DN4 questionnaire as a useful tool for evaluating the pharmacotherapeutic response to opioid pharmacotherapy in malignant neuropathy.

Objective: Tapentadol is a drug of choice for neuropathic cancer pain. DN4 questionnaire quickly determines neuropathic pain component. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between neuropathic malignant pain component by applying tapentadol antidolorose pharmacotherapy in combination with palliative radiotherapy of osseous neuropathic metastatic changes in breast cancer patients before and after palliative radiotherapy. Methods: The first patients group comprised 30 patients with primary breast cancer and proved painful bone secondary deposits with neuropathy for which tapentadol was prescribed, and they underwent palliative radiotherapy. The second group comprised 30 patients with primary breast cancer and proved painful bone metastases with neuropathy treated only with palliative antidolorose radiotherapy. Key findings : After two-months-follow up, tapentadol group patients had lower DN4 score values (Z=2,021; p=0.043). Significantly lower number of tapentadol group patients was without neuropathic pain after a three-month-follow up (χ ²=5,711; p=0.017). Significantly greater number of tapentadol group patients had best ECOG score 0 ( χ² =7,486; p=0.023). There was statistically significant positive correlation between tapentadol dose and DN4 score in patients after a month (ρ=0,471; p=0.009) and three months after the radiotherapy completion (ρ=0,610; p<0.001). Tapentadol is an opioid analgesic efficient for neuropathy relief in these patients and DN4 questionnaire is an efficient pharmacotherapy tool.

Phase-Slip Statistics of a Single Isolated Flux-Biased Superconducting Ring.

We describe measurements of the thermally activated transitions between fluxoid states of a single isolated superconducting ring. We compare these measurements with theoretical predictions in which all of the relevant parameters are determined via independent characterization of the same ring. This no-free-parameters comparison shows qualitative agreement over a wide range of temperatures. We discuss possible origins for the remaining discrepancies between the data and theory, in particular the choice of model for the superconducting order parameter's damping.

Controlled dc Monitoring of a Superconducting Qubit.

Creating a transmon qubit using semiconductor-superconductor hybrid materials not only provides electrostatic control of the qubit frequency, it also allows parts of the circuit to be electrically connected and disconnected in situ by operating a semiconductor region of the device as a field-effect transistor. Here, we exploit this feature to compare in the same device characteristics of the qubit, such as frequency and relaxation time, with related transport properties such as critical supercurrent and normal-state resistance. Gradually opening the field-effect transistor to the monitoring circuit allows the influence of weak-to-strong dc monitoring of a "live" qubit to be measured. A model of this influence yields excellent agreement with experiment, demonstrating a relaxation rate mediated by a gate-controlled environmental coupling.

Resonant edge magnetoplasmons and their decay in graphene.

We investigate resonant edge magnetoplasmons (EMPs) and their decay in graphene by high-frequency electronic measurements. From EMP resonances in disk shaped graphene, we show that the dispersion relation of EMPs is nonlinear due to interactions, giving rise to the intrinsic decay of EMP wave packets. We also identify extrinsic dissipation mechanisms due to interaction with localized states in bulk graphene from the decay time of EMP wave packets. We indicate that, owing to the linear band structure and the sharp edge potential, EMP dissipation in graphene can be lower than that in GaAs systems.

Carrier drift velocity and edge magnetoplasmons in graphene.

We investigate electron dynamics at the graphene edge by studying the propagation of collective edge magnetoplasmon excitations. By timing the travel of narrow wave packets on picosecond time scales around exfoliated samples, we find chiral propagation with low attenuation at a velocity that is quantized on Hall plateaus. We extract the carrier drift contribution from the edge magnetoplasmon propagation and find it to be slightly less than the Fermi velocity, as expected for an abrupt edge. We also extract the characteristic length for Coulomb interaction at the edge and find it to be smaller than that for soft depletion-edge systems.

The role of tapentadol in cancer pain pharmacotherapy in patients with metastatic malignant disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to establish the effects of prolonged formulation of tapentadol in combination with palliative radiotherapy on bone metastatic changes in oncology patients with primary breast cancer and proven bone metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research was conducted as a prospective study at the Clinic for Oncology, University Clinical Center Nis, Nis, Serbia, during a three-month interval of monitoring the patients. The first group comprised 30 patients with mentioned malignancy for which tapentadol was prescribed, and they underwent palliative radiotherapy for bone metastatic changes. The second group comprised 30 patients with the same disease treated only with pain relief radiotherapy to metastatic changes. All the patients were interviewed using the Pain Detect questionnaire. RESULTS: Significantly more patients from the first group had severe pain in comparison to patients from the control group (χ2=16.596; p<0.001) at the second measurement and also at the third measurement (χ2=15.357; p<0.001). At the third measurement, pain with a neuropathic component was significantly more present in patients from the control group (χ2=8.541; p=0.014). There was a significant pain reduction in both groups - Tapentadol group (χ2=59.513; p<0.001) and control group (χ2=60.000; p<0.001) - and also a significant reduction of neuropathic pain component: Tapentadol group (χ2=56.267; p<0.001) and control group (χ2=60,000; p<0.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between tapentadol dose and pain intensity according to the numerical pain scale at all three measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Tapentadol prolonged-release formulation is an effective pharmacotherapy solution, along with palliative radiotherapy, for pain relief in patients with skeletal metastatic breast cancer. Palliative radiotherapy in these patients does not provide adequate neuropathic pain component relief.

