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Most patients with metastatic cancer eventually develop resistance to systemic therapy, with some having limited disease progression (ie, oligoprogression). We aimed to assess whether stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) targeting oligoprogressive sites could improve patient outcomes.

The kinetics of anionic, cationic, neutral surfactant and catalyzed Fe(III) polypyridyl complex were studied. The kinetics of Fe(NN)33+oxidation of amino acids was followed spectrophotometrically in the presence and absence of surfactants, and also the values of the binding constant, of different sulfur-containing amino acids with surfactants, were determined. The redox reaction has been carried out in an aqueous medium, and the addition of acetonitrile facilitates the reaction initially. Electron transfer (ET) mechanism for the Fe(NN)33+oxidation of amino acids containing thiol and thioether moiety is studied. The kinetic data obtained for the reaction in the presence of different concentrations of SDS, CTAB and Triton x-100 for Fe(NN)33+oxidation of several amino acids are collected. In the presence of SDS, the sulfate head group can stabilize sulfide cation of the transition state in the ET reaction of Fe(NN)33+with sulfide formed due to ET from sulfide to Fe(NN)33+. Among the thiol-containing amino acids, glutathione shows more pronounced catalysis. Compared to Fe(bpy)33+, the reaction of Fe(phen)33+with sulfur-containing amino acids is favored in SDS. ET reaction of [Fe(NN)3]3+with sulfur-containing amino acids is in the presence of CTAB and nonionic surfactant, Triton-x also studied.

Low-dose ionizing radiation exposure is associated with development of solid organ tumors as well as increased risk of cataract formation in a linear-dose response. While occupational radiation exposure has been studied across subspecialties with regular fluoroscopy exposure such as interventional radiology and urology, the contribution of increasing endovascular case volume to occupational radiation exposure among general surgery residents remains largely unreported. In this study, we sought to determine typical occupational radiation exposure among a pool of general surgery residents as part of a formal radiation safety curriculum.

State-of-the-art 3D range geometry compression algorithms that utilize principles of phase shifting perform encoding with a fixed frequency; therefore, it is not possible to encode individual points within a scene at various degrees of precision. This paper presents a novel, to the best of our knowledge, method for accurately encoding 3D range geometry within the color channels of a 2D RGB image that allows the encoding frequency—and therefore the encoding precision—to be uniquely determined for each coordinate. The proposed method can thus be used to balance between encoding precision and file size by encoding geometry along a statistical distribution. For example, a normal distribution allows for more precise encoding where the density of data is high and less precise encoding where the density of data is low. Alternative distributions may be followed to produce encodings optimized for specific applications. In general, the nature of the proposed encoding method enables the precision to be freely controlled at each point or centered around identified features of interest, ideally enabling this method to be used within a wide range of applications.

Patients undergoing TKA or THA have traditionally been managed post-operatively as inpatients. However, with current surgical techniques and pain management, there is evidence that outpatient joint arthroplasty can be safely performed in selected patient. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the post-operative complication rates of outpatient and inpatient TJA with subgroup analysis of TKA and THA.

Background The role of extended thromboprophylaxis is established for surgical patients, but not yet for hospitalised medical patients.Design This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to explore the role of extended thromboprophylaxis for medically ill hospitalised patients.Methods Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Libraries were searched and five randomised controlled trials were identified, comprising 20,046 extended and 20,078 standard duration thromboprophylaxis patients.Results Allocation to extended treatment, compared with standard duration therapy, significantly reduced the risk of symptomatic deep vein thrombosis (relative risk (RR) 0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29–0.78, P= 0.003) and non-fatal pulmonary embolism (RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39–0.91, P= 0.02). The risk of venous thromboembolism-related death was comparable between the extended and standard duration treatment groups (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.6–1.09, P= 0.16). Extended treatment also doubled the risk of major bleeding (RR 2.04, 95% CI 1.42–2.91, P< 0.001), without significantly affecting the risk of intracranial bleeding or bleeding-associated death. The cost of preventing one symptomatic deep vein thrombosis and non-fatal pulmonary embolism was found to be £24,972 (€27,969) and £45,148 (€50,566), respectively, which outweigh the direct cost of managing established venous thromboembolism as previously reported.Conclusions Extended duration thromboprophylaxis caused a reduction in the risk of venous thromboembolic events, but also a numerically comparable increase in major bleeding. Further trials are required in high-risk subpopulations who may derive mortality benefits from treatment. Only then could a change in current policy and practice be supported.

