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1.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18003461

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the MIMOSA architecture and development platform to create Ambient Intelligence applications. MIMOSA achieves this objective by developing a personal mobile-device centric architecture and open technology platform where microsystem technology is the key enabling technology for their realization due to its low-cost, low power consumption, and small size. This paper focuses the demonstration activities carried out in the field of health care. MIMOSA project is a European level initiative involving 15 enterprises and research institutions and universities.


Subject(s)
Cell Phone/instrumentation , Computer Communication Networks/instrumentation , Computers, Handheld , Monitoring, Ambulatory/instrumentation , Telemedicine/instrumentation , Transducers , User-Computer Interface , Delivery of Health Care/methods , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/methods , Equipment Design , Equipment Failure Analysis , Europe , Monitoring, Ambulatory/methods , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Telemedicine/methods
2.
Int J Colorectal Dis ; 20(5): 440-5, 2005 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15856263

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Preoperative radiotherapy (PRT) for rectal carcinoma has been shown to cause tumour regression and increase local control and patient survival. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of tumour regression grading (TRG) in quantifying the effect of PRT. METHODS: Depending on the tumour stage (uT), as defined by preoperative endorectal ultrasound (ERUS), fixity and distance from the anal verge, 126 patients with rectal cancer underwent either surgery alone, or received short-course 25-Gy radiotherapy or long-course 50-Gy radiotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) before surgery. TRG in each group was assessed and compared with the downstaging, defined as a change in preoperative uT stage and pathologic stage (pT). RESULTS: Complete response (no residual tumour, TRG 1) was seen in 7% of the patients (3/44) and total or major regression (TRG 1-3) in 73% of the patients (32/44) treated with 50-Gy chemoradiation. Of those treated with 25-Gy PRT, 21% (9/42) showed major tumour regression. Of the patients who underwent ERUS and PRT, 32% (26/83) were downstaged when comparing uT with pT, but 53% (14/26) of the downstaged tumours showed no response by TRG. In comparison, 50% (28/57) of the tumours with no downstaging showed a marked response by TRG (p=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tumour regression grading offers detailed information of the effect of PRT and shows that tumour regression is more marked after long-term chemoradiation than after short-course radiotherapy (p=0.02). In contrast, T-stage downstaging was similar in both groups and did not correlate with the TRG results (p=0.05).


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Adenocarcinoma/therapy , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Rectal Neoplasms/pathology , Rectal Neoplasms/therapy , Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma/radiotherapy , Adenocarcinoma/surgery , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Digestive System Surgical Procedures , Female , Fluorouracil/therapeutic use , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods , Neoplasm Staging , Neoplasm, Residual , Prospective Studies , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy, Adjuvant , Rectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Rectal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Rectal Neoplasms/surgery , Treatment Outcome
3.
Eur J Cancer ; 33(1): 66-74, 1997 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9071902

ABSTRACT

Ten years after it was demonstrated in the ferret that cisplatin-induced emesis could be blocked by the selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist MDL 72222, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have become routine anti-emetic agents for chemotherapy-induced emesis. However, although in association with highly emetogenic, mainly cisplatin-containing regimens, the use of these agents is well justified, the net benefit of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists in association with moderately emetogenic regimens has not been that well clarified. Here, we present an overview of 30 randomised studies comparing 5-HT3 antagonists with the conventional anti-emetics in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting induced by cytotoxic chemotherapy. A meta-analysis showed that 5-HT3 antagonists reduce the risk of acute vomiting in comparison to conventional anti-emetics both with cisplatin treatments (15 trials; odds ratio 0.60; 95% confidence interval 0.51-0.70) and with moderately emetogenic treatments (11 trials; odds ratio 0.47; 95% confidence interval 0.39-0.58). The risk of acute vomiting seems to be further reduced when 5-HT3 antagonists are combined with dexamethasone.


