Goal setting is differentially related to change in fruit, juice, and vegetable consumption among fourth-grade children.

The impact of goal attainment in a dietary change program to increase fruit, 100% juice, and vegetable consumption was assessed among fourth-grade students. At each session, the students were given goals related to increasing fruit, juice, and vegetable consumption. Baseline consumption and postconsumption were assessed with up to 4 days of computerized dietary recalls. Analyses included regression models predicting postconsumption from the numbers of fruit-juice goals, vegetable goals, or total number of general goals attained, respectively. For students with low baseline fruit-juice preferences, attaining more fruit-juice goals resulted in increased post-fruit-juice consumption. Among those with low baseline vegetable consumption, attaining one vegetable goal was related to higher post-vegetable consumption. For boys and those with high baseline fruit, juice, and vegetable consumption, attaining three general goals was related to increased fruit, juice, and vegetable intake. The results show that goal attainment was somewhat effective in promoting dietary change among children.     

Population pharmacokinetic modeling for enterohepatic recirculation in Rhesus monkey.

Enterohepatic recirculation (EHR) occurs via biliary excretion and intestinal reabsorption of a drug. Drug recycling through EHR can lead to a change in pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, such as reduced clearance (CL), extended half-life (T(1/2)) and increased plasma exposure (AUC). As a result, EHR may prolong the pharmacological effect of drugs. In the present study, the compound (Cpd A) was found to exhibit EHR in Rhesus monkeys associated with a reduction in CL (from 3.8 to 0.33 Lh(-1), IV; from 2.3 to 0.4 Lh(-1), PO), and an increase in T(1/2) (from 0.9 to 18 h, IV) and in AUC (from 1.5 to 17.4 microg h/mL, IV; from 2.8 to 16.3 microg h/mL, PO), by comparing the PK in the monkeys via the interruption of EHR (bile-duct cannulation) with that in the intact monkeys. A population four-compartment model was constructed based on recirculation loops incorporating all possible inputs (bile secretion, a lag-time model for gall bladder emptying, routes and amounts of a single dose administration) to fully evaluate the EHR of Cpd A. The plasma concentrations versus time profiles predicted from the model had a good fit to the values observed in the subjects and were further simulated with 90% confidence interval to demonstrate its utility. Thus, the model could be applied as a useful tool to evaluate the drugs or compounds that undergo EHR in different species.     

Treatment of relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia by 72-hour continuous infusion or 1-hour bolus infusion of flavopiridol: results from Cancer and Leukemia Group B study 19805.

PURPOSE: Flavopiridol has in vitro activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and promotes apoptosis independent of p53 function or prior fludarabine exposure. We sought to determine if flavopiridol has activity in previously treated CLL using two schedules of administration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with previously treated CLL were enrolled in two sequentially done phase II studies. Patients in the first trial received flavopiridol (50 mg/m(2)/d) as a continuous infusion (CI) for 72 hours every 2 weeks. Patients in the second trial received flavopiridol 50 mg/m(2) as a 1-hour bolus (IVB) daily for 3 days repeated every 3 weeks. Patients received up to 12 (CI cohort) or 8 (IVB cohort) cycles of therapy. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were enrolled in the 72-hour CI phase II trial; 6 (40%) had intermediate-risk (Rai stage I or II) and 9 (60%) had high-risk (Rai stage III and IV) stages. No responses were noted in this group; 27% had stable disease and 73% had progressive disease. Thirty-six patients were enrolled in the second IVB trial, with 13 (36%) having intermediate and 23 (64%) having high-risk disease. Four patients (11%) had partial responses, 19 (53%) had stable disease, and 13 (36%) had progressive disease. The progression-free survival for responders in the IVB trial was 3, 3, 9, and 19 months. The median progression-free survival was 2 months [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.8-3.8] for patients in the CI trial and 3 months (95% CI, 2.5-7.4) for the IVB trial. The median overall survival was 27 months (95% CI, 20-42) for the CI trial and 24 months (95% CI, 18-31) for the IVB trial. Toxicity was manageable and included mainly myelosuppression, infections, diarrhea, and fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Flavopiridol has modest, schedule-dependent clinical activity in relapsed CLL and warrants future investigation utilizing alternative schedules of administration.     

Neurochemical effects of repeated gestational exposure to chlorpyrifos in developing rats.

The neurochemical effects in developing rats exposed during gestation to the anticholinesterase organophosphorus insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPS) were determined. Pregnant rats were dosed daily with CPS (0, 3, or 7 mg/kg) in corn oil from gestation days (GD) 6-20. Pups were euthanized on postnatal days (PND) 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 30 for the determination of brain cholinesterase (ChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities, along with muscarinic receptor (mAChR) densities, the levels of the high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) system, and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). ChE activities were inhibited about 15 and 30% on PND 1, in the low- and high-dosage groups, respectively, and were not different from control values by PND 6. mAChR densities on PND 1 were reduced in the high-dosage group by about 18, 21, and 17%, using 3H-N-methylscopolamine, 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate, and 3H-4-DAMP, respectively, as ligands, and were not different from control levels by PND 6. ChAT activity was decreased by approximately 12% in the high-dosage group on PND 9, 12, and 30. HACU levels, using 3H-hemicholinium-3 as the ligand, were reduced by approximately 25% on PND 6 in the low- and high-dosage groups, and by approximately 14 and 21% on PND 12 and 30, only in the high-dosage group. Levels of the VAChT were reduced by a range of 13-31% on PND 3 through 30 in the high-dosage group, using 3H-AH5183 (vesamicol) as the ligand. These data suggest that gestational exposure to 7 mg/kg/day CPS results in long-term alterations of presynaptic cholinergic neurochemistry.     

Treatment response with sirolimus for a pediatric patient with an EBV‐associated smooth‐muscle tumor after bone marrow transplantation

Epstein–Barr virus–associated smooth‐muscle tumors (EBV‐SMTs) are unique and rare neoplasms described in immunocompromised patients. The case describes a nine‐year‐old female with a history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia with relapse and subsequent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation who presented with multiple EBV‐SMTs of the liver. EBV utilizes the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway for tumor growth, and sirolimus, a mTOR inhibitor, has shown to result in a short‐term response. We now report an extended treatment response with sirolimus in a pediatric patient with an EBV‐SMT.     

Role of Adhesion in Electrostatic Precipitation

Human subjects ingested daily 5- to 20-mg doses of technical DDT, p,p′-DDE, or p,p′-DDD for 81 to 183 days. Serum and adipose concentrations of DDT and DDT metabolites in response to these dosings have indicated that the initial dechlorination of DDT is of critical importance to its metabolic fate. Conversion to the saturated p,p′-DDD makes possible further degradation to the readily excreted p,p′-DDA. Dehydrochlorination, on the other hand, yields p,p′-DDE, a stable metabolite that is avidly retained in adipose storage. In two subjects ingesting technical DDT, conversion to DDE has been extremely limited, while conversion to DDD has been regularly demonstrable during and after dosing. Tissue stores of p,p′-DDE in general population probably originate mainly from preformed dietary p,p′-DDE in the diet, rather than from p,p′-DDT.