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Byline: Arup. Datta, Dhiman. Das, Kalyan. Bhattacharyya, Paramita. Bose, Amar. Mishra, Shyamal. Das Background: Frontal assessment battery (FAB) was devised as a specific study design to assess frontal lobe dysfunction. [...]

Background: Palliative hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) is an effective mode of treating painful bone metastasis. While 8 Gy single fraction radiation is often effective for the same, for complicated bone metastases a protracted fractionated regimen is preferred, of which 30 Gy/10#/2weeks or 20 Gy/5#/1 week are the most common worldwide. However such schedules add to the burden of already overburdened radiation treatment facilities in a busy center, wherein alternative logistic favourable schedules with treatment on weekends are preferred. Here we compare the efficacy of a twice weekly schedule to that of standard continuous 20 Gy/5 #/1 week schedule in terms of pain relief, response and quality of life. Materials and methods: A prospective non randomized study was undertaken from Jan 2018 to May 2019, wherein eligible patients of complicated bone metastases received palliative radiotherapy of 20 Gy/5#, either continuously for 5 fractions from Monday to Saturday or twice weekly, Saturday and Wednesday, starting on a Saturday over about 2 weeks. Pain relief was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and FACES pain scale recorded prior to starting palliative RT and at 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Results: Thirteen patients received continuous Hypofractionated RT while 16 received it in a twice weekly schedule. Spine was the most common site receiving palliative Radiation (27/29), while breast cancer was the most common primary (16/29). The demographic and the baseline characteristics were comparable. The mean pain score decline at 4 weeks was 2.56 ± 1.1 and 2.71 ± 0.52 in the 5-day and the two-week schedule, respectively (p = 0.67). Conclusion: A twice weekly schedule over about two weeks was found to be equivalent in pain control and response to the standard fractionated palliative radiation and, thus, can be safely employed in resource constrained, busy radiotherapy centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the thermal properties of plumbene under different temperatures, a plumbene sheet is developed by multi-scale modeling. Plumbene sheets of variable sample sizes are also investigated to obtain a broader view of thermal properties of the material for useful application in several engineering fields. Melting point, specific heat at constant volume and pressure, heat of fusion and the coefficient of linear and surface expansion within a temperature range of 318–398 K are also determined. Present applied techniques will guide experimental approaches for designing of plumbene sheets with specific thermophysical properties for targeted applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting changes in welfare policy across states and over time and comparing relevant population subgroups within an econometric difference-in-differences framework, we estimate the effects of welfare reform on adult women's illicit drug use from 1992 to 2002, the period during which welfare reform unfolded in the United States. The analyses are based on all available and appropriate national data sets, each offering unique strengths and measuring a different drug-related outcome. We investigate self-reported illicit drug use (from the National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse and National Surveys on Drug Use and Health), drug-related prison admissions (from the National Corrections Reporting Program), drug-related arrests (from Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports), and drug-related emergency department episodes (from the Drug Abuse Warning Network). We find robust evidence that welfare reform led to a 10%-21% decline in illicit drug use among women at risk of relying on welfare, as well as associated declines in drug-related arrests (6%-7%), drug-related hospital emergency department episodes (7%-11%), and possibly drug-related prison admissions (11%-19%). The findings indicate that an appropriately designed welfare system with sufficient job opportunities for those who are able to work can result in both increases in employment and decreases in drug use. (JEL I38, K42, J2), I. INTRODUCTION The landmark Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, often referred to as welfare reform, ended entitlement to welfare benefits under Aid to Families with [...]

Introduction: Radiotherapy for breast cancer has evolved over the years in terms of technique and dose fractionation. Hypofractionation for whole-breast radiotherapy has equivalent local control and toxicity profile compared to standard fractionation; however, evidence of the same for post modified radical mastectomy chest wall irradiation is scarce in terms of local control and complications. We undertook this study to determine whether hypofractionated (HF) chest wall irradiation gives comparable outcomes to standard fractionation in terms of locoregional control and late effects like arm and shoulder disability in resource-constrained setup. Materials and Methods: Breast cancer patients presenting at the outpatient department (OPD) from March to December 2015 who underwent postmastectomy chest wall irradiation were taken for the study. Radiotherapy was delivered by clinical planning using THERATRON 780c with cobalt 60, with tangential fields for chest wall and single anterior field for axilla and supraclavicular region. Patients were treated with either conventional fractionation of 50 Gy in 25# or HF to 42.5 Gy in 16 fractionation to both chest wall and regional nodes. Data were analyzed for patient profile, toxicity, and local and distant failure. Late complications in terms of upper limb morbidity was calculated using QuickDASH(short version of disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire) score for patients presenting at OPD from June to November 2019 for follow-up. Results: The sample size in the HF and standard arm was 40 and 34, respectively. The hypo# arm had a significantly more number of patients with >3 lymph nodes positive (P = 0.044). The median follow-up of 41 months, the standard and hypo# arm had 6 and 7 failures respectively. The 3-year disease-free survival was 82.4% and 82.5% in the respective arms (P = 0.925). No Grade II or Grade III acute toxicity was noted in both the arms. No Grade II skin or subcutaneous toxicity was noted. The mean QuickDASH score was 5.84 in the standard arm and 6.54 in the HF arm (P = 0.727, Mann–Whitney U test, Nonsignificant). However, the QuickDASH score was found to be significantly more in patients who had a large interfiled distance or who had received axillary radiation. Conclusion: Postmastectomy HF chest wall radiotherapy may be a good alternative to conventional fractionation radiotherapy in terms of locoregional control with no difference in acute toxicity and late complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Dhiman. Das, Atanu. Biswas, Arijit. Roy, Anna. Sauerbier, Kalyan. Bhattacharyya Background: Cognitive symptoms are common in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, assessment of cognitive impairment is difficult in PD [...]