Constant-angle surfaces in liquid crystals

We discuss some properties of surfaces in R3 whose unit normal has constant angle with an assigned direction field. The constant angle condition can be rewritten as an Hamilton-Jacobi equation correlating the surface and the direction field. We focus on examples motivated by the physics of interfaces in liquid crystals and of layered fluids, and discuss the properties of the constant-angle surfaces when the direction field is singular along a line (disclination) or at a point (hedgehog defect

8-Cl-cAMP antagonizes mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and cell growth stimulation induced by epidermal growth factor

The growth factor-activated mitogenic pathways are often disregulated in tumour cells and, therefore, they can provide specific molecular targets for novel anti-tumour approaches. 8-Chloro-cAMP (8-Cl-cAMP), a synthetic cAMP analogue, is a novel anti-tumour agent that has recently undergone clinical evaluation. We investigated the effects of 8-CI-cAMP on the epidermal growth factor (EGF)/EGF receptor (EGF-R) signalling in human epidermoid cancer KB cells, which are responsive to the mitogenic stimulus of EGF. We found that the growth-promoting activity of EGF was completely abolished when EGF treatment was performed in combination with 8-CI-cAMP. The inhibition of the EGF-induced proliferation by 8-CI-cAMP was paralleled by the blockade of the EGF-stimulated activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), ERK-1 and ERK-2. Conversely, we found an increase of EGF-R expression and EGF-R tyrosine phosphorylation when KB cells were growth inhibited by 8-Cl-cAMP. Moreover, the activity of Raf-1 and MEK-1 protein kinases, the activators upstream MAPK in the phosphorylation cascade induced by EGF, was not modified in 8-Cl-cAMP-treated cells. We concluded that the impairment of KB cell response to EGF, induced by 8-Cl-cAMP, resides in the specific inhibition of MAPK/ERKs activity while the function of the upstream elements in the EGF-R signalling is preserved. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Impact of depression on improvement of pain symptoms caused by norethindrone acetate in women with rectovaginal endometriosis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of norethindrone acetate (NETA) for the treatment of pain symptoms caused by rectovaginal endometri- osis in depressed patients (group D) and in non-depressed controls (group N). DESIGN: Open-label assessor-blinded prospective comparative study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were treated with NETA (2.5 mg/day) for 12 months. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at baseline. On the basis of the results of BDI, patients were divided in group N (BDI score < 17) or in group D (BDI score R 17). The investi- gators were blinded to the depression status. The volume of the rectovaginal nodules was determined by virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL). The Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30) questionnaire was used to assess QoL. The primary endpoint of the study was to evaluate the rate of satisfied patients in the two study groups at the end of treatment. Secondary endpoint was the assessment of the changes in pain symptoms and QoL be- tween the study groups. RESULTS: Forty-seven women with rectovaginal endometriosis were enrolled in the study. At the end of treatment, the percentage decrease in the volume of the nodule similar in the two study groups (p1\u204440.869). At 12-month follow-up, the rate of satisfied patients was higher in group N than in group D (p<0.05). At baseline, the intensity of dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, non-menstrual pelvic pain and dyschezia was similar in the two study groups. At 1-year follow-up, the intensity of deep dyspareunia and non-menstrual pelvic pain was significantly higher in group D than in group N (p<0.01). The EHP-30 scores were similar at baseline between the two study groups, but they were significantly lower in group N than in group D (p<0.05) at 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Depressed women with rectovaginal endometriosis treated with NETA have decreased improvement in pain symptoms and QoL compared with non-depressed patients

Endometriotic ovarian cysts do not negatively affect the rate of spontaneous ovulation

Study question: Do endometriotic ovarian cysts influence the rate of spontaneous ovulation? Summary answer: Endometriotic cysts, no matter what their volume, do not influence the rate of spontaneous ovulation in the affected ovary. What is known already: Endometriotic ovarian cysts may negatively affect spontaneous ovulation in the affected ovary. Study design, size, duration: This was a prospective observational study performed between September 2009 and June 2013. Participants/materials, setting, methods: This study included women of reproductive age with regular menstrual cycles and unilateral ovarian endometriomas (diameter≥20 mm)desiring to conceive. Exclusion criteria were: hormonal therapies in the 3 months prior to study entry and previous adnexal surgery. Patients underwent serial transvaginal ultrasound to assess the side of ovulation (for up to six cycles). Main results and the role of chance: Ovulation was monitored in 1199 cycles in 244 women (age, mean±SD, 34.3±4.9 years). 55.3% of the patients had left endometriomas and 44.7% had right endometriomas (P = 0.024). The mean (±SD) diameter of the endometriomas was 5.3 cm (±1.7 cm). Ultrasonographically documented ovulation occurred in 596 cycles in the healthy ovary (49.7%; 95% CI, 46.8-52.6%) and in 603 cycles in the affected ovary (50.3%; 95% CI, 47.1-53.2%; P = 0.919). This observation was confirmed in patients with diameter of the cyst ≥4 cm(n = 166) and in those with diameter of the cyst ≥6 cm(n = 45). One hundred and five patients spontaneously conceived (43.0%; 95% CI, 36.7-49.5%). Limitations, reason for caution: The high pregnancy rate reported in this study wasobserved in a selected population of women with endometriomas and cannot be extrapolated to all patients with endometriosis. Wider implications of the findings: Since ovarian endometriomas do not impair spontaneous ovulation, the impact on fertility of surgical excision of ovarian endometriomas should be further investigated

Desogestrel-only contraceptive pill versus sequential contraceptive vaginal ring in the treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis infiltrating the rectum: a prospective open-label comparative study.

To compare the efficacy of two hormonal therapies in treating symptoms caused by bowel endometriosis.Patient preference study.University hospital.A total of 143 women with rectovaginal endometriosis infiltrating the rectum.This study was performed between January 2008 and June 2011. Patients were treated with a desogestrel-only contraceptive pill or with the sequential combined contraceptive vaginal ring for 12&nbsp;months.The primary endpoint of the study was the rate of satisfied patients at 12-month follow up. The changes in symptoms and in the volume of the nodules were secondary endpoints.At 12-month follow up, the rate of satisfied patients was higher in the group treated with the desogestrel-only contraceptive pill than in the group treated with the sequential combined contraceptive vaginal ring (p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.004). When only changes in gastrointestinal symptoms were considered, 50% of patients treated with the desogestrel-only contraceptive pill and 31.3% of those treated with the sequential combined contraceptive vaginal ring were satisfied (p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.037). The reduction in the volume of the nodules, the percentages of patients who discontinued the therapy after the completion of the study and of those who decided to undergo surgery were similar between the two groups.Both hormonal therapies are efficacious in treating symptoms caused by rectovaginal endometriosis infiltrating the rectum. Patient satisfaction is higher with the desogestrel-only pill than with a vaginal ring