Fludarabine single-agent therapy for relapsed low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: a phase II study of the German Low-Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Study Group.

In a phase II study, 45 patients with advanced low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) who had failed on or had relapsed after first-line chemotherapy were treated with a 5-day regimen of fludarabine, 25 mg/m2/d, by a 30-minute infusion. All patients were pretreated and had received one to 11 preceding regimens (median, three regimens). Histologic subtypes included 17 centrocytic/centroblastic NHLs, three centrocytic NHLs, 23 lymphoplasmocytoid immunocytomas, and one case each of peripheral T-cell and lymphocytic lymphoma.

Frequency and structure of t(14;18) major breakpoint regions in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas typed according to the Kiel classification: analysis by direct DNA sequencing.

We have examined 165 unselected cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas for rearrangements involving the t(14;18) major breakpoint region using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing of amplified major breakpoint region bcl-2/JH junctional regions. The lymphomas, diagnosed according to the updated Kiel classification, consisted of 33 centroblastic-centrocytic, 37 centroblastic, 27 immunocytic, 10 immunoblastic, 10 centrocytic, 2 lymphoblastic, 2 Ki-1-positive anaplastic large cell, 14 peripheral T-cell, and 4 unclassified lymphomas. In addition 18 chronic lymphocytic leukemias, 2 hairy cell leukemias, and 6 plasmacytomas were studied.

Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of t(14;18) Junctional Regions in B-Cell Lymphomas.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was used for rapid and highly specific amplification of the t(14;18) bcl-2/JH DNA junctional regions in B-cell lymphomas. By using Taq-polymerase and relatively long oligonucleotide primers-a 33-mer for bcl-2 and an universal 25-mer complementary to the JH consensus sequence-the primer annealing and primer extension steps could be carried out at the same temperature (70°C), thus markedly reducing the reaction time and significantly improving the specificity of the reaction. The specificity of the amplification allowed visual identification of the bcl-2/JH PCR-products in ethidium bromide stained agarose gels.

Central gray modulation of affective defense is differentially sensitive to naloxone.

Specific areas of feline central gray (CG) modulate affective aggression elicited by hypothalamic stimulation and produce analgesia, possibly mediated by enkephalins. Despite correlations between opiates and aggressive behavior suggested previously, their relationship has not been clearly demonstrated. The goal of this study was to examine the possible role of endogenous opiate mechanisms in CG modulation of affective aggression.

Enhancement of optokinetic responses by lateral hypothalamic areas associated with attack in cats.

Stimulation of lateral hypothalamic sites associated with predatory attack and known to modify trigeminal reflex systems enhanced efficiency of visual following over a wide range of target velocities. Furthermore, lateral hypothalamic stimulation reversed reflex habituation seen after continuous and after repeated optokinetic stimulation. These findings support the hypothesis that the lateral hypothalamus directs behavioral responses relevant to orienting to and capturing prey, at least in part, by regulation of reflex mechanisms in different sensory modalities.

[Morphological studies of leukocyte long-term culture. 2. A new method for identification of proliferating tumor cells in peripheral blood].

The modified leucocyte-longterm culture is presented as adequate procedure for demonstration of tumor cells from peripheral blood of melanomalignoma patients. By means of the proliferation cinetics, an exact differentiation between tumor cells on one side, and melanophages, so called irritated monocytic forms and endothelial cells on the other side is possible. In this in vitro-system proliferative tumorcells from peripheral blood can be differed from non-proliferative ones.