Impact of New Chemotherapeutic agents on the outcome of Egyptian patients with Advanced Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

UNLABELLED: Patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) are well known to have poor response to chemotherapy. Aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of new chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Egyptian MPM patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The first study was a non-randomized, open-label trial. It included 34 eligible patients who were assigned to receive either cisplatin/ pemetrexed or pemetrexed alone if cisplatin was contraindicated for a maximum of 8 cycles. In the second trial, 21 chemo-naïve patients with histologically proven advanced MPM were included. They received cisplatin and raltitrexed for a maximum of 6 cycles. RESULTS: In the first trial, the median age was 43.5 years (range 25-69), partial response (PR) was achieved in 37.5%, stable disease (SD) in 50%. Median time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were 7 and 14 months respectively. Survival at 1 year was 64.7%. No toxicity was observed in 17.6% of patients, grade 3-4 toxicity was evident in 11.8% (neutropenia), 8.8% (anemia), and 2.9% (vomiting and diarrhea). In the second trial, median age was 46 years (range 19- 71), PR was achieved in 23.2%, one complete remission (CR) was reported. SD was noticed in 61.9%. The median TTP and OS were 6 and 12 months respectively. Survival at 1 year was 51.6%. CONCLUSION: Both cisplatin/pemetrexed and cisplatin/ raltitrexed are effective and safe regimens in the treatment of MPM.

Ruminant brucellosis in Upper Egypt (2005-2008).

Brucellosis is endemic among humans and ruminant in Egypt and recent reports suggest that its incidence may be increasing. In this study we describe the frequency of brucellosis among different ruminant species in Upper Egypt and its spatial distribution using the data generated by a large-scale control campaign undertaken between 2005 and 2008. A total of 120,090 individual animals of different ruminant species were tested during the campaign. The true proportions of brucellosis were estimated as 0.79% (CI: 0.71%-0.87%), 0.13% (CI: 0.08%-0.18%), 1.16% (1.05%-1.27%) and 0.44% (0.34%-0.54%) among cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats respectively. We estimated that 0.2% (CI: 0.16%-0.23%) of households in the study area keep at least one seropositive animal. Spatial autocorrelation of the proportions of seropositive households and seropositive animals was assessed using Global Univariate Moran's I and Local Univariate LISA. These analyses showed that the distribution of seropositive animals has considerable spatial heterogeneity with clustering in the northern governorates of the study area. Our results show that brucellosis is widespread and heterogeneously distributed in Upper Egypt. At the current level of available resources it is very unlikely that test and slaughter could be implemented with the intensity needed to be effective and other control measures that could replace or complement the test and slaughter policy in place should be considered. Also, this study illustrates some of the challenges faced by bilateral projects that have to accommodate an externally funded intervention with an ongoing national official disease control program.

Comparison of electronic portal imaging and cone beam computed tomography for position verification in children.

AIM: To compare the accuracy of radiotherapy set-up using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) versus megavoltage cone beam computed tomography (MV-CBCT) in paediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 204 pairs of EPID and MV-CBCT were carried out for 72 patients in the first 3 treatment days and weekly thereafter. RESULTS: For the whole group, the mean systematic EPID set-up errors were 1.8 (±1.7), 1.6 (±1.3), 1.4 (±1.5) mm and 2.3 (±1.7), 1.6 (±1.3), 2.4 (±1.6) mm for MV-CBCT in the longitudinal, lateral and vertical directions, respectively, whereas the mean EPID random errors were 2.0 (±1.7), 1.4 (±1.5), 1.2 (±1.6) and 1.9 (±1.5), 1.5 (±1.3), 2.1 (±1.7) mm for MV-CBCT in the longitudinal, lateral and vertical directions, respectively. For systematic errors of head and neck patients, there was a statistically significant difference in the lateral and vertical directions (P=0.027, 0.003), whereas in the non-head and neck patients there was a statistically significant difference in the lateral direction only (P=0.031). In head and neck patients, the mean random errors were significantly different in the vertical and lateral directions, whereas in non-head and neck patients, they were significantly different in the vertical direction only. The larger values alternate between the two modalities. The systematic and random errors (detected by EPID and MV-CBCT) were significantly correlated in almost all direction in all tumour sites. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison between set-up error in EPID and MV-CBCT was not in favour of any of the two modalities. However, the two modalities were strongly correlated but fairly agreed and the differences between the shifts reported were small and hardly influenced the recommended planning target volume margin.

