CINV related biomarkers and questionnaires

Purpose We assessed the efficacy of palonosetron (PAL) in comparison to granisetron (GRA) for the treatment of CINV using the self-assessment questionnaires. In addition, we analyzed the serum levels of emetic various biomarkers. Methods We conducted a randomized study of 70 patients naïve to chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was the late phase score on the MAT questionnaire. The plasma concentrations of the biomarkers were measured on days 1 and 3. Results There were no statistical differences in the scores on the questionnaires, but the mean values in response to PAL were higher than those in response to GRA. The value of ghrelin on day 1 was significantly higher for GRA than for PAL. Conclusions For the primary endpoint, the score of the late phase on the MAT questionnaire was not statistically different between the PAL and GRA treatment groups. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of ghrelin for the treatment of CINV

PAX5 alterations in an infant case of KMT2A-rearranged leukemia with lineage switch

Lineage switch is a rare event at leukemic relapse. While mostly known to occur in KMT2A-rearranged infant leukemia, the underlying mechanism is yet to be depicted. This case report describes a female infant who achieved remission of KMT2A-MLLT3-rearranged acute monocytic leukemia, but 6 months thereafter, relapsed as KMT2A-MLLT3-rearranged acute lymphocytic leukemia. Whole exome sequencing of the bone marrow obtained pre-post lineage switch revealed two somatic mutations of PAX5 in the relapse sample. These two PAX5 alterations were suggested to be loss of function, thus to have played the driver role in the lineage switch from acute monocytic leukemia to acute lymphocytic leukemia

Suppression of Coarse Columnar Grain Formation in As-cast Austenite Structure of a Hyperperitectic Carbon Steel by Nb Addition

Effects of Nb addition on as-cast γ-austenite grain structure in 0.2 mass% carbon steel are investigated by means of furnace cooling and permanent mold casting experiments. In the furnace-cooled samples with Nb addition, Nb(C,N) particles crystallize from the last-solidifying liquid in non-equilibrium solidification condition and they act as pinning particles for γ grain growth just after the solidification completion. The Nb addition produces a strong pinning effect on the as-cast γ grain structure. In the permanent mold casting experiment, Coarse Columnar Grains (CCG) structure develops from the mold wall in the sample without Nb. The increase in Nb concentration gradually decreases the fraction of CCG region and increases the fraction of Fine Columnar Grains (FCG), thus leading to the grain refinement. This refinement could be ascribed to the pinning effect of Nb(C,N) particles

Effects of Ti Addition on Austenite Grain Growth during Reheating of As-Cast 0.2 mass% Carbon Steel

Effects of Ti addition on grain growth in reversely-transformed austenite structure during reheating of the as-cast 0.2 mass% C steel have been investigated for a Ti concentration range between 0 and 0.2 mass% and heating rates from 0.014 to 2.5°C/s. The austenite grain growth during reheating is retarded by the Ti addition and such an effect becomes stronger with the addition of higher amount of Ti. This retarding effect is ascribable to the pinning effect of fine Ti(C,N) particles which should precipitate from the as-cast structure during the reheating process. The experimental results on the grain growth behavior are well explained by the grain growth model including the Zener force and counting reduction of the pinning effect due to the existence of the coarse Ti(C,N) particles crystallized during the solidification

Effects of Al and P Additions on As-cast Austenite Grain Structure in 0.2 mass% Carbon Steel

Effects of addition of P and simultaneous additions of Al and P on as-cast γ grain structures of 0.2 mass% C steel have been investigated by means of permanent mold casting. The as-cast γ grain structure consists of Coarse Columnar Grain (CCG), Fine Columnar Grain (FCG) and Coarse Equiaxed Grain (CEG) regions from the mold side to center of the ingot. The single addition of P increases the FCG region in which short axis diameter of the columnar γ grain is comparable to the primary dendrite arm spacing. The simultaneous additions of Al and P also lead to refinement of the structure and, importantly, the complete refinement of the as-cast γ grain structure, viz., the structure without CCG and CEG regions was obtained even with a small amount of P addition when Al was added. The EPMA analysis showed that the refinement is associated with P segregation at interdendritic regions which is enhanced by Al addition. From thermodynamic calculation, it was demonstrated that high P concentrations stabilize δ and liquid phases at lower temperatures and produce the pinning effect on the growth of γ grains at interdendritic regions

Effects of Cr Addition on Coarse Columnar Austenite Structure in As-Cast 0.2 mass% Carbon Steel

Effects of Cr addition on as-cast Coarse Columnar austenite Grain (CCG) structure were investigated for 0.2 mass% carbon steel by means of rapid unidirectional solidification method which realizes cooling conditions similar to those in the vicinity of continuous cast slab surface. Although the as-cast structure of the unidirectionally solidified samples always consisted of the CCGs regardless of Cr addition, the aspect ratio of the CCGs was remarkably reduced by the Cr addition. During solidification, Fine Columnar austenite Grains (FCGs) existed at the growing front of the CCG region and the migration velocity of the FCG/CCG boundary was reduced by the Cr addition. EPMA analysis revealed that the Cr addition enhances P segregation at interdendritic positions, which lowers a temperature for completion of γ transformation, Tγ. This lowered Tγ reduces the migration velocity of the FCG/CCG boundary and, as a result, induces the formation of CCGs having shorter major axis diameters

As-cast Austenite Grain Structure in Al Added 0.2 wt% Carbon Steel

Effects of Al addition on as-cast γ-austenite grain structure in 0.2wt%C–0.035wt%P steel with Al concentration ranging from 0.04 to 1.04 wt% were studied by means of furnace cooling and casting experiments. In the furnace cooling experiment with a cooling rate of 0.03°C/s, the as-cast γ grain structure consisted of equiaxed grains and the γ grain size was not affected by the increase in Al concentration up to 0.54 wt%. In the casting experiment of the sample with 0.04 wt% Al, on the other hand, the as-cast γ grain structure consisted of Coarse Columnar Grain (CCG), Fine Columnar Grain (FCG) and Equiaxed Grain (EG) regions, sequentially, from the mold side to the center of the ingot. The increase in Al concentration leads to increase in the fraction of FCG region at the expense of both CCG and EG regions. Even in the samples with high Al concentrations, AlN particles were rarely found and also Al segregation did not occur substantially. Instead, P segregated in interdendritic regions. The concentration of the segregated P increased from the CCG region to the FCG region. It was suggested based on a thermodynamic calculation that the segregation of P is enhanced by Al addition and the high P concentration stabilizes the high temperature phase such as liquid or δ-ferrite, depending on Al concentration at lower temperatures. This stabilized high temperature phase is considered to retard the γ grain boundary migration. Therefore, the increase of FCG region and the decreases of CCG and EG regions due to Al addition should be attributable to pinning effect of the stabilized high temperature phase