Clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of the ovary has been recognized to show resistance to anticancer agents in the first-line chemotherapy. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of second-line chemotherapy in a ...retrospective study. A total of 75 patients diagnosed with CCC and treated between 1992 and 2002 in collaborating hospitals were reviewed. Criteria for the patients' enrollment were 1) diagnosis of pure-type CCC at the initial operation, 2) treatment after one systemic postoperative chemotherapy, 3) measurable recurrent or refractory tumor, 4) at least two cycles of second-line chemotherapy and assessable for the response, and 5) adequate clinical information. Regimens of first-line chemotherapy were conventional platinum-based therapy in 33 cases, paclitaxel plus platinum in 24 cases, irinotecan plus platinum in 9 cases, and irinotecan plus mitomycin C in 7 cases. Treatment-free periods were more than 6 months in 24 cases (group A) and less than 6 months in 51 cases (group B). In group A, response was observed in two cases (8%): one with conventional platinum therapy and another with irinotecan plus platinum. In group B, three cases (6%) responded: two with platinum plus etoposide and one case with irinotecan plus platinum. Median overall survival was 16 months in group A and 7 months in group B (P = 0.04). These findings suggest recurrent or resistant CCC is extremely chemoresistant, and there is only small benefit of long treatment-free period in CCC patients. Another strategy including molecular-targeting therapy is warranted for the treatment of recurrent or refractory CCC.
In back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) patterning process, porous low-k dielectrics are degraded by plasma reactive species during etching and resist stripping -this is so-called plasma induced damage (PID). ...PID increases the k-value of dielectrics and inter-line capacitance, which causes resistive-capacitive (RC) delay. In this paper, the authors introduce two approaches to suppress the PID, using a novel volatile organic film. The first approach is an improved Post Porosity Plasma Protection (P4, or pore stuffing), and the second approach is based on the use of a temporary plug. In the case of pore stuffing, the filling ability and protection effect are evaluated on various blanket low-k dielectric materials. For the plug approach, its effectiveness is demonstrated in terms of electrical characteristics and reliability using a patterned interconnect test vehicle.
This study deals with a high thermal conductivity material of aluminum-carbon nanotube (CNT) composite with carbon fiber (CF) and the high radiation performance of AC servomotor using a stator made ...of nanotube composite material. The composite fabrication process was performed by melting a mixture of granular aluminum of less than 200 μm and CNT under conditions of pressed atmosphere at the same time. Two kinds of motors made using aluminum and the composite were evaluated to confirm the effect of thermal conductivity as the motor stator. A test rod of the composite with 14 wt% CF-7 wt% CNT-aluminum indicated the excellent thermal conductivity of 169 W/(mK) in the radial direction and 173 W/(mK) in the lengthwise direction. According to the obtained temperature radiation characteristic of the AC servomotor, the composite stator using CNT decreased the consumption energy to 16% compared to the conventional one. As a result, the highly efficient motor improved the radiation characteristic using the CNT composite stator.
According to previous studies, temperament predicts a large share of the variance in job stress. It may be necessary for mental health practitioners to offer intervention strategies in accordance ...with individual temperament.
To investigate the relationship between job stress and temperament among nurses in a general hospital and to provide insight into personality traits influencing their mental or physical health.
A questionnaire survey of nurses in a general hospital. Work stress was measured using the Japanese version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale. Temperament was assessed by a Japanese version of Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to determine the independent contribution of temperament to effort-reward ratio and over-commitment.
Response rate was 48% (326/685). Temperament predicted part of the variance of the four ERI ratios (effort-reward ratio 26%; effort-esteem ratio 27%; effort-promotion ratio 26%; and effort-security ratio 18%) and also of over-commitment (38%). Depressive temperament influenced all four ERI ratios and over-commitment. Anxious temperament influenced only over-commitment.
Nurses with depressive or anxious temperaments should be identified, monitored for signs of job stress and offered interventions to prevent adverse physical and mental effects.
Radial profile of externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) field with mode numbers of m=6 and n=2 in a small tokamak device HYBTOK-II have been investigated using a magnetic probe ...array, which is able to measure the radial profile of magnetic field perturbation induced by applying RMP. Results of RMP penetration into the plasma show that the RMP decreased toward the plasma center, while they were amplified around the resonant surface with a safety factor q=3 due to the formation of magnetic islands. This suggests that RMP fields for controlling edge plasmas may trigger some kind of MHD instabilities. In addition, simulation results, based on a linearized four-field model, which agrees with the experimental ones, indicates that the penetration and amplification process of RMP strongly depend on a Doppler-shifted frequency between the RMP and plasma rotation.
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