Widespread microplastic pollution across the Caribbean Sea confirmed using queen conch.

The Caribbean Sea is reported to have one of the highest levels of plastic pollution of any marine ecosystem. Much less is known about the levels of microplastics as an emerging pollutant in the marine environment, especially in the water column and benthic substrates where they can be easily ingested by marine organisms. This study was carried out to quantify marine microplastics in the Wider Caribbean using the mollusk, queen conch (Aliger gigas).

[Isotretinoin: compliance with recommendations in childbearing women].

Introduction: The aim of this survey is to ascertain if the incidence of isotretinoin exposed pregnancies was reduced by the late recommendations of prescription and issue (AMM modification on 06/08/2001 and 25/09/2001).

Methods: All isotretinoin exposed pregnancies registered by the French Regional Drug Monitoring Centres, the Information Centre for Teratogenic Agents and Roche (Roaccutane), Pierre Fabre (Curacné Gé) and Expanscience (Procuta Gé) laboratories, from January 1st, 1999 to December 31st, 2002, were analysed. Enforcement of the strengthening of isotretinoin prescription recommendations was analysed on a sample of 68 prescriptions from 45 pharmacies throughout France.

Prognostic factors for survival after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in operable breast cancer. the role of clinical response.

The aim of this retrospective study was to assess predictive factors for clinical response to preoperative chemotherapy and prognostic factors for survival. From 1981 to 1992, 936 patients with T2-T3, N0-N1 breast cancer who received 2-6 months (median 4) of preoperative chemotherapy were selected from the Institute Curie database. Preoperative treatment was followed by surgery and/or radiotherapy.

High sensitivity and specificity of immunohistochemistry for the detection of hormone receptors in breast carcinoma: comparison with biochemical determination in a prospective study of 793 cases.

Aims: The hormone receptor (HR) status of breast cancer is an important prognostic factor and predictive parameter of the response to hormone therapy. Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is currently the standard for determination of HR, but immunohistochemistry (IHC) represents a potentially useful alternative. We used IHC to determine HR status in a large prospective study and compared the results to those obtained by EIA.

Strong correlation between results of fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for the assessment of the ERBB2 (HER-2/neu) gene status in breast carcinoma.

ERBB2 (HER-2/neu) amplification and/or overexpression are associated with poor prognosis in node-positive breast carcinoma. Its prognostic value in node-negative cases and its predictive value for response to chemotherapy remain controversial. This may be related to the use of molecular methods, which are sensitive to dilution of tumor material by normal cells, or the use of nonstandardized immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedures, for the determination of the ERBB2 gene status.