To our knowledge, this is the largest study investigating mutational profiles of renal cell carcinoma brain metastases (BMs) and the only such study with annotated intracranial outcomes. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) provides durable in-field local control of BMs, and recognition of pseudoprogression following SRS is crucial to ensuring appropriate management. The incidence of PI3Kpathway alterations are enriched in BM+ patients compared with BM– patients and warrants further investigation.

•Semi-automated 18F-FDG PET image analysis may aid measuring MM treatment response.•Semi-automated and reader-driven PET image analyses agreed in most SULpeakscans.•Semi-automated pipeline findings are predictive of MRD assessment by NGS.

The hybrid strategy is an alternative to the traditional Norwood procedure for initial palliation of infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who are deemed to be at high surgical risk. Numerous single-center studies have compared the two procedures, showing similar early outcomes, although the cohort sizes are likely insufficiently powered to detect significant differences. The current meta-analysis aims to explore the early morbidity and mortality associated with the hybrid compared to the Norwood procedure. MEDLINE, Cochrane Libraries, and Embase were systematically searched, and 14 studies were included for statistical synthesis, comprising 263 hybrid and 426 Norwood patients. Early mortality was significantly higher in the hybrid patients (relative risk [RR] = 1.54, P< .05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.34), whereas interstage mortality was comparable between the two groups (RR = 0.88, P> .05, 95% CI: 0.46-1.70). Six-month (RR = 0.89, P< .05, 95% CI: 0.80-1.00) and one-year (RR = 0.88, P< .05, 95% CI: 0.78-1.00) transplant-free survival was also inferior among the hybrid patients. Furthermore, the hybrid patients required more reinterventions following initial surgical palliation (RR = 1.48, P< .05, 95% CI: 1.09-2.01), although the two groups had comparable length of hospital and intensive care unit stay postoperatively. In conclusion, our results suggest that the hybrid procedure is associated with worse early survival compared to the traditional Norwood when used for initial palliation of infants with HLHS. However, due to the hybrid being used preferentially for high-risk patients, definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy of the procedure cannot be drawn.

Photoalignment is a simple technique for the manipulation of molecular orientations, which has been widely used in liquid crystal displays. Here, we propose a novel photoalignment method, in which an azobenzene dye thin film is deposited by thermal evaporation and in situ exposed to linearly polarized light simultaneously. We obtain polarizers with a dichroic ratio of up to 62, which is the highest value ever realized by a photoalignment method. Moreover, the polarizing thin film has a thickness of just 200 nm, compatible with flexible substrates, making it perfect for use as a dichroic polarizer in ultrathin and flexible displays.

