Enhanced thermal stability of the thylakoid membranes from spruce. A comparison with selected angiosperms.

Recently, we have found that thermal stability of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry in spruce needles is higher than in other plants (barley, beech) cultivated under the same temperatures. In this work, temperature dependences of various characteristics of PSII organization were studied in order to obtain complex information on the thermal stability of PSII function and organization in spruce. Temperature dependency of circular dichroism spectra revealed by about 6 °C higher thermal stability of macrodomain organization in spruce thylakoid membranes in comparison with Arabidopsis and barley ones; however, thermal disintegration of light-harvesting complex of PSII did not significantly differ among the species studied.

Hypoxic versus normoxic external-beam irradiation of cervical carcinoma combined with californium-252 neutron brachytherapy. Comparative treatment results of a 5-year randomized study.

Purpose: The article focuses on the treatment and protective effects of hypoxyradiotherapy during external-beam irradiation of cervical carcinoma, including paraaortic lymph nodes, combining radiotherapy with californium-252 ((252)Cf) neutron brachytherapy. An analysis of treatment results, early and late side effects and complications is presented.

Patients And Methods: From January 1989 to May 1997, 307 women with stage IIb and IIIb cervical carcinoma, treated with (252)Cf neutron brachytherapy, were randomly divided into two groups and treated with external-beam irradiation to the paraaortic lymph nodes as follows: 155 patients (59 with stage IIb, 96 with stage IIIb) were treated by external-beam irradiation administered as a 60-Gy dose applied under conditions of acute hypoxia; 77 patients (30 with stage IIb and 47 with stage IIIb) received extended-field irradiation up to L4 and 78 patients (29 with stage IIb and 49 with stage IIIb) up to T12.

Californium-252 (252Cf) versus conventional gamma radiation in the brachytherapy of advanced cervical carcinoma long-term treatment results of a randomized study.

Background: When photon radiotherapy is applied to cervical carcinoma, it has been observed that, despite important progress in radiotherapy technique and quality assurance, no significant increase in curative rates has resulted. Among the reasons for this is the varying radiosensitivity of different tumor subpopulations. Treatment with californium-252 ((252)Cf), as a source of gamma/neutron radiation in brachytherapy, provides properties and new treatment modalities that help to overcome this factor.

DNA flow cytometry: a predictor of a high-risk group in cervical cancer.

We studied the relationship between the 5-year disease-free interval or the occurrence of distant metastases, and the flow cytometric nuclear DNA content in a group of 55 patients treated by radiation for squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, stages Ib-IIIb (FIGO). The diploid DNA content was associated with a better prognosis and a lower incidence of distant metastases, while aneuploid tumors tended to be prognostically unfavorable and had distant metastases more often. We consider the flow cytometric nuclear DNA content a prospective prognostic parameter in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix treated by radiotherapy.

[Cytokeratin expression in spinocellular carcinoma of the uterine cervix].

Expression of cytokeratins 7, 8, 10, 14, 18 and 19 was studied in 48 cases of advanced (stage II and III) squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix. Despite of the degree of differentiation, the expression of simple epithelia cytokeratins 8 (72.9%) and 19 (97.

[DNA flow cytometry: perspective prognostic parameters in carcinoma of the uterine cervix].

We studied the relation between the 5-year disease free interval and the flow cytometric DNA content in a group of 55 patients treated by radiation for squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, stages Ib-IIIb (FIGO). The diploid DNA content was associated with a better prognosis, while prognostically unfavourable tumours tended to be aneuploid. The relation was statistically significant in the whole group (p = 0.

Hypoxyradiotherapy of uterine cervix cancer to decrease of acute side-effects and treatment complications.

The authors have reported on preliminary results of hypoxyradiotherapy in the course of external irradiation in patients with uterine cervix cancer from a view-point of the occurrence of acute reactions and treatment complications. A mixture of nitrogen and oxygen containing 8.0 to 8.

Complications of radiotherapy of uterine cervix carcinoma.

