University of Cologne

About: University of Cologne is a education organization based out in Cologne, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 32050 authors who have published 66350 publications receiving 2210092 citations. The organization is also known as: Universität zu Köln & Universitatis Coloniensis.

Aberrant B cell development and immune response in mice with a compromised BCR complex.

Abstract: The immunoglobulin alpha (Ig-alpha)-Ig-beta heterodimer is the signaling component of the antigen receptor complex on B cells (BCR) and B cell progenitors (pre-BCR). A mouse mutant that lacks most of the Ig-alpha cytoplasmic tail exhibits only a small impairment in early B cell development but a severe block in the generation of the peripheral B cell pool, revealing a checkpoint in B cell maturation that ensures the expression of a functional BCR on mature B cells. B cells that do develop demonstrate a differential dependence on Ig-alpha signaling in antibody responses such that a signaling-competent Ig-alpha appears to be critical for the response to T-independent, but not T-dependent, antigens.

Assessment of cancer pain: a prospective evaluation in 2266 cancer patients referred to a pain service

Abstract: Although pain assessment is a vital preliminary step towards the satisfactory control of cancer pain, data on the prevalence of different pain syndromes are rare. In a prospective study of 2266 cancer patients, we assessed localisations, aetiologies and pathophysiological mechanisms of the pain syndromes. Thirty percent of the patients presented with 1, 39% with 2 and 31% with 3 or more distinct pain syndromes. The majority of patients had pain caused by cancer (85%) or antineoplastic treatment (17%); 9% had pain related to cancer disease and 9% due to aetiologies unrelated to cancer. Pain could be classified as originating from nociceptors in bone (35%), soft tissue (45%) or visceral structures (33%) or otherwise as of an neuropathic origin (34%). In most patients, pain syndromes were located in the lower back (36%), abdominal region (27%), thoracic region (23%), lower limbs (21%), head (17%) and pelvic region (15%). The main pain syndrome was also coded according to the IASP Classification of Chronic Pain. Regions and systems affected by the main pain syndrome showed large variation depending on the site of cancer origin, whereas temporal characteristics, intensity and aetiology were not markedly influenced by the cancer site. The variety of pain syndromes evaluated in our patients confirms the importance of comprehensive pain assessment prior to treatment.