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Patient preference for radiotherapy fractionation schedule in the palliation of painful bone metastases.

PURPOSE: The radiotherapeutic management of painful bone metastases is controversial, with several institutional and national guidelines advocating use of single-fraction radiotherapy. We aimed to determine patient choice of fractionation schedule after involvement in the decision-making process by use of a decision board. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Advantages and disadvantages of two fractionation schedules (24 Gy in six fractions v 8 Gy in one fraction) used in the randomized Dutch Bone Metastasis Study were discussed with patients using a decision board. Patients were asked to choose a fractionation schedule, to give reasons for their choice, and to indicate level of satisfaction with being involved in decision making. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were entered. Eighty-five percent (95% confidence interval, 74% to 93%) chose 24 Gy in six fractions over 8 Gy in one fraction (P <.0005). Variables including age, sex, performance status, tumor type, pain score, and paying class were not significantly related to patient choice. Multiple fractionation was chosen for lower re-treatment rates (92%) and fewer fractures (32%). Single-fraction treatment was chosen for cost (11%) and convenience (89%). Eighty-four percent of patients expressed positive opinions about being involved in the decision-making process. CONCLUSION: Decision board instruments are feasible and acceptable in an Asian population. The vast majority of patients preferred 24 Gy fractionated radiotherapy compared with a single fraction of 8 Gy. These results indicate the need for further research in this important area and serve to remind both clinicians and national or institutional policy makers of the importance of individual patient preference in treatment decision making.

Analysis of Variance↗

Initial rates of degradation of protein fractions from fresh, wilted, and ensiled alfalfa.

Initial rates of in vitro degradation of alfalfa proteins were studied. Fresh, 24-h wilted, and ensiled forages were homogenized before analysis for total proteins. Some of the homogenates were fractionated by differential solubility in 10 and 40% ammonium sulfate, followed by ultrafiltration of the 40% salt-saturated solution. The protein fractions obtained were chloroplast membrane proteins (fraction 3), soluble proteins from plant cell cytoplasm and the chloroplast (fraction 2), and proteins remaining soluble in the extracted 40% salt-saturated solution (fraction 2B), respectively. Total and fraction 3 silage proteins were degraded faster than the respective fresh and wilted proteins. There were no treatment effects on the rates of degradation of the soluble proteins of fractions 2 and 2B. Protein fractions from fresh and 24-h wilted alfalfa degraded, from greatest to least, in the following order: fractions 2, 2B, and 3. Degradation rates for fractions 2 and 2B of ensiled forages were similar but greater than that of fraction 3. Alfalfa proteins were degraded rapidly in the rumen, and soluble proteins were degraded faster than the chloroplast membrane proteins. Ensiling of alfalfa increased the rate of degradation of chloroplast membrane proteins, but neither wilting nor ensiling affected degradation rates of the soluble protein fractions 2 and 2B.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

Gamma knife radiosurgery as a primary treatment for prolactinomas.

OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to estimate the efficacy of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in controlling tumor growth and endocrinopathy associated with prolactinomas. METHODS: Between 1993 and 1997, 164 of 469 patients with pituitary adenomas treated by GKS harbored prolactinomas. The dose to the tumor margin ranged from 9 to 35 Gy (mean 31.2 Gy), and the visual pathways were exposed to a dose of less than 10 Gy. The mean tumor diameter was 13.4 mm. The mean follow-up time for 128 cases was 33.2 months (range 6-72 months). Tumor control was observed in all but two patients who underwent surgery 18 and 36 months, respectively, after GKS. Clinical cure was achieved in 67 cases. Clinical improvement was noted with a decrease in the hyperprolactinemia after GKS. Nonetheless, in 31 (29%) of 108 patients who were followed for more than 2 years no improvement in serum prolactin levels was demonstrated, although this could be normalized by bromocriptine administration after treatment. Nine infertile women became pregnant 2 to 13 months after GKS and all gave birth to normal children. There was no visual deterioration related to GKS. Five women experienced premature menopause. In these patients there was subtotal disappearance of the tumor and an empty sella developed. CONCLUSIONS: Gamma knife radiosurgery as a primary treatment for prolactinomas can be safe and effective both for controlling tumor growth and for normalization of prolactin hypersecretion. A higher margin dose (> or = 30 Gy) seemed to be associated with a better clinical outcome. Gamma knife radiosurgery may make prolactinomas more sensitive to the bromocriptine.

