Evaluating the glymphatic system via magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular spaces in brain tumor patients.

Purpose: To investigate glymphatic system function in patients with brain tumors, including both primary and secondary tumors, using diffusion tensor imaging along perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the MR DTI of 24 patients with unilateral brain tumors and compared them with age and sex-matched controls. We compared the DTI-ALPS index of the ipsi- and contralateral brain hemispheres.

Bilateral lesion of the cerebellar fastigial nucleus: Effects on smooth pursuit acceleration and non-reflexive visually-guided saccades.

Background: "Central dizziness" due to acute bilateral midline cerebellar disease sparing the posterior vermis has specific oculomotor signs. The oculomotor region of the cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FOR) crucially controls the accuracy of horizontal visually-guided saccades and smooth pursuit eye movements. Bilateral FOR lesions elicit bilateral saccade hypermetria with preserved pursuit.

Ustekinumab Is Rapid-Acting and Is an Effective Long-Term Treatment for Patients with Active Psoriatic Arthritis: Real-World Evidence from the Non-interventional SUSTAIN Study.

Introduction: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, progressive disease that places a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. The SUSTAIN study collected real-world evidence on long-term effectiveness, impact on quality of life, and safety of ustekinumab treatment for PsA.

Methods: SUSTAIN was a prospective, non-interventional study conducted in Germany.

Navigation of a magnetic micro-robot through a cerebral aneurysm phantom with magnetic particle imaging.

Cerebral aneurysms are potentially life threatening and nowadays treated by a catheter-guided coiling or by a neurosurgical clipping intervention. Here, we propose a helically shaped magnetic micro-robot, which can be steered by magnetic fields in an untethered manner and could be applied for a novel coiling procedure. This is shown by navigating the micro-robot through an additively manufactured phantom of a human cerebral aneurysm.

A Quest for Mechanisms of Plant Root Exudation Brings New Results and Models, 300 Years after Hales.

The review summarizes some of our current knowledge on the phenomenon of exudation from the cut surface of detached roots with emphasis on results that were mostly established over the last fifty years. The phenomenon is quantitatively documented in the 18th century (by Hales in 1727). By the 19th century, theories mainly ascribed exudation to the secretion of living root cells.

Early and late responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug inadequate responders and were treated with tocilizumab or switched to rituximab: an open-label phase 3 trial (MIRAI).

Objectives: To evaluate early and late responses in biological-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) initiating tocilizumab and early tocilizumab non-responders who switched to rituximab.

Methods: In this open-label, non-randomised phase 3 study, RA patients with inadequate response to conventional synthetic DMARDs received tocilizumab 8 mg/kg intravenously at study begin and weeks 4, 8 and 12. After evaluation at week 16, early responders (Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate [DAS28-ESR] <2.

ROUTINE-a prospective, multicentre, non-interventional, observational study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of intravenous tocilizumab for the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis in daily practice in Germany.

Objective: To evaluate the tolerability, effectiveness and utilization of tocilizumab for the treatment of RA in a usual care setting.

Methods: ROUTINE was a prospective, non-interventional, observational 52-week study performed at 174 sites throughout Germany. RA patients were selected and treated according to label.

Subcutaneously administered methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis, by prefilled syringes versus prefilled pens: patient preference and comparison of the self-injection experience.

Purpose: This multicenter, randomized, crossover study compared preference, ease of use, acceptability, satisfaction, and safety of repeated subcutaneous (SC) self-administrations with prefilled pens and prefilled syringes delivering methotrexate (MTX), in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Patients And Methods: The study (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01793259) enrolled 120 patients requiring initiation or intensification of MTX therapy for RA.

Impact of modified-release prednisone on functional ability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

This observational study assessed functional ability in patients treated with modified-release prednisone under conditions of normal clinical practice. Patients treated with modified-release prednisone were observed over 9 months. The primary outcome measure was the change from baseline total score using the Questionnaire on Activity Status (QAS); total QAS score ranges from 0 (severely impaired) to 100 (completely unimpaired).

Rare fatal simultaneous mould infection of the lung caused by Aspergillus flavus and the basidiomycete Coprinus sp. in a leukemic patient.

The basidiomycete Coprinus sp. was isolated repeatedly from bronchial secretions and bronchoalveolar lavage of a 40-year-old woman suffering from a relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia 5 years after she underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation. Post-mortem microbiological investigation of lung tissue revealed simultaneously growing Coprinus sp.

[Invasive mold infections in the university clinics of Leipzig in the period from 1992-1994].

Invasive mould infection, e. g. aspergillosis in the first place, is a common infection in immunocompromised patients.

[Detection of mixed lymphoid chimerism after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: demonstration by interphase cytogenetics in paraffin-embedded tissue].

