Testing chemotherapeutic combinations in the human tumor colony—forming assay

A total of 362 tumor specimens were tested in the Human Tumor Colony—Forming Assay for sensitivity to one of eight drug combinations and to each component drug as a single agent. Peak pharmacologically achievable concentrations of drug were used in continuous exposure. In 175 assays greater than 50% inhibition of colony formation, defined as in vitro sensitivity, was observed for at least one drug. The percent inhibition of the most active single agent closely approximated the percent inhibition of the combination. This relationship was maintained for all tumor types and combinations tested. Resistance in vitro to each drug in a combination predicted resistance to the combination. However, our data suggest that the higher activity of combination chemotherapy relative to single agents is due to an increased probability of finding an agent to which the tumor is sensitive, rather than to a synergistic interaction between drugs.     

The Endocrinologist''s Version of the Betty Crocker™ Cookbook

Endocrine and Metabolic Testing Manual. Third Edition

By Robert F. Dons. Boca Raton, CRC, 1998, $79.95 (304 pages), ISBN 0-8493-76060-8     

Sesquiterpene lactone mix contact sensitivity and its relationship to chronic actinic dermatitis: a follow-up study

In a retrospective case note analysis over a 4-year period, 0.9% of all patients tested with a standard patch test series (65 of 7600) were demonstrated to have clinically relevant responses to a sesquiterpene lactone (SQL) mix. Of these patients, 11 (17%) also had a diagnosis of chronic actinic dermatitis. This group made up 25% of all patients diagnosed as suffering from CAD in this 4-year period. These figures differ somewhat from those reported by our group in an initial 4-year period immediately following the introduction of the mix into our standard patch test series, when 1.5% of all patients tested had a clinically relevant response to the SQL mix, including 36% of all patients with a diagnosis of CAD. It is not uncommon for the prevalence of sensitivity to an allergen to be overestimated immediately following its introduction into routine testing. Possible reasons for our findings are discussed.     

Reliability of sensitivity testing of primary culture of acute dentoalveolar abscess

The antibiotic susceptibility of 50 acute dentoalveolar abscesses was determined by testing of primary cultures of pus and secondary cultures of individual isolates, using a comparative disc method. The sensitivity report obtained by primary testing agreed with that of secondary tests for 47 (94%) of the abscesses studied. It is concluded that primary testing of pus samples aspirated from acute dentoalveolar abscess is reliable and can provide the clinician with antibiotic sensitivity results more rapidly than conventional secondary testing, especially when slow-growing anaerobes are involved.     

Delayed neurotoxicity of intraventricular interleukin-2: A case report

Summary A case is reported of a 40 year old woman treated with intraventricular IL-2 for leptomeningeal disease who developed progressive cognitive dysfunction. This deterioration started 3 months post-treatment and worsened over the ensuing 4 years. MRI revealed white matter abnormalities that were not present on the pretreatment scan. Although free of disease, the patient has a subcortical dementia and is unable to work. The potential for progressive brain injury and subsequent disability related to intraventricular IL-2 therapy is discussed.     

Induction of Pseudoseizures with Intravenous Saline Placebo

Summary: For a 2-year period, all patients admitted to the inpatient adult EEG videotelemetry unit of the University of Miami School of Medicine underwent attempted event induction with intravenous normal saline placebo. Of 175 patients monitored during that period, 101 underwent attempted placebo saline induction, whereas 58 patients were either in the pediatric age group, were undergoing a repeat hospitalization (i.e., depth electrode monitoring), or refused induction. The final diagnosis in each patient was established after re-view of the history; physical, interictal, and ictal EEG findings; brain imaging studies; interictal and postictal brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and serum prolactin levels; psychiatric and psychological evaluations; and detailed neuropsychological testing. Final diagnoses were separated into epilepsy alone, pseudoseizures, epilepsy and pseudoseizures, and other (neither epilepsy nor pseudoseizures). No patient with an eventual diagnosis of epilepsy alone was inducible. Forty-one patients with a diagnosis of epilepsy were not inducible. Of 32 patients with an eventual diagnosis of pseudoseizures, 29 were inducible. One of these 29 was also diagnosed with epilepsy. Three patients with aneventual diagnosis of pseudoseizures were not inducible; 90.6% of patients with an eventual diagnosis of pseudoseizures were inducible, i.e., had events identical to those reported by history, after injection of saline placebo. Placebo saline injection is a safe and effective means of distinguishing epilepsy from pseudoseizures.     

The modifying influence of aging on behavior in mice neonatally injected with monosodium glutamate

Newborn mice were injected with monosodium glutamate (MSG), and behavioral testing and physical development in neonatal, juvenile, adult, and aged mice were observed by means of a battery of appropriate tests. Early exposure to MSG resulted in altered behavioral performances postnatally, which were transitory and reflected the neurotoxicity of the chemical. Although behavioral deficits were not observed in mice neonatally treated with MSG at 1 month of age, a definite decline was manifested at 12 months and 34 months of age.     

Photoepicutaneous testing

The effects of various vehicles, the occlusion time and the concentration of the test substances on the phototoxic reactions were studied using the Finn Chamber method in photoepicutaneous testing, with methoxsalen and coal tar as test substances. Petrolatum proved to be a suitable base for methoxsalen and carbowax for coal tar. The optimal concentration of coal tar was 5% and that of methoxalen 0.03-0.05%. The optimal occlusion time for methoxsalen was 1-2 hours and for coal tar 24 hours. It was concluded that in order to obtain the most reliable results, these parameters should be determined separately for every photosensitizing compound to be tested.