The photometric and spectral investigation of CI Camelopardalis, an X-ray transient and B[e] star

We combined the results of UBVR photometry of CI Cam taken at Sternberg Astronomical Institute in 1998--2001, and moderate resolution spectroscopy taken at Special Astrophysical Observatory during the same time period. Photometry as well as fluxes of Balmer emissions and of some Fe II emission lines of CI Cam in quiet state reveal a cyclic variation with the period of $1100\pm50^d$. The variation like this may be due to an orbital motion in a wide pair with a giant star companion that exhibits the reflection effect on its side faced to a compact companion. The V-band photometry also confirms the pre-outburst 11.7 day period found by Miroshnichenko earlier, but with a lower amplitude of 3 per cent. The possibility of identity of this photometric period with the period of jet's rotation in the VLA radio map of the object CI Cam was investigated. The radio map modelling reveals the inclination of the jet rotation axis to the line of sight, $i = 35-40^o$, the angle between the rotation axis and the direction of ejection of the jet, $\theta = 7-10^o$, and jet's spatial velocity of 0.23--0.26c. Equivalent widths and fluxes of various spectral lines show different amplitudes of changes during the outburst, and essentially distinct behaviour in quiescence. Five types of such behaviour were revealed, that indicates the strong stratification of a gas and dust envelope round the system . The time lag of strengthening of 50--250$^d$ in the forbidden line of nitrogen [N II] was found relatively to the X-ray outburst maximum.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables, Astron. Zh., 2002, (in press), vol.79, number

Heterogeneous treatment effects of therapeutic-dose heparin in patients hospitalized for COVID-19

Importance Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of therapeutic-dose heparin in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 produced conflicting results, possibly due to heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) across individuals. Better understanding of HTE could facilitate individualized clinical decision-making. Objective To evaluate HTE of therapeutic-dose heparin for patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and to compare approaches to assessing HTE. Design, Setting, and Participants Exploratory analysis of a multiplatform adaptive RCT of therapeutic-dose heparin vs usual care pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis in 3320 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 enrolled in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia between April 2020 and January 2021. Heterogeneity of treatment effect was assessed 3 ways: using (1) conventional subgroup analyses of baseline characteristics, (2) a multivariable outcome prediction model (risk-based approach), and (3) a multivariable causal forest model (effect-based approach). Analyses primarily used bayesian statistics, consistent with the original trial. Exposures Participants were randomized to therapeutic-dose heparin or usual care pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. Main Outcomes and Measures Organ support–free days, assigning a value of −1 to those who died in the hospital and the number of days free of cardiovascular or respiratory organ support up to day 21 for those who survived to hospital discharge; and hospital survival. Results Baseline demographic characteristics were similar between patients randomized to therapeutic-dose heparin or usual care (median age, 60 years; 38% female; 32% known non-White race; 45% Hispanic). In the overall multiplatform RCT population, therapeutic-dose heparin was not associated with an increase in organ support–free days (median value for the posterior distribution of the OR, 1.05; 95% credible interval, 0.91-1.22). In conventional subgroup analyses, the effect of therapeutic-dose heparin on organ support–free days differed between patients requiring organ support at baseline or not (median OR, 0.85 vs 1.30; posterior probability of difference in OR, 99.8%), between females and males (median OR, 0.87 vs 1.16; posterior probability of difference in OR, 96.4%), and between patients with lower body mass index (BMI 90% for all comparisons). In risk-based analysis, patients at lowest risk of poor outcome had the highest propensity for benefit from heparin (lowest risk decile: posterior probability of OR >1, 92%) while those at highest risk were most likely to be harmed (highest risk decile: posterior probability of OR <1, 87%). In effect-based analysis, a subset of patients identified at high risk of harm (P = .05 for difference in treatment effect) tended to have high BMI and were more likely to require organ support at baseline. Conclusions and Relevance Among patients hospitalized for COVID-19, the effect of therapeutic-dose heparin was heterogeneous. In all 3 approaches to assessing HTE, heparin was more likely to be beneficial in those who were less severely ill at presentation or had lower BMI and more likely to be harmful in sicker patients and those with higher BMI. The findings illustrate the importance of considering HTE in the design and analysis of RCTs. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02735707, NCT04505774, NCT04359277, NCT0437258

Current problems of postoperative radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

The review considers the history of evolution and the present state of the problem of postoperative radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. The randomized trials and meta-analyses given in recent publications provide evidence that it should be usedin radically operated patients with morphologically verified regional metastases. The paper also shows promises of hypofractionation and a postoperative radiation/chemotherapy ratio for non-small cell lung cancer

Role of oncomarkers in diagnosis of multiple primary neoplasms of female reproductive tract

Complex measurements of tumor markers help to improve the diagnosis of multiple primary neoplasms (MPN) significantly. For breast- ovarian MPN CA-125 was increased in 92.6 % and CA-153 — in 81.6 %. In patients with ovarian-colorectal MPN CA-125 was increased in 79.0 % and carcinoembryonic antigen — in 90.0 %

Breast sarcomas. Literature review

The article presents an overview of the literature about breast sarcomas (nonepithelial malignances). Primary sarcomas are extremely rare, with less than 1 % of all malignant tumors of the breast. Breast carcinomas cause an increased interest of the scientists due to their unique clinical and pathological features and unpredictable prognosis

Possibilities of investigating intratumoral lymphocyte subpopulations by flow cytometry of tumor core biopsy specimens in patients with breast cancer

Study of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subpopulations was performed in 19 patients with breast cancer (core biopsy material). Two probes were used in multiparameter flow cytometry: CD4/CD25/CD3/CD45 and CD8/CD56/CD3/CD45. Mean percentage of different cell types within lymphocytes (CD45++ SSCLow) was as follows: CD3 – 88.2%, CD4 – 45.1%, CD8 – 40.4%, NK (CD3–CD56+) – 1.6%, CD4+CD25+ – 4.1 %. Ratio CD8/CD4 was less than 1 in 53 % of cases. In cases of prominent and moderate CD45 infiltration percentage of CD8+ lymphocytes was significantly higher than in cases with low infiltration, p = 0.007