Preclinical anti-tumor activity of XR5944 in combination with carboplatin or doxorubicin in non-small-cell lung carcinoma.

XR5944 (MLN944) is a novel bis-phenazine currently in phase I clinical trials that has demonstrated potent cytotoxic activity against a variety of tumor models. The combinations of XR5944 with carboplatin or doxorubicin were investigated in COR-L23/P human non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells in vitro and the corresponding xenografts in vivo. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated by the sulforhodamine B assay and the drug interactions following simultaneous or sequential exposure were determined using median-effect analysis to calculate combination indices (CIs).

Establishing an intrauterine insemination programme from a nursing perspective.

The Centre for Reproductive Medicine in Bristol has been performing simple donor insemination for more than 10 years. Evidence indicates that intrauterine insemination using donated sperm results in higher success rates than intracervical insemination (Ford et al., 1997).