Real-time manifestation of strongly coupled spin and charge order parameters in stripe-ordered La(1.75)Sr(0.25)NiO(4) nickelate crystals using time-resolved resonant x-ray diffraction.

We investigate the order parameter dynamics of the stripe-ordered nickelate, La(1.75)Sr(0.25)NiO(4), using time-resolved resonant x-ray diffraction. In spite of distinct spin and charge energy scales, the two order parameters' amplitude dynamics are found to be linked together due to strong coupling. Additionally, the vector nature of the spin sector introduces a longer reorientation time scale which is absent in the charge sector. These findings demonstrate that the correlation linking the symmetry-broken states does not unbind during the nonequilibrium process, and the time scales are not necessarily associated with the characteristic energy scales of individual degrees of freedom.

Femtosecond dynamics of the collinear-to-spiral antiferromagnetic phase transition in CuO.

We report on the ultrafast dynamics of magnetic order in a single crystal of CuO at a temperature of 207 K in response to strong optical excitation using femtosecond resonant x-ray diffraction. In the experiment, a femtosecond laser pulse induces a sudden, nonequilibrium increase in magnetic disorder. After a short delay ranging from 400 fs to 2 ps, we observe changes in the relative intensity of the magnetic ordering diffraction peaks that indicate a shift from a collinear commensurate phase to a spiral incommensurate phase. These results indicate that the ultimate speed for this antiferromagnetic reorientation transition in CuO is limited by the long-wavelength magnetic excitation connecting the two phases.

Single-agent trabectedin as second-line therapy of persistent or recurrent endometrial cancer: results of a multicenter phase II study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of single-agent trabectedin in women with persistent or recurrent endometrial cancer. METHODS: In this open-label, phase II multicenter trial, women with persistent or recurrent endometrial carcinoma were administered trabectedin as a 3-hour intravenous infusion every 21 days at a starting dose of 1.3 mg/m(2) with dexamethasone pretreatment. Clinical objective response was the primary efficacy endpoint. Secondary endpoints were time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS: The median age of the 50 women entering the study was 63 years (range, 22-87), with all having history of prior chemotherapy (92% combination regimens) and the majority having undergone surgery (92%) or radiation therapy (68%). Patients received trabectedin for a median duration of 6.8 weeks (range, 3-20). A median of 2 cycles (range, 1-6) was administered, with a median dose intensity of 0.4 mg/m(2) per week (range, 0.27-0.43) and a median relative dose intensity of 92% (range, 61.5-100.2%). One patient exhibited a complete response for an objective response rate of 2.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.1%, 11.5%). Median TTP and PFS were both 1.8 months (95% CI: 1.4, 2.9), and median OS was 6.7 months (95% CI: 5.2, 13.9). Most frequent adverse events were nausea (62%), asthenia (50%), vomiting (42%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (40%). CONCLUSION: Single-agent trabectedin displayed minimal antitumor activity in this pretreated population of women with persistent or recurrent endometrial cancer.

A thermostable 35-residue subdomain within villin headpiece.

The actin-bundling protein villin contains, at its extreme C terminus, a compact f-actin binding domain called "headpiece". This 76-amino acid domain from chicken is highly thermostable. Here, we show that the stable folded structure in headpiece is localized to a subdomain formed by the C-terminal 35 residues. The subdomain, denoted HP-35, is monomeric and retains high thermostability, with a Tm of 70( +/- 1) degree C at PH 7.0. There are no cysteine residues in HP-35 and its folding is not dependent on the binding of metals or other ligands. HP-35 is not a molten globule, but instead, has properties expected for a fully folded protein with a unique structure. In particular, the slowly exchanging amide protons in HP-35 have protection factors that are slightly larger than those predicted if exchange occurred only from globally unfolded molecules. NMR studies indicate that the headpiece subdomain contains three short alpha-helices, and that these same helices are present in the corresponding regions of intact headpiece. HP-35 is the smallest monomeric polypeptide characterized consisting of only naturally occurring amino acids that autonomously folds into a unique and thermostable structure without disulfide bonds or ligand binding.

Socio-cultural factors influencing prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in immigrant and Aboriginal communities in Canada.

This multi-method study used a participatory action research approach to examine the complex net of socio-cultural factors that influenced behaviour related to tuberculosis (TB) prevention and treatment in the 10 highest risk cultural groups consisting of immigrant and Aboriginal populations in the province of Alberta, Canada. Trained community research associates collected qualitative interview data and helped with interpretation and evaluation. A community advisory committee established foundation principles and monitored the ethical and cultural appropriateness of the research process. A key finding is that although patients with active disease learn about TB from health professionals, people in high-risk populations need to learn more about TB transmission and prevention prior to contact. This is particularly important given that lack of knowledge of TB was strongly associated with negative attitudes towards TB and a worse experience of the disease. The study results underline the need for accessible and culturally appropriate health education about TB in the high risk groups. This can be accomplished in collaboration with lay people, particularly those who have recovered from active TB, their family members and health workers from the community.

