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Abstract Background A nadir Prostate-Specific Antigen (nPSA) of 0.06 ng/mL has been shown to be a strong independent predictor of biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS) in patients with intermediate or high-risk (HR) prostate cancer treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy (RT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). We aimed to examine the association between the duration of ADT and bRFS in HR localized prostate cancer, based on nPSA. Methods Between 1998 and 2015, 204 patients with HR localized prostate cancer were identified. Of them, 157 patients (77.0%) reached the desired nPSA of 6 months); (P = 0.043). The presenting T stage was borderline significant (HR 3.074; 95% CI 0.972–9.719; P = 0.056), while PSA at presentation, Gleason Score and age were not. On multivariate analysis, the use of ADT for 12 months (P = 0.012) and tnPSA (P = 0.037) remained significant. In the unfavorable group, receiving ADT beyond 9 and 12 months was associated with improved bRFS (P = 0.044 and 0.019, respectively). However, beyond 18 months, there was no significant difference. Conclusion In HR localized prostate cancer patients treated with definitive RT and ADT, the total duration of ADT may be adjusted according to treatment response using nPSA. In patients reaching a nPSA below 0.06 ng/mL, a total of 12 months of ADT may be sufficient, while in those not reaching a nPSA below 0.06 ng/mL, a total duration of 18 months is required.

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of tumor characteristics and parameters of treatment response in predicting biochemical disease-free survival (BFS) for patients with intermediate or high risk prostate cancer treated by combined definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Methods Between June 1995 and January 2015, 375 patients with localized prostate cancer and a National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) intermediate or high risk categories were treated by definitive EBRT and ADT. Median duration of androgen blockade was 10 months (range: 3–36 months); Median radiation dose was 72 Gy (Range: 70–78 Gy). Median follow-up time was 5.8 years (range: 0.8–16.39 years). The main study endpoint was biochemical disease free survival (BFS). Results Forty seven patients (12.5%) developed biochemical recurrence (BCR) during the observation period. Monovariate analysis identified baseline PSA (bPSA) (p = 0.024), T-stage (p = 0.001), Gleason’s score (GS) (p = 0.042), radiation dose (p = 0.045), PSA pre-radiation therapy (p = 0.048), and nadir PSA (nPSA), (p

BackgroundWe systematically reviewed the literature for trials addressing the efficacy of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with a curative intent.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing PCI to no PCI in patients with NSCLC treated with a curative intent were eligible for inclusion. We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and CENTRAL between 1946 and July 2016. We also received continual search alerts from PubMed through September 2017. Search terms included “non-small-cell lung carcinoma,” “cranial irradiation,” and “randomized controlled trials.” We conducted meta-analyses using random-effects models for relative measures of treatment effect for the incidence of brain metastasis, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS). We used Parmar’s methodology to derive hazard ratios (HR) when not explicitly stated in RCTs. We narratively synthesized data for the impact of PCI on quality of life (QoL) and neurocognitive function (NCF). We assessed the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology.ResultsOut of 3,548 citations captured by the search strategy, we retained 8 papers and 1 abstract, reporting on 6 eligible trials. Patients who received PCI had a significant reduction in the risk of developing brain metastases as compared with patients who did not [relative risk (RR) = 0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26–0.52; moderate quality evidence]. However, there was no OS benefit (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.90–1.31; moderate quality evidence). Sensitivity analysis excluding older studies did not show substantively different findings. DFS was reported in the two most recent trials that included only stage III patients. There was significant improvement in DFS with PCI (HR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.46–0.98; high quality evidence). Two studies that reported on QoL reported no statistically significant differences. There was no significant difference in NCF decline in the only study that reported on this outcome, except in immediate and delayed recall, as assessed by the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test.ConclusionThere is moderate quality evidence that the use of PCI in patients with NSCLC decreases the risk of brain metastases, but does not provide an OS benefit. However, data limited to stage III patients suggests that PCI improves DFS, with no effect on QoL.

The degradation in physical and mechanical properties of a 1.5 mm thick HDPE geomembrane immersed in seven different low pH and three high pH simulated mining solutions is examined at temperatures between 95 and 40[degrees]C for 3 years. The solutions with pH between 0.5 and 13.5 encompass solutions found in copper, nickel, uranium, gold, and silver heap leach pads. The geomembrane did not exhibit any chemical degradation during the three years of incubation in all the low-pH solutions. However, in the solutions with pH 9.5, 11.5, and 13.5, some of the geomembrane's physical and mechanical properties are shown to reach nominal failure at 95 and 85[degrees]C. While the geomembrane examined shows superior performance in the acidic environments than in the basic solutions examined, its performance in such extremely basic environments is still better than in neutral reduced municipal solid waste leachate. Using Arrhenius' modelling, the predicted times for the antioxidant depletion stage of the geomembrane examined in composite liner configuration range between 31 years in pH 13.5 to 51 years in pH 0.5 for pad liners at 50[degrees]C, exceeding a typical leaching period of the ore of around 20 years in different heap leaching operations. Key words: geosynthetics, geomembranes, HDPE, degradation, heap leach pads, mining, low pH, high pH, stress crack resistance, HALS, 1. Introduction Heap leaching is a mining process in which ores are leached with various solvents (acidic or basic) to extract valuable metals. Relative to other mineral extraction technologies, heap [...]

