OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively the efficacy of a single fraction of high-dose radiotherapy in patients with Kaposi's sarcoma. PATIENTS: Between 1994 and 2004, 47 patients with Kaposi's sarcoma...Full Text Available
A 30-year-old man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Kaposi's sarcoma had a palpable thyroid mass and cervical lymphadenopathy. Nuclear medicine and ultrasound scans revealed multiple thyroid nodules. Results of biopsy showed Kaposi's sarcoma metastatic to the thyroid.
Simian retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF) is a vascular fibroproliferative neoplasm which has many morphological and histological similarities to human Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Like epidemic KS in AIDS...Full Text Available
We have cloned and characterized the entire DNA polymerase gene and flanking regions from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and two closely related macaque homologs of KSHV, retroperitoneal...Full Text Available
Comparison of dosimetry measured in a noncylindrical Rando-Alderson phantom by two-field, four-field, and six-field total-skin electron-beam therapy (TSEBT) techniques with our dual-field rotational (DFR) technique reveals a superior dosimetry for the latter. Our technique of dual-field rotational DFR-TSEBT is described in detail, and its advantages and indications for the primary management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are discussed.
Uterine sarcomas are a rare group of neoplasms with aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. They are classified into four main histological subtypes in order of decreasing incidence: carcinosarcomas,...Full Text Available
We have developed a flexible radioactive polyurethane patch incorporating {beta}-emitting radionuclide (166Ho) to treat malignant skin lesions. We covered the tumor surface (n=133) with the radioactive patch for 33.58 {+-} 5.33 minutes. Radiation dose delivered was 35 Gy for Bowen's disease (n=78), Kaposisarcoma (n=25), actinic keratosis (n=5), and 50 Gy for BCC (n=17) and squamous carcinoma (n=8). Complete response was observed in 91.7% after the first therapeutic trial, 96.2% after 2nd and 97.7% after 4th trial with excellent cosmetic outcome for 31.15{+-}13.88 months of follow-up. Radioactive patch therapy is effective for superficial skin cancers that are impractical for surgery.
Childhood cancer survivors at highest risk of developing a secondary malignancy are those with hereditary retinoblastoma. The majority of such secondary cancers will be sarcomas, most commonly of bone. One-third of these occur outside a typical radiation field, commonly in an extremity. Bone sarcoma is also the most commonly reported secondary cancer to develop among survivors of Ewing's sarcoma. In this group, radiation doses greater than 60 Gy as well as alkylating agent chemotherapy have been identified as contributors to the increased risk. The prognosis for patients with a secondary sarcoma has been poor, with few cures reported to date. However, an aggressive, combined modality approach, including radical resection, postoperative radiation, and adjuvant chemotherapy, may improve the survival rate.
Records of 154 patients with Ewing's sarcoma treated at the National Cancer Institute were reviewed to assess the incidence and risk of developing isolated central nervous system (CNS) Ewing's sarcoma. Sixty-two of the 154 patients had received CNS irradiation and intrathecal (i.t.) methotrexate as part of their initial therapy to prevent the occurrence of isolated CNS Ewing's sarcoma. The risk of developing isolate CNS Ewing's sarcoma was greatest within the first two years after diagnosis and was approximately 10%. The overall risk of CNS recurrence in the group of patients receiving DNS treatment was similar to the group receiving no therapy directed to the CNS. The occurrence of isolated CNS involvement was not prevented by the use of CNS irradiation and i.t. methotrexate. Because of a lack of efficacy to the CNS irradiation regimen, current treatment regimens do not include ...
This paper is a progress report on the role of radiation therapy (RT) in local tumor control and the decreased incidence of pulmonary metastasis in 251 patients entered in the Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study. All were followed for more that 1 year, and their RT records were reviewed. Doses to the primary tumor in the range of 4,500--6,500 rad were administered over approximately 5 to 6 weeks in combination with 4 drugs, i.e., vincristine (VCR), dactinomycin (DAC), cyclophosphamide (CY), and adriamycin, or only the first 3. One group of patients received the 3 drugs and bilateral pulmonary irradiation (approximately 1,500 rad in 2 wk). Preliminary analysis showed a local primary tumor control of approximately 90%. Patients with lesions in the pelvis and humerus had local failure rates of 13% (7 of 54) and 21.4% (6 of 28), respectively. The treatment groups differed significantly in the incidence of pulmonary metastasis. ...