The retrospective analysis of 242 patients treated for uterine cervix cancer at VUKEO Brno within 1977-1982 has been realized. The patients being only treated with radiotherapy alone using the external 42 MeV X-ray betatron beam irradiation of the pelvis, and the vaginal and intrauterine application of 226Ra, were included in this study. The complications of therapy were evaluated in accordance with the grade of severity, location and time of their source.

[Regression of cervix uteri neoplasms in combined radiotherapy using low dose gamma-neutron irradiation].

The authors compared the results in the regression of uterus cervix tumour after intracavital therapy with gamma-neutron irradiation by 252cf and conventional sources of radiation gamma 226Ra in the course of a combined radiotherapy procedure. On the basis of a randomized study in 20 patients for a group it became obvious that due to the irradiation of the tumour in the initial phase of therapeutic cycle by physical dose 2 Gy of neutron component of 252Cf in the point A there was an increased regression of the tumour process causing in the 6th week since the beginning of the therapy a significant difference in the size of the tumours in both groups of patients. The time period required for 50% tumour reduction from the beginning of the therapy proved to be 23 days in patients treated with the 252Cf nuclide as compared with 48 days in the group of patients after conventional therapy.

[Granulosa cell tumor of the ovary; evaluation of therapeutic results].

In 1956-1985 in the Oncological Research Institute in Brno a total of 70 patients was treated on account of granulosa-cell tumours of the ovary. This accounts for 10% of all ovarian malignities treated in the Institute during this period. The initial treatment of all patients was surgery, i.

[Intraperitoneal administration of high doses of cisplatin in advanced ovarian carcinoma].

42 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma were treated with large doses of cis-DDP by the i.p. route.

Adenocarcinoma cervicis uteri. An appraisal of treatment results for a period of 40 years.

A retrospective study was done in 316 patients with primary cervical adenocarcinoma treated at the Research Institute for Clinical and Experimental Oncology in Brno over a period of 40 years (1939-1978). The treatment results were compared to those in 2571 patients with epidermoid carcinomas of the uterine cervix treated at the Institute over the same period. The 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in adenocarcinoma patients (in Stage I patients, 77.

Stage IIb, IIIb, and IVa carcinoma of the uterine cervix--results of treatment by radiotherapy in 649 patients.

During the period of January 1969 to December 1980, 649 patients have been treated by radical radiotherapy for Stage IIb, IIIb, and IVa carcinoma of the cervix uteri. This retrospective study was performed to assess therapeutical results in two groups of patients. Clinical staging and the methods of treatment were standard in both groups.

No difference in delayed hypersensitivity between breast and cervical carcinomas.

DNCB and PPD skin testing was performed in 130 breast and 110 cervical cancer patients. BATES' instruction with a plea for uniformity was used [1]. Patients were tested while being diagnosed and prior to the treatment.

Multiple tumors in gynecology.

Two large groups of patients, i.e. 1893 patients treated at the Institute for carcinoma cervicis uteri and 1184 patients with Ca corporis uteri were selected and evaluated for a follow-up study and statistical processing of tumor duplicity of gynecological origin.

Carcinoma cervicis uteri. Long-term follow-up therapeutic results.

The principle of the therapy of carcinoma cervicis uteri in the Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Oncology in Brno is the combination of betatron megavoltage irradiation and cobalt 60 irradiation with intracavital radium irradiation. On the basis of many years' study concerning the therapy and therapeutic results of this tumor accurate directions of total therapy were elaborated. Carcinoma is diagnosed and classified precisely according to valid international directions.

Use of 42 MeV betatron bremsstrahlung irradiation in the therapy combined with radium in carcinoma of the cervix.

The article deals with the therapy of cancer of the cervix with external 42 MeV betatron bremsstrahlung irradiation in combination with intracavitary applicated radium. The described irradiation technique using special shielding blocks extends the dose distribution till to the region of paraaortic nodes in an extended field. The extended irradiation field is used on the basis of lymphographic examination.