Morphological characteristics of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenayya et Subba Raju in laboratory cultures.

The freshwater cyanoprokaryote Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii has become increasingly prevalent in tropical and temperate water bodies worldwide. The morphological characteristics of this species were investigated under different growth rates in continuous cultures (at steady state) and in batch (phosphorus starved) cultures with different mineral nitrogen forms. The species displays an enormous morphological variability under controlled condition. The occurrence of extreme long twisted filaments was found near the maximum growth rate and under high ammonium concentration. Rarely the heterocytes of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii arise intercalarly between two neighbouring cells(i.e. intercalary heterocytes were found). The morphological features are highly effected by environmental conditions and nutrient availability. Under P-starvation extreme morphology appeared. The specifications of C. africana and C. cuspis overlap with that of C. raciborskii accordingly this is not clear characteristic feature to distinguish species. A pure culture of a pro- or eukaryote alga growing in continuous cultures is a good method for giving a suitable overview on all morphological possibilities of a tested organism.

Down's syndrome and oral care.

Down's syndrome is caused by a chromosomal abnormality and is characterized by certain physical, mental and medical features. A number of these features, such as learning disability, cardiac anomalies and an altered immune system, can have a profound effect on oral health and the delivery of oral care. In turn, this can affect social acceptability and quality of life. The optimum potential of the person with Down's syndrome is achieved via a multidisciplinary approach that involves the members of the dental team from an early stage.

DNA relatedness among the pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae and description of Pseudomonas tremae sp. nov. and Pseudomonas cannabina sp. nov. (ex Sutic and Dowson 1959).

A total of 48 pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae and eight related species were studied by DNA-DNA hybridization (S1 nuclease method) and ribotyping. The existence of nine discrete genomospecies was indicated. Genomospecies 1 corresponded to P. syringae sensu stricto and included P. syringae pathovars syringae, aptata, lapsa, papulans, pisi, atrofaciens, aceris, panici, dysoxyli and japonica. Genomospecies 2 included P. syringae pathovars phaseolicola, ulmi, mori, lachrymans, sesami, tabaci, morsprunorum, glycinea, ciccaronei, eriobotryae, mellea, aesculi, hibisci, myricae, photiniae and dendropanacis and nomenspecies Pseudomonas savastanoi, Pseudomonas ficuserectae, Pseudomonas meliae and Pseudomonas amygdali, which are thus synonymous. P. amygdali is the earliest valid name for this genomospecies. Genomospecies 3 included P. syringae pathovars tomato, persicae, antirrhini, maculicola, viburni, berberidis, apii, delphinii, passiflorae, philadelphi, ribicola and primulae. We recommend strain CFBP 2212 of P. syringae pv. tomato to serve as the type strain. Genomospecies 4 included 'Pseudomonas coronafaciens' and P. syringae pathovars porri, garcae, striafaciens, atropurpurea, oryzae and zizaniae and corresponds to 'P. coronafaciens'. Genomospecies 5 included P. syringae pv. tremae and corresponds to Pseudomonas tremae sp. nov. Genomospecies 6 included Pseudomonas viridiflava and the presently misidentified pathotype strains of P. syringae pv. ribicola and P. syringae pv. primulae and thus corresponds to P. viridiflava. Genomospecies 7 included P. syringae pv. tagetis and P. syringae pv. helianthi. We recommend strain CFBP 1694 of P. syringae pv. tagetis to serve as a reference strain. Genomospecies 8 included P. syringae pv. these and Pseudomonas avellanae and thus corresponds to P. avellanae. Genomospecies 9 included P. syringae pv. cannabina and corresponds to Pseudomonas cannabina sp. nov. Ribotyping (SmaI and HincII endonucleases) could separate seven of the nine genomospecies. The unnamed genomospecies 3 and 7 will be named when phenotypic data are available for identification. Two species are described, P. tremae sp. nov. and P. cannabina sp. nov. Other species will be named when phenotypic data are available for identification.

Description of the Bacterium Causing Blight of Leek as Pseudomonas syringae pv. porri (pv. nov.).

