The potential hazard of staphylococci and micrococci to human subjects in a life support systems evaluator and on a diet of precooked freeze dehydrated foods

Distribution, and hazards of indigenous microbial populations in humans during prolonged space flight simulatio

Pregnancy-associated breast cancer - Special features in diagnosis and treatment

For obvious psychological reasons it is difficult to associate pregnancy - a life-giving period of our existence with life-threatening malignancies. Symptoms pointing to malignancy are often ignored by both patients and physicians, and this, together with the greater difficulty of diagnostic imaging, probably results in the proven delay in the detection of breast cancers during pregnancy. The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer are becoming more and more important, as the fulfillment of the desire to have children is increasingly postponed until a later age associated with a higher risk of carcinoma, and improved cure rates of solid tumors no longer exclude subsequent pregnancies. The following article summarizes the special features of the diagnosis and primary therapy of pregnancy-associated breast cancer with particular consideration of cytostatic therapy

Preliminary Observations on New Images of the Elysium Frozen Sea Deposits from HRSC Mars Express

Abstract not available

Phototriggered Ru(II)−Dimethylsulfoxide Linkage Isomerization in Crystals and Films

Photochromic materials are of interest because of their potential applications in optical information storage devices. Measurements on photochromic sodium nitroprusside (Na_2[Fe(CN)_5(NO)]) indicate that two metastable states are formed by irradiations of the crystalline solid:  the first is an isonitrosyl (O-bonded NO); the second is an η^2-NO (side-on) complex. Phototriggered linkage isomerizations also occur in dimethylsulfoxide (dmso) complexes: notably, both photochemical Ru−S → Ru−O and thermal Ru−O → Ru−S reactions are observed in dmso solutions of [Ru(bpy)_2(dmso)_2]^(2+) (bpy = 2,2‘-bipyridine); and, as reported here, we find photochromism attributable to Ru−S → Ru−O rearrangement upon visible excitation of [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(dmso)]^(2+) (tpy = 2,2‘:6‘,2‘ ‘-terpyridine) in single crystals and films as well as in solution

Spectroscopy and Electrochemistry of mer-[RuCl_3(dmso)(tmen)]. Dimethylsulfoxide Is Sulfur-Bonded to Ru(II), Ru(III), and Ru(IV)

The discovery that halo−ruthenium(sulfoxide) complexes exhibit anticancer activity has stimulated interest in the nature of bonding of metal ions to dimethylsulfoxide (dmso). Both M−S and M−O bonds are observed in metal complexes containing dmso, with the former mode prevalent with “soft” metal centers. The importance of dπ-S back-bonding in S-bonded complexes has been addressed by several investigators. Especially revealing was the finding by Taube and co-workers that S to O linkage isomerism can be induced by oxidation of pentaammineruthenium(II) to ruthenium(III), thereby suggesting that dπ-S bonding is a stabilizing factor only in the lower oxidation state. However, the observation that other Ru(III)(chloro)(dmso) complexes are S-bonded led Alessio and Calligaris to propose a role for dπ-S bonding in Ru(III) as well. In the course of our work on a related complex, mer-[RuCl_3(dmso)(tmen)] (dmso is dimethylsulfoxide; tmen is N,N,N‘,N‘-tetramethylethylenediamine), we have found that dmso also can be S-bonded to Ru(IV). Our findings suggest that S(dmso) σ-donation to Ru is extensive in the Ru(III) and Ru(IV) states

Fabrication, Dynamics, and Electrical Properties of Insulated SPM Probes for Electrical and Electromechanical Imaging in Liquids

Insulated cantilever probes with a high aspect ratio conducting apex have been fabricated and their dynamic and electrical properties analyzed. The cantilevers were coated with silicon dioxide and a via was fabricated through the oxide at the tip apex and backfilled with tungsten to create an insulated probe with a conducting tip. The stiffness and Q-factor of the cantilevers increased after the modifications and their resonances shifted to higher frequencies. The coupling strength between the cantilever and the coating are determined. The applications to conductive and electromechanical imaging of ferroelectric domains are illustrated, and a probe apex repair process is demonstrated.Comment: 3 fig

Prognostic relevance of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow and biological factors of 265 primary breast carcinomas

Introduction The prognostic significance of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow (DTC-BM) of breast cancer patients has been demonstrated in many studies. Yet, it is not clear which of the primary tumors' biological factors predict hematogenous dissemination. We therefore examined `tissue micro arrays' (TMAs) of 265 primary breast carcinomas from patients with known bone marrow ( BM) status for HER2, Topoisomerase IIa ( Top IIa), Ki 67, and p53. Methods BM analysis was performed by cytospin preparation and immunocytochemical staining for cytokeratin (CK). TMAs were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HER2, Top IIa, Ki 67 and p53, and fluorescence in situ hybridization ( FISH) for HER2. Results HER2 ( 2+/ 3+) was positive in 35/167 (21%) cases ( FISH 24.3%), Top IIa (> 10%) in 87/187 (46%), Ki 67 in 52/ 184 (28%) and p53 (> 5%) in 61/174 cases (34%). Of 265 patients, 68 (25.7%) showed DTC-BM with a median of 2/2 x 106 cells ( 1 to 1,500). None of the examined factors significantly predicted BM positivity. Significant correlation was seen between HER2 IHC and Top IIa ( p = 0.06), Ki 67 ( p = 0.031), and p53 ( p <.001). Top IIa correlated with Ki 67 and p53, and Ki 67 also with p53 ( p = 0.004). After a median follow-up of 60.5 months ( 7 to 255), the presence of DTC-BM showed prognostic relevance for overall survival ( p = 0.03), whereas HER2 ( IHC, p = 0.04; FISH, p = 0.03) and Ki 67 ( p = 0.04) correlated with disease free survival, and HER2 with distant disease free survival ( IHC, p = 0.06; FISH, p = 0.05). Discussion The congruence of the examined factors' expression rates indicates a causal line of suppressor, proliferation, and mitosis markers, and growth factor receptors. Hematogenous tumor cell spread seems to be an independent process. The examination of these factors on DTC-BM is the aim of ongoing research

