@article{ZopfFreyKienitzetal.2017, author = {Zopf, Kathrin and Frey, Kathrin R. and Kienitz, Tina and Ventz, Manfred and Bauer, Britta and Quinkler, Marcus}, title = {\(Bcl\)I polymorphism of the glucocorticoid receptor and adrenal crisis in primary adrenal insufficiency}, series = {Endocrine Connections}, volume = {6}, journal = {Endocrine Connections}, number = {8}, doi = {10.1530/EC-17-0269}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-173276}, pages = {685-691}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Context: Patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are at a high risk of adrenal crisis (AC). Glucocorticoid sensitivity is at least partially genetically determined by polymorphisms of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Objectives: To determine if a number of intercurrent illnesses and AC are associated with the GR gene polymorphism \(Bcl\)I in patients with PAI and CAH. Design and patients: This prospective, longitudinal study over 37.7 ± 10.1 months included 47 PAI and 25 CAH patients. During the study period, intercurrent illness episodes and AC were documented. Results: The study period covered 223 patient years in which 21 AC occurred (9.4 AC/100 pat years). There were no significant differences between \(Bcl\)I polymorphisms (CC (n=29), CG (n=34) and GG (n=9)) regarding BMI, hydrocortisone equivalent daily dose and blood pressure. We did not find a difference in the number of intercurrent illnesses/patient year among \(Bcl\)I polymorphisms (CC (1.5±1.4/pat year), CG (1.2±1.2/pat year) and GG (1.6±2.2/pat year)). The occurrence of AC was not significantly different among the homozygous (GG) genotype (32.5 AC/100 pat years), the CC genotype (6.7 AC/100 pat years) and the CG genotype (4.9 AC/100 pat years). Concomitant hypothyroidism was the highest in the GG genotype group (5/9), compared to others (CC (11/29) and CG (11/34)). Conclusions: Although sample sizes were relatively small and results should be interpreted with caution, this study suggests that the GR gene polymorphism \(Bcl\)I may not be associated with the frequencies of intercurrent illnesses and AC.}, language = {en} } @article{LapaGarciaVellosoLueckerathetal.2017, author = {Lapa, Constantin and Garcia-Velloso, Maria J. and L{\"u}ckerath, Katharina and Samnick, Samuel and Schreder, Martin and Otero, Paula Rodriguez and Schmid, Jan-Stefan and Herrmann, Ken and Knop, Stefan and Buck, Andreas K. and Einsele, Hermann and San-Miguel, Jesus and Kort{\"u}m, Klaus Martin}, title = {\(^{11}\)C-methionine-PET in multiple myeloma: a combined study from two different institutions}, series = {Theranostics}, volume = {7}, journal = {Theranostics}, number = {11}, doi = {10.7150/thno.20491}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-172038}, pages = {2956-2964}, year = {2017}, abstract = {\(^{11}\)C-methionine (MET) has recently emerged as an accurate marker of tumor burden and disease activity in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). This dual-center study aimed at further corroboration of the superiority of MET as positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for staging and re-staging MM, as compared to \(^{18}\)F-2`-deoxy-2`-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG). 78 patients with a history of solitary plasmacytoma (n=4), smoldering MM (SMM, n=5), and symptomatic MM (n=69) underwent both MET- and FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) at the University Centers of W{\"u}rzburg, Germany and Navarra, Spain. Scans were compared on a patient and on a lesion basis. Inter-reader agreement was also evaluated. In 2 patients, tumor biopsies for verification of discordant imaging results were available. MET-PET detected focal lesions (FL) in 59/78 subjects (75.6\%), whereas FDG-PET/CT showed lesions in only 47 patients (60.3\%; p<0.01), accordingly disease activity would have been missed in 12 patients. Directed biopsies of discordant results confirmed MET-PET/CT results in both cases. MET depicted more FL in 44 patients (56.4\%; p<0.01), whereas in two patients (2/78), FDG proved superior. In the remainder (41.0\%, 32/78), both tracers yielded comparable results. Inter-reader agreement for MET was higher than for FDG (κ = 0.82 vs κ = 0.72). This study demonstrates higher sensitivity of MET in comparison to standard FDG to detect intra- and extramedullary MM including histologic evidence of FDG-negative, viable disease exclusively detectable by MET-PET/CT. MET holds the potential to replace FDG as functional imaging standard for staging and re-staging of MM.}, language = {en} } @article{LapaSchrederSchirbeletal.2017, author = {Lapa, Constantin and Schreder, Martin and Schirbel, Andreas and Samnick, Samuel and Kort{\"u}m, Klaus Martin and Herrmann, Ken and Kropf, Saskia and Einsele, Herrmann and Buck, Andreas K. and Wester, Hans-J{\"u}rgen and Knop, Stefan and L{\"u}ckerath, Katharina}, title = {[\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET/CT for imaging of chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in multiple myeloma - comparison to [\(^{18}\)F]FDG and laboratory values}, series = {Theranostics}, volume = {7}, journal = {Theranostics}, number = {1}, doi = {10.7150/thno.16576}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-172106}, pages = {205-212}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a key factor for tumor growth and metastasis in several types of human cancer including multiple myeloma (MM). Proof-of-concept of CXCR4-directed radionuclide therapy in MM has