A multifactorial analysis of melanoma: prognostic histopathological features comparing Clark's and Breslow's staging methods

A multifactorial analysis was used to identify the dominant prognostic variables affecting survival from a computerized data base of 339 melanoma patients treated at this institution during the past 17 years. Five of the 13 parameters examined simultaneously were found to independently influence five year survival rates: 1) pathological stage (I vs II, p = 0.0014), 2) lesion ulceration (present vs absent, p = 0.006), 3) surgical treatment (wide excision vs wide excision plus lymphadenectomy, p = 0.024), 4) melanoma thickness (p = 0.032), and 5) location (upper extremity vs lower extremity vs trunk vs head and neck, p = 0.038). Additional factors considered that had either indirect or no influence on survival rates were clinical stage of disease, age, sex, level of invasion, pigmentation, lymphocyte infiltration, growth pattern, and regression. Most of these latter variables derived their prognostic value from correlation with melanoma thickness, except sex which correlated with location (extremity lesions were more frequent on females, trunk lesions on males). This statistical analysis enabled us to derive a mathematical equation for predicting an individual patient's probability of five year survival. Three categories of risk were delineated by measuring tumor thickness (Breslow microstaging) in Stage I patients: 1) thin melanomas (<0.76 mm) were associated with localized disease and a 100% cure rate: 2) intermediate thickness melanomas (0.76-4.00 mm) had an increasing risk (up to 80%) of harboring regional and/or distant metastases and 3) thick melanomas (>/=4.00 mm) had a 80% risk of occult distant metastases at the time of initial presentation. The level of invasion (Clark's microstaging) correlated with survival, but was less predictive than measuring tumor thickness. Within each of Clark's Level II, III and IV groups, there were gradations of thickness with statistically different survival rates. Both microstaging methods (Breslow and Clark) were less predictive factors in patients with lymph node or distant metastases. Clinical trials evaluating alternative surgical treatments or adjunctive therapy modalities for melanoma patients should incorporate these parameters into their assessment, especially in Stage I (localized) disease where tumor thickness and the anatomical site of the primary melanoma are dominant prognostic factors.     

A model for the enantiomeric enrichment of polypeptides on the primitive earth

A mixture of D- and L-leucine N-Carboxyanhydride (NCA) having an enantiomeric composition of 65.6% L- and 34.4% D-isomer (i.e. 31.2% enantiomeric excess (e.e)) was polymerized to the extent of 52% with sodium methoxide initiator to yield a polyleucine product the enantiomeric composition of which was 72.7% L- and 27.3% D-leucine (45.4% e.e.). This polymer was in turn partially hydrolyzed by acid, whereupon the unhydrolyzed polyleucine residue was found to have an enantiomeric composition of 77.5% L- and 22.5% D-leucine (55.0% e.e.). Thus the e.e. increase in the partial polymerization step (14.2%) and the partial hydrolysis step (9.6%) combined to total 23.8% for the overall polymerization-hydrolysis sequence. On the basis of these model experiments it is proposed that repetitive partial polymerization hydrolysis reactions, driven by environmental dry-wet cycles, might have been operative on the primitive Earth to engender the abiotic evolution of optically enriched polypeptides.     

Serum HIV-1 RNA levels and time to development of AIDS in the Multicenter Hemophilia Cohort Study

Normal women produce small amounts of active androgens. When androgen levels are elevated, such as for example in the polycystic ovary syndrome, this is followed by the development of male physical characteristics and muscle mass, structure and function as well as android adipose tissue distribution and function. Psychological features and stress reactions also seem similar to those of men. Such women have an increased risk of developing hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Recent data have shown that these physical, and psychological characteristics, as well as risk of ill health, are also found in the population of women selected at random. Women in the lowest quintiles of levels of sex-hormone-binding globulin--an indicator inversely related to active androgens--are at risk of developing hypertension, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular mortality. The mechanism probably includes muscular insulin resistance, following a relative androgen excess. It is thus apparent that androgens, even within the highest levels of the nonselected population of women, are powerful predictors of serious disease development. The population at risk might be as large as about 20% of middle-aged women. This is an area of female disease risk which requires more attention in screening and intervention procedures.     

多点热式气体质量流量测试方法实验研究

在已研制单点热式气体质量流量计的基础上,针对目前大口径或不规则管道气体质量流量测量中存在的问题,提出了基于多点测量的热式气体质量流量测试方法.文章对敏感元件(热膜探头)温度特性和以热膜探头为测点的多点测试方法进行了大量的试验研究.实验结果表明:多点测试方法中,以对数线性法最好;多点热式气体质量流量测试方法可以明显改善某些单点测量中出现的较大偏差,测量精度可以达到1.5%,扩展不确定度小于3.4%.     

巨磁电阻读出磁头

用巨磁电阻（GMR）材料构成的磁电子学新器件,已开始在计算机存储领域成功地获得了应用,本文介绍了用于计算机硬件磁盘驱动器的巨磁电阻磁头,描术字它的工作原理、性能特点及研究现状和发展趋势。     

采用光滤波器的边缘检测布里渊光纤传感系统

提出了采用边缘光滤波器来测量光纤传感中布里渊频域的方案.分析了影响布里渊频移测量精度的因素,给出了布里渊频移测量精度和信噪比的关系.结果表明,在热噪声近似下,布里渊频移测量精度与热噪声、边缘光滤波器透射函数的导数及布里渊散射光信号功率有关.     

防老剂种类及用量对丁腈橡胶疲劳裂纹扩展的影响

考察了防老剂种类及用量对丁腈橡胶疲劳过程中预制裂纹扩展的影响,并对其断面形貌进行了SEM观察。结果表明,在MB/RD、DTPD、4010和2246 4组防老剂中,防老剂2246耐疲劳性能最好,其用量为4份时效果最佳。     

Mast cell activation is not required for induction of airway hyperresponsiveness by ozone in mice

Exposure to ambient ozone (O3) is associated with increased exacerbations of asthma. We sought to determine whether mast cell degranulation is induced by in vivo exposure to O3 in mice and whether mast cells play an essential role in the development of pulmonary pathophysiological alterations induced by O3. For this we exposed mast cell-deficient WBB6F1-kitW/kitW-v (kitW/kitW-v) mice and the congenic normal WBB6F1 (+/+) mice to air or to 1 or 3 parts/million O3 for 4 h and studied them at different intervals from 4 to 72 h later. We found evidence of O3-induced cutaneous, as well as bronchial, mast cell degranulation. Polymorphonuclear cell influx into the pulmonary parenchyma was observed after exposure to 1 part/milllion O3 only in mice that possessed mast cells. Airway hyperresponsiveness to intravenous methacholine measured in vivo under pentobarbital anesthesia was observed in both kitW/kitW-v and +/+ mice after exposure to O3. Thus, although mast cells are activated in vivo by O3 and participate in O3-induced polymorphonuclear cell infiltration into the pulmonary parenchyma, they do not participate detectably in the development of O3-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in mice.