The Farmer, the Fairies, and the Computers

Using a temporary substitution of format, the author offers a fairy tale to demonstrate that we can’t expect understanding when computers take the place of humans in our interactions with service providers.     

Dynamic endocrine testing. The Mayo Clinic model

An endocrine testing center (ETC) is a universal requirement for the practice of endocrinology. Modifications of the Mayo Clinic model for an ETC should be applicable to most endocrine practices. Key components of an ETC include a centralized testing area, registered nurse-physician team, detailed testing protocols, and patient education programs.     

Genetic marking shows that Ph+ cells present in autologous transplants of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) contribute to relapse after autologous bone marrow in CML

Relapse after autologous bone marrow transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) can be due either to the persistence of leukemia cells in systemic tissues following preparative therapy, or due to the persistence of leukemia cells in the autologous marrow used to restore marrow function after intensive therapy. To help distinguish between these two possible causes of relapse, we used safety-modified retroviruses, which contain the bacterial resistance gene NEO, to mark autologous marrow cells that had been collected from patients early in the phase of hematopoietic recovery after in vivo chemotherapy. The cells were then subjected to ex vivo CD34 selection following collection and 30% of the bone marrow were exposed to a safety-modified virus. This marrow was infused after delivery of systemic therapy, which consisted of total body irradiation (1,020 cGy), cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg), and VP-16 (750 mg/m2). RT PCR assays specific for the bacterial NEO mRNA, which was coded for by the virus, and the bcr-abl mRNA showed that in two evaluable CML patients transplanted with marked cells, sufficient numbers of leukemia cells remained in the infused marrow to contribute to systemic relapse. In addition, both normal and leukemic cells positive for the retroviral transgenome persisted in the systemic circulation of the patients for at least 280 days posttransplant showing that the infused marrow was responsible for the return of hematopoiesis following the preparative therapy. This observation shows that it is possible to use a replication-incompetent safety-modified retrovirus in order to introduce DNA sequences into the hematopoietic cells of patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation. Moreover, this data suggested that additional fractionation procedures will be necessary to reduce the probability of relapse after bone marrow transplantation in at least the advanced stages of the disease in CML patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation procedures.     

Wideband HEMT MMIC low-noise amplifier with temperaturecompensation

A wideband low-noise pseudomorphic HEMT MMIC variable-gain amplifier has been designed and fabricated. The amplifier has a nominal gain of 13 dB across the band 2-20 GHz, with gain flatness better than ±0.4 dB. The noise figure is less than 3 dB across the band 6-16 GHz. An on-chip temperature-sensing diode is used to provide a linear temperature correction which has been used to reduce the gain variation of the amplifier by a factor of 2 across the temperature range -50°C to +95°C     

Pharmacokinetics of dolasetron after oral and intravenous administration of dolasetron mesylate in healthy volunteers and patients with hepatic dysfunction

In previous studies, dolasetron was shown to have both renal and hepatic elimination mechanisms. This study was conducted to determine the impact of varying degrees of hepatic dysfunction on the pharmacokinetics and safety of dolasetron and its reduced metabolites. Seventeen adults were studied: six healthy volunteers (group I), seven patients with mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class A; group II), and four patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh class B or C1; group III). Single 150-mg doses of dolasetron mesylate were administered intravenously and orally, with a 7-day washout period separating treatments. After intravenous administration, no differences were observed between healthy volunteers and patients with hepatic impairment in maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), areas under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), or elimination half-life (t1/2) of intact dolasetron. No significant differences were found in Cmax, AUC, or apparent clearance (C(lapp)) of hydrodolasetron, the primary metabolite of dolasetron. The mean t1/2 increased from 6.87 hours in group I to 11.69 hours in group III. After oral administration, C(lapp) of hydrodolasetron decreased by 42%, and Cmax increased by 18% in patients with moderate to severe hepatic impairment. There were less changes in patients with mildly hepatic impairment. Total percentage of dose excreted as metabolites was similar for healthy volunteers and patients with hepatic impairment, although urinary metabolite profiles differed slightly. Dolasetron was well tolerated and there were no apparent differences in adverse effects between groups or treatments. Because hepatic impairment did not influence Cl(app) of hydrodolasetron after intravenous administration, and the range of plasma concentrations of hydrodolasetron after oral administration was not different from those observed in healthy volunteers, dosage adjustments are not recommended for patients with hepatic disease and normal renal function.     

Miscellaneous lesions of bone

There are several tumors and tumorlike entities of bone that do not easily fit into the specific classifications provided elsewhere in this issue. In this article, several seemingly unrelated entities are discussed, including cystic diseases of bone (simple bone cysts and aneurysmal bone cysts), Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, benign and malignant vascular tumors of bone, and adamantinoma of long bone and its relationship to osteofibrous dysplasia.     

Ethics for psychology organizations.

Comments on K. S. Pope and V. A. Vetter's (see record 1992-25072-001) survey results on ethical dilemmas faced by members of psychology organizations. The author notes 2 specific concerns about psychology organizations accepting financial sponsorship from organizations that financially benefit from the sponsorship: the potential for a conflict of interest and the financial burden on the clients of psychology organizations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)