IMPORTANCE: Community-level socioeconomic status, particularly insurance status, is increasingly becoming important as a possible determinant in patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of insurance and community-level socioeconomic status with outcome for patients with pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study extracted data from more than 1500 Commission on Cancer–accredited facilities collected in the National Cancer Database. A total of 35 559 patients diagnosed with SCC of the pharynx from 2004 through 2013 were identified. The χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were used to analyze data from April 1, 2016, through April 16, 2017. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Overall survival was defined as time to death from the date of diagnosis. RESULTS: Among the 35 559 patients identified (75.6% men and 24.4% women; median age, 61 years [range, 18-90 years]), 15 146 (42.6%) had Medicare coverage; 13 061 (36.7%), private insurance; 4881 (13.7%), Medicaid coverage; and 2471 (6.9%), no insurance. Uninsured patients and Medicaid recipients were more likely to be younger, black, or Hispanic; to have lower median household income and lower educational attainment; to present with higher TNM stages of disease; and to start primary treatment at a later time from diagnosis. Those with private insurance (reference group) had significantly better overall survival than uninsured patients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.59-1.87), Medicaid recipients (HR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.88-2.12), or Medicare recipients (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.99-2.16), as did those with median household income of at least $63 000 (reference) vs $48 000 to $62 999 (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.13-1.26), $38 000 to $47 999 (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.24-1.38), and less than $38 000 (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.43-1.59). On multivariable analysis, insurance status and median household income remained independent prognostic factors for overall survival even after accounting for educational attainment, race, Charlson/Deyo comorbidity score, disease site, and TNM stage of disease. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Insurance status and household income level are associated with outcome in patients with SCC of the pharynx. Those without insurance and with lower household income may significantly benefit from improving access to adequate, timely medical care. Additional investigations are necessary to develop targeted interventions to optimize access to standard medical treatments, adherence to physician management recommendations, and subsequently, prognosis in these patients at risk.

The goal of this work was to design nerve guidance scaffolds with a unique architecture to maximize the open volume available for nerve growth. Polycaprolactone (PCL) was selected as the scaffold material based on its biocompatibility and month-long degradation. Yet, dense PCL does not exhibit suitable properties such as porosity, stiffness, strength, and cell adhesion to function as an effective nerve guidance scaffold. To address these shortcomings, PCL was processed using a modified salt-leaching technique to create uniquely controlled interconnected porosity. By controlling porosity, we demonstrated that the elastic modulus could be controlled between 2.09 and 182.1 MPa. In addition, introducing porosity and/or coating with fibronectin enhanced the PCL cell attachment properties. To produce PCL scaffolds with maximized open volume, porous PCL microtubes were fabricated and translated into scaffolds with 60 volume percent open volume. The scaffolds were tested in transected rat spinal cords. Linear axon growth within both the microtubes as well as the interstitial space between the tubes was observed, demonstrating that the entire open volume of the scaffold was available for nerve growth. Overall, a novel scaffold architecture and fabrication technique are presented. The scaffolds exhibit significantly higher volume than state-of-the-art scaffolds for promising spinal cord nerve repair.

Cette étude porte sur l'oxydation du chrome pur dans l'air synthétique à 800, 900 et 1000 °C. Plusieurs techniques, telles que l'analyse thermogravimétrique (ATG), la microscopie électronique à balayage (MEB) et la diffraction des rayons X (DRX) in situ, ont été employées pour caractériser les couches d'oxyde formées sur le chrome implanté à l'yttrium. Nous avons pu montrer que la présence de l'yttrium limite la diffusion de l'azote au travers de la couche d'oxyde et dans la matrice métallique sous-jacente. Ainsi, la formation des nitrures de chrome est plus faible et une meilleure adhérence de la couche d'oxyde est observée. L'yttrium implanté montre un effet bénéfique sur l'oxydation du chrome jusqu'à une temperature de 900°C. Nous avons pu montrer par diffraction des rayons X in situque ce phénomène est lié à la présence de l'oxyde mixte YCrO3dans la couche formée à haute température.

Ultra‐thin broadband polarizers with high performance are urgently demanded as the prosperous development of ultra‐thin and flexible displays. We have realized high‐dichroic‐ratio AD‐1 polarizers by the photoalignment technique, and its functional band is in the blue region. To obtain a broadband polarizer in the whole visible region, a simple additional iodine doping process is investigated. We also compare the final broadband polarizers by doping the iodine in both the atmosphere and vacuum. Moreover, by in situ exposure of polarized light during the doping process, the maximum dichroic ratio is improved to 29, which is satisfactory for the ultra‐thin and flexible OLED displays. Therefore, a simple and economical technique is offered to realize advanced displays with low cost, ultra‐thin profile, flexible style, and high performance.

The article focuses on the laws regarding warrantless, non-consensual home entry by the police. Topics include an individual's constitutional right to Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure, the suppression of evidence during trial, and the denial of admissible evidence.

