The behaviour of poly(2,3-epoxypropyl methacrylate) in dilute solution

Homopolymers of 2,3-epoxypropyl methacrylate with various molecular masses were prepared by solution polymerization with 2,2′-azoisobutyronitrile as initiator. The effect of polymerization conditions on the molecular parameters (weight- and number-average molecular masses M_W and M_n intrinsic viscosity [η]) and the tacticity of the resulting poly (2,3-epoxypropyl methacrylate)s was investigated. For unfractionated polymers, the constants of the Mark-Houwink equation for 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran were determined. Gel permeation chromatography was tested as a tool for the determination of the M_w and M_n values.     

A comparative study of deferasirox and deferiprone in the treatment of iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes

One hundred thirteen patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with <10% of bone marrow blasts received either deferiprone in a daily dose of 40–90 mg/kg (48 patients) or deferasirox in a daily dose of 10–40 mg/kg (65 patients). Median duration of treatment was 10,9 months for deferiprone and 13,7 months for deferasirox. A substantial reduction of iron stores evaluated as a decrease in serum ferritin of more than 50% of pretreatment level was achieved in 18 patients in deferasirox group (27.7%) but not in any patient treated with deferiprone, The incidence of adverse effects (mostly gastrointestinal symptoms) was similar after administration of both the drugs. The symptoms of deferasirox toxicity were mild and mostly transient and no drug related myelosuppresive effect was observed in contrast to deferiprone where agranulocytosis occurred in 4% of patients and the treatment had to be discontinued due to side effects in 20% of patients. The results confirmed the usefulness of deferasirox as an effective and safe iron chelator in MDS patients and indication of deferiprone as an alternative treatment only in patients with mild or moderate iron overload clearly not indicated for deferasirox.     

High survival rate in childhood non-Hodgkin lymphoma without CNS involvement: results of BFM 95 study in Kuwait

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) in children are the second most common malignant tumors in Kuwait. Until 1995 the patients (pts) received institutional protocols. From October 1995 to September 2000 21 children with NHL were treated. Five children were treated by NHL BFM 90 protocol, 7 pts received NHL BFM 95 scheme, and 9 children underwent therapy abroad or according to different types of protocols. The results of a retrospective analysis of NHL BFM 95 protocol in Kuwait are reported. Seven patients diagnosed with NHL--group B: 3 children with Burkitt lymphoma (B-cell NHL) and group A: 4 children with lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-cell NHL)--were treated from October 1995 to September 2000 in the Kuwait Cancer Control Centre according to NHL BFM 95 protocol. Group B consisted of 2 girls and 1 boy; median age at diagnosis was 4 years 8 months, 2 pts classified as stage II and 1 pt as stage III. All patients were assigned to risk group R2. Median follow-up is 2 years 8 months. Group A included 1 girl and 3 boys; median age at diagnosis was 5 years 8 months, 1 pt classified as stage III and 3 pts as stage IV. All patients were assigned to IR group. Median follow-up is 3 years 6 months. In group B all 3 pts are in 1st CR; in group A 3 pts are in 1st CR and 1 pt having Li-Fraumani syndrome died after the 3rd relapse of disease during therapy. In both groups there was no toxic death, myelotoxicity WHO grade III-IV, hepatotoxicity WHO grade II-III. Treatment results of NHL BFM 95 study in our small group of patients are very optimistic. Six patients are in 1st CR and one died due to progression of disease. Despite the small group of patients, the results suggest that NHL BFM 95 protocol is highly effective and safe with regular supportive care.     

Reversal of hemochromatosis by apotransferrin in non-transfused and transfused Hbbth3/+ (heterozygous b1/b2 globin gene deletion) mice

Intermediate beta-thalassemia has a broad spectrum of sequelae and affected subjects may require occasional blood transfusions over their lifetime to correct anemia. Iron overload in intermediate beta-thalassemia results from a paradoxical intestinal absorption, iron release from macrophages and hepatocytes, and sporadic transfusions. Pathological iron accumulation in parenchyma is caused by chronic exposure to non-transferrin bound iron in plasma. The iron scavenger and transport protein transferrin is a potential treatment being studied for correction of anemia. However, transferrin may also function to prevent or reduce iron loading of tissues when exposure to non-transferrin bound iron increases. Here we evaluate the effects of apotransferrin administration on tissue iron loading and early tissue pathology in non-transfused and transfused Hbb^th3/+ mice. Mice with the Hbb^th3/+ phenotype have mild to moderate anemia and consistent tissue iron accumulation in the spleen, liver, kidneys and myocardium. Chronic apotransferrin administration resulted in normalization of the anemia. Furthermore, it normalized tissue iron content in the liver, kidney and heart and attenuated early tissue changes in non-transfused Hbb^th3/+ mice. Apotransferrin treatment was also found to attenuate transfusion-mediated increases in plasma non-transferrin bound iron and associated excess tissue iron loading. These therapeutic effects were associated with normalization of transferrin saturation and suppressed plasma non-transferrin bound iron. Apotransferrin treatment modulated a fundamental iron regulatory pathway, as evidenced by decreased erythroid Fam132b gene (erythroferrone) expression, increased liver hepcidin gene expression and plasma hepcidin-25 levels and consequently reduced intestinal ferroportin-1 in apotransferrin-treated thalassemic mice.     