Subject(s)
Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Serotonin Antagonists/therapeutic use , Vomiting/prevention & control , Acute Disease , Cisplatin/adverse effects , Dexamethasone/therapeutic use , Drug Therapy, Combination , Humans , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Vomiting/chemically induced
4.
Am J Clin Oncol ; 19(3): 232-4, 1996 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8638531

ABSTRACT

Patients with metastatic breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive as second-line chemotherapy either MMM (mitomycin 8 mg/m2 day 1; mitoxantrone 8 mg/m2 days 1 and 22; methotrexate 35 mg/m2 days 1 and 22) alone or in combination with filgrastim (5 micrograms/kg s.c. days 4-17, 24-37). The courses were repeated every 42 days for a maximum of six courses. Thirty-one patients are evaluable for safety and efficacy. The 16 patients in the filgrastim arm received a total of 42 cycles compared with 34 cycles in the 15 control patients. Tumor responses were few in both patient groups (one partial response in the filgrastim group and two partial responses in control group). Nevertheless, a difference in survival was seen (filgrastim median 10.7 months, control median 6.5 months; p = 0.02 log rank). The treatment was well tolerated. Doses were reduced six times in the filgrastim arm and eleven times in the control arm. Grade IV neutropenia was seen in four patients in the filgrastim arm and in twelve patients in the control arm. The observed survival benefit needs to be confirmed in a larger patient group.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/administration & dosage , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Female , Filgrastim , Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/adverse effects , Humans , Methotrexate/administration & dosage , Methotrexate/adverse effects , Middle Aged , Mitomycin/administration & dosage , Mitomycin/adverse effects , Mitoxantrone/administration & dosage , Mitoxantrone/adverse effects , Neoplasm Metastasis , Recombinant Proteins/administration & dosage , Recombinant Proteins/adverse effects
5.
Cancer Chemother Pharmacol ; 37(5): 502-4, 1996.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8599877

ABSTRACT

Commercially available serotonin-type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists (ondansetron, granisetron, and tropisetron) have shown no clinically significant adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. In the dose-ranging evaluation of dolasetron, computer-generated ECGs revealed clinically asymptomatic prolongations of ECG intervals. We performed a clinical trial in which the possible changes in ECG intervals following a single 3-mg i.v. injection of granisetron and an injection of either doxorubicin or epirubicin were registered using computerized ECG analysis in cancer patients. A total of 30 patients who were designated to receive 3 mg granisetron i.v. for the prophylaxis of emesis induced by doxorubicin or epirubicin were entered into the study. Computer-generated ECG tracings were obtained before treatment, following the injection of 3mg granisetron, and immediately after doxorubicin or epirubicin injection. The mean PR interval duration increased from 160 to 166 ms after granisetron infusion (P=0.02). Doxorubicin and epirubicin did not potentiate this change. There was no statistically significant change in cardiac rhythm, QRS duration, or QTc intervals. The observed minor changes in the PR time following i.v. injection of granisetron do not seem to be of clinical relevance.


Subject(s)
Antiemetics/pharmacology , Doxorubicin/pharmacology , Electrocardiography/drug effects , Epirubicin/pharmacology , Granisetron/pharmacology , Adult , Aged , Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/administration & dosage , Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/pharmacology , Antiemetics/administration & dosage , Doxorubicin/administration & dosage , Drug Interactions , Epirubicin/administration & dosage , Female , Granisetron/administration & dosage , Heart Rate/drug effects , Humans , Injections, Intravenous , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/physiopathology , Serotonin Antagonists/administration & dosage , Serotonin Antagonists/pharmacology
7.
Eur J Cancer ; 30A(4): 530-2, 1994.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8018415

ABSTRACT

In this phase II study, we have evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of low-dose subcutaneous (s.c.) recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) and recombinant interferon (IFN)-alpha in 16 patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and in 4 patients with advanced melanoma. The complete course on this protocol comprised 6 weeks of s.c. IL-2 plus IFN-alpha followed by a 2-week rest period. The treatment was moderately strenuous for patients, requiring frequent dose reductions; only eight cycles (30%) could be administered to 75-100% of the projected dose. Main side-effects were fever, fatigue, hypotension, liver toxicity, neurotoxicity and skin reactions. Among the evaluable 17 patients, two responses (one partial, one complete) were seen in patients with RCC. This regimen proved to be rather toxic and yielded a modest response rate of 15% in RCC, but initial findings concerning the duration of survival seem promising.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Renal Cell/therapy , Interferon-alpha/therapeutic use , Interleukin-2/therapeutic use , Kidney Neoplasms/therapy , Melanoma/therapy , Adult , Aged , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Interferon-alpha/adverse effects , Interleukin-2/adverse effects , Male , Middle Aged , Recombinant Proteins/therapeutic use , Treatment Outcome
8.
Eur J Cancer ; 29A(12): 1669-72, 1993.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8398291

