Publications by Year: 1994

Background: Fludarabine monophosphate and 2Chlorodeoxyadenosine are nucleoside analogues with activity against Waldenström macroglobulinemia. However, it is not clear whether prior exposure to one analogue precludes response to the other compound. Patients and methods: Fourteen patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and prior exposure to fludarabine were treated with two courses of 2chlorodeoxyadenosine. Results: Three out of four patients that had previously responded to fludarabine and were relapsing from unmaintained remission, achieved a partial response with 2chlorodeoxyadenosine therapy. However, only one out of 10 patients with disease resistant to fludarabine responded to 2chlorodeoxyadenosine. Conclusions: 2chlorodeoxyadenosine may be effective in patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia sensitive to fludarabine. However, this compound has limited activity for patients with disease resistant to fludarabine. © 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Between 1980 and 1988, 126 patients with leukemia were treated with piperazinedione and fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) followed by allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from HLA matched siblings. Sixty‐one patients had acute myelogenous leukemia, 46 acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 19 chronic myelogenous leukemia. Patients with acute leukemia in first complete remission were transplanted only if perceived to have a low probability of remaining in remission with conventional therapy. The toxicity from the preparative regimen was similar to that of cyclophosphamide and TBI except that none of the patients in the study had hemorrhagic cystitis or veno‐occlusive disease. After a median follow up of 114 months, 29 patients (23%) are still alive without relapse. The survival of patients with acute myelogenous or lymphoblastic leukemia transplanted in their first remission were 35% and 43%, respectively. The survival of patients transplanted in their first chronic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia was 60%. The results of this preparative regimen are comparable to those of cyclophosphamide and TBI. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company

A flow-injection dynamic dialysis technique is presented for the determination of binding parameters of drugs to cyclodextrins (CDs). The automated system consists of a flow-injection unit, the sample loop of which is the receiving compartment of a dialyser unit, and a home made timing module for operation control through two flow switching solenoid valves. The procedure of binding studies is rapid and yields reproducible results. Binding parameters of CD-micromolecule complexes was calculated using the Scatchard model. Typical examples of the binding of p-nitrophenol with alpha-CD(K-as=1.56x10(3) M(-1) at pH 7.4 and 2.06x10(3) M(-1) at pH 9.0), salicylic acid with beta-CD (K-as=3.8 x 10(2) M(-1) at pH 1.5 and 51 M(-1) at pH 7.4) and ibuprofen with beta-CD (K-as=2.2x10(2) M(-1) at pH 2.5) are presented and the binding constants obtained are compared to literature values. 1:1 stoichiometry was found in all cases and within run precision ranged from 2 to 14% R.S.D. The between run precision for the binding of p-nitrophenol to alpha-CD was 2% (n=3).

The application of flow-injection analysis (FIA) to automated dissolution studies of sustained-release formulations is described. The long-term stability of the dissolution-FIA analyser was checked during unattended operation for 42 h. The construction of multiple calibration curves with the so-called electronic dilution FIA procedure was used to extend the linear range of the determination. The computer-controlled FIA system and the principles of associated software are described and applied to dissolution studies of sustained-release formulations of iron(II) using its sensitive reaction with the colour reagent, ferrozine. The extended linear range of the determination is 1-130 ppm iron(II) and the precision (RSD) better than 3% (n = 3).

Objective: To determine the following: a reference range for serum calcitriol during hypercalcemia in a control group of patients with myeloma in whom calcitriol production is known to be appropriately suppressed; the incidence of elevated serum calcitriol levels in hypercalcemic patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma according to this derived reference range; and the incidence of abnormal calcium metabolism in normocalcemia patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Referral cancer center. Patients: 2 groups of hypercalcemic patients: 16 control patients with myeloma and 22 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma divided into those with elevated or normal serum calcitriol levels; 1 group of 22 normocalcemia patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Measurements: Serum chemistries and intact parathyroid hormone, calcitriol, parathyroid hormone-related protein, and urinary electrolyte levels. Results: On the basis of the mean serum calcitriol level of the control group plus 3 standard deviations, the reference range for serum calcitriol during hypercalcemia was defined as less than 42 pg/mL. Although serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels in the study patients were similar to those in controls, 12 of the 22 hypercalcemic patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (55%) had serum calcitriol levels greater than 42 pg/mL (range, 51 to 170 pg/mL). No features distinguished the patients with elevated serum calcitriol levels from those with normal levels. Seventy-one percent of normocalcemia patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma were hypercalciuric, and 18% had serum calcitriol levels greater than the normocalcemic reference range (20 to 76 pg/mL). Conclusions: Serum calcitriol levels are elevated in most hypercalcemic patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the absence of elevated serum levels of parathyroid hormone, which implicates extrarenal calcitriol production in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Abnormal calcium metabolism, hypercalciuria, and dysregulated calcitriol production are also common in normocalcemic patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We report systematic calculations of the residual resistivity and the low-field Hall coefficient of Al-based dilute alloys with 3d and 4sp impurities, by self-consistently solving the linearized Boltzmann equation. We employ the on-Fermi-sphere approximation, which allows us to combine the full anisotropy of the aluminum Fermi surface, obtained by the four-orthogonal-plane-wave method, with the phase shifts associated with isotropic impurity scattering, evaluated by self-consistent local-density-functional impurity-in-jellium calculations. Our results show that the anisotropic scattering increases the residual resistivity, thus obtaining better agreement with the experiment. Moreover, a consistent interpretation of the observed trends of the low-field Hall coefficient is presented.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effects of rapid maxillary expansion on the pressures exerted by the cheeks on the maxillary arch. The sample consisted of 15 patients (five males, ten females) who received either a Hyrax or Haas type expansion appliance for treatment of a bilateral maxillary constriction of more than 5 mm. The median age of the sample was 12 years. Buccal pressures were measured at the upper first molar on the left and right side, before and after active expansion, and also after an average of 3-4 months of retention with the appliance in place. Buccal pressures on the maxillary first molar averaged approximately 3 g/cm2 before expansion and increased significantly to a value of approximately 9 g/cm2 after expansion. Pressure change was approximately 0.6 g/cm2 for each millimetre of expansion. During the 3-4-month period of stabilization of the appliance, the pressures remained at the post-expansion levels and no adaptation of the soft tissues was observed. These results lead to the conclusion that cheek pressures on the maxillary arch may be implicated in the relapse occurring after rapid expansion, even after the usual 3-month period of stabilization.

[No abstract available]

We consider the emission of high energy to very high energy $\gamma$-rays in radio-quiet active galactic nuclei (AGN) or the central regions of radio-loud AGN. We use our results to estimate the $\gamma$-ray flux from the central regions of nearby AGN, and then to calculate the contribution to the diffuse $\gamma$-ray flux from unresolved AGN.

