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Highlights • Treatment initiation of T2-T3 rectal cancers with Contact (CXB) provides a fast clinical complete response. • In T2N0< 3 cm tumors, CXB first with chemoradiotherapy can achieve local control in more than 85%. • The Phase III OPERA trial should bring robust data in favor of CXB as initial treatment of T2N0< 3 cm., Introduction A neoadjuvant treatment aimed at rectal preservation should achieve a clinical complete response. This study comparing neoadjuvant treatment initiated with Contact X-ray (CXB) or External Beam radiotherapy (EBRT) is evaluating the influence of the time/dose parameter on clinical response during the first six months. Materials and methods This retrospective consecutive series included T2-3 rectal adenocarcinoma staged using digital examination (DRE), endoscopy, magnetic radiation imaging and/or endorectal ultrasound. All patients were treated with organ preservation intent. Treatment protocol combined CXB (80–110 Gy/3–4 fractions) and EBRT ± concurrent capecitabine. In tumor exceeding 3.5 cm treatment was often initiated using EBRT. Clinical response was assessed (DRE, proctoscopy ± imaging) at very close interval between 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment initiation. Results Between 2002 and 2017, 61 patients (T2: 31; T3: 30) M0 (median age: 76 years) were treated. Treatment was initiated in 40 patients (T2: 28, T3: 12) with contact X-ray and in 21 (T2: 4, T3: 17) with EBRT. Using contact X-ray or EBRT first treatment, clinical complete (or near complete) response at week 14(±1) was respectively 88% [95CI:74–96] and 33% [95CI:15–57]. In multivariate analysis the treatment chronology was the most significant factor influencing cCR (OR: 7.53). At 6 months, with contact X-ray first all patients were in clinical complete response and five with EBRT remained in partial response. With 61 months median follow-up time, the local recurrence rate was 10% [95% CI: 6–16] at 5 years. T3 and fungating tumors were at higher risk of local recurrence. Organ preservation with good function was achieved in 95% of cases. Conclusion This non randomized study tends to show that in early T2-3 tumors, a strategy using upfront contact therapy, which is reducing the overall treatment time, is an option allowing a more favorable outcome than EBRT first.

Current research realize to develop a safer, lighter and higher energy absorbing fully thermoplastic (polypropylene fibres and acrylic Elium resin) and hybrid composite helmets (polypropylene/carbon hybrid and Elium resin) and perform the CPSC 1203 certification tests on different anvils. The failure and energy absorption mechanisms were studied and compared with widely used polycarbonate helmets (PC/EPS) and the composite shells manufactured with epoxy resin. The fully thermoplastic and hybrid composite shells have shown up to 65% of absorbed energy while the polycarbonate shells have absorbed a maximum of 13% of the absorbed energy. The usage of composite shells has lead to minimal energy transfer to the foam which is directly attached to the human head and provided improved safety. The high-speed camera has shown clear deformation of the thermoplastic composite shell owing to the ductile behaviour while the catastrophic failure with significant cracks was observed in the Epoxy-based composite shell. Considering the head injury criteria, the PC/EPS helmet showed the highest fatality rate (6%) when impacted on the flat anvil. The usage of fully thermoplastic and hybrid composite shell reduces the probability of critical and fatal injury by around 40% and 60% respectively when compared to PC/EPS configuration.

International audience; This paper gives a first study of the thermal and thermal oxidative ageing of ELIUM® resins. Chain ends unzipping was observed to be the main degradation mechanism under nitrogen whereas an oxidation mechanism with random chain scissions is shown to predominate in presence of oxygen. A first simplified kinetic model is proposed and fits experimental results for thin films at temperatures ranging from 230 to 310°C under oxygen or nitrogen.