ABSTRACT

166 patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy were entered into a randomised prospective study in which the efficacy of single dose ondansetron 8 mg, tropisetron 5 mg and granisetron 3 mg in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting was evaluated. 130 patients were evaluable for analysis. During the 24 h following the start of chemotherapy complete control of vomiting was achieved in 80% [95% confidence interval (CI) 73.1; 86.9] of patients receiving granisetron compared with 75% (95% CI 67.1; 82.1) of those on tropisetron and 69% (95% CI 60.5; 76.5) on ondansetron. The patients experienced significantly fewer failures with granisetron (6.2%, 95% CI 2.1; 10.3) than with either ondansetron (14.6%, 95% CI 8.5; 20.6) or tropisetron (13.8%, 95% CI 7.9; 19.7). When asked, 34 (26%) patients out of 130 expressed no preference, 54 (42%) preferred granisetron, 22 (17%) preferred ondansetron and 20 (15%) preferred tropisetron. All the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists were highly effective in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting induced by moderately emetogenic chemotherapy. The observed differences in the control of emesis, although statistically significant, may not have clinical significance.


Subject(s)
Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Serotonin Antagonists/therapeutic use , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Female , Granisetron/therapeutic use , Humans , Indoles/therapeutic use , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Ondansetron/therapeutic use , Patient Satisfaction , Prospective Studies , Receptors, Serotonin/drug effects , Tropisetron , Vomiting/chemically induced , Vomiting/prevention & control
9.
Acta Oncol ; 32(4): 413-5, 1993.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8369129

ABSTRACT

One hundred cancer patients receiving non-cisplatin containing chemotherapy were entered in a prospective study in which the efficacy of ondansetron was compared with standard antiemetic treatments in the prophylaxis of nausea and emesis. During the first 24 h, 77% of patients on ondansetron reported complete control of emesis compared with 56% of those on customary treatments (p = 0.03). However, no statistically significant difference was observed between ondansetron and customary treatments in control of delayed emesis on days 2-5. Nor was any statistically significant difference seen between ondansetron and customary treatments in preventing acute or delayed nausea.


Subject(s)
Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects , Cisplatin/adverse effects , Nausea/prevention & control , Ondansetron/therapeutic use , Vomiting/prevention & control , Adult , Aged , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Prospective Studies
10.
Acta Oncol ; 31(5): 573-5, 1992.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-1419105

ABSTRACT

Forty-seven patients receiving non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy were entered in a prospective study in which the efficacy of ondansetron plus dexamethasone and tropisetron plus dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting was evaluated. Thirty-nine patients were evaluable for cross-over analysis. During the 24 hours following the start of chemotherapy, 97% of patients on ondansetron plus dexamethasone reported total control of vomiting compared with 82% of those on tropisetron plus dexamethasone (p = 0.026). Thus, both 5-HT3- receptor antagonists combined with dexamethasone were highly effective in controlling acute vomiting induced by non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy. The observed difference between the treatments may be caused by different dose schedules of ondansetron and tropisetron. A double-blind design with equal number of placebo-controlled administrations is needed to ascertain whether there is a significant pharmacological difference between ondansetron and tropisetron.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Dexamethasone/administration & dosage , Indoles/administration & dosage , Ondansetron/administration & dosage , Serotonin Antagonists/administration & dosage , Vomiting/prevention & control , Acute Disease , Adult , Aged , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Tropisetron
12.
Acta Chem Scand B ; 37(7): 603-5, 1983.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-6140804

ABSTRACT

In this work a new sensitive, thiol tolerant method for the determination of inorganic pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.1) was developed. It is based on the formation of phosphomolybdate-triethylamine complex, which in acid-acetone mixture forms a white, homogeneous precipitate, the turbidity of which can accurately measured spectrophotometrically at 355 nm. This method can be easily applied to all the Pi-producing enzymes whose substrates are stable enough in our acidic experimental conditions.


Subject(s)
Pyrophosphatases/analysis , Drug Stability , Enterococcus faecalis/enzymology , Indicators and Reagents , Inorganic Pyrophosphatase , Kinetics , Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet/methods , Sulfhydryl Compounds
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