1,720,975 research outputs found
Lung cancer and concurrent or sequential lymphoma: Two case reports with hypersensitivity to bevacizumab and a review of the literature
No full textNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~80% of all cases of lung cancer, and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The majority of NSCLC cases of are diagnosed at an advanced stage. The outcome of patients with advanced NSCLC is poor with a median survival time of ~12 months in European and American populations. Lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) represent a heterogeneous group of expanding lymphoid cells, which occurs as a result of immune dysfunction. LPDs are often associated with primary solid cancers. We report two cases of LPD diagnosed concurrently and successively to NSCLC. The first case presents a 65-year-old female patient with advanced IV stage lung cancer, according to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer TNM staging system. The patient developed a concurrent lymphoma and was treated with first-line therapy including six cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin, however, the patient experienced an adverse drug reaction to bevacizumab, which was administered after gemcitabine and prior to cisplatin. The second case presented a 74-year-old male patient diagnosed with large B cell lymphoma. The patient acheived remission of the illness, however, after one year the patient was diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer. After three years, the patient underwent surgery, however disease recurrence was identified. Subsequently, the patient was treated with sterotactic radiotherapy and oral chemotherapy. A review of the associated literature was also conducted.Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~80% of all cases of lung cancer, and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The majority of NSCLC cases of are diagnosed at an advanced stage. The outcome of patients with advanced NSCLC is poor with a median survival time of ~12 months in European and American populations. Lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) represent a heterogeneous group of expanding lymphoid cells, which occurs as a result of immune dysfunction. LPDs are often associated with primary solid cancers. We report two cases of LPD diagnosed concurrently and successively to NSCLC. The first case presents a 65-year-old female patient with advanced IV stage lung cancer, according to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer TNM staging system. The patient developed a concurrent lymphoma and was treated with first-line therapy including six cycles of gemcitabine and cisplatin, however, the patient experienced an adverse drug reaction to bevacizumab, which was administered after gemcitabine and prior to cisplatin. The second case presented a 74-year-old male patient diagnosed with large B cell lymphoma. The patient acheived remission of the illness, however, after one year the patient was diagnosed with squamous cell lung cancer. After three years, the patient underwent surgery, however disease recurrence was identified. Subsequently, the patient was treated with sterotactic radiotherapy and oral chemotherapy. A review of the associated literature was also conducte
Beclomethasone/Formoterol in Extra-Fine Formulation Improves Small Airway Dysfunction in COPD Patients
No full textINTRODUCTION: In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), small airway dysfunction (SAD) is a key element and a functional consequence of the pathology. The exact role of SAD as a specific 'pharmacological target' represents an important research topic. Our objective was to ascertain whether an extra-fine formulation of beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate (BDP/FF) NEXThaler 100/6mug b.i.d. could improve SAD and, consequently, the quality of life of COPD patients.METHODS: We enrolled COPD patients with severe airflow obstruction and at least one moderate exacerbation in the previous year, having started treatment with BDP/FF NEXThaler for no more than 1 week. Patients underwent three visits: at the start of the treatment (V1), 6 weeks (V2), and 12weeks later (V3). At each visit, we evaluated the fall in resistance from 5 to 20Hz (R5-R20) and residual volume/total lung capacity (RV/TLC) ratio by impulse oscillometry, spirometry, and plethysmography. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) questionnaire were also administered to assess the disease's impact on quality of life.RESULTS: We enrolled 43 COPD patients (mean age 69years, FEV1 43%). R5-R20 significantly changed from baseline [0.23±0.09kPa/(l/s)] to V2 [0.16±0.09kPa/(l/s)] and V3 [0.16±0.08kPa/(l/s)] (p<0.05). Clinical status was also significantly improved compared to baseline; in fact, CAT score changed from an average baseline value of 13-6 and 4 (V2 and V3, respectively) (p<0.05). A correlation was found between CAT percentage change values and the corresponding ones of R5-R20 (r=- 0.329, p=0.045) and RV/TLC (r=0.354, p=0.029).CONCLUSIONS: In COPD patients, treatment with BDP/FF extra-fine formulation improved functional parameters related to small airway disease as well as the disease impact on health status.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04421742
The Impact of Possible Misuses Conditions on in Vitro Performance of NEXThaler in Comparison with Ellipta Inhaler
No full text: The correct use of dry powder inhalers by the patients is essential to ensure effective treatment and management of the disease. The purpose of the work was to assess the consequence of inhaler misuse in terms of emitted dose and aerodynamic parameters. One reservoir multidose (Foster-NEXThaler®) and one pre-dosed (Relvar-Ellipta®) devices, both sharing the "open, inhale and close" procedure, were the subject of the study. NEXThaler activated at different degrees of slope showed a consistent dose delivery for both the drugs included in the formulation (beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate). Contrary, Ellipta showed a decrease of the emitted dose for both fluticasone furoate and vilanterol trifenatate when the device was operated with inclination (-14% at 45° and -22% at 90°). Similarly, the delivered dose of NEXThaler was unaffected by an accidental fall, while Ellipta released FluF and VT doses 50% lower than the control values. The presence of the dose protector in NEXThaler offers the advantage of retaining the powder if the inhaler is subjected to incorrect manipulations. Both products proved to be reliable in double activation. Finally, simulation exhalation conditions had an impact on the aerodynamic profile of the two products
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Consequences of not-shaking and shake-fire delays on the emitted dose of some commercial solution and suspension pressurized metered dose inhalers
Full text linkPressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) include hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant to generate a drug aerosol upon actuation and drugs can be formulated as solution or suspension. Suspended particles can cream or sediment depending on density differences between drug and propellant and shaking the pMDI is an essential step to ensure a uniform drug dose release
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