Severe hepatotoxicity associated with rifampin-pyrazinamide preventative therapy requiring transplantation in an individual at low risk for hepatotoxicity.

We report a case of severe hepatotoxicity associated with rifampin-pyrazinamide preventative therapy that required liver transplantation in a closely monitored, human immunodeficiency virus-uninfected individual who had no risk for hepatotoxicity. Because hepatotoxicity associated with this treatment appears to be idiosyncratic, we recommend closer monitoring of liver enzyme levels than do the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, as well as at least temporary interruption of treatment during any elevation of liver enzyme levels greater than the normal value.

Intraoperative evaluation of depth of myometrial invasion in stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma.

In patients with stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma, the incidence of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastasis is related to the grade of the tumor and the depth of myometrial invasion. Although the grade of the tumor may be predicted preoperatively by endometrial sampling, the depth of myometrial invasion cannot be determined until after the uterus has been removed. Although complications have been attributed to lymph node sampling, failure to perform the procedure in patients at risk for nodal metastasis may result in underdiagnosis of extrauterine disease, leading to inadequate therapy. Gross visual examination of the cut surface of the tumor at the time of hysterectomy accurately determined the depth of myometrial invasion in 135 of 148 prospectively studied patients (91%) (P less than .001). The sensitivity of the test was 0.71, the specificity was 0.96, and the positive predictive value was 0.80. Intraoperative assessment of the depth of myometrial invasion is a simple, inexpensive, and useful technique for selecting those patients with stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma who might benefit from selective para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

Clinical relevance of urokinase-type plasminogen activator, its receptor and inhibitor type 1 in ovarian cancer.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its receptor (uPAR) and inhibitor, plasminogen activator-type 1 (PAI-1) are proposed to be of prognostic significance in some cancers. To determine the prognostic value of the urokinase plasminogen activation system in ovarian cancer, levels of uPA, uPAR, and PAI-1 were measured in extracts of ovarian cancer tissue using ELISA tests. uPA and PAI-1 were determined in 70 tumor extracts and uPAR in 43 extracts. Levels were correlated with age, tumor histology, stage, grade, lymph node and metastatic status, residual disease, risk of recurrence, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression, cathepsin D (Cath-D), and c-erbB-2 levels. uPA and uPAR did not exhibit correlation with any of these parameters. However, patients with high grade tumor, recurrence, and lower EGFR and Cath-D had significantly higher PAI-1 levels compared to those of others (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier plots of survival were compared. uPA and uPAR were not related to disease-free or overall survival. Although low PAI-1 appeared to predict a longer overall survival, the difference was not statistically significant. Multivariate analysis revealed that PAI-1 was a predictor for overall survival although it was not as strong as stage. These results suggest that elevated PAI-1 seems to be correlated with an unfavorable prognosis in ovarian cancer.

A tuberculosis screening and chemoprophylaxis project in children from a high risk population in Edmonton, Alberta.

Current recommendations for tuberculosis control are to screen high risk populations and provide chemoprophylaxis for those infected. In Edmonton, Alberta, one strategy has been to identify and provide TB skin tests to newly arrived immigrant school age children from TB endemic areas. The difficulty has been in identifying these children in the school population. This article describes a process tried in 1993-94 to find a better approach and to determine the outcome of a concentrated effort at screening and follow-up of this population. Using this method, 1,146 students were TB skin tested using 5tu PPD: 15% showed significant reactions (10 mm), 89% were offered chemoprophylaxis, and 68% of those offered (84% of those accepting) completed 9 months of chemoprophylaxis. The success of this process was dependent on the dedicated follow-up provided by the specialty public health clinic devoted to the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.

[Cleft lip and palate coexisting with a skull and brain defect diagnosed in a fetus with ultrasound]. / Rozszczep wargi i podniebienia wspólistniejacy ze zlozona wada czaszki i mózgowia rozpoznany u plodu ultrasonograficznie.

In a pregnant woman admitted to the hospital due to imminent preterm labour cleft and brain complex defect was found by routine us. Acusoon 128 CD unit was employed. A technique allowing diagnosis of the bony face malformations was presented.

[Value of vascular resistance in fetal circulation during normal pregnancy]. / Wartosci oporu naczyniowego w krazeniu plodowym podczas ciazy fizjologicznej.

The aim of the study is to estimate the values of resistance index (RI) in the arteries of the fetus using color doppler ultrasound. Measurements have been made in aorta, umbilical and medial cerebral artery of the fetus and in arcuate artery of the pregnant women. 50 women have been examined every 4 weeks and another 50 every 6 weeks during normal pregnancy. Resistance index has been calculated based on analyses of flow waves configuration in all of the mentioned arteries. Likeness between curves obtained in women examined every 4 and 6 weeks in obvious. The examination of mean RI values shows that vascular resistance in descending aorta remains constant during the vascular resistance in descending aorta remains constant during the all the period. In arcuate artery vascular resistance falls down until 22 week of pregnancy and then settles on constant level. RI of umbilical artery decreases during pregnancy and in median cerebral artery reaches its peak in 32/34 week of pregnancy.

