Detection of single atoms and buried defects in three dimensions by aberration-corrected electron microscope with 0.5-A information limit.

The ability of electron microscopes to analyze all the atoms in individual nanostructures is limited by lens aberrations. However, recent advances in aberration-correcting electron optics have led to greatly enhanced instrument performance and new techniques of electron microscopy. The development of an ultrastable electron microscope with aberration-correcting optics and a monochromated high-brightness source has significantly improved instrument resolution and contrast. In the present work, we report information transfer beyond 50 pm and show images of single gold atoms with a signal-to-noise ratio as large as 10. The instrument's new capabilities were exploited to detect a buried Sigma3 {112} grain boundary and observe the dynamic arrangements of single atoms and atom pairs with sub-angstrom resolution. These results mark an important step toward meeting the challenge of determining the three-dimensional atomic-scale structure of nanomaterials.

Antitumor effect of combination of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and platinum (CAP) versus cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and 5-fluorouracil (CAF) in metastatic breast cancer.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antitumor effect of two drug combinations in disseminated breast cancer. Eighty-one patients divided into two groups entered this nonrandomized study. Group 1 included 32 patients treated with CAP combination: Cyclophosphamide--200 mg/m2 on days 1, 3 and 5 + adriamycin--40 mg/m2 on day 1 + cisplatin--30 mg/m2 on days 1, 3 and 5. Group 2 included 49 patients treated with CAF combination: Cyclophosphamide--100 mg/m2 on days 1 to 14 + adriamycin--30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 + 5-fluorouracil--500 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8. All patients had at least 2 courses of chemotherapy. In Group 1 the remission rate was 50% (16 patients) including 3 complete (9%) and 13 partial remissions (41%). In Group 2 the remission rate was 39% (18 patients) with 8 complete (16%) and 10 partial remissions (23%). The analysis of duration of the remissions showed a tendency towards longer duration after treatment with CAP combination (25 versus 15 months for the complete remissions, and 14 versus 11 months for the partial remissions).

Delayed hypersensitivity reactions in patients with breast cancer.

Fifty six patients with metastatic cancer of the breast (stage IV) were treated with Cyclophosphamide, 5-Fluorouracil and Cyclophosphamide + 5-Fluorouracil. Tests for delayed hypersensitivity to homologous tumor antigen before treatment were positive in 83.9% and negative in 16.1%. Response to DNCB was positive before treatment in 51.8% and negative in 48.2%. Following chemotherapy the skin reaction, to homologous tumor antigen remained positive, only in 12.6% and negative in 87.4%. The reaction of DNCB remained positive after treatment only in 17.8%. In the remaining 82.2% suppression of the reaction occurred. These data show that chemotherapy may suppress, to a certain excent, immune responses. It is established that among patients who have shown a positive reaction to homologous tumor antigen 55.3% of all cases have displayed objective response to the treatment, and among these with negative skin reactions objective responses were observed in 22.22% of all cases. In patients with positive DNCB reactions objective responses were observed in 79.3% and among the negative ones--in 37.4%.

[Chemotherapy of reactive exudative pleurisy in breast carcinoma]. / Khimioterapiia na reaktivniia eksudativen plevrit pri kartsinoma na mlechnata zhleza

An analysis is carried out and the results from the treatment of 84 patients with metastasized mammary gland carcinoma and reactive exudative pleurisy are reported. Monochemiotherapy is applied in 61 patients (73%), mainly with cyclphosphamide and combined (poly) chemiotherapy in 23 patients (27%). A favourable effect on the exudative pluerisy is established in 75 per cent of all the patients treated: in 77 per cent of the treated with monochemiotherapy and 70 per cent of the treated with combined (poly) chemiotherapy. Favourable effect on exudative pleurisy was observed in 80 per cent of the patients treated with cyclophosphamide and complete exudation resorption was achieved in 2/3 of them.