Search

Objective To evaluate the timing and pattern of relapse, and duration of response to second line chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) patients treated with first line carboplatin-paclitaxel chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab. Patients and methods This is a case-control study including 222 AOC patients. Seventy-four women treated with first line carboplatin-paclitaxel-bevacizumab chemotherapy (Cases) were matched based on laparoscopic predictive index value, and residual tumor at first surgery with 148 AOC patients treated with carboplatin-paclitaxel. Distribution of pattern of relapse, and response to second line chemotherapy was compared between the two groups. Time to Progression (TTP) for second line chemotherapy was also analyzed for study purpose. Results Median platinum-free interval (PFI) was 16 months (range 2–65) in Cases, compared with 9 months (1–83) in Controls (p-value = 0.001). Twenty patients (51.3%) among Cases showed recurrence in multiple anatomic sites, compared with 31 (31.9%) in the Control group (p-value = 0.035). Peritoneal recurrence occurred as diffuse in 30 Cases (96.8%), and 60 Controls (82.2%; p-value = 0.046). Secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCS) was successfully completed in 53.5% of Controls compared to 10.0% of Cases (p-value = 0.016). In women with fully platinum-sensitive relapse, response rate to second line chemotherapy was 85.2% in Controls, compared to 38.4% in Cases (p-value = 0.002). Finally, Cases showed a shorter TTP, compared to Controls (5 months vs 8 months; p-value = 0.041). Conclusions Incorporation of bevacizumab into upfront regimens prolongs PFI in AOC patients, but is associated with wider presentation of relapse, lower rate of complete SCS, and shorter TTP to second line chemotherapy in women with platinum-sensitive disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining an accurate higher order statistical description of heterogeneous materials and using this information to predict effective material behaviour with high fidelity has remained an outstanding problem for many years. In a recent letter, Gillman & Matouš (2014 Phys. Lett. A 378, 3070- 3073. (doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2014.08.032)) accurately evaluated the three-point microstructural parameter that arises in third-order theories and predicted with high accuracy the effective thermal conductivity of highly packed material systems. Expanding this work here, we predict for the first time effective thermomechanical properties of granular Platonic solid packs using third-order statistical micromechanics. Systems of impenetrable and penetrable spheres are considered to verify adaptive methods for computing n-point probability functions directly from three-dimensional microstructures, and excellent agreement is shown with simulation. Moreover, a significant shape effect is discovered for the effective thermal conductivity of highly packed composites, whereas a moderate shape effect is exhibited for the elastic constants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometrial cancer (EC) remains the most common malignancy of the female genital tract. The median age at diagnosis is the sixth decade, with abnormal uterine bleeding at the presentation in 90% of the patients. Surgical treatment, including complete hysterectomy, removal of remaining adnexal structures, and an appropriate surgical staging, represents the milestone of curative therapy for patients with EC. Adjuvant therapy is necessary in patients at high risk of recurrence. Conservative treatment approaches should be used in selected cases for women with a desire of fertility preservation. This review summarizes the management of EC and discusses current controversies regarding the role of lymphadenectomy and radiotherapy in patients with intermediate-risk tumors confined to the uterus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nuclear reactions of astrophysical interest, especially those under high-temperature and high-density conditions, require high-intensity low-energy radioactive ion beams, because the cross-sections are very small for the direct method study. Production of high-intensity radioactive ion beams is, therefore, one of the key developments for RI beam facilities. We report the development of a new cryogenic RI beam production gas target, along with its characteristics and performance. Some of its advantages are the increased stability against high-current primary beams and the increased thickness due to the cooling by liquid nitrogen. The target is being tested with heavy-ion beams. Measures by energy loss of the beam indicate that a thickness of about 2.4mg/cm2 of H2 gas has been attained and a secondary beam of 7Be4+ at 4.0MeV/u of more than 2×108 pps was produced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective As a result of relevant achievements in the field of translational research, several active drugs and multiple biological targets are available in ovarian cancer (OC). In this complex scenario, there is an urgent need to effectively summarize the available data in order to update conclusions, and outline perspectives. Methods The results in terms of target identification and drug development have been summarized using the well-known hallmarks of cancer firstly described, and recently modified