Humans↗

Impact of prolonged fraction dose-delivery time modeling intensity-modulated radiation therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma cell killing.

AIM: To explore the impact of prolonged fraction dose-delivery time modeling intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) on cell killing of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 and Hep3B cell lines. METHODS: The radiobiological characteristics of human HCC HepG2 and Hep3b cell lines were studied with standard clonogenic assays, using standard linear-quadratic model and incomplete repair model to fit the dose-survival curves. The identical methods were also employed to investigate the biological effectiveness of irradiation protocols modeling clinical conventional fractionated external beam radiotherapy (EBRT, fraction delivery time 3 min) and IMRT with different prolonged fraction delivery time (15, 30, and 45 min). The differences of cell surviving fraction irradiated with different fraction delivery time were tested with paired t-test. Factors determining the impact of prolonged fraction delivery time on cell killing were analyzed. RESULTS: The alpha/ beta and repair half-time (T(1/2)) of HepG2 and Hep3b were 3.1 and 7.4 Gy, and 22 and 19 min respectively. The surviving fraction of HepG2 irradiated modeling IMRT with different fraction delivery time was significantly higher than irradiated modeling EBRT and the cell survival increased more pronouncedly with the fraction delivery time prolonged from 15 to 45 min, while no significant differences of cell survival in Hep3b were found between different fraction delivery time protocols. CONCLUSION: The prolonged fraction delivery time modeling IMRT significantly decreased the cell killing in HepG2 but not in Hep3b. The capability of sub-lethal damage repair was the predominant factor determining the cell killing decrease. These effects, if confirmed by clinical studies, should be considered in designing IMRT treatments for HCC.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

Effects of freezing and storage on subcellular fractionation of guinea pig and human brain.

Subcellular fractionations were carried out on guinea pig and human brains. Distributions of protein marker enzymes, and galactolipids were examined with guinea pig cerebral cortex that was (Group I) homogenized immediately; (Group II) stored 3 to 5 days at -70 degrees C prior to homogenization; (Group III) stored 3 to 6 months; (Group IV) homogenized after 3 h at R.T. and 16 to 18 h at 4 degrees C and then stored at -70 degrees C for 7 to 9 months. Human frontal lobe obtained at autopsy was fractionated immediately (Group V) or stored at -70 degrees C for 5 to 8 months prior to fractionation (Group VI). Protein recoveries in myelin, microsomal, synaptosomal, and supernatant fractions were decreased in brains that were not frozen for several hours prior to storage (Groups IV-VI). SDH and MAO recoveries in the nuclear and free mitochondrial fractions were increased in these groups. AChE, a membrane marker, was also increased in the free mitochondrial fractions in Groups IV-VI, suggesting increased contamination of mitochondria by synaptosomal membrane fragments. Arylsulfatase, a lysosomal enzyme, was decreased in the free mitochondrial fraction with freezing, but the distributions in tissues not frozen for several hours showed only an increase in the nuclear fraction and a decrease in the microsomal fraction. Freezing brought about an increase in supernatant LDH and a decrease in this enzyme in the free mitochondrial fractions. Total galactolipid contents in synaptosomal and free mitochondrial fractions were increased by freezing and storage. Though some redistribution of enzymes takes place, meaningful subcellular fractions can be obtained after storage of fresh and postmortem brain tissues.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of rice proteins by polyethylene glycol fractionation for protein arrays.

Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) is known as the most effective as well as one of the simplest methods for separating proteins. However, a few hundred plant leaf proteins out of thousands visualized on a 2-DE gel can be identified by chemical analysis due to the presence of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) that limits protein loading. We describe the extraction and fractionation technique with polyethylene glycol (PEG) to analyze rice leaf proteins. Rice proteins were extracted with Mg/NP-40 extraction buffer. The Mg/Nonidet P-40 (NP-40) buffer extract was further fractionated with PEG into three fractions: 10% PEG and 10-20% PEG precipitants and the final supernatant fraction that was precipitated with acetone. Rubisco, the most abundant rice leaf protein, was enriched in the 20% PEG precipitant. This fractionation technique analyzed at least 2,600 well-separated protein spots and exhibited less than 1.2% of noticeable overlapping spots. An immunological approach was used to verify the efficiency whether PEG fractionation technique can detect or enrich signal transduction components such as Galpha, ADP ribosylation factor, small GTP binding protein and 14-3-3. The ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) and Galpha were only detected in the PEG supernatant fraction not in the total protein fraction. The small GTP binding protein (Rab 7) was identified in the 10% PEG fraction and only faintly in the total protein fraction. The 14-3-3 protein was detected in all fractions but was especially prevalent in the 20% PEG fraction.

