Search

We conducted a retrospective study to compare outcome in Caucasians and non-Caucasians undergoing standard sibling allogeneic SCT. End points of the study were to compare graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) occurrence and transplant-related mortality (TRM). There were 251 patients, 43 non-Caucasian and 208 Caucasian. A higher proportion of non-Caucasian patients developed acute GvHD (aGvHD) grade 2 or greater as compared to the Caucasian group (48 vs 26%, respectively) P=0.02. With a median follow-up of 27 months, 26% (11/43) of non-Caucasians and 14% (29/208) of Caucasian patients had died from TRM, which accounted for 55% of all deaths in the non-Caucasian group compared to 33% in Caucasians, P=0.02. Overall survival 12 months post transplant was 64 vs 69% in the non-Caucasian and Caucasian groups, respectively (P=0.43). Although there were higher numbers of CMV-positive patients in the non-Caucasian group, there were no deaths from CMV reactivation in this subgroup. We conclude that there is increased TRM and aGvHD following standard sibling allograft in the non-Caucasian population and this could be due to either differences in tumour biology or extrinsic factors such as socio-economic factors, nutritional status, post transplant care or presenting with late stage disease.Bone Marrow Transplantation (2006) 37, 4197ndash;423. doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1705260; published online 16 January 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary:Stem cell transplantation (SCT) may be the only curative option for patients with relapsed or refractory leukaemia, that is, high-risk (HR) leukaemia. Several salvage regimens have been used to cytoreduce disease before SCT, but disease progression or treatment toxicity limits numbers of patients receiving SCT. Here, we report our experience with high-dose cytarabine and amsacrine (Ara-amsa) to salvage patients with HR-leukaemia in the context of SCT. A total of 34 patients with HR-leukaemia (20 AML, 12 ALL, two advanced CML) received 3?g/m2/day cytarabine for 5 days and amsacrine 200?mg/m2/day for 3 days. Disease response was observed in 62% of patients. Toxicity was limited to neutropenic fever, one patient developed cerebellar toxicity and there was one treatment-related death. A total of 17 patients proceeded to SCT (12 allografts and five autografts). Median survival (OS) of all patients was 10.8 months (95% CI 7.8-21). Patients who were consolidated with SCT after salvage therapy had a superior median OS of 29.4 months (95% CI 12.5-upper limit not reached, n=17) than those who did not receive SCT (6.7 months, CI 1.5-8.6, P<0.0001). Median disease-free survival with SCT (23 months) was higher than after treatment with salvage chemotherapy alone (6.7 months, P=0.0002). Thus Ara-amsa can be used effectively to salvage HR-leukaemia, enabling further consolidation with SCT.Bone Marrow Transplantation (2003) 32, 273-278. doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1704113 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the toxic effects of the organophosphorus insecticide dimethoate on teleost fish Clarias batrachus. During the exposure to a sublethal concentration of dimethoate, no visible symptoms or mortality by toxic reaction were observed in teleost fish. However, the total protein content of muscle tissue of exposed fish was significantly depleted during the experimental period. A remarkable reduction in soluble and structural proteins of muscle tissue was also observed in fish exposed to dimethoate.

The article presents a study of the effects and toxicity of dimethoate and organophosphorus (OP) insecticide on proteins and transaminases in the liver tissue of Clarias batrachus (C. batrachus). It examines the total soluble and structural proteins and transaminases of the liver. Results show that the liver reacts to the stress caused by the toxicant, while the content of tissue protein depends on the dynamic equilibrium of synthesis and degradation.