Breast cancer. Screening criteria.

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of neoplastic disease in women, amounting to approximately 26% of all annually diagnosed cancers, and representing the second leading cause of female death after pulmonary cancer. Although the prognosis of the disease has improved in recent years, an important number of patients will suffer an evolution of the disease and will die due to this malignancy, which remains resistant to various cytostatic drugs, this being the main cause for therapeutic failure in over 90% of patients with a neoplastic development at this level. As a genic evaluation of the resistance to chemotherapy is difficult to obtain under the current clinical practice conditions, we desired to follow a series of parameters which were easy to evaluate, and which could be correlated with resistance to chemotherapy. Further on, we shall report a clinical case of a patient presenting with chemotherapy resistant breast cancer and unfavourable prognostic factors, in which we determined the biochemical parameters for oxidative stress (serum monoaldehyde a marker of lipid peroxidase, serum ceruloplasmin whose activation stimulates an overproduction of reactive species of oxygen, plasmatic albumin thiol groups important components of antioxidant defence, total serum antioxidants which measure the ability of the plasma to resist in face of the effects of reactive species of oxygen), correlated with an apoptosis evaluation (scheduled cellular death) performed on fresh tumoral tissue.Histopathological, immunohistochemical and flowcytometry data correlated. Even if the results obtained indicate a high oxidative stress status and a diminished capacity of endogenous antioxidant defence, it appears that this oxidative stress alone was not potent enough to induce the desired tumoral cytotoxicity.

Aggregation numbers and microstructure characterization of self-assembled aggregates of poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants and related block-copolymers, studied by spectroscopic methods.

This review presents typical examples of micellar size measurements and structural characterization of self-assembled systems as determined with spectroscopic methods, selected from our representative results accumulated in recent years of systematic studies. The choice of examples has aimed at emphasizing the potentiality of the methods used in the study of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) surfactants. By using the time-resolved fluorescence quenching method aggregation numbers have been determined for direct and reverse micelles as well as for micelle-like clusters formed in (bio)polymer-surfactant solutions. By using specific spectral parameters of a variety of properly chosen molecular probes [fluorescence, UV-VIS and electron spin resonance (ESR) spin probes], problems such as hydration degree and profile of the PEO chains, local viscosity, ordering and packing of surfactant chains have been addressed. The intention was to correlate results obtained from different spectroscopic methods and to refer all polarity data to a common scale, such as Kosower's polarity factor.

A Comparison between Hydrophobically End-Capped Poly(ethylene oxide) with Ether and Urethane Bonds

Two models of HEUR (hydrophobically modified ethylene oxide urethane) associative polymers (AP) are compared. The two polymers are polyethyleneoxides simply end-capped with dodecyl groups, one through an ether bond H25C12-O-(CH2CH2O)304-C12H25 (AP14, Mw = 13,700) and the other through an urethane bond H25C12-NHCOO-(CH2CH2O)304-CONH-C12H25 (AP14NCO, Mw is about the same as for AP14). The results indicate that this subtle difference in polymer architecture dramatically influences the initial association and the clouding of the polymer in water, so that AP14NCO starts to aggregate earlier but has a higher clouding temperature. However, at more elevated polymer contents (above 2-3 wt%) the differences in solution behavior and transport dynamics between the two polymers seems less significant. These conclusions are drawn through fluorescence, dynamic light scattering, NMR self-diffusion, turbidimetry, and viscosity measurements. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Modification of molecular properties of some dyes in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micellar aqueous solution.

The influence of SDS upon the molecular properties of proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine), acridine yellow (2,7-dimethyl-3,6-diaminoacridine) and methylene blue (3,7-bis-dimethylamino-phenothiazine) was studied comparatively to their properties in that of aqueous media. The absorption and emission spectra of the three dyes in SDS aqueous solution (1-100 mmol/l) were recorded. The spectroscopic data also allowed the evaluation of the critical micellization concentration (CMC), acidity constants in fundamental (pk(a)) and excited (pK(*)(a)) states, and lifetimes of excited singlet states.

Spectroscopic study on nystatin conformational modifications generated by its interaction with the solvent.