Blotting, Western↗

Relaxant effects of different fractions of essential oil from Carum copticum on guinea pig tracheal chains.

In previous studies, the relaxant and anticholinergic (functional antagonism), histamine(H1) inhibitory, and xanthine-like activity effect of Carum copticum have been demonstrated on guinea pig tracheal chains. To investigate the effective component(s) of this plant, responsible for the observed bronchodilatory effect, fractionation of the essential oil from Carum copticum was carried out and the relaxant effects of different fractions were examined in this study. The bronchodilatory effect of different fractions of essential oil from Carum copticum and theophylline in comparison with ethanol was examined by their relaxant effects on precontracted tracheal chains of guinea pig by 60 mM KCl (group 1) and 10 microM methacholine in two different conditions including: non-incubated tissues (group 2) and incubated tissues with 1 microM propranolol and 1 microM chlorpheniramine (group 3). In addition the relaxant effect of carvacrol was also examined on precontracted tracheal chains of guinea pig by 10 microM methacholine (group 4), (for each group, n = 5). In group 1 experiments, only theophylline and fraction 2 showed significant relaxant effect compared to that of ethanol. Fraction 2 and 3 of essential oil from carum copticum showed potent and volume (concentration) dependent relaxant effects comparable to that of theophylline in groups 2 and 3 experiments. The relaxant effects of different volumes of these two fractions were significantly higher than that of ethanol (p < 0.05 to p < 0.002 ). The volumes of fraction 1 showed relatively small relaxant effects in groups 2 and 3 experiments which were not significantly different from that of ethanol. However, the relaxant effect of different volumes of fractions 2 and 3 obtained in group 2 experiments were not significantly different from those of group 3 experiments. The volumes of fraction 4 did not show any relaxant effects. In addition volumes of carvacrol also showed comparable relaxant effect with those of fraction 2 and theophylline which was significantly greater than that of ethanol. These results indicate that the relaxant effect of essential oil from carum copticum is mainly due to its fraction 2 which is presumably carvacrol and to lesser extent due to fraction 3, and their relaxant effects are not due to anticholinergic or beta-adrenegic stimulatory effects.

Animals↗

Semi-automatic segmentation of gated blood pool emission tomographic images by watersheds:application to the determination of right and left ejection fractions.

Tomographic multi-gated blood pool scintigraphy (TMUGA) is a widely available method which permits simultaneous assessment of right and left ventricular ejection fractions. However, the widespread clinical use of this technique is impeded by the lack of segmentation methods dedicated to an automatic analysis of ventricular activities. In this study we evaluated how a watershed algorithm succeeds in providing semi-automatic segmentation of ventricular activities in order to measure right and left ejection fractions by TMUGA. The left ejection fractions of 30 patients were evaluated both with TMUGA and with planar multi-gated blood pool scintigraphy (PMUGA). Likewise, the right ejection fractions of 25 patients were evaluated with first-pass scintigraphy (FP) and with TMUGA. The watershed algorithm was applied to the reconstructed slices in order to group together the voxels whose activity came from one specific cardiac cavity. First, the results of the watershed algorithm were compared with manual drawing around left and right ventricles. Left ejection fractions evaluated by TMUGA with the watershed procedure were not significantly different (p=0. 30) from manual outlines whereas a small but significant difference was found for right ejection fractions (p=0.004). Then right and left ejection fractions evaluated by TMUGA (with the semi-automatic segmentation procedure) were compared with the results obtained by FP or PMUGA. Left ventricular ejection fractions evaluated by TMUGA showed an excellent correlation with those evaluated by PMUGA (r=0. 93; SEE=5.93%; slope=0.99; intercept = 4.17%). The measurements of these ejection fractions were significantly higher with TMUGA than with PMUGA (P<0.01). The interoperator variability for the measurement of left ejection fractions by TMUGA was 4.6%. Right ventricular ejection fractions evaluated by TMUGA showed a good correlation with those evaluated by FP (r = 0.81; SEE = 6.68%; slope = 1.00; intercept = 0.85%) and were not significantly different (P = 0.42). The interoperator variability with TMUGA was 6.7% for the right ventricle. Thus, the watershed algorithm proposed is an efficient segmentation tool for the semi-automatic analysis of right and left ventricular ejection fractions by TMUGA. Further studies are necessary to check whether this procedure can be used to evaluate ventricular volumes and cardiac outflow.

