[A Case of Recurrent Breast Cancer with Carcinomatous Pleurisy Successfully Treated with Paclitaxel and Bevacizumab after Radical Mastectomy].

A 61-year-old postmenopausal woman with breast cancer and carcinomatous pleurisy was successfully treated with bevacizumab and paclitaxel. In December 2008, after receiving preoperative chemotherapy consisting of q3w 4 cycles of EC (E: 90 mg/m2, C: 600 mg/m2) and 12 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2), the patient underwent modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection for right breast cancer. Pathological examination showed residual tumor cells and lymph node metastasis (pT4bN2M0, Stage III b). In July 2012, 3 and a half years later, she complained of a cough and dyspnea. Chest X-ray and computed tomography scans showed a pleural effusion involving the entire left thoracic cavity, indicating carcinomatous pleurisy. Bevacizumab and paclitaxel therapy was initiated. Soon thereafter, the pleural fluid disappeared, tumor marker levels decreased, and symptoms were ameliorated. After 6 cycles of bevacizumab and paclitaxel therapy, the patient continuously received 3 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2). Two years and 4 months since the diagnosis, she has remained free of carcinomatous pleurisy recurrence. She is currently receiving hormone therapy on an outpatient basis. Bevacizumab and paclitaxel therapy is potentially effective for the treatment of patients with carcinomatous pleurisy, providing a chance for long-term survival.

Breakdown of time-temperature superposition in a bead-spring polymer melt near the glass transition temperature.

The breakdown of the time−temperature superposition (TTS) near its glass transition temperature (T(g)) in simple bead−spring polymer melts with and without the chain angle potential was numerically investigated. The stress relaxation modulus at different temperatures G(t,T) was calculated by the Green−Kubo relation. The TTS of G (t,T) of bead−spring polymer melts worked well at temperatures sufficiently higher than its T(g). However, when the system temperature is approaching the glass transition regime, the breakdown of TTS is observed. At temperatures near the Tg,the temperature dependence of the shift factor (a(TB)), which is defined on the time scale between the bond relaxation and the chain relaxation regimes of a G(t) function, is significantly stronger than ones (a(TA)) defined by the time scale of the chain relaxation modes. The analysis of the van Hove function G(s)(r,t) and non-Gaussian parameter, α(2)(t), of the bead motions strongly suggests that the TTS breakdown is concerned with the dynamic heterogeneity. The effect of the chain stiffness on the temperature dependence of the shift factors was also investigated in this study. The stiffer chains melt has a stronger temperature dependence of the shift factors than the ones of the flexible chains melt. However, regardless of the chain stiffness, the stress relaxation modulus functions of the bead−spring polymer melts will begin to break down the TTS at a similar T(g)-normalized temperature (T/T(g)).

Oxygenative Cleavage of Chlorocatechols with Molecular Oxygen Catalyzed by Non-Heme Iron(III) Complexes and Its Relevance to Chlorocatechol Dioxygenases.

The degradation of halogenated arenes, which are considered as hazardous compounds from a toxicological and environmental point of view, can be effected by non-heme iron enzymes such as chlorocatechol dioxygenases. In principle, this process of biological oxygenation mimics the reaction of the iron complex shown below [Eq. (a); Py=2-pyridyl].