Eggshell porosity covaries with egg size among female House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) but is unrelated to incubation onset and egg-laying order within clutches

In birds, the duration of egg incubation (the time from incubation onset to hatching) can affect multiple components of nest success, but what affects incubation duration? Previous studies suggest that incubation duration is affected by both parental behavior and components of the egg, which have yet to be determined. One egg component that may be related to incubation behavior and the time until hatching is eggshell porosity, which affects the exchange of metabolic gasses and water vapor across the shell and, thus, the speed of embryonic development and incubation duration. We tested whether eggshell porosity was associated with the timing of incubation onset by female House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809), and whether porosity varied within clutches in a manner that might be associated with incubation periods and hatching patterns (i.e., synchronous vs. asynchronous hatching). Eggshell porosity was unrelated to the onset of maternal incubation and did not differ between early and later-laid eggs within clutches, but differed significantly among females and covaried with egg size. We conclude that producing all eggshells of similar porosity within clutches, while adjusting incubation onset once most or all eggs are laid, provide facultative maternal control over variation in hatching patterns.

The stratigraphical organisation of the microvascular systems of the porcine vocal folds

The cranial and caudal vocal folds (CraF, CauF) of the glottis of adult minipigs (11-27 months; n = 12) were examined after immunohistochemical application of polyclonal anti-von-Willebrand-Factor and anti-Smooth-Muscle-Actin in serial paraffin sections. This examination aimed at a stratigraphical analysis of microvessels; data were compared with findings in humans which had been reported in the literature. (1) The distribution of the microvessels was very heterogeneous in the CraF and in the CauF, but a common pattern existed in both. (2) Characteristic vascular zones and rows were detected; each of them displayed a specific distribution and density of blood capillaries, arterioles, venules, lymphatic capillaries, and lymphatic precollectors. (3) A striking feature was the presence of a subepithelial Avascular Band and of a focal Avascular Area within the lamina propria of the fold's crests. (4) The vascular zones, the rows, the Avascular Band, and the Avascular Area could be allocated to specific layers of the lamina propria: subepithelial, superficial, intermediate, deep layer. (5) The loose Avascular Area at the level of the superficial layer of the lamina propria (in both CraF and CauF) corresponded to Reinke's space in humans in terms of structure and location. (6) The direction/course of blood and lymphatic microvessels shared common features with that of the human vocal fold.

Population data for 22 autosomal STR loci from Estonia

Allele frequencies and forensically relevant population statistics of 22 short tandem repeat (STR) loci were determined from 303 unrelated Estonian individuals. The samples were amplified with three kits: the AmpFlSTR(®) Identifiler, the PowerPlex(®) ESI 16 and the PowerPlex(®) 16. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected, except for locus D22S1045. Investigated loci are very discriminating in Estonian population, with a combined discrimination power of 0.9999999999999999999999999877. Furthermore, a comparison with previously published frequency data from other nearby populations is presented.

Histomorphometric analysis of collagen and elastic fibres in the cranial and caudal fold of the porcine glottis

The porcine glottis differs from the human glottis in its cranial and caudal vocal folds (CraF, CauF). The fibre apparatus of these folds was studied histomorphometrically in adult minipigs. For object definition and quantification, the colour-selection tools of the Adobe-Photoshop program were used. Another key feature was the subdivision of the cross-sections of the folds into proportional subunits. This allowed a statistical analysis irrespective of differences in thickness of the folds. Both folds had a distinct, dense subepithelial layer equivalent to the basement membrane zone in humans. The subsequent, loose layer was interpreted - in principle - as being equivalent to Reinke's space of the human vocal fold. The next two layers were not clearly separated. Due to this, the concept of a true vocal ligament did not appear applicable to neither CauF nor CraF. Instead, the body-cover model was emphasized by our findings. The missing vocalis muscle in the CraF is substituted by large collagen fibre bundles in a proportional depth corresponding to the position of the muscle of the CauF. The distribution of elastic fibres made the CraF rather than the CauF more similar to the human vocal fold. We suggest that these data are useful for those wishing to use the porcine glottis as a model for studying oscillatory properties during phonation.