Algorithms↗

The contribution of water soluble and water insoluble organic fractions to oxygen uptake rate during high rate composting.

This study aims to establish the contribution of the water soluble and water insoluble organic fractions to total oxygen uptake rate during high rate composting process of a mixture of organic fraction of municipal solid waste and lignocellulosic material. This mixture was composted using a 20 l self-heating pilot scale composter for 250 h. The composter was fully equipped to record both the biomass-temperature and oxygen uptake rate. Representative compost samples were taken at 0, 70, 100, 110, 160, and 250 h from starting time. Compost samples were fractionated in water soluble and water insoluble fractions. The water soluble fraction was then fractionated in hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and neutral hydrophobic fractions. Each fraction was then studied using quantitative (total organic carbon) and qualitative analysis (diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy and biodegradability test). Oxygen uptake rates were high during the initial stages of the process due to rapid degradation of the soluble degradable organic fraction (hydrophilic plus hydrophobic fractions). Once this fraction was depleted, polymer hydrolysis accounted for most of the oxygen uptake rate. Finally, oxygen uptake rate could be modeled using a two term kinetic. The first term provides the oxygen uptake rate resulting from the microbial growth kinetic type on easily available, no-limiting substrate (soluble fraction), while the second term considers the oxygen uptake rate caused by the degradation of substrate produced by polymer hydrolysis.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

Serial measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction by radionuclide angiography early and late after myocardial infarction.

The left ventricular ejection fraction was determined serially with radioisotope angiography in 63 patients with acute myocardial infarction. After the peripheral injection of a bolus of technetium-99m, precordial radioactivity was recorded with a gamma scintillation camera and the ejection fraction calculated from the high frequency left ventricular time-activity curve. Since this technique requires no assumptions with respect to left ventricular geometry, it is particularly useful in patients with segmental left ventricular dysfunction. Serial measurements during the first 5 days after hospital admission were made in 50 patients, 30 of whom were studied during the subsequent 2 to 39 months (mean 19.9 months). Late follow-up serial studies were also performed in an additional 13 patients who had only one measurement of the left ventricular ejection fraction during the early postinfarction period. Early after infarction, the left ventricular ejection fraction was normal (more than 0.52) in only 15 of the 63 patients, and averaged 0.52 +/- 0.05 (standard deviation) in the 27 patients with an uncomplicated infarct. The ejection fraction was reduced in 24 patients with mild to moderate left ventricular failure (0.40 +/- 0.05, P less than 0.0001) and in the 12 patients with overt pulmonary edema (0.33 +/- 0.07, P less than 0.0001). In 35 patients the ejection fraction correlated with the mean pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (r = 0.72). In 15 patients with normal left ventricular wall motion by heart motion videotracking, the ejection fraction was significantly higher (0.53 +/- 0.08) than in the 26 patients with regional left ventricular dysfunction (0.41 +/- 0.10, P less than 0.0001). During the early postinfarction period, the left ventricular ejection fraction improved in 55 percent of patients and remained unchanged or decreased in 45 percent. A further increase in the ejection fraction was noted in 61 percent of patients during the late follow-up period. Patients with an initially low or decreasing ejection fraction had a significantly greater incidence of early mortality and left ventricular dysfunction (P less than 0.02) than those whose ejection fraction was normal or improved to normal early after infarction. These data indicate that the ejection fraction is a sensitive indicator of left ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction and that serial measurements are helpful in predicting early mortality and morbidity.

Acute Disease↗

The relationship between alpha-tocopherol and phospholipid fatty acids in rat liver subcellular membrane fractions.