Conformational transformations of the tetraenic nystatin chromophore under the influence of solvents and UV irradiation have been studied by absorption, fluorescence and wide-line NMR spectroscopy.

Experimental studies on the dynamics of the scaring effect of some ointments.

The ointment studied is made by us in the laboratory. He includes the following ingredients: a bee-keeping product soved in sunflower oil, an antioxidant, hexestrole, and a proper preserving medium. The idea was to create a product which is capable to accelerate the scarring process of the plague produced by burns. Thus, after 10-12 days we can observe a favourable clinical evolution. Anatomo-microscopy is obvious a gradually regenerating epithelium and the subjacent dermis remains slightly infiltrated. The final result is an aesthetic scar.

Trophic and enzymatic adaptation of the intestine to biliopancreatic bypass in the rat.

Biliopancreatic bypass (BPB), the exclusion of a duodenojejunal loop from the digestive continuity, has been proposed as a bariatric procedure for treatment of morbid obesity. The present study in rats investigated the effect of this surgical procedure on the mucosae of the ileum directly anastomosed to the stomach, and of the jejunum irrigated only by biliopancreatic secretions. The proximal part of the ileum adapted by two-fold increases in its mucosal mass, total protein and RNA content; DNA content was four-fold higher than in sham-operated animals. There was a correlated increase of mucosal enzyme content, except for lactase. In the distal ileal mucosae, a slight, transient augmentation of mucosal mass, protein, DNA and RNA content was observed which tended to compensate for the shortening of the functional gut. No morphological changes were found in the excluded loop, probably because of an endoluminal stimulation by biliopancreatic secretions. Thus, in BPB, biliopancreatic secretions seem to exert trophic effects on the intestinal mucosa, but they are less potent than the endoluminal nutrition that restores the oral-aboral mucosal gradient.

[The physicochemical characterization and therapeutic evaluation of Cicatrol]. / Caracterizarea fizico-chimica si evaluarea terapeutica a produsului Cicatrol.

Cicatrol ointment with the formula: argentic sulphamethoxydiasine 1 g, bentonite hydrogel 12.5% for 100 g is manufactured at the Microproduction Laboratory of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Iasi. The one-year physicochemical determinations of the aspect, colour, homogeneity, pH, rheological behaviour and relative viscosity, content in argentic sulphamethoxydiasine as well as "in vitro" antimicrobial activity of Cicatrol showed a good stability and gel properties enabling an uniform and long-term contact with the wound. The clinical investigations carried out until now in patients with burns, varicose ulcers, trophic shank ulcers, superficial phlebitis with atonic ulcerations or wounds with multiple sites revealed its remarkable therapeutic value. As compared to other similar products, Cicatrol by its aseptic properties favours the scarring of any type of wound, a normal skin, without keloid scars being obtained, it also being well tolerated.

[The photocolorimetric determination of reducing agents using sodium metavanadate as reagent]. / Consideratii privind determinarea fotocolorimetrica a unor reducatori utilizind ca reactiv metavanadatul de sodiu.

The oxidative properties of Vv can be used in the photocolorimetric determination of those reducers which give no other reactions with vanadium ions-penta and tetravalent. Two determination scales of the reducers were elaborated and the isoniazide hydrazide from tablets was dosed with satisfactory results.

Theoretical and experimental aspects of the possible role of calcium in some physiological and physiopathological phenomena.

The role played by calcium in some physiological and physiopathological phenomena is examined in the light of the intervention of calmodulin as a calcium regulatory protein. Data are presented concerning the interaction of some heavy metal ions with the erythrocyte membrane with special references to the modifications of calcium dynamics by Pb2. The results are discussed considering the interaction of heavy metal ions with the proteins of erythrocyte cytoskeleton and the role played by calmodulin in this interaction.

[The population of Romania at the fortieth anniversary of the social and national liberation and anti-fascist and anti-imperialist revolution]. / Populatia Romaniei la cea de-a 40-a aniversare a revolutiei de eliberare sociala si nationala, antifascista si antiimperialista

PIP: A review of population trends in Romania from 1930 to 1983 is presented. Data are included on total population in selected years, population distribution by size of locality, and rural and urban distribution.^ieng