by Hanahan and Weinberg [1–2]. Published data from clinical trials have been retrieved from PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane database. Ongoing clinical trials were searched using clinicaltrials.gov web platform, and identified using NCT number. Results Genomic instability and angiogenesis are the most actively investigated hallmarks in high-grade serous OC, and the inhibition of tumor immune evasion appears as the emerging strategy for molecularly-driven therapy. Targeting sustained proliferative signaling through MEK and mTOR inhibitors seems the most promising approach in clear cell, and low-grade serous OC. Conclusions This substantial amount of data suggests that targeted therapies are already part of the clinical and therapeutic management of OC patients. The expectations of getting from translational research a better knowledge of tumor biology and therefore personalized drugs are high and worthy of maximum effort from referral centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The NGR-hTNF (asparagine-glycine-arginine-human tumour necrosis factor) is able to promote antitumour immune responses and to improve the intratumoural doxorubicin uptake by selectively damaging tumour blood vessels.Methods:Patients progressing after 1 platinum/taxane-based regimen received NGR-hTNF 0.8 μg m−2 and doxorubicin 60 mg m−2 every 3 weeks. Primary endpoint was a Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors-defined response rate with a target of more than 6 out of 37 responding patients.Results:A total of 37 patients with platinum-free interval lower than 6 months (PFI<6; n=25), or between 6 and 12 months (PFI=6-12; n=12) were enrolled. Median baseline peripheral blood lymphocyte count (PBLC) was 1.6 per ml (interquartile range, 1.2-2.1). In all, 18 patients (49%) received more than 6 cycles. Febrile neutropaenia was registered in one patient (3%). Among 35 assessable patients, 8 (23%; 95% CI 12-39%) had partial response (2 with PFI<6; 6 with PFI=6-12) and 15 (43%) had stable disease (10 with PFI<6; 5 with PFI=6-12). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.0 months for all patients, 3.8 months for patients with PFI<6, and 7.8 months for patients with PFI=6-12. Median overall survival (OS) was 17.0 months. Patients with baseline PBLC higher than the first quartile had improved PFS (P=0.01) and OS (P=0.001).Conclusion:Tolerability and activity of this combination warrant further randomised testing in patients with PFI<6. The role of PBLC as a blood-based biomarker deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A resurgence in nuclear power use is now underway worldwide. However, due many university research reactors shutdown, they must rely on using sub-critical assemblies which employs a cylindrical Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) device to provide a fusion neutron source. The source is inserted in a fuel element position, with its power input controlled externally at a control panel. This feature opens the way to use of the critical assembly for a number of transient experiments such as sub-critical pulsing and neutron wave propagation. That in turn adds important new insights and excitement for the student teaching laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A cryogenic gas target system was developed for the radioisotope (RI) beam production at CNS Radio Isotope Beam separator (CRIB). Hydrogen gas was cooled to 85–90K using liquid nitrogen and used as a secondary beam production target having a thickness of . An intense 7Be beam ( particles per second) was successfully produced using this target. We observed a density-reduction effect at the gas target for high-current primary beams with about 7.5W heat deposition. One main feature of the target system is forced circulation of the target gas. We have found that the circulation of the target gas at a rate of 55 standard liters per minute (slm) was effective in eliminating the density reduction. The extent to which the forced flow can prevent the density reduction had not been known well. In this work, the relation between the density reduction and the forced circulation rate was quantitatively studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Current evidence suggest that trabectedin is particularly effective in cells lacking functional homologous recombination repair mechanisms. A prospective phase II trial was designed to evaluate the activity of trabectedin in the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer patients presenting BRCA mutation and/or BRCAness phenotype. Patients and methods: A total of 100 patients with recurrent BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer and/or BRCAness phenotype (⩾2 previous responses to platinum) were treated with trabectedin 1.3 mg/mq i.v. q 3 weeks. The activity of the drug with respect to BRCA mutational status and to a series of polymorphisms [single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)] involved in DNA gene repair was analyzed. Results: Ninety-four were evaluable for response; in the whole population, 4 complete and 33 partial responses were registered for an overall response rate (ORR) of 39.4. In the platinum-resistant (PR) and -sensitive (PS) population, an ORR of 31.2% and 47.8%, and an overall clinical benefit of 54.2% and 73.9%, respectively, were registered. In the whole series, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 weeks and the median overall survival (OS) was 72 weeks; PS patients showed a more favorable PFS and OS compared with PR patients. BRCA gene mutational status was available in 69 patients. There was no difference in ORR, PFS and OS according to BRCA 1-2 status nor any association between SNPs of genes involved in DNA repair and NER machinery and response to trabectedin was reported. Conclusions: Our data prospectively confirmed that the signature of 'repeated platinum sensitivity' identifies patients highly responsive to trabectedin. In this setting, the activity of trabectedin seems comparable to what could be obtained using platinum compounds and the drug may represent a valuable alternative option in patients who present contraindication to receive platinum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new measurement of proton resonance scattering on 7Be was performed up to the center-of-mass energy of 6.7 MeV using the low-energy RI beam facility CRIB (CNS Radioactive Ion Beam separator) at the Center for Nuclear Study of the University of Tokyo. The excitation function of elastic scattering above 3.5 MeV was measured successfully for the first time, providing important information about the resonance structure of the 8B nucleus. The resonances are related to the reaction rate of 7Be()8B, which is the key reaction in solar 8B neutrino production. Evidence for the presence of two negative parity states is presented. One of them is a state observed as a broad s-wave resonance, the existence of which had been questionable. Its possible effects on the determination of the astrophysical S-factor of 7Be()8B at solar energy are discussed. The other state had not been observed in previous measurements, and its spin and parity were determined as . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new method to produce spin-polarized radioactive nuclear beams has been developed, which takes advantage of the low-energy transfer reaction in inverse kinematics. The method provides beam energies of a convenient range so that they may be implanted in a thin stopper, yet allowing the stopper to be spatially separated from the production target. The presence of polarizations of sizes at least $\left|P\right|\sim 0.5 \%$ has been confirmed for a 17N beam obtained from 9Be(18O,17N) reaction at $\theta_{\rm Lab} \sim -1.7\,^{\circ}$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Single-particle properties of low-lying resonance levels in 14O have been studied efficiently by utilizing a technique of proton elastic resonance scattering with a 13N secondary beam and a thick proton target. The excitation functions for the elastic scattering were measured over a wide energy range of and fitted with an R-matrix calculation. A clear assignment of has been made for the level at in 14O for the first time. The excitation functions show a signature of a new level at with . The excitation energies and widths of the 14O levels are discussed in conjunction with the spectroscopic structure of nuclei with . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the first half of the paper, the nuclear astrophysics activities in Japan, especially in experimental studies are briefly overviewed. A variety of beams have been developed and used for nuclear astrophysics experiments in Japan. The activities include the RI beam facilities at low energies by the in-flight method at the Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), University of Tokyo and by the ISOL-based method at the JAERI tandem facility, and the RI beam facility at intermediate energies at RIKEN. Other activities include a study of the 12C(α,γ)16O reaction exclusively at the tandem accelerator at the Kyushu University, and studies at the neutron facility at Tokyo Institute of Technology and at the photon facility at AIST (Sanso-ken). Research opportunities in the future at RIBF, J-PARC, and SPRING8 are also discussed. A discussion on the research activities at CNS has been specifically extended in the latter half, including various possibilities in collaboration at the RI beam factory at RIKEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With using low-energy RI beams from an in-flight RIB separator, CRIB, the most crucial stellar reaction 14O(α,p)17F for the onset of the high-temperature rp-process was directly investigated and the transitions through the states at around 6.2 MeV in 18Ne were first observed, confirming the importance predicted before. The (α,p) reaction leading to the first excited state in 17F was also found to have a large contribution. A proton resonance search experiment of 23Mg + p was also discussed, which is a part of our series of resonance search studies relevant to the early stage of the rp-process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transfer reactions are verified to be an important tool for the study of light unbound nuclei. We have studied the proton-rich nuclei 9C and 15F respectively through the 10B(14N, 15C)9C and 16O(14N, 15C)15F reactions. Resonance energies and widths were obtained for the first levels of the unbound 15F nucleus. The angular distributions corresponding to these resonances were analysed using the coupled-channels transfer code FRESCO. For the bound 9C nucleus only the ground state was observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]