Tracking internal temperature and structural dynamics during nail penetration of lithium-ion cells

Mechanical abuse of lithium-ion batteries is widely used during testing to induce thermal runaway, characterize associated risks, and expose cell and module vulnerabilities. However, the repeatability of puncture or ‘nail penetration’ tests is a key issue as there is often a high degree of variability in the resulting thermal runaway process. In this work, the failure mechanisms of 18650 cells punctured at different locations and orientations are characterized with respect to their internal structural degradation, and both their internal and surface temperature, all of which are monitored in real time. The initiation and propagation of thermal runaway is visualized via high-speed synchrotron X-ray radiography at 2000 frames per second, and the surface and internal temperatures are recorded via infrared imaging and a thermocouple embedded in the tip of the penetrating nail, respectively. The influence of the nail, as well as how and where it penetrates the cell, on the initiation and propagation of thermal runaway is described and the suitability of this test method for representing in-field failures is discussed

An early myeloma bone disease model in skeletally mature mice as a platform for biomaterial characterization of the extracellular matrix

Multiple myeloma (MM) bone disease is characterized by osteolytic bone tissue destruction resulting in bone pain, fractures, vertebral collapse, and spinal cord compression in patients. Upon initial diagnosis of MM, almost 80% of patients suffer from bone disease. Earlier diagnosis and intervention in MM bone disease would potentially improve treatment outcome and patient survival. New preclinical models are needed for developing novel diagnostic markers of bone structural changes as early as possible in the disease course. Here, we report a proof-of-concept, syngeneic, intrafemoral MOPC315.BM MM murine model in skeletally mature BALB/c mice for detection and characterization of very early changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of MM-injected animals. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) in vivo confirmed myeloma engraftment in 100% of the animals with high osteoclast activity within 21 days after tumor cell inoculation. Early signs of aggressive bone turnover were observed on the outer bone surfaces by high-resolution microcomputed tomography (microCT). Synchrotron phase contrast-enhanced microcomputer tomography (PCE-CT) revealed very local microarchitecture differences highlighting numerous active sites of erosion and new bone at the micrometer scale. Correlative backscattered electron imaging (BSE) and confocal laser scanning microscopy allowed direct comparison of mineralized and nonmineralized matrix changes in the cortical bone. The osteocyte lacunar-canalicular network (OLCN) architecture was disorganized, and irregular-shaped osteocyte lacunae were observed in MM-injected bones after 21 days. Our model provides a potential platform to further evaluate pathological MM bone lesion development at the micro- and ultrastructural levels. These promising results make it possible to combine material science and pharmacological investigations that may improve early detection and treatment of MM bone disease

Clinical disease course and survival outcomes following disease recurrence in adenoid cystic carcinoma with and without NOTCH signaling pathway activation.

BACKGROUND: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare salivary cancer. The highest rates of disease recurrence are in patients with NOTCH pathway activation, reported in up to 20%. Novel drugs targeting NOTCH signaling are under investigation in the recurrent/metastatic (R/M) setting. To understand their clinical utility, there is an urgent need to better characterize the disease course and outcomes following current standard of care treatment. METHODS: 120 patients with R/M ACC underwent clinical review at a single UK Cancer Centre. Patients were retrospectively assessed for tumor NOTCH pathway activation using next generation sequencing (NGS) targeting NOTCH1/2/3 genes and/or NOTCH1 intra-cellular domain (NICD1) immunohistochemistry. Demographic and treatment data were extracted from the clinical notes. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed using log rank test. RESULTS: NOTCH pathway activation was identified in 13/120 patients (11 %). In 12/101 patients analyzed by NGS, NOTCH1/3 activating somatic mutations were identified, and a further patient was identified with NICD1 diffuse nuclear staining in whom NGS testing was not possible. Patients with NOTCH pathway activation had shorter median RFS (1.1 vs 3.4 years, p = 0.2032) and significantly reduced median OS from diagnosis (4.0 vs 16.3 years, p < 0.0001). There was significantly reduced median OS from time of disease recurrence/metastasis (1.9 vs 9.6 years, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This study clearly demonstrates a reduction in OS from time of first confirmed disease recurrence/metastasis for patients with NOTCH pathway activated ACC. This provides support for developing new drugs for this sub-group of patients, for whom clinical outcomes are significantly worse and effective treatments are lacking