Serum MBP immunoreactivity and immunoglobulin level as markers of tumour type

Summary Forty three patients, admitted to the department of Neurological Surgery for management of central nervous system tumours, were studied pre-operatively for serum myelin basic protein immunoreactivity as a marker of central nervous system lesion and for circulating immunoglobulins and complement (C₃) levels. Myelin basic protein concentration did not appear to correlate with tumour type or grade. Serum immunoglobulin levels were found to be within the normal range but the mean IgM level was significantly higher in the glioma group when compared with meningiomas.     

Effect of mixing on rifampin bactericidal activity against staphylococci.

Minimal bactericidal concentrations of rifampin were significantly increased, and serum bactericidal activity from volunteers receiving this drug was significantly decreased by vigorous mixing of microtiter plates before sampling when tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis at 10(5) and 10(6) colony-forming units per ml. These results suggest that microtiter estimates of the bactericidal activity of rifampin against staphylococci should be performed after vigorous shaking.     

Synthese und Acylierungen des 1-Hydroxylamino-adamantans 43. Mitt. über Hydroxylamin-Derivate

Synthesis and Acylations of 1-Hydroxylamino-adamantane 1-Benzoyloxy-adamantane obtained from 1-amino-adamantane and dibenzoyl peroxide could be hydrolyzed to azoxy-1,1′-adamantane and 1-hydroxylamino-adamantane. The latter was transferred to various acyl-derivatives.     

Vaginal colonization with group B streptococcus: a study in college women.

Vaginal specimens for culture of group B Streptococcus and anonymous questionnaires were obtained from 499 college women. Group B Streptococcus was isolated from 90 (18.0%) of the participants. A selective broth medium was more sensitive for detection of vaginal isolates (85 of 493; 17.2%) than was direct inoculation of blood agar plates (44 of 466; 9.4%). The most prevalent serotypes among the isolates were type III (37.9%) and type II (25.3%). Logit analysis identified four factors associated with a higher prevalence of vaginal colonization with group B Streptococcus. These organisms were isolated significantly more often from (1) women who had an intrauterine device (50% vs. 18.6%; P less than 0.001), (2) sexually experienced women (20% vs. 7.1%; P less than 0.02), (3) women studied during the first half of the menstrual cycle (26.5% vs. 14.5%; P less than 0.01), and (4) women 20 years of age or younger (21.4% vs. 14.8%; P less than 0.05). The prevalence of colonization with group B Streptococcus was not related to sexual practices, history of venereal disease, use of oral contraceptives, presence of gynecologic symptoms, use of antibiotics, race, educational level, marital status, or history of pregnancy.     

Zur Kenntnis unsymmetrischer 3-Hydroxybiurete 39. Mitt. über Hydroxylamin-Derivate

Unsymmetrical 3-Hydroxybiurets, Part 39 Monosubstitued 3-hydroxybiurets are received from hydroxy urea and esters of isocyanic acid, respectively from in 3-position substituted 1-hydroxy urea derivatives and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate with additional hydrolysis of the primary reaction product. In single cases derivatives of 3-hydroxybiurets could be received by reactions of substituted hydroxy ureas and esters of isocyanic acid, respectively acyl isocyanates. These derivatives carry in 1- and 5-position different substituents, also acyl groups.     

A validated patient reported measure of urinary urgency severity in overactive bladder for use in clinical trials

PURPOSE: Overactive bladder (OAB) is a syndrome consisting of urinary urgency with or without urge incontinence, usually with increased urinary frequency and nocturia. In response to current limitations in OAB clinical research a new patient reported measure of urgency severity associated with OAB has been developed, namely the Indevus Urgency Severity Scale (IUSS). We report the measurement properties of the IUSS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Validation study data were collected alongside a phase III clinical trial of 20 mg trospium chloride twice daily vs placebo in patients with OAB associated with urge incontinence. We evaluated IUSS item variability, known group, content, criterion and construct validity, test-retest reliability, responsiveness and respondent burden. RESULTS: A total of 658 patients were evaluated at baseline and 579 were reevaluated at week 12. IUSS demonstrated good item variability. Greater urgency severity was associated with increased symptom bother and worse health related quality of life, as measured by the OAB QOL questionnaire. IUSS had a significant positive association with essential clinical and quality of life outcomes, demonstrating content validity. IUSS was highly responsive to a decrease in the average number of patient toilet voids per 24 hours to 7 or fewer toilet voids and average urge incontinence episodes per 24 hours to zero. It discriminated between patients who had above and below the median number of toilet voids and urge incontinence episodes per 24 hours. IUSS also had good test-retest reliability and content validity, and it created minimal respondent burden. CONCLUSIONS: IUSS is a validated patient reported measure of urgency severity for collecting event specific information in the context of a clinical trial.     

Sentinel node staging of resectable colon cancer: results of a multicenter study

OBJECTIVE AND SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Sentinel lymph node (LN) sampling, a technique widely used to manage breast cancer and melanoma, seeks to select LNs that accurately predict regional node status and can be extensively examined to identify nodal metastatic disease not detected by standard histopathological staging. For patients with resectable colon cancer, improved identification of LN disease would significantly advance patient care by identifying patients likely to benefit from adjuvant therapy. This study, conducted by 25 surgeons at 13 institutions, examined whether sentinel node (SN) sampling accurately predicted LN status for patients with resectable colon cancer. METHODS: SN sampling involved peritumor injection of 1% isosulfan blue, followed by identification of all LN visualized within 10 minutes. SN sampling was performed on 79 of 91 patients enrolled, followed by multilevel sectioning (MLS) of the nodes and examination by a single study pathologist. RESULTS: By standard histopathology, 7 patients had primary disease that was either benign or not colon cancer and were therefore excluded from further studies. Of 72 colon cancer cases studied, 48 (66%) were node-negative and 24 (33%) contained nodal metastases. SNs were successfully located in 66 cases (92%), with an average of 2.1 nodes per patient. SNs were negative in 14 of 24 node-positive cases (58%). MLS revealed tumor in a SN in 1 of these cases, bringing the false-negative rate of SN examination to 54%. CONCLUSION: This multi-institutional study found that for patients with node-positive colon cancer, SN examination with MLS failed to predict nodal status in 54% of cases. We conclude that SN sampling with MLS, used alone, is unlikely to improve risk stratification for resectable colon cancer.