Clinical models that objectively evaluate interproximal plaque based on total protein concentration.

AIM: To establish clinical models that accurately and objectively assess the levels of interproximal plaque (IPP) by measuring the total protein concentration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The multiple treatment (MTM) and single-treatment models (STM) were designed as randomized, double-blinded, crossover studies whereby IPP was collected using floss. The total protein concentration in the plaque was then measured using a fluorescence microplate assay. To demonstrate sensitivity, the levels of residual IPP were compared for two distinctly different plaque removal routines: brushing versus brushing+flossing. RESULTS: Eighteen subjects completed the study for the MTM, while 16 participants completed the study for the STM. The results showed that both models were able to distinguish between treatments. Moreover, fundamental profiles were established that describe the mean changes in the IPP concentration over time and by treatment. Finally, a comparison between our results and a direct measure of IPP, i.e., plaque weight, demonstrated the potential of using protein as a quantitative means to assess IPP levels. CONCLUSION: The MTM and STM provide an objective, quantitative assessment of IPP based on the total protein concentration in plaque.

[Role of high-dose BEAM-chemotherapy and autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of drug-resistant Hodgkin disease]. / Mesto vysokodoznoi BEAM-terapii i autologichnoi transplantatsii gemopoéticheskikh kletok u bol'nykh khimiorezistentnymi formami bolezni Khodzhkina.

In 1995-1999, 67 patients with relapsed Hodgkin's disease or refractory to chemotherapy (group A--first relapse, B--primary refractory disease, and C--repeated relapse) received cytoreductive (dexaBEAM, DHAP) therapy followed by high-dose BEAM chemotherapy and autologous bone marrow or blood cell transplantation. Early postoperative transplant-related mortality rate was 4.5%. At day 100, complete remission rates were: group A--95.6%; B--74.1%; and C--76.5%. Survival for all patients was: overall--61.9%; event-free--43.9%; disease-free--46%; and relapse-free survival--49.5%. Such factors as primary refractory disease, age over 30 years and response to cytoreductive therapy had significant influence on overall survival prognosis.

[Experience in the use of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in severe forms of aplastic anemia at the Byelorussian hematological center]. / Opyt primeneniia transplantatsii allogennogo kostnogo mozga pri tiazheloi forme aplasticheskoi anemii v Belorusskom gematologicheskom tsentre.

AIM: Investigation of the response to antilymphocytic globulin (ALG) and transplantation of allogenic bone marrow (TABM) in patients with a severe form of aplastic anemia (AA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 patients were treated for severe AA in 1995-1997. 8 patients of group 1 were given ALG/cyclophosphamide with subsequent TABM from HLA-identical sib donor. To prevent graft versus host reaction the patients took cyclosporin A (CSA) + prednisolone. Those who had no sib donor (7 patients) were treated with ALG/CSA (group 2). RESULTS: A complete remission at 7-30-month follow-up was observed in 6 patients of group 1. One patient died of infectious complications in rejection of the transplant and one patient died of acute graft versus host reaction. None of group 2 patients achieved the remission. One patient died of infectious complications. The others need continuous hemotransfusion therapy. CONCLUSION: In spite of high probability of early complications after TABM, TABM-subjected patients are more likely to achieve a complete remission and recurrence-free survival than those given immunosuppressive therapy alone.

Aluminum phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate in MCF-10F, human breast epithelial cells: a hole burning study.

Laser-induced holes are burned in the absorption spectrum of aluminum phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (APT) in MCF-10F, human breast epithelial cells. The hole burning mechanism is shown to be nonphotochemical. The fluorescence excitation spectra and hole spectra are compared with those of APT in hyperquenched glassy films of water, ethanol, and methanol. The results show that the APT is in an acidic, aqueous environment with a hydrogen-bonded network similar to that of glassy water, but showing the influence of other cellular components. Pressure shifts of holes allow the local compressibility about the APT to be determined.

[Hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in lymphogranulomatosis]. / Transplantatsiia stvolovykh gemopoeticheskikh kletok pri limfogranulematoze.

Twenty patients with resistant and relapsed Hodgkin's disease were included into this investigation. The treatment effectiveness and regimen-related toxicity of BEAM-protocol were evaluated. Stem cell transplantation (SCT) was carried out either as bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in 11 patients or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) in 9 patients. A comparison of the results pointed to a significant decrease in neutropenia duration, fewer blood transfusions needed and shorter stay in hospital in the PBSCT group. Complete remission was observed in 90% of patients of the SCT group, 91%-in BMT and 89%-PBSCT groups. It was found that high-dose chemotherapy followed by SCT is more effective in the treatment of resistant and relapsed Hodgkin's disease and, in certain situations, it is a treatment of choice. As to the toxicity of BEAM-protocol, it does not exceed those of the other chemotherapy modalities used in SCT.

[Toxic complications of high-dose polychemotherapy in the transplantation of bone marrow and of peripheral blood stem cells]. / Toksicheskie oslozhneniia vysokodoznoi polikhimioterapii pri transplantatsii kostnogo mozga i stvolovykh kletok perifericheskoi krovi.