Recent advances in small-animal molecular imaging instrumentation combined with well characterized antibody-labeling chemistry have enabled detailed in vivo measurements of antibody distribution in mouse models. This article reviews the strengths and limitations of in vivo antibody imaging methods with a focus on positron emission tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography and a brief discussion of the role of optical imaging in this application. A description of the basic principles behind the imaging techniques is provided along with a discussion of radiolabeling methods relevant to antibodies. Practical considerations of study design and execution are presented through a discussion of sensitivity and resolution tradeoffs for these techniques as defined by modality, signaling probe (isotope or fluorophore) selection, labeling method, and radiation dosimetry. Images and analysis results from a case study are presented with a discussion of output data content and relevant informatics gained with this approach to studying antibody pharmacokinetics.

Hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) were chemically and thermodynamically more stable among iron oxide nanoparticles. Doping of Co2+metal ion in α-Fe2O3can modify the structural, optical and magnetic properties of NPs and also enhances the potential of the biomedical applications. In the current study, undoped and Co doped hematite nanoparticles were synthesised by co-precipitation method using Tribulus terrestris L.leaf extract as bio-reductant. The magnetic, optical and structural investigations were studied with the help of Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) Spectroscopy, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Spectroscopy. XRD analysis shows that synthesized nanoparticles were in hematite phase, rhombohedral in structure. XRD spectral pattern clearly evidenced that prepared α-Fe2O3and Co-Fe2O3NPs were highly crystalline with no impurity peaks. Using VSM spectra, the M-H curve indicates that saturation magnetisation (Ms) value increases for Co-Fe2O3NPs than undoped α-Fe2O3NPs, it can be clearly seen that doping largely affects the magnetic nature of nanoparticles. In the UV-Vis spectra, absorption maxima increases and band gap value decreases for cobalt doped hematite nanoparticles indicating the substitution of Fe2+ions by Co2+ions in α-Fe2O3lattice sites. Antidiabetic and antimicrobial activity of the synthesized undoped and Co doped hematite NPs were tested by alpha-amylase inhibitory and disc diffusion method. The Co-Fe2O3NPs have greatly inhibited the digestive enzyme and microbial strains as compared to undoped α-Fe2O3NPs.

This paper presents the development and validation of a computer model, designed as a practical tool, for the evaluation of the impact of radiation from windows on people's thermal sensation. The following tasks were undertaken: (1) the development of a pre-processor; (2) the implementation of a procedure to evaluate the mean radiant temperature (MRT) between a person and the surrounding surfaces; (3) the implementation of a procedure to calculate the predicted mean vote (PMV) index; and (4) the experimental validation of the computer model. The simulated MRT and PMV were compared with measurements in an environmental chamber, in which two electric heating panels were installed on one wall to simulate warm windows, and the results indicated good agreement.

Rabies is a fatal encephalomyelitis. Most cases occur in developing countries and are transmitted by dogs. Because of their high cost, cell culture vaccines have not totally replaced the unsafe brain-derived vaccines which are still used in many developing countries. Moreover, there will be a need for vaccines against rabies-related viruses against which classical vaccines are not always effective. DNA vaccines would, therefore, be a valuable alternative for the production of cheaper rabies vaccines against a larger spectrum of viruses. In this review we report published data on DNA-based immunization with sequences encoding rabies and rabies-related virus antigens.

The Drosophila gap gene Krüppel (Kr) displays a complex spatiotemporal pattern of expression during embryogenesis. Using P-element transformation experiments, we demonstrate that control elements guiding Kr expression in the central or in the anterior domain at the blastoderm stage are each composed of multiple subelements that interact synergistically. We provide evidence that bicoid (bcd) and hunch-back (hb) gene products, as well as at least one other activator, are needed to activate Kr expression in the central domain. We localize and describe regulatory elements within the 4.1-kilobase region proximal to the Kr promoter that are responsible for expression in the ectoderm, mesoderm, amnioserosa, and nervous system. Finally, a protein instability motif encoded in the second exon appears to be important for resetting the dynamic Kr pattern.

