Substance P suppresses stress-induced eating

Parenterally administered substance P suppressed stress-induced eating (resulting from mild tail pinch) in a dose-related manner, whereas at similar or higher doses of substance P starvation-induced eating was uneffected. This specific effect of substance P on stress-induced eating is possibly associated with alterations of exogenous substance P of the normal modulation of pain transmission.

A survey of non-specific cross-protective immunities induced by avian retroviruses

Reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T (REV-T) induced immunity in chicks to challenge by representative subgroup members of the avian leukosis-sarcoma virus (ALSV) complex. Immunity levels were compared to determine the extent of antigenic relation between REV-T and the ALSV complex. Reciprocal studies using ALSV subgroup members and pheasant viruses as immunogens and REV-T as challenge were also performed. It was concluded that reciprocity of immunity is not equal between the viruses studied, nor is immunity directly related to the virus-neutralizing-antibody levels induced by immunization with the viruses studied. In some cases, the levels of cross-protection demonstrated may be a sign of the induction of antibodies to common or similar tumor-specific surface antigens rather than complete antigenic identity between REV-T and the ALSV members used; in others, virus-neutralizing antibodies may be a sign of partial identity between some proteins of REV-T and ALSV subgroup members.

Stress-induced eating is mediated through endogenous opiates

The interaction of endogenous opiates and stress-induced eating in rats was evaluated by pharmacological manipulation. Eating induced by the tail-pinch method was inhibited by the opitate antagonist naloxone; after being repeatedly stressed over a 10-day period and then given nalozone, the rats behaved in a manner indistinguishable from the "wet-dog" shakes of opiate withdrawal. Thus endogenous opiates may have a role in the control of stress-related eating, a finding that may have therapeutic implications for humans.

Severe zinc deficiency presenting with acrodermatitis during hyperalimentation: diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment

Seven patients developed severe zinc deficiency with acrodermatitis during hyperalimentation. Several of them had other problems such as diarrhea, poor wound healing and mental changes, which may also have been related to zinc deficiency. Three patients were on hyperalimentation for 2 weeks or less when skin lesions first developed, and most patients were receiving regular infusions of plasma. All patients responded to enteral administration of zinc. We conclude that: 1) severe zinc deficiency with acrodermatitis is not a rare complication of hyperalimentation; 2) even short-term hypralimentation may be complicated by severe zinc deficiency with acrodermatitis; 3) plasma is not an appropriate way to provide zinc supplementation; 4) if intravenous zinc preparations are not available, oral supplementation is usually effective; and 5) all patients undergoing hyperalimentation should receive zinc supplementation and have regular monitoring of their serum zinc level.

Determination of prognostic factors and their influence on therapeutic results in patients with Ewing's sarcoma

We have analyzed the results of treatment of 117 patients with Ewing's sarcoma admitted to the National Cancer Institute since 1964. All patients received local irradiation to the primary site and a series of progressively more intensive systemic chemotherapy regimens using drugs known to be active as single agents in this disease. Four protocols were employed with varying numbers of patients in each treatment group. Initially, there appeared to be a difference among treatment groups with regard to disease-free survival (overall P = .06), with the later regimens having more favorable outcomes. We then undertook a statistical analysis of the influence of five pretreatment variables--age, sex, site of primary disease, serum lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), and metastatic status--on disease-free survival. Of these five factors, important indicators of favorable prognosis for the entire group (and for each of the treatment subgroups) were a distal site of primary disease, normal serum lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) level at presentation, and the absence of metastatic disease at the time of presentation. When we examined treatment results with respect to these prognostic factors, we found that the subgroups treated with the more agressive regimens contained higher proportions of patients with favorable prognostic factors. After adjustment for differences in composition of treatment groups with respect to prognostic factors, the apparent difference in disease-free survival vanished (P = .62). These results indicate that in the case of Ewing's sarcoma, prognostic factors must be carefully considered in the design of treatment protocols and the subsequent analysis of end results.

A study of drug-induced kinetic perturbations in the marrow of a patient with neuroblastoma

The kinetic perturbations induced by vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and adriamycin were studied in the bone marrow of a patient with neuroblastoma. Serial marrow samples were studied by dual parameter (Coulter volume and DNA content), flow cytometry, and radioautography, and findings were correlated with cytomorphologic changes. Multiparameter studies were useful in sorting out the various sequences of drug-induced kinetic changes. Distinctive effects of vincristine were observed at 2 and 24 hours after drug administration. An early drug-induced proliferative response was observed between 2 and 48 hours after initiation of therapy. Cell damage was apparent on day 4, with recovery in cell proliferative rate observed on days 6 through 9. The kinetics of perturbation may be useful in identifying temporal windows for optimum scheduling of chemotherapeutic agents in man.

