Sentinel node mapping in a pregnant woman with cervical cancer: a case report

The possibility of reducing morbidity associated with surgical dissection while maintaining accurate tumor staging is one of the greatest advantages of the sentinel node approach in surgical oncology. The sentinel node mapping has already proven to be useful in melanoma, breast cancer, and vulvar cancer. We report the first case of sentinel node detection by technetium-labeled radiocolloid in a pregnant woman with cervical cancer. The histologic analysis of the operative specimen showed a poorly differentiated squamous carcinoma with metastasis in the sentinel node and a neoplasic embolus in a blood vessel of the placental bed. The lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node detection are feasible during pregnancy.

Amifostine protective effect on cisplatin-treated rat testis

Cisplatin is a potent drug used in clinical oncology but causes spermatogenesis damage. Amifostine is a drug used against toxicity caused by ionizing irradiation and chemotherapeutic drugs. Since cisplatin provokes fertility and induces germ cell apoptosis and necrosis, we proposed to evaluate the amifostine cytoprotective action on testes of cisplatin-treated rats. Thirty-day-old prepubertal Wistar rats received a single cisplatin dose of 5 mg/kg and were killed after 3, 6, and 12 hr. The hematoxylin-eosin stained testicular sections were submitted to histological, morphometric, and stereological analysis. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridinetriphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method was used to label apoptotic cells. TUNEL-positive and TUNEL-negative germ cells with abnormal nuclear morphology (ANM) were scored. Significant alterations of greater part of the parameters occurred in the cisplatin-treated group (CE) compared to the group that received amifostine before the cisplatin-treatment (ACE); however, testicular weight and volume did not vary between these groups. Tubular diameter was reduced in CE in comparison to ACE rats, while interstitial tissue and lymphatic space volume and volume density were significantly higher in CE rats; interstitial testicular edema probably occurred in cisplatin-treated rats. CE rats showed important histological alterations, which were more accentuated than in ACE rats. The numerical densities of apoptotic germ cells and TUNEL-negative cells with ANM were lower in ACE than in CE rats. In conclusion, the amifostine previously administered to prepubertal rats reduced the testicular damage caused by cisplatin. We conclude that amifostine partially protected the rat seminiferous epithelium against cisplatin toxicity.

CD147 overexpression allows an accurate discrimination of bladder cancer patients' prognosis

Background: Urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) is a chemo-sensitive tumour, but the response to treatment is heterogeneous. CD 147 has been associated with chemotherapy resistance. We aimed to define tumours with an aggressive phenotype by the combined analysis of clinicopathological and biological parameters.Methods: 77 patients with T1G3 or muscle-invasive UBC treated by radical cystectomy were studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect CD147, heparanase, CD31 (blood vessels identification) and D2-40 (lymphatic vessels identification) expressions. The immunohistochemical reactions were correlated with the clinicopathological and the outcome parameters. 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed by Cox proportional hazards analysis.Results: The 5-year DFS and OS rates were significantly influenced by the classical clinicopathological parameters, and by the occurrence of lymphovascular invasion. CD 147 and heparanase immunoexpression did not affect patients' outcome. However, patients with pT3/pT4 tumours had a median OS time of 14.7 months (95% CI 7.1-22.3, p = 0.003), which was reduced to 9.2 months (95% CI 1.5-17.0, p = 0.008) if the tumours were CD147 positive. We developed a model of tumour aggressiveness using parameters as stage, grade, lymphovascular invasion and CD147 immunoexpression, which separated a low aggressiveness from a high aggressiveness group, remaining as an independent prognostic factor of DFS (HR 3.746; 95% CI 1.244-11.285; p = 0.019) and OS (HR 3.247; 95% CI 1.015-10.388, p = 0.047).Conclusion: CD 147 overexpression, included in a model of UBC aggressiveness, may help surgeons to identify patients who could benefit from a personalized therapeutic regimen. Additional validation is needed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tm and Tm-Tb-doped germanate glasses for S-band amplifiers

The mechanism involved in the Tm(3+)((3)F(4)) -> Tb(3+)((7)F(0,1,2)) energy transfer as a function of the Tb concentration was investigated in Tm:Tb-doped germanate (GLKZ) glass. The experimental transfer rate was determined from the best fit of the (3)F(4) luminescence decay due to the Tm -> Tb energy transfer using the Burshtein model. The result showed that the 1700 nm emission from (3)F(4) can be completely quenched by 0.8 mol% of Tb(3+). As a consequence, the (7)F(3) state of Tb(3+) interacts with the (3)H(4) upper excited state of TM(3+) slighting decreasing its population. The effective amplification coefficient beta(cm(-1)) that depends on the population density difference Delta n = n((3)H(4))-n((3)F(4)) involved in the optical transition of Tm(3+) (S-band) was calculated by solving the rate equations of the system for continuous pumping with laser at 792 nm, using the Runge-Kutta numerical method including terms of fourth order. The population density inversion An as a function of Tb(3+) concentration was calculated by computational simulation for three pumping intensities, 0.2, 2.2 and 4.4 kWcm(-2). These calculations were performed using the experimental Tm -> Tb transfer rates and the optical constants of the Tm (0.1 mol%) system. It was demonstrated that 0.2 mol% of Tb(3+) propitiates best population density inversion of Tin(3+) maximizing the amplification coefficient of Tm-doped (0.1 mol%) GLKZ glass when operating as laser intensity amplification at 1.47 mu m. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thymic microenvironmental alterations in experimentally induced diabetes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Strong infrared spectral broadening in low-loss As-S chalcogenide suspended core microstructured optical fibers

