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.     

Personality, Psychophysiology, and Performance

Research relating personality variables to physiological responsivity and to motor performance is reviewed. Trait anxiety is not related to physiology but ego strength is related to change in physiological levels. Skin conductance is most consistently related to ego strength across experimental conditions and across subjects. Other physiological variables are also related to ego strength in certain subjects under certain conditions. Data relating ego strength to other personality variables and to psychomotor performance is also reviewed. A theory relating personality to physiological change is proposed.     

Experimenter and Subject Sex Effects In the Skin Conductance Response

The present study was designed to determine the significance of the experimenter's sex on the subject's skin conductance responsiveness and to ascertain the nature and extent of sex differences in basal skin conductance, skin conductance response (SCR) magnitude, and spontaneous skin resistance (SRR) activity. The responses of 30 male and 30 female Ss were recorded by 3 male and 3 female experimental assistants. Following a brief adaptation period, all Ss received 20 5-sec bursts of 75 dB white noise. Variable stimulus intervals were employed. Male Ss serving in the female E condition evidenced significantly higher basal conductance levels and a more rapid decrease in basal conductance levels over trials. Skin resistance response magnitude data showed a significant Experimenter Sex X Trials interaction such that all Ss serving in the female E condition failed to habituate. An analysis of spontaneous SRR activity showed that Ss serving in the other-sex E condition emitted more spontaneous responses. All Ss showed a significant decrease in spontaneous activity across trials.     

Improved survival with combined modality treatment for stage IV breast cancer.

Between November 1974 and March 1977, 85 patients with breast cancer at first postmastectomy relapse were irradiated (Radiation 3500–6000 rad-3/5 weeks) to all clinically evident lesions. Radiation fields were properly shaped to include a maximum 40% active bone marrow. After 3–4 weeks rest, chemotherapy was started as adjuvant therapy for residual or subclinical disease (ADR 30 mg/M² Day 1 and 8, 5-FU 400 mg/M² Day 1 and 8, CY 100 mg/M² Day 1 through 14: repeated after 14 days). ADR was discontinued at 500/M² and substituted by MTX 30 mg/M² Day 1 and 8 for a total of 2 years. Irradiated sites were chest wall in 35, supraclavicular and internal mammary nodes in 22, bone in 56, single lung lesions in 12, brain in 24. Controls were 52 comparable but non-randomized patients treated with chemotherapy only. Forty days after x-irradiation 68 patients (80%) were free of disease (NED) while in 17 cases (20%) some residual was still present (RED). In 28 of 68 cases (41%) NED after x-irradiation and 13 of 17 (76%) in RED group developed second relapse after a median interval of 26 and 20 mos, respectively. Four of 52 patients (8%) in the control group had complete regression with a median interval to second relapse of 7 mos. Median survival was 30 mos., 24 mos. and 13 mos., respectively, for NED, RED and chemotherapy only. Eighteen patients (269o) are free of disease after 36–48 mos. in the combined modality group; none in the chemotherapy group. Combined treatment cases did not show untolerable mylodepression: in 41 patients (60%) the average chemotherapy dose had to be reduced during the first 4–5 cycles because of marrow depression. In 10 long-surviving patients a marked subcutaneous and skin fibrosis developed because of drug additive effect. Stage IV breast cancers rendered clinically free of disease with x-irradiation and subsequently treated with chemotherapy survive significantly longer than with chemotherapy alone.     

Epidemiologic aspects of american Kaposi's sarcoma

In our series of 37 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma, a larger than expected incidence of Americans of Italian and Jewish lineage was found, with 51% of Italian and 38% of Jewish background. Although a predominance of these two groups has been clearly shown previously, this may be the highest percentage of any series. In addition, 12, or 32%, of the patients were found to have concurrent diabetes mellitus. This association has been observed previously, but is not generally appreciated.     

A case of mucolipidosis II: biochemical, nutritional, and immunological studies

A case of mucolipidosis II was studied biochemically, nutritionally and immunologically. A possible functional deficiency of T cells was observed, but discrepancy between B cells and immunoglobulin content was not reasonably explained at this moment. There was no basic nutritional problem in this case and it is more likely that his growth retardation was due to frequent episodes of severe respiratory infection because he received adequate calorie intake with low normal basal metabolic rate. Results of enzymatic assays were also presented.     

Multiple neuroendocrine carcinomas (so-called Merkel cell tumours) of the skin

Summary Two neuroendocrine carcinomas of the skin (so-called Merkel cell tumours) are presented. In both cases multiple tumour nodules developed within the course of the disease. The light and electron microscopic observations correspond with the findings reported in other neuroendocrine carcinomas. As a variable morphological and clinical pattern for these tumours seems to exist we consider our two cases with their unique clinical picture to be an obviously infrequent variant of this tumour disease, we propose for it the term multiple neuroendocrine carcinoma syndrome.     

Activation of Wnt/beta-catenin/Tcf signaling in mouse skin carcinogenesis

Although Wnt/beta-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway has been shown to be an important factor in the development of many malignancies including colorectal, ovarian, prostate, and many other cancers, little is known about its role in non-melanoma skin cancers. Here, we report the first evidence that beta-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway is constitutively activated in non-melanocytic skin tumors induced by two stage chemical carcinogenesis protocol. Mouse skin tumors showed cytoplasmic and nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin, and upregulation of beta-catenin/Tcf target genes (c-myc and c-jun). We found high levels of skin-expressed Wnt proteins (Wnt 3, 4, and 10b) in different parts of the tumors, likely representing key upstream events in beta-catenin/Tcf activation during mouse skin carcinogenesis. Inhibition of beta-catenin/Tcf signaling by ectopic expression of dominant negative Tcf4 resulted in significant inhibition of growth in squamous cell carcinoma cells. A role of the constitutive activation of beta-catenin/Tcf signaling in skin carcinogenesis is discussed.     

Sun Protection Policies and Practices at Child Care Centers in Massachusetts

We assessed the relationship between sun protection policies and practices at child care centers in Massachusetts. We hypothesized that centers with sun protection policies were more likely to have regular sun protection practices in place compared to centers without these policies. We conducted a telephone survey with directors or assistant directors at 327 child care centers during the summer of 2002. The main outcome measure was sun protection practices, which included time spent outside during mid-day and the use of sunscreen, hats, and protective clothing by the majority of children assessed over the last 5 program days. The 36-item survey also inquired about the center’s sun protection policy and included demographic questions. Most centers (73%) reported having a written sun protection policy. Sun protection policies were positively associated with reported sunscreen (χ²=14.63, p = 0.0001) and hat use (χ²=30.98, p < 0.0001) and inversely associated with time outside (χ²=10.76, p = 0.001). Seventy-seven percent of centers followed recommended sunscreen practices. However, centers were far less likely to have recommended hat use (36%) and protective clothing (1.5%) practices. A formal sun protection policy may be an effective way to increase sun protection practices in the child care setting. Further research should assess this relationship in other states. Improving and expanding existing state regulations may be a reasonable strategy to increase sun protection at child care centers. Stacey A. Kenfield is a doctoral candidate in the Epidemiology Department, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Alan C. Geller is Research Associate Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA; Elizabeth M. Richter is Cancer Prevention and Control Director, Bureau of Family and Community Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA; Steve Shuman is Health Specialist for ACF Region 1 Head Start Quality Initiative, Boston, MA; David O’Riordan is Assistant Professor at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI; Howard K. Koh is Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health, Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Graham A. Colditz is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.