Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide ingestion: toxicity and outcome in a 6-year-old child.

A 6-year-old boy developed respiratory distress, metabolic acidosis, severe esophageal and gastric burns, and a coagulopathy after ingestion of an unknown volume of methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) in dimethyl phthalate. He was discharged from the pediatric intensive care unit 19 days postingestion but subsequently developed a stricture of the gastroesophageal junction and complete fibrosis of the middle third of the stomach, necessitating gastric resection and reconstruction. He was discharged 93 days postingestion on a program of dilation for the residual esophageal stricture.

Cofactor competition between the ligand-bound oestrogen receptor and an intron 1 enhancer leads to oestrogen repression of ERBB2 expression in breast cancer.

Overexpression of the ERBB2 proto-oncogene in breast tumours, which occurs in 25-30% of patients, correlates with poor prognosis. In oestrogen receptor (ER) positive breast epithelial cells oestrogens reduce ERBB2 mRNA and protein levels, an effect that is reversed in the presence of anti-oestrogens such as tamoxifen and ICI 182780. Our previous studies have shown that the major effect of oestrogen on ERBB2 expression is at the level of transcription and that this is mediated through a region within the ERBB2 first intron which can act as an oestrogen-suppressible enhancer in ER positive breast cells.

A phase II study of the modulation of 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid with high-dose infusional hydroxyurea in metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Hydroxyurea (HU), an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase, may potentiate the activity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and folinic acid (FA) by reducing the deoxyribonucleotide pool available for DNA synthesis and repair. However as HU may inhibit the formation of 5-fluoro-2-deoxyuridine-5-monophosphate (FdUMP), one of the principal active metabolites of 5-FU, the scheduling of HU may be critical. In vitro experiments suggest that administration of HU following 5-FU, maintaining the concentration in the region of 1 mM for six or more hours, significantly enhances the efficacy of 5-FU.

An intron 1 enhancer element mediates oestrogen-induced suppression of ERBB2 expression.

Overexpression of the ERBB2 gene in human breast cancer is associated with a poor prognosis and resistance to hormonal treatment and chemotherapy. Oestrogen receptor (ER) positive tumour-derived cell lines are known to express relatively low levels of ERBB2 protein under oestrogenic conditions, but markedly higher levels following withdrawal of oestrogens or administration of tamoxifen. Expression of the closely related ERBB3 gene, which co-operates with ERBB2 in cellular transformation, is now shown to respond to oestrogenic manipulation in a similar way, both responses being mediated largely by transcriptional changes.

Acute poisoning: initial management and sources of information.

Poisoning is responsible for 2-3 per cent of attendances to urban A&F. departments in the UK each year ( MacNamara et al 1996 ). It accounts for about 7 per cent of accidents in children under five years of age ( Consumer Safety Unit 1995 ).

Transcriptional regulation of type I receptor tyrosine kinases in the mammary gland.

The transcriptional regulation of the human EGFR3 and ERBB2 genes has been extensively studied, particularly in the context of their overexpression in breast cancer. Here we summarize published work detailing the transcription factors which interact with the promoters of these and the rat ERBB2 homologue, neu, genes and discuss their possible relevance to gene activation in cancer. In addition we review the biologically significant molecules which modulate expression of these genes and discuss the nuclear factors involved in mediating these responses.

Efficacy and toxicity of vinblastine, bleomycin, and methotrexate with involved-field radiotherapy in clinical stage IA and IIA Hodgkin's disease: a British National Lymphoma Investigation pilot study.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of vinblastine, bleomycin, and methotrexate (VBM) chemotherapy with involved-field radiotherapy in clinical stage IA and IIA Hodgkin's disease.

Patients And Methods: Thirty eligible patients with clinical stage IA or IIA Hodgkin's disease, at intermediate risk of relapse, were enrolled into a prospective multicenter pilot study. They received two cycles of VBM chemotherapy, followed by involved-field radiotherapy and then four further cycles of VBM.

Imaging of the ureters on intravenous urography: does a valsalva help?

A prospective trial, comparing filling of the ureters on routine urography with ureteric filling following a valsalva manoeuvre, was performed. A significantly greater length of ureter was filled by the study patients than controls, allowing this frequently poorly imaged structure to be visualized more consistently.

A survey into the perceived usefulness of the NPIS poster "A guide to commonly ingested non-toxic substances".

A poster listing non-toxic substances was distributed to all accident and emergency departments in the UK by the London center of the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS). To assess the usefulness of the poster and its impact upon the information seeking behaviour of NPIS users, a survey was carried out by postal questionnaire. This is the first such user survey carried out by the NPIS.

Interaction of polycationic antibiotics with Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide and lipid A studied by using dansyl-polymyxin.

A fluorescent derivative of polymyxin B (dansyl-polymyxin) was used to study the interaction of polycations with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipid A from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dansyl-polymyxin became bound to LPS and lipid A sites, including Mg2+-binding sites, resulting in a 20-fold enhancement of fluorescence. A Hill plot of the binding data showed that the binding of dansyl-polymyxin to LPS was cooperative (n = 1.