Comparison of biological behavior between early-stage adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Objectives: (1) To compare the anatomopathological variables and recurrence rates in patients with early-stage adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the uterine cervix; (2) to identify the independent risk factors for recurrence. Study design: This historical cohort study assessed 238 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix (113 and IIA), who underwent radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection between 1980 and 1999. Comparison of category variables between the two histological types was carried out using the Pearson`s X-2 test or Fisher exact test. Disease-free survival rates for AC and SCC were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the curves were compared using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the independent risk factors for recurrence. Results: There were 35 cases of AC (14.7%) and 203 of SCC (85.3%). AC presented lower histological grade than did SCC (grade 1: 68.6% versus 9.4%; p < 0.001), lower rate of lymphovascular space involvement (25.7% versus 53.7%; p = 0.002), lower rate of invasion into the middle or deep thirds of the uterine cervix (40.0% versus 80.8%; p < 0.001) and lower rate of lymph node metastasis (2.9% versus 16.3%; p = 0.036). Although the recurrence rate was lower for AC than for SCC (11.4% versus 15.8%), this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.509). Multivariate analysis identified three independent risk factors for recurrence: presence of metastases in the pelvic lymph nodes, invasion of the deep third of the uterine cervix and absence of or slight inflammatory reaction in the cervix. When these variables were adjusted for the histological type and radiotherapy status, they remained in the model as independent risk factors. Conclusion: The AC group showed less aggressive histological behavior than did the SCC group, but no difference in the disease-free survival rates was noted. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

TOWARD UNDERSTANDING THE B[e] PHENOMENON. III. PROPERTIES OF THE OPTICAL COUNTERPART OF IRAS 00470+6429

FS CMa type stars are a group of Galactic objects with the B[e] phenomenon. They exhibit strong emission-line spectra and infrared excesses, which are most likely due to recently formed circumstellar dust. The group content and identification criteria were described in the first two papers of the series. In this paper we report our spectroscopic and photometric observations of the optical counterpart of IRAS 00470+6429 obtained in 2003-2008. The optical spectrum is dominated by emission lines, most of which have P Cyg type profiles. We detected significant brightness variations, which may include a regular component, and variable spectral line profiles in both shape and position. The presence of a weak Li I 6708 angstrom line in the spectrum suggests that the object is most likely a binary system with a B2-B3 spectral-type primary companion of a luminosity log L/L(circle dot) = 3.9 +/- 0.3 and a late-type secondary companion. We estimate a distance toward the object to be 2.0 +/- 0.3 kpc from the Sun.

Third-order nonlinearity of Er(3+)-doped lead phosphate glass

The third-order optical susceptibility and dispersion of the linear refractive index of Er(3+)-doped lead phosphate glass were measured in the wavelength range between 400 and 1940 nm by using the spectrally resolved femtosecond Maker fringes technique. The nonlinear refractive index obtained from the third-order susceptibility was found to be five times higher than that of silica, indicating that Er(3+)-doped lead phosphate glass is a potential candidate to be used as the base component for the fabrication of photonic devices. For comparison purposes, the Z-scan technique was also employed to obtain the values of the nonlinear refractive index of Er(3+)-doped lead phosphate glass at several wavelengths, and the values obtained using the two techniques agree to within 15%.

Comparative electrochemical study of 5832-9 stainless steel at different media of biological interest

The electrochemical behavior of ISO 5832-9 stainless steel at 37 degrees C in 0.9% NaCl, Ringer Lactate and minimum essential medium (MEM) has been studied, using linear voltammetry, and surface analysis by SEM and EDS. Mechanical and toxicity tests were made. ISO 5832-9 is passivated at corrosion potential (E) and it does not present pitting corrosion on the media studied from to 50 in V above the transpassivation potential (Ei). SEM and EDS analysis have shown that the sample previously immersed in MEM presents a diffirent behavior at 50 in V above El: the manganese oxide inclusions are absent in the surface. E. values and passivation current density values j(pass) changed according to the following. E(corr, RL) < E(corr,NaCl) < E(corr, MEM) and J (MEM) << j(RL) congruent to j(NaCl) The stainless steel was characterized as non toxic in the cytotoxicity assay

Immobilization of Catalysts of Biological Interest on Porous Oxidized Silicon Surfaces

The present paper deals with the immobilization of redox mediators and proteins onto protected porous silicon surfaces to obtain their direct electrochemical reactions and to retain their bioactivities. This paper shows that MP-11 and viologens are able to establish chemical bonds with 3-aminopropyltriethoxylsilane-modified porous silicon surface. The functionalization of the surfaces have been fully characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to examine the immobilization of these mediators onto the solid surface. Amperometric and open circuit potential measurements have shown the direct electron transfer between glucose oxidase and the electrode in the presence of the viologen mediator covalently linked to the 3-aminopropyltriethoxylsilane (APTES)-modified porous silicon surfaces.