Studies on the antidiuretic effect of cyclophosphamide: vasopressin release and sodium excretion

To elucidate the mechanism of cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced antidiuresis, plasma and urine volume as well as serum electrolytes, creatinine, osmolality, and appropriate hormones were monitored serially during 19 courses of chemotherapy. In spite of plasma hypotonicity and urinary hypertonicity, the plasma vasopressin concentrations were unaltered. Intravenous isotonic hydration did not prevent water retention, but did not lead to plasma hypotonicity, and compensated for modest urinary sodium losses. Furosemide diuresis did not prevent the development of hyponatremia in patients receiving hypotonic hydration. The results indicate that the origin of this self-limited syndrome is a direct effect of CTX on the renal tubule, permitting increased water reabsorption and sodium loss. The likelihood that water and salt imbalance will develop after CTX administration can be reduced by vigorous isotonic hydration, and pharmacological diuresis.

Children with serious illness: behavioral correlates of separation and isolation

The deleterious effects of separation have been demonstrated in experimental animal studies and in naturalistic case studies of children. In this study extensive observational and physiological records were obtained on four preschool children who were receiving chemotherapy for childhood cancer. The findings generally parallel those reported in the subhuman primate literature. The children's behavior followed a sequence of agitation followed by behavioral depression. The findings underscore the seriousness of parent-child separation and the need to develop intervention strategies to ameliorate these deleterious effects.

Phase I trial of N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate

A Phase I clinical trial of N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate, an antimetabolite which inhibits a key enzyme in the de novo pathway of pyrimidine biosynthesis, was conducted. N-(Phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate was given as an i.v. 15-min infusion once daily for five days; cycles of treatment were repeated every three weeks. Thirty-four patients received treatment. Dose-limiting toxicity was observed at 1500 to 2000 mg/sq m/day and was manifested by skin rash, diarrhea, and stomatitis. Rash and diarrhea usually began during the first week of treatment and persisted up to Day 17 of a cycle of therapy. No consistent hematopoietic, hepatic, or renal toxicity was observed. One partial response in a patient with colon carcinoma was seen and continues at more than eight months. Stable disease was observed in three patients with colon carcinoma, two patients with hypernephroma, one patient with pancreatic carcinoma, and one patient with melanoma. The predictability and reversibility of toxicity and the suggestion of antitumor activity in humans are observations which support the further evaluation of N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartate in Phase II studies.

Induction of simian virus 40-specific tumour rejection by the Ad2+ND2 hybrid virus

Immunization of BALB/c mice with Ad2+ND2, a non-defective hybrid virus containing about half of the early region of simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA covalently integrated into the human adenovirus 2 (Ad2) genome, can confer protection against subsequent challenge by syngeneic SV40 tumour cells. Analysis of subcellular fractions from Ad2+ND2-infected cells shows a close correlation between the tumour rejection activity and the presence of the two SV40-specific proteins induced by this hybrid virus. These two proteins, with mol. wt. of 56 000 (56K) and 42 000 (42K), can be specifically immunoprecipitated using sera obtained from hamsters bearing SV40-induced tumours. Such immunoprecipitates, which contain no detectable contaminating components as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, can efficiently immunize mice against SV40 tumour challenge, suggesting that the 56K and 42K proteins are directly responsible for the induction of tumour rejection. Moreover, we have found, by immunoprecipitation, a novel antigen in SV40-transformed BALB/c cells, also of 56 000 mol. wt.; possibly, this 56K protein is responsible for induction of transplantation immunity in SV40-transformed cells.

Method for determining the extent and copy number of overlapping and nonoverlapping segments of integrated viral genomes

We analyzed the method of exhaustive hybridization of single-stranded DNA and derived a general relationship between the fraction of the probe DNA hybridized and the sizes and copy numbers of the segments of the viral genome integrated in cellular DNA. The equations employed can be used to analyze integrated DNA comprised of overlapping and nonoverlapping segments of the viral genome. Using these equations, we analyzd the adenovirus type 2 DNA content of a series of hamster cell lines transformed by adenovirus type 2 and several adenovirus type 2-simian virus 40 hybrid viruses. We found no eividence that the integrated viral DNA is comprised of overlapsping segments. However, the number of copies of the integrated segments varies between lines cloned from the same transformed isolate, and copy numbers change during in vivo passage of transformed cells.

