Exoerythrocytic development of Plasmodium gallinaceum sporozoites in a chicken fibroblast cell line and inhibition of the cell invasion by specific anti-sporozoite monoclonal antibodies

The condition of multiple breast duct papillomas although relatively common in adult women is not a well recognized clinical entity in adolescent females. The risk of adolescents with this condition developing carcinoma is presently unknown, although in adulthood it is regarded by some authorities as a precancerous condition. We report a case of a 14-year-old girl with such a lesion who remains well with no breast abnormalities 2 years after surgery. The clinicopathological features of the condition and the relevant literature are discussed.     

Results and long term follow-up for 1581 patients with metastatic breast carcinoma treated with standard dose doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy: a reference

BACKGROUND: The authors report results and long term follow-up for 1581 patients with metastatic breast carcinoma treated with doxorubicin-containing combination chemotherapy at a single institution; this report is meant to serve as a reliable reference for single-arm studies of newer therapies in this patient population. METHODS: Prospectively collected data from 18 successive doxorubicin-containing protocols for the treatment of metastatic breast carcinoma were evaluated. RESULTS: The response rate was 65.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 62.5-67.3%), complete response (CR) rate was 16.6% (95% CI: 14.8-18.6%), and partial response (PR) rate was 48.5% (95% CI: 46.0-50.9%). Median progression free survival (PFS) was 11.5 months (95% CI: 10.9-12.3 months) and median overall survival (OS) was 21.3 months (95% CI: 20.3-22.7 months). Survival correlated with response to therapy; median PFS and OS were 22.4 and 41.8 months, respectively, for the patients who achieved CR (n=263) and 14 and 24.6 months, respectively, for PR patients (n=766). The median OS of patients who had progressive disease during chemotherapy was 3.8 months. The response rate, PFS and OS correlated with number of organs involved and especially with tumor burden. Patients with hormone receptor-positive tumors had a similar response rate to that of patients with hormone receptor negative tumors but had significantly longer PFS (medians of 14.3 and 8.7 months, respectively) and OS (medians of 28.6 and 18.1 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with metastatic breast carcinoma, doxorubicin-containing chemotherapy had a response rate of 65% and a CR rate of 16.6%. PFS and OS were 11.5 months and 21.3 months, respectively, for all responders and 22.4 months and 41.8 months, respectively, for those who had CR.     

Synthesis and activities of 5-substituted-2-(p-substituted phenyl)-1-dialkylaminomethyl benzimidazole derivatives

Nine 1,2,5-trisubstituted benzimidazole derivatives were prepared and their structure have been elucidated by IR, NMR spectral data and elemental analyses. Analgesic activity of the compounds prepared was investigated in mice by modified KOSTER test. Anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was investigated by a carregeenan-induced hind paw edema model in mice. Their antibacterial activities were examined against S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and antifungal activity against three kinds of yeast-like fungi (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. stellatoidea).     

CO_2-CH_4重整制合成气Ni-Mg/Al_2O_3催化剂制备与表征

用３ 种浸渍程序制备ＣＯ２ ＣＨ４ 重整制合成气的Ｎｉ Ｍｇ／Ａｌ２Ｏ３ 催化剂,结果表明用二次不等量浸渍法制备的催化剂性能较好,程序升温实验也说明二次不等量浸渍法制备的催化剂其表面活牲Ｎｉ 粒子较多。     

Nutritive Quality of Fermented Sorghum

The relative nutritive value (% RNV) of sorghum fermented at 25°C and at 35°C increased significantly (P < 0.05) over the % RNV of the control. During the consecutive 7-day fermentation at 25°C, time had no effect on the % RNV. The highest % RNV (56.45%) was achieved at the end of 1 day. Fermentation at 35°C was influenced by the time, with the highest % RNV (61.11%) obtained at the end of 7 days. Available lysine and methionine increased substantially (P < 0.01) over the control when sorghum was fermented at 25°C or 35°C for 4 days. Sorghum fermented at 25°C and at 35°C had methionine contents of 25.68 and 26.79 mg/g N, respectively, whereas the control contained only 11.25 mg/g N. Lysine levels were 33.2 and 34.5 mg/g N in sorghum fermented at 25°C and at 35°C, respectively, whereas the control contained 9.1 mg/g N. None of the available B-vitamins studied was altered significantly in the fermented samples.     

