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A conducting drop in partial wetting regime, placed on the lower electrode of a parallel-plate capacitor and surrounded by a dielectric fluid, is considered. The drop, initially flattened by gravity, is elongated by the electrostatic force and possibly lifts-off when a uniform DC electric field is applied. The electrostatic force and the lift-off condition were calculated in two previous articles, respectively, for undeformable and for slightly deformable drops in the absence of gravity (zero Eötvos number). In this paper, numerical models are put to work to study accurately the complex lift-off process resulting from the competition between gravitational, electrical and capillary forces. Large deformations of the drop surface at any value of the Eötvos number may be addressed by such a numerical procedure. Computational results allow assessing the accuracy and limits of previous analytical and asymptotic relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Docetaxel (Taxotere), alone or in combination with other anticancer agents, has proven efficacy in the first- and second-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. This phase II study investigated the efficacy and tolerability of docetaxel as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in women with stage II-III primary operable breast cancer. Patients (n=88) were treated with six cycles of docetaxel at 100 mg m(-2) every 21 days, followed by definitive surgery and radiotherapy. After six cycles of docetaxel, the overall clinical response rate was 68.4% (CI 95%: 58.1-78.7%), including 19.0% complete remissions. Breast conservation was achieved in 72.4% of patients. A high pathological complete response (pCR) rate in breast was confirmed in 15 patients (19.8% (CI 95%: 10.8-28.8%)) on Chevallier's classification restricted to breast and in 27 patients (35.5% (CI 95%: 24.7-46.3%)) on Sataloff's classification. After a median follow-up of 30.8 months, 19 recurrences were documented with a median time to first recurrence of 17.3 months. Patients with stage III tumours had more recurrences than patients with stage II tumours (P=0.02). The principal toxicity of docetaxel is myelosuppression and 70.5% of patients developed grade III or IV neutropenia with 13.6% developing neutropenic sepsis. There was no case of severe cardiac toxicity, thrombocytopenia or any other serious adverse events. In conclusion, neoadjuvant docetaxel induces a high pCR and breast-conservation rate. Docetaxel monotherapy is a highly effective regimen that merits formal comparison with currently used combination regimens in a randomised phase III study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the issue of the air-entrainment process by a vertical plunging liquid jet. A non-dimensional physical analysis, inspired by the literature on the stability of free jets submitted to an aerodynamic interaction, was developed and yielded two correlation equations for the laminar and the turbulent plunging jets. These correlation equations allow the volumetric flow rate of the air carryunder represented by the Weber number of entrainment Wen to be predicted. The plunging jets under consideration issued from circular tubes long enough to achieve a fully developed flow at the outlet. A sensitive technique based on a rising soap meniscus was developed to measure directly the volumetric flow rate of the air carryunder. Our data are compared with other experimental data available in the literature; they also stand as a possible database for future theoretical modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only a few papers have been published concerning the incidence and outcome of patients with a pathological complete response after cytotoxic treatment in breast cancer. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the outcome of patients found to have a pathological complete response in both the breast and axillary lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for operable breast cancer. Our goal was also to determine whether the residual pathological size of the tumour in breast could be correlated with pathological node status. Between 1982 and 2000, 451 consecutive patients were registered into five prospective phase II trials. After six cycles, 396 patients underwent surgery with axillary dissection for 277 patients (69.9%). Pathological response was evaluated according to the Chevallier's classification. At a median follow-up of 8 years, survival was analysed as a function of pathological response. A pathological complete response rate was obtained in 60 patients (15.2%) after induction chemotherapy. Breast tumour persistence was significantly related to positive axillary nodes (P=5.10(-6)). At 15 years, overall survival and disease-free survival rates were significantly higher in the group who had a pathological complete response than in the group who had less than a pathological complete response (P=0.047 and P=0.024, respectively). In the absence of pathological complete response and furthermore when there is a notable remaining pathological disease, axillary dissection is still important to determine a major prognostic factor and subsequently, a second non cross resistant adjuvant regimen or high dose chemotherapy could lead to a survival benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the treatment strategies for endometrial cancer in women of France. Use of hysteroscopy and transvaginal ultrasonography for initial examination; Application of radiotherapy and chemotherapy for the treatment of the disease.