A randomized efficacy and safety trial of oxandrolone in the treatment of Duchenne dystrophy

BACKGROUND

A pilot study suggested that oxandrolone, an anabolic steroid, improved strength in boys with Duchenne dystrophy (DD) and indicated the need for a more definitive study.

METHODS

A 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of oxandrolone in boys with an established diagnosis of DD, using the change from baseline to 6 months in the average muscle strength score (MMT) as the primary efficacy measure.

RESULTS

The mean change from baseline for the oxandrolone group was +0.035 and that for the placebo group was -0.140. Although the oxandrolone group did not get worse and the placebo patients showed some deterioration in strength, the difference was not significant (p = 0.13). The average of the four quantitative muscle tests (QMT) showed a significant improvement in the oxandrolone-treated boys as compared with placebo. No adverse reactions attributable to oxandrolone were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

Although oxandrolone did not produce a significant change in the average manual muscle strength score as compared with placebo, the mean change in QMT was significant. Because oxandrolone is safe, accelerates linear growth, and may have some beneficial effect in slowing the progress of weakness, it may be useful before initiating corticosteroid therapy.

[Spectra analysis of ignition flame in two-stroke gasoline engine burning blended fuel]

In a two-stroke gasoline engine, exhaust gas pollution is especially severe when it burns rich mixture of blended fuel. The results of spectra analysis of ignition combustion flame show that the peak luminous intensities of three characteristic spectra CH(431.5nm), C2(516.5nm) and CN(387nm) are strong, of which the peak luminous intensity of CN(387nm) is the most outstanding. The mechanism of NO(x) formation in exhaust gas can be illustrated by Fenimore theorem. The mechanism was also verified by experiments conducted by Japanese researcher K. Nagase.

Comparative oxidation of hemoglobins A and S

The mutant hemoglobin S (HbS) previously was reported to undergo accelerated autooxidation during incubation in vitro. However, subsequent observations have raised the possibility that this might be explained by adventitious association of molecular iron with HbS, rather than reflecting an inherent property of HbS. Using purified HbA and HbS obtained from genotypic HbAS donors, we found that the observed oxidation rate of HbS, but not of HbA, is indeed exaggerated by adventitious iron. This result suggests a preferential partitioning of molecular iron to HbS over HbA, which was further supported by experimentation. However, after elimination of this effect, there still remains a significant increase in inherent autooxidation rate for HbS. Physiologic oxidants (superoxide, peroxide, hydroxyl radical) and various Fe(III) chelates all stimulate oxidation of oxyHb, but they do so equivalently for HbA and HbS. Nevertheless, these mechanisms also would contribute to excessive biologic oxidation of HbS because the cytoplasm of sickle red blood cells, unlike that of normal cells, would be exposed to abnormal amounts of oxidants and low-molecular-weight iron compounds.

Diagnosis of active Paragonimus westermani infections with a monoclonal antibody-based antigen detection assay

We evaluated the performance of Dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays designed to detect species- and stage-specific antigens of Paragonimus westermani in sera with monoclonal antibodies as serodiagnostic tests for active paragonimiasis. Sera from all donors with parasitologically confirmed infections with P. westermani contained adult worm antigens, as did a high proportion of sera from persons suspected to be infected with this parasite. A smaller proportion of these sera also contained metacercarial stage-specific antigens. Sera from donors with other helminth infections, with confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis, or from healthy Chinese donors were nonreactive in the assay. Treatment of experimentally infected animals with praziquantel triggered a marked but transient increase in serum levels of adult P. westermani antigens, which then gradually disappeared within the next two months. The results of our studies indicate that the antigen-detection assay we have developed is a highly specific and sensitive diagnostic test for active infections with P. westermani.

Inhibition of benzo[a]pyrene-induced mouse forestomach neoplasia by a principal flavor component of Japanese-style fermented soy sauce

A refined diet supplemented with Japanese-style fermented soy sauce (shoyu) inhibits benzo[a]pyrene-induced forestomach neoplasia in mice (Cancer Res., 51:2940-2942, 1991). In the present study, soy sauce was extracted with ethyl acetate. The soluble fraction contained flavor/aroma compounds and antioxidants, whereas amino-carbonyl compounds that impart color were concentrated in the ethyl acetate insoluble fraction. Both fractions inhibited benzo[a]pyrene-induced forestomach neoplasia in a protocol in which the test material was fed following exposure to the carcinogen. A principal flavor/aroma component of soy sauce, 4-hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone, was fed to mice following benzo[a]pyrene administration and found to inhibit the subsequent development of forestomach neoplasia. 4-Hydroxy-2(or 5)-ethyl-5(or 2)-methyl-3(2H)-furanone was effective when fed at 4 mg/kg body weight/day, indicating that it is a potent anticarcinogen.