Transarterial embolization with microspheres in the treatment of monofocal HCC.

BACKGROUND: Transarterial embolization using one permanent embolic agent alone enhances tumour ischaemia and spares patients with hepatocellular carcinoma form toxic chemotherapeutic drugs. PURPOSE: We assessed feasibility, tolerability and efficacy of transarterial embolization with microspheres in patients with a single node hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen consecutive patients with compensated cirrhosis, hypervascularized single hepatocellular carcinoma, in whom liver transplantation was indicated (no.=3), or excluded from radical therapies (no.=15), received selective transarterial embolization with microspheres. Treatment was repeated every other month until complete devascularitazion was demonstrated by computed tomography, for a maximum of 3 cycles. RESULTS: Fifty transarterial embolization courses (mean: 2.8 courses, range 1-6) were administered, corresponding to a 100% applicability rates. Initial complete response was achieved in 16 (89%) patients and confirmed by histology in 2 transplanted patients. During 21-month follow-up (range 8-36), hepatocellular carcinoma recurred in 10 (62%) patients who achieved initial complete response, and de novo tumour nodes developed in 10 (56%). No patient required analgesics and none had liver function deteriorated following transarterial embolization. CONCLUSIONS: Transarterial embolization is a well-tolerated treatment for patients with early or intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma who are not suitable for radical treatment or await liver transplantation, but it allows to achieve a sustained complete response in a minority of patients.

Persistence and translocation of a benzothiadiazole derivative in tomato plants in relation to systemic acquired resistance against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato.

A reproducible and accurate procedure, based on HPLC analysis, has been developed to determine simultaneously acibenzolar-S-methyl (CGA 245 704) and its acid derivative (CGA 210 007) in tomato leaves. The limit of detection and quantification of the method are 0.015 and 0.15 mg litre-1 for CGA 245 704 and 0.030 and 0.30 mg litre-1 for CGA 210 007. In tomato plants treated with 250 microM CGA 245 704, it was found that the inducer rapidly translocates from treated leaves (cotyledons, 1st and 2nd) to untreated leaves (3rd to 5th), with the maximum translocation (40% of the total quantity found) occurring 8 h after the treatment. CGA 245 704 residues decreased as time elapsed in both treated and untreated tomato leaves, reaching negligible values 72 h after treatment. The acid derivative, CGA 210 007, was formed in tomato plants as early as 2 h after CGA 245 704 treatment, albeit only in the treated leaves. CGA 210 007 residues decreased in treated tomato leaves with a trend similar to that observed for CGA 245 704. Treatment of tomato plants with CGA 245 704 or CGA 210 007 at 250 microM systemically protected the plants against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato attacks, the causal agent of bacterial speak disease. Evidence of this were reductions in the degree of infection, the bacterial lesion diameter and the bacterial growth in planta. Since neither CGA 245 704 nor CGA 210 007 inhibited bacterial growth in vitro and the protection against bacterial speak of tomato was observed when the two compounds were completely degraded, the protection must be due to the activation of the plant's defence mechanisms.

[Study on the viscolytic activity of the sputum (author's transl)]. / Studio sulla fluidificazione ed omogeneizzazione dell'escreato

Several mucolytic agents were evaluated on sputum for testing their viscolytic activity and the bacterial tollerance to each of them. Proteolytic enzymes (trypsin, pepsin, papain, pancreatin), KJ, and dithiothreitol (or its derivatives) were better tollerated by common respiratory pathogens (H. influenzae, D. pneumoniae, Klebsiella, etc.) than other mucolytic agents, as acetil-cysteine, cisteamine-HCl, tension active substances, mercaptoethanol, and others. The dithiothreitol showed also one of the strongest viscolytic effect and therefore it was selected for the routinary sputum digestion at the concentration 0.1% in PBS pH 7.2. Such a solution was added to sputum specimen in different proportions according to the macroscopic "apparent" viscosity of each specimen. However researches on the comparative viscolytic activity of all the agents hereinafter considered are still in progress.