Phase fluctuations and the absence of topological defects in a photo-excited charge-ordered nickelate.

The dynamics of an order parameter's amplitude and phase determines the collective behaviour of novel states emerging in complex materials. Time- and momentum-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy, by virtue of measuring material properties at atomic and electronic time scales out of equilibrium, can decouple entangled degrees of freedom by visualizing their corresponding dynamics in the time domain. Here we combine time-resolved femotosecond optical and resonant X-ray diffraction measurements on charge ordered La(1.75)Sr(0.25)NiO(4) to reveal unforeseen photoinduced phase fluctuations of the charge order parameter. Such fluctuations preserve long-range order without creating topological defects, distinct from thermal phase fluctuations near the critical temperature in equilibrium. Importantly, relaxation of the phase fluctuations is found to be an order of magnitude slower than that of the order parameter's amplitude fluctuations, and thus limits charge order recovery. This new aspect of phase fluctuations provides a more holistic view of the phase's importance in ordering phenomena of quantum matter.

Development of a compact fast CCD camera and resonant soft x-ray scattering endstation for time-resolved pump-probe experiments.

The designs of a compact, fast CCD (cFCCD) camera, together with a resonant soft x-ray scattering endstation, are presented. The cFCCD camera consists of a highly parallel, custom, thick, high-resistivity CCD, readout by a custom 16-channel application specific integrated circuit to reach the maximum readout rate of 200 frames per second. The camera is mounted on a virtual-axis flip stage inside the RSXS chamber. When this flip stage is coupled to a differentially pumped rotary seal, the detector assembly can rotate about 100°/360° in the vertical/horizontal scattering planes. With a six-degrees-of-freedom cryogenic sample goniometer, this endstation has the capability to detect the superlattice reflections from the electronic orderings showing up in the lower hemisphere. The complete system has been tested at the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and has been used in multiple experiments at the Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

A fast, direct x-ray detection charge-coupled device.

A charge-coupled device (CCD) capable of 200 Mpixels/s readout has been designed and fabricated on thick, high-resistivity silicon. The CCDs, up to 600 microm thick, are fully depleted, ensuring good infrared to x-ray detection efficiency, together with a small point spread function. High readout speed, with good analog performance, is obtained by the use of a large number of parallel output ports. A set of companion 16-channel custom readout integrated circuits, capable of 15 bits of dynamic range, is used to read out the CCD. A gate array-controlled back end data acquisition system frames and transfers images, as well as provides the CCD clocks.

Cysteine scanning mutagenesis at 40 of 76 positions in villin headpiece maps the F-actin binding site and structural features of the domain.

Villin headpiece, the 76 amino acid, C-terminal domain of villin, is one of the two F-actin binding sites in villin necessary for F-actin bundling activity. Expression and study of recombinant headpiece revealed the domain to be remarkably thermostable (Tm = 74 degrees C) for a non-disulfide-bonded domain. Forty independent point mutations to cysteine of headpiece have been purified and tested for their actin binding activity, cysteine reactivity, and thermal stability. These assays identify two segments of headpiece, near amino acids 38 and 70 of headpiece, in which mutations to cysteine significantly disrupt cosedimentation of headpiece with F-actin. Assay of the thermal stability of these mutants and assay of the reactivity of the introduced cysteine show that these amino acids are mutations at the protein surface that do not perturb the overall structure of the domain. The actin binding mutants are replacements to cysteine of Lys38, Glu39, Lys65, Lys70, Lys71, Leu75, and Phe76 of headpiece. We propose that these discontinuous segments of charged amino acids define the F-actin binding contacts of the headpiece domain. The assay of mutants for effects on the thermal stability of helical structure as well as the assay of reactivity of the introduced sulfhydryl group identify candidate positions that are involved in the stabilizing core and internal structure of the domain. The cysteine scanning mutagenesis also identifies an amino-terminal subdomain (Val1-Leu35) and a predominantly helical carboxy-terminal subdomain (Pro36-Phe76).

Metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the vulva.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) of the vulva is a rare, low- to intermediate-grade sarcoma of dermal origin. This case report represents the 13th reported patient with vulvar DFSP and the first reported patient with metastatic vulvar DFSP. Although metastasis is rare, the possibility remains that the frequent recurrence of DFSP will eventually metastasize. Therefore, patients must be followed up on a long-term basis to monitor the progress of this potentially lethal cancer.

Bowel perforation associated with intraperitoneal chromic phosphate instillation.

Intraperitoneal chromic phosphate is widely used as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of early-stage ovarian epithelial carcinoma. Delayed bowel injury is an infrequently observed complication of chromic phosphate administration. This report presents a case of colon perforation which occurred 4 months after treatment with intraperitoneal chromic phosphate for stage IB ovarian papillary serous cystadenocarcinoma.