Increasing frequency of skin cancer, mycosis fungoides, Kaposisarcoma etc, it need to treatment dose planning for total skin electron beam (TSEB) therapy. Appropriate treatment planning for TSEB therapy is needed to give homogeneous dose distribution throughout the entire skin surface. The energy of 6 MeV electron from the 18 MeV medical linear accelerator was adapted for superficial total skin electron beam therapy. The energy of the electron beam was reduced to 4.2 MeV by a 0.5cmx90cmx180cm acryl screen placed in a feet front of the patient. Six dual field beam was adapted for total skin irradiation to encompass the entire body surface from head to toe simultaneously. The patients were treated behind the acryl screen plate acted as a beam scatterer and contained a parallel-plate shallow ion chamber for dosimetry and beam monitoring. During treatment, the patient was placed in six different positions due to be homogeneous dose distribution ...
The role of radiation therapy in local tumor control and decreased incidence of pulmonary metastasis is reported in 271 patients who were entered into the Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study with more than one year follow-up and on whom all radiotherapy records were reviewed. The majority of the patients were irradiated to the primary tumor with doses of 4500 to 6500 rad in five to six weeks in combination with systemic administration of three drugs (vincristine, actinomycin-D and cyclophosphamide) or four drugs (vincristine, actinomycin-D, cyclophosphamide and adriamycin). One of the groups of patients was treated with three drugs and bilateral pulmonary irradiation (1500 rad, uncorrected dose, in two weeks). Preliminary analysis shows an overall local primary tumor control of 89%. Patients with lesions in the pelvis had a local failure rate of 17% (9 of 52) and in the humerus 23% (7 of 31). Factors affecting local recurrences are analyzed in ...
These guidelines were drawn up following a consensus meeting of UK sarcoma specialists convened under the auspices of the British Sarcoma Group and are intended to provide a framework for the multidisciplinary...Full Text Available
135 patients with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma, treated at the Institute Gustave Roussy between 1960-1974 were reviewed in order to establish the effectiveness and the complications associated with radiotherapy. In 133 patients, a dose of at least 60 Gy for long bones, 55 Gy for flat bones and 45 Gy for vertebrae was given. 26 major complications (of which more than one occured in certain patients) were observed: 12 cases of growth retardation, loss of joint function in 7 cases, 3 fractures, 2 osteonecroses, 2 cases of delayed healing, one massive soft tissue fibrosis, 1 abdominocutaneous fistula, 2 cases of symptomatic pulmonary fibrosis with associated infection, 2 cases of radiation enteropathy, 2 of mammary hypoplasia and 1 osteosarcoma developing in an irradiated zone. These complications necessitated 12 surgical interventions, including 4 disarticulations or amputations. The incidence of complications can be related to the age of ...
The results of nine years of study of the 237 patients who suffered from acute radiation syndrome (ARS) as a consequence of the Chernobyl accident are reported. Thirty-eight of these patients have died, 28 in the acute period in 1986, 5 in 1987-90 and 5 in 1992-93. The reasons for death show no clear tendencies. They include: gangrene of the lung, organic disease of the brain and spinal chord, hypoplasia of haematopoeisis, coronary heart disease, sarcoma and an automobile accident. Investigations have been carried out on an annual obligatory basis of the patients` haemopoietic, immune, nervous and endocrine systems. An analysis of the data is presented. Histograms are included showing the incidence of digestive tract, nervous system, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, the frequency and degree of disablement and serum prolactin concentration. The types of skin damage sustained by 39 of the patients are listed. (6 figures, 3 tables). (UK).
Immunotherapy has shown promise in a number of tumor types, but its exact role in sarcoma remains to be defined. Advanced bone and soft tissue sarcomas are challenging diseases to treat with an unmet...Full Text Available
BackgroundSarcoma encompasses an uncommon group of cancer and the data is insufficient from Pakistan. We report our four years experience of Sarcoma of soft tissues and bones.MethodsThis...Full Text Available
Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common malignant bone tumor in children and young adults. It is most prevalent between the ages of 10 and 15 years. There are present two cases of Ewing's sarcoma of the chest wall. The clinical, radiological and pathological features are described and the therapeutic options are discussed. (Author)
Spinal Ewing's sarcomas are rare and cause problems in differential diagnosis. The radiologic, nuclear medicine and CT findings in two children with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma are presented and problems in differential diagnosis discussed. Biopsy should be done early. (orig.).
