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Miranda-Katz M, Erickson JJ, Lan J, Ecker A, Zhang Y, Joyce S, Williams JV. Novel HLA-B7-restricted human metapneumovirus epitopes enhance viral clearance in mice and are recognized by human CD8 + T cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20769. [PMID: 34675220 PMCID: PMC8531189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00023-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract illness in children and adults. Repeated infections are common and can be severe in young, elderly, and immunocompromised persons due to short-lived protective humoral immunity. In turn, few protective T cell epitopes have been identified in humans. Thus, we infected transgenic mice expressing the common human HLA MHC-I allele B*07:02 (HLA-B7) with HMPV and screened a robust library of overlapping and computationally predicted HLA-B7 binding peptides. Six HLA-B7-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes were identified using ELISPOT screening in the F, M, and N proteins, with M195-203 (M195) eliciting the strongest responses. MHC-tetramer flow cytometric staining confirmed HLA-B7 epitope-specific CD8+ T cells migrated to lungs and spleen of HMPV-immune mice. Immunization with pooled HLA-B7-restricted peptides reduced viral titer and protected mice from virulent infection. Finally, we confirmed that CD8+ T cells from HLA-B7 positive humans also recognize the identified epitopes. These results enable identification of HMPV-specific CD8+ T cells in humans and help to inform future HMPV vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot Miranda-Katz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Ave, Rangos 9122, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - John J Erickson
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, USA
| | - Jie Lan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Ave, Rangos 9122, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Alwyn Ecker
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Ave, Rangos 9122, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Ave, Rangos 9122, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA
| | - Sebastian Joyce
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, USA
- Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation (VI4), Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - John V Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 4401 Penn Ave, Rangos 9122, Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
- Institute for Infection, Inflammation, and Immunity in Children (i4Kids), Pittsburgh, PA, 15224, USA.
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Ecker A, Mansuria S, Lee T. Ureteral Endometriosis: Strategies for the Difficult Ureterolysis. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2014.12.129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Ecker A, Donnellan N, Shepherd J, Lee T. Abdominal Wall Endometriosis: A 12-Year Experience at a Large Academic Institution. J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2013.12.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Leinert C, Stahl-Hennig C, Ecker A, Schneider T, Fuchs D, Sauermann U, Sopper S. Microbial translocation in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). J Med Primatol 2010; 39:243-51. [PMID: 20618590 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0684.2010.00429.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic immune activation is a hallmark of HIV infection and has been postulated as major factor in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Recent evidence suggests that activation of immune cells is triggered by microbial translocation through the impaired gastrointestinal barrier. METHODS To determine the association between microbial translocation and disease progression, we have retrospectively analyzed microbial products, viral load and markers of immune activation in a cohort of 37 simian immunodeficiency virus-infected rhesus monkeys, divided in two groups with distinct disease courses. RESULTS As seen in HIV-infected patients, we found elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in infected animals. However, LPS levels or LPS control mechanisms like endotoxin core antibodies or LPS-binding protein did not differ between groups with different disease progression. In contrast, neopterin, a metabolic product of activated macrophages, was higher in fast progressors than in slow progressors. CONCLUSION Our data indicate that translocation of microbial products is not the major driving force of immune activation in HIV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Leinert
- German Primate Center, Infection Biology Unit, Kellnerweg, Göttingen, Germany
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Abstract
Since presence of steroid receptors in the human placenta has been the subject of dispute, we have investigated the existence of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors in trophoblasts across gestational age by a variety of different techniques. Fresh human placental tissue of trimesters 1 to 3 was paraffin-embedded or snap-frozen (-80 degrees C) and sliced (5 microns). Other tissue fragments from identical placentae were dispersed and incubated in monolayer cultures for up to 5 days. Immunocytochemistry (ICC) was performed for ER and PR in both trophoblast cells in culture and in whole tissue slices, using the sandwich antibody technique with subsequent horse-radish peroxidase reaction for colorization. In addition, long-term perifusion studies were conducted with explants of term placentae, using perifusion medium with estradiol (E, 2 ng/ml) and/or progesterone (P, 200 ng/ml). Perifused explants were then subjected to further ICC staining. Furthermore, RT-PCR for both ER and PR mRNA was performed for detection of the gene products in placentae of different gestational ages. Lastly, binding studies with iodine or tritium-labeled E and P were conducted on cytosol fractions. In placental sections and cultured trophoblasts, PR was clearly demonstrable in all placentae across different gestational ages. Abundant PR signal was found adjacent to the nuclei, and additionally in the dendrite-like pseudopods of syncytiotrophoblast cells. In contrast, no such staining signal was detected for the ER; this finding applied under all conditions investigated and at all gestational ages. Again, no staining for ER by ICC was detected in any tissue after perifusion with sex steroids. RT-PCR revealed no product for ER, but only for PR, in placentae across all gestational ages. Binding studies with labeled E and P showed no binding for either compound. Taken together, these observations suggest the presence of PR, but not of ER, in human placenta throughout gestation. Our failure to detect the ER does not entirely preclude the presence of this receptor in human trophoblasts, but might be attributed to a relatively low number and density of ER on these cells. Alternatively, estrogen's action on the placenta may be mediated by a different type of ER, such as by a non-classical membrane-bound receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- W G Rossmanith
- Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, University of Ulm, Germany
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Abstract
Although the peptide hormone relaxin is synthesized by the human corpus luteum in vivo, its potential to serve as a local factor in the regulation of luteal function is not clear. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human relaxin, we detected relaxin in the culture medium of human granulosa-lutein cells as early as after 6 days in culture. Moreover, 1 x 10(5) IU/l human chorionic gonadotropin stimulated relaxin release about fourfold during a 48-h incubation on culture days 6-8 (and 7-9), but not earlier (on days 1, 3 and 4). The stimulatory action of human chorionic gonadotropin on progesterone release was not influenced by relaxin, and relaxin alone was without stimulatory effect. However, human recombinant relaxin (between 0.1 and 12.5 micrograms/l) increased intracellular free Ca2+ basal levels to maximal peak levels exceeding 1000 nmol/l in about 64% of all tested cells (N = 168) with no obvious dependency on the culture day. The relaxin-induced Ca2+ signal was not affected by removal of extracellular Ca2+. As depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores by ionomycin rendered the cells unresponsive to relaxin or diminished their ability to respond, these results point to an intracellular source of the Ca2+ signal. In summary, our data indicate the presence of a functional relaxin receptor on human granulosa-lutein cells, which is linked to Ca2+ release from intracellular stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mayerhofer
- Abteilung Anatomie und Zellbiologie, University of Ulm, Germany
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Ecker A, ter Meulen V, Baczko K, Schneider-Schaulies S. Measles virus-specific dsRNAs are targets for unwinding/modifying activity in neural cells in vitro. J Neurovirol 1995; 1:92-100. [PMID: 9222345 DOI: 10.3109/13550289509111013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Biased hypermutation events found predominantly in the matrix gene of measles virus isolated from persistent human CNS infections have been attributed to the action of a cellular unwinding/modifying activity (UMA). To define the level and distribution of this activity in brain cells, fractionated extracts were prepared from the nuclei and cytoplasm of human glioblastoma (D-54, U-251) and neuroblastoma (IMR-32, SKN-MC) cells and analyzed for their ability to modify synthetic dsRNAs specific for the measles virus (MV) matrix (M) gene. On a quantitative basis we could show that the activity localized to both the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of both cell types analyzed independent of cell proliferation. The presence of significant levels of UMA in the cytoplasm of human brain cells following growth arrestment in vitro with retinoic acid supports the interpretation that UMA may contribute to the attenuation of MV gene functions during the primary infection of brain cells, thereby supporting the establishment of virus persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ecker
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Würzburg, Germany
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Höhne-Zell B, Ecker A, Weller U, Gratzl M. Synaptobrevin cleavage by the tetanus toxin light chain is linked to the inhibition of exocytosis in chromaffin cells. FEBS Lett 1994; 355:131-4. [PMID: 7982485 DOI: 10.1016/0014-5793(94)01192-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Exocytosis of secretory granules by adrenal chromaffin cells is blocked by the tetanus toxin light chain in a zinc specific manner. Here we show that cellular synaptobrevin is almost completely degraded by the tetanus toxin light chain within 15 min. We used highly purified adrenal secretory granules to show that synaptobrevin, which can be cleaved by the tetanus toxin light chain, is localized in the vesicular membrane. Proteolysis of synaptobrevin in cells and in secretory granules is reversibly inhibited by the zinc chelating agent dipicolinic acid. Moreover, cleavage of synaptobrevin present in secretory granules by the tetanus toxin light chain is blocked by the zinc peptidase inhibitor captopril and by synaptobrevin derived peptides. Our data indicate that the tetanus toxin light chain acts as a zinc dependent protease that cleaves synaptobrevin of secretory granules, an essential component of the exocytosis machinery in adrenal chromaffin cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Höhne-Zell
- Abteilung Anatomie und Zellbiologie der Universität, Ulm, Germany
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Berven C, Wybourne MN, Ecker A, Goodnick SM. Negative differential conductance in quantum waveguides. Phys Rev B Condens Matter 1994; 50:14639-14642. [PMID: 9975698 DOI: 10.1103/physrevb.50.14639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
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Gärtner P, Ecker A, Fischer R, Linder D, Fuchs G, Thauer RK. Purification and properties of N5-methyltetrahydromethanopterin:coenzyme M methyltransferase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Eur J Biochem 1993; 213:537-45. [PMID: 8477726 DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1993.tb17792.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