In bone marrow transplantation (BMT) the detection of residual host lymphoid or haematopoietic cells surviving conditioning therapy is because of its association to graft-versus-host disease, graft-versus-leukemia reaction, and relapse of leukemia a matter of great interest. We studied the occurrence of this mixed lymphoid chimerism (MC) in the formol-fixed lymphatic tissue of lymph nodes and spleen from 21 autopsies after allogeneic sex-mismatched BMT (5 females, 16 males, survival 5 to 1140 days after BMT). In situ hybridisation with biotinylated centromer-specific anti-X- and anti-Y-chromosome probes was performed on pepsin-digested paraffin sections.

[Fungal infections in granulocytopenic and immunocompromised patients].

Opportunistic fungus infections in neutropenic immunocompromised patients have strikingly increased, especially with the improvement of antibiotic treatment. Their outcome is often fatal because of the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. Therefore a rationale of surveillance diagnostics and empiric treatment in risk patients is necessary.

[Pulmonary roentgen findings in interstitial pneumonia after bone marrow transplantation].

In 10-40% of the patients interstitial pneumonias develop after bone marrow transplantation. The identification of causative agents is often problematic, so that particularly clinical but also blood gas-analytic findings allow the making of a diagnosis. The typical X-ray-morphological changes of the lung (particularly symmetrical, fine-reticular, interstitial multiplications of markings and fine-patchy, striated, partly confluent shadows), which are represented with the help of three instances of cases, confirm the diagnosis, are, however, often found only relatively late.

[Experiences in the diagnosis and treatment of polyneuropathies in patients with malignant monoclonal gammopathy].

4 patients are reported having monoclonal gammopathies, who clinically exhibited a sensomotoric polyneuropathy being progressive during some years. The EMG showed axional failure and secondary demyelisation. In two of the patients an IgG-type multiple myeloma has been revealed, while in the other two ohnes an increase of abnormal IgM-mIg could be demonstrated.

[Results of therapy of 100 patients with acute leukemia--a retrospective unicenter 5-year analysis].

The results of therapy in 100 patients who newly fell ill (68 AML, 32 ALL) with acute leukaemia were evaluated (1981 to 1985). The 5-year-survival chance of all patients is 15% for AML, 18% for ALL, first of all it is depending on the degree of remission obtained. The CR rate is nearly 43% (AML) and 66% (ALL), respectively, shows a dependence upon age and is impaired above all by a high early death rate (supportive therapy).

Lethal complications in 30 patients after allogeneic BMT (BMT) and autografted (ABMT) patients (1980-1986) examined by autopsy.

Lethal and accompanying complications from 29 allogeneic, 8 autologous, and 1 syngeneic transplanted pts., died between 1980 and 1986 at the BMT-Center Leipzig were revisited. An important problem was that of systemic and local infections.

Immune recovery following bone marrow transplantation.

83 patients undergoing allogeneic or autologous BMT because of haematologic malignancies have been studied before and after transplantation at different intervals. The determinations consisted of lymphocyte counts, E-rosetting, lymphoblastic response, evaluation of serum immunoglobulin levels, skin testing, and in a smaller part of the patients surface marker studies using monoclonal antibodies of the BL-series. At first after BMT the lymphocyte and T cell counts went to normal between 4-18 weeks post transplant, about 4 weeks earlier in autologous than in allogeneic BMT.

Autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) using unpurged marrow as intensification for first complete remission in acute leukaemia (AL).

In order to assess the clinical advantage of autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) without ex vivo purging, the results in 26 patients (10 AML, 16 ALL) in 1. CR were analyzed retrospectively. All patients received 3 consolidation cycles "in-vivo purging" before marrow harvesting.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for leukaemia and aplastic anaemia. Results of the Leipzig BMT Group.

In acute leukaemias there was a stable plateau in the survival curve at 45% after two years if grafted in first complete remission (n = 20) but only 13% of the patients are disease-free alive if grafted in a more advanced stage of the disease (n = 8). In 16 patients transplanted for chronic myeloid leukaemia the overall survival is 40%, in cases with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prevention by cyclosporine survival rate could be improved. Only 8 patients with severe aplastic anaemia, partially in low performance status were able to be transplanted; three died of infections, another by acute GVHD.

[Cellular immunity in dialysis patients using the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) in comparison to conservatively treated patients with chronic terminal renal failure].

By means of the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT), using the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (ConA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) E. coli and the antigens tuberculin (PPD) and O-streptolysin, a contribution should be made for the judgment of the functional capacity of the immune system--in particular of the cellular immunity--in uraemia patients with and without dialysis therapy. In 33 patients with different duration of the dialysis (0.