Positive irrational beliefs are associated with hypomanic personality.

Primary irrational beliefs, such as demanding about attaining personal goals, are a common trans-diagnostic factor involved in many emotional disorders. Although Bipolar Disorder (BPD) is a severe emotional disorder, little is known about the role of primary irrational beliefs in the risk of BPD. Given that the risk for mania is related to responses to positive rather than adverse events, we developed a measure of irrational beliefs in response to cues of positive events. This is the first study that examines the relationship between positive primary irrational beliefs and the risk of BPD. 119 participants completed an online survey including measures for the risk of BPD, irrational beliefs, positive irrational beliefs, mania-related cognitions, and mood measures (depressive and manic mood). Results revealed significant associations between the risk of BPD and positive primary irrational beliefs, irrational beliefs, positive generalization, and mood. Regression analyses revealed that positive primary irrational beliefs, such as demanding to attain significant goals in response to cues for positive events, uniquely predict the risk for BPD independently of mood, mania-related cognitions and irrational beliefs. These findings encourage the treatment approaches focused on restructuring primary irrational beliefs in response to positive situations to reduce the risk of BPD.

Impact of early palliative care on additional line of chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer patients: results from the randomized study OSS.

PURPOSE: The most appropriate criteria and timing for palliative care referral remain a critical issue, especially in patients with metastatic breast cancer for whom long-term chemosensibility and survival are observed. We aimed to compare the impact of early palliative care including formal concertation with oncologists on decision for an additional line of chemotherapy compared with usual oncology care. METHODS: This randomized prospective study enrolled adult women with metastatic breast cancer and visceral metastases with a 3rd- or 4th-line chemotherapy (CT). Patients received usual oncology care with a palliative care consultation only upon patient or oncologist request (standard group, S) or were referred to systematic palliative care consultation including a regular concertation between palliative care team and oncologists (early palliative care group, EPC). The primary endpoint was the rate of an additional CT (4th or 5th line) decision. Quality of life, symptoms, social support and satisfaction were self-evaluated at 6 and 12 months, at treatment discontinuation or 3 months after discontinuation. RESULTS: From January 2009 to November 2012, two authorized cancer centers included 98 women (EPC: 50; S: 48). Thirty-seven (77.1%, 95%CI 62.7-88%) patients in the EPC group had a subsequent chemotherapy prescribed and 36 (72.0%, 95%CI 57.5-83.8%) in the S group (p = 0.646). No differences in symptom control and global quality of life were observed, but less deterioration in physical functioning was reported in EPC (EPC: 0 [- 53-40]; S: - 6; 7 [- 60 to - 20]; p = 0.027). Information exchange and communication were significant improved in EPC (exchange, EPC: - 8.3 [- 30 to + 7]; S: 0.0 [- 17 to + 23]; p = 0.024; communication, EPC: 12.5 [- 8 to - 37]; S: 0.0 [- 21 to + 17]; p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: EPC in metastatic breast cancer patients did not impact the prescription rate of additional chemotherapy in patients a 3rd- or 4th-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer; however, EPC may contribute to alleviate deterioration in physical functioning, while facilitating communication. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT00905281, May 20, 2009.

First-line Bevacizumab and Paclitaxel for HER2-negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: A French Retrospective Observational Study.

AIM: To assess outcomes in patients treated with first-line bevacizumab-containing therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC) at a single centre with a homogenous standard-of-care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Information on patient and disease characteristics, efficacy, and safety was extracted from computer-based records of all patients receiving first-line bevacizumab-paclitaxel at the Curie Institute, Paris, France, between 2008 and 2011. RESULTS: Median progression-free survival in the 116 treated patients was 13.2 months; median overall survival was 38.4 months. Corresponding values were 9.0 and 18.8 months, respectively, in patients with triple-negative mBC, and 19.4 and 58.8 months, respectively, in patients receiving maintenance endocrine therapy. No new safety signals were seen. CONCLUSION: Outcomes in patients treated with bevacizumab-paclitaxel at our center were consistent with efficacy in prospective clinical trials, with notable activity in poor-prognosis disease. Maintenance endocrine or oral therapy with bevacizumab after paclitaxel discontinuation was associated with long-term disease control.

Supramolecular Orientation in Anisotropic Assemblies by Infrared Nanopolarimetry.

