Non-marine carbon-isotope stratigraphy of the Triassic-Jurassic transition in the Polish Basin and its relationships to organic carbon preservation, pCO2 and palaeotemperature

New carbon-isotope data obtained from homogenous organic material (separated microfossil wood; δ13Cwood) from the upper Rhaetian and entire Lower Jurassic permit chemostratigraphic correlation of these marginal/non-marine deposits with the biostratigraphically well-constrained Llanbedr (Mochras Farm) core in N Wales and other marine profiles, supported by sequence stratigraphic correlation and biostratigraphical markers. Statistically significant (Rs = 0.61) positive exponential correlation between δ13Cwood values and continental TOC (TOCcont) concentrations occurs and can be defined empirically by equation. Changes of δ13Cwood observed in C3 plants depends on δ13CO2 of atmosphere and can be modulated by other factors such as pCO2 causing fractionation (enrichment in 12C) of C isotopes in source C3 plants and, to lesser extent, by soil moisture content. Floral remains occurring in the relatively stable palaeolatitude and climatic zone of the Polish Basin in the time interval studied lend no support for significant precipitation impact on the δ13C fractionation, although enhanced precipitation could have had a limited impact during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE). We argue that the observed relation between δ13Cwood values and TOCcont reflects the global carbon cycle forcing. Such correlations may develop because fluxes of of 12C-enriched methane, mobilized from near-surface carbon sources, lead to global warming, decreased δ13Cwood and enhanced (usually fungally-mediated) decomposition of the terrestrial carbon pool, while subsequent massive burial of organic carbon results in higher δ13C values in all carbon cycle reservoirs, and the attendant drawdown of atmospheric CO2 leads to global cooling and promotes sequestration of soil organic matter. In turn, this relation can be used as an indirect indicator of atmospheric temperature trends, although organic carbon isotope records are potentially subject to many different influences. Based on the δ13Cwood /TOCcont relationship, an approximate qualitative estimation of general trends in air temperature is suggested for c. 40oN paleolatitude and the warm temperate climatic zone. The observed hypothetical trends in temperature are generally in concordance with pCO2 trends calculated from stomatal index. A weak δ13Cwood and TOCcont correlation in Rhaetian deposits is explained by local environmental factors (TOC concentration dependent on a more localized fluvial plain settings), while mostly deltaic – coastal deposits contain more representative, averaged material delivered from a large catchment area

Prognosis of patients with multitumor breast cancer treated by radical mastectomy

Wprowadzenie. Wpływ wieloguzkowości raka piersi na rokowanie jest przedmiotem dyskusji. Nie jest również ustalone,czy w ocenie stopnia zaawansowania pT wieloguzkowego raka piersi należy sumować wymiary poszczególnychguzów, czy uwzględniać jedynie wymiar największego guza.Celem pracy jest próba rozstrzygnięcia tych kontrowersji.Materiał i metoda. Retrospektywną analizą objęto 954 kobiety chore na raka piersi w stopniu zaawansowania odIA do IIIC, kolejno operowane radykalnie w Centrum Onkologii w Warszawie w latach 1995–1998. Wieloguzkowegoraka piersi (WRP) stwierdzono u 104 (10,9%) chorych. Grupa 850 chorych z jednoguzkowym rakiem piersi (JRP) nieróżniła się istotnie statystycznie z grupą 104 chorych z WRP pod względem wieku, zaawansowania i metod leczeniasystemowego oraz radioterapii pooperacyjnej. Zbadano dziesięcioletnie przeżycie bezobjawowe (PB), całkowite (PC)i skumulowany odsetek wznowy lokoregionalnej (SOWLR) dla chorych z JRP i WRP. Porównano częstość występowaniaprzerzutów do węzłów chłonnych pachowych u chorych z JRP i WRP. W analizie wieloczynnikowej Coxa zbadano wpływna PB i PC następujących czynników prognostycznych: wiek, stan hormonalny chorych, strona piersi, zaawansowanie,typ histopatologiczny, wieloguzkowość i stopień złośliwości raka. Mediana obserwacji wynosiła 11 lat.Wyniki. Dziesięcioletnie PB, PC i SOWLR dla chorych z JRP i WRP nie różniły się istotnie statystycznie i wynosiły odpowiednio:51% vs 58% p = 0,1, 62% vs 72% p = 0,05 i 13% vs 9% p = 0,3. Nie stwierdzono różnic istotnych statystyczniew częstości występowania przerzutów raka piersi do węzłów chłonnych pachowych, uwzględniając pT jako wymiarnajwiększego guza, pomiędzy grupą chorych z JRP vs WRP. W modelu proporcjonalnego ryzyka Coxa istotnymiczynnikami dla PB i PC okazały się klasyczne czynniki prognostyczne: pN, pT, G, lokalizacja podbrodawkowa i inwazjanaczyń. Czynnik wieloguzkowości w modelu Coxa nie wykazał wpływu na PB i PC.Wniosek. Z obecnej retrospektywnej analizy wynika, że wieloguzkowość raka piersi nie wpływa na rokowanie.W ustalaniu pT powinno się brać pod uwagę wymiar największego guza i nie ma potrzeby sumowania ich wymiarów.Background. Among many oncologists the opinion exists, that multitumor breast cancer (MBC) shows greatermetastatic dynamics and has worse prognosis comparing to unitumor breast cancer (UBC) in the same TNM stage.Some researchers think that proper evaluation of pT in MBC should be based on combined diameters and not on thelargest tumor diameter. The aim of the work is estimation of the treatment results for multiple tumors in breast cancer.Material and methods. The retrospective analysis included 954 consecutive women with breast cancer in stageIA-IIIC after radical mastectomy who were treated between 1995 and 1998 at the Cancer Center-Institute in Warsaw.MBC was diagnosed after mastectomy in 104 (10.9%) of patients.There were no significant differences in characteristics between unicentric and multicentric breast cancer groupsaccording to age, stage, pT, pN, type and grade of histology and methods of adjuvant treatment. Cox’s regression model was used to analyse the prognostic factors having influence on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Median of follow-up was 11 years.Results. There were no significant differences in characteristics between UBC and MBC groups according to age, stage, pT, pN, type and grade of histology and methods of adjuvant treatment. The 10-year actuarial DFS and OS and cumulative rate of locoregional recurrence for patients with UBC and MBC were 51% vs 58% p = 0.1 and 62% vs 72% p = 0.05 and 13% vs 9% p = 0.3There were no statistical significant differences in frequencies of lymph node metastases among groups with UBC and MBC according to pT, measured as the greatest diameter of tumor. In multivariate logistic regression analyses the following classical prognostic factors had an independent influence on DFS and OS: pN, pT, G, and vascular invasion. MBC did not appeared to be a significant prognostic factor either for DFS or OS.Conclusions. From the present retrospective analysis the results show that MBC does not reduce prognosis compared to UBC and the largest tumor rather than combined diameters of lesions should be used to establish pT

