Search

Neptune-sized planets exhibit a wide range of compositions and densities, depending on factors related to their formation and evolution history, such as the distance from their host stars and atmospheric escape processes. They can vary from relatively low-density planets with thick hydrogen–helium atmospheres1,2to higher-density planets with a substantial amount of water or a rocky interior with a thinner atmosphere, such as HD 95338 b (ref. 3), TOI-849 b (ref. 4) and TOI-2196 b (ref. 5). The discovery of exoplanets in the hot-Neptune desert6, a region close to the host stars with a deficit of Neptune-sized planets, provides insights into the formation and evolution of planetary systems, including the existence of this region itself. Here we show observations of the transiting planet TOI-1853 b, which has a radius of 3.46 ± 0.08 Earth radii and orbits a dwarf star every 1.24 days. This planet has a mass of 73.2 ± 2.7 Earth masses, almost twice that of any other Neptune-sized planet known so far, and a density of 9.7 ± 0.8 grams per cubic centimetre. These values place TOI-1853 b in the middle of the Neptunian desert and imply that heavy elements dominate its mass. The properties of TOI-1853 b present a puzzle for conventional theories of planetary formation and evolution, and could be the result of several proto-planet collisions or the final state of an initially high-eccentricity planet that migrated closer to its parent star.

The atmospheres of gaseous giant exoplanets orbiting close to their parent stars (hot Jupiters) have been probed for nearly two decades1,2. They allow us to investigate the chemical and physical properties of planetary atmospheres under extreme irradiation conditions3. Previous observations of hot Jupiters as they transit in front of their host stars have revealed the frequent presence of water vapour4and carbon monoxide5in their atmospheres; this has been studied in terms of scaled solar composition6under the usual assumption of chemical equilibrium. Both molecules as well as hydrogen cyanide were found in the atmosphere of HD 209458b5,7,8, a well studied hot Jupiter (with equilibrium temperature around 1,500 kelvin), whereas ammonia was tentatively detected there9and subsequently refuted10. Here we report observations of HD 209458b that indicate the presence of water (H2O), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3) and acetylene (C2H2), with statistical significance of 5.3 to 9.9 standard deviations per molecule. Atmospheric models in radiative and chemical equilibrium that account for the detected species indicate a carbon-rich chemistry with a carbon-to-oxygen ratio close to or greater than 1, higher than the solar value (0.55). According to existing models relating the atmospheric chemistry to planet formation and migration scenarios3,11,12, this would suggest that HD 209458b formed far from its present location and subsequently migrated inwards11,13. Other hot Jupiters may also show a richer chemistry than has been previously found, which would bring into question the frequently made assumption that they have solar-like and oxygen-rich compositions.

La histiocitosis de células de Langerhans (HCL) es una enfermedad caracterizada por la proliferación de células dendríticas CD1a+con compromiso orgánico único o difuso. La identificación de mutaciones génicas recurrentes ha confirmado la hipótesis de HCL como una verdadera neoplasia. La papulosis linfomatoide (PL) pertenece al espectro de los linfomas cutáneos primarios CD30+. La HCL ha sido descrita en asociación con otros trastornos linfoproliferativos, pero hasta la fecha, las lesiones constituidas por células de Langerhans (CL) han sido consideradas de carácter reactivo, relacionada con citocinas producidas por la interacción linfoma microambiente. Algunos autores designan estas lesiones «Langerhans cells like lesions». Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 28 años con HCL multisistémica y presencia simultánea de lesiones de PL con hiperplasia reactiva de CL.

To find candidate biomarkers of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). A panel of synovial fluid (SF) and synovial tissue (ST) biomarkers was analyzed in patients with resistant peripheral PsA, in relation to clinical and imaging outcomes of synovitis response following serial intraarticular (IA) etanercept injections (12.5 mg).

Aims and background To assess feasibility and toxicity of intraperitoneal administration of cisplatin and paclitaxel, followed by intravenous chemotherapy in pretreated patients with suboptimal ovarian cancer (residuum >1 cm) or primary peritoneal tumor, and suffering from ascites and/or intestinal obstruction.Methods Fourteen relapsed ovarian cancer patients, 5 of whom were platinum sensitive (platinum-free interval >6 mo), 7 platinum-resistant (platinum-free interval <6 mo), and 2 platinum-refractory, received one cycle of intraperitoneal cisplatin, 100 mg/m2 on day 1, and two cycles of intraperitoneal paclitaxel, 120 mg/m2 on days 8 and 14. Intravenous chemotherapy was administrated 4 weeks following the last intraperitoneal paclitaxel instillation. Blood and peritoneal fluid samples were harvested at 0, 1, 4 and 24 h after ending paclitaxel delivery to guarantee proper tumor exposure and patient safety.Results Intraperitoneal cisplatin determined 6 cases of vomiting grade 1–2 (40% of the morbidity). Intraperitoneal paclitaxel was associated with 6 events of grade 1–2 abdominal pain; the only grade 4 toxicity was one case of neutropenia and one of mucositis. Ascites decreased in 11 patients: the median time to first need for paracentesis was 5 months, compared to a median baseline paracentesis of 4 weeks. Three intestinal normalizations were obtained. The median overall survival was 10 months for our cohort of patients. Intraperitoneal paclitaxel clearance was significantly higher in patients with suboptimal tumor and symptomatic disease than in patients with smaller residual masses and without ascites (P = 0.004).Conclusions Intraperitoneal treatment was feasible, and enhanced response to the following intravenous chemotherapy was seen in these patients. Free full text available at www.tumorionline.it