We report on the experimental characterization of anisotropic supramolecular assemblies by infrared (IR) nanopolarimetry. The presented IR absorption anisotropy imaging method simultaneously provides nanoscale-resolved insights into internal composition, intermolecular interactions, and supramolecular orientation in a label-free and noninvasive fashion. Our study of porphyrin aggregates demonstrates that their morphology can be correlated with stable J-type and metastable H-type stacking-induced anisotropic organization, revealing different oriented attachment growth mechanisms supported by theory. This analysis establishes the broad applicability of IR nanopolarimetric studies to supramolecular polymerization and biomolecular assemblies, opening up new routes in polymer science and macromolecular research.

Ocular adverse events of molecularly targeted agents approved in solid tumours: a systematic review.

When using molecularly targeted agents (MTAs), oncologists and patients face new and sometimes unexpected toxicities. Though ocular adverse events (OAEs) are not uncommon with chemotherapy, they are rarely severe or dose limiting. Ocular toxicity profile may differ with MTAs, indeed severe and dose limiting toxicities have been described with targeted therapies currently under investigation. Our study aimed to review OAEs experienced with MTAs approved in solid tumours. This review revealed that many OAEs, frequent and potentially severe, exist and concern most MTAs. The suggestion is prompt referral of patients with severe pain and/or visual impairment to the ophthalmologist since these symptoms can be associated with potentially severe OAE and need ophthalmic assessment. Oncologists must be aware of such events and their potential severity for better treatment and better diagnosis in daily practice as well as in clinical trials.

Heterogeneity in the definition of dose-limiting toxicity in phase I cancer clinical trials of molecularly targeted agents: a review of the literature.

AIM: There is no consensus about what constitutes a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) in phase I cancer clinical trials. We aimed to evaluate how DLTs are defined in phase I trials of molecularly targeted agents (MTA). METHODS: We retrieved all phase I trials testing monotherapy with an MTA published over the last decade. In each trial, all items used to define DLTs were recorded. RESULTS: Reports of 155 phase I trials evaluating 111 different MTAs were reviewed. The most frequent determinant of whether a toxicity was regarded as a DLT was severity, usually assessed using the NCI CTCAE classification. However, for any given toxicity, there was substantial variability in the degree of severity required for a toxicity to be considered a DLT. Specifications about minimum duration of toxicity, degree of reversibility, the need to delay treatment and to reduce dose-intensity because of toxicity were infrequently incorporated in the definition of DLT. The definition of DLT varied with administration schedule. Discrepancies between the initial and the final definition of DLT were reported in 25% of trials. CONCLUSIONS: While our results do not support a standardisation of the definition of DLT, the inclusion of following specifications in its definition when relevant would reduce the heterogeneity observed across trials: (1) DLT assessment period, (2) absolute severity according to NCI CTCAE classification as well as severity relative to baseline status, (3) minimum duration of toxicity, (4) reversibility of toxicity within a certain period of time, and (5) necessity to delay treatment or to reduce dose-intensity.

Structural and optical properties of DNA layers covalently attached to diamond surfaces.

Label-free detection of DNA molecules on chemically vapor-deposited diamond surfaces is achieved with spectroscopic ellipsometry in the infrared and vacuum ultraviolet range. This nondestructive method has the potential to yield information on the average orientation of single as well as double-stranded DNA molecules, without restricting the strand length to the persistence length. The orientational analysis based on electronic excitations in combination with information from layer thicknesses provides a deeper understanding of biological layers on diamond. The pi-pi* transition dipole moments, corresponding to a transition at 4.74 eV, originate from the individual bases. They are in a plane perpendicular to the DNA backbone with an associated n-pi* transition at 4.47 eV. For 8-36 bases of single- and double-stranded DNA covalently attached to ultra-nanocrystalline diamond, the ratio between in- and out-of-plane components in the best fit simulations to the ellipsometric spectra yields an average tilt angle of the DNA backbone with respect to the surface plane ranging from 45 degrees to 52 degrees . We comment on the physical meaning of the calculated tilt angles. Additional information is gathered from atomic force microscopy, fluorescence imaging, and wetting experiments. The results reported here are of value in understanding and optimizing the performance of the electronic readout of a diamond-based label-free DNA hybridization sensor.