The partial area method has been suggested for the assessment of the absorption rate in bioequivalence studies. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the estimation of the optimal cutoff time point of the partial areas for drugs with one compartment model disposition. The analysis is performed by using the appropriate equations which relate the normalized (in terms of the extent of absorption) partial areas with time expressed in terms of multiples of half-life. Provided that the quality of experimental data ensures precise estimation of the parameters, the t(max) of the formulation with the faster absorption characteristics is generally the most practical cutoff time point for calculation of the normalized partial areas, when a drug follows one compartment model disposition with linear absorption.

The value of early myeloablative therapy supported by autologous bone marrow or blood progenitor cells was assessed in 72 patients with multiple myeloma who were treated within 1 year of initial therapy. Forty-five patients were consolidated during remission, and 27 patients were treated for primary refractory disease. Outcomes were compared with those of similar patients who did not receive intensive treatment primarily for socioeconomic reasons. Among patients who had responded previously, myeloablative therapy increased the rate of complete remission from 5% to 45% (P < .01) but did not prolong progression-free intervals or survival times. The same treatment controlled the myeloma in 70% of patients with primary resistant disease and prolonged the median survival from 37 to 83 months (P = .03). Intensive treatment for primary resistant myeloma administered later in the disease course resulted in significantly lower response rates and shorter progression-free intervals. Current myeloablative regimens supported by autologous stem cells appeared useful primarily in patients with primary resistant disease during the first year of therapy.

The binding of diflunisal to hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD), bovine serum albumin (BSA), human serum albumin (HSA), normal human plasma, and mixed solutions of HPbetaCD/protein was studied at 25-degrees-C, pH 7.4, by potentiometry using an electrode selective to diflunisal. The experimental data for diflunisal/HPbetaCD fit well to the 1:1 binding model. The binding of diflunisal with each of the studied proteins was compatible with a model having two independent classes of binding sites. The binding of diflunisal in mixed solutions HPbetaCD/BSA, HPbetaCD/HSA, and HPbetaCD/plasma increased considerably when the HPbetaCD concentration was increased. The binding behavior of the two biomolecules in the mixed solutions of HPbetaCD/BSA or HPbetaCD/HSA was described with an `'additive'' model formulated on the basis of the estimates of the binding parameters of diflunisal derived from the separate experiments with each one of the binders tested. The lower than theoretical binding observed in HPbetaCD/plasma solutions was ascribed to the competitive displacement of diflunisal from the HPbetaCD cavity by plasma cholesterol.

The role of the surface in the optical properties of porous silicon remains a key issue. Although the burden of evidence points toward some intrinsic radiative mechanism in small silicon particles, the influence of the surface and ways of controlling surface interactions will always be important. We present here the results of surface modification of porous silicon using annealing and rapid oxidation steps. By comparing new results with existing published data we conclude that hydrogen passivation of the surface is not unique in its ability to saturate dangling bonds and hence promote strong luminescence; oxidation, especially at high temperatures, can play a similar role. Oxidation also produces an additional, low energy band which is linked to residual dangling bond related defects at the Si-SiO2 interface. Furthermore, this band suffers a blue shift with increasing porosity in similar fashion to that observed for the visible emission.

We calculate the spectrum of photons resulting from electromagnetic cascades through thermal radiation, and examine the consequences of including triplet production in these cascades. We assume that the cascade is one-dimensional, and we find that this approximation is justified in the present work for thermal radiation with temperature less than 10-3 mc2. Results are obtained for both monoenergetic and power-law primary spectra, and for a variety of path lengths. We find that triplet production is particularly important in electron-photon cascades through thermal radiation when the primary energy exceeds 105m2c4/kT for propagation over small path lengths. The importance of triplet production decreases as the path length increases, and it has no effect on saturated cascades.

This study examined the effects of elevating blood lactate concentration by arm exercise on subsequent performance during repeated 30 s sprints with the legs. Eight male students performed two 30 s cycle ergometer sprints separated by 6 min of recovery, on two occasions. On one occasion the subjects performed only the two 30 s cycle ergometer sprints (‘legs’), while on the other occasion 5 min of heavy arm cranking preceded the two sprints (‘arms and legs’). Blood lactate concentration was determined from capillary samples at rest, after a standardized warm-up and 3 and 5 min following each exercise bout. In the ‘legs’ condition, the peak power output (PPO) and mean power output (MPO) in the second sprint were 92% (P< 0.05) and 85% (P<0.01) of the values attained during the first sprint, respectively. Prior arm exercise, which increased blood lactate to 11.0 ± 0.6 mM, had no effect on PPO and MPO during the first cycle ergometer sprint (a4% drop, n.s.). However, in the second sprint after prior arm exercise, PPO was 10% lower than the PPO attained during the corresponding sprint in the ‘legs’ condition (sprint 2 ‘arms and legs’ 963+42 W, sprint 2 ‘legs’ 1074 + 60 W, P<0.05), while MPO was better maintained (sprint 2 ‘arms and legs’ 517 + 17 W, sprint 2 ‘legs’ 549 + 24 W, N.s.). The rate of blood lactate accumulation after both cycle ergometer sprints was considerably decreased (by a 50%) when blood lactate levels were pre-elevated by arm crank exercise. It is suggested that the elevation of blood lactate levels by prior arm exercise can cause a significant drop in PPO of the second sprint by decreasing muscle buffering capacity and lactate/H+ efflux from the muscle. The less pronounced drop in MPO during the second sprint in the ‘arms and legs’ condition was assumed to be due to an increased aerobic contribution to energy supply. © 1994 E. & F.N. Spon.

This study examined the effects of elevating blood lactate concentration by arm exercise on subsequent performance during repeated 30 s sprints with the legs. Eight male students performed two 30 s cycle ergometer sprints separated by 6 min of recovery, on two occasions. On one occasion the subjects performed only the two 30 s cycle ergometer sprints ('legs'), while on the other occasion 5 min of heavy arm cranking preceded the two sprints ('arms and legs'). Blood lactate concentration was determined from capillary samples at rest, after a standardized warm-up and 3 and 5 min following each exercise bout. In the 'legs' condition, the peak power output (PPO) and mean power output (MPO) in the second sprint were 92% (P < 0.05) and 85% (P < 0.01) of the values attained during the first sprint, respectively. Prior arm exercise, which increased blood lactate to 11.0 ± 0.6 mM, had no effect on PPO and MPO during the first cycle ergometer sprint (≃ 4% drop, N.S.). However, in the second sprint after prior arm exercise, PPO was 10% lower than the PPO attained during the corresponding sprint in the 'legs' condition (sprint 2 'arms and legs' 963 ± 42 W, sprint 2 'legs' 1074 ± 60 W, P < 0.05), while MPO was better maintained (sprint 2 'arms and legs' 517 ± 17 W, sprint 2 'legs' 549 ± 24 W, N.S.). The rate of blood lactate accumulation after both cycle ergometer sprints was considerably decreased (by ≃ 50%) when blood lactate levels were pre-elevated by arm crank exercise. It is suggested that the elevation of blood lactate levels by prior arm exercise can cause a significant drop in PPO of the second sprint by decreasing muscle buffering capacity and lactate/H+ efflux from the muscle. The less pronounced drop in MPO during the second sprint in the 'arms and legs' condition was assumed to be due to an increased aerobic contribution to energy supply.

