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Notes: The influence of amylose (DP 30, 40, 80 and 900) and fatty acid (C8, C12 and C16) chain lengths on morphology and crystal thickness of crystalline amylose-fatty acid complexes was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of hydrolysis residues obtained after Bacillus subtilis amylase attack. Lamellar arrangements formed by alternation of crystalline and amorphous areas were observed, with dimensions strongly dependent on amylose DP. Crystal thickness increased essentially with amylose chain length up to DP80, i.e. from 1.6nm for the DP30-C16 complex to 4.5nm for the DP80-C16 complex. Assuming six glucosyl residues per helical turn and a step of 0.8 nm for the Vh-type amylose, the measured sizes corresponded to amylose segments with DPs in the range between 12 and 33. A slight increase of crystal thickness was also observed with increasing fatty acid chain length.

Notes: Abstract Order-disorder transitions were investigated in native cassava starch at intermediate moisture contents (35 to 60% wt. water), using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic Wide Angle X-ray Diffractometry (WAXS) with a synchrotron radiation source. The gelatinization of granules occurs as a cooperative process, due to constraints induced in crystallites by the amorphous areas. Variations of water content (water volume fraction from 0.28 to 0.86) and heating rate (0.2–10

Notes: Abstract Background: The treatment of Hodgkin's disease (HD) at advanced stages relies mainly upon multi-agent chemotherapies (CT), while the role of radiation therapy has not been definitely identified. The aim of this report is to analyze the 10-year results of a prospective study including 133 patients with HD clinical stages (CS) IIIA to IVB treated by three monthly courses of ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastin, and dacarbazine) followed by high-dose subtotal or total lymphoid irradiation [(S)TLI]. Patients and methods: From 1 October 1981 to 30 September 1988, 133 adult patients with HD CS IIIA (45), IIIB (33), IVA (seven) and IVB (48) were entered in the non-randomized multicentric prospective trial POF81/34. The number of involved nodal areas (NINA), and the number of visceral sites (NVIS) involved were registered in all patients; patients with bulky mediastinal tumor (BuMT) (mediastinal mass ratio ≥0.45) were also identified. All patients received three monthly cycles of ABVD. Patients in complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR) after completion of CT received a (S)TLI including the spleen (involved sites 40 Gy, non-involved 30 Gy); initially involved lung(s) and liver received 18 and 20 Gy, respectively; and patients not in CR or PR after CT or RT received salvage treatments. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors contributing significantly to the prognosis; initial characteristics, as well as status after the three cycles of CT, were entered in the model. Results: Of the 133 patients, 74 (55.6%) entered in CR after CT and 116 (87.2%) after completion of radiation therapy. Ten-year freedom from progression (FFP), freedom from tumor mortality (FFTM) and survival rates were 70.4%, 78.9% and 70.6%, respectively. According to univariate analysis the NVIS (≤ one vs. ≥ two) was the only initial factor simultaneously influencing 10-year FFP (73.9% vs. 38.2%) FFTM (82.5 vs. 34.1%) and survival (73.5% vs. 17.3%) rates; on the other hand, the NINA (≤ four vs. ≥ five) influenced FFP (81.4% vs. 60.7%) and FFTM rates (87.3% vs. 71.4%) while symptoms (A vs. B) influenced FFP (80.7% vs. 63.3%) and survival (82.8% vs. 61.2%) rates. Finally, age (〈40 vs. ≥40) influenced survival rate only (79.2% vs. 50%). According to multivariate analysis, NVIS and NINA had an independent impact on FFP and FFTM, while survival was modified by the NVIS and age. The post-CT status (CR vs. no CR) had a major impact on FFP (85.3% vs. 64.9%) FFTM (92.1% vs. 63.3%) as well as on survival (78.6% vs. 54.7%) rates in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Complications of therapy were mainly due to RT: 11 patients acquired second malignancies, six developed lung fibrosis or severe pulmonary infections, three developed intestinal obstructions and six developed angina pectoris or carotid stenosis. Conclusions: Tumor burden (identified by the number of involved nodal areas and the number of visceral sites) and the response to initial CT were the two independent factors influencing the outcome of this group of 133 patients with HD, CSIII and IV treated by three cycles of ABVD followed by high-dose [(S)TLI].