Er5Re2C7, Tm5Re2C7, and Lu5Re2C7 with Sc5Re2C7 Type, and Yb2ReC2 with Pr2ReC2 Type Structures

Er5Re2C7, Tm5Re2C7, and Lu5Re2C7 were prepared by arc-melting of the elemental components and subsequent annealing at 800 °C. Er5Re2C7 forms only after the annealing process, whereas the other two carbides were already present in the as cast samples. They crystallize with a Sc5Re2C7 type structure, which was refined from single-crystal X-ray data of Lu5Re2C7: Cmmm, a = 791.44(5), b = 1418.08(8), c = 332.79(2) pm, Z = 2, R = 0.037 for 544 structure factors and 21 variable parameters. The structure contains linear centrosymmetric C3 units with a C-C bond length of 133(2) pm and isolated carbon atoms in octahedral coordination of four lutetium and two rhenium atoms. The rhenium atoms within the two-dimensionally infinite polymeric sheets [Re2C4]n are electronically saturated as is indicated by the diamagnetism and the semiconductivity of this carbide. Yb2ReC2 was prepared by reacting the elements in a sealed tantalum tube with a high-frequency furnace. It crystallizes with a Pr2ReC2 type structure: Pnma, a = 645.91(6), b = 498.64(6), and c = 966.05(6) pm. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate the ytterbium atoms to be trivalent in this compound.

Epirubicin and docetaxel with or without capecitabine as neoadjuvant treatment for early breast cancer: final results of a randomized phase III study (ABCSG-24)

BACKGROUND

This randomized phase III trial compared pathologic complete response (pCR) rates of early breast cancer (EBC) following neoadjuvant epirubicin-docetaxel (ED)±capecitabine (C), and evaluated the addition of trastuzumab in HER2-positive tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with invasive breast cancer (except T4d) were randomly assigned to receive six 3-weekly cycles of ED (both 75 mg/m2)±C (1000 mg/m2, twice daily, days 1-14). Patients with HER2-positive disease were further randomized to receive trastuzumab (8 mg/kg, then 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks) or not. Primary end point: pCR rate at the time of surgery.

RESULTS

Five hundred thirty-six patients were randomized to ED (n=266) or EDC (n=270); 93 patients were further randomized to trastuzumab (n=44) or not (n=49). pCR rate was significantly increased with EDC (23.0% versus 15.4% ED, P=0.027), and nonsignificantly further increased with trastuzumab (38.6% EDC versus 26.5% ED, P=0.212). Rates of axillary node involvement at surgery and breast conservation were improved with EDC versus ED, but not significantly; the addition of trastuzumab had no further impact. Hormone receptor status, tumor size, grade, and C (all P≤0.035) were independent prognostic factors for pCR. Trastuzumab added to ED±C significantly increased the number of serious adverse events (35 versus 18; P=0.020), mainly due to infusion-related reactions.

CONCLUSION

These findings show that the integration of C into a neoadjuvant taxane-/anthracycline-based regimen is a feasible, safe, and effective treatment option, with incorporation of trastuzumab in HER2-positive disease.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT00309556, www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Alemtuzumab in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: final results of a large observational multicenter study in mostly pretreated patients

This retrospective study evaluated the benefit of alemtuzumab monotherapy in unselected patients with advanced B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL) to definitely describe the impact of this antibody in clinical routine use. Data were collected from 208 consecutive, mainly pretreated, patients with CLL (n = 202), and B-PLL (n = 6) who had received alemtuzumab. Response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) in various settings were assessed, and toxicities were documented. In these routine patients, a comparably low cumulative dose of alemtuzumab (median, 403 mg) was applied. In CLL, overall response rate was 32 %, and various pre-therapeutic parameters were predictive for inferior response, among them, the prior administration of ≥3 therapy lines (P < 0.001), refractoriness to fludarabine (P = 0.002), and bulky lymphadenopathy (P = 0.003). PFS and OS after start of alemtuzumab were 6.2 and 21.0 months, respectively. Bulky lymphadenopathy was the prominent risk factor for both inferior PFS (P < 0.001) and OS (P = 0.002). In B-PLL, four patients experienced a fatal outcome, whereas two patients had some benefit with alemtuzumab. The main adverse effects were CMV reactivation (20 %) and a broad spectrum of infections, which together were the main reasons for treatment interruption and/or premature termination. In conclusion, alemtuzumab administered even at low dose levels was effective but overall considerably toxic in routine CLL patients. We emphasize that alemtuzumab remains an important therapeutic option in subsets of CLL patients.