Low dose thalidomide as maintenance in multiple myeloma

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation [ASCT] following chemotherapy improves survival and decrease relapse rate in patients with multiple myeloma. However, patients not eligible for ASCT relapse earlier demanding search for new treatment modalities. was to evaluate the effect of low dose thalidomide as maintenance therapy in patients attaining a complete remission after chemotherapy and who not candidates for autologous stem cell transplantation. This study was carried out on a total of 92 patients randomized in two groups, group I [arm A] [44 patients] received 50 mg thalidomide daily and group II [arm B] [48 patients] did not receive any maintenance treatment the follow up period was 40 months. Median age for group I was 66 years and 68 years for group II Male to female ratio was 3:1 for both groups. Regarding the types of myeloma; IgG kappa myloma represented 70% of cases in group I and 75% of group II, IgG lambda constituted 20% and 19% in group I and II respectively. Out of the 44 patients in group I, only 12 patients relapsed during the follow up period, 9 of them died, while 40 patients relapsed from group II of which 26 died thus showing a significant difference between both groups [P<0.01]. The maintenance with low dose thalidomide following initial chemotherapy may show beneficial results in terms of prevention of relapse and overall survival in comparison to the non-maintenance arm

Human heart-type fatty acid-binding protein as an early diagnostic marker of doxorubicin cardiac toxicity

Progressive cardiotoxicity following treatment with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL] may lead to late onset cardiomyopathy. So, early prediction of toxicity can lead to prevention of heart failure in these patients. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of H-FABP as an early diagnostic marker of anthracycline-induced cardiac toxicity together with brain natriuretic peptide [BNP] as an indication of ventricular dysfunction in such patients. Our study was conducted on 40 NHL patients who received 6 cycles of a doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy protocol [CHOP], not exceeding the total allowed dose of doxorubicin [500mg/m2].Ten healthy controls were included in our study. Human heart-type fatty acid binding protein [H-FABP] was assessed 24 hours after the first cycle of CHOP. Plasma levels of BNP were estimated both before starting chemotherapy and after the last cycle of CHOP. Resting echocardiography was also performed before and at the end of chemotherapy cycles. The ejection fraction [EF] of eight of our patients decreased below 50% at the end of the sixth cycle. Elevated levels of both H-FABP and BNP were found in all patients with EF below 50% and both markers showed a positive correlation with each other. We concluded that H-FABP may serve as a reliable early marker for prediction of cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin. Thus, in patients with elevated H-FABP, alternative treatment modalities with no cardiac toxicity may be considered in order to prevent subsequent heart failure in these patients

Effect of moderate and severe anemia on fetal cerebral hemodynamic

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of moderate and severe anemia on fetal cerebral hemodynamic. prospective study. This study was carried out in Al-Hussein University Hospital, from May 2003 to May 2004. The study carried out on 30 pregnancies with moderate anemia [maternal hemoglobin level less than 10 gm/dl and more than 6 gm/dl] group I and 6 pregnancies with severe anemia [maternal hemoglobin level less than 6 gm/dl] group II. Group II only with severe anemia was admitted to Al-Hussein Hospital. All pregnant women and fetuses were investigated on the first visit, doppler ultrasound was carried out on umbilical and cerebral fetal blood vessels and re-evaluated after treatment. The cerebral and umbilical doppler indices, amniotic fluid index and biometry were lower in group II at first visit. After treatment, the cerebral index and the cerebral to umbilical resistance ratio increased only in group II. Severe anemia leads to fetal cerebral vasodilatation and reduced amniotic fluid volume

Biological nitrogen fixation, mycorrhizal infection and Azolla symbiosis in two rice cultivars in Egypt

In this study, the effect of biofertilizers i.e. Azolla pinnata, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] and Azospirillum brasilense [Az] on the growth, grain yield, biological nitrogen fixation [BNF] and nutrient uptake by rice cultivars [Oryza sativa var. Giza 172, IR 28] was examined. The grains produced from the inoculated treatments were more than that from the uninoculated control. Similar trends were observed with N, P and K uptake by both rice cultivars. The inoculation treatments reflected that Azolla and its combinations had less N derived from fertilizer [Ndff] and higher N derived from air [Ndfa], while Azospirillum or AMF had higher Ndff and less Ndfa. 15N recovery percentages confirmed that AMF was the most effective inoculum for enhancing soil and/or fertilizer N uptake by rice cultivars, while Azolla was considered a suitable agent for transferring fixed N to rice plants

Biological N2-fixation and growth of soybeans as affected by inoculation and residual 15N

The effect of inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum either solely or in combination with Azotobacter chroococcum was examined for the growth and N2 fixation of soybean plantsSoybeans were fertilized with 15N-urea or ammonium sulfate and the isotope dilution technique was used for the quantification of N2 fixationDry mass and N uptake by inoculated plants were higher than those of the uninoculated plants Inoculation with sole or mixed inoculants induced 80-90% of dry matter and N yields of the plants fertilized with the full dose of N [40 mg N kg-1 soil]Those two parameters were higher in case of urea fertilization as compared with ammonium sulfate Similar trend was observed between the two seasons, where the dry mass and N uptake were higher with the first soybean crop comparable with the succeed soybean crop Generally, the nodulated soybean produced higher dry matter yield and accumulated more nitrogen than the non-nodulated isoline Nitrogen derived from air [Ndfa%] was ranged from 42 to 65% depending on the inoculation treatments Fixed N2 is the most important source of N utilized by the undulating soybean, while the non-nodulating isoline uptakes more nitrogen from soil and fertilizer

Yield and N2-fixation of groudnut [arachis hypogaea L.] in response to inoculation with selected bradyrhizobium strains and mycorrhizal fungi

The effect of inoculation with Bradyrhizobium and/or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the presence of super or rock-P on yield and nutrient content was studied in a pot experimentInoculation with Bradyrhizobium [strain 3456] increased undulation and nitrogen content superior to strain 3339, either super or rock-P, was added and at the same time these parameters were higher in case of rock-P than superphosphate application Inoculation with a mixture of the three inoculants decreased the amount of fixed nitrogen comparable to any other inoculation treatmentsThe possibilities of saving more than 50% of the recommended N fertilizer may be achieved Superphosphate could be replaced by rock-P either solely or in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Based on 15N analysis, groundnut derived more nitrogen from air [Ndfa] than from fertilizer [Ndff] or soil [Ndfs]

Evaluation of Biological Nitrogen fixation by faba bean [vicia faba L.] plants using N-15 dilution techniques

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to evaluate BNF by faba bean using 15N dilution technique. Three cultivars of labs bean i.e. Giza 2, Giza 461 and Rentablanka were used as N-fixing crops, wheat [Sakha 69] was used as a reference crop. Uninoculated and inoculated seeds with Rhizobium and/or VAM were sown in sandy soil unattended with labeled 15NH4N03 [15 kg N/fed, 4.68% 15N a.e.] or 15N rice straw [0.2 o w/w, 1.63% 15N a.e.]. Rock-P was added as a source of P at rate of 20 kg P/fed. Generally, from the economical and environmental point of view, application of N2 fixers and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in combined inoculants for legumes can save about 80% of N and 50% of P fertilizers. The use of organic N source as slow release fertilizer in virgin uncultivated and unreclaimed soil in Egypt speeds up the biological activity of these soils