Impact of the Delayed Initiation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in the Outcome of Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant chemotherapy decreases the recurrence risk and improves survival rates; however, it is unclear whether a delayed initiation is associated with adverse outcomes, especially in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, we evaluated the influence of the time to start adjuvant chemotherapy (TTC) in the outcomes of TNBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 15 years of data from patients with TNBC who received adjuvant chemotherapy at the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (Lima, Peru). TTC was categorized into 4 groups: ≤ 30, 31 to 60, 61 to 90, and ≥ 91 days. We evaluated overall survival (OS) and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS). Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify prognostic factors. RESULTS: In total, 687 patients were included. The mean age at diagnosis was 49.1 years (SD, 11.8 years), and most (62.6%) patients had pathologic stage T2. The median TTC was 48.1 days (SD, 27.4 days); 189 (27.5%) received chemotherapy ≤ 30 days; 329 (47.9%), between 31 and 60 days; 115 (16.7%), between 61 and 90 days; and 54 (7.9%) in ≥ 90 days. In the multivariate analysis, a TTC between 31 and 60 days (hazard ratio [HR], 1.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-2.72), 61 and 90 days (HR, 2.38; 95%CI, 1.43-3.97), and ≥ 91 days (HR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.32-4.55) was associated with an increased mortality in contrast with a TTC < 30 days. Although a TTC between 31 and 60 days, 61 and 90 days, and ≥ 91 days was associated with an increased risk of DRFS (HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.24-2.79; HR, 2.34, 95% CI, 1.42-3.867; and HR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.78-5.61, respectively). CONCLUSION: A delaying in TTC ≥ 30 days was associated with poorer outcomes. Our data suggest that several efforts should be conducted to avoid a delayed TTC in patients with TNBC.

Research advances in major cereal crops for adaptation to abiotic stresses.

With devastating increase in population there is a great necessity to increase crop productivity of staple crops but the productivity is greatly affected by various abiotic stress factors such as drought, salinity. An attempt has been made a brief account on abiotic stress resistance of major cereal crops viz. In spite of good successes obtained on physiological and use molecular biology, the benefits of this high cost technology are beyond the reach of developing countries. This review discusses several morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of major cereal crops related to the adaptation of these crop to abiotic stress factors. It discusses the effect of abiotic stresses on physiological processes such as flowering, grain filling and maturation and plant metabolisms viz. photosynthesis, enzyme activity, mineral nutrition, and respiration. Though significant progress has been attained on the physiological, biochemical basis of resistance to abiotic stress factors, very little progress has been achieved to increase productivity under sustainable agriculture. Therefore, there is a great necessity of inter-disciplinary research to address this issue and to evolve efficient technology and its transfer to the farmers' fields.

Comparison of thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli densities in freshwater bodies

Fecal bacterial indicator analyses have been widely used for monitoring the water quality. This study was designed to determine the ratio between the density of Escherichia coli and other Thermotolerant Coliforms (TtC) bacteria from freshwater samples collected for a two-year period of monitoring. TtC were enumerated by membrane filtration on mFC agar. E. coli enumeration was done by two methods: TtC colonies identified in mFC were inoculated in EC-MUG or water samples were filtered and inoculated in modified mTEC agar media, and both methods were compared for quantitative recovery of E. coli. The results pointed out a mean percentage of E. coli among other thermotolerant coliforms (E. coli/TtC ratio) of 84.3% in mFC media. Taking these results into account, a mandatory standard of 1000 thermotolerant coliforms would correspond to 800 E. coli and the adoption of these E. coli based standards will represent a major improvement for the monitoring of freshwater quality.

Comparison of thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli densities in freshwater bodies.

