Immunocryosurgery for basal cell carcinoma: results of a pilot, prospective, open-label study of cryosurgery during continued imiquimod application

Background/aim  Theoretical considerations support the combination of cryosurgery and topical imiquimod to treat basal cell carcinomas (BCC). The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of 'cryosurgery during continued imiquimod application' ('immunocryosurgery') to treat 'high-risk-for-recurrence' BCCs.
Methods  Thirteen patients with 21 biopsy-proven tumours (4 of 21 relapses after prior surgery) were included. After 2–5 weeks (median, 3) of daily 5% imiquimod cream application, the tumours were treated by liquid N₂ cryosurgery (spray, two cycles, 10–20 s) and imiquimod was continued for additional 2–12 weeks (median, 4). The outcome after at least 18 months of follow-up (18–24 months) is currently reported.
Results  Nineteen of 21 tumours responded promptly to immunocryosurgery; two tumours required additional treatment cycles to clear. Thus, the clinical clearance rate was 100%. Only 1 of 21(5%) tumour relapsed after at least 18 months of follow-up (cumulative efficacy: 95%).
Conclusions  'Immunocryosurgery' is a promising non-surgical combination modality to treat 'high-risk-for-recurrence BCCs'. Initial evidence is suggestive of an at least additive effect of the two combined modalities. Further studies comparing immunocryosurgery directly with cryosurgery and imiquimod monotherapies will confirm the reported results.     

Embryotoxic effects of deoxynivalenol mycotoxin (vomitoxin) in rats]

Study of embryotoxic action of deoxynivalenol in levels of 0.2, 1, 5, 10 mg/kg from 7 to 15 day of rat pregnancy was worked up. The 0.2 mg/kg determined as a maximal acceptable dose without toxic effects.     

FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM THE ANBP2 PILOT STUDY

1. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a 5 year cardiovascular outcome trial of the treatment of 6000 elderly hypertensive patients in Australian general practices. 2. General practitioners (GPs) were invited to participate by mail and personal follow-up. Patient records were reviewed to identify subjects for a blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Blood pressure was measured on three occasions and eligible subjects were included if the average BP was 160 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic if systolic BP was 140 mmHg. 3. Seven hundred and forty-one GPs were approached and 89 were enrolled in the study (12% of mail invites and 75% of those receiving a personal contact). In 16 practices where screening was completed, 82 000 records were reviewed to identify 4% patients eligible for screening. Twenty-two per cent of eligible subjects attended screening. Of 1938 subjects screened, 180 (9%) had BP 5=160/90 mmHg. Forty-seven percent of subjects (n = 916) were receiving antihypertensive therapy and 184 (20%) were withdrawn from therapy. One hundred and sixteen (63%) of these subjects had BP return to study entry levels within 6 weeks. Fifty-seven newly diagnosed and 81 previously treated subjects were randomized (7% of the screened population). 4. Based on the high participation rate of GPs, the response rate of patients to attend a BP screening programme and the 7% randomization to screening ratio for entry into the study, the ANBP2 pilot study has demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit subjects from Australian general practices to a cardiovascular outcome trial.     

GGA1 acts as a spatial switch altering amyloid precursor protein trafficking and processing

The beta-amyloid (Abeta) precursor protein (APP) is cleaved sequentially by beta-site of APP-cleaving enzyme (BACE) and gamma-secretase to release the Abeta peptides that accumulate in plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). GGA1, a member of the Golgi-localized gamma-ear-containing ARF-binding (GGA) protein family, interacts with BACE and influences its subcellular distribution. We now report that overexpression of GGA1 in cells increased the APP C-terminal fragment resulting from beta-cleavage but surprisingly reduced Abeta. GGA1 confined APP to the Golgi, in which fluorescence resonance energy transfer analyses suggest that the proteins come into close proximity. GGA1 blunted only APP but not notch intracellular domain release. These results suggest that GGA1 prevented APP beta-cleavage products from becoming substrates for gamma-secretase. Direct binding of GGA1 to BACE was not required for these effects, but the integrity of the GAT (GGA1 and TOM) domain of GGA1 was. GGA1 may act as a specific spatial switch influencing APP trafficking and processing, so that APP-GGA1 interactions may have pathophysiological relevance in AD.     

Steroid receptor assay in various tissues and tumors

Four types of steroid receptors were assayed in 1715 tumors of various localization and in 101 normal tissue samples from the mammary gland, uterus, and endometrium; tissuespecific distribution of steroid receptors was demonstrated. Expression of steroid hormones (especially estrogen receptors) is enhanced in proliferating compared with resting tissues and in hormone-sensitive tumors compared with adjacent normal tissue. It is assumed that hormone sensitivity of the tumor reflects hormone sensitivity of parental organ. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 125, No. 5, pp. 558–561, May, 1998     

Calcium transport and ATPase activity in mitochondria and fragments of sarcoplasmic reticulum of the heart and muscles of rabbits with hypercholesteremia

Keeping rabbits on a high-cholesterol diet (1 g/kg) for 3–7 months led to an increase in cholesterol concentration in the mitochondrial membranes and fragments of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SPR) of the myocardium and skeletal muscles. Saturation of the membranes with cholesterol led to a decrease in efficiency of the Ca-pump of the SPR, as reflected in lowering of the Ca/ATP ratio and an increase in the outflow of Ca⁺⁺ from the SPR. Under these conditions the rate of accumulation of Ca⁺⁺ was higher in SPR than in the mitochondria. Activity of mitochondrial Mg⁺⁺-activated 2,4-DNP-ATPase was reduced in hypercholesteremia.Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Biochemistry, Institute of General Pathology and Pathological Physiology, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. M. Chernukh.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 89, No. 3, pp. 292–294, March, 1980.     

Use of the multi-component VP-4 vaccine to prevent acute respiratory diseases at preschool children's establishments

The multicomponent VP-4 vaccine from Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphyloccocus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli antigens was used to prevent acute respiratory diseases (ARD) at preschoolchildren's establishments. Prevention was effected during an influenza epidemic with a drastic rise in the incidence of ARD. The VP-4 use involved 3 nasal and 6-9 oral administrations of the drug at an interval of 3-4 days. The duration of the course was 26 +/- 4 days. The preventive action of VP-4 on the incidence of ARD was followed up for 14 months after vaccination. One group comprised 89 vaccinated children, a matched group included 69 children whose age was 2 to 6 years. Immunoprophylaxis was found to promote a reduction in the number of children who had 4 ARD episodes or more during the whole follow-up. Administration of VP-4 prevented the development of repeated episodes ARD in a group of children aged 2-3 years and in frequently ill children who had 3 infections or more in the previous year. The slight reactogenicity of the drug and its long-term preventive effect allow this method of immunoprophylaxis to be recommended for frequently ill children, for those at high risk, and for those in the junior age group (under 4 years) before going to preschoolchildren's establishments.