Rola antracyklin i intensyfikacji chemioterapii w postępowaniu uzupełniającym u chorych na wczesnego HER2-dodatniego raka piersi w praktyce klinicznej

Antracykliny należą do antybiotyków o działaniu przeciwnowotworowym. Znalazły one szerokie zastosowanie u chorych na raka piersi. Metaanaliza dotychczasowych badań z randomizacją sugeruje szczególną rolę antracyklin w uzupełniającym leczeniu chorych na HER2-dodatniego raka piersi. W tej grupie schematy chemioterapii z udziałem antracyklin w znacznym stopniu zastąpiły schemat CMF (cyklofosfamid, metotreksat, fluorouracyl).W ostatnich latach u chorych z wyższym ryzykiem nawrotu i cechą HER2 w leczeniu uzupełniającym szerokie zastosowanie znalazły schematy chemioterapii zawierające antracykliny i taksoidy w skojarzeniu z przeciwciałem monoklonalnym anty-HER2 — trastuzumabem. Głównym przeciwwskazaniem do stosowania antracyklin jest zwiększone ryzyko powikłań kardiologicznych. W niniejszej pracy przedstawiono obecną rolę antracyklin w uzupełniającym leczeniu chorych na HER2-dodatniego raka piersi

Brain metastases from breast cancer: lessons from experimental magnetic resonance imaging studies and clinical implications.

Breast cancer that has metastasized to the brain presents difficult clinical challenges. This diagnosis comes with high mortality rates, largely due to complexities in early detection and ineffective therapies associated with both dormancy and impermeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current gold standard for diagnosis and assessment of brain tumors. It has been used clinically to investigate metastatic development as well as monitor response to therapy. Here, we describe preclinical imaging strategies that we have used to study the development of brain metastases due to breast cancer. Using this approach, we have identified three subsets of metastatic disease: permeable metastases, nonpermeable metastases, and solitary, dormant cancer cells, which likely have very different biology and responses to therapy. The ability to simultaneously monitor the spatial and temporal distribution of dormant cancer cells, metastatic growth, and associated tumor permeability can provide great insight into factors that contribute to malignant proliferation. Our preclinical findings suggest that standard clinical detection strategies may underestimate the true metastatic burden of breast cancer that has metastasized to the brain. A better understanding of true metastatic burden in brains will be important to assist in the development of more effective chemotherapeutics-particularly those targeted to cross the BBB-as well as detection of small nonpermeable metastases

Initial results of coring at Prees, Cheshire Basin, UK (ICDP JET project): towards an integrated stratigraphy, timescale, and Earth system understanding for the Early Jurassic