Fecal bacterial indicator analyses have been widely used for monitoring the water quality. This study was designed to determine the ratio between the density of Escherichia coli and other Thermotolerant Coliforms (TtC) bacteria from freshwater samples collected for a two-year period of monitoring. TtC were enumerated by membrane filtration on mFC agar. E. coli enumeration was done by two methods: TtC colonies identified in mFC were inoculated in EC-MUG or water samples were filtered and inoculated in modified mTEC agar media, and both methods were compared for quantitative recovery of E. coli. The results pointed out a mean percentage of E. coli among other thermotolerant coliforms (E. coli/TtC ratio) of 84.3% in mFC media. Taking these results into account, a mandatory standard of 1000 thermotolerant coliforms would correspond to 800 E. coli and the adoption of these E. coli based standards will represent a major improvement for the monitoring of freshwater quality.

Comparison of thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli densities in freshwater bodies

Fecal bacterial indicator analyses have been widely used for monitoring the water quality. This study was designed to determine the ratio between the density of Escherichia coli and other Thermotolerant Coliforms (TtC) bacteria from freshwater samples collected for a two-year period of monitoring. TtC were enumerated by membrane filtration on mFC agar. E. coli enumeration was done by two methods: TtC colonies identified in mFC were inoculated in EC-MUG or water samples were filtered and inoculated in modified mTEC agar media, and both methods were compared for quantitative recovery of E. coli. The results pointed out a mean percentage of E. coli among other thermotolerant coliforms (E. coli/TtC ratio) of 84.3% in mFC media. Taking these results into account, a mandatory standard of 1000 thermotolerant coliforms would correspond to 800 E. coli and the adoption of these E. coli based standards will represent a major improvement for the monitoring of freshwater quality.

A reserva circulatória coronária durante a reperfusäo no infarto do miocárdio / The coronary flow reserve during reperfusion in myocardial infarction

Estudo da reserva circulatória coronária, durante a reperfusäo miocárdica, no infarto agudo do miocárdio. Nove cäes de ambos os sexos, pesando de 12 a 17,5 kg foram anestesiados com pentobarbital, na dose de 30 mg/kg de peso e ventilados com ar atmosférico. O tórax foi aberto e a artéria descendente anterior foi isolada antes da emergência dos ramos perfurantes septais. As pressöes de aorta e átrio direito foram medidas usando-se transdutores da marca Siemmens-Elema e registrador Mingograf-804. O fluxo sangüíneo coronário foi medido através de um fluxômetro da marca Caroline, modelo 501D. O índice hemodinâmico estudado foi a resistência coronária, calculada pela relaçäo entre a pressäo aórtica e o fluxo coronário, no período diastólico. A reserva coronária foi medida pela relaçäo pressäo/fluxo, durante a hiperemia reativa aos 5, 10, 15 e 20 minutos de reperfusäo. A área infartada foi demonstrada pela ausência de coloraçäo pelo "triphemiltetrazolium:. Todos os coraçöes exmainados apresentavam infarto do miocárdio. A resistência coronária diastólica medida durante a hiperemia reativa, aos 20 minutos de reperfusäo, foi significativamente maior que o valor controle. A reserva circulatória coronária está diminuída, durante a reperfusäo, no infarto do miocárdio

Purpose - The study of coronary flow reserve on the reperfused myocardium damaged by 90 minutes of severe ischemia. Material and Methods- Nine mongrel dogs of either sex, weighing 12 to 17 kg were studied. Each dog was anesthesiated with 30 mg of pentobarbital and ventilated with room air. A thoracotomy was done and the left descendent coronary artery was isolated. Aorta and right atria pressures was measured using a Siemmens-Elema transducers and mingograf recording-804 (Siemmens Instruments). Coronary blood flow was measures with a Caroline Medical Electromagnetic flowmeter, 501D. The indez studied was the coronary resistance, calculated as the quocient of the diastolic aortic pressure and the diastolic blood fow. The coronary reserve was studied during reactive hiperemia produced by 10 seconds of coronary occlusion in the 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes of reperfusion. The infarcted area was detected by TTC (tripheniltetrazolium) method. Results - All the hearts examined showed infarcted area. The diastolic coronary resistance during the reactive hiperemia in the 20 minutes of reperfusion was higher than the control value. Conclusion - The coronary vascular reserve was decreased during reperfusion, in the myocardial infarction