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Third Cycle (third + cycle)
Selected AbstractsEfficacy of tropisetron in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and taxanesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 2 2008N. TSAVARIS md Even though significant progress has been made, chemotherapy-induced emesis remains a challenging problem. Few studies focus on emesis in patients treated with carboplatin and the observation period is limited to the initial 24 h following chemotherapy. Thus, we investigated if tropisetron (T) monotherapy can adequately prevent acute and delayed emesis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving a moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC) (carboplatin-containing) regimen. Furthermore, we explored the merits of adding dexamethasone (D) or alprazolam (A) to T, especially in the setting of a pre-existing high level of stress. We studied 60 patients with advanced NSCLC receiving carboplatin and taxanes in three consecutive cycles. During the first cycle, patients received 5 mg of T intravenously before chemotherapy and the same dose per os on each of the following 3 days. In the second cycle, T was co-administered with 8 mg of D once a day, while, during the third cycle, T was combined with per os A 0.25 mg every 12 h and continued over the following 3 days. Finally, we evaluated the impact of stress on the anti-emetic response achieved with the previously described regimens. The combination of T + A was superior to T monotherapy and the combination of T + D, regarding the prevention of acute and delayed emesis. Both T + A and T + D combinations led to appetite improvement, while patients receiving T + A experienced sedation more frequently. Interestingly, subgroup analysis revealed that patients without underlying stress obtained no further benefit by the addition of A or D, while both T + A and T + D combinations led to a better anti-emetic response in patients with stress. In conclusion, T monotherapy provides a satisfactory result in controlling nausea and emesis caused by a MEC regimen in patients without stress. However, the addition of D and, mainly, A improves its anti-emetic effect in patients with obvious stress. [source] Organic matter quality of a forest soil subjected to repeated drying and different re-wetting intensitiesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010A. Schmitt Extended drought periods followed by heavy rainfall may increase in many regions of the Earth, but the consequences for the quality of soil organic matter and soil microbial communities are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effect of repeated drying and re-wetting on microbial communities and the quality of particulate and dissolved organic matter in a Haplic Podzol from a Norway spruce stand. After air-drying, undisturbed soil columns were re-wetted at different intensities (8, 20 and 50 mm per day) and time intervals, so that all treatments received the same amount of water per cycle (100 mm). After the third cycle, SOM pools of the treatments were compared with those of non-dried control columns. Lignin phenols were not systematically affected in the O horizons by the treatments whereas fewer lignin phenols were found in the A horizon of the 20- and 50-mm treatments. Microbial biomass and the ratio of fungi to bacteria were generally not altered, suggesting that most soil microorganisms were well adapted to drying and re-wetting in this soil. However, gram-positive bacteria and actinomycetes were reduced whereas gram-negative bacteria and protozoa were stimulated by the treatments. The increase in the (cy 17: 0 + cy 19: 0)/(16:1,7c + 18:1,7c) ratio indicates physiological or nutritional stress for the bacterial communities in the O, A and B horizons with increasing re-wetting intensity. Drying and re-wetting reduced the amount of hydrolysable plant and microbial sugars in all soil horizons. However, CO2 and dissolved organic carbon fluxes could not explain these losses. We postulate that drying and re-wetting triggered chemical alterations of hydrolysable sugar molecules in organic and mineral soil horizons. [source] Ifosamide, epirubicin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor: a regimen for successful mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells in patients with multiple myelomaHEMATOLOGICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 2 2001M. Arland Abstract In general, the mobilization of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients is poor and is achieved in most cases by combined cyclophosphamide and G-CSF. This study was performed to examine the efficacy of combined ifosfamide/epirubicine and G-CSF for PBPC mobilization and purging. Sixteen patients suffering from multiple myeloma in stage II/A and III/A according to Durie and Salmon underwent chemotherapy consisting of a total of three cycles of ifosfamide (3,g/m2 on days 1 and 2 and epirubicine 80,mg/m2 on day 1) and G-CSF (10 or 20,µg/kg body weight (BW) daily until harvesting). PBPC harvesting was performed after the first and third cycle of chemotherapy. The median number of PBPC after the first cycle of chemotherapy was 7.79×106 CD34+ cells/kg BW (ranging from 0.94,26.36×106) and 6.38×106 CD34+ cells/kg BW (ranging from 0.79,29.31×106) after the third cycle of chemotherapy. Clinical re-evaluation after three cycles of chemotherapy showed 13 (81 per cent) patients in partial remission (PR), two (12 per cent) in complete remission (CR) and one (6.25 per cent) in stable disease (SD). No major side-effects were observed, six patients developed hematological toxicity stage IV WHO for a median of 3.9 days but no serious infection episodes occurred. Combined ifosfamide/epirubicin and standard G-CSF is able to mobilize sufficient PBPC without serious side-effects for patients with MM and for purging procedures resulting in a high proportion of complete remissions after tandem high-dose melphalan chemotherapy. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Celite-mediated linking of polyurethane block copolymers and the impact on the shape memory effectJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 6 2010Yong-Chan Chung Abstract Celite, a porous inorganic material with enormous surface area and hydroxyl groups on the surface, was used as a cross-linker of polyurethane (PU) copolymer chains to improve its shape memory and mechanical properties. PU copolymers with different Celite contents were prepared and characterized by IR, DSC, and universal testing machine. The glass transition temperature of PU copolymers was maintained around 20°C independent of Celite content. The shape memory and mechanical properties were dependent on when Celite was added during the polymerization reaction. The reaction in which Celite was added at the middle stage of polymerization showed the best shape memory and mechanical properties. The best shape recovery of PU was found at 0.3 wt % Celite and increased to 97% even after the third cycle. Likewise, the shape retention also maintained a remarkable 86% after three cycles. The reasons underlining the high shape recovery and shape retention by adopting Celite as a cross-linker are discussed in this article. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source] Scalp tumour as a sign of systemic B-cell lymphomaJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 2 2004S Magina ABSTRACT An 86-year-old man presented with a painful reddish tumour on the scalp with a 3-month history, mental confusion with recent onset and lymphadenopathies. Histological examination of the lymph node and cutaneous lesion revealed a dense infiltrate of atypical and large B cells. There was no evidence of bone marrow invasion. According to REAL (Revised European,American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasms), this lymphoma was considered as a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with concurrent cutaneous and nodal involvement. Cerebral computerized tomography (CT) scan showed bone and dura mater invasion in the right parieto-occipital region with collapse of lateral ventricle. The patient was submitted to systemic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone (CVP). There was a good response with regression of the cutaneous lesion, but the patient died after the third cycle. We point out the unusual clinical presentation and aggressive behaviour of this lymphoma. [source] Micropropagation of self-rooting juvenile clones by secondary somatic embryogenesis in Hevea brasiliensisPLANT BREEDING, Issue 2 2010Y. W. Hua With 2 figures and 5 tables Abstract Micropropagation of self-rooting juvenile clones in Hevea brasiliensis was established for two clones CATAS 7-33-97 and CATAS 88-13 through the following three steps: induction of primary embryos, embryo multiplication by secondary somatic embryogenesis in three successive cycles from a single culture of primary embryo and plant regeneration. The embryo multiplication coefficients of the two clones increased in the first cycle and reached the maximum in the second and the third cycle at the same rate. Significant effects of origins of embryo fragments and calcium on secondary embryogenesis were detected, the highest ratios of the regenerated embryos to primary embryos appeared, when embryo fragments close to the base of embryos were used and incubated in Murashige and Skoog (MS)-based callogenesis medium with 6.0 mm CaCl2 for CATAS 88-13 and 9.0 mm CaCl2 for CATAS 7-33-97. The highest rates of plant conversion were produced on MS-based plant regeneration medium with 4.5 and 9.0 ,m 2,4-D for CATAS 7-33-97 (85.0%) and 13.5 ,m for CATAS 88-13 (75.0%), being higher than other reports (60%). Finally, the application of this system was discussed. [source] Combination therapy with rituximab and intravenous or oral fludarabine in the first-line, systemic treatment of patients with extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type,,CANCER, Issue 22 2009Antonio Salar MD Abstract BACKGROUND: Currently, there are no consensus guidelines regarding the best therapeutic option for patients with extranodal marginal zone lymphomas of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type. METHODS: Patients with systemically untreated or de novo extranodal MALT lymphoma received rituximab 375 mg/m2 intravenously on Day 1 and fludarabine 25 mg/m2 intravenously on Days 1 through 5 (Days 1-3 in patients aged >70 years) every 4 weeks, for 4 to 6 cycles. After the first cycle, oral fludarabine could be given orally at 40 mg/m2 on the same schedule. After 3 cycles, a workup was done. Patients who achieved a complete remission (CR) received an additional cycle, and patients who achieved a partial remission (PR) received a total of 6 cycles. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were studied, including 12 patients with gastric lymphoma and 10 patients with extragastric MALT lymphoma. Six patients (27%) had stage IV disease. In total, 101 cycles were administered (median, 4 cycles per patients). After the third cycle, 13 patients (62%) achieved a CR, and 8 patients (38%) achieved a PR. Primary extragastric disease was an adverse factor to achieve CR after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 23.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-273.3). At the end of treatment, the overall response rate was 100%, and 90% of patients achieved a CR. The progression-free survival rate at 2 years in patients with gastric and extragastric MALT lymphoma was 100% and 89%, respectively. Toxicities were mild and mainly were hematologic. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with rituximab and fludarabine is a very active treatment with favorable safety profile as first-line systemic treatment for patients with extranodal MALT lymphoma. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society. [source] Treatment options for muscle-invasive urothelial cancer for patients who were not eligible for cystectomy or neoadjuvant chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatinCANCER, Issue 10 2008Report of Southwest Oncology Group Trial 873 Abstract BACKGROUND. Many patients with invasive urothelial cell cancer are poor candidates for cisplatin-based chemotherapy, and many are high risk for cystectomy. Southwest Oncology Group Trial 8733 was designed to address treatment for such patients. METHODS. Eligible patients had primary or recurrent muscle-invasive disease with transitional cell or squamous cell histology, a performance status from 0 to 2, no extrapelvic disease, a life expectancy >3 months, and adequate hematologic function. The treating clinician assigned patients to operable or inoperable groups. All patients received 2 cycles of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at a dose of 1000mg/m2 per day × 4 starting concurrently with radiation at a dose of 200 centigrays per day × 10 each cycle. After 2 cycles, operable patients with positive biopsies underwent cystectomy, and patients with negative biopsies received a third cycle of chemoradiotherapy. Patients in the inoperable group received 3 cycles without interim biopsy. RESULTS. Eighteen of 24 eligible patients in the operable group were evaluable for response. Five patients had a complete response (CR), 9 patients had stable disease, 1 patient had progressive disease, and 3 patients were not assessable. The median progression-free survival was 10 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 4,14 months), and the median overall survival was 18 months (95% CI, 7,28 months). In the inoperable group, 35 of 37 eligible patients were evaluable for response with 17 CRs (49%; 95% CI, 31%,66%). The median progression-free survival was 13 months (95% CI, 10,17 months), and the median overall survival was 20 months (95% CI, 11,53 months). There were no episodes of grade 4 toxicity. CONCLUSIONS. In the current study, the combination of 5-FU and radiation was found to be tolerated well by patients with numerous comorbidities who could not tolerate cisplatin-based therapy or cystectomy. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source] From Scientific Apprentice to Multi-skilled Knowledge Worker: changes in Ph.D education in the Nordic-Baltic AreaEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 3 2007ANDREAS ÖNNERFORS There is no doubt that what is generally referred to as ,Ph.D education' has undergone dramatic changes in Europe in recent years. Whereas the Bologna Process, launched in 1999, originally had in mind to make it easier for undergraduate students to gain international experience and enhance their employability by facilitating mobility and transparency of higher education in Europe, the idea of a ,third cycle' of doctoral studies came relatively late in the discussion (2003). For some academic cultures, the idea of educating doctoral students was and still is perceived as a threat against academic freedom, originality and credibility. Other academic cultures have already long adopted Ph.D training schemes as an integrated part of training future scientists and knowledge workers. This article presents the result of a recent survey on Ph.D training in the Nordic-Baltic Area (Andreas Önnerfors: ,Ph.D-training/PGT in the Nordic-Baltic Area', Exploring the North: papers in Scandinavian Culture and Society 2006:1, Lund 2006) initiated by the Nordic research organisation NordForsk, which discusses new concepts of doctoral education and training in the five Nordic and the three Baltic countries as well as in Russia, Poland and three northern states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Whereas there is great correspondence in the performance of doctoral training and education in the Nordic countries and changes have been introduced permanently for about 30 years, Poland, Germany and Russia are battling with their academic traditions and the challenge of adapting their academic cultures to joint European standards. This concerns especially the phenomenon of two postgraduate degrees (the Ph.D and a further degree) and the view upon training elements in doctoral studies. After their independence, the three Baltic countries rapidly adapted their systems of higher education to the Nordic model. [source] | ||||||||||