The authors propose their own system of assessment of high-dose polychemotherapy toxicity. The system was applied to toxic complications of high-dose polychemotherapy in 31 patients with hematological malignancies subjected to allogenic, autologous bone marrow transplantation and transplantation of stem cells from peripheral blood within the scope of different protocols of high-dose polychemotherapy in conditioning regimen. A special scale developed in the Belarus Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation basing on the above system provides prediction of survival in early post-transplantation period.

The Chernobyl governmental program: two years of experience at the Belarusian Bone Marrow Transplant Centre.

The Bone Marrow Transplantation Program in Belarus was founded in 1992, and in 1993, a Bone Marrow Transplantation Centre was created in Minsk. From February 1994 to April 1996, 19 allogeneic bone marrow, 16 autologous bone marrow and 10 autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantations were performed. Reasons for transplantation included chronic myeloid leukemia, multiple myeloma, severe aplastic anemia, acute myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, progressive myelofibrosis, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and neuroblastoma. Among the patients were two liquidators involved in the Chernobyl cleanup activity, both of whom underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. A variety of ablative preparative regimens were used, and blood progenitor cells were mobilized by treatment with Cytoxan and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Therapy-related deaths resulted from graft-versus-host disease, septic shock, veno-occlusive disease bleeding and intestinal pulmonary fibrosis. Because the transplantation procedures were carried out on people who continued to be exposed to low-level irradiation, the post-transplantation period included a conservative strategy for prevention of graft-versus-host disease. There was nothing unusual about the post-transplantation period, although uncertainty about the continuing radiation dose should be taken into account when interpreting these data.

[Superhigh-dosage chemotherapy with the transplantation of autologous hemopoietic precursor cells in patients with a prognostically unfavorable relapse and resistant course of lymphogranulomatosis]. / Sverkhvysokodoznaia khimioterapiia s transplantatsiei autologichnykh kletok predshestvennikov gemopoéza u bol'nykh s prognosticheski neblagopriiatnym retsidivom i rezistentnym techeniem limfogranulematoza.

Eighteen patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's disease (HD) have been treated with high-dose chemotherapy (BEAM regimen) followed by autologous peripheral stem cells and/or bone marrow rescue. There were no treatment-related deaths. Overall response rate was 82%. With a median follow-up of 10 months (3-24 months) overall survival and freedom from progression were 100 and 94% (95% confidence interval 58-97%), respectively. The use of peripheral stem cells in addition to bone marrow resulted in a significant shortening of the time to engraftment (p < 0.01). The BEAM regimen is an effective conditioning schedule which is well tolerated.

[The prevention of hemorrhagic cystitis during the performance of bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the hematologic cancer clinic]. / Profilaktika gemorragicheskogo tsistita pro provedenii transplantatsii kostnogo mozga i stvolovykh kletok perifericheskoi krovi v onkogematologicheskoi klinike.

Investigators from Belarus Center for bone marrow transplantation examined the efficacy of preventing hemorrhagic cystitis induced by high-dose cyclophosphamide in preparation for hemopoiesis precursor transplantation in 22 patients with hematological diseases. The proposed preventive method implied administration of mesna (2-merkaptoetan-sulphonate) and alkaline forced diuresis. Its effectiveness was found high.

[First results of bone marrow transplantation in acute and chronic leukemia at the Byelarus Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation]. / Pervye rezul'taty transplantatsii kostnogo mozga ostrykh i khronicheskikh leikozakh v Belorusskom tsentre transplantatsii kostnogo mozga.

The first 10 bone marrow transplantations (BMT), 6 of the allogenic (allo-BMT) and 4 autologous (auto-BMT) were performed from February to June 1994 in Byelarus Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation. Two of the patients were experiencing the first complete remission of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), one of them - the first ALL recurrence, three patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia had the first complete remission, four patients had a chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia. In auto-BMT bone marrow (BM) was stored in liquid hydrogen after programmed freezer. An average yield of nucleated cells (NC) after taking and separation of allo-BM made up 3.0 x 10(8) cell/kg and 2.7 x 10(8) cell/kg in auto-BMT. After thawing of BM NC yield reached 1.5 x 10(8) cell/kg (0.8-2.3) x 10(8) cell/kg. CFU concentrations persisted at 24.7 x 10(4) (5.0-40.4) x 10(4) cell/kg body weight. The mean duration of leukocyte, neutrophil and platelet rise to the levels of over 1.0 x 10(9)/l, 0.5 x 10(9)/l, 20 x 10(9) cell/l, respectively, and the last time red cells were transfused were 23 (19-33), 23 (19-31), 22 (9-51), 4.5 (0-19), respectively. One ALL (first complete remission) patient died on day 52 after allo BMT of severe hepatic venous-occlusive disease. The other ALL patient (the first relapse) developed another relapse on day 112 after BMT. The rest 8 patients are in satisfactory condition.