Factors influencing maternal nutrition in rural Nepal: an exploratory research project.

In this pilot project we examined factors contributing to maternal nutrition among women of child-bearing age in the Western Region of Nepal. We found that rural women are interested in learning about nutrition regardless of educational attainment and that level of education is strongly associated with interest in learning about nutrition (p <.001).

≃10 eV ionization shift in Ir Kα2 from a near-coincident Lu K-edge.

Close to an x-ray filter's K-edge the transmission depends strongly on the photon energy. For a few atom pairs, the K-edge of one is only a few tens of eV higher than a K-line energy of another, so that a small change in the line's energy becomes a measurable change in intensity behind such a matching filter. Lutetium's K-edge is ≃27 eV above iridium's Kα(2) line, ≃63.

K-line spectra from tungsten heated by an intense pulsed electron beam.

The plasma-filled rod-pinch diode (PFRP) is an intense source of x-rays ideal for radiography of dense objects. In the PRFP megavoltage electrons from a pulsed discharge concentrate at the pointed end of a 1 mm diameter tapered tungsten rod. Ionization of this plasma might increase the energy of tungsten's Kα(1) fluorescence line, at 59.

Spatial resolution of a hard x-ray CCD detector.

The spatial resolution of an x-ray CCD detector was determined from the widths of the tungsten x-ray lines in the spectrum formed by a crystal spectrometer in the 58 to 70 keV energy range. The detector had 20 microm pixel, 1700 by 1200 pixel format, and a CsI x-ray conversion scintillator. The spectral lines from a megavolt x-ray generator were focused on the spectrometer's Rowland circle by a curved transmission crystal.

Hyaluronidase as additive to induction chemotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Forty-eight patients with advanced head and neck tumours were treated with irradiation and concomitant chemotherapy with cisplatin, vindesine and hyaluronidase. The disease-free survival rate at 5 years was 47%. The toxic effects were mucositis (48 patients), nausea (25 patients, vomiting in six patients), bone marrow depression (15 patients) and peripheral neuropathy (14 patients).

Combined application of cisplatin, vindesine, hyaluronidase and radiation for treatment of advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

In a prospective pilot study, 32 patients with advanced inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with polychemotherapy and hyaluronidase combined with radiation therapy. Polychemotherapy consisted of 5 mg vindesine on day 1 and 80 mg/m2 cisplatin on day 2. The patients were given 200,000 IU hyaluronidase intravenously 20 minutes prior to vindesine and cisplatin.

Carboplatin, methotrexate and vinblastin (Carbo-MV) for advanced urothelial cancer. A phase II trial.

Fifteen patients with advanced urothelial cancer were treated with carboplatin 300 mg/m2, methotrexate 30 mg/m2, and vinblastin 3 mg/m2 on day 1 and the same dosage of methotrexate and vinblastin on days 15 and 22. Six patients were pretreated with radiotherapy and or chemotherapy; 7 patients had impaired renal function due to obstructive uropathy. Eight patients achieved a partial remission; 4 patients achieved a minor remission or stabilization of progressive disease.

[Cisplatin, vindesine and hyaluronidase combined with simultaneous radiotherapy of advanced head and neck tumors].

In a prospective pilot study 21 patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with polychemotherapy and Hyaluronidase combined with radiation. With the exception of one patient, who refused laryngectomy, all patients were inoperable. Chemotherapy consisted of 5 mg Vindesine on day 1 and 80 mg/m2 Cisplatin on day 2.

Elevated superoxide dismutase in Bloom's syndrome: a genetic condition of oxidative stress.

We have found that Bloom's syndrome (BS) cells exhibit elevated levels of superoxide dismutase activity. Since SOD activity has been shown to reflect the intracellular superoxide (O2-) content, these results indicate that BS cells exhibit oxidative stress which ultimately results in DNA damage. Elevated sister chromatid exchange, the major cytological characteristic of BS, and superoxide dismutase induction were simulated in normal lymphoblastoid cells by treatment with compounds that increase the steady-state concentration of O2(-.

A t (11;21) (13;q22) in Ph-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Reciprocal translocations, in addition to that of the Ph chromosome, though rare, have been reported in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We describe here a case of Ph-positive CML with a new translocation, t (11;21) (q13;q22), and missing Y, which were present both during transformation to the blastic crisis and in the subsequent reversion to the chronic phase. The possible significance of this abnormality is discussed.

Translocation t(6;9)(p22.3;q34) in myelodysplastic syndrome--refractory anemia with excess blasts.

A 69-year-old male patient with refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) was found to have a consistent chromosomal abnormality, t(6;9)(p22.3;q34), in the bone marrow and unstimulated peripheral blood cells. Twenty patients with t(6;9) and leukemia have been reported; some of them had a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) before developing overt ANLL.

Effect of mitochondrial inhibitors on metaphase-telophase progression and nuclear membrane formation in Chinese hamster cells.

Chinese hamster Don cells in log-phase were exposed to Colcemid during the G2 period with and without a combination of divalent cation chelators and mitochondrial inhibitors. Isolated metaphase cells were incubated as follows: (i) without Colcemid but with other agents and the progression was monitored from metaphase (M) to telophase (Tel) and to cell division; (ii) with Colcemid and other agents and the rate of micronuclei formation in the absence of anaphase was studied. Both EDTA and EGTA accelerated the progression from M to Tel, but did not affect the overall rate of cell division.