Microwave cooling of Josephson plasma oscillations.

An extended Josephson junction can be described as a microwave cavity coupled to a Josephson oscillator. This is formally equivalent to a Fabry-Perot cavity with a freely vibrating mirror, where it has been shown that radiation pressure from photons in the cavity can reduce (increase) the vibrations of the mirror, effectively cooling (heating) it. We demonstrate that, similarly, the superconducting phase difference across a Josephson junction-the Josephson phase-can be "cooled" or "heated" by microwave excitation of the junction and that both these effects increase with microwave power.

Concurrent chemoimmunotherapy: is it still the best option for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in patients with good performance status?

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy, toxicity and survival of metastatic melanoma patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology group good performance status (ECOG PS 0-1) receiving concurrent chemotherapy and immunotherapy. METHODS: From March 2003 to August 2008, 25 patients with metastatic melanoma were enrolled in the study. No patient had previously received chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Patients with ECOG PS 0-1 were treated with cisplatin+vinblastine+DTIC (CVD) and interferon-A2a (IFN-a). RESULTS: Response rate was 11/25 (44%): complete response (CR) 2, partial response (PR) 9, stable disease (SD) 11, progressive disease (PD) 3. Adverse effects were mild. The most common toxicities were nausea, vomiting and fever. Grade 3 and 4 toxicity was more common in hematologic parameters. No treatment-related deaths occurred. The median overall survival (OS) was 14 months and time to progression 8.0 months. CONCLUSION: Concomitant chemoimmunotherapy appeared to be a beneficial option for metastatic melanoma patients with good PS. Therapeutic approaches with less toxicity and regimens that could improve OS are still highly desired in the treatment of advanced malignant melanoma.

Deterministic phase slips in mesoscopic superconducting rings.

The properties of one-dimensional superconductors are strongly influenced by topological fluctuations of the order parameter, known as phase slips, which cause the decay of persistent current in superconducting rings and the appearance of resistance in superconducting wires. Despite extensive work, quantitative studies of phase slips have been limited by uncertainty regarding the order parameter's free-energy landscape. Here we show detailed agreement between measurements of the persistent current in isolated flux-biased rings and Ginzburg-Landau theory over a wide range of temperature, magnetic field and ring size; this agreement provides a quantitative picture of the free-energy landscape. We also demonstrate that phase slips occur deterministically as the barrier separating two competing order parameter configurations vanishes. These results will enable studies of quantum and thermal phase slips in a well-characterized system and will provide access to outstanding questions regarding the nature of one-dimensional superconductivity.

Variable sex chromatin pattern in an early carcinoma of the bladder.

Sex chromatin studies on squash preparations of a well differentiated transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder without evidence of invasion from a female aged 63 revealed a single body in some regions, but two to four bodies in others. All regions were near diploid according to DNA estimations. Previous observations on a variety of invasive tumours of females showed that the presence of more than one sex chromatin body is generally associated with a high chromosome number. The pattern of two or more bodies in near-diploid cells seen in this non-invasive tumour may therefore characterize an intermediate stage of clonal evolution, eventually resulting in malignancy, when the cell line has not yet achieved the ability to invade or metastasize.

Constitutive heterochromatin of chromosomes No. 1, 9, and 16 in 90 patients with malignant disease and 91 controls.

The variability of constitutive heterochromatin in chromosomes #1, #9, and #16 was investigated in 90 patients with malignant tumors (neoplasms of the head, neck, breast, and genital organs) and in 91 controls. The investigation was carried out on chromosome preparations from peripheral blood cultures. An analysis showed no significant difference in the frequency of localization variants, that is, inversions, in the patients and in the normal controls. Analysis of the variability of the C-segment size was made by measuring the length of heterochromatin blocks and showed that a correlation with the process of malignant transformation can be sought in the consequences of an uneven distribution (chromosome #1) and in quantitative changes in the constitutive heterochromatin (chromosomes #1 and #9).

Variability of euchromatic and heterochromatic segment of the Y chromosome in men with malignant tumors and in a control group.

In this study, Y chromosome variability was analyzed in 58 male patients with malignant tumors and 55 healthy male controls. No difference in the size of Y chromosome was established between the two groups studied, but a statistically significant difference in the length of euchromatic and heterochromatic segments was found. A significantly greater length of heterochromatic segments was established in the patients compared with the control group (p less than 0.02). The length of the euchromatic segment was shorter in the patients than in the controls (p less than 0.02).