ABSTRACT Forty bacterial strains isolated from leek blight (Allium porrum) in France and other countries were studied by conventional biochemical methods, serological reactions, numerical taxonomy, DNA-DNA hybridization, and ice nucleation activity, as well as by pathogenicity on leek and other host plants. They were compared with reference strains of Pseudomonas, mainly pathotype strains of P. syringae pathovars and strains of P. syringae pv. syringae isolated from various host plants including onions. Leek strains sorted with P. syringae species (sensu lato) by LOPAT tests (production of levan-sucrase, oxidase, pectinase, arginine dihydrolase, and hypersensitive reaction on tobacco). Leek strains were pathogenic to leek and produced symptoms identical to those observed in the field. They were the only strains in our study that could cause blight of leek. Thus, our results justify the creation of a new pathovar. Leek strains constituted a highly homogeneous DNA group and a discrete phenon by numerical taxonomy, and they belonged to O-serogroup POR. The name of P. syringae pv. porri is proposed for the bacterium causing leek blight. Criteria for routine identification are presented and taxonomic status is discussed.

Recombinant human interferon beta ser protects against zidovudine-induced genetic damage in AIDS patients.

This study was conducted to evaluate the in vivo genotoxicity of zidovudine (ZDV) in patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Patients with this disease who were non-smokers and on ZDV (1200 mg/day) as their only medication for 4 weeks to 7 months were studied. Patients with AIDS who had not received ZDV served as a negative control. Whole blood cultures were initiated by conventional methods with PHA 1:50 dilution. In addition, for each culture there was an untreated control and a recombinant interferon-beta (rIFN-beta)-treated culture. The IFN-treated cultures were exposed to 10, 100, 1000, or 10000 units of rIFN-beta for the entire incubation period. The cells were harvested at 72 h and stained with a fluorescence plus Giemsa method which permits the determination of the number of division cycles a cell has completed. One hundred metaphases from first division cells were scored from each culture for chromosome aberrations that were mainly from the chromatid-type, i.e. chromatid, chromosome, and isochromatid breaks. The frequency of breaks in the ZDV and no ZDV group was 8.29 +/- 2.65 and 0.5 +/- 0.29 per 100 cells respectively (P less than 0.05). Cultures from ZDV patients that were incubated with 100 and 1000 units of rIFN-beta, however, showed a frequency of 1.3 +/- 0.71 and 1.9 +/- 1.08 respectively, which was significantly lower than observed in the cultures not exposed to IFN (P less than 0.05). At the highest dose of rIFN-beta utilized no aberrations were detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Distribution of X-ray-induced chromosome breakpoints in Down syndrome lymphocytes.

Down syndrome (DS) individuals are known to be predisposed to develop leukemia and their lymphocytes are highly sensitive to the induction of chromosome aberrations by X-rays. A study was conducted to identify the chromosome breakpoints and to evaluate whether site specificity for chromosome breakage and rearrangement may exist which may explain the predisposition phenomenon. DS lymphocytes at the G1 phase of the cell cycle were irradiated with 300, 450, and 600 rad of X-rays. Cells were harvested after 3 days in culture and 193 G-banded karyotypes were analyzed to identify the induced chromosome abnormalities. Out of 273 breakpoints identified, 122 were involved in the formation of stable chromosome rearrangements and 151 in the formation of unstable abnormalities. The Poisson analysis of these breakpoints demonstrated that 16 chromosome bands located in chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 12, 17, 19 and X were preferentially involved in breakage and rearrangement (P less than 0.05). These 16 bands are also found to be locations of "cancer breakpoints," oncogenes, or fragile sites. Many abnormal cells were observed to carry stable chromosome rearrangements only. Therefore, these cells are presumed to be compatible with survival and to be "initiated" in the transformation process. We propose that similar stable and site-specific chromosome rearrangements may exist in proliferating cells in DS individuals after exposure to clastogens and that this abnormality predisposes them to develop leukemia.

Chromosomal radiosensitivity of Down syndrome lymphocytes at different stages of the cell cycle.

Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common types of congenital anomalies. In addition to a wide spectrum of developmental abnormalities, DS patients are also highly sensitive to the induction of chromosomal aberrations when their GO lymphocytes are exposed to ionizing radiation. We conducted the present study to evaluate the effect of X-rays on proliferating lymphocytes from DS and normal individuals. We found that DS lymphocytes were significantly more sensitive to X-ray induction of chromosome aberrations than normal cells, when they were irradiated at the G0, G1 and S phases of the cell cycle. The S phase was the most radiosensitive phase and would lead to extensive cell killing, whereas the G1 phase seemed to be more prone to the induction of chromosome rearrangements that would potentially lead to serious long-term consequences.