High levels of interleukin-6 are associated with low tumor burden and low growth fraction in multiple myeloma

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine postulated to play a central role as a growth factor for multiple myeloma (MM). We evaluated the spontaneous secretion of IL-6 in supernatants of Ficoll-Hypaque--enriched bone marrow (BM) cultures from 35 patients with MM. The levels of IL-6 were correlated with biological and clinical characteristics of the disease. High levels of IL-6 production defined a subgroup of patients with low tumor burden as determined by lower serum beta 2-microglobulin (B2M) (P = .02) and lower percentage of myeloma cells infiltrating the bone marrow (P = .003), higher synthetic rates of monoclonal protein (P = .006), and low proliferative compartments as measured by the percentage of Ki-67--positive myeloma cells. Patients with high proliferative fractions (Ki-67--positive myeloma cells > 20%) had significantly lower levels of IL-6 when compared with patients with low proliferative fractions (P = .005). Our findings do not support IL-6 as a major growth factor for MM, but demonstrate an association of high levels of IL-6 secretion with low tumor cell burden and low proliferative fraction.     

Parameters of estrogen expression in patients with endometrial tumors as prognostic signs of the effectiveness of neoadjuvant antitumor hormone therapy

Comparison was made of changes in such morphological characteristics of tumor as cell differentiation and mitotic activity in 142 patients with endometrial carcinoma in the course of treatment, using tamoxifen or oxyprogesterone capronate or both, and those of estrogen background (karyopicnotic, eosinophilic and maturity indices, numerical index of maturity and blood-estradiol level). Three levels of estrogen background-low, medium and high-were identified by assay of the colpocytological indices in postmenopausal patients with endometrial carcinoma. Levels of the colpocytological indices observed at high indices of estrogen background proved a reliable numerical criterion for evaluating the sensitivity of the patients to neoadjuvant hormone therapy. A significant correlation was established between high estrogen background, pathogenetic variant I and high differentiation of tumor cells. The high incidence of hormonal pathology in tumor tissue was registered when the colpocytological indices dropped by half after oxyprogesterone capronate treatment, and by third-after combined therapy (tamoxifen + oxyprogesterone capronate). In cases free from pronounced pathomorphism, said indices dropped by not more than 20%.     

Wave speed during maximal expiratory flow and phase velocity from forced oscillations

We review currently known results concerning the estimation of an 'immune' or 'cured' proportion, and testing for the presence of immunes, in censored survival data, suggesting that a firm theoretical foundation now exists for analysis. Two types of estimators, parametric and non-parametric, are discussed and compared with respect to their theoretical properties, and, by simulation, with respect to their small sample behaviour. Both estimators have advantages and drawbacks, but together provide powerful tools for the perceptive analysis of survival data with, or even without, immune individuals.     

使用无线电集群通信系统应扬长避短

本文先对集群通信系统的概念作一些阐述,包括其含义、特点和一些主要功能。对集群方式的三种形式——消息集群、传输集群和准传输集群作了简要介绍。对集群系统的两种控制方式——专用控制信道方式和非专用控制信道方式也作了简单分析。在此基础上,对集群通信系统的正确使用提出了看法,对蜂窝和集群两个系统作了简要比较。     

The Effect of Manufacturing Conditions on the Structure and Electrochemical Properties of Metallic Glasses Fe76.1Cu1.0Nb3.0Si13.8B6.1

By using x-ray diffraction analysis, small-angle x-ray scattering, resistometry, and electrochemical voltammetry, the effect of thermally pretreating the melt on the structure, as well as crystallization and electrochemical behavior, of rapidly quenched bands of an alloy Fe_76.1Cu_1.0Nb_3.0Si_13.8B_6.1 is investigated. It is shown that, by varying the production conditions of rapidly quenched alloys, one can substantially affect their amorphous-nanocrystalline structure and increase the corrosion resistance.     

玉米机收正当时

立秋已过,玉米收获的黄金季节就要到来,广大农民、农机户特别是农机推广部门应当不失时机地大力推广玉米收获机械,为实现玉米生产机械化做出新的贡献.     

Behavior of rare earth uranovanadates in aqueous solutions

The behavior of compounds A^III(VUO₆)₃·10H₂O (A^III = REE = La-Lu, Y) in aqueous solutions was studied in a wide range of solution acidity. The pH range in which the compounds preserve their structure on contact with aqueous solution was determined. Beyond this range, uranovanadates transform into compounds of other compositions and structures, such as vanadium(V) oxide, the corresponding REE hydroxide, and sodium diuranate. The solubility data obtained for A^III(VUO₆)₃·10H₂O were used for calculating the solubility products (SPs) and Gibbs functions of formation of the uranovanadates. Based on the SP values, the theoretical curves of the compound solubility as a function of pH were calculated, and the speciation diagrams of U(VI) and V(V) in aqueous solutions and in the equilibrium solid phases were constructed.     

动态随机载荷识别技术研究

本文推导了在频域中识别动态随机载荷的基本公式，并在此基础上结合数字信号处理技术，有元分析法与误差理论，探讨了识别坦克车辆在行驶过程中行动部分所受的动态随机载荷的方法。     

冷轧薄宽带钢局部型中浪瓢曲变形行为研究

针对薄宽带钢冷轧过程中易发多发的局部型中浪瓢曲缺陷,引入非均匀载荷宽度、弹性约束系数及平均张应力建立了屈曲变形的解析计算模型。应用能量最低原理对屈曲变形区域进行搜索求解,得到了局部型中浪屈曲临界条件(包括临界应力、屈曲波长和屈曲波宽),获得了其与非均匀载荷宽度、弹性约束系数、平均张应力的关系,并发现平均张应力是产生局部型中浪的重要影响因素。应用样条有限元方法对局部型中浪进行数值仿真分析,验证了屈曲解析计算方法的正确性。在实验轧机上进行了轧制研究,通过轧制获得了局部型中浪屈曲模态,对实验结果分析得到了相对应的屈曲临界条件,与解析法和样条有限元法结果基本吻合,证明了样条有限元计算方法与解析计算方法的正确性及其工程应用价值。