(1) A method was devised for the subfractionation of normal rat liver and for the subfractionation of the mitochondrial fraction into inner and outer membrane fractions. The purity of the fractions was assessed using marker enzyme measurements. (2) alpha-Tocopherol was measured in all the fractions by a sensitive HPLC technique. Profiles of phospholipid fatty acids were also determined by gas-liquid chromatography in all the fractions, and these values were calculated in terms of the percentage of each fatty acid in the total fatty acid of the fraction, as well as of the mass of each fatty acid per mumol of phospholipid phosphorus. Tocopherol values were expressed as the mass of tocopherol per g wet liver and per mumol of phospholipid phosphorus. (3) The results show that the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions were the major tocopherol-containing fractions, and both the inner and outer mitochondrial fractions contained substantial amounts of alpha-tocopherol. (4) The mitochondrial and microsomal fractions also had the highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in their phospholipid fraction, especially 20:4 and 22:6, which were particularly localised in the inner mitochondrial membrane fraction. The high inner mitochondrial and microsomal PUFA levels were particularly apparent when the sum of all the unsaturated fatty acids with three or more double bonds was calculated. (5) Calculation of molar ratios of of some phospholipid fatty acids to alpha-tocopherol gave values of the order of several thousand to one. (6) It is concluded that the protective effect of each molecule of alpha-tocopherol must be exerted towards a large number of molecules of membrane unsaturated fatty acids simultaneously. This perhaps implies specific localisation of tocopherol in regions of membrane particularly liable to attack, such as might be expected to occur close to respiratory enzymes that can donate electrons to molecular oxygen.

Animals↗

Modulation of prolactin binding sites in vitro by membrane fluidizers. IV. Differential effects on plasma membrane and Golgi fractions of male prostate and female liver in the rat.

In vitro treatment of crude particulate fractions of male rat ventral prostate and female rat liver with membrane fluidizers (aliphatic alcohols) has been previously reported by us to increase prolactin (PRL) receptor levels, presumably by unmasking cryptic prolactin receptors. The objective of this study was to determine if similar in vitro treatment of purified plasma membrane- and Golgi-rich fractions of male rat prostate and female rat liver with ethanol produced differential effects on prolactin binding in these two subcellular fractions. The degree of fluidization was monitored by a fluorescence polarization method using 1,6-diphenylhexatriene. 125I-PRL specific binding to Golgi-rich fractions of male ventral prostate and female liver was approximately 4-fold higher than that observed in plasma membrane-rich fractions. The microviscosity parameter, inversely related to lipid fluidity, was consistently lower in Golgi-rich fractions than that in plasma membrane-rich fractions in both prostate and liver. In vitro ethanol treatment of prostatic and hepatic plasma membrane fractions produced a dose-related increase and then decline in prolactin binding and a maximal (60-75%) increase in prolactin binding was observed at 4.8% and 2.0% ethanol in prostatic and hepatic membranes, respectively. This in vitro treatment also produced a significant increase in apparent lipid fluidity of plasma membrane-rich fractions of prostate gland and liver. However, similar in vitro ethanol treatment of Golgi fractions of both prostate gland and liver exhibited little increase in prolactin binding without changing microviscosity. Our observations are consistent with the direct relationship between membrane fluidity and prolactin receptor levels. The changes in prostatic and hepatic plasma membrane fractions following in vitro ethanol treatment suggest that prolactin receptors located on the plasma membranes may be modulated (via membrane lipid microviscosity changes) in vivo to a greater extent by various physiological agents than those located within the Golgi fraction.

Animals↗

Accelerated fractionation radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer, acute, and late toxicity.

The acute toxicity of an accelerated radiotherapy scheme was compared with a conventional schedule. Eighteen patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx were treated with accelerated fractionation radiotherapy. An average reduction of overall treatment time of 11 days was accomplished by giving 2 fractions a day during the last part of the treatment. Total dose and fraction dose were left unchanged. Acute reactions of skin and mucosa in these patients were compared with those in 40 patients treated with a conventional fractionation scheme, that is, 2 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week, to a total dose of 64-70 Gy. Acute reactions were maximal between 5 and 7 weeks after the start of treatment. Complete healing occurred within 3 months in all patients. Mucosal reactions and, as a consequence, dysphagia were clearly increased in those patients treated with accelerated fractionation. For confluent mucositis an ED50 of 66 Gy was calculated compared to 69 Gy for conventional fractionation. To a lesser degree, skin toxicity was also enhanced in the patients treated with the accelerated schedule. Severe edema of the laryngeal mucosa occurred only in patients treated to a total dose of 68 or 70 Gy and was somewhat more frequent with accelerated fractionation (4/10) than with conventional fractionation (4/24). One patient in the accelerated fractionation group underwent laryngectomy for persistent edema and laryngeal necrosis. No severe late skin reactions were observed. It can be concluded that the fractionation schedule tested in this study is feasible. Further shortening of overall treatment time without reduction of total dose will likely lead to unacceptable acute and, possibly, also late toxicity.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Technologically indicative properties of straw fractions of flax, linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) and fibre hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).