This study examined the effects of elevating blood lactate concentration by arm exercise on subsequent performance during repeated 30 s sprints with the legs. Eight male students performed two 30 s cycle ergometer sprints separated by 6 min of recovery, on two occasions. On one occasion the subjects performed only the two 30 s cycle ergometer sprints (‘legs’), while on the other occasion 5 min of heavy arm cranking preceded the two sprints (‘arms and legs’). Blood lactate concentration was determined from capillary samples at rest, after a standardized warm-up and 3 and 5 min following each exercise bout. In the ‘legs’ condition, the peak power output (PPO) and mean power output (MPO) in the second sprint were 92% (P< 0.05) and 85% (P<0.01) of the values attained during the first sprint, respectively. Prior arm exercise, which increased blood lactate to 11.0 ± 0.6 mM, had no effect on PPO and MPO during the first cycle ergometer sprint (a4% drop, n.s.). However, in the second sprint after prior arm exercise, PPO was 10% lower than the PPO attained during the corresponding sprint in the ‘legs’ condition (sprint 2 ‘arms and legs’ 963+42 W, sprint 2 ‘legs’ 1074 + 60 W, P<0.05), while MPO was better maintained (sprint 2 ‘arms and legs’ 517 + 17 W, sprint 2 ‘legs’ 549 + 24 W, N.s.). The rate of blood lactate accumulation after both cycle ergometer sprints was considerably decreased (by a 50%) when blood lactate levels were pre-elevated by arm crank exercise. It is suggested that the elevation of blood lactate levels by prior arm exercise can cause a significant drop in PPO of the second sprint by decreasing muscle buffering capacity and lactate/H+ efflux from the muscle. The less pronounced drop in MPO during the second sprint in the ‘arms and legs’ condition was assumed to be due to an increased aerobic contribution to energy supply. © 1994 E. & F.N. Spon.

The electronic structure of the 4d substitutional impurities in Rb is studied by means of self-consistent density functional calculations. Exchange and correlation corrections for localized orbitals, as included in the mean-field solution of Anderson's model, are superimposed on the spin-dependent potential of the traditional local-spin-density approximation. We find ionic-like dn configurations and a quite important spin polarization of the extended sp states. For Nb and Ru impurities we obtain two stable configurations in each case and their energetic stability is studied by means of constrained density-functional calculations. Our results are compared with the results of other calculations and with the available experimental data.

The aqueous solubility of cyclosporin A (CyA) in the presence of various concentrations of TPGS ranging from 0.01 to 0.50 mM was studied at three temperatures (5, 20, and 37-degrees-C). Compared to previously reported solubility data in triple distilled water, solubility in the presence of TPGS was significantly increased at all temperatures. Surface tension and light scattering measurements showed that solubilization in TPGS multimers is the main mechanism responsible for the increased CyA solubility at 20-degrees-C and 37-degrees-C. In contrast, the increased CyA solubility at 5-degrees-C appears to be mediated by other mechanism(s), such as association of TPGS with CyA. These data substantiate the view that the enhanced bioavailability of CyA, when coadministered with TPGS in patients suffering from cholestasis, is due to the increased solubility of CyA in the presence of TPGS.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and toxicity of etoposide, cyclophosphamide, and fractionated total-body irradiation (TBI) as the conditioning regimen for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. Patients and Methods: Seventy-nine patients underwent BMT from a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling using cyclosporine/methotrexate for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis. Thirty-four patients had early leukemia (acute leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma in first remission, chronic myelogenous leukemia [CML], or refractory anemia [RA]), and 45 patients had more advanced disease. Patients received etoposide 1,500 mg/m2 on day -8, followed by cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg/d on days -7 and -6, and 10.2 Gy of TBI administered in six fractions of 1.7 Gy given twice daily for 3 days from day -3 to -1. Donor bone marrow was harvested and infused on day 0. Results: Patients with early leukemia had a disease-free survival rate of 53% ± 9% and an overall survival rate of 57% ± 10% at 3 years. Patients with advanced disease had a disease-free survival rate of 15% ± 5% and overall survival rate of 17% ± 5%. The actuarial relapse rate for the early-leukemia group is 33% ± 9% versus 69% ± 9% for patients with more advanced disease. Severe toxicity was most frequently manifested as pulmonary hemorrhage followed by multiorgan failure and death. The 100-day mortality rate for the early- leukemia group was 10% versus 50% for patients with more advanced disease. Conclusion: The combination of cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and TBI is a relatively safe and effective preparative regimen for patients with early hematologic malignancies. Controlled trials are needed to evaluate critically this combination versus other standard preparative regimens. Greater toxicity was observed in patients with advanced disease, and this program does not appear to offer any advantage over other regimens.

The major clinical experience with fludarabine has been obtained in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In the initial studies in previously treated patients with CLL, the complete and partial response rate (CR + PR) was over 50% and in previously untreated patients with CLL, a CR + PR rate of 75-80% was noted with or without the addition of prednisone. Subsequent clinical trials have also demonstrated major activity with fludarabine in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Fludarabine was noted to be an active agent in indolent lymphoma in phase I/II studies. Approximately 60% of patients with follicular lymphoma respond to fludarabine when it is administered as a single agent. Many of these remissions are complete remissions despite patients having received extensive prior therapy. Combination programs are being developed for application in CLL and indolent lymphoma. Because of the activity of fludarabine in inhibiting DNA repair, it has been combined with cisplatinum and cytosine arabinoside and plans are in place to explore the radiation sensitizing effect of fludarabine in clinical trials. A combination of fludarabine plus ara-C is now being used in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and a combination of fludarabine, ara-C, and G-CSF (FLAG) has been combined with idarubicin for the management of these conditions. Many of these activities of fludarabine are associated with its interaction with many enzymes which are important in DNA and RNA metabolism and in DNA repair. It is anticipated that these actions will be explored in a wider range of studies subsequently. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.

