Rationale for very high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell support in advanced ovarian cancer.

Although significant progress has been made in the management of advanced ovarian cancer, the majority of patients continue to die of this disease. Most advanced ovarian cancer patients present sub-optimal residual tumour after primary surgery and their prognosis is very poor since residual disease has been confirmed as the major factor predicting response to chemotherapy and survival. Therefore, it seems worth developing treatment modalities that can produce a longer remission period.

Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, alternated with bleomycin and mitomycin C as a second-line regimen in advanced ovarian carcinoma resistant to cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Fourteen patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma (FIGO stages III-IV) resistant to cisplatin were submitted to an alternating regimen with doxorubicin (A), cyclophosphamide (C), bleomycin (B) and mitomycin C (M). All patients had measurable disease on entry into the study. No responses were observed while 3 patients, previously showing no change in cisplatin, had disease stabilization lasting 3, 4 and 6 months, respectively.

Cholate effects on all-trans-retinyl palmitate hydrolysis in tissue homogenates: solubilization of multiple kidney membrane hydrolases.

Retinyl ester hydrolysis was observed in the absence of cholate in homogenates of rat lung, liver, kidney, intestine, and testes. Eighty-four percent of the activity in kidney was membrane-associated. The kidney microsomal fraction contained 19% of the total activity and was the only subcellular fraction that had increased specific activity relative to the homogenate (about 1.

Raffinose Synthesis in Chlorella vulgaris Cultures after a Cold Shock.

Chlorella vulgaris cultures have been submitted to a chilling shock, bringing down the growing temperature from to 24 degrees C to 4 degrees C. Growth was stopped immediately, and concomitantly there was an accumulation of sucrose and a decrease in the starch content. The enzymes involved in sucrose metabolism were differentially affected by the chilling shock.

Hospital incidence of Crohn's disease in the province of Palermo. A preliminary report.

The hospital incidence of Crohn's disease in the province of Palermo was studied from January 1987 to June 1988. A total of 51 patients (34 in 1987 and 17 in the first half of 1988) were diagnosed. The incidence rate calculated for the 1st year was 2.

The CO2 laser in the laryngeal microsurgery.

636 patients suffering from several laryngeal pathologies were treated with the CO2 laser. The results obtained confirm that this instrument is a valid alternative surgical tool, in comparison with the traditional surgery, because it allows to carry out the removal of the lesion with greater precision and more advantageously, when clinical indications are exact and surgical technique correctly performed. The results are as follows: Vocal nodules: no real advantages are offered by the CO2 laser in the treatment of these pathologies, whereas, in a small percentage of cases, the occurrence of reactive nodules or scars was noted; Cordal polyps are better removed with the traditional procedures, whereas the CO2 laser allows a more accurate excision of voluminous polyps or edemas of Reinke because of the bloodless operative field; Dyskeratoses: better functional results can be obtained using the laser.

The "hay-fork" sign in the ultrasonographic diagnosis of intussusception.

Ultrasonography was used to evaluate a palpable abdominal mass in a woman. The characteristic "hay-fork" image led to the correct diagnosis of colocolic intussusception, which had not been suspected. This sign appears to be highly specific for intussusception.

Monoclonal antibodies to human urokinase identify the single-chain pro-urokinase precursor.

Monoclonal antibodies have been obtained that recognize either the A or B chain of human urinary urokinase. These antibodies identify human urokinase-producing cells and the product of urokinase mRNA. Anti-urokinase monoclonal antibodies precipitate an approximately equal to 54,000-dalton protein synthesized in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte cell-free system.

Reconstruction of the orbital floor with the muscle-bone flap (temporal muscle with coronoid process).

Various techniques for the reconstruction of the orbital floor are available when resecting the portion of the maxilla which includes the orbital floor. A composite muscle-bone flap of temporal muscle and coronoid process fills the defect satisfactorily and provides good support for the globe.