Sarcomas usually metastasize to lugs. The following case report describes an unusual metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma to extradural parietal region bilaterally. The primary was found at lower end of ulna. (author)
In eight patients with Ewing's sarcoma bone scans were performed using "9"9"mTc-MDP. This procedure rendered possible the diagnosis of clinically or radiologically silent metastases. (orig.).
Background: the fact that therapeutic irradiation can induce significant stenosis in the arteries of the head, neck, and chest, as welt as in the aorta and the iliac arteries, is familiar in daily practice and well documented in the literature. By contrast, radiation-induced renal artery stenosis seems to be a less widely known complication. Patients and methods: the sudden onset of medically refractory arterial hypertension and coma in a 27-year-old man is reported, who had been treated at age 20 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for Ewing's sarcoma in the lumbar region. This treatment had been performed at the hospital of Sion, Switzerland in 2001. Also, the relevant literature from 1965 to 2007 is reviewed to underscore various aspects of this problem and to demonstrate the clinical relevance of renal artery stenosis as a potential long-term sequela of radiotherapy. Conclusion: radiation-induced renal artery stenosis has only rarely been described in the ...
Ewing's sarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that can occur anywhere in the body, but it is most commonly observed in the long bones of the arms and legs, the pelvis and in the chest. The predominant sites of metastasis include the lung (38%), bone (including the spine; 31%), and the bone marrow (11%). Metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma to the central nervous system (CNS) is relatively rare, and most of the previous reports have demonstrated involvement of the bony calvarium or brain parenchyma. We describe here the imaging findings of dural metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma, and these imaging findings have not been previously reported on in the medical literature. In conclusion, dural metastasis of Ewing's sarcoma is very rare and its imaging characteristics are similar to those of a primary tumor, which mimic the findings of a schwannoma or meningioma. Despite its rarity, secondary Ewing's ...
BackgroundEwing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone tumor in children, and survival of those with metastatic ES has not improved. Previous studies have shown...Full Text Available
IntroductionPrimary tumors of the breast containing bone and cartilage are extremely rare, and an osteogenic sarcoma arising from a cystosarcoma phyllodes is exceptional.Case...Full Text Available
The case of an unusual late metastasis of neuroblastoma to the calcaneum, appearing as a sole recurrence 9 years after surgery, is reported. The radiographic features of the osseous lesion were very suggestive of primary bone malignancy, Ewing's sarcoma as the first option, with extraosseous spread to the soft tissues. (orig.).
Extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (EES) is an uncommon lesion included in the group of soft tissue tumors. We present a case in a 19-year-old woman in which the diagnosis was not initially suspected because of the absence of clinical and radiological evidence. (Author).
This case describes a 10-year-old girl who developed a Ewing's sarcoma in her proximal fibula. The radiologic features mimicked those of a unicameral bone cyst. The presence of pain and the atypical location led to a prompt biopsy and the correct diagnosis. The mechanism of this unusual radiographic presentation is discussed. (orig.)
ET-743 (trabectedin; Yondelis) is approved in Europe for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. Emerging phase 1 and 2 clinical data have shown high response rates in myxoid liposarcoma in part owing...Full Text Available
Bone metastases of an Ewing's sarcoma were detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when bone scan, CT and plain films were still normal. This is due to the ability of MRI to detect intramedullary metastases before involvement of the cortex. (Auth.).
Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common type of primary bone malignancy in children and young adults. Survival rates for localized ES have improved to upwards of 70% with aggressive chemotherapy...Full Text Available
Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common bone malignancy affecting children and young adults. The prognosis is especially poor in metastatic or relapsed disease. The cell of origin remains elusive,...Full Text Available
BackgroundWide resection with tumor-free margins is necessary in soft-tissue sarcomas to minimize local recurrence and to contribute to long-term survival. Information about treatment...Full Text Available
Combined treatment of 131 patients aged 3-16 with local form of Ewing's sarcoma is carried out. Survival rate per year was studied in patients without diagnosed metastases depending on chemiotherapy method. It is stated that improved results of treatment of children with Ewing's sarcoma may be achieved by combining radiotherapy with long-term systemic polychemotherapy. The most efficient and expedient method of radiotherapy of long bone sarcoma in children is dialy three-field irradiation with 2 Gy at SFD to the tumor 60 Gy, and adjacent tissues - 40 Gy.