Fludarabine is the most active single agent that has been studied in CLL. The response rate for both previously untreated and previously treated patients is higher than combinations that have been studied. Myelosuppression is dose-limiting with substantial evidence of suppression of normal T- lymphocytes, both in patients receiving fludarabine as a single agent and in patients being treated with fludarabine plus prednisone. Along with the myelosuppression noted in advanced stage disease, infections are the most common complication with many of the infections being associated with T-cell immunodeficiency rather than the more traditional characteristics of neutropenia and hypogammaglobulinemia. Comparative clinical trials are being conducted in Europe with a cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone regimen in previously untreated and previously treated patients. In the United States, previously untreated patients are being entered in a trial comparing fludarabine with chlorambucil alone or the combination of fludarabine and chlorambucil. The eventual contribution of fludarabine to the management of chronic lymphocytic leukemia awaits the conclusion of these clinical trials.

The binding of naproxen, ketoprofen, phenylbutazone, salicyclic acid, azapropazone, and indobufen to bovine serum albumin was studied by applying the potentiometric ion probe technique. An ion-selective electrode for the ion probe 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate was utilized for the purposes of this study. A modified site-oriented competitive binding model was used for the estimation of the drugs' binding parameters, considering different number of binding sites on the competing binding class(es) for the probe and the drug. Calculations v,ere based exclusively on the concentration data of the free probe. The model's ability for accurate estimations of binding parameters was evaluated by simulation studies. The following values of binding parameters were found at 25 degrees C for the drugs under study; naproxen, n(1) = 9.1, k(1) = 9.4 X 10(5) M(-1); ketoprofen, n(1) = 8.8, k(1) = 10.8 X 10(5) M(-1); phenylbutazone, n(1) = 3.2, k(1) = 1.4 X 10(5) M(-1); salicylic acid, n(1) = 2.6, k(1) = 1.8 X 10(5) M(-1), n(2) = 21.5, k(2) = 1.0 X 10(4) M(-1); azapropazone, n(1) = 0.5, k(1) = 7.8 X 10(5) M(-1), n(2) = 26.3, k(2) = 1.9 X 10(4) M(-1); indobufen, n(1) = 5.8, k(1) = 5.8 X 10(5) M(-1), n(2) = 19.9, k(2) = 3.8 X 10(5) M(-1), where n(i) the number of binding sites of the i class and k(i) the corresponding association constant.

We present a model for explaining the recent combined X-ray and low- energy gamma-ray observations of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. According to this model, soft photons become Comptonized in a hot spot producing simultaneously the low-energy power law as observed by Ginga and the high-energy cutoff observed by OSSE. Implementing recently developed theoretical calculations toward a generalized theory of Comptonization, we were able to find fits to the observations using only two parameters which characterize the physical quantities of the emission region: the plasma cloud optical depth and its temperature. We find that there is no need for additional nonthermal, reflection, or higher temperature thermal components to fit the aforementioned OSSE and Ginga observations. We derive in addition the size of the photon region and the temperature of the upscattered soft photons. We should emphasize, also, that any attempt at fitting only the high-energy parts of the spectrum (photon energies > 60 keV) by the Sunyaev & Titarchuk (1980) nonrelativistic Comptonization model leads to an underestimate of the Comptonization parameter γ (or, equivalently, to an overestimation of the X-ray power-law spectral slope) and leads, as a result, to incorrect proportions between the low-energy and high-energy parts of the spectrum.

The use of the chromium-release assay to determine cytotoxicity of effector against target cells has various limitations mostly due to the inherent properties of the radioactive substance. We have developed an improved flow cytometric method that is able to measure cytotoxicity, based on two fluorescent dyes. Calcein-AM, a non-fluorescent substance which is intracellularly converted to the green fluorescent calcein by esterase activity in viable cells, is initially used to stain target cells. After incubating targets with effectors for 2 h, ethidium homodimer-1, a red DNA stain non-permeable to viable cells, is added. Dead target cells are distinguished by their double (green-red) staining. Data analysis is performed by gating the regions of living target, dead target and living effector cells, based on appropriate controls. Non-specific events are subtracted from the dead target region and the ratio of specific dead target events to total target events is expressed as percent cytotoxicity. The method is used to quantify natural killer (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) activities against the human K562 and Daudi cell lines and the murine YAC-1 and L1210 cell lines respectively, as well as cell-mediated lympholysis (CML) exerted by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) against autologous and allogeneic human breast cancer tumor cells. The method is fast, reliable and correlates well with the standard 51Cr-release assay.

We have recently demonstrated that prothymosin alpha (ProT alpha) when administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) protects DBA/2 mice against the growth of syngeneic leukemic L1210 cells through the induction of tumoricidal peritoneal cells producing high levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) [Papanastasiou et al. (1992) Cancer Immunol Immunother 35: 145]. In this report we tested further immunological alterations that may be caused by the administration of ProT alpha in vivo. We demonstrate that i.p. injections of ProT alpha enhance natural killer (NK) cell activity and induce lymphokine-activated (LAK) activity in vivo. Thus, splenocytes from ProT alpha-treated DBA/2 animals exhibited significantly higher cytotoxic activity (up to threefold) against the NK-sensitive YAC cell line and the NK-resistant P815 and L1210 syngeneic tumor cells, as compared to splenocytes from syngeneic control mice. The enhancement of the cytotoxic profile of DBA/2 splenocytes was associated with increased percentages of CD8+ cells, NK cells and activated CD3+ cells. The ProT alpha-induced effect persisted for 30 days after the end of the ProT alpha treatment period and returned to normal levels 20 days later. Splenocytes from non-treated DBA/2 animals generated high NK and LAK activities in response to ProT alpha in vitro. The ProT alpha-induced NK and LAK activities reached 84% and 75% respectively of what was obtained with interleukin-2 (IL-2). High concentrations of TNF alpha and IL-2 were generated in response to ProT alpha in LAK cultures. These findings suggest that ProT alpha may provide an overall protective effect against tumor growth in vivo through induction of NK and LAK activities possibly indirectly via the production of IL-2 and TNF alpha in the spleen, peritoneal cavity and probably other lymphoid organs.

This study assessed the feasibility and effect of blood progenitors as the only source of haemopoietic support for myeloablative therapy for patients with primary resistant multiple myeloma and markedly infiltrated bone marrow. 17 patients with advanced, primary resistant myeloma received a priming regimen of cyclophosphamide (3 g/m2) and etoposide (900 mg/m2) with GM-CSF. During haematological recovery, at least 2 x 106 CD34+ mononuclear cells/ kg were collected from each patient with 4-12 leukaphereses. High-dose chemotherapy was then given which consisted of thiotepa (750 mg/m2), busulfan (10 mg/kg) and cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) followed by reinfusion of the blood progenitors. Haemopoietic reconstitution was rapid with recovery of granulocytes to >1.0 x 109/l after a median of 10 d and of platelets to 50 x 109/l after a median of 29 d. The myeloma responded in 10/17 patients for a projected median duration of at least 12 months. Survival was prolonged significantly in comparison with the outcome of control patients who did not receive intensive treatment. Blood progenitors, assessed from the number of CD34+ cells, produced early haemopoietic recovery after myeloablative therapy that induced sustained control of advanced and resistant multiple myeloma.

