Novel Cluster AZ Arthrobacter phages Powerpuff, Lego, and YesChef exhibit close functional relationships with Microbacterium phages.

Bacteriophages exhibit a vast spectrum of relatedness and there is increasing evidence of close genomic relationships independent of host genus. The variability in phage similarity at the nucleotide, amino acid, and gene content levels confounds attempts at quantifying phage relatedness, especially as more novel phages are isolated. This study describes three highly similar novel Arthrobacter globiformis phages-Powerpuff, Lego, and YesChef-which were assigned to Cluster AZ using a nucleotide-based clustering parameter.

Panitumumab added to docetaxel, cisplatin and fluoropyrimidine in oesophagogastric cancer: ATTAX3 phase II trial.

Background: This randomised phase II study evaluated the efficacy and safety of panitumumab added to docetaxel-based chemotherapy in advanced oesophagogastric cancer.

Methods: Patients with metastatic or locally recurrent cancer of the oesophagus, oesophagogastric junction or stomach received docetaxel and a fluoropyrimidine with or without panitumumab for 8 cycles or until progression. The primary end point was response rate (RECIST1.

Pegloticase: a novel agent for treatment-refractory gout.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy and safety of pegloticase, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in September 2010 for treatment of patients with chronic treatment-refractory gout.

Data Sources: Literature searches were conducted using PubMed (1948-January 2012), TOXLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-January 2012), and Google Scholar using the terms pegloticase, puricase, PEG-uricase, gout, uricase, and Krystexxa. Results were limited to English-language publications.

Radioembolization of liver metastases from colorectal cancer using yttrium-90 microspheres with concomitant systemic oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin chemotherapy.

Purpose: Liver metastases represent the principal cause of death in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Injection of resin microspheres (SIR Spheres)--containing the beta-emitter, yttrium-90--into the arterial supply of the liver can cause radioembolization of metastases. This treatment has not been tested with the radiosensitizing chemotherapy, oxaliplatin, which appears synergistic in the treatment of CRC when combined with fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFOX).

Primary small cell undifferentiated (neuroendocrine) carcinoma of the maxillary sinus.

Primary small cell undifferentiated (neuroendocrine) carcinomas of the paranasal sinuses are extremely uncommon neoplasms. This tumor was first reported in this site in 1965, and since then there have been only 61 documented cases in the literature. The median age at presentation is 53 years, with no gender predilection.

Single oral dose study of two isosorbide-based aspirin prodrugs in the dog.

The objective of this study was to compare two aspirin prodrugs, isosorbide diaspirinate (ISDA) and a nitroaspirin (ISMNA), with aspirin in terms of effects on dog platelet function after administration of a single oral dose. Groups of six dogs were administered ISDA (2mg kg(-1)), ISMNA (4 mg kg(-1)) or aspirin (2mg kg(-1)). Blood was sampled at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h post-dosing and evaluated for capacity to generate post-clotting thromboxane (TX)B2.

Responses to ultraviolet-B in cell lines from hereditary melanoma kindreds.

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) triggers a cascade of events involving cell cycle control genes leading ultimately to DNA repair or apoptosis. The hypothesis examined here is that the genetic abnormality predisposing to melanoma affects the ability of the cell to respond appropriately to UV-B, so favouring mutagenesis. Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines from hereditary melanoma kindreds were irradiated with UV-B, and changes in p53, p21 and Bcl-2 expression and cell cycle phase distribution were analysed.

Normal repair of ultraviolet radiation-induced DNA damage in familial melanoma without CDKN2A or CDK4 gene mutation.

Excessive sun exposure and family history are strong risk factors for the development of cutaneous melanoma. Inherited susceptibility to this type of skin cancer could therefore result from constitutively impaired capacity to repair ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA lesions. While a proportion of familial melanoma kindreds exhibit germline mutations in the cell cycle regulatory gene CDKN2A (p16INK4a) or its protein target, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), the biochemical basis of most familial melanoma is unknown.

Multiple abnormalities of the p16INK4a-pRb regulatory pathway in cultured melanoma cells.

The retinoblastoma protein (pRb) pathway is critical in regulating the G1 phase of the cell cycle and it is frequently disrupted in human cancers. Components of the pRb pathway which are often altered in tumour progression include the INK4 cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors p16INK4a/ CDKN2A and p15INK4b/CDKN2B, CDK4, D-type cyclins and pRb. Several of these components were studied in a series of cultured melanoma cell lines in order to determine the frequency and spectrum of genetic alterations and to define targets for potential gene transfer studies.

Src phosphorylates the insulin-like growth factor type I receptor on the autophosphorylation sites. Requirement for transformation by src.

The insulin-like growth factor type I (IGF-I) receptor can become tyrosine phosphorylated and enzymatically activated either in response to ligand or because of the activity of the Src tyrosine kinase (Peterson, J. E., Jelinek, T.

Bone presentation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: experience at the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney; highlighting primary bone lymphoma.

Background: Primary lymphoma of bone (PLB) is a rare form of extranodal lymphoma. Between 1975 and 1992 39 patients with lymphoma presenting in bone were seen at the Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), Sydney. Of these, 12 (31%) had truly localised disease (Stage IE).

Predictive value of early electrophysiologic testing in determining long-term outcome with amiodarone treatment in patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia.

This prospective study sought to determine whether programmed ventricular stimulation before hospital dismissal in patients who had received a loading dose of amiodarone would identify those at risk for recurrent ventricular arrhythmias. Between January 1985 and January 1989, 64 patients (55 men and 9 women; mean age, 64 years) with a history of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation were referred to our institution for electrophysiologic testing. Of these patients, 52 had coronary artery disease, 11 had dilated cardiomyopathy, and 1 had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Abnormal adrenal gland metabolism in opioid addicts: implications for clinical treatment.

Adrenal gland metabolism is markedly altered in heroin addicts. During daytime hours, the addict may suffer corticoid deficiency of the addisonian type, and in the evening, an excess of the cushingoid type. The high plasma levels of cortisol that are found in the evening in addicts antagonize endogenous opioids in a manner similar to naloxone.

The National Institutes of Health: some critical years, 1955-1957.

It has been my pleasure to participate in the conversion of a small but superb federal institution into a driving force for the development of excellence in the nation's biomedical sciences. The initial step was the establishment of an adequate science base for the developing enterprise. Given this, it was agreed that the nation's medical establishment could use the evolving support system effectively.

Detoxification from methadone maintenance: double-blind comparison of two methods.

A well-rehabilitated group of 22 methadone maintenance patients were detoxified under ambulatory and double-blind conditions, over 42 days, either by decreasing the daily dose of methadone and supplementing it by propoxyphene napsylate (M--PN), or by decreasing the daily dose of methadone administered in two equal doses given 12 hours apart (M--M). All of 12 (100%) M--M and 5 of 10 (50%) M--PN subjects were able to temporarily withdraw from methadone maintenance, although two of the M--PN patients required maintenance with propoxyphene napsylate to cease methadone maintenance. In our experience both detoxification methods employed appear superior to the standard withdrawal technique of simply reducing the daily methadone maintenance dose in a step-wise fashion.

Medicinal use of hypodermic needles in an addict patient population.

Narcotic addicts may become so conditioned to the use of hypodermic needles that self-injection without a drug may become pleasurable. This phenomenon has raised the question as to whether addicts in treatment should be administered any medication by hypodermic needle for fear of precipitating withdrawal or inducing a craving for heroin. In this study addicts in treatment were given a medicinal needle challenge but there were no documented deleterious effects.