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Although classical and operant conditioning are operationally distinct, it is unclear whether these two forms of learning are mechanistically distinct or similar. Feeding behavior ofAplysiaprovides a useful model system for addressing this issue. Both classical and operant appetitive behavioral training enhance feeding, and neuronal correlates have been identified. Behavioral training was replicated byin vitroanalogs that use isolated ganglia. Moreover, a single-cell analog of operant conditioning was developed using neuron B51, a cell important for the expression of the conditioned behavior. Here, a single-cell analog of classical conditioning was developed. Acetylcholine (ACh) mediated the conditioned stimulus (CS)-elicited excitation of B51 in ganglia and mimicked the CS in the single-cell analog of classical conditioning. Pairing ACh with dopamine, which mediates the unconditioned stimulus in ganglia, decreased the excitability of B51, and increased the CS-elicited excitation of B51, similar to results following bothin vivoandin vitroclassical training. Finally, a D1dopamine receptor (D1R) agonist failed to support classical conditioning in the cellular analog, whereas D1R mediates reinforcement in operant conditioning.

Peter D Beitsch1, Rakesh R Patel2, John D Lorenzetti3, James C Wurzer4, James C Tucker5, Susan J Laduzinsky6, Morris A Kugler71Dallas Surgical Group, Dallas, TX, USA; 2Valley Medical Oncology Consultants, Pleasanton, CA, USA; 3Breast Specialists, Egg Harbor Township, NJ, USA; 4AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Egg Harbor Township, NJ, USA; 5DCH Regional Medical Center – Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; 6Memorial and St Elizabeth’s Cancer Treatment Center, Swansea, IL, USA; 7Southern Illinois Surgical Consultants, Maryville, IL, USAIntroduction: Electronic brachytherapy (EBT) was developed to allow accelerated partial breast irradiation to be performed in a patient procedure room with minimal shielding. This observational, nonrandomized, multicenter study evaluated EBT as a post-surgical adjuvant radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer.Methods: This study included women aged 50 years or more with invasive carcinoma or ductal carcinoma in situ, tumor size ≤3 cm, negative lymph node status, and negative surgical margins. The endpoints were skin and subcutaneous toxicities, efficacy outcomes, cosmetic outcomes, and device performance. In this interim report, 1-month, 6-month, and 1-year follow-up data are available on 68, 59, and 37 patients, respectively.Results: The EBT device performed consistently, delivering the prescribed 34 Gy to all 69 patients (10 fractions/patient). Most adverse events were Grade 1 and included firmness, erythema, breast tenderness, hyperpigmentation, pruritis, field contracture, seroma, rash/desquamation, palpable mass, breast edema, hypopigmentation, telangiectasia, and blistering, which were anticipated. Breast infection occurred in 2 (2.9%) patients. No tumor recurrences were reported. Cosmetic outcomes were excellent or good in 83.9%–100% of evaluable patients at 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year.Conclusion: This observational, nonrandomized, multicenter study demonstrates that this EBT device was reliable and well tolerated as an adjuvant radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer.Keywords: radiation therapy, electronic brachytherapy, breast cancer

We present an investigation of the 10 μm feature of the giants and supergiants circumstellar shells, based on spectroscopic observations carried out at the TIRGO IR telescope. An analysis of the results, using Mie's theory, gives information about the sizes and the chemical composition of the circumstellar grains. These observations confirm the existence of large grains (∼2 μm) in circumstellar envelops.

From the beginning of the decade of 2000, the need to simplify the collection and transfer of “health information”, along with the need to strictly control health prescriptions and medicinal products dispensed for SSN (Italian National Health System) users, marked the start of the computerisation of medical prescriptions and electronic circulation of drugs prescriptions. The purpose of this work is to reconstruct the domestic regulation according to the European principles, identifying the main strengths and weaknesses in order to improve the medical and pharmaceutical care for users and the streamlining of costs. Finally, the national electronic prescription and its connection with electronic health registers will be analysed.