Few effective regimens are available for patients with advanced multiple myeloma resistant to alkylating agents and VAD. We treated 65 patients with advanced and refractory multiple myeloma with the combination of cyclophosphamide (3.0 gm/m2) and etoposide (900 mg/m2) followed by GM-CSF at a daily dose of 0.125 mg/m. Thirty-five percent of patients responded with a 6% mortality rate. After a median of 2 months, 16 patients received myeloablative treatment supported by autologous bone marrow or blood stem cells. Four of ten previously resistant patients responded so that the overall response rate was 42% The median survival for all patients was 10 months and the median remission was 8 months. The median survival for patients with both low serum lactate dehydrogenase and B2 microglobulin, or for those who received myeloablative treatment, was projected at 18 months. Our combination of cyclophosphamide and etoposide provided an effective rescue treatment for many patients with advanced multiple myeloma resistant to conventional therapies. This program allowed early blood stem cell collection in support of subsequent myeloablative therapy for selected patients. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.

The utility of myeloablative therapy supported by autologous bone marrow (BM) or blood progenitor cells was assessed in 49 patients with multiple myeloma who had received at least 1 year of prior chemotherapy. Outcomes were compared with those of similar patients who did not receive intensive treatment primarily for socioeconomic reasons. Among patients with disease in resistant relapse despite treatment with vincristine-doxorobucin by continuous infusion with pulse dexamethasone (VAD), a 61% response rate was associated with a median remission time of 5 months. After primary resistance for more than 1 year, 6 of 15 patients responded and the overall survival was similar to that of control patients. For patients with melphalan-resistant disease that responded to VAD, the remission time was similar to that of control patients. Current myeloablative treatments supported by autologous BM or blood stem cells were useful to very few patients with multiple myeloma after the first year of chemotherapy.

Injuries to the Lisfranc joint in the athlete comprise a very small proportion of tarsometatarsal injuries and are unique in several different ways. The energy involved appears to be on a much smaller order of magnitude than more commonly encountered injuries leading to obvious fracture and dislocation. Second metatarsal subluxation with diastasis between the first and second metatarsal tends to be the most commonly encountered injury; however, the true extent of injury cannot be based solely on the amount of diastasis present. Lateral weight-bearing radiographs facilitate evaluation of the normal medial cuneiform-fifth metatarsal relationship, which when disrupted indicates an injury more significant than a simple sprain and the possible need for open reduction and internal fixation. Finally, the restoration of this normal radiographic relationship between the medial cuneiform and fifth metatarsal on lateral weight-bearing views correlates well with the prognosis for achieving an asymptomatic, well-functioning foot, allowing a return to a competitive level of athletic participation.

The EPR spectra of the members of the series Pr0.5RE0.5Ba2Cu3O6+x (RE = Pr, La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) in the orthorhombic phase are investigated at low temperature. The EPR spectra arise from two different paramagnetic centers, one from divalent copper ions in orthorhombic local crystal field symmetry and another from exchange coupled pairs of copper ions whose origin is discussed. The EPR spectra essentially depend on the time exposition. The EPR spectra of some divalent and trivalent rare earth ions are recorded. The crystal field analysis is done for the trivalent ytterbium ions. The semiconducting behaviour of the dc conductivity can be attributed to thermally activated small polaron hopping motion. Copyright © 1994 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

The local magnetic behaviour of impurities in simple monovalent metal hosts is studied systematically by means of ab-initio, local-spin-density-functional electronic structure calculations. Our results predict that besides the 3d and 4d impurities also the 5d and some sp impurities are magnetic in the late alkali metals and that local magnetism can exist for impurities not only on substitutional but also on interstitial sites.

PURPOSE: To assess changes in the magnetic resonance (MR) appearance of the spine in patients with multiple myeloma who responded to chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with multiple myeloma underwent MR imaging of the spine before and after chemotherapy. Sagittal T1-weighted images were obtained before and after administration of contrast material. MR patterns of marrow involvement before treatment were classified as focal, diffuse, or variegated. The changes seen on MR images after treatment were analyzed and correlated with the clinical response as defined with standard criteria. RESULTS: Patterns of complete response included resolution of marrow abnormality or persistent abnormality without enhancement or with peripheral rim enhancement. Conversion of a diffuse to a variegated or focal pattern and a decrease in the amount of marrow abnormality with persistent enhancement were observed in patients who showed a partial response. Ten patients sustained new or progressive compression fractures after successful therapy. CONCLUSION: Recognition of spinal MR patterns of response to treatment supported the occurrence of remission in patients with multiple myeloma. MR findings may help clarify response to therapy in patients with equivocal clinical changes or nonsecretory myeloma.

We investigated the antitumor activity and toxicity of cisplatin and interferon-α2B as the primary treatment of penile carcinoma. A total of 13 consecutive patients with nonmetastatic, histologically confirmed invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the penis underwent treatment consisting of 20 mg./m.2 cisplatin intravenously and 5 x 106 μ./m.2 interferon-α2B subcutaneously daily for 5 consecutive days. An equivalent dose of interferon was then administered subcutaneously every 2 days for 3 weeks and the regimen was repeated at 28-day intervals. Of 12 evaluable patients 9 responded: 4 achieved a pathologically confirmed complete remission of 38+, 21+, 10 and 7 months in duration (2 with relapse were treated with local therapy and remain with no evidence of disease), and 5 achieved a partial response, underwent surgical removal of residual disease and remained disease-free for 14+ to 24+ months. The most significant toxicities were anemia in 5 patients and reversible renal impairment in 3 but no patient had neutropenic fever or required platelet transfusion. We conclude that primary treatment with cisplatin and interferon-α2B induced responses in 75% of 12 patients with penile carcinoma and allowed for a less radical operation than originally scheduled. A larger number of patients and longer followup will be required to confirm these encouraging preliminary results.

Seismic and bathymetric profiles within the Argolic Gulf permitted the study of its neotectonic structure. The morphological data were analysed in the form of a morphological mean slope map on which the morphological discontinuities and the planar surfaces were distinguished. The neotectonic structure of the gulf is mainly created by the following fault sets grouped:(i) in two NW-SE zones of major border normal faults, separating the alpine basement from the sedimentary fill of the basin,(ii) in several E-W transcurrent faults which create horizontally escaping neotectonic blocks and,(iii) normal faults, some of which probably with oblique-slip motion, forming minor neotectonic blocks especially within the continental platform.The overall geomorphological and neotectonic structure and other characteristics of the post-alpine sedimentation show an asymmetry with more intence phenomena along the western margin of the gulf. The continental platform is highly fractured and Holocene vertical block movements of the order of 20 - 30 m are detected.