Treatment of osteogenic sarcoma. II. Aggressive resection of pulmonary metastases

Thirty-nine patients with osteogenic sarcoma were treated in a prospective protocol involving the use of adjuvant high-dose methotrexate, frequent screening for pulmonary metastases, and aggressive resection of all metastatic disease whenever possible. Twenty-two of these 39 patients have had recurrence and in 20 patients evidence of metastatic disease was confined to the lungs. Eighteen of the patients had thoracotomy, and in 11 patients all known disease was resected. Although four of these patients have required further thoracotomies, all 11 patients have no evidence of disease. Thus, of the original 39 patients, 30 (76.9%) are now alive and 28 (71.8%) have no evidence of disease, with a median followup of 27 months. Survival is significantly improved compared to historical control patients (P less than 0.001; one-sided Kruskal-Wallis test).

Correlation of the induction of transcription of the AKR mouse genome 5-lododeoxyuridine with the activation of an endogenous murine leukemia virus

5-iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) is highly effective in inducing the production of endogenous viruses (e.g., RNA-containing murine leukemia virus) from a variety of cell lines that normally do not release such viruses. For the activation of murine leukemia virus by IdUrd, its incorporation into cellular DNA is necessary. We have explored the possibility that incorporated IdUrd qualitatively alters the transcription of cell DNA. Nucleic acid hybridization between radioactive mouse unique DNA and RNA from the highly activatable mouse AKR-2B cell line indicates that the normal extent of transcription in AKR-2B cells is considerably lower than that observed in other lines of mouse cells studied. Treatment of AKR-2B cells with IdUrd increases the extent of transcription of unique DNA by 60%, which corresponds to an induction of approximately 2.5 X 10(4) gene equivalents. Included among this new set of RNA's are sequences that are transcribed from the DNA genome of the endogenous AKR-type murine leukemia virus present in AKR-2B cells. IdUrd treatment also markedly increases the synthesis and/or the accumulation of those RNA transcripts which are normally expressed in untreated cells. These results suggest that IdUrd stimulates the overall transcription activity of AKR-2B cells. It is possible that IdUrd-induced activation of endogenous murine leukemia virus is a consequence of this stimulation.

Treatment of osteogenic sarcoma. I. Effect of adjuvant high-dose methotrexate after amputation

Thirty-nine patients with extremity osteogenic sarcoma and no discernible metastases were treated with amputation and postoperative adjuvant high-dose methotrexate with leucovorin rescue. One half of the patients were also randomized to receive bacillus Calmette-Guérin by a multiple-puncture technique. Results have been analyzed with a minimum followup of 10 months and a median followup of 27 months. Actuarial analysis estimates that 38% of current protocol patients remain continuously free of disease for 24 months compared to only 17.4% of historical control patients (P = 0.029; one-sided generalized Kruskal-Wallis test). Bacillus Calmette-Guérin administered by a multiple-puncture technique had no effect on disease-free interval. Minor differences between current protocol and historical control patients with regard to race, age, histologic type, and site and size of primary tumors do not affect the difference in disease-free interval between these two patient groups. However, current patients had somewhat lower grade lesions and consideration of the patients with grade III and IV lesions only, lessens the difference between current and historical control patients (P = 0.11; one-sided generalized Kruskal-Wallis test). High-dose methotrexate was administered with virtually no morbidity and no deaths. The small differences observed in this study between protocol patients treated with surgery plus high-dose methotrexate and historical control patients treated with surgery alone point to the need for a prospective randomized study to establish the role of high-dose methotrexate in the adjuvant treatment of patients with osteogenic sarcoma.

[Long-term, complete remission in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following high-dosage combination therapy with or without autologous bone marrow transplantation]

22 patients with malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma resistant to conventional chemotherapy were treated with high-dose combination chemotherapy followed in the first 12 patients by infusion of their cryopreserved autologous bone marrow. The next 10 patients received chemotherapy alone. Four patients died shortly after chemotherapy. Four patients remain in unmaintained remission 40, 30, 20 and 8 months after treatment. Patients receiving cryopreserved marrow recovered leukocyte, granulocyte and platelet function significantly faster and had significantly fewer febrile days than did controls. These findings demonstrate that high dose combination chemotherapy may benefit some patients unresponsive to conventional chemotherapy, and that cryopreserved bone marrow can speed hematopoetic recovery and be of clinical benefit to the patient.