This is the final version. Available on open access from Copernicus Publications via the DOI in this recordData availability: Full core scan data (https://doi.org/10.5285/91392f09-25d4-454c-aece-56bde0dbf3ba, BGS Core Scanning Facility, 2022) will be available after 1 November 2024 via the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) National Geoscience Data Centre (https://webapps.bgs.ac.uk/services/ngdc/accessions/index.html#, last access: 12 October 2023). Downhole logging data (https://doi.org/10.5880/ICDP.5065.001​​​​​​​, Wonik, 2023) will be made available via the ICDP (https://www.icdp-online.org/projects/by-continent/europe/jet-uk/, last access: 12 October 2023). The JET Operational Report is published as Hesselbo et al. (2023); full information about the operational dataset, the logging dataset, data availability and the explanatory remarks is available on the ICPD-JET project website: https://www.icdp-online.org/projects/by-continent/europe/jet-uk/ (last access: 12 October 2023). A subset of data, additional biostratigraphic tables, and vector graphics files for Figs. 3–5 are included as the Supplement. Supplementary Data File 1 tabulates the corrected depth scale for Prees 2C. Supplementary Data File 2 summarizes the ammonite-based chronostratigraphy of the Prees 2 cores (ammonite identifications by Kevin N. Page). Supplementary Data File 3 summarizes the ammonite-based chronostratigraphy for the Hettangian to Early Pliensbachian of the Llanbedr (Mochras Farm) borehole (updated by Kevin N. Page). Supplementary Data File 4 tabulates the organic carbon-isotope ratios, TOC, and carbonate content of low-resolution samples taken at the Prees drill site; TOC and carbonate data are calculated using calibration based on portable XRF (Supplementary Data File 5) and a gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Supplementary Data File 6). Supplementary Data File 5 tabulates portable XRF results for bulk rock powders of low-resolution samples taken at the Prees drill site; uncertainties stated in the table are given for the fit to the raw data and do not reflect the true reproducibility of the data. Empty fields indicate values under the detection limit. Sample SSK116001 acted as a repeat sample which was measured 70 times over the course of the data acquisition to determine the repeatability and drift of the instrument. LE stands for “light elements”. Supplementary Data File 6 tabulates gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GS-IRMS) data (oxygen- and carbon-isotope ratios of carbonate as well as carbonate content calculated as calcite) for a set of 24 samples covering the entire core length and reflecting a representative spread of carbonate content. Comparison of GS-IRMS data with p-XRF data was used to create a calibration curve to calculate the carbonate (and TOC) content of all low-resolution samples. Supplementary Data File 7 tabulates pyrolysis data (Rock-Eval 6) for Prees 1 well cuttings and Wilkesley borehole samples. Supplementary Data File 8 contains vector graphics files (.svg) for Figs. 3–5.Drilling for the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) Early Jurassic Earth System and Timescale project (JET) was undertaken between October 2020 and January 2021. The drill site is situated in a small-scale synformal basin of the latest Triassic to Early Jurassic age that formed above the major Permian–Triassic half-graben system of the Cheshire Basin. The borehole is located to recover an expanded and complete succession to complement the legacy core from the Llanbedr (Mochras Farm) borehole drilled through 1967–1969 on the edge of the Cardigan Bay Basin, North Wales. The overall aim of the project is to construct an astronomically calibrated integrated timescale for the Early Jurassic and to provide insights into the operation of the Early Jurassic Earth system. Core of Quaternary age cover and Early Jurassic mudstone was obtained from two shallow partially cored geotechnical holes (Prees 2A to 32.2 m below surface (m b.s.) and Prees 2B to 37.0 m b.s.) together with Early Jurassic and Late Triassic mudstone from the principal hole, Prees 2C, which was cored from 32.92 to 651.32 m (corrected core depth scale). Core recovery was 99.7 % for Prees 2C. The ages of the recovered stratigraphy range from the Late Triassic (probably Rhaetian) to the Early Jurassic, Early Pliensbachian (Ibex Ammonoid Chronozone). All ammonoid chronozones have been identified for the drilled Early Jurassic strata. The full lithological succession comprises the Branscombe Mudstone and Blue Anchor formations of the Mercia Mudstone Group, the Westbury and Lilstock formations of the Penarth Group, and the Redcar Mudstone Formation of the Lias Group. A distinct interval of siltstone is recognized within the Late Sinemurian of the Redcar Mudstone Formation, and the name “Prees Siltstone Member” is proposed. Depositional environments range from playa lake in the Late Triassic to distal offshore marine in the Early Jurassic. Initial datasets compiled from the core include radiography, natural gamma ray, density, magnetic susceptibility, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). A full suite of downhole logs was also run. Intervals of organic carbon enrichment occur in the Rhaetian (Late Triassic) Westbury Formation and in the earliest Hettangian and earliest Pliensbachian strata of the Redcar Mudstone Formation, where up to 4 % total organic carbon (TOC) is recorded. Other parts of the succession are generally organic-lean, containing less than 1 % TOC. Carbon-isotope values from bulk organic matter have also been determined, initially at a resolution of ∼ 1 m, and these provide the basis for detailed correlation between the Prees 2 succession and adjacent boreholes and Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) outcrops. Multiple complementary studies are currently underway and preliminary results promise an astronomically calibrated biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and chemostratigraphy for the combined Prees and Mochras successions as well as insights into the dynamics of background processes and major palaeo-environmental changes.ICDPNatural Environment Research Council (NERC)German Research FoundationHungarian Scientific Research FundNational Science Centre, PolandPolish Geological Institut