The effect of normal methylation procedures upon tissue was reexamined. It was demonstrated that the methyl alcohol and HCl prevent the oxidative destruction of amines by either chloramine T or nitrous acid while effecting in no way their salt forming properties. It was shown that the ethyl chloride in methanol will give much the same effect. The authors conclude that methylation at higher temperatures alkylates amines.

The DNA content of individual nuclei in biopsies of normal cervical epithelium, dysplasia, and carcinoma in situ was estimated by microspectrophotometric measurements of Feulgen-stained sections. The normal epithelium had a diploid modal value and a diploid-tetraploid range whereas in all cases of dysplasia and carcinoma in situ there were significant numbers of cells with a DNA content significantly above this range and with an abnormal mode. The degree of deviation of the DNA values from the normal distribution was least in the mild dysplasias but became more pronounced in the higher grade lesions. These observations are consistent with the concept that the lesions studied are related as part of a continuum.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) modification of ultra-high-aspect-ratio structures (>10000:1) is a powerful platform with applications in catalysis, filtration, and energy conversion. However, the deposition of conformal and tunable ALD coatings at these aspect ratios remains challenging, resulting in empirical trade-offs between the precursor utilization and reaction time. Here, we demonstrate tunable control of the ALD infiltration depth into an aerogel monolith (AM) and develop a reaction-diffusion model to accurately describe the coating process. Specifically, we investigate the ALD exposure time and precursor dose needed to conformally coat a silica AM with pore sizes of ∼20 nm, a monolith thickness of ∼2.5 mm, and aspect ratios exceeding 60000:1. We demonstrate complete infiltration into the AM, which is quantified by elemental mapping. A reaction-diffusion model is developed, which accounts for multiple doses and the precursor depletion in the ALD chamber during an exposure step. The experimentally validated model enables the prediction and tuning of infiltration depth into a tortuous, high-aspect-ratio structure such as an AM, allowing for the synthesis of rationally designed material architectures. Additionally, the model allows for co-optimization of the total deposition time and percentage of unreacted precursor, which are important for the manufacturability and sustainability of ALD processing. Lastly, we demonstrate that ultrathin ALD Al2O3coatings can be used to stabilize silica AMs against structural degradation under high-temperature annealing conditions (700–800 °C) by limiting changes in the surface area and monolith volume. This improved high-temperature stability has implications for numerous aerogel applications, including catalysis and thermal insulation.

ABSTRACTBackground: Subjective age (SA) is an indicator of aging that has been empirically associated with health impediments and hindered longevity. Studies show that adverse life events may result in relatively older SA, but have not addressed the differential contribution of life events across the lifespan and the course of posttraumatic psychopathology on the SA of aging survivors of extreme trauma.Objective: Filling this gap, the current study explored the differential contribution of (1) adverse experiences in various life-stages and (2) trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the prediction of SA in a sample of former prisoners-of-war as they enter old age. Method: A cohort of Israeli former prisoners-of-war of the 1973 Yom Kippur War (N= 103) was assessed at four points throughout four decades after the war. A linear hierarchical regression was utilized to assess the contribution of negative life events during childhood, participation in other wars, combat exposure, suffering in captivity, life events since the war and the trajectories of PTSD for predicting SA 42-years post-repatriation.Results: Lifespan adversity explained 50% of the variance in SA, with trajectories of PTSD making the largest contribution, followed by life events since the war. Negative life events in childhood added to the explained variance only when PTSD trajectories were accounted for. Exposure to combat, participation in additional wars and the severity of specific experiences during captivity did not reach significance, though the latter marginally contributed to the explained variance (p= .069).Conclusions: This study demonstrates the importance of considering the prolongation of posttraumatic psychopathology together with life adversities and their differential implications when addressing SA after extreme trauma. The findings suggest that early life adversity may be a latent factor that increases vulnerability to posttraumatic premature aging processes.