It has been suggested that nurse educators and the establishments in which they are employed should review their basic training criteria for nurse-administered oral hygiene. This literature review illustrates that there has been little, if any, change in oral hygiene practices over the past 29 years and much of the research still in existence is now outdated. The majority of papers reviewed highlight a frightening scarcity of research data available within this field. The author concludes that standards should be set regarding routine mouth-care practices and calls for an accurate rating scale to be devised on which care can be accurately planned, implemented and evaluated.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Altered pharmacokinetics of recombinant human deoxyribonuclease in rats due to the presence of a binding protein.

Preclinical pharmacokinetic studies with recombinant human DNase (rhDNase) following a single intravenous injection of 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 mg/kg in male rats demonstrated that clearance and steady-state volume of distribution increased at the 1.0 mg/kg dose, whereas the mean exit time from the serum remained unchanged. To characterize the molecular form of 125I-rhDNase in serum, rats were intravenously injected with approximately 300 microCi (5 micrograms)/kg 125I-rhDNase or approximately 300 microCi (5 micrograms)/kg 125I-rhDNase with 1 mg/kg unlabeled rhDNase, and blood samples were taken at 2 min. Urine was collected from one rat in each group from 0-6 and 6-24 hr after injection. Serum samples were analyzed by trichloroacetic acid precipitation and native PAGE; urine samples were analyzed by size exclusion HPLC. Native PAGE results indicate that there is a protein present in the serum that binds rhDNase specifically. The presence of excess unlabeled rhDNase decreases the 125I-rhDNase-binding protein complex level relative to free 125I-rhDNase. In contrast, a high-molecular weight peak of radioactivity was seen after size exclusion HPLC of the urine from the animal that received 125I-rhDNase with unlabeled rhDNase rather than the animal that received 125I-rhDNase alone. In addition to its effects on disposition, a specific serum binding protein for rhDNase may play a role in modulating the bioactivity of circulating rhDNase.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Exercise, conditioning, and fitness as it relates to injury in active-duty women.

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Exercise↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recombinant human erythropoietin therapy for anemic cancer patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To assess whether the administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) would increase the hematocrit, reduce the requirement for transfusion, and improve the quality of life in anemic cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive, cisplatin-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-two anemic cancer patients receiving cyclic, cisplatin-containing, myelosuppressive chemotherapy were evaluated. Patients received either r-HuEPO (150 U/kg) or placebo, subcutaneously, three times a week for 3 months. Responses were assessed by measuring changes in hemoglobin/hematocrit, transfusion requirement, and quality of life. RESULTS: The mean hematocrit increased by 6.0 percentage points in the r-HuEPO group versus 1.3 in the placebo group. A decrease in transfusion requirement did not reach significance over all 3 months, but there was a significant reduction in the percentage of patients transfused in the second and third months (27% r-HuEPO vs. 56% placebo) and a trend toward reduction in the mean total number of units transfused (1.20 units r-HuEPO vs. 2.02 units placebo), suggesting a lag of 1 month before r-HuEPO can affect the transfusion requirement. Pretreatment serum erythropoietin levels were lower in responders than in nonresponders (73.5 IU/L and 86.3 IU/L means, respectively). However, the magnitude of this difference was not helpful in defining which patients were likely to respond. There was a significant improvement in overall quality of life between the two treatment arms in favor of the r-HuEPO-treated group. There were no significant adverse effects associated with r-HuEPO. CONCLUSIONS: r-HuEPO is safe and can cause a significant improvement in the hematocrit and quality of life of anemic cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive, cisplatin-based chemotherapy. After 1 month of r-HuEPO, there is also a reduction in transfusion requirement.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evidence for a functional kit receptor in melanoma, breast, and lung carcinoma cells.

We sought to determine the functional significance of the c-kit receptor (Kit) in melanoma, breast carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). To explore these issues, we first screened cell lines of each type for c-kit mRNA expression using a reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. We found that WM-39 melanoma cells, HTB-22 breast carcinoma cells, and A549 NSCLC cells all expressed c-kit mRNA. Of interest, all of these cells expressed the c-kit ligand, Steel factor (SF). We then assessed the functional significance of c-kit and SF expression by disrupting the gene's expression with antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) targeted to c-kit mRNA codons 1-6 and SF mRNA codons 2-7, respectively. Nonhybridizing sequences [sense (5) and scrambled (SCR)] were also employed as controls. WM-39, HTB-22, and A549 cells were exposed to ODN (approximately 25 microM) for 5-7 days. Downregulation of c-kit and SF mRNA, and c-kit protein was demonstrated in cells treated with AS ODN. Effects on viable cell growth were demonstrated by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) or 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4 -sulfophenyl)- 2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay. In fact, c-kit antisense ODN inhibited the viable cell growth of A549 cells 66% and 79% compared to sense and untreated controls (P = .0003; P < .0001). Additionally, WM-39 cell growth was inhibited 48% and 21% (P < .0001, P < .03) and HTB-22 cell growth was inhibited 50% (P < .001) compared to sense and untreated controls. Viable cell growth was also significantly inhibited by SF AS ODN compared to S and SCR controls in all cell lines. These results demonstrate that WM-39, HTB-22, and A549 NSCLC cells all express the c-kit and SF protooncogenes and suggest that the encoded receptor and ligand are important for cell growth. By finding the presence, and functional importance, of both the receptor and ligand in these cells, this study suggests the existence of an autocrine loop growth mechanism worthy of further study.

Breast Neoplasms↗