Prospective comparative trial of autologous versus allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

A prospective comparative trial of allogeneic versus autologous bone marrow transplant (BMT) was conducted. Sixty-six consecutive patients (median age, 41; range, 15 to 60; female:male ratio = 21:45) entered this clinical trial. Priority for allogeneic BMT was given to patients who were 55 or younger and had a major histocompatibility complex- matched or 1-antigen-disparate sibling donor. Autologous BMT was offered to all other patients whose age was 60 or younger. Patients who had no sibling donor and who had BM involvement at the time of evaluation were not eligible. Thirty-one patients received an allograft, and 35 patients received an autograft. Thirteen patients received a BM graft purged with 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide because of previous BM involvement. Patients who had previous radiation to the thoracic and/or abdominal areas of more than 20 Gy received a preparative regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide (1,800 mg/m2/d for 4 days), VP-16 (200 mg/m2 every 12 hours for 8 doses), and 1,3-bis(2- chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (600 mg/m2 as 1 dose). Other patients received cyclophosphamide 1,800 mg/m2/d for 4 days followed by total body irradiation of 12 Gy administered as a single daily fraction over 4 days. With a median follow-up of 14 months, the progression-free survival (PFS) for autograft and allograft recipients was 24% +/- 8% (+/- SE) and 47% +/- 9%, respectively, (P = .21). However, the probability of disease progression was significantly higher in the autologous group (69% +/- 9%) than in the allogeneic group (20% +/- 10%; P = .001). When other confounding prognostic factors were adjusted in the multivariate analysis, chemosensitive disease and allograft were found to have a significant favorable influence on probability of disease progression (P = .03 and .003), but only chemosensitive disease had a significant influence on the PFS (P < .002). Our results suggest the existence of graft-versus-lymphoma effect and also support the rationale of using immunotherapy after autologous BMT. Allogeneic BMT should be preferable to autologous BMT in younger patients with lymphoma.     

Pancreatic transplant imaging

Forty-four clinical episodes of suspected (pancreas) transplant rejection in 17 pancreatic transplantation patients were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical impression of acute graft rejection, chronic rejection, or nonrejection in each episode was correlated with the results of 19 nuclear medicine, 12 ultrasound (US), and 44 magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies. US was found to be a moderately sensitive (82%) method of detecting graft rejection. US also was effective in identifying intra- and peripancreatic fluid accumulations. Nuclear medicine imaging was also a sensitive technique (86%) and the only modality that provided physiologic information regarding graft perfusion. MR imaging allowed correct prediction of the presence or absence of graft rejection in 39 of 44 cases (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 76%) and was an effective means of detecting pathologic fluid collections. Nuclear medicine, US, and MR imaging are all believed to be sensitive methods of detecting graft rejection and are complementary adjuncts to the clinical evaluation of pancreatic transplants.     

Comparison of the positional cloning methods used to isolate the BRCA1 gene

A critical step in positional cloning is the identificationof candidate genes from a large, genetically defined region.Candidate gene isolation by hybrid selection, genomic sequencing,and direct cDNA library screening identified 45 candidate genefragments (CGFs) from a 600 kb genomic region that containsthe BRCA1 gene. These CGFs define a minimum of 15 genes, sixof which are newly localized to the BRCA1 region. We presentan analysis of the efficiency and the sequences generated foreach of these methods. We also compare our CGF set to thosereported for the BRCA1 region by three other groups, revealinga surprising lack of overlap among the sets.     

辽吉冰凉花总甙对心功能影响的实验研究

辽吉冰凉花总甙(APAW)1.0mg/kg iv,能使麻醉家兔正常心脏的P-dP/dt环体面积(LO),LV-dP/dt_max,Vpm及LVSP比药前增大,HR减慢。APAW和冰凉花(AAR)及毒毛旋花子甙K(SK)一样,能明显改善衰竭兔心的心功能。静脉恒速输入0.5 mg/ml APAW,25min后,心衰家兔的LVSP,LV—dP/dt max,LO均明显回升,LVEDP降低,t-dP/dt max缩短。三种强心甙的最大强心效力无显著性差异。但APAW的治疗宽度和治疗指数均较AAR和SK为大,而AAR和SK间则无显著性差异。     

Purification of murine IgM monoclonal antibodies by hydroxylapatite chromatography

Summary A simple method is described for the isolation of murine monoclonal immunoglobulin M using hydroxylapatite chromatography.     

Disordered Eating in a Digital Age: Eating Behaviors,Health, and Quality of Life in Users of Websites With Pro-Eating Disorder Content

Background

Much concern has been raised over pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) website communities, but little quantitative research has been conducted on these websites and their users.

Objective

To examine associations between levels of pro-ED website usage, disordered eating behaviors, and quality of life.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional, Internet-based survey of adult pro-ED website users. Main outcomes were Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Eating Disorder Quality of Life (EDQOL) scores.

Results

We included responses from 1291 participants; 1254 (97.13%) participants were female. Participants had an average age of 22.0 years and a mean body mass index of 22.1 kg/m²; 24.83% (296/1192) were underweight; 20.89% (249/1192) were overweight or obese. Over 70% of participants had purged, binged, or used laxatives to control their weight; only 12.91% (163/1263) were in treatment. Mean EDE-Q scores were above the 90th percentile and mean EDQOL scores were in the severely impaired range. When compared with moderate and light usage, heavy pro-ED website usage was associated with higher EDE-Q global (4.89 vs 4.56 for medium and 4.0 for light usage, P < .001) and EDQOL total scores (1.64 vs 1.45 for medium and 1.25 for light usage, P < .001), and more extreme weight loss behaviors and harmful post-website usage activities. In a multivariate model, the level of pro-ED website usage remained a significant predictor of EDE-Q scores.

Conclusions

Pro-ED website visitors reported many disordered eating behaviors, although few had been treated. Heavy users reported poorer quality of life and more disordered eating behaviors.     

Respiratory viral infection in lower airways of asymptomatic children

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine if asthmatic children have viruses more commonly detected in lower airways during asymptomatic periods than normal children. Methods: Fifty‐five asymptomatic children attending elective surgical procedures (14 with stable asthma, 41 normal controls) underwent non‐bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage. Differential cell count and PCR for 13 common viruses were performed. Results: Nineteen (35%) children were positive for at least one virus, with adenovirus being most common. No differences in the proportion of viruses detected were seen between asthmatic and normal ‘control’ children. Viruses other than adenovirus were associated with higher neutrophil counts, suggesting that they caused an inflammatory response in both asthmatics and controls (median BAL neutrophil count, 6.9% for virus detected vs. 1.5% for virus not detected, p = 0.03). Conclusions: Over one‐third of asymptomatic children have a detectable virus (most commonly adenovirus) in the lower airway; however, this was not more common in asthmatics. Viruses other than adenovirus were associated with elevated neutrophils suggesting that viral infection can be present during relatively asymptomatic periods in asthmatic children.