Reduced bleeding events with subcutaneous administration of recombinant human factor IX in immune-tolerant hemophilia B dogs.

Intravenous administration of recombinant human factor IX (rhFIX) acutely corrects the coagulopathy in hemophilia B dogs. To date, 20 of 20 dogs developed inhibitory antibodies to the xenoprotein, making it impossible to determine if new human FIX products, formulations, or methods of chronic administration can reduce bleeding frequency. Our goal was to determine whether hemophilia B dogs rendered tolerant to rhFIX would have reduced bleeding episodes while on sustained prophylactic rhFIX administered subcutaneously.

Update on cicatricial alopecia.

Cicatricial alopecia is an enigmatic group of hair disorders linked by the potential permanent loss of scalp hair follicles in involved areas. Progress in our understanding and treatment of these disorders has been stymied by the lack of clear diagnostic criteria for the current terms used to describe the various hair loss entities. Since all of these conditions evolve as the hair is destroyed or replaced, diagnosis is further made difficult by a lack of clinical and pathologic "snapshots" over the evolution of each disorder.

A porcine model for endolaparoscopic abdominal aortic repair and endoscopic training.

Objectives: The goals of this laboratory model were to evaluate the performance of the surgical team and endolaparoscopic techniques in the porcine model of infrarenal abdominal aortic repair.

Methods: Twenty-four pigs underwent full endolaparoscopic aorto-aortic graft implantation with voice-activated computerized robotics. The first group of 10 pigs (acute) was sacrificed while under anesthesia at 0.

Efficacy and tolerability of finasteride 1 mg in men aged 41 to 60 years with male pattern hair loss.

A 24-month double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter study of 424 men was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of finasteride 1 mg on hair growth/loss in men aged 41 to 60 years with mild-to-moderate, predominantly vertex male pattern hair loss. Efficacy was evaluated by review of global photographs of the vertex scalp taken at baseline and at Months 6, 12, 18, and 24 and by patient self-assessments and investigator clinical assessments of change from baseline in hair growth/loss collected at Months 6, 12, 18, and 24. Safety analyses included assessment of clinical and laboratory adverse experiences, including sexual adverse experiences.

Specific and selective biosensor for Salmonella and its detection in the environment.

The specific and selective detection of Salmonella typhymurium based on the use of a polyclonal antibody immobilized by the Langmuir-Blodgett method on the surface of a quartz crystal acoustic wave device was demonstrated in liquid samples. These biosensors were selective to S. typhymurium in the presence of large concentrations of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Comparative response of plasma VWF in dogs to up-regulation of VWF mRNA by interleukin-11 versus Weibel-Palade body release by desmopressin (DDAVP).

Recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11), a glycoprotein 130 (gp130)-signaling cytokine approved for treatment of thrombocytopenia, also raises von Willebrand factor (VWF) and factor VIII (FVIII) by an unknown mechanism. Desmopressin (1-deamino-8-d-arginine vasopressin [DDAVP]) releases stored VWF and FVIII and is used for treatment of VWF and FVIII deficiencies. To compare the effect of these 2 agents, heterozygous von Willebrand disease (VWD) and normal dogs were treated with either rhIL-11 (50 microg/kg/d subcutaneously x 7 days) or DDAVP (5 microg/kg/d intravenously x 7 days).

[Failure to thrive among hospitalized 0-2 year-old children].

Introduction: Failure to thrive, defined as insufficient weight gain according to age, is a well-known condition among infants and toddlers. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of diagnosed failure to thrive and possible comorbidity in hospitalised 0-2 year-old children in the County of Copenhagen.

Material And Methods: It resulted from inquiries sent to all paediatric departments in Denmark that the most frequently used ICD-10 diagnoses for failure to thrive were R62.

[Psychosomatic failure-to-thrive in infants and toddlers].

Failure to thrive is found in 3-5% of infants in the general population. A minority has an organic explanation. Non-organic failure to thrive is associated with increased risk of physical illness, continued growth retardation as well as cognitive and emotional disturbances.

A randomized clinical trial of 5% topical minoxidil versus 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men.

Background: Topical minoxidil solution 2% stimulates new hair growth and helps stop the loss of hair in individuals with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Results can be variable, and historical experience suggests that higher concentrations of topical minoxidil may enhance efficacy.

Objective: The purpose of this 48-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter trial was to compare 5% topical minoxidil with 2% topical minoxidil and placebo in the treatment of men with AGA.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand induces apoptosis in human articular chondrocytes in vitro.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is produced by immune cells and by mediating apoptosis, TRAIL plays an important role in tumor surveillance. TRAIL binds four different membrane-bound receptors: DR4, DR5, DcR1, and DcR2. The DR4- and DR5-receptors mediate apoptosis, whereas the others do not.