N5-Methyltetrahydromethanopterin:coenzyme M meth-yltransferase is an integral membrane protein found in methanogenic archaea. It catalyzes an energy-conserving step in methane formation from CO2 and from acetate. The enzyme from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain Marburg) has been purified 30-fold to apparent homogeneity. The purified enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 670 kDa and was composed of seven different polypeptides of 34 kDa, 28 kDa, 24 kDa, 23 kDa, 21 kDa, 13 kDa, and 12 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of these polypeptides were determined. The native 670-kDa enzyme was found to contain 7.6 mol 5-hydroxybenzimidazolyl cobamide/mol, 37 mol non-heme iron/mol and 34 mol acid-labile sulfur/mol. Cobalt analyses after sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the corrinoid was bound to the 23-kDa polypeptide. The apparent molecular masses of the polypeptides given above were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis without boiling the samples prior to analysis. When the samples were boiled, as is usually done, the 23-kDa polypeptide changed its apparent molecular mass to 33 kDa and the 21-kDa, 24-kDa, and 28-kDa polypeptides formed aggregates. The specific activity (apparent Vmax) of the purified methyltransferase preparation was 11.6 mumol.min-1.mg protein-1. The apparent Km for N5-methyltetrahydromethanopterin was 260 microM and that for coenzyme M was 60 microM. The preparation was absolutely dependent on the presence of Ti(III) for activity. ATP enhanced the activity 1.5-2-fold.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gärtner
- Laboratorium für Mikrobiologie des Fachbereichs Biologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany
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Ecker A. Does spasm precede development of cerebroarterial aneurysms? Arch Neurol 1990; 47:951. [PMID: 2396933 DOI: 10.1001/archneur.1990.00530090019003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Abstract
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) usually occurs in an individual who has been experiencing significant personal stress, a state associated with increased discharge of norepinephrine (NE) from perivascular postganglionic sympathetic neurons. RSD is often precipitated by this sequence: traumatic arterial spasm, regional ischemia, neurogenic inflammation, and ischemic/edematous damage to membranes of preterminal perivascular nociceptive neurons. In the natural repair of these membranes, it is suggested that adrenoceptors appear and are ordinarily transitory; but in RSD, they are retained by the increased adjacent NE. This process delays further healing, produces pain, and releases inflammatory substances, resulting in interacting pathophysiologic vicious cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ecker
- Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York Health Science Center, Syracuse
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Ecker A. Diagnosis of persistent shoulder pain. JAMA 1984; 252:3365. [PMID: 6209431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Ecker A. Thermography in the diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. N Y State J Med 1984; 84:6. [PMID: 6583550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
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Ecker A. The discovery of human cerebral arterial spasm in angiograms: an autobiographical note (Arthur Ecker). Neurosurgery 1982; 10:90. [PMID: 7035994 DOI: 10.1097/00006123-198201000-00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
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Abstract
Fifty-eight patients who had been relieved of tic douloureux (TD) for least 3 years after partial destruction of the trigeminal sensory root by injection of minimal amounts of alcohol were reexamined 3 1/2 to 21 years after treatment. Of 41 patients still in remission at a median of 10 years after treatment, 32 had analgesia; i.e., sensation of pain from pinprick was absent in all 52 originally neuralgic areas. The other 9 patients in remission had some pain on pinprick in their neuralgic areas. In contrast, of 17 patients with recurrence of TD 3 1/2 to 11 years (median, 6 years) after treatment, at least 15 had demonstrable pain on pinprick in the neuralgic areas. It is concluded that continuing absence of pain on pinprick in the affected facial mucocutaneous area (or areas) is associated with prolonged relief of tic douloureux.
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Ecker A. Withdrawal convulsions or stress convulsions. JAMA 1977; 237:765. [PMID: 576305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Abstract
The Ecker-Perl method of alcoholic trigeminal rhizolysis has proved to be a safe and effective method of treating tic douloureux in a consecutive series of 324 patients over a period of 21 years.
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Ecker A. Letter: Alcohol injection for trigeminal neuralgia. JAMA 1975; 231:811. [PMID: 1172747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Ecker A. Letter: Cerebral artery angiography. J Neurosurg 1975; 42:244-5. [PMID: 1113161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Ecker A. Tic douloureux; eight years after alcoholic gasserian injection. N Y State J Med 1974; 74:1586-92. [PMID: 4527068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Ecker A. Indications for x-ray films of skull in children. JAMA 1971; 215:297. [PMID: 5107375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Ecker A, Perl T. Alcoholic injection of the gasserian ganglion for tic douloureux. N Y State Dent J 1967; 33:149-58. [PMID: 5253753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Ecker A. Differential diagnosis of a case of violent behavior and papilledema. An example of increased intracranial pressure without early localization. Minn Med 1966; 49:1885-96. [PMID: 5298683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Kovách AG, Földi M, Szlamka I, Ecker A, Hámori M. [Effect of a Melilotus preparation on the activity of the reticuloendothelial system]. Arztl Forsch 1965; 19:610. [PMID: 5899395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Ecker A, Wiedersheim R. [Anatomy of the frog]. Sistole 1964; 15:63-125 contd. [PMID: 5828874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Ecker A, Lindenschmitt L. Our German Contemporary. Anthropological Review 1866. [DOI: 10.2307/3024859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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