Potential of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect metastasis in axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer

Focused pathological evaluation of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer is gaining importance. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy that assesses the whole of the specimen has the potential in evaluating micrometastases. The biochemical changes associated with breast cancer metastases in axillary nodes by in vitro NMR and its use in the detection of axillary metastases in a clinical setting in comparison with conventional histopathology is presented in this study. Eighty-eight lymph nodes obtained from 30 patients with breast cancer were investigated. Histopathology revealed metastases in 20 nodes from 11 patients, while in vitro NMR spectroscopy revealed metastases in 22 nodes. Out of these 22 nodes, 16 were the same, which showed metastases on histopathology, while 6 nodes have shown metastases only on in vitro magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). These 6 nodes with suspicion of metastases on MRS were subjected to reevaluation with serial sectioning and immunohistochemistry, but no additional metastases were revealed. Forty metabolites could be identified from the MR spectrum of lymph nodes. The levels of the glycerophosphocholine-phosphocholine (GPC-PC), choline, lactate, alanine and uridine diphosphoglucose were elevated significantly in nodes with metastases. In addition, the intensity ratio of GPC-PC/threonine (Thr) was higher in nodes with metastases, and using this as marker, MRS detected the axillary metastases with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 80%, 91% and 88%, respectively. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) lowered the concentrations of GPC-PC and GPC-PC/Thr ratio. The accuracy of MRS in detecting metastases was 75% in patients who received NACT (n=9) as compared to 96% in those who did not (n=21). Our results demonstrate the potential of in vitro MRS in characterizing the metabolite profile of the axillary nodes with breast cancer metastases. It detected axillary metastases with reasonable accuracy and can be complementary to histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemistry.     

Cumulant functions in optical coherence theory

Cumulant functions are introduced to describe the statistical state of a radiation field. These functions are simply related to the optical coherence functions but have some interesting features. It is shown that if the cumulant functions of all orders greater than some numberN ₀ vanish then they also vanish for all orders greater than 2. Thermal field is the only field having this property. This property holds whether the field is described by a classical stochastic process or by a quantum density operator. Further the particular operator ordering used in defining these cumulant functions for the quantized field affects only the second order cumulant function. To describe the statistical state of a vector field such as partially polarized or unpolarized radiation, one would need to introduce cumulant tensors.     

Reaction48Ca (p,n)48Sc fromE p =1.885 to 5.1 MeV

The total (p, n) reaction cross section for⁴⁸Ca has been measured as a function of proton energy in the energy range 1.885 to 5.100 MeV with an overall resolution of ∼ 2 keV and in ∼ 5 keV energy steps. The fluctutions in fine resolution data have been analysed to determine the average coherence width 〈Γ〉. The excitation function averaged over large energy intervals has been analyzed in terms of the optical model. The isobaric analogue resonances atE _p ∼ 1.95 and 4 MeV have been shape-analyzed to extract the proton partial width and the spectroscopic factorS _n . A comparison of the gross structures observed in ∼ 55 keV averaged excitation function with the predictions of Izumo’s partial equilibrium model has also been made.     

Combined free and forced convection for laminar flow in vertical triangular channel with internal heat generation

The problem of combined, natural and forced convection for the laminar flow in a vertical channel of equilateral triangular cross-section is discussed. Internal heat generation is assumed to be uniform. The coupled equations in velocity and temperature are solved using equitriangular transform. Expressions for pressure drop parameter and Nusselt number are obtained and their behaviour for different values of Rayleigh number and heat generation function, is studied.     

Hybrid systems through natural product leads: an approach towards new molecular entities

Hybrid systems are constructs of different molecular entities, natural or unnatural, to generate functional molecules in which the characteristics of various components are modulated, amplified or give rise to entirely new properties. These hybrids can be designed from carefully selected components either through domain integration of key structural/functional features or via straightforward covalent linkages. Some of the recently reported hybrid systems based on steroid, carbohydrate, C60-fullerene platforms, amongst others, mainly crafted with the object of enhancement of the therapeutical spectrum, will be discussed.     

The problem of the relation between double pomeron exchange in inclusive and exclusive experiments

The pionization region of the inclusive single-particle spectrum is accounted for by double pomeron exchange in the absorptive part of a six-point amplitude. In this paper a multiperipheral model for the six-point amplitude with double pomeron exchange is used for continuation by crossing and analyticity to the physical region of the exclusive two particle → four particle production process. The cross section for π^? p → π^?(π⁺π^?)p in the double-Regge region is then calculated and compared with the experimental analysis of Lipes, Zweig and Robertson which sets an upper bound to the strength of the double pomeron exchange coupling. This upper bound, coupled with the model for continuation to the inclusive cross section, is shown to give too small a magnitude for the double pomeron exchange in the pionization region. Further avenues for investigation are discussed.     

Cubyl-caged systems: regiochemical steering of cationic rearrangements by distal groups

Novel carbonium ion rearrangements of substituted 1,3-bishomocubanones $\text{3}$ & $\text{4}$ to tricyclo(4.2.0.0^3,8)octane and bicyclo(3.2.1)octane ring systems are reported.     

On the fluxional behaviour of a polycyclic (4.4.2) propella-2,4-diene

Existence of bicyclo (4.2.0) octa-2,4-diene ? 1,3,5-cyclooctatriene type of valence isomerisation in a polycyclic propellane framework has been demonstrated through cycloaddition and thermolysis reactions.     

Rotational-echo double resonance of uniformly labeled 13C clusters

The use of rotational-echo double resonance NMR to measure distances from an observed tightly coupled cluster of 13C spins to a distant 15N, 31P, or 19F is practical if 13C chemical shifts and homonuclear 13C-13C isotropic J interactions are refocused by a combination of rotor-synchronized 13C pi and pi/2 pulses. This scheme is illustrated by experiments performed on diluted and recrystallized L-[13C(3),15N]alanine and L-[13C(6),alpha-15N]histidine.     

Kinetics and hydrothermal transformation of gibbsite

The transformation of gibbsite have been studied under hydrothermal influence. Results of the X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples heated at different temperatures from 170°C to 265°C are also discussed in detail. The percentage of the boehmite phase formed, due to the transformation of the gibbsite, have been determined by comparing the intensity of the most strongest reflection of the boehmite phase with a fully transformed sample. The activation energy value calculated form X-ray diffractograms is almost comparable with the value calculated from main DTA endotherm of gibbsite.Es wurde die Umwandlung von Gibbsit unter hydrothermalem Einfluß untersucht. Weiterhin werden auch Ergebnisse der Röntgendiffraktionsanalyse an den bei verschiedenen Temperaturen zwischen 170°C und 265°C erhitzten Proben besprochen. Durch Vergleich der Intensität der stärksten Reflexion der Böhmitphase mit einer vollständig umgewandelten Probe wurde der prozentuelle Anteil der während der Umwandlung von Gibbsit gebildeten Böhmitphase bestimmt. Der Wert für die Aktivierungsenergie, berechnet aus den Röntgendiffraktogrammen ist annähernd vergleichbar mit dem aus der DTA von Gibbsit berechneten Wert.

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RRL Contribution No. 2028.