Perioperative immunoglobulin E response to coronary artery bypass grafting.

Serial estimation of total immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration in 30 consecutive male patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting revealed three patterns--a low, middle and high response--during the perioperative period. The mean IgE level was higher in patients with higher mean preoperative left ventricular ejection fractions and these patients had a higher left ventricular stroke work index. However, there was no correlation with the severity of coronary artery disease or with degree of adequacy of revascularisation. Mean IgE level correlated moderately well with the mean right ventricular stroke work index and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and minimally with the triple index. A higher level of IgE was usually observed with better cardiac performance and may be associated with factors related to the pulmonary circulation. However we could neither confirm nor refute whether an elevated level of IgE indicated an increased risk of cardiovascular events or a "protected status" against the complications of necrotising ischemia.     

The CEC behaviour of several synthetic peptides related to the activin βA–βD subunits

Abstract: The resolution of several structurally related synthetic peptides, derived from the loop 3 region of the activin β_A–β_D subunits, has been studied using capillary electrochromatography (CEC) with Hypersil n‐octadecylsilica as the sorbent. The results confirm that the CEC migration of these peptides can be varied in a charge‐state‐specific manner as the properties of the background electrolyte, such as pH, salt concentration and content of organic modifier, or temperature are systematically changed. Acidic peptides followed similar trends in retention behaviour, which was distinctly different to that shown by more basic peptides. The CEC separation of these peptides with the Hypersil n‐octadecyl‐silica involved distinguishable contributions from both electrophoretic mobility and chromatographic retention. Temperature effects were reflected as variations in both the electro‐osmotic flow and the electrophoretic mobility of the peptides. When the separation forces acting on the peptides were synergistic with the electro‐osmotic flow, as, for example, with the positively charged peptides at a particular pH and buffer electrolyte composition, their retention coefficient, κ_cec, decreased with increasing capillary temperature, whereas when the separation forces worked in opposite directions, as for example with negatively charged peptides, their κ_cec values increased slightly with increasing temperature. Moreover, when the content of organic modifier, acetonitrile, was sufficiently high, e.g. > 40% (v/v) and nonpolar interactions with the Hypersil n‐octadecyl‐silica sorbent were suppressed, mixtures of both the basic and acidic synthetic peptides could be baseline resolved under isocratic conditions by exploiting the mutual processes of electrophoretic mobility and electrostatic interaction. A linear relationship between the ln κ_cec values and the volume fractions, ψ, of the organic modifier over a limited range of ψ‐values, was established for the negatively charged peptides under these isocratic conditions. These findings thus provide useful guidelines in a more general context for the resolution and analysis of structurally related synthetic peptides using CEC methods.     

Phase II study of pemetrexed in breast cancer patients pretreated with anthracyclines.

BACKGROUND: To assess antitumor activity and toxicity of pemetrexed in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients previously treated with anthracyclines. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven MBC patients from 12 European institutions were entered into the study. Seventy-two patients were considered evaluable for response and toxicity. Forty-two patients were classified as anthracycline-failure (relapse >30 days after completion of a prior anthracycline regimen) and 30 as anthracycline-refractory (progression within 30 days after anthracycline therapy). Pemetrexed 600 mg/m(2) was administered intravenously every 3 weeks until progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: There were three complete and 12 partial responders [response rate 21% (95% confidence interval 12%)]. Response rates in the anthracycline-failure and anthracycline-refractory groups were 24% and 17%, respectively. A subset of 31 patients pretreated with anthracyclines and taxanes had a response rate of 26%. Median duration of response and median survival were 5.5 and 10.7 months, respectively (13 months in the failure group and 5.7 months for refractory). Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in 56% and 19% of patients, respectively. Nine patients (12%) experienced neutropenic fever. Grade 3/4 non-hematological toxicities included skin rash (10%), nausea (12%), fatigue (10%) and stomatitis (5%). CONCLUSION: Our trial demonstrates pemetrexed to be active in breast cancer, with manageable toxicity. Activity of pemetrexed did not appear to be adversely affected by prior taxane, 5-fluorouracil or endocrine treatments.     

Clinical phase I study with one-hour paclitaxel infusion

Background: Paclitaxel (PAC) is one of the major anti-cancer drugs,effective in different tumors. Studies with 24-hour infusion with 135mg/m² and a three-hour infusion with 175 mg/m²showed a significant schedule-dependent toxicity. We evaluated a one-hourinfusion schedule within a phase I study to determine the dose limitingtoxicity (DLT), the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), and the anti-cancerefficacy.Patients and methods: Patients with advanced malignant tumors weretreated within cohorts by one-hour infusional paclitaxel starting with 150mg/m² and stepwise escalation with 25 mg/m²increments. Therapy was repeated in three-week intervals. Cycles wererepeated until progression. Toxicity was closely monitored, anti-cancerefficacy was only evaluated in those patients who received at minimum twotreatment cycles.Results: Thirty-four patients entered the study (11 NSCLC, five SCLC,seven ovarian cancer, one cervix cancer, nine MBC, one HN cancer). The MTDwas PAC 250 mg/m². The DLT was central and peripheralneuropathy (WHO grade 3). Other significant toxicities were fatigue,myalgia/arthralgia and paraesthesia. No significant myelotoxicity wasobserved. Totally twentyone patients were evaluable for response. A partialresponse was observed in five (24%) patients (two NSCLC, two ovariancancer, one head and neck cancer). Three (14%) patients had stabledisease and in 13 (62%) patients progressive disease was observed.Conclusions: Paclitaxel 225 mg/m² on day 1 administered asone-hour infusion and repeated every three weeks can be given safely, featuredno relevant myelotoxicity, and is the recommended dose for phase II studies.     

Emotional intelligence and smoking risk factors in adolescents: interactions on smoking intentions.

PURPOSE: To examine interactions between emotional intelligence (EI) and smoking risk factors on smoking intentions in adolescents. METHODS: EI ios defined as the ability to: accurately perceive, appraise, and express emotion; access and/or generate feelings in facilitating thought; understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and regulate emotions. EI of 416 6th graders (53% girls) from middle schools in the Los Angeles area (mean age = 11.3 years; 32% Latino, 29% Asian/Pacific Islander, 13% white, 19% Multiethnic, 6% Other) was assessed with an abbreviated version of the Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale, Adolescent Version (MEIS). This was a competence-based measure assessing an individual's ability to perceive, understand, and manage emotion. Logistic regression models were fit to test interactions between EI and ever trying cigarettes, hostility, and perceived ability to refuse a cigarette from someone just met, on intentions to smoke in the next year. RESULTS: High EI adolescents were more likely to intend to smoke in the next year if they had previously experimented with smoking. Those with low EI were more likely to intend to smoke if their perceived ability to refuse a cigarette offer from a person they just met was low or hostility level was high. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results indicate that EI interacts with risk factors to reduce smoking intentions, and contributes evidence to a link between EI and smoking in adolescents.