The results of treatment of 53 cases of pediatric localized Ewing's sarcoma and bone reticulosarcoma were analized. Chemoradiotherapy is a procerdure of choice in bone marrow sarcoma treatment: while overall five-year survival was 28.4#+-#6.2%, it was as high as 64.9% in cases of combined treatment (total focal dose of at least 50 Gy+polychemotherapy). Two cases of osteo- and chondrosarcoma development in exposed bone are described.
The paper is concerned with the results of a morphological study following chemoradiotherapy in 25 patients with Ewing's sarcoma and 14 patients with reticulum cell carcoma. The signs of therapeutic pathomophosis were observed in the first 3 days, and substitution of the connective tissue for a necrotized tumor started by the 3rd-4th week after the initiation of therapy. In some cases tumor growth and recurrences at the site of a treated tumor were observed.
Cytologic smears obtained by needle aspiration biopsy of lytic bone lesions in 15 patients with histiocytosis X, Ewing's sarcoma and neuroblastoma were reviewed. After conventional staining, histiocytosis X could be diagnosed and differentiated from small cell tumours such as Ewing's sarcoma and neuroblastoma. The need for sampling material for cytochemical and ultrastructural analysis of these small cell tumours by needle aspiration is emphasized. (Auth.).
Primary Ewing's sarcoma of the skull is a very rare entity. We report MRI findings in a case of Ewing's sarcoma of the greater wing of sphenoid in a 4-year-old patient. Magnetic resonance imaging showed markedly heterogenous signal intensity with areas of haemorrhage and necrosis. It also demonstrated the exact extent of tumour due to its multiplanar capabilities and was, therefore, helpful in planning surgery. Copyright (2002) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd
A lytic lesion with softtissue extension in the sacrum of a 47-year old man was needle-biopsied under computed tomographic (CT) guidance using an 18-gauge cutting needle. The cytologic appearance of the lesion and immunohistochemical staining were diagnostic of Ewing's sarcoma. Specifically, a new marker (O13) for the presence of glycoprotein p30/32 mic2 in Ewing's sarcoma was utilized. (orig.).
The authors present a case in which primary Ewing's sarcoma of the right petrous pyramid in a 9-year-old girl showed no uptake on a /sup 99m/Tc-pertechnetate nuclide angiogram. Intense uptake was present on a /sup 99m/Tc-polyphosphate bone scan, but a static brain scan was only minimally abnormal. The diagnosis and treatment of Ewing's sarcoma are reviewed.
A bone scan can be negative in Ewing's sarcoma. The bone scan during and after treatment can give prognostic information on the primary tumor site: A persisting hot spot strongly suggests the presence of local malignancy, while a hot spot becomming negative points to local cure of Ewing's sarcoma. (orig.).
The radiographic features of Ewing's sarcoma of the bones of the hands and feet are reviewed utilizing cases obtained from the Mayo Clinic patient files and the consultation files of Drs. D.C. Dahlin and K.K. Unni. This series consists of a total of 43 cases of pathologically proven Ewing's sarcoma involving the small bones of the hands and feet. The classic radiographic features of Ewing's sarcoma in the long bones, including lytic, permeative destruction, aggressive periosteal reaction, cortical violation, and a soft tissue mass, are also seen in the bones of the hands and feet, with similar frequency. These classic features are most commonly present in lesions affecting the short tubular bones. Lesions affecting the tarsal bones more often demonstrate atypical radiographic features. These atypical radiographic appearances may play a role in the reported delay in diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma within ...
Ewing's sarcoma is a highly malignant neoplasm of the bone whose origin is still uncertain. A strong relationship exists between Ewing's sarcoma and tumors of neural origin (Ewing family of tumors). Ewing's sarcoma must be distinguished from other round-cell tumors like lymphoma and neuroblastoma and also must be differentiated from osteogenic sarcomas. On plain radiographs, Ewing's sarcoma appears as a lytic or mixed lytic-sclerotic, rarely as predominantly sclerotic lesion with margins Lodwick grade III. It is located primarily in the diaphyseal and metadiaphyseal regions of the long bones of the lower extremities. A large soft tissue tumor is usually present. Magnetic resonance imaging is the imaging modality of choice to evaluate the extent of the primary lesion, to monitor the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and to follow up non-resected Ewing's ...
