Dehydrobenzoannulene-dimethyl-dihydropyrene hybrids: model systems for the synthesis of molecular aromatic probes.

Synthesis of two novel dehydrobenzoannulene-dimethyldihydropyrene (DBA-DDP) hybrids has been achieved using a Pd/Cu cross-coupling strategy.

Radiation as salvage therapy for patients with Hodgkin's disease relapsing after MOPP (mechlorethamine, vincristine, prednisone, and procarbazine) chemotherapy.

Six patients with Hodgkin's disease who failed MOPP (mechlorethamine, vincristine, prednisone, and procarbazine) chemotherapy, with recurrences confined to lymph node areas, are reported. All patients were treated with tumoricidal doses of irradiation in mantle, inverted Y, or whole-abdominal fields. All six patients achieved complete remission, with minimal toxicity. Disease-free survival ranged from 3 to 38 months, with four patients remaining in complete remission at 9, 15, 27, and 38 months. Radiation therapy should be considered in patients failing MOPP chemotherapy with lymph node disease.

Alterations in platelet surface sialytransferase activity and platelet aggregation in a group of cancer patients with a high incidence of thrombosis.

Platelet aggregation, platelet surface sialic acid, and platelet surface sialytransferase activity were studied in a group of 12 cancer patients with a high incidence of thrombosis. These patients demonstrated accelerated coagulation, increased Factor VIII antigen and restocetin cofactor, and enhanced adenosine 5'-diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation. Platelet exogenous sialytransferase activity was increased in cancer patients (117.6 +/- 14 pmol/10(9) platelets) as compared to controls (59.0 +/- 4.3 pmol/10(9) platelets, p less than 0.01). Platelet exogenous sialytransferase activity and platelet aggregation were inhibited by aspirin. Thrombosis and bleeding have complicated the clinical course of half of these patients. This platelet membrane analysis provides additional data which may be related to current observations of increased levels of plasma sialytransferase activity and serum sialic acid in cancer patients.

Heparin utilization during arterial revascularization.

These studies demonstrate that therapeutic levels of heparin are achieved when either 100 u/kg or 150 u/kg are administered prior to arterial or aortic cross clamping during peripheral vascular reconstructive procedures. They further demonstrate that adequate levels of heparin are maintained for at least one hour even with the lower dosage. If heparin effect is not reversed, many patients will be returned to the recovery ward with therapeutic levels of heparin. This is undesirable and can be averted by administering appropriate doses of protamine sulfate. Excesses of protamine sulfate should be avoided since unbound protamine sulfate has anticoagulant as well as cardiovascular effects.

Procoagulant and platelet aggregating properties of antilymphocyte sera.

Ten anti-human lymphocyte sera in clinical use at six transplant centers and five anti-nonhuman lymphocyte sera were studied for their procoagulant and platelet-aggregating properties. This investigation was initiated following the observation of a clinical episode of renal artery thrombosis, associated with the use of one of the sera in a patient who had received a cadaveric renal transplant. The procoagulant from this serum shortened the clotting times of individual samples deficient, respectively, in factors XII, XI IX, X VIII, and VII. Esterolytic activity, demonstrated on the substrate benzoylarginine ethyl ester, was completely inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, but coagulant activity was variably affected. The platelet-aggregating activity (PAA) has been identified as a complement-fixing gamma G antibody that was absorbed from the antilymphocyte serum (ALS) with human spleen lymphocytes. Five of the ten anti-human lymphocyte sera showed varying procoagulant activity (PCA), and six sera demonstrated PAA. Three sera contained both activities. The presence of both PCA and PAA in the same preparation may predispose patients to thrombotic events, particularly if administered intravenously. Sera should be screened for PCA and PAA prior to clinical use, and sera with these properties should be used with caution.