BACKGROUND The objective of this Phase II study was to assess the clinical activity and toxicity of docetaxel (D) and cisplatin (P) in patients with locally advanced unresectable, metastatic, or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). PATIENTS Of 34 patients, 30 were eligible for treatment with D 80 mg/m2 on Day 1 and P 70 mg/m2 on Day 2. Therapy was repeated every 3 weeks. At the start of chemotherapy, the tumors had the following extensions: locoregional, n = 15; distant metastatic, n = 2; and relapse, n = 13. RESULTS Overall, the rate of objective responses in the population of all eligible patients based on an intention‐to‐treat analysis was 53%, with a 95% confidence interval (CI; 34.33–71.66%). Two patients had complete disease remission (pathologic), 4 patients had complete disease remission (clinical), 10 patients had partial disease remission, 3 patients had no change in disease status, and 7 patients had disease progression. The duration of objective response was median 5+ months (range 3–8+ months). Eleven patients (37%) had Grade 4 granulocytopenia and three patients (10%) had Grade 3 granulocytopenia (grades were based on the classification of the National Cancer Institute of Canada‐Common Toxicity Criteria). Six patients died of septicemia. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the combination of D and P represents a highly active chemotherapeutic regimen for the treatment of patients with SCCHN. However, because of the high toxicity of this regimen, prophylactic administration of antibiotics and hematopoietic growth factors is essential as is a three‐day corticosteroid premedication regimen. Above all, this combination of drugs is not recommended for treatment of patients with a World Health Organization performance status of >1. Cancer 2002;94:2953–8. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10574

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Active aeroelastic wing concepts, sometimes also called active flexible wing concepts, have been investigated for several years to improve aircraft performance and stability. Two aspects are addressed in these studies: static aeroelastic effects like control surface effectiveness and the redistribution of aerodynamic forces for load reduction or drag minimisation, and dynamic aspects like enhancement of flutter stability or reduction of aerodynamically induced vibrations of the structure.

A new approach for the creation and application of multidisciplinary analysis and optimization models in conceptual aircraft design is presented. Major objectives for a successful application of MDO in conceptual design are the capability to start from "scratch" with only very few numbers and coarse ideas for the vehicle's dimensions, shape, and its topology. Major design requirements are already known, but their impacts on the vehicle design are an essential part of the investigations. In this new approach there is no need to have a CAD model for the CAE models creation. Because it is very typical in conceptual design, it is also assumed that tight manpower, time, and budget constraints exist. Technical objectives for the application are the fast delivery of first, analysis-based figures for the vehicle's mass properties, a first coarse impressions of the vehicle's structural concept, the identification of potential "design drivers" in relation to the vehicle's shape, and first performance and stability data. Compared with the traditional approach in conceptual design, where mass properties are mainly derived from empirical date, this new approach also delivers sensitivities with respect to the aircraft design requirements as well as more reliable data for the vehicle's mass moment of inertia data, which serve as a valuable input to the assessment of static and dynamic stability, controllability, and agility characteristics for the design.

No abstract