The purpose of the present study was to quantify factors which contribute to the absenteeism of nursing personnel and affect staffing patterns. Absenteeism in a general hospital was studied for the period 1975-1990 in relation to the number and level of nursing personnel, the number of discharged patients in the same period, and the existing relevant policy. The variables were analyzed by the multiple regression method having an initial estimator the existing situation in 1990 and what is expected for the year 2000. The results showed that the mean value days of absenteeism for each registered and assistant nurse in 1975 was 22.4 days and in 1990, 51.9 days, sickness raised from 12.6 days in 1975 to 16.6 in 1990, maternity from 9.1 in 1975 to 25.3 in 1990, educational leave for registered nurses was 0.02 in 1975 and 3.8 in 1990 and for assistants 2.1 in 1985 and 17.3 in 1990 due to the new policy, and social fringe benefits raised from 0.71 days in 1975 to 3.65 in 1990. The expected rate of absenteeism by the year 2000 will be 67 to 83 days per person, an increase by 56% in relation to 1990 data.

Ελληνική μετάφραση διάλεξης του A. Ducelier

Cis-platinum-based chemotherapy combinations have improved the outcome of patients with metastatic urothelial tumors, since two-thirds of these patients respond to treatment. Nevertheless, the majority of such patients have relapse within a median of 12 months. To define the pattern of failure and subsequent outcome, we retrospectively assessed 58 consecutive patients with relapse after prior response to cis-platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Of the patients who presented initially with local-regional metastases, 74% had relapse with involvement of a similar site, while only 26% of these patients had visceral metastases at relapse. The median survival after relapse was 9 months, and parameters associated with longer survival were local-regional relapse (10.7 months) and response to salvage chemotherapy (12.6 months). These data suggest that select patients with urothelial tumors and local-regional metastases may benefit from consolidation therapy with surgery or radiotherapy after maximum response to chemotherapy.

We establish the existence of an absolute frequency gap of the electromagnetic field in photonic crystals with tetragonal symmetry, and examine the dependence of the gap on the geometry of the structure. We calculate the transmittance through a slab of finite thickness of the material, and show that planar defects in the slab produce interface states of the electromagnetic field, at frequencies within the photonic gap, manifested by sharp resonances in the transmittance of these systems.

Among 750 previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma, 27 (4%) presented with plasma cell leukaemia. All but one patient had high tumour mass and, when compared with comparable patients without leukaemia, more frequent extraosseous involvement, thrombocytopenia, high serum lactate dehydrogenase and hypodiploid plasma cells. Most patients also had complex cytogenetic abnormalities. Treatment with standard melphalan-prednisone was ineffective, with a median survival of 2 months, but more intensive chemotherapy induced responses in approxirnately one-half of the patients, with a median survival of 20 months. Primary plasma cell leukaemia usually results from the proliferation and extramedullary expansion of immature plasma cells and requires prompt and intensive chemotherapy.

Background: The treatment of multiple myeloma remains unsatisfactory and new active agents are needed. Paclitaxel is effective against a variety of solid tumors and we assessed the utility against multiple myeloma. Patients and methods: From March 1993 to May 1994, we treated 33 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma with paclitaxel given intravenously at a dose of 125 mg/m2 over 24 hours (13 patients) or at a dose of 135 mg/m2 over 3 hours (20 patients). Results: Five of 33 patients responded (15%; 95% CI: 5 to 32%) with an unmaintained remission of 3-11+ months. Severe but reversible neutropenia was the major dose limiting toxicity, but myalgias and alopecia were also common. Conclusions: Paclitaxel was slightly active against multiple myeloma. Whether higher doses or new analogues of this agent can produce superior results requires further study. © 1994 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Purpose: To assess the activity of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2CdA) as primary therapy for patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. Patients and Methods: 2CdA was given to 26 consecutive, previously untreated and symptomatic patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. Two courses were administered to outpatients at a dose of 0.1 mg/ kg body weight per day for a 7-day continuous infusion using a portable pump through a central venous catheter. Responding patients were followed up without further therapy and were scheduled to receive two additional treatments with 2CdA on disease relapse. Results: Twenty-two of 26 patients responded to the 2CdA therapy (85%; 95% confidence interval [Cl], 65% to 96%), including three patients who achieved a complete response and 19 patients who had a partial response. Treatment was well tolerated, with no acute hematologic toxicity. A marked and sustained reduction of CD4+ lymphocytes occurred in all patients and may have contributed to a fatal infection with disseminated herpes simplex in one patient. With a median follow-up of 13 months, five patients have relapsed and all re-treated patients have responded again to 2CdA. Conclusion: 2CdA is highly active in previously untreated patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. A limited program of treatment induced responses of good quality and long duration in more than 80% of patients. © 1994 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

AIDS patients with newly diagnosed cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis who had just completed a 14-day course of ganciclovir induction therapy were randomly assigned to an alternating or concurrent combination regimen of chronic ganciclovir-foscarnet therapy for CMV retinitis. Each regimen used lower weekly cumulative doses of each drug than standard monotherapy maintenance treatment regimens. Dose-limiting toxicity attributable to foscarnet occurred in only 2 (7%) of29 evaluatable patients, and no patients experienced dose-limiting nephrotoxicity. Although absolute neutrophil counts <500 cells/µL occurred in 11 (38%) of 29 patients, all who subsequently used adjunctive granulocyte colony-stimulating factor had severe neutropenia prevented. Severe toxicity of any type and neutropenia, in particular, occurred significantly more frequently in patients assigned to the concurrent treatment regimen. CMV was isolated from none of 21 patients who had urine cultured and from only 1 of 24 who had blood cultured while being treated during the study (median evaluation, 12 weeks). This suggests that combination therapy provides better in vivo antiviral activity in suppressing CMV replication than previously reported with monotherapy regimens.

Regression of low-grade B cell gastric lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue after eradication of Helicobacter pylori with antibiotic therapy was recently shown in a small number of patients with low-volume tumors. A patient with a > 10 cm nodular gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma that caused hematemesis and weight loss is described. Antibiotic therapy of H. pylori resulted in full clinical recovery and resolution of the mass lesion and morphological features of lymphoma on routine histological examination. However, monotypic immunostaining of plasma cells persisted in a separate and grossly normal-appearing region of the stomach. Antibiotic therapy may be of benefit in patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma with mass lesions and significant signs and symptoms, but periodic search for residual lymphoma is needed. © 1994.

