Human hepatocellular carcinoma tumor xenografts

Castrated or sham-operated male athymic mice were inoculated with cells from the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line PLC/PRF/5. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to the number of animals developing tumors, the time to tumor development, or the subsequent rate of increase in either tumor base area or mouse serum alpha-fetoprotein concentration. Androgen receptors were assayed in nuclei obtained from three separate liver cancer cell lines and from normal adult human liver. Similar concentrations, ranging from 235 to 550 fmol/mg DNA, of nuclear androgen receptors were detected in all tissues. Low percentages of androgen receptors were retained on DNA-cellulose. Although the presence of receptors implies the potential for metabolic effects of androgens in normal and malignant liver, our in vivostudies suggest that castration does not alter significantly the growth of liver cancer xenografts in athymic mice.     

Complex urethral disruptions: In pursuit of a successful reconstruction

OBJECTIVES: We analyzed the methods and outcomes of urethroplasty in men with complex urethral disruptions. METHODS: The medical records of 40 men with complex urethral disruptions were analyzed. Surgical methods were individualized according to stricture location, severity and length of the stricture, bladder neck characteristics and presence of complicating factors. Patients were divided into four groups based on the above characteristics. RESULTS: End-to-end urethroplasty performed in six patients with short bulbar strictures (<3 cm) was successful in all. Elaborated perineal repair was performed in 10 patients with intermediate (3-6 cm) strictures with or without complicating factors. Elaborated perineal repair with urethral substitution was performed in nine patients with long segment stricture (>6 cm). Abdominal transpubic repair was successfully applied to patients with rectourethral fistula or lacerated bladder neck. Success rate of anastomotic urethroplasty was 95% while over all success rate was 85%. CONCLUSION: Guidelines for urethral reconstruction of complex urethral disruptions are predicated on stricture length, location, bladder neck characteristics and associated complicating factors. End-to-end urethroplasty with stricture excision is highly reliable for short strictures for which previous operative repair have failed. Elaborated perineal repair is extremely versatile for intermediate and longer strictures with associated complicating factors. Abdominal transpubic urethroplasty is effective for patients with rectourethral fistula or lacerated bladder neck.     

Poliomyelitis trends in Pondicherry, south India, 1989-91.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To assess the poliomyelitis trend, including study of the epidemiological features, and to correlate this with the immunisation coverage of infants. DESIGN: Three annual lameness surveys in children aged 0-60 months employing cluster sampling methods and a series of five cross sectional surveys of immunisation coverage in children aged 12-23 months of age were undertaken. SETTING: Pondicherry, India, 1988-92. SUBJECTS: More than 10,000 children in the age group of 0-60 months took part in the three annual lameness surveys and samples of 210 children aged 12-23 months were covered each year in immunisation coverage surveys. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Altogether 50 of 11,461, 24 of 10,093, and 17 of 11,218 children surveyed during 1989, 1990, and 1991 respectively had become lame as a result of poliomyelitis, giving prevalences of 4.4, 2.4, and 1.5 per 1000 children for the three surveys. The corrected prevalences of poliomyelitis were 5.9, 3.2, and 2.0 per 1000 children during 1989, 1990, and 1991 respectively. The proportion of cases aged up to 36 months fell from 48% in 1989 to 12.5% in 1990 and 6% in 1991. The age at onset was less than 1 year in most. The median age at onset was 10.7 months. About 54% of the affected children had received three doses of oral poliomyelitis vaccine (OPV) before the onset of paralysis. In 1988 immunisation coverage for the third dose of OPV was 91% and in 1992 it was 97.6%. The drop out rate for the first versus the third dose of OPV fell from 6.3 in 1988 to 1.9% in 1992. CONCLUSION: Three successive annual lameness surveys showed that poliomyelitis was declining between 1989 and 1991. Five immunisation coverage surveys conducted from 1988 to 1992 showed high initial coverage followed by an improvement in the form of almost universal coverage for OPV.     

Office versus Home-Based Family Therapy for Runaway, Alcohol Abusing Adolescents: Examination of Factors Associated with Treatment Attendance

There is a dearth of research examining treatment engagement and attendance among runaway youth and their families. Such research is needed in order to inform treatment providers on factors associated with engagement and maintenance of these difficult to engage families into counseling. This study examined differential treatment attendance for alcohol abusing runaway youth residing at a local shelter. A traditional office-based family systems approach, Functional Family Therapy (FFT), was compared to a non-traditional, home-based, multi-systemic family therapy approach, Ecologically Based Family Therapy (EBFT). As expected, treatment engagement and attendance was significantly higher for those assigned to EBFT (N = 37) compared to FFT (N = 40). Predictors of treatment attendance (income, family chaos, externalization problems and level of youth substance use) were examined within each treatment modality. Findings suggest that home-based (compared to office-based) treatment modalities may significantly increase treatment attendance and engagement of runaway youth and their families. Non-traditional forms of treatment may need to be considered in order to best meet the needs of highly chaotic and disorganized family systems.