NMR evidence of the block structure of poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(ethyl acrylate) prepared by group transfer polymerization

The structure of poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(ethyl acrylate) prepared by group transfer polymerization was studied by ¹H and ¹³C 1 D and 2D NMR methods including SINEPT, COSY, LR H-H-C RELAY and COLOC using model homopolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ethyl acrylate (EA) of a length equal to that of the blocks and prepared under the same conditions. The ¹H and ¹³C spectra of the copolymer are shown to be a superposition of the respective spectra of the homopolymers, with the exception that the copolymer lacks the terminal group present in the MMA homopolymer and the initiating group of the EA polymer. Moreover, a new minor signal is found in the CH₂ region of the copolymer which is shown to belong to the link of the blocks. The existence of a direct link between the blocks is further supported by the results of 1D and 2D coherence transfer methods, especially, those using the newly modified DS INEPT and H-C-C RELAY pulse sequences.     

Combined stratification of refractory anemia according to both WHO and IPSS criteria has a prognostic impact and improves identification of patients who may benefit from stem cell transplantation

A retrospective analysis of the relationship between the initial classification according to either FAB or WHO criteria, the presence of risk factors and the type of therapy including stem cell transplantation (SCT) on the survival was performed in a group of 106 patients with primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) of FAB RA subtype. Allogeneic SCT early in the course of the disease did not significantly affect median survival in RA patients evaluated either according to FAB criteria (63.2 months in 17 SCT patients versus 64.4 months in 89 non-transplanted (non-SCT) patients) or in subgroups classified separately according to WHO (64.0 months in SCT versus 91.0 months in non-SCT RA patients and 66.2 months in SCT versus 43.0 months in non-SCT refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) patients) or International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) criteria despite decreased incidence of leukemic transformation (5% in SCT versus 32% in non-SCT patients). Neither univariate or multivariate analysis of different clinical and laboratory parameters revealed a significant effect of SCT on 3 or 5 years survival in RA patients. The most probable explanation was a relatively high rate of transplantation related mortality (41%) on one hand together with a slow disease progression towards leukemia (24% at 5 years in non-SCT) on the other hand. A more refined stratification of patients based on the combined WHO morphology classification and IPSS cytogenetic criteria revealed subgroup of 11 non-SCT patients with RCMD and poor karyotype with median survival significantly different from that in five SCT patients (9.2 months in non-SCT versus 89.3 months in SCT, P=0.05). Thus, combined WHO morphology/IPSS cytogenetics criteria may be helpful for identification of the high risk patients with the RA group who may benefit from early SCT despite the relatively high incidence of SCT-related complications.     

Untersuchungen Über die Beeinflussung der Avitaminosen durch ultraviolette Strahlen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Cause of death and excess mortality in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): A report from the European MDS registry

Information on causes of death (CoDs) and the impact of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) on survival in patients with lower-risk MDS (LR-MDS) is limited. A better understanding of the relationship between disease characteristics, clinical interventions and CoDs may improve outcomes of patients with LR-MDS. We prospectively collected data on patients with LR-MDS in the European MDS registry from 2008 to 2019. Clinical, laboratory and CoDs data were obtained. To examine MDS-specific survival, relative survival (RS) was estimated using national life tables. Of 2396 evaluated subjects, 900 died (median overall survival [OS]: 4.7 years; median follow-up: 3.5 years). The most common CoDs were acute myeloid leukaemia/MDS (20.1%), infection (17.8%) and cardiovascular disease (CVD; 9.8%). Patients with isolated del(5q) and with red cell transfusion needed during the disease course, had a higher risk of fatal CVD. The 5-year OS was 47.3% and the 5-year RS was 59.6%, indicating that most patients died due to their underlying MDS. Older patients (aged >80 years) and the lowest-risk patients were more likely to die from competing causes. This study shows that MDS and its related complications play crucial role in the outcome of patients with LR-MDS.