Circulating T lymphocytes from 20 patients with an immediate patch test reaction were tested for proliferative responses in vitro to contact allergens during both immediate and delayed skin reactions. T lymphocytes collected during the immediate patch test reaction responded specifically in the challenge allergens in the presence of autologous monocytes. Subset analysis revealed that the proliferation pattern was dominated by the CD4+ CD29+ T-cell subpopulation, whereas CD8+ or CD4+ CD45R+ cells did not respond. A similar pattern in T-cell subset proliferation was observed when cells were collected during a positive delayed skin reaction. In contrast, in the case of a negative delayed skin reaction, proliferative responses of lymphocytes to the specific allergens were dominated by CD45+ cells. The latter T-lymphocyte subset could greatly suppress in an allergen-specific manner the proliferation of CD29+ autologous cells. The in vitro allergen-specific proliferation of CD29+ or CD45R+ cells was restricted by the major histocompatibility complex class II (HLA-DR) gene products. It is suggested that allergen-specific immune responses take place in the induction and evolution of an immediate patch test reaction into a delayed one.

We examined the role of endogenously produced interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in lectin-induced nonspecific suppressor activity in vitro. The cultures consisted of highly purified T lymphocytes, autologous monocytes and phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Kinetic studies revealed peak levels for both TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta production 4 hr after initiation of cultures which then declined and reached minimal levels on day 3. At this time point maximal levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were detected which declined sharply 24 hr later. The decline in cytokine levels in culture supernatants was most probably due to their consumption by the mononuclear cells which were found to express specific receptors for IL-1 beta, (IL-1 beta R), TNF-alpha (TNF-alpha R) and IL-2 (IL-2R) after 3- and 6-days of culture. After their first cycle of production and consumption both monokines were reproduced and the events followed the same patterns as for the first cycle: both monokines were first produced and at the time point of their consumption, IL-2 production reached maximal levels. The requirement for IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha in both IL-2 production and generation of suppressor activity was shown by three different approaches which included (a) blocking of HLA-DR molecules on monocytes which prevented monokine consumption during the early stages of culture, (b) blocking of HLA-A,B,C molecules on monocytes which prevented monokine consumption and IL-2 production late in culture, and (c) neutralization of monokine activity late in culture which resulted in highly reduced IL-2 production. T lymphocytes harvested from such cultures exhibited diminished suppressor activity. Our data suggest that the generation of nonspecific suppressor cell activity in vitro represents a complex system that requires cell interactions via self-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen recognition and two cycles of cytokine production, where IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha production and consumption is a prerequisite for IL-2 production. Since lectin-induced nonspecific suppressor activity in vitro is deficient in certain autoimmune disorders the data presented herein might help in understanding the cellular basis for this immunodeficiency.

Based on experimental observations we propose the small-polaron hopping model to interpret the behavior of the resistivity of PrBa2Cu3-xGaxO7-y system with x = 0.00-0.60 in a wide temperature range (14-290 K), reported by other workers. percolation arguments we evaluate the maximum hopping distances, at high and low temperatures, together with other relevant parameters, and we give a unified and meaningful explanation of the transport mechanism, for different Ga concentrations and the entire temperature range. © 1994.

One hundred twenty-seven adults with advanced hematologic malignancies received thiotepa 450-750 mg/m2, busulfan 10 or 12 mg/kg, and cyclophosphamide 120 or 150 mg/kg as a preparative regimen for autologous (86 patients) or allogeneic (41 patients) marrow transplantation. Early regimen-related toxicity (RRT) was scored according to the Seattle toxicity grading system. Grade 1-4 RRT occurred in 94% of the patients. Grade 3-4 RRT was noted in 19 patients (9% of the autologous and 27% of the allogeneic marrow recipients) and included 6% hepatic, 5% pulmonary, 3% renal, 2% mucosal, 2% bladder, 2% cardiac, and 1% CNS toxicity at the grade 3 or 4 level. No patient experienced life-threatening or fatal gastrointestinal or cutaneous toxicity. A stepwise logistic regression analysis suggested that the higher busulfan dose, Zubrod performance status of 2 or 3, and ten or more previous cycles of chemotherapy were factors predictive of grade 3-4 RRT. The regimen-related mortality for all patients was 8% (95% Cl 4-14%). The incidence and spectrum of RRT for this novel drug combination are similar to those reported for the standard preparative regimens. Heavily pretreated patients with poor performance status receiving the higher busulfan dose have a higher incidence of severe or fatal RRT. © 1994 Springer-Verlag.

In vitro studies have demonstrated that exposure of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) to human recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) will generate activated T-lymphocytes with major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted and non-MHC-restricted cytotoxicity toward a panel of tumor target cells. In melanoma and ovarian carcinoma, TIL display MHC-restricted and autologous tumor-specific cytotoxicity. Such tumor-reactive cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) represent important material for understanding cellular immunity in cancer and developing specific immunotherapeutic approaches in melanoma and ovarian cancer. In breast cancer, some TIL have been demonstrated to secrete cytokines upon interaction with autologous tumor cells, indicating that autologous tumor-reactive lymphocytes may also exist among TIL in breast cancer. Therefore, the authors conducted a study to investigate the cytotoxic profile of rIL-2-activated lymphocytes in breast cancer.|Lymphocytes were isolated from primary solid tumors (TIL) of breast carcinomas (10 patients) and from peritoneal effusions (effusion-associated mononuclear cells [EAMNC]) from 2 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic breast carcinoma. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes or EAMNC were cultured with rIL-2 in long term cultures whereby their expansion index, phenotype, and cytotoxic potential were studied.|Both TIL and EAMNC proliferated by greater than 300-fold (370-3650; mean, 1656) after 23-82 days in cultures containing mixtures of TIL or EAMNC, autologous tumor cells, and rIL-2. By fluorescence analysis, freshly isolated TIL and EAMNC were found to consist of 77.5 plus or minus 10.7% CD3+ T-cells, 33.2 plus or minus 8.9% CD4+, and 47.2 plus or minus 16.8% CD8+ cells. Their CD4 to CD8 ratio was 0.70. After expansion of lymphocytes with rIL-2 in the majority of patients (9 of 12), CD3+CD8+ T-lymphocytes were present in greater numbers than CD3+CD4+ T-lymphocytes. Recombinant interleukin-2-activated CD3+CD8+ cells exhibited preferential cytolytic activity against autologous tumor cells. The cytolytic activity of CD3+CD8+ cells was inhibited either by anti-T-cell receptor (TCR)-alpha/-beta and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) or after pretreatment of tumor target cells with MoAb against the class I MHC antigens. Recombinant interleukin-2-activated CD3+CD4+ cells demonstrated potent cytolytic activity against both autologous and allogeneic tumor cells. CD3+CD8+ T-cell clones isolated from representative TIL exhibited preferential autologous tumor-specific cytotoxicity whereas the cytolytic activity of CD3+CD4+ T-cell clones was mostly (12 of 14 clones) nonrestricted to the autologous tumor.|To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate that TIL from primary tumors of breast carcinomas and EAMNC from metastatic disease can be propagated in large numbers in vitro with rIL-2 while retaining autologous tumor specific and MHC-restricted CTL activity. These findings may be of importance to ongoing clinical trials using TIL or EAMNC in the immunotherapy of patients with advanced breast cancer.

