Neutrophil-guided dosing of anthracycline–cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer: a feasibility study

The aim of this study was to investigate whether neutrophil-guided dose escalation of anthracycline–cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy (ACC) for breast cancer is feasible, in order to optimize outcome. Breast cancer patients planned for 3-weekly ACC were enrolled in this study. The first treatment cycle was administered in a standard BSA-adjusted dose. The absolute neutrophil count was measured at baseline and at day 8, 11 and 15 after administration of ACC. For patients with none or mild (CTC grade 0–2) neutropenia and no other dose-limiting toxicity, we performed a 10–25 % dose escalation of the second cycle with the opportunity to a further 10–25 % dose escalation of the third cycle. Thirty patients were treated in the adjuvant setting with either FE100C (n = 23) or AC (n = 4), or in the palliative setting with FAC (n = 3). Two out of 23 patients (9 %) treated with FEC did not develop grade 3–4 neutropenia after the first treatment cycle. Dose escalation was performed in these two patients (30 % in one and 15 % in the other patient). During dose escalation, there were no complications like febrile neutropenia. No patients treated with FAC or AC could be escalated, since all of them developed grade 3–4 neutropenia. We conclude that asymptomatic grade 3–4 neutropenia is likely to be achieved in the majority of patients with breast cancer treated with ACC according to presently advocated BSA-based dose levels. Escalation of currently advocated ACC doses without G-CSF, with a target of grade 3–4 neutropenia, is feasible, but only possible in a small proportion of patients. EudraCT 2010-020309-33

Application of an Electronic Nose for diagnosis of Head and Neck cancer

J. Ling's Moonrocket - M13 - without roundings photographed 8 April 1939. Bradley negative number 563

Aluminium composite coatings containing micrometre and nanometre-sized particles electroplated from a non-aqueous electrolyte

The electrolytic codeposition of micro- and nano-sized particles with aluminum from a nonaqueous electrolyte is investigated. SiC, SiO2, Al2O3, TiB2 and hexagonal BN particles were codeposited with aluminium from an AlCl3/ dimethylsulfone (DMSO2) electrolyte. The effect of particle concentration and current density on the codeposition rate of SiO2 with aluminium was investigated. The codeposition of the various particles with Al from AlCl3:DMSO2 solutions is very high. The amount of codeposited particles is Langmuir dependent on the particle concentration in the electrolyte. In contrast, the effect of the current density on the amount of codeposited SiO2 is small.status: publishe

Product Morphology of Fatty Products

In order to relate composition, processing and product properties of fat spreads, a proper description of the microstructure of these products is required . A technique for the observation of the three-dimensional product structure has been developed which allows free observation of the solid crystalline matrix by removing the liquid oil phase from a fat spread with a solvent system. To perform the different preparation steps required in a reproducible and efficient way, a special sample holder was constructed. Application of preformed sintered bronze elements allows free penetration of the organic solvents. In general, reproducible results are obtained with retention of the structural integrity of the solid crystalline matrix . The microstructure of fat spreads can now be studied in a more systematic way as it is possible to distinguish different types of structure elements, such as single crystals, crystal aggregates, globular clusters, crystalline shells and the way these elements interact

Microstructure and texture optimization in Fe-Si ferritic steels

The ferromagnetic properties of ferritic steels are known to strongly depend on the direction of magnetization. The are the axes of spontaneous magnetic moments and hence the directions of easy magnetization Materials displaying a //ND texture are ideal not only for transformer but also for rotating machines due to their isotropic magnetic character. In the present study the potential of severe plastic rolling deformation is investigated. The cold rolling and annealing microstructures and textures are identified with increasing rolling strains to a maximum vM equivalent of 8 0 It is shown that excessive rolling reduction is capable of producing non-conventional texture components with promising potential for magnetic applications

Influence of initial heating during final high temperature annealing on the offset of primary and secondary recrystallization in Cu-bearing grain oriented electrical steels

The industrial production route of Grain Oriented Electrical Steels (GOES) is complex and fine-tuned for each grade. Its metallurgical process requires in all cases the abnormal grain growth (AGG) of the Goss orientation during the final high temperature annealing (HTA). The exact mechanism of AGG is not yet fully understood, but is controlled by the different inhibition systems, namely MnS, AlN and CuxS, their size and distribution, and the initial primary recrystallized grain size. Therefore, among other parameters, the initial heating stage during the HTA is crucial for the proper development of primary and secondary recrystallized microstructures. Cold rolled 0.3 mm Cu-bearing Grain Oriented Electrical Steel has been submitted to interrupted annealing experiments in a lab tubular furnace. Two different annealing cycles were applied:• Constant heating at 30°C/h up to 1000°C. Two step cycle with initial heating at 100°C/h up to 600°C, followed by 18 h soaking at 600°C and then heating at 30°C/h up to 1050°C. The materials are analyzed in terms of their magnetic properties, grain size, texture and precipitates. The characteristic magnetic properties are analyzed for the different extraction temperatures and Cycles. As the annealing was progressing, the coercivity values (Hc 1.7T [A/m]) decreased, showing two abrupt drops, which can be associated to the on-set of primary and secondary recrystallization. The primary recrystallized grain sizes and recrystallized fractions are fitted to a model using a non-isothermal approach. This analysis shows that, although the resulting grain sizes were similar, the kinetics for the two step annealing were faster due to the lower recovery. The on-set of secondary recrystallization was also shifted to higher temperatures in the case of the continuous heating cycle, which might end in different final grain sizes and final magnetic properties. In both samples, nearly all the observed precipitates are Al-Si-Mn nitrides, ranging from pure AlN to Si4Mn-nitride

Online depth profiling of zinc coated sheet steel by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

During the production of galvanised sheet steel, key monitoring parameters are the thickness and chemical composition of the zinc coating. For this purpose a new method was developed for the online characterisation of galvanised sheet steel based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and a transportable measuring unit was set up. Concepts for the determination of the coating thickness and the aluminium depth profile of hot-dip galvanised coatings were developed. To simulate the steel sheet velocity in the plant of up to 2 m/s LIBS measurements are performed on rotating sheet steel discs mounted on a rotary stage. The depth resolution is determined by using well characterised industrially coated sheet steels with different coating thicknesses (4.1 to 11.2 µm) and aluminium depth profiles as reference samples. A thickness resolution of better than 150 nm is achieved. For a measuring system designed for an online application the measurement time for an aluminium depth profile will be 10 seconds and for the determination of the coating thickness 200 ms. The impact of the LIBS craters on the sheet steel quality is minimised by using burst energies below 3 mJ. The influence of LIBS craters on the steel sheet quality was investigated by corrosion tests. WDX measurements, REM measurements and light microscopy and was found not to reduce the sheet steel quality