Ewing's sarcoma classically presents as a hot spot on bone scan as a result of increased vascularity of the tumor and new bone formation. Purpose We report and analyze an uncommon pattern of a 'cold' lesion in Ewing's sarcoma on bone scan and its pathophysiologic significance. Case report A 15-year-old boy complaining of thigh pain. CT scan evoked Ewing's sarcoma or osteitis. MRI evoked chronic osteitis. Scintigraphy showed a fairly intense and heterogeneous uptake on the femoral lesion and no abnormal uptake elsewhere. Biopsy showed none pathologic pattern. Three months later, a second biopsy concluded to Ewing's sarcoma. Bone scan showed a larger lesion with peripheral intense uptake centered by enlarged 'cold' area in the left femoral diaphysis and no evident bone metastasis. The patient underwent chemotherapy and surgery. Three months later, bone scan showed extensive skeletal metastasis. Conclusion ...
Advances in the diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma of the rib were considered and retrospective analysis of the treatment of 32 patients (76% of them were children at the age of 10-15 y.o.) in the clinic of children oncology was performed. It was shown that the diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma of the rib in children ought to be combined taking into account the course, morphology and radiation examination techniques. Most optimum treatment consisted of combined therapy (cyclic polychemotherapy, lesion focus irradiation at the summary focus dose of 57 Gy, surgery with subsequent polychemotherapy for not less than 1.5 years
Periosteal Ewing's sarcoma is an uncommon, but well documented origin of this malignant condition with radiography signs, different from intramedullary growing tumours. Imaging modalities like CT or MRI supply proof of macroscopically intact endosteal cortical surface and free medullary cavity in long bones affected by this periosteal type of malignancy. Definite confirmation is valid after a careful microscopic investigation of the resected specimen. The prognosis of this type of Ewing's sarcoma may be favourable than that of the central type. Early diagnosis and therapy are thus essential. A clinical survey of six observations is given. (orig.).
Computed tomography (CT) has already proved extremely effective both in cerebral and abdominal pathology. Several recent publications describing first heterogeneous series [1, 2, 7, 11-17], then studies of a single type of lesion [3-6, 8] have illustrated its usefulness in the study of bone lesions. This report deals with 41 cases of Ewing's sarcoma studied by CT at the Institut Gustave Roussy from October 1977 to July 1981, and tries to show both the limitations and indications of this technique for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of Ewing's sarcoma as well as in the diagnosis of any eventual recurrence. (orig.).
We report the case of a 22-year-old man with Ewing's sarcoma who attained a complete remission (CR) after combination radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia with multiple cytogenetic abnormalities involving chromosome 5 and 7 developed 16 years later. The patient underwent induction chemotherapy and entered a CR. Peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from a matched sibling was performed successfully and he is in complete remission of both ALL and Ewing's sarcoma. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)
We encountered a case of Ewing's sarcoma. The patient was a 19 year-old girl, who visited a local physician because of pain in the left scapular region, and was referred to us. Roentgenograms of her left scapula revealed an irregular moth-eaten shadow which was suspected to be a malignant bone tumor. The histological diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma was comfirmed by needle biopsy. The initial stage of treatment consisted of radiation therapy (6000 rads) and chemotherapy (VAC and ADR). At the end of the initial stage, the symptoms were improved, the size of the local lesion was reduced on the roentgenogram and there was no evidence of distant metastases. (author).
Effect of different factors on survival of patients with Ewing sarcoma (20 people), primary bone reticulosarcoma (43) and myeloma (10) of pelvic bones, has been studied. Independently of the method of treatment, the rate of 3-year survival from reticulosarcoma start constituted (31.5+-7.1)%, Ewing sarcoma - (33.0+-10.8)%, myeloma - (36.0+-15.9)%. Index of 5-year survival in case of reticulosarcoma constituted (20.9+-6.4)%, Ewing sarcoma - (23.6+-11.0)%, myeloma - (36.0+-15.9)%. Improvement of delayed results after prophylactic therapy courses is pointed out. Degree of pelvic bone affection is of a very important prognostic value.