Serum and follicular fluid levels of CEA, CA 125 and SCC of women participating in an IVF program, in 42 cycles stimulated with GnRH-a and gonadotropins and in 26 unstimulated cycles triggered with HCG, were evaluated and compared with (a) steroid and gonadotropin levels, (b) the results of IVF, and (c) serum values in a control group of women with spontaneous normal ovulatory cycles. In the control group, serum antigens did not vary significantly during the 3 phases of the cycle. In stimulated cycles the median values in serum were 0.7 ng/ml (range, 0.0-2.1) for CEA, 14.0 U/ml (3.3-32.4) for CA 125 and 2.05 ng/ml (1.1-17.8) for SCC, whereas the median values in follicular fluid were 0.6 (0.0-27.9), 21.5 (0-670) and 21.4 (1-360), respectively. In unstimulated cycles the median values and ranges in serum were 0.9 (0.4-3.9), 12.1 (4.8-63.4) and 1.85 (0.7-4.4), respectively, whereas in follicular fluid they were 2.9 (0.4-180.7), 32 (1.7-600) and 231 (10.8-904). Different follicles of the same patients in stimulated cycles showed a wide divergence for all three antigens. In unstimulated cycles all three antigens in follicular fluid were strongly correlated and a significant inverse correlation was observed between LH and both CA 125 and SCC in serum. In either group of cycles, no significant relationship was found between any serum or follicular fluid antigen and estradiol or testosterone, pregnancy rate, or oocyte quality and fertilization. Thus, in both stimulated and unstimulated cycles follicular fluid contains CEA, CA 125 and SCC in considerable amounts while in serum only SCC was found elevated. It seems that no correlation exists between any of the three antigens and steroidogenesis or the results of the IVF-ET. © 1994.

A new catalogue of clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud has been constructed from searches of the IIIa-J component of the ESO/SERC Southern Sky Atlas. The catalogue contains coordinate and diameter measurements of 1762 clusters in a 25x25{deg} area of sky centred on the LMC, but excluding the very crowded 3.5 square deg. region around the Bar. The distribution of these clusters appears as two superimposed elliptical systems. The higher density inner system extends over about 8d; the lower density outer system can be represented by 13d X 10d disc inclined at 42d to the line of sight. There are suggestions of two weak "arms" in the latter. (1 data file).

If, as many believe, Sgr A* is a massive black hole at the Galactic center, one should expect it to be a source of X-ray and gamma-ray activity, behaving basically as a scaled-down active galactic nucleus. An unavoidable source of accretion is the wind from IRS 16, a nearby group of hot, massive stars. Since the density and velocity of the accreting matter are known from observations, the accretion rate is basically a function of the putative black hole mass, Mh, only; this value represents a reliable lower limit to a real rate, given the other possible sources of accreting matter. Based on this and on the theories about shock acceleration in active galactic nuclei, we have estimated the expected production of relativistic particles and their hard radiation. These values turn out to be a function of Mh as well. Comparing our results with available X-ray and gamma-ray observations which show Sgr A* to have a relatively low activity level, we conclude tentatively that the putative black hole in the Galactic center cannot have a mass greater than approximately 6 x 103 solar mass. This conclusion is consistent with the upper limits to the black hole mass found by different methods earlier, although much more work is needed to make calculations of shock acceleration around black holes more reliable.

Για χρήση παραπομπής/ when citing:Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (1994). "Ντύθηκαν το Φως". Η Μόδα στην Αρχαία Ελλάδα. ΓΡΑΜΜΑ-Griechische Zeitschrift fur Deutschland und Europa. Attika Press, Frankfurt, τεύχος 17, Αυγ.-Σεπτ. 1994, σελ. 69-71.

Στὴν εἰσήγηση αὐτὴν ἐκτίθενται τρία σημεῖα ποὺ ἀνατρέπουν τὴν μέχρι τοῦδε δυτικὴ ἀντίληψη γιὰ τὴν γεωπολιτικὴ σημασία τῆς Τουρκίας ὡς περιφερειακῆς δυνάμεως στὴ Μ. Ἀνατολή. α) Τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι ἡ Τουρκία εὑρίσκεται σὲ μιὰ πολιτικῶς ὑποσχιζοειδῆ κατάσταση, μιὰ κρίση ταὐτότητος εἰς ὅ,τι ἀφορᾷ τὸν κοσμικὸ ἢ τὸν ἰσλαμικόν της χαρακτῆρα. Γίνεται ἐπίσης μιὰ περιγραφὴ τῶν σημαντικωτέρων κλάδων τοῦ τουρκικοῦ ἰσλαμικοῦ κινήματος. β) Το ὅτι τὸ μειονοτικὸ μωσαϊκὸ τῶν ἐθνοτήτων ποὺ διαβιοῦν στὸ ἔδαφος τῆς συγχρόνου Τουρκίας ἀποτελεῖ ὄχι μόνον κίνδυνο γιὰ τὴν ὑπόσταση τοῦ τουρκικοῦ κράτους ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐσιαστικὸ σημεῖο ἀσκήσεως ἐλέγχου ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας αὐτῆς ἀπὸ δυνάμεις ποὺ ἐπιδιώκουν τὴν συγκράτησή της στὴν σφαῖρα τῆς γεωπολιτικῆς τους ἐπιρροῆς καὶ τὴν χρησιμοποίησή της ὡς στρατηγικοῦ βραχίονος στὴν περιοχὴ τῆς Μέσης καὶ Ἐγγὺς Ἀνατολῆς. Ἡ ἐμφανὴς ὅμως ἀσυμφωνία χειρισμῶν μεταξὺ τῶν ἀνωτέρω μητροπολιτικῶν δυνάμεων καὶ ὁ μεταξύ των διαγκωνισμὸς στὴν περιοχή, δημιουργεῖ καταστάσεις ποὺ θὰ ταλανίζουν ἐσαεὶ τὸν τουρκικὸ λαὸ ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅλες τὶς ἄλλες ἐθνικὲς ὁμάδες ποὺ διαβιοῦν στὸ τουρκικὸ ἔδαφος. γ) Ἐπίσης, τὸ γεγονὸς ὅτι ὁ συνδυασμὸς τῶν ἀνωτέρω δύο στοιχείων, προκαλεῖ μίαν ἀκόμη ἀποσταθεροποιητικὴ συνιστῶσα γιὰ τὴν γεωστρατηγικὴν ἰσορροπία στὴν περιοχή, στὸν βαθμὸ ποὺ αὐτὴ ἐξαρτᾶται ἀπὸ τὸν παράγοντα Τουρκία.