Expression of nm23 in cell lines derived from patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Reduced expression of nm23 has been associated with increased metastases and decreased survival in a variety of malignancies. In the present study, the expression of nm23 was examined by Northern and Western blot analyses in a series of cell lines derived from patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Two of twelve (17%) informative cell lines derived from 9 patients had loss of heterozygosity at Nm23-H1.

Incidence and pathogenicity of Arcanobacterium haemolyticum during a 2-year study in Ottawa.

Arcanobacterium haemolyticum has been described as a rare cause of systemic invasive disease and is occasionally isolated from throat swabs. We describe a 2-year study of the incidence and clinical features of A. haemolyticus infection in a pediatric and adolescent population.

The potential roles of nm23 in cancer metastasis and cellular differentiation.

The majority of cancer patients succumb to the consequences of metastatic disease. A correlation of increased nm23 expression to low metastatic potential has been established in several malignancies, based on published prognostic studies with tumour cohorts and transfection studies. Transfection of highly metastatic MDA-MB-435 human breast carcinoma cells with nm23-H1 cDNA resulted in a significant reduction in the metastatic potential in vivo.

Relationship between parental occupation and children's oropharyngeal colonization with Neisseria meningitidis.

We explored, during an outbreak of meningococcal disease, whether children of parents with workplace exposure to children were at increased risk of oropharyngeal colonization with Neisseria meningitidis. In comparison with children of parents without workplace exposure to children, the risk of colonization was not increased (odds ratio = 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.

Transmission of Ureaplasma urealyticum from mothers to full and preterm infants.

This study assessed maternal genital colonization and subsequent neonatal transmission rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum in pregnant women in an average socioeconomic population. In addition very low birth weight infants were assessed to determine whether the presence of U. urealyticum correlated with increased risk of developing respiratory problems.

Diffusion of standards of care for cancer pain.

The authors report the results of a symposium on improving the standards of care for patients with cancer pain. The symposium was sponsored by the Advisory Committee on Cancer Control of the National Cancer Institute of Canada and was held Apr. 8 to 10, 1994, in Toronto.

Liposomal amphotericin B for postoperative Aspergillus fumigatus endocarditis.

A 10-month-old infant girl presented with Aspergillus fumigatus endocarditis localized to a Gore-Tex patch used as part of the repair for double-outlet right ventricle. A new liposomal preparation of amphotericin B combined with surgical vegectomy resulted in a successful outcome with no evidence of disease recurrence at 15 months' follow-up. Echocardiography provided an optimal modality for ongoing evaluation of therapeutic outcome.

Cachexia-anorexia-asthenia.

The National Cancer Institute (Canada) sponsored a workshop on symptom control in Banff, Alberta, in October 1993. This article reports on the workshop recommendations for research on one symptom complex, the cachexia-anorexia-asthenia syndrome. In addition to encouraging study generation, the recommendations provide a baseline for assessing the scope and strength of future Canadian research initiatives on cachexia-anorexia-asthenia.

A proposed matrix for organisational changes to improve quality of life in oncology.

Educational and institutional changes are needed to improve the care of dying patients. There are four phases to a cancer control programme, and each phase stresses prevention. The fourth phase of a cancer control programme is concerned with the prevention of suffering, through impeccable management of physical and psychosocial distress.

Comparison by extended ribotyping of Pseudomonas cepacia isolated from cystic fibrosis patients with acute and chronic infections.

Multiple isolates of Pseudomonas cepacia, from two cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who were chronically infected and two others who suffered acute fatal lung infections, were examined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and four-enzyme ribotyping. The strains isolated from the fatalities belonged to a clone, electropherotype 12 (ET12) that is endemic in the Ontario patients' province of origin. ET12 strains have also been isolated from outbreaks in CF patients in the United Kingdom, where they are considered to be strains of high virulence and transmissibility and epidemiologically related to Ontario strains.

Canadian street youth: correlates of sexual risk-taking activity.

The purpose of this study was to develop a national perspective on the sexual activity of street youth in Canada and to determine the correlates of risky sexual behavior according to street youth's link to the street. Five categories of street youth (sex industry workers, heavy drug and/or alcohol users, young offenders, homeless and unemployed) ages 15 to 20 years were recruited in 1988 from 10 Canadian urban centers to participate in a 45-minute structured interview focusing on knowledge and attitudes regarding sexually transmitted diseases (STD)/human immunodeficiency virus, current sexual practices, sexual and STD history, demographic background, alcohol/drug use and relationship with parents and peers. Data from the survey were also compared with findings from more than 15,000 non-street youth adolescents surveyed in the same year with the use of parallel questionnaires.

Cystic fibrosis carrier screening in a high-risk population. Participation based on a traditional recruitment process.

Objective: Recent advances in molecular genetic (DNA) technology have permitted identification of previously undetectable cystic fibrosis (CF) carriers. Although research has been initiated in the general population, to our knowledge no published studies have looked at the utilization of DNA-based carrier screening in the high-risk CF population (family history of CF).

Design: Cross-sectional, diagnostic open trial.

Synthesis and transsulfuration of homocysteine in blood.

Interest in total plasma homocysteine (homocyst[e]ine) as a risk factor for atherosclerosis is expanding. However, the origin of plasma homocyst(e)ine has not been defined. Our studies examined the metabolism of homocyst(e)ine by blood cells as a potential contributor to the homeostasis of homocyst(e)inemia.

Effect of salbutamol on gas compression in cystic fibrosis and asthma.

In cystic fibrosis (CF), it has been suggested that increases in FEV1 postbronchodilator (BD) can be accompanied by paradoxical decreases in isovolume maximal flow at 25% of vital capacity (V25iso) measured from maximum expiratory flow-volume curves (MEFVC), raising concerns about determining the benefits of BD in CF. MEFVC measured using expired volume has been shown to be subject to errors due to gas compression. In the present study, BD response was assessed in 91 patients with asthma and 78 with CF using the percentage of change in FEV1 and V25iso determined using MEFVC from both mouth (m) and plethysmograph (p) volumes.

Molecular typing of Haemophilus influenzae using a DNA probe and multiplex PCR.

The use of new molecular typing methods for the characterization of Haemophilus influenzae strains is reported. Sixty-four isolates of H. influenzae originating from different types of infection and obtained from eight hospitals across Canada were first analysed for restriction polymorphism.