We report the fabrication and characterization of the first guiding chalcogenide As(2)S(3) microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) with a suspended core. At 1.55 mu m, the measured losses are approximately 0.7 dB/m or 0.35 dB/m according to the MOF core size. The fibers have been designed to present a zero dispersion wavelength (ZDW) around 2 mu m. By pumping the fibers at 1.55 mu m, strong spectral broadenings are obtained in both 1.8 and 45-m-long fibers by using a picosecond fiber laser. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America

Microstructured chalcogenide optical fibers from As2S3 glass: towards new IR broadband sources

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Inflammatory Process Modulation by Homeopathic Arnica montana 6CH: The Role of Individual Variation

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

CARCINO-SARCOMA 256 DE WALKER: DISSEMINACAO METASTATICA EM DUAS LINHAGENS DO TUMOR

Walker's 256 carcinoma changes its behaviour as a consequence of various factors. In this paper the authors compare the evolution of 2 lines of the tumor: WM 16 (muscular) and Christ Hospital (ascitic) both inoculated intramuscularly. Animals receiving line WM 16 had a severe rapidly progressive evolution dying around day 14 after inoculation with diffuse metastases to lymph nodes (65% of animals), kidneys (53%), spleen (50%), lungs (46.5%), liver (45%), bone marrow (44.8%), in 56% of the animals there were circulating tumoral cells. Animals receiving the Christ Hospital line survived up to 40 days, metastases were limited to lungs (48.7%) and lymph nodes (31.7%) and only in 2 of 45 animals circulating tumoral cells were observed.

Paracoccidioidomicose: estudo radiológico e pulmonar de 58 casos

Spirometric and haemogasimetric tests were performed in 52 patients with unifocal and multifocal progressive Paracoccidioidomycosis pulmonary diseases, in 5 patients with juvenile and 1 female internal genital forms. The age ranged from 20 to 74 years old and the duration of disease from 3 to 25 years. Dyspnea, cough, tegumentary and lymphatic manifestations were the most predominant signs observed. Fourteen of them was developed Cor pulmonale. Impaired renal function was recorded in 19 patients, cardiac symptoms were described in 7 and hyporeactor adrenal activity was showed in 13 patients. Radiological studies demonstrated mild in 16, moderate in 24 and severe pulmonary lesions types in 18 patients. The pulmonary function revealed: normal spyrographic findings in 17, pure obstructive type in 32 and mixed form in 9 of them. Hyperventilation was described in 54 individuals and all of them showed an increasing of the alveolo-arterial difference. PaO2 less than 80 mm/Hg observed in 36 of them. Statistical analysis demonstrated significative association between clinical evolution and radiological interpretation. Similar data were obtained in radiology evaluations, clinical evolutive studies and pulmonary functions described in these patients. The granulomatous reaction due to Paracoccidioidomycosis, in heavy smokers patients, gave origin to the alterations in small airways predisposing the interalveolar dissemination an impaired alveolo-arterial diffusion.

Anomalous flow behaviour of bauxite tailings

This paper deals with the anomalous flow behaviour observed in two bauxite tailings pumping systems, with 450 mm and 680 mm outer diameter. In order to enlarge the pipeline lengths in the field, tests were carried out in a laboratory test-loop in order to try to understand the anomalous (intermittent) flow behaviour and to solve the problem. Based on data obtained from these laboratory tests and using a generalized REYNOLDS number it was possible to obtain results that fit the MOODY ROUSE diagram.

Chemical communication in Apis mellifera: Temporal modulation of alarm behaviors

The effect of pheromones and their chemical analogues in honeybee alarm behaviors was studied in observation boxes. Defensive behaviors, as follows: a) attraction to scent source, b) elevation of wings in 'V', c) abdomen elevation, d) abdomen elevation and pumping and e) first leg pair elevation had been temporarily registered when the following compounds were presented: isoamyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, n-butyl acetate, n-octyl acetate, isopentyl acetate, benzyl acetate and 2-heptanone. The results were as follows: 1. the bees elicited some characteristic behaviors when chemical alarm messages were presented, 2. agression (stinging) was not completed with any compound tested, probably because there was not a target (visual stimulus), 3. in all situations the attraction to scent source was low, 4. all the behaviors were elicited in a temporarily different way, 5. the compounds that elicited stronger responses and a greater number of the investigated behaviors were: isopentyl acetate, 2-heptanone, octyl acetate and n-octyl alcohol. In all situations, the first behavior response (and the most intense one) was the elevation and pumping the abdomen. This suggests that the chemical message was promptly recognized and then transmitted to each worker. So, the results obtained in the present work, suggest that chemical alarm messages may be recognized by different mechanisms of neural integration.

Geothermal investigations in an area of induced seismic activity, northern São Paulo State, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Continuous wave ultraviolet frequency upconversion due to triads of Nd3+ ions in fluoroindate glass

We have observed ultraviolet upconversion fluorescence from the 4D3/2 and 2P3/2 levels of Nd3+ in fluoroindate glass under infrared pumping. It was found that the excitation of a large population in the 4F3/2 metastable level allows to achieve strong upconversion emissions at 354 and 382 nm. A simple rate equation model reproduces the temporal behavior of the upconverted emission and allows us to estimate the energy transfer rate among three Nd3+ ions participating in the process. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.