TREX-DM: a low-background Micromegas-based TPC for low-mass WIMP detection.

If Dark Matter is made of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) with masses below [Formula: see text] GeV, the corresponding nuclear recoils in mainstream WIMP experiments are of energies too close, or below, the experimental threshold. Gas Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) can be operated with a variety of target elements, offer good tracking capabilities and, on account of the amplification in gas, very low thresholds are achievable. Recent advances in electronics and in novel radiopure TPC readouts, especially micro-mesh gas structure (Micromegas), are improving the scalability and low-background prospects of gaseous TPCs. Here we present TREX-DM, a prototype to test the concept of a Micromegas-based TPC to search for low-mass WIMPs. The detector is designed to host an active mass of [Formula: see text] kg of Ar at 10 bar, or alternatively [Formula: see text] kg of Ne at 10 bar, with an energy threshold below 0.4 keVee, and is fully built with radiopure materials. We will describe the detector in detail, the results from the commissioning phase on surface, as well as a preliminary background model. The anticipated sensitivity of this technique may go beyond current experimental limits for WIMPs of masses of 2-8 GeV.

Search for solar axions by the CERN axion solar telescope with 3He buffer gas: closing the hot dark matter gap.

The CERN Axion Solar Telescope has finished its search for solar axions with (3)He buffer gas, covering the search range 0.64 eV ≲ ma ≲ 1.17 eV. This closes the gap to the cosmological hot dark matter limit and actually overlaps with it. From the absence of excess x rays when the magnet was pointing to the Sun we set a typical upper limit on the axion-photon coupling of gaγ ≲ 3.3 × 10(-10) GeV(-1) at 95% C.L., with the exact value depending on the pressure setting. Future direct solar axion searches will focus on increasing the sensitivity to smaller values of gaγ, for example by the currently discussed next generation helioscope International AXion Observatory.

Type III radical hysterectomy after induction chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery is a promising approach in locally advanced cervical carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, technical aspects, and clinical results of surgery after induction chemotherapy in this patient population. Forty-one untreated cervical carcinoma patients staged as IB2 to IIIB received three 21-day courses of cisplatin 100mg/m2 on day 1 and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 followed by surgery or concomitant chemoradiation. The response to chemotherapy, operability, surgical/pathological findings, disease-free period, and survival of the surgically treated patients were evaluated. All 41 patients were evaluated for toxicity and 40 were evaluated for response. The overall objective response rate was 95% (95% confidence interval 88%-100%), and was complete in three patients (7.5%) and partial in 35 (87.5%). Granulocytopenia grades 3/4 occurred in 13.8% and 3.4% of the courses, respectively, whereas nonhematological toxicity was mild. Twenty-three patients underwent type III radical hysterectomy. Mean duration of surgery was 3.8 h (range 2:30-5:20), median estimated blood loss was 670 ml and median hospital stay was 5.2 days. Intraoperative complications occurred in one case (venous injury). In all but one case the resection margins were negative. Four patients (17%) had positive nodes (one node each); six (26%) had complete pathologic response, three (13%) had microscopic; and 14 (60%) macroscopic residual disease. At 24 months of maximum follow-up (median 20), the disease-free and overall survival rates were 59% and 91%, respectively. Induction chemotherapy with cisplatin/gemcitabine produced a high response rate and did not increase the difficulty of surgery. Operating time, blood loss, intraoperative complications, and hospital stay were all within the range observed for type III hysterectomy in early stage patients. We therefore conclude that type III radical hysterectomy is feasible in locally advanced cervical cancer patients who respond to chemotherapy.

Human cervical cancer-associated nuclear matrix proteins.

The nuclear matrix is the nonchromatin protein structural component of the nucleus that governs nuclear shape and also exerts regulatory control over higher order gene organization. Recent studies have documented the presence of tumor-associated nuclear matrix proteins in several human cancers. We used high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to compare nuclear matrix protein patterns in cervical carcinomas with those from normal cervical tissue. Tumors obtained from 20 patients undergoing hysterectomy for clinically localized cervical cancer were compared with normal cervical tissue. We have identified five polypeptides (CvC-1: Mr = 69,408 Da, pI = 5. 78; CvC-2: Mr = 53,752 Da, pI = 5.54; CvC-3: Mr = 47,887 Da, pI = 5. 60; CvC-4: Mr = 46,006 Da, pI = 5.07; and CvC-5: Mr = 44,864 Da, pI = 6.61) in the nuclear matrix from cervical carcinomas that were present in 20 of 20 cervical tumors but 0 of 10 normal tissues. These data extend similar findings of cancer-associated nuclear matrix proteins in other human cancers and suggest that nuclear matrix proteins may represent a new class of cancer markers that could aid the diagnosis or management of some types of cancer.