In this study of the behaviour of the fractions of unretted and frost-retted fibre straws in damp air, a production scale method to separate fibre and shive from fibre plants was introduced and tested on bast fibre plants (Linum usitatissimum L. and Cannabis sativa L.). The method consists of optional drying of stalks, unloading bales, milling the straws with a hammer mill, separating the fractions from air stream with a cyclone and finally separating fibres from shives with a screening drum. Fractions were characterized focusing on technologically indicative properties such as equilibrium moisture content, ash and microbiological quality. Unretted fractions of the bast fibre plant stem reached higher equilibrium moisture contents than the retted fractions, and hemp fibres absorbed more moisture from air than did the Linum fibres. In very humid air, all fractions began to lose weight due to moulding. The weight decrease during the first week was lower in frost-retted than in unretted fractions. The frost-retted fractions appeared to be more resistant to humidity in the short term. The total number of microbes and especially the numbers of yeasts and moulds can be used as a criterion of hygienic level. For green fractions, the mould level was similar in fibres and in shives, but frost-retted shives contained more moulds than the unretted shives. The mould content of a fraction had no direct correlation with the moulding tendency of the fraction. The ash contents of fibres were somewhat higher than those of shives, due to a probable soil contamination. Ash content did not have significant correlation with microbiological quality, although ash is a possible risk factor for hygienic quality. According to the results of this study it is highly important to study the quality of the production chain of bast fibre plants to ensure the quality of industrial products. From the producer's point of view, raw material with defined quality can be directed to the most suitable application. The behaviour of fractions in various ambient atmospheres, and other quality aspects such as hygienic level can be used as criteria for defining the most appropriate product applications.

Bacteria↗

Effects of fulvic fractions on the pH-dependent sorption of Cu(II) to kaolinite.

Sorption of copper on kaolinite in the absence and presence of four fulvic acid (FA) fractions fractionated using XAD-8 resin, including F4.8, F7.0, F11.0 and Feth fractions (eluted by pH4.8 buffer, pH7.0 buffer, pH11.0 buffer, and ethanol (95%), respectively, was investigated by batch experiments. Results showed that the binding of Cu(II) by pure kaolinite increased with an increase in pH values. The presence of each FA fraction significantly affects the sorption of Cu(II) to kaolinite. Below pH 6.3, Cu(II) sorption was pronouncedly promoted after adding FA fraction to binary systems, compared to that in pure kaolinite suspensions. Magnitude in enhancement of Cu(II) sorption to solid phase, which was caused by FA fractions, followed an order of F4.8>F7.0>11.0>Feth. Above pH 6.3, nearly all the Cu(II) were removed from solution in pure koalinte system, while a portion of Cu(II) left in aqueous phase via formation of dissolved Cu-FA complexes, was observed in systems in the presence of FA fractions. The largest Cu(II) distribution coefficients (K(d)) between solid phase and aqueous solution at pH 3.15-5.7, are obtained from the ternary system with F4.8 fraction. The smallest K(d) are from system in the presence of Feth fraction. Conversely, over a pH range from 5.7 to 7.0, the highest K(d) values are from system with Feth fraction. Overall, F4.8 fraction exhibited the greatest effect on Cu(II) pH-dependent sorption to kaolinite, and Feth fraction had the least. Functional groups such as carboxyl, phenolic moieties of FA played the vital role in Cu(II) sorption to kaolinite at lower pH conditions, and solubility under neutral conditions.

Adsorption↗

A flow-calorimetric study of the binding of iodine to amylodextrin fractions.

