Concentration dependent interdiffusion in InGaAs/GaAs as evidenced by high resolution x-ray diffraction and photoluminescence spectroscopy

Article copyright 2005 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The article appeared in Journal of Applied Physics 97, 013536 (2005) and may be found at

Enterobacter nimipressuralis as a cause of pseudobacteremia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The clinical significance of the <it>Enterobacter nimipressuralis </it>as human pathogens remains unclear.</p> <p>Case presentations</p> <p>The microbiologic culture monitoring system of sterile body fluids revealed on an episode of <it>Enterobacter cloacae </it>and <it>Enterobacter amnigenus </it>in blood culture results on the same day; the antibiotic sensitivity and MIC were nearly the same for both species. First patient was a healthy woman with postmenopausal syndrome, while second patient with herpes zoster. Both patients had febrile sensations without signs of bacteremia. <it>E. amnigenus </it>was also cultured from the unused package of salined cotton in the container through epidemiologic investigation. The cultured <it>Enterobacter </it>species were all identified as <it>E. nimipressuralis </it>through <it>hsp60 </it>gene sequencing and infrequent-restriction-site PCR (IRS-PCR).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>When an unusual microorganisms such as <it>E. nimipressuralis </it>is isolated from blood of a patient with no clinical signs of sepsis, a pseudobacteremia should be suspected. When the antibiogram and MIC test results of bacterial cultures from two or more patients are nearly the same, although the species involved may appear different, it may be necessary to prove that they are the same species through molecular methods. The microbiologic cultures monitoring system will probably help to detect pseudobacteremia and other pseudo infections through reliable and fast identification.</p

The impact of loco-regional recurrences on metastatic progression in early-stage breast cancer: a multistate model

To study whether the effects of prognostic factors associated with the occurrence of distant metastases (DM) at primary diagnosis change after the incidence of loco-regional recurrences (LRR) among women treated for invasive stage I or II breast cancer. The study population consisted of 3,601 women, enrolled in EORTC trials 10801, 10854, or 10902 treated for early-stage breast cancer. Data were analysed in a multivariate, multistate model by using multivariate Cox regression models, including a state-dependent covariate. The presence of a LRR in itself is a significant prognostic risk factor (HR: 3.64; 95%-CI: 2.02-6.5) for the occurrence of DM. Main prognostic risk factors for a DM are young age at diagnosis (</=40: HR: 1.79; 95%-CI: 1.28-2.51), larger tumour size (HR: 1.58; 95%-CI: 1.35-1.84) and node positivity (HR: 2.00; 95%-CI: 1.74-2.30). Adjuvant chemotherapy is protective for a DM (HR: 0.66; 95%-CI: 0.55-0.80). After the occurrence of a LRR the latter protective effect has disappeared (P = 0.009). The presence of LRR in itself is a significant risk factor for DM. For patients who are at risk of developing LRR, effective local control should be the main target of therapy

High rates of breast conservation for large ductal and lobular invasive carcinomas combining multimodality strategies

The literature reports low rates of breast conservation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for operable breast cancers not amenable to initial breast-conserving surgery. This study aims to compare the outcome of lobular vs ductal carcinomas after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Between 1989 and 1999, 750 patients with clinical stage II/IIIA ductal (672) or lobular (78) invasive breast carcinomas were treated at the Institut Curie with primary anthracycline-based polychemotherapy followed by either breast conservation (surgery and/or radiotherapy) or mastectomy. Median follow-up was 10 years. Clinical response to primary chemotherapy was significantly worse for lobular than for ductal carcinomas (47 vs 60%; P=0.04), but only histological grade remained predictive in multivariate analysis. Breast conservation was high for both ductal and lobular carcinomas (65 and 54%; P=0.07), due, in part, to the use of radiotherapy, either exclusive or preoperative, for respectively 26 and 40% of patients. The lobular type had no adverse effect, neither on locoregional control nor on overall survival, even in the group of patients treated with breast conservation

Respective Prognostic Value of Genomic Grade and Histological Proliferation Markers in Early Stage (pN0) Breast Carcinoma

Genomic grade (GG) is a 97-gene signature which improves the accuracy and prognostic value of histological grade (HG) in invasive breast carcinoma. Since most of the genes included in the GG are involved in cell proliferation, we performed a retrospective study to compare the prognostic value of GG, Mitotic Index and Ki67 score.A series of 163 consecutive breast cancers was retained (pT1-2, pN0, pM0, 10-yr follow-up). GG was computed using MapQuant Dx(R).GG was low (GG-1) in 48%, high (GG-3) in 31% and equivocal in 21% of cases. For HG-2 tumors, 50% were classified as GG-1, 18% as GG-3 whereas 31% remained equivocal. In a subgroup of 132 ER+/HER2- tumors GG was the most significant prognostic factor in multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted for age and tumor size (HR = 5.23, p = 0.02).In a reference comprehensive cancer center setting, compared to histological grade, GG added significant information on cell proliferation in breast cancers. In patients with HG-2 carcinoma, applying the GG to guide the treatment scheme could lead to a reduction in adjuvant therapy prescription. However, based on the results observed and considering (i) the relatively close prognostic values of GG and Ki67, (ii) the reclassification of about 30% of HG-2 tumors as Equivocal GG and (iii) the economical and technical requirements of the MapQuant micro-array GG test, the availability in the near future of a PCR-based Genomic Grade test with improved performances may lead to an introduction in clinical routine of this test for histological grade 2, ER positive, HER2 negative breast carcinoma

Are ipsilateral breast tumour invasive recurrences in young (⩽40 years) women more aggressive than their primary tumours?

The characteristics of ipsilateral breast tumour recurrences (IBTRs) relative to those of their primary tumours (PTs) remain scarcely studied. Of 70 young (⩽40 years) premenopausal women with IBTRs, we studied a series of 63 with paired histological data. Median follow-up since IBTR was 10 years. Rates of histological types, grades or hormonal receptors were not significantly different in PTs and in IBTRs. The concordance between IBTRs and their PTs was good for histological types. IBTRs with conserved histological types tended to occur more locally, but not significantly sooner than others. These IBTRs had good concordance for hormone receptors. In discordant cases there were as many losses as appearances of the receptors. The concordance was weak for grades, with equivalent numbers of IBTRs graded lower as higher than their PTs. The 10-year overall survival rate was 70%. Neither the conservation of histological type, location, nor of the two combined were associated with deaths. Early (<2 years) IBTRs, tended to be associated with poorer survival (HR=2.24 (0.92–5.41); P=0.08). IBTRs did not display features of higher aggressiveness than PTs. Neither clinical nor histological definition of a true recurrence could be established other than the conservation of the histological type

Hyaluronic acid in human synovial effusions; A sensitive indicator of altered connective tissue cell function during inflammation

No Abstract.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/37705/1/1780090606_ftp.pd