[True hermaphroditism with bilateral ovotestis]. / Hermafroditismo verdadero con ovotestis bilateral.

A nineteen years old woman with ambiguous external genitalia was studied. This condition had been previously identified as a newborn, but her parents refused medical attention and it was reared as a girl. At 12-years, she began spontaneous mammary development, appearing pubic and axillary hair, and clitoral enlargement. The menarche occurred at 15-years and it was followed by irregular periods. Physical examination, showed absence of hirsutism and acne, normal mammary development equivalent to grade V of Tanner. The external genitalia showed fused labio-scrotal folds with an small introitus. The urethral meatus was absent and was later located inside the introitus. There was a big phallus similar to an adult penis with a normal glans, flexed by a chordee. Hormonal determinations discarded congenital adrenal hyperplasia. The karyotype was 46,XX and testosterone levels were in adult male range. Pelvic ultrasonography disclosed a normal uterus and both gonads in confirmed by laparoscopy identifying bilateral ovotestis. Testicular tissue was removed and plastic reconstruction of female genitals was done.

[Descriptive epidemiology cancer in the National Cancer Institute of Mexico]. / Epidemiología descriptiva de cáncer en el Instituto Nacional de Cancerología de México.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the descriptive epidemiology of cancer at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología of Mexico, and describe the characteristics of the growing demand for medical care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A review of the 10 year experience of the Hospital Cancer Registry from 1985 to 1994 was done. RESULTS: During the study period a total of 28591 patients was registered with the histological confirmation of cancer. There were 8984 (31.4%) men, being the testicle (8.3%), the lung (7.4%), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (7.1%) and the prostate (5.5%) the more frequent malignancies. In women a total of 19597 (68.6%) cases were seen; together, invasive cervical cancer (30.6%) and breast cancers (20.6%) represent more than 50% of all patients. In 1996, 108876 outpatient services were given, 6492 hospitalizations, 36388 sessions of radiotherapy and 9116 of chemotherapy. Only 30% of this population comes from Mexico City, the remaining lives in the 31 different states of Mexico. CONCLUSIONS: Supporting the development of the Centros Estatales de Cancerología for the referral of patients is necessary, this will avoid the rapid saturation of medical care at the institute. Also, stimulate the development of hospital registries and collaborate with the Ministry of Health to improve the early cancer detection programmes in Mexico.

Tratamiento del cáncer avanzado de la glándula mamaria con mitoxantrona, s-fluorouracilo y ciclofosfamida / Advanced breast cancer treatment with a combination of mitoxantrona, s-fluorouracil and ciclophosfamide

La combinación de mitoxantrona (M), 5-fluorouracilo (F) y ciclofosfamida (C), se administró como tratamiento inicial a 180 pacintes con cáncer avanzado de la glándula mamaria. Este estudio no comparativo se llevó a cabo en 7 diferentes instituciones médicas de Argentina, Brasil y México. Las dosis utilizadas fueron: mitoxantrona 12 mg/m2 i.v. día 1-21; 5-fluorouracilo 500 mg'm2 i.v. días 1-8-21 y ciclofosfamida 500 mg/m2 i.v. día 1-21. Las dosis se modificaron de acuerdo a la toxicidad presentada. En el 37% de los 1026 ciclos se presentó leucopenia <2000/mm3 y trombocitopenia <100,000/mm3 en el 16%. Náusea y vómito se presentaron en 82%, diarrea en el 27% y alopecia en el 74%. Respuesta global se observó en 88 de 147 pacientes valorables (60%); respuesta completa en 32 (21.8%) y respuesta parcial en 56 (38%), nos e observaron cambios en 38 (25.9%) y progresión en 21 (14.3%). La sobrevida promedio en este grupo fue de 25 meses; actualmente continúan con vida y sin evidencia de actividad tumoral, a más de 6 años, 24 (16.3%) de las pacientes. Aparte de la mielosupesión, en su mayoría neutropenia, la combinación MFC generalmente fue efectiva y bien tolerada con una baja incidencia de efectos secundarios. Se concluye que mitoxantrona en combinación con 5-fluorouracilo y ciclofosfamida, contribuyen a prolongar la sobrevida de las enfermas con cáncer mamario avanzado, mejorando la calidad de vida en un número importante de ellas. Se recomienda la combinación de MFC como esquema de priemra línea.

Simultaneous use of bleomycin and radiotherapy in malignant tumours of the head and neck.

Twenty cases originally diagnosed as epidermoid carcinoma were observed with a view to determining whether a combination of radiation and intravenous bleomycin promoted regression of the tumours and if so what effect this had on survival. Signs of local toxicity with this combination were also looked for. Five cases yielded what was considered to be an excellent response, nine cases gave a good response and six cases had a poor response. It is recommended that future studies be carried out in epidermoid carcinoma with this combination of radiotherapy and bleomycin.