Quality-of-life improvements in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients treated with denileukin diftitox (ONTAK).

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) can be associated with painful, pruritic, disfiguring lesions. As part of a multicenter, randomized phase III trial in patients with heavily pretreated advanced and/or recurrent CTCL, the effects of an interleukin-2 receptor-targeted fusion protein, denileukin diftitox (DAB389IL-2, ONTAK), on patient-rated overall quality of life (QOL), skin appearance, and pruritus severity were evaluated. A total of 71 patients with stage IB-IVA CTCL received intravenous denileukin diftitox 9 microg/kg/day or 18 microg/kg/day over 15-60 minutes for 5 consecutive days on an outpatient basis; cycles were planned for every 21 days for a total of 8 cycles over 6 months.

Update on erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: report of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas.

Two conferences were sponsored by the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL) to gain consensus on definitions and terminology for clinical use in erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (E-CTCL). Three subsets of E-CTCL were defined: Sézary syndrome ("leukemic phase" E-CTCL), erythrodermic mycosis fungoides (secondary E-CTCL that develops in patients with mycosis fungoides), and E-CTCL, not otherwise defined. The hematologic criteria recommended for Sézary syndrome are intended to identify patients with a worse prognosis compared with the other E-CTCL subsets and consist of one or more of the following: (1) an absolute Sézary cell count of 1000 cells/mm3 or more; (2) a CD4/CD8 ratio of 10 or higher caused by an increase in circulating T cells and/or an aberrant loss or expression of pan-T cell markers by flow cytometry; (3) increased lymphocyte counts with evidence of a T-cell clone in the blood by the Southern blot or polymerase chain reaction technique; or (4) a chromosomally abnormal T-cell clone.

[Cataract--an initial symptom of diabetes mellitus in a 14-year old girl].

A 14-year-old girl presented with cataract as an initial sign of IDDM. Before the diagnosis of DM, she showed no acute symptoms, including ketoacidosis. Retrospectively, there had been faint signs of polyuria, polydipsia, and nycturia.

The role for interleukin-12 therapy of cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

Recent phase I and phase II trials using recombinant human interleukin-12 (rhIL-12) for cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) have been completed. Observations on 32 evaluable patients revealed an overall response rate approaching 50 percent. Biopsy of regressing lesions revealed an increase in numbers of CD8+ and/or TIA-1+ T cells.

The effect of stress during lairage and stunning on muscle metabolism and drip loss in Danish pork.

The effect on meat quality of a low stress handling system (LSS) compared with a traditional handling system (TS) was investigated in Duroc×(Landrace×Yorkshire; n=117) and (Hampshire×Duroc)×(Landrace×Yorkshire) pigs (n=110) under commercial conditions. In the low-stress handling system the pigs were kept in groups of 15 during lairage and movement up to the stunner. Before the stunner the groups were divided into three groups of five pigs for the CO(2)-stunning in a specially designed set-up.

A phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of peldesine (BCX-34) cream as topical therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Background: The purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor peldesine is a new agent being evaluated as a T-cell inhibitor.

Objective: We attempted to determine the efficacy of peldesine (BCX-34) in a 1% dermal cream formulation as a treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

Methods: Ninety patients with patch and plaque phase CTCL, histologically confirmed by a referee dermatopathologist, were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Phase 2 and 3 clinical trial of oral bexarotene (Targretin capsules) for the treatment of refractory or persistent early-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Objectives: To determine the safety and efficacy of oral bexarotene (Targretin capsules; Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, San Diego, Calif).

Design: The effects of 2 randomized doses of 6.5 mg/m(2) per day (with crossover for progression) vs 650 mg/m(2) per day (later modified to 300 mg/m(2) per day) were evaluated in an open-label, multicenter, phase 2 and 3 study conducted between February 1997 and November 1998.

UPBEAT: the impact of a psychogeriatric intervention in VA medical centers. Unified Psychogeriatric Biopsychosocial Evaluation and Treatment.

Background: The Unified Psychogeriatric Biopsychosocial Evaluation and Treatment (UPBEAT) program provides individualized interdisciplinary mental health treatment and care coordination to elderly veterans whose comorbid depression, anxiety, or alcohol abuse may result in overuse of inpatient services and underuse of outpatient services.

Objectives: To determine whether proactive screening of hospitalized patients can identify unrecognized comorbid psychiatric conditions and whether comprehensive assessment and psychogeriatric intervention can improve care while reducing inpatient use.

Design: Randomized trial.