Combination of flavone acetic acid (FAA) with adriamycin,cis-platinum and difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in vitro against human colon cancer cells

Summary Unresectable solid tumors in the metastatic stage are quite resistant to current chemotherapy and radiation therapy regimens. Flavone acetic acid (FAA) is a novel antitumor agent which appears to work through a different mechanism than the conventional chemotherapeutic agents. In preclinical studies it has shown effectiveness against a variety of transplantable murine and human tumors and appears to be solid tumor selective. It also has non-overlapping toxicities as compared to conventional agents. We therefore investigated FAA in vitro against human colon cancer cells and explored whether its effectiveness could be enhanced in combination with other agents such as adriamycin (ADR), cis-platinum (CP) and difluoromethyornithine (DFMO) — an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis. Addition of FAA for 24 hours in liquid media produced dose dependent growth inhibition. Using soft agar colony assay, growth was inhibited by 58% by 3mM FAA and only 1.4% by 0.375mM FAA. The combination of FAA and cis-platinum produced synergism at the lower doses tested. The combination of FAA and adriamycin produced antagonism at all doses tested and the combination of FAA with DFMO did not produce results significantly different from DFMO alone. We conclude that enhancement of FAA activity can be achieved in combination with conventional antitumor agents, but may be drug and dose specific.     

Dupuytren disease of the sole]

The authors discuss the essence of Dupuytren disease occurring in the plantar aponeurosis with literary surveys. They briefly outline the essence of the well-known different theories which endeavour to explain the causes of the development of this disease of unknown etiology. In their article, they deal with its clinical manifestation, histological changes and therapeutical possibilities in connection with the 5 cases treated by them.     

Retention of "safe" blood donors. The Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study

BACKGROUND: There are obvious advantages to increasing donor retention. However, for reasons of blood safety, certain donors may, in fact, be more desirable to retain than others. “Safe” donors are defined as those who provided a blood donation that was negative on all laboratory screening tests and who subsequently reported no behavioral risks in response to an anonymous survey. This study identifies the most important factors affecting the intention of “safe” donors to provide another donation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: An anonymous survey asking about donation history, sexual history, injecting drug use, and recent donation experience was mailed to 50,162 randomly selected allogeneic donors (including directed donors) who gave blood from April through July or from October through December 1993 at one of the five United States blood centers participating in the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study. Before mailing, questionnaires were coded to designate donors with nonreactive laboratory screening tests at their most recent donation. RESULTS: A total of 34,726 donors (69%) responded, with substantially higher response among repeat donors. According to reported intentions only, the vast majority of “safe” donors indicated a high likelihood of donating again within the next 12 months. Only 3.4 percent reported a low likelihood of donating again. A comparison of those likely to return and those unlikely to return reveals significant differences in demographics and in ratings of the donation experience. A higher proportion of those unlikely to return were first-time donors, minority-group donors, and donors with less education. The highest projected loss among “safe” donors was seen for those who gave a fair to poor assessment of their treatment by blood center staff or of their physical well-being during or after donating. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that efforts to improve donors' perceptions of their donation experience, as well as attention to the physical effects of blood donation, may aid in the retention of both repeat and first-time donors.     

Management of lung and bone metastases from thyroid cancers of differentiated structures

During a period of thirty years (1959-1989) 374 patients underwent surgery for differentiated thyroid carcinoma at the 1st Department of Surgery of the University Medical School in Debrecen. Distant metastases were found in the lungs or bones in 36 patients (9.6%). In 20 patients the first clinical sign of the primary disease was the distant metastasis. The aspects of surgical treatment depended on whether the metastases were solitary or multiple, capable or uncapable of radioiodine uptake. Whereas the majority of pulmonary metastases respond well to 131I-treatment the therapy of bone metastases is multidisciplinary. The 5-year survival rate was 47%, the 10-year one 19%.     

Mycobacterium marinum infection of the hand and wrist. Results of conservative treatment in twenty-four cases

Inadequate débridement, extensive scarring, and breakdown of the wound have been commonly encountered after surgical débridement has been employed as the initial treatment of infection with Mycobacterium marinum involving the deep structures of the hand. Because of our disappointment with the results of this form of treatment, from 1982 to 1986 we treated twenty-four patients who had such an infection with rifampicin and ethambutol after a diagnostic biopsy was done. Surgical treatment was deferred until it was determined that the infection had not been controlled by the chemotherapy. The clinical outcome for these patients could be divided into three patterns: eleven patients (Group I) had a good result with no complications, three patients (Group II) had delayed healing of the wound, and ten patients (Group III) did not have a good response to conservative treatment and required one or more surgical débridements. Complications were sometimes associated with use of the drugs, and loss of visual acuity was a concern in three patients. In twenty-one (87 per cent) of the patients, at follow-up the function of the treated hand was equal to that of the other hand. Persistent pain, a discharging sinus, and previous local injection of steroids were unfavorable prognostic factors. If these factors are present, surgical débridement is advised.     

The mechanism of cytolytic and cytostatic activity of benfluron

Benfluron at concentrations of 0.26 and 0.52 mumol l-1 inhibited the formation of V79 colonies in a concentration-dependent way. Diminution of the size of colonies of the treated cells was accompanied by a decrease in protein content per cell. At the same time an increase in metabolic activity was observed. Benfluron blocked the V79 cells in S and G2 phases of the cell cycle and at higher concentrations induced cell lysis documented by alterations in cell membrane permeability and morphology. The in vitro membrane effect of benfluron involved a biphasic modulation of the cardiac sarcolemmal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity.     

Rupture of the posterior tibial tendon: CT and surgical findings

Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 42 patients with 49 clinically suspected tears of the posterior tibial tendon. Twenty-eight of the 49 suspected tears were subsequently surgically explored and repaired. Three patterns of tendon abnormalities were recognized on CT scans: type I-intact, hypertrophied, heterogeneous tendon; type II-attenuated tendon; and type III-absence of a portion of a tendon. Types I and II correlated with partial rupture seen during surgery, and type III correlated with complete rupture of the tendon. CT findings were accurate in 96% of the patients who underwent surgery. In four cases (14%), tendon rupture was seen on CT scans, but the extent of the injury was underestimated and the rupture was misclassified. Reactive periostitis of the distal tibia was seen in 71% of diseased tendons and may represent an important factor in the diagnosis of tendon rupture.