We studied the outcome of patients treated with letrozole as PET.\n\nMETHODS: Patients with early oestrogen

receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)-positive breast cancer treated with letrozole from February 2001 to September 2009 were reviewed. Inoperable and locally advanced tumours were excluded. Reasons for offering PET, response, survival, cause of death, time to initial and best response, fracture incidence, and late failure rates were studied.\n\nRESULTS: In CBL0137 all, 104 patients received PET due to frailty (n = 48), comorbidity (n = 30), old age (n = 9), and patient preference (n = 17). Median follow-up was 56 months (4-106). Eighty-five cancers responded to letrozole (stable disease (SD, n = 19), reduction in size (PR, n = 42),

and complete response ((CR), n = 24)). Median survival was 51 months (4-103), time to initial response (PR/CR) 4.5 months (2-24), and time to best response 8.5 months (3-50). Letrozole was stopped in 25 patients due to progressive disease (n = 19), side effects (n = 5), and patient choice (n = 1). Only 12 of 49 deaths were from breast cancer.\n\nCONCLUSION: Letrozole is a reasonable alternative in elderly women with early ER/PR-positive invasive breast cancer who are unfit or unwilling to undergo standard therapy. British Journal of Cancer (2011) 105, 1825-1829. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2011.470 www.bjcancer.com Published online 8 November 2011 (C) 2011 Cancer Research UK”
“Lipases comprise a group of hydrolytic enzymes which catalyze reversibly the hydrolysis and synthesis of triacylglycerides Vorinostat in the SB203580 in vivo oil water interface. In this study, a response surface approach was used to study the production of extracellular lipase from Ganoderma lucidum which has diverse applications in various fields. Interactions were studied for five different variables (moisture, canola oil cake, olive oil, pH and time of incubation) which were found influential for lipase production. Using the statistical approach (response surface methodology), the maximum yield of lipase (4838 U/gds) by G. lucidum was observed

under optimum conditions. The optimum values of these parameters were as follows: canola oil cake (12.50 g), moisture level (60%), pH (4.5), olive oil as inducer (2.0%) and incubation period (96 h) at 30 degrees C. Exploration of fungal diversity for improved production of lipases using statistical models makes it a high-profile area for novel discovery with enormous potential of massive returns.”
“Background: Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is useful in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). This study aims to determine the factors affecting pleural fluid ADA levels and to establish the optimal ADA levels for diagnosis of TPE for different age groups.\n\nMethods: This was a retrospective study from January 2007 to October 2011.