Effects of Eu3+ concentration on structural, optical and vibrational properties of multifunctional Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O2-delta) nanoparticles synthesized by thermolysis of 2,4-pentanedione complexes.

The 5-10 nm Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0 < or = x < or = 0.30) nanoparticles with fluorite structure were synthesized by thermal decomposition of Eu- and Ce-2,4-pentanedione complexes mixtures. X-ray line broadening analysis of mixed samples Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0.05 < or = x < or = 0.30) showed that the crystallite size was lower and root mean square strain higher than in pure ceria. However, within mixed samples Ce(1-x)Eu(x)O(2-delta) (0.05 < or = x < or = 0.30) crystallite size and root mean square strain were independent of Eu3+ concentration. Raman spectroscopy results indicated that europium ions yield disorder by breaking the phonon propagation and therefore making the non-centre Brillouin zone modes Raman active. The absorption bands in the spectra of mixed oxides were blue-shifted in comparison to pure CeO(2-delta) nanopowder. The samples show red emission typical for Eu ions. The biggest photoluminescent intensity was observed for the highest Eu3+ concentration (x = 0.30) and further enhanced with the increase in crystallinity.

Modified Pechini Processing of Barium and Lanthanum-Lithium Titanate Nanoparticles and Thin Films.

Barium-strontium titanate (BST) Ba0.6Sr 0.4 TiO3 and lanthanum-lithium titanate (LLT) La0.5Li0.5TiO3 nanopowders and thin films have been obtained via the modified Pechini route. Polyesterification and complexation processes of gel formation have been examined. Hypothetical models of coordinative polymers formed in sol-gel system have been suggested. It has been shown that BST and LLT solid solutions form in one step at relatively low temperature. X-ray diffraction confirms that the final products, which are single phases and have cubic shape, are formed at 600 and 700 °C for BST and LLT respectively. It has been found that use of thermal shock as pretreatment allows to increase the density of BST- and LLT-based thin films.

Electrochemotherapy with cisplatin: potentiation of local cisplatin antitumour effectiveness by application of electric pulses in cancer patients.

This study was aimed at assessing the response to electrochemotherapy with cisplatin of cutaneous tumour nodules in patients with malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. In 4 patients, 30 tumour nodules of different sizes were treated; five without treatment, one with electric pulses, five with cisplatin injected intratumorally and 19 with electrochemotherapy, i.e. intratumoral administration of cisplatin followed by delivery of electric pulses to the tumour nodule. After 4 weeks, a complete response (CR) in all 19 electrochemotherapy treated nodules was obtained. All electrochemotherapy treated nodules remained in CR (range 7-11 months), regardless of histological type, except for the metastasis of a squamous cell carcinoma that progressed after 9 months. CR was also obtained in two of five tumour nodules treated with cisplatin intratumorally, but the other three nodules progressed within 3-7 months. Exposure of the tumour nodule to electric pulses without cisplatin treatment had no effect on tumour growth. Electrochemotherapy was well tolerated by all patients and a good cosmetic effect was obtained, with only minimal scarring and a slight depigmentation of the skin. Electrochemotherapy with cisplatin has proved to be effective in patients with cutaneous tumour nodules. Furthermore, electrochemotherapy is easy to perform and can be carried out on an out-patient basis.

Five-year survival of patients treated for esophageal cancer at the Institute of Oncology in Ljubljana in the years 1960-1989.

In last decades, the incidence of esophageal cancer in the male as well as female population of Slovenia has been increasing moderately. The number of long-term survivals is rather low. The treatment results of 13/714 (1.8%) 5-year survivors with esophageal cancer treated during the years 1960-1989 at the Institute of Oncology were analyzed. Different treatment modalities were used; the majority of patients were treated by using a combination of surgery, irradiation and chemotherapy. The analysis failed to establish a reliable cause of their significantly longer survival. Five years from the beginning of therapy 10/13 patients were alive without evidence of disease. Three patients developed a recurrence or another primary cancer. Longer survivals are probably attributable to a favorable treatment response associated with permanent or long-lasting disease free intervals and later recurrence. Longer and more frequent survivals can be expected with early stages and more effective, combined therapy for esophageal cancer.

Treatment of advanced esophageal cancer by means of irradiation, cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil.

In the years 1985-1990, 30 patients with locally advanced and/or disseminated cancer of the esophagus (Stages III and IV) were treated by radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (ChT) containing cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The median survival of the patients was 8 months (range 2.5-39 months); 13 Stage III patients survived 3-36 months respectively (median 11 months), while 17 Stage IV patients survived 2.5-27 months, respectively (median 6.5 months). The survival depended statistically significantly (p < 0.05) only on the presence or absence of residual tumor after therapy and not on other parameters observed. Clinical response to treatment was evaluated in 16/30 patients as follows: CR was obtained in 4 patients, PR in two, and NR in 10 patients. Median survival of 4 patients with CR was 31 months; relatively high rate of CR (4/16) could be explained by the small number of patients. However, favorable survival results in individual patients may be expected even in larger series, though the rate responders may be somewhat lower than that obtained in our study.