Acid hydrolyzates of waxy-maize starch were separated to give Fractions I, II, and III [T. Watanabe, and D. French, Carbohydr. Res., 84 (1980) 115-123]. Watanabe and French suggested that Fraction II, which contains approximately 25 D-glucose residues including an alpha-D-(1----6)-linked branch, has a double helical structure. In the present study, the thermodynamics of binding of iodine to Fractions II and III, and debranched Fraction II (Fraction II') was measured by isothermal-flow calorimetry. If four binding sites for Fraction II and two for Fractions II' and III are assumed, the standard free-energy changes, delta Gb0, for the binding of I2 are -18.5, -18.8, and -18.4 kJ X (mol I2)-1, and the enthalpy changes, delta Hb, are -28.4, -24.7, and -26.9 kJ X (mol I2)-1, respectively. The similarity of these values for the three fractions indicates that the conformation of Fraction II is essentially the same as those of Fractions II' and III, and that Fraction II, therefore, does not have a double helical structure in solution. The values for delta Gb0 are approximately 15 kJ X mol-1 less negative, and those for delta Hb approximately 40 kJ X mol-1 less negative than published values for the starch-I2 complex. These differences are due to the relatively very short D-glucose chains in the amylodextrin fractions employed in the present work.

Calorimetry↗

Distribution of lipid and protein in human semen fractions.

Human semen is formed by the secretions of different glands. We fractionated semen by centrifugation and obtained four main fractions: (a) spermatozoa, (b) material precipitating at 10¿ omitted¿000xg, (c) prostasomes (precipitate at 105¿ omitted¿000xg), and (d) a soluble fraction. When required, fractions were purified further. We find that most semen protein (about 85%) is in the soluble fraction, 7% in spermatozoa and the remainder is scattered in the other fractions. We compared the electrophoretic pattern of soluble protein with the protein of prostasomes and found marked differences. On the other hand, prostasomes, that comprises only about 3% of total semen protein, contain about 45% of cholesterol and almost 15% of lipid phosphorus with a cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio greater than 2. On the contrary, phospholipid is largely bound to the fraction containing spermatozoa (about 46% of total lipid phosphorus). This fraction is poor in cholesterol and has a cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio of about 0.2. The distribution of lipid phosphorus among lipid classes shows some similarity in the soluble fraction and in prostasomes; in both fractions, sphingomyelin is the most abundant phospholipid (about 50%). On the other hand, phosphatidylcholine is the main phospholipid in spermatozoa-enriched fractions (about 35% of total lipid phosphorus). We conclude that the various fractions of seminal plasma obtained by centrifugation differ markedly from each other as to lipid and protein content.

Adolescent↗

The value of the NSD formula in equation of acute and late radiation complications in normal tissue following 2 and 5 fractions per week in breast cancer patients treated with postmastectomy irradiation.

In 1978-1980, inclusive, all breast cancer patients referred for postmastectomy irradiation were treated by 2 fractions per week (73 patients) but due to a high incidence of late complications this fractionation schedule was changed from early 1981 to 5 fractions per week (66 patients) with dose adjustment according to the nominal standard dose (NSD) concept. The dose aim in both regimens was 1345 ret minimum target dose. This allowed a comparison of acute and late complications in the two patient groups treated to the same NSD value, but with different fractionation. The patients have been analysed with respect to acute and late reaction in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, lung and bone, as well as related complications, such as arm oedema and impairment of shoulder movement. Except for the acute skin reactions, all other endpoints could not be adequately predicted by the NSD formula. Thus, telangiectasia greater than or equal to grade 1 and skin fibrosis greater than or equal to grade 2 were found to be 75% and 67% in patients treated with the 2-fraction scheme versus 39% and 5% in patients treated with the 5-fraction scheme. In the 2-fraction regimen, a higher frequency of impairment of shoulder movement and arm oedema was found compared to the 5-fraction regimen, 38% versus 11% and 44% versus 33%, respectively. The acute lung reaction as well as late lung reaction were significantly more pronounced in the 2-fraction regimen than in the 5-fraction regimen (pneumonitis greater than or equal to grade 2, 43% versus 23%, and lung fibrosis greater than or equal to grade 2, 32% versus 17%, in the photon fields, respectively). Further, radiation-induced osteonecrosis in the ribs was significantly more frequent in patients treated with large dose per fraction (19% versus 2%). The data clearly demonstrates the danger by using the NSD formula in equation of two different fractionation schedules. This formula as well as other mathematical models can only be used with caution within the limitations defined by the underlying clinical and experimental data on which they have been derived.

Breast Neoplasms↗