Cytogenetic analysis of primary neuroblastoma with del(1), del(14), hsr, and dmin chromosomes.

The results of a direct cytogenetic tumor analysis in a 2 1/2-year-old girl with metastatic neuroblastoma are presented in this paper. Investigations established a modal karyotype of 46 chromosomes with several marker chromosomes. Besides del(1)(p31), hsr, and dmin chromosomes in all the cells analyzed, terminal deletion of the long arm of chromosome 14 was also identified. Malignant cells were thus monosomic for segment 14q24----qter.

Heterochromatic variability in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

An analysis of the C-segment variability of chromosomes 1, 9, and 16 was carried out in 38 children with ALL, and 90 control subjects. When studying location variants, no differences were found between group of patients and the normal controls. A larger quantity of structural heterochromatin was, however, observed on chromosomes 1, 9, and 16, and a higher frequency of homologous chromosomes heteromorphism in children with ALL when compared with the control group.

Cytogenetic analysis in children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.

In this work we present the results of cytogenetic analysis of the malignant cells in 27 children with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). The aim of our investigations was to determine the frequency and types of chromosome aberrations in our population of children with ANLL. Successful cytogenetic analysis was carried out in 24 (89%) patients. Aberrant karyotypes of malignant cells were established in 58% of the cases. The most frequent chromosomal abnormality was t(8;21), identified in 5 (20.8%) patients, i.e., 4 of 10 M2-ANLL. Aberration frequency of chromosome 11 was 16.6% and was identified in 3 of 8 M5-ANLL. Trisomy 8 and monosomy 7 were identified in one patient each with M3 and M2-ANLL, respectively. del(13), a rare chromosome aberration in hemoblastoses, was found in a child with M1,t(8;21) and the loss of chromosome Y. Translocation t(1;11;21) with a break in regions 1q23, 11q23, and 21q22, is unusual and was identified in a boy with M2-ANLL; it can be considered as a variant form of the t(8;21).

Cytogenetic analysis of hepatoblastoma.

A cytogenetic investigation was performed in a case of hepatoblastoma; the analyses revealed a pseudodiploid karyotype.

Direct cytogenetic analysis of primary neuroblastoma.

In this paper the results of cytogenetic analysis of a metastatic neuroblastoma from a 14-month-old boy are described. Direct cytogenetic analysis was performed on tumor pieces obtained from surgery prior to therapy. Consistent numerical and structural chromosome aberrations were identified. The modal chromosome number was 48, with 9.4% of the cell population being in the near-tetraploid range. In all karyotyped cells, the Y chromosome was missing and additions of chromosomes 7 and 14 were identified. Two rearranged #1 were observed: del(1)(p22 or p31) and t(1;18)(p22 or p31;q11-12), resulting in monosomy of the distal segment of the short arm and trisomy of the long arm. In two cells, single minutes were found; this chromosomal aberration has been previously described in a case of metastatic neuroblastoma.

Chromosomal analysis of two neuroblastomas.

We report the results of cytogenetic analysis in two children with neuroblastoma. The analysis was performed on slides obtained from a 24-hour bone marrow (BM) culture or by a direct method of the primary tumor tissue. The structural and numeric karyotype aberrations were established, including structural aberrations of chromosome 1. The finding of i(1q) and t(1;5)(p22;q13) is of interest because these chromosome aberrations are rare in this type of disease.

Simultaneous cell type identification and premature chromosome condensation analysis in a case of multiple myeloma.

The technique of premature chromosome condensation was combined with immunocytochemical techniques to determine the karyotype of the plasma cells in a patient with multiple myeloma. Although the patient's myeloma cells had a diploid DNA content, the mean chromosome number was 39. Multiple chromosome rearrangements were documented in the G- and C-banded G1 and G2 prematurely condensed chromosomes, and several of these involved telomeric regions resulting in dicentric chromosomes. That the aberrant karyotype was present in the kappa light chain positive plasma cells was proved by simultaneous chromosome analysis and immunocytochemical examination of the fused cells. Thus the combination of premature chromosome condensation and immunocytochemistry proved a powerful tool for cytogenetic analysis of a slow-growing, heterogeneous cell population.

Improvements in the premature chromosome condensation technique for cytogenetic analysis.

In this paper we report a combination of procedures that serve to improve the usefulness of the technique of premature chromosome condensation in cytogenetic investigations. The mitotic inducer population was preincubated in high concentrations of BrdU, and the duration of fusion was increased to yield more discrete prematurely condensed chromosomes (PCC). After fusion, chromosome preparations were treated with a combination of G- or C-banding techniques and differential staining techniques. This combination of procedures allowed unequivocal distinction between the PCC and mitotic inducer chromosomes and yielded banded G1 and G2 PCC suitable for routine cytogenetic investigations.