Aims and background To assess feasibility and toxicity of intraperitoneal administration of cisplatin and paclitaxel, followed by intravenous chemotherapy in pretreated patients with suboptimal ovarian cancer (residuum >1 cm) or primary peritoneal tumor, and suffering from ascites and/or intestinal obstruction.Methods Fourteen relapsed ovarian cancer patients, 5 of whom were platinum sensitive (platinum-free interval >6 mo), 7 platinum-resistant (platinum-free interval <6 mo), and 2 platinum-refractory, received one cycle of intraperitoneal cisplatin, 100 mg/m2 on day 1, and two cycles of intraperitoneal paclitaxel, 120 mg/m2 on days 8 and 14. Intravenous chemotherapy was administrated 4 weeks following the last intraperitoneal paclitaxel instillation. Blood and peritoneal fluid samples were harvested at 0, 1, 4 and 24 h after ending paclitaxel delivery to guarantee proper tumor exposure and patient safety.Results Intraperitoneal cisplatin determined 6 cases of vomiting grade 1–2 (40% of the morbidity). Intraperitoneal paclitaxel was associated with 6 events of grade 1–2 abdominal pain; the only grade 4 toxicity was one case of neutropenia and one of mucositis. Ascites decreased in 11 patients: the median time to first need for paracentesis was 5 months, compared to a median baseline paracentesis of 4 weeks. Three intestinal normalizations were obtained. The median overall survival was 10 months for our cohort of patients. Intraperitoneal paclitaxel clearance was significantly higher in patients with suboptimal tumor and symptomatic disease than in patients with smaller residual masses and without ascites (P = 0.004).Conclusions Intraperitoneal treatment was feasible, and enhanced response to the following intravenous chemotherapy was seen in these patients. Free full text available at www.tumorionline.it

Despite years of intensive investigation that has been made in understanding womens susceptibility to breast cancer, it remains a major cause of death worldwide. In mathematical terms, breast cancer can be outlined as a non-linear system that advances in time and in space through different states and a number of transitions from one state to another over a certain time interval. Breast cancer emerges from multiple spontaneous and/or inherited alterations that induce changes in expression patterns of genes and proteins that function in complex networks controlling critical cellular events. Here, we discuss breast cancer as a dynamical disease using the basic principles of the mathematics of non-linear systems and chaos theory. Additionally, some of the critical concepts necessary to give meaning to its underlying physical complexity are introduced. This way of thinking may help to clarify concepts, indicate alternative experiments and categorie the actual knowledge.

Background:The aim of this study was to identify factors which allow a reliable, standardized and simplified approach for the radiologic follow-up of obese patients who have undergone surgery for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) placement. Methods: A study was made of 370 consecutive single-contrast upper gastrointestinal series in 159 consecutive patients (122 women, 31 men; mean age 40.6 years; mean body weight 135.8 kg) who had undergone LAGB for morbid obesity and were symptomatic or had inadequate weight loss. The control group consisted of 38 subjects who had undergone LAGB, had satisfactory weight loss and were asymptomatic at follow-up. Results: Each gastric portion above the band was satisfactorily evaluated by measuring its vertical diameter. The optimal projection for measurement of stoma size was predicted before administration of the contrast agent and was achieved when the band was visualized in profile. The clinical pictures were not always related to stoma size. Surgical complications were gastric herniation (8 patients, twice in 1 patient, 5.7%), malpositioned band (1 patient, 1.6%), port twisting (13 patients, 8.2%), and disconnection or leakage of the device (8 patients, 5.0%). Conclusion: Essential criteria for the radiologic evaluation of LAGB are: position of port and tubing; stoma size; and volume of each upper gastric portion.

Based on Yohkoh Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT) observations of the Sun near peak activity level obtained on 1992 January 6, we search for coronal structures that have emission measure distributions EM(T) that match the observed stellar coronal emission measure distributions derived for the intermediate-activity stars [?] Eri (K2 V) and x Boo A (G8 V) from Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer spectroscopic observations. We find that the temperatures of the peaks of the observed stellar distributions EM(T), as well as their slopes in the temperature range 6.0 [?] log T [?] 6.5, are very similar to those obtained for the brightest of the solar active regions in the 1992 January 6 SXT images. The observed slopes correspond approximately to EM [?] Tb with b ~ 4, which is much steeper than predicted by static, uniformly heated loop models. Plasma densities in the coronae of [?] Eri and x Boo A are also observed to be essentially the same as the plasma densities typical of solar active regions. These data provide the best observational support yet obtained for the hypothesis that solar-like stars up to the activity levels of [?] Eri (K2 V) and x Boo A are dominated by active regions similar to, though possibly considerably larger than, those observed on the Sun. The surface filling factor of bright active regions needed to explain the observed stellar emission measures is approximately unity. We speculate on the scenario in which small-scale "nanoflares" dominate the heating of active regions up to activity levels similar to those of [?] Eri (K2 V) and x Boo A. At higher activity levels still, the interactions of the active regions themselves may lead to increasing flaring on larger scales that is responsible for heating plasma to the observed coronal temperatures of T [?] 107 K on very active stars. Observations of X-ray and EUV light curves using more sensitive instruments than are currently available, together with determinations of plasma densities over the full range of coronal temperatures (106-107 K and higher), will be important to confirm flare heating hypotheses and to elicit further details concerning coronal structures at solar-like active region temperatures (T [?] 5 x 106 K) and the temperatures that characterize the most active stars (T [?] 107 K).