recently been reported. This study assessed the diagnostic performance of the CXCR4-directed radiotracer [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor in MM and a potential role for stratifying patients to CXCR4-directed therapies. Thirty-five patients with MM underwent [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET/CT for evaluation of eligibility for endoradiotherapy. In 19/35 cases, [\(^{18}\)F]FDG-PET/CT for correlation was available. Scans were compared on a patient and on a lesion basis. Tracer uptake was correlated with standard clinical parameters of disease activity. [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET detected CXCR4-positive disease in 23/35 subjects (66\%). CXCR4-positivity at PET was independent from myeloma subtypes, cytogenetics or any serological parameters and turned out as a negative prognostic factor. In the 19 patients in whom a comparison to [\(^{18}\)F]FDG was available, [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET detected more lesions in 4/19 (21\%) subjects, [\(^{18}\)F]FDG proved superior in 7/19 (37\%). In the remaining 8/19 (42\%) patients, both tracers detected an equal number of lesions. [\(^{18}\)F]FDG-PET positivity correlated with [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET positivity (p=0.018). [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET provides further evidence that CXCR4 expression frequently occurs in advanced multiple myeloma, representing a negative prognostic factor and a potential target for myeloma specific treatment. However, selecting patients for CXCR4 directed therapies and prognostic stratification seem to be more relevant clinical applications for this novel imaging modality, rather than diagnostic imaging of myeloma.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Mann2017, author = {Mann, Daniel}, title = {"The smell of Ujamaa is still there" - Tanzania's Path of Development between Grassroots Socialism and Central State Control in Ruvuma}, edition = {1. Auflage}, publisher = {W{\"u}rzburg University Press}, address = {W{\"u}rzburg}, isbn = {978-3-95826-066-5 (print)}, issn = {0510-9833}, doi = {10.25972/WUP-978-3-95826-067-2}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-154079}, school = {W{\"u}rzburg University Press}, pages = {332}, year = {2017}, abstract = {In the 1960s, when most African nations gained their independence after the age of colonialism, several theories and strategies emerged with the goal of "developing" these apparently "underdeveloped" territories. One of the most influential approaches for this task was represented in Julius K. Nyerere´s idea of Ujamaa, the Tanzanian version of African socialism. Even before the Arusha Declaration established Ujamaa as a national development strategy in 1967, several groups of politicized young farmers took to the empty countryside of Tanzania to implement their own version of cooperative development. From one of these attempts emerged the Ruvuma Development Association (RDA), which organized up to 18 villages in southwestern Tanzania. The RDA became the inspiration for Nyerere´s concretization of Ujamaa and its implementation on national level. Yet, the central state could not replicate the success of the peasants, which was based on voluntariness and intrinsic motivation. In 2015, this exploratory study has revisited the Region of Ruvuma. Through a case study approach, relying mostly on qualitative methods, new insights into the local history of Ujamaa and its perception have been gathered. In particular, narrative interviews with contemporary witnesses and group interviews with the present-day farmers' groups have been conducted. Furthermore, NGOs active within the region, as well as regional and local government institutions were among the key stakeholders identified to concretize the local narrative of Ujamaa development. All interviews were analyzed according to the principles of qualitative content analysis. Additionally, individual villager questionnaires were used to achieve a more holistic picture of the local perception of development, challenges and the Ujamaa era. None of the original Ujamaa groups of the times of the RDA was still operational at the time of research and no case of village-wide organization of collective agriculture could be observed. Nevertheless, in all of the three case study villages, several farmers' groups (vikundi) were active in organizing development activities for their members. Furthermore, the perception of the Ujamaa era was generally positive throughout all of the case study sites. Yet, there have been significant differences in this perception, based on the village, age, gender and field size of the recipients. Overall, the period of Ujamaa was seen as an inspiration for present-day group activities, and the idea of such activities as a remedy for the developmental challenges of these villages was common among all stakeholders. This thesis concludes that the positive perception of group activities as a vehicle for village development and the perception of Ujamaa history as a positive asset for the inception and organization of farmers' groups would be highly beneficial to further attempts to support such development activities. However, the limitations in market access and capital availability for these highly-motivated group members have to be addressed by public and private development institutions. Otherwise, "the smell of Ujamaa" will be of little use for the progress of these villages.}, subject = {Ujamaa-Sozialismus}, language = {en} }