxygen supply of the heart was improved. Similar findings were observed with the low dose of zabicipril in SHR, although these rats had high blood pressure and cardiac and vascular hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of adult SHR for 16 weeks with zabicipril at 1 mg/kg per day completely normalized their blood pressure levels. This effect was accompanied by a regression of left ventricular but not of vascular hypertrophy. Treatment with an antihypertensive dose of verapamil or with a subantihypertensive dose of zabicipril had no effect on cardiac and vascular hypertrophy.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Survival of feline mycoplasmas in urine.

The effects of length of incubation and urine osmolality on the survival of feline mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas and representative gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in synthetic urine which approximated the osmolality of normal cat urine were investigated. Both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus withstood the effects of increasing osmotic pressure. In the most concentrated urine, significant decreases (P less than 0.001) in CFU were observed for E. coli at exposure times of 30 min and longer. S. aureus was not affected by longer exposure or increased osmotic strength. Both Mycoplasma felis and Mycoplasma gateae were affected adversely by longer exposure times and high osmotic strength (P less than 0.001). A Ureaplasma sp. was not adversely affected except at very high (greater than or equal to 2,980 mosM) osmotic strengths or after prolonged incubation (120 min) at relatively high (1,976 mosM) osmotic strengths (P less than 0.001). The failure of both M. felis and M. gateae to survive under osmotic conditions present in normal feline urine suggests that it is unlikely that these mycoplasmas are involved in urinary disorders in cats.

Animals

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for Langerhans' cell histiocytosis.

A group of proliferative diseases of the epidermal Langerhans' cells are commonly referred to as Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH). A small number of the patients with this disease face an unfavorable disease course despite chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In LCH patients with a poor prognosis, allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) could be the appropriate treatment with proven antiproliferative effects and may be able to repopulate the recipient with stem cell-derived Langerhans' cells from the donor or correct the presumed underlying immunodeficiency. An LCH was diagnosed in a 15-year-old boy with multiple osteolytic lesions, anemia, and diabetes insipidus centralis. Repeated flare-ups of the disease had necessitated several courses of conventional chemotherapy including cyclophosphamide (CY), prednisolone (P), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), vincristine (VCR), and additional local irradiation without stable remission. Three years after first being diagnosed with LCH the patient underwent high-dose chemotherapy-radiation therapy followed by allogeneic BMT from his human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-identical brother. Currently, he is alive and well and has been disease-free for more than 41 months after BMT.

Adolescent

Identification of a novel oligosaccharide backbone structure with a galactose residue monosubstituted at C-6 in human foetal gastrointestinal mucins.

An oligosaccharide purified from a major penta- to hexa-saccharide fraction of human meconium glycoproteins has been shown by m.s. and n.m.r. analysis to have a novel backbone structure containing an internal galactose residue monosubstituted at C-6 by N-acetylglucosamine: (Formula: see text). This oligosaccharide may represent a biosynthetic product of a previously unrecognized N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase catalysing formation of a linear GlcNAc beta 1-6Gal sequence.

Carbohydrate Conformation

Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rh GM-CSF) after bone marrow transplantation.

Bone marrow transplantation improves the chances of survival in a variety of hematological malignancies. However, infectious complications during the post-transplant phase contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. To reduce the duration of granulocytopenia, which is approximately 20 days after BMT, in this study patients with ALL, relapsed or high-grade NHL, relapsed or refractory HD, or Neuroblastoma stage III/IV, were given rh GM-CSF to assess the effects on hematological and immunological reconstitution after conditioning therapy and BMT. The results of 9 patients are presented. After autologous BMT and subsequent rh GM-CSF therapy, a peripheral blood neutrophil count of 500/microliters was reached within 8-12 days, i.e., between 7 and 10 days earlier than would have been expected without rh GM-CSF. Furthermore, it appeared that rh GM-CSF was useful in case of insufficient bone marrow regeneration post autologous transplant. The influence of rh GM-CSF after allogeneic BMT is not yet clear. Further studies will be necessary to evaluate the potential of this promising new drug after BMT.

Adult

[Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with chronic granulomatous inflammation. Clinically definable special form of the variable immunodeficiency syndrome].

Five cases (3 men, 2 women) of late-onset variable immunodeficiency syndrome (CVID), characterized by similar clinical and immunological findings as well as histological demonstration of chronic granulomatous infection, are reported. All patients had frequent attacks of respiratory infections with recurrent bronchitis and pneumonia. In addition to predominating basally localized streaky-nodular lung changes all patients had hepatosplenomegaly and granulomatous infections of other organs. Immunologically, marked hypogammaglobulinaemia of all Ig classes, lymphopenia, and absence of terminal B-cell maturation were predominant. In-vitro tests under pokeweed-mitogen failed to demonstrate terminal plasma-cell differentiation of B-lymphocytes and thus Ig synthesis. Without pokeweed-mitogen there were largely nonsecretory B-blasts with abnormal granulated cytoplasmic Ig formation. Skin testing with Multitest application revealed almost complete anergy, both in the Arthus (24 h) and the late reactions (48 and 72 h). Nonetheless, T-cell reaction in-vitro was much less affected than B-cell function. "Natural killing" and antibody-dependent cytotoxicity were normal or slightly increased.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Conservation and variability of wheat alpha/beta-gliadin genes.

We have sequenced two genomic clones for wheat alpha/beta-gliadin storage protein genes. Comparison with a known sequence reveals close homology between the three and confirms the previously suspected evolutionary relatedness of members of this gliadin family. The coding region can be divided into six domains. Two unusual structures were found within this region: (i) The P-boxes which are composed of 12 codons, six of which are for proline, that are tandemly repeated four or five times; and (ii) Two polyglutamine stretches which consist of 18-22 tandemly repeated glutamine codons in one case, and 7-28 in the second. Analysis of the P-box structures revealed that certain mutations were probably present in the hypothetical ancestral alpha/beta-gliadin gene prior to gene multiplication. None of the genes have introns. All of the genes appear to contain typical eukaryotic promoters and also possess the double polyadenylation signal of plants.

Amino Acid Sequence

Chronic inhalation of short asbestos fibers.

An animal inhalation study was initiated to study the chronic biological effects of inhalation of short chrysotile asbestos fibers. Rats and monkeys were exposed for 18 months, 7 hr/day, 5 days/week to a specially prepared, chrysotile asbestos aerosol. Based upon daily chamber measurements, the mean concentration of fibers in the chamber air was 1.0 mg/m3. By phase contrast microscopy, the number of fibers greater than 5 micron in length was determined to be 0.79 fiber per cubic centimeter. Rats were autopsied for pathological and histochemical examination at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after initiating exposures. No significant differences in the histochemical data were seen between the exposed and control groups. Gross and histopathologic examination of exposed and control groups of rats indicated no compound-related lesions, including fibrosis. Open lung biopsies were performed on the chrysotile-exposed and the control monkeys 28 months after initiating exposures. Histopathologic evaluation of the lung biopsy tissue showed the presence of asbestos bodies adjacent to the terminal bronchioles of the asbestos-exposed monkeys. There was no observed fibrosis in pulmonary tissue. All monkeys are being maintained for an indefinite period and observed for signs of latent pulmonary disease.

Aerosols

Improved autoradiographic procedure for cytogenetics: inverted coverslips and double illumination.

The method described here has the advantage of presenting a clear image of both chromosomes and silver grains. Chromosomes are stained through the emulsion with Hoechst 33258. As two different sources of light are employed-epi-ultraviolet illumination and transmitted visible light-a separate photographic record of each optical plane can be obtained of chromosomes, silver grains, and chromosomes and grains together.

Animals