ARIMIDEX: a potent and selective aromatase inhibitor for the treatment of advanced breast cancer

Aromatase inhibitors have been available for a number of years and their ability to reduce circulating estradiol levels has been shown to produce clinical benefit in women with advanced breast cancer. Until recently, the only commercially available aromatase inhibitor was aminoglutethimide. Although aminoglutethimide has been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of advanced breast cancer, it does cause significant toxicity and requires the use of concomitant hydrocortisone therapy. Anastrozole is one of a new class of potent aromatase inhibitors able to suppress estradiol to the limit of detection of sensitive assays without suppressing adrenal steroidal synthesis. Two large clinical trials (n = 764) conducted in the U.S.A. and in Europe evaluated two doses of anastrozole, 1 and 10 mg a day, compared to megesterol acetate, 40 mg four times a day, in postmenopausal women who had progressed while on tamoxifen. Response rates and time to progression with anastrozole were similar to those of megesterol acetate. Objective responses (CR + PR) were 10.3%, 8.9% and 7.9% in the 1 and 10 mg of anastrozole and megesterol acetate treatment groups, respectively. Another 25.2%, 22.6% and 26.1% had stable disease for over 24 weeks on 1, 10 mg anastrozole and megesterol acetate, respectively. Anastrozole and megesterol acetate were well tolerated; however, more patients had significant weight gain on megesterol acetate than with anastrozole treatment. The weight gain seen with megesterol acetate continued to increase over time. Anastrozole has a better therapeutic index (fewer side-effects) and has recently been approved by the FDA and a number of other regulatory agencies around the world for the treatment of advanced breast cancer.     

The prognostic significance of sialyl-Tn antigen in women treated with breast carcinoma treated with adjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Sialyl-Tn (STn) represents an aberrantly glycosylated mucin epitope that is expressed in breast carcinoma and other adenocarcinomas and is an important factor in the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches. The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of STn expression on the prognoses of patients with breast carcinoma. METHODS: A cohort of 207 women diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma who were treated with anthracycline-containing adjuvant chemotherapy and were enrolled in a randomized clinical trial were studied. Expression of STn was determined by an immunohistochemical procedure in which the B72.3 monoclonal antibody was used. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional regression survival analyses were used to compare low STn and high STn patients. RESULTS: Forty-eight (23%) of the 207 specimens demonstrated high STn staining (>25% cells were immunoreactive). During a median follow-up of 5 years, high STn patients had worse disease free survival than low STn patients (55% vs. 74%, respectively; P = 0.03). High STn expression was significantly associated with age (P = 0.04) but not with other conventional prognostic markers. In multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model, high STn emerged as an independent prognostic indicator for disease free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-3.73) and for overall survival (HR, 2.16; 95% CI, 0.95-4.92). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that STn may be a valuable marker for identifying women at high risk of developing recurrent breast carcinoma who may be candidates for trials investigating new therapies in combination with standard adjuvant therapy.     

Bioactive glass and glass-ceramic-coated hip endoprosthesis: experimental study in rabbit

Co–Cr–Mo endoprostheses with a dual bioactive glass (BG) coating and titanium implants coated with a bioactive glass-ceramic (BGC) were studied under lead-bearing conditions in the rabbit hip. The dual BG coating contained an inner layer of high durability and an outer bioactive layer. Each type of coating improved the stabilization of prosthesis during the experiment period of 8 weeks compared to non-coated control implants. EDXA analysis confirmed the ability of BG and BGC coatings to bond chemically to bone. The BGC coating on titanium alloy proved superior to the dual BG coating on Co–Cr–Mo prosthesis with regard to bone formation on the surface of the implant. The bioactive top layer of the dual BG coating showed resorption, especially in the areas without direct bone contact. This is explained by partial crystallization of the glass during firing. Thermal discrepancy between BGC coating and titanium core caused cracking of the coating, which remains a major obstacle to its use as a bioactive coating.     

Anastrozole versus megestrol acetate in the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma: results of a survival update based on a combined analysis of data from two mature phase III trials. Arimidex Study Group

BACKGROUND: This report presents the results of a survival update based on the combined data from two studies that compared the efficacy and tolerability of anastrozole (1 or 10 mg once daily), a selective, nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor administered orally, and megestrol acetate (40 mg 4 times daily) in the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma whose disease had progressed after treatment with tamoxifen. METHODS: Two randomized, parallel-group, multicenter trials were conducted, involving a total of 764 patients. The two trials were identical in design; both were double blind for anastrozole and open label for megestrol acetate. Overview analyses were conducted with the intent of strengthening the interpretation of results from each trial. The median follow-up duration for this survival update was 31 months. RESULTS: At the clinical dose of 1 mg daily, anastrozole demonstrated a statistically significant survival advantage over megestrol acetate, with a hazard ratio of 0.78 (P < 0.025)(0.60 < 97.5% confidence interval [CI] <1.0). The 1 mg anastrozole group also had a longer median time to death (26.7 months) compared with 22.5 months for the megestrol acetate group. The 10 mg anastrozole group also had a survival benefit over the megestrol acetate group, with a hazard ratio of 0.83 (P=0.09, not significant)(0.64 < 97.5% CI < 1.1). Higher 2-year survival rates were observed for both anastrozole treatment groups than for the megestrol acetate group (56.1%, 54.6%, and 46.3% for the groups given 1 mg anastrozole, 10 mg anastrozole, and megestrol acetate, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This combined analysis of two trials of postmenopausal patients with advanced breast carcinoma has clearly demonstrated that, after disease progression with tamoxifen, treatment with anastrozole 1 mg once daily results in a statistically and clinically significant advantage over a standard treatment, megestrol acetate. This important benefit, in addition to the good tolerability profile of anastrozole, supports the use of this drug as a valuable new treatment option for this patient population.