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed containermonitoring systems in harbors, enabling real-time tracking, security, and efficient logistics management. However, achieving reliable IoT connectivity within harbor environments presents challenges such as metal interference and budget constraints. This article introduces a novel approach to enhance IoT connectivity in harbors by optimizing antenna design for path loss and channel modelling. By employing innovative design techniques and cost-effective materials, this antenna offers improved performance while keeping costs low for harbor operators. To address these challenges, a low-cost miniature antenna is developed, specifically tailored for optimizing path loss and channel modelling in IoT connectivity within harbors. The compact size of the antenna allows for versatile deployment across various harbor locations, while its innovative design ensures optimized performance, even in the presence of metal structures. By leveraging cost-effective materials and manufacturing methods, scalability and affordability are guaranteed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidant depletion from a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane with hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) immersed in seven different low pH solutions is examined over a 3 year period. The examined solutions had the range of pH (0.5,1.25, and 2.0) likely to encompass the pH of the leach solutions found in copper, nickel, and uranium heap leach pads. The metal concentration for these solutions is adopted from copper raffinate solutions. Additional solutions are investigated to examine the effects of field practices such as using surfactants in the leach solutions and pre-curing of the ores used to improve the metallurgical response of the ore. For the antioxidants detected by standard oxidative induction time (Std-OIT), there was a depletion to residual value of about 20% of the initial Std-OIT that varied depending on the incubation temperature and pH of the solution whereas decreasing the pH from 2 to 0.5 did not significantly affect the depletion rates of Std-OIT. The antioxidants detected by high-pressure oxidative induction time (HP-OIT) exhibited the fastest depletion in pH = 1.25 with the highest residual values followed by pH 2.0 and the slowest HP-OIT depletion was in pH = 0.5, but with the lowest residual values. Arrhenius modelling is used to predict the length of the antioxidant depletion stage for each solution based on both Std-OIT and HP-OIT. Key words: geosynthetics, geomembranes, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS), antioxidant depletion, heap leach pads, mining, low pH, copper, uranium, nickel. L'epuisement des antioxydants d'une geomembrane de polyethylene a haute densite (PEHD) avec des photostabilisants d'amine a encombrement sterique (HALS--hindered amine light stabilizers) immergee dans sept solutions de differents pH faibles est examinee sur une periode de 3 ans. Les solutions examinees avaient la gamme de pH (0,5, 1,25 et 2,0), susceptible d'englober le pH a des solutions de lixiviation trouve dans les aires de lixiviation en tas de cuivre, de nickel et d'uranium. La concentration des metaux pour ces solutions est adoptee de solutions raffinats en cuivre. Des solutions supplementaires sont etudiees pour examiner les effets des pratiques de chantier telles que l'utilisation des agents de surface dans les solutions de lixiviation et la prepolymerisation des minerais utilises pour ameliorer la reaction metallurgique du minerai. Pour les antioxydants detectes par temps d'induction oxydative standard (Std-OIT), il y a un appauvrissement de la valeur residuelle d'environ 20% du Std-OIT initial, qui varie en fonction de la temperature d'incubation et du pH de la solution, alors que la diminution du pH de 2 a 0,5 n'a pas significativement affecte le taux d'epuisement de Std-OIT. Les antioxydants detectes par temps d'induction oxydative a haute pression (HP-OIT) a expose l'epuisement rapide du pH = 1,25 avec les plus hautes valeurs residuelles suivies de pH 2,0 et le plus lent appauvrissement de HP-OIT etait a un pH = 0,5, mais avec les plus faibles valeurs residuelles. La modelisation d'Arrhenius est utilisee pour predire la longueur de l'etape d'epuisement d'antioxydant pour chaque solution basee a la fois sur le Std-OIT et le HP-OIT. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : geosynthetiques, geomembranes de polyethylene a haute densite (PEHD), photostabilisants d'amine a encombrement sterique (HALS), epuisement d'antioxydant, aires de lixiviation en tas, exploitation miniere, faible pH, cuivre, uranium, nickel., Introduction The primary technologies used to extract metals from ore are (i) milling (crushing and grinding) followed by leaching or flotation and (ii) heap leaching followed by metal extraction from [...]

A genetic analysis of isozymes in a French Cedrus atlantica stand is undertaken using horizontal starch-gel electrophoresis.

Abstract Extracranial metastases from brain meningiomas is a rare, but well-documented entity. Metastases occur mostly in the lungs, pleura and liver, but may also affect lymph nodes and bones. We report here on a patient who was treated for an atypical brain meningioma with multiple surgeries and multiple sessions of stereotactic radiosurgery with good control of his brain disease. Thirteen years after diagnosis, he developed bilateral large sacroiliac and abdominal metastases.