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the integration of differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) and levelling improves the monitoring of ground deformation phenomena, thereby enabling their complete understanding. The complementarity between D-InSAR and levelling is illustrated through a case study of the construction of a road tunnel beneath Glòries Square, Barcelona; D-InSAR is employed to continuously monitor the works, notably the dewatering of the site. This study focuses primarily on D-InSAR data obtained from the processing of Sentinel-1A data following a persistent scatterer interferometry procedure. The spatial distribution of the deformation and its temporal evolution are analysed with detailed hydrogeological and piezometric data. The magnitude of deformation is discussed using levelling data and an analytical estimation based on the hydromechanical parameters of the ground obtained from a pre-existing hydrogeological numerical model and pumping tests. The D-InSAR results are shown to be essential for identifying the origin of ground deformation and the constraints on its spread. Such observations at the construction site and district (~2 km radius) scales with sub-centimetric deformation are precious contributions of D-InSAR data, whereas levelling offers a more accurate quantification of the deformation, although this remains an open issue to be further investigated., The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Barcelona d'Infraestructures Municipals S.A. (BIMSA, Ajuntament de Barcelona), as promoter of the construction works in Glòries Square, funded the works of IDAEA-CSIC and CTTC in technical assistance for the Construction Management office. TYPSA (Técnica Y Proyectos S.A.) and Tec-4 (Tec-Cuatro S.A.), as responsible companies for the Construction Management, provided information and data from the works (geometries, operations, monitoring data, etc.). The authors would like to specifically thank the collaboration of Àngel López Arilla (BIMSA), Josep Torrentallé (BIMSA), Laura Baró López (TYPSA), Marc Esquius Berengueras (ESTEYCO S.A.) and Raúl Sánchez Rodríguez (Euro Geotecnica S.A.). This work has been also partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the DEMOS project “Deformation monitoring using Sentinel-1 data” (Ref: CGL2017-83704-P); by the European Commission, the Spanish Foundation for Science & Technology (FECYT) and State Research Agency (AEI) in the frame of the collaborative international consortium URBANWAT (PCI2019-103616) financed under the Water JPI Joint Call 2018 of the WaterWorks 2017 ERA-NET Cofund; and by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through (1) the project UNBIASED (Ref: RTI 2018-097346-B-I00) under the 2018 call of the “Proyectos de I + D Retos Investigación“; and (2) Project CEX2018-000794-S, IDAEA-CSIC, Centre of Excellence Severo Ochoa. The authors would also like to thank the assistance of Dr. Nieves Lantada Zarzosa (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC) and Dr. Estanislao Pujades Garnes (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ).

This study focuses on the benefits to the mechanical performance against impact loading offered by glass fiber reinforced (GFR) acrylic thermoplastic polymers, based on new room temperature cure methyl-methacrylate (MMA) matrix. Glass fiber reinforcement is a common solution for a wide variety of engineering applications based on thermoset matrices. However, its use presents some disadvantages such as adequate control of manufacturing temperature, problematic recycling and low damage tolerance. In contrast, acrylic polymers presents a high potential as an alternative matrix for thermoset composites due to their superior mechanical properties, manufacturing at low temperatures and recycled possibilities. In order to compare the mechanical behavior under impact loading of acrylic thermoplastic composites versus conventional composites, Charpy impact test and low velocity impact tests are carried out. The GFR acrylic laminate composites considered are compared to conventional composites manufactured with epoxy and polyester resins in terms of impact resistance and damage evolution. This study covers an impact energy rate from 10 to 60 J and analyses the maximum load, deflection, absorbed energy and associated damage, showing a better performance of the new GFR acrylic thermoplastic polymers with respect to conventional GFR composites .

Contains fulltext : 171468pub.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Primary treatment of rectal cancer was the focus of the second St. Gallen European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Gastrointestinal Cancer Conference. In the context of the conference, a multidisciplinary international expert panel discussed and voted on controversial issues which could not be easily answered using published evidence. Main topics included optimal pretherapeutic imaging, indication and type of neoadjuvant treatment, and the treatment strategies in advanced tumours. Here we report the key recommendations and summarise the related evidence. The treatment strategy for localised rectal cancer varies from local excision in early tumours to neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT) in combination with extended surgery in locally advanced disease. Optimal pretherapeutic staging is a key to any treatment decision. The panel recommended magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or MRI + endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) as mandatory staging modalities, except for early T1 cancers with an option for local excision, where EUS in addition to MRI was considered to be most important because of its superior near-field resolution. Primary surgery with total mesorectal excision was recommended by most panellists for some early tumours with limited risk of recurrence (i.e. cT1-2 or cT3a N0 with clear mesorectal fascia on MRI and clearly above the levator muscles), whereas all other stages were considered for multimodal treatment. The consensus panel recommended long-course RCT over short-course radiotherapy for most clinical situations where neoadjuvant treatment is indicated, with the exception of T3a/b N0 tumours where short-course radiotherapy or even no neoadjuvant therapy were regarded to be an option. In patients with potentially resectable tumours and synchronous liver metastases, most panel members did not see an indication to start with classical fluoropyrimidine-based RCT but rather favoured preoperative short-course radiotherapy with systemic combination chemotherapy or alternatively a liver-first resection approach in resectable metastases, which both allow optimal systemic therapy for the metastatic disease. In general, proper patient selection and discussion in an experienced multidisciplinary team was considered as crucial component of care.

A long-term injection gas test on initially saturated claystone samples under isotropic confining pressure is modelled in a 2D hydro-mechanical framework, which includes the hydraulic anisotropy. Evidences of localised pathways through the sample have been observed experimentally, which are difficult to reconcile with standard two-phase flow models. The presence of an embedded pre-existing fracture is included in a continuum finite element model. A hydro-mechanical coupling between the fracture aperture, permeability and the retention properties along the fracture is included in the model. Due to the increase in permeability and the decrease of the air entry pressure induced by the rise in fluid pressure at constant mean total stress, the model provides good agreement with the experimental observations. The discussion offers additional insight into the fluid flow mechanisms into the sample and the processes involved in the development of localised gas pathways. This study allows conclusions to be drawn regarding the performance of the model and its practical limitations.