Background: Some former retrospective studies have suggested that patients with Ewing's sarcoma might have a very high risk for developing secondary sarcomas if treated with radiotherapy. We have evaluated the risk of second malignancies (SM) in patients treated in the German Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Studies CESS 81 and CESS 86. Materials and methods: From January 1981 through June 1991, a total number of 674 patients was registered in the two multicentric Ewing's sarcoma trials CESS 81 (1981 through 1985) and CESS 86 (1986 through June 1991). The systemic treatment consisted in both studies of a four-drug-chemotherapy (VACA= vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide and adriamycin; or VAIA= vincristine, actinomycin D, ifosfamide and adriamycin) and a total number of four courses, each lasting nine weeks, was recommended by the protocol. Local therapy was either complete surgery or surgery plus ...
The use of absorbable polyglactin 910 mesh (Vicryl) is described in a case of Ewing's sarcoma of the pelvis. An operation was performed to hold the small bowel and colon out of the pelvis for a temporary period during which radical radiotherapy was delivered. The mesh allowed the temporary displacement of bowel and obviated bowel radiation morbidity. (author).
Ewing's sarcoma and Triton's tumor are two uncommon bone tumors of the skull that have nonspecific clinical and imaging features. However, imaging methods are important in the detection of the lesions during the diagnostic investigation in order to evaluate the extent of the bone lesions, involvement of the soft tissues and brain, and to determine the presence of local recurrence and metastases. The confirmatory diagnosis relies on histological studies and immunohistochemistry. The authors report two cases of patients with these tumors and present the radiological findings. (author)
Results of treatment of 30 children with Ewing's sarcoma irradiated in the First Radiotherapy Department, Cancer Center, Warsaw, in the period 1983-1992, are described. In 40% of patients NED survival from 1 till 10 years and in 70% the local control was obtained, and no serious radiations equelae were observed. (author).
Previously it was shown that the host-range gene of the Bratislava strain of avain sarcoma virus (B77 virus) spontaneously mutates with a very high rate. The wild-type B77 virus called B77 virus-II,...Full Text Available
A case of metastatic Ewing's sarcoma to the skull is presented, demonstrating the superiority of magnetic resonance imaging over other imaging modalities to exclude CNS involvement. Precise delineation of different tumor components in extradural location contained in an intact dural rim together with compressed cortex showing no signs of tumorous involvement constituted an MRI appearance allowing us to exclude tumor outgrowth into the brain. (orig.).
In this retrospective study, 28 cases of Ewing's sarcoma are reviewed for the onset of metastasis. Bone scans demonstrated bone metastasis in three out of 28 patients at presentation. Of the 22 patients free of metastases at presentation, ten subsequently developed bone metastases. In six of these patients, the bone scan was the earliest demonstrator of metastatic disease. Bone scans are recommended at presentation and periodically during follow-up.
The cytokinetic response of the solid Yoshida sarcoma to hyperthermia was examined at two tumour volumes, 1.0-1.5 ml and 3.0-3.5 ml. The tumour, growing on the feet of rats, was heated at 42 degrees...Full Text Available
A review of main issues in diagnosing, complex treatment and prognosis of Ewing's sarcoma is presented. Current trend in chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery of the disease is discussed. Unfavourable prognosis is attributed to the systematic character of the disease, necessitating a complex therapeutic approach. Attempts to make an optimal combination of the three therapeutic methods in order to improve survival and reduce the rate of post-treatment complications are analyzed. 37 refs., 4 tabs. (author).
A case is presented in which the diagnosis of acute myelomonocytic leukemia was made 16 months after the start of irradation and chemotherapy for Ewing's sarcoma. The association of these two diseases is rare. The etiologic role of therapy in the development of leukemia is speculative in this case. However, there is need for surveillance for secondary neoplasms of all types so that the benefits of therapy may be properly weighed against the risks.
"9"9"mTc-tetrofosmin has been used in the imaging of cancers of diverse origin. In this report the use of it in the family of round cell tumors, mainly Ewing's sarcoma and peripheral neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), where differentiation between the two is not always simple on the basis of histopathological features alone is discussed
This paper presents results from a research case study that examined the distribution of travel time of origin-destination (OD) pairs on a transportation network under incident conditions. Using a transportation simulation dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) model, incident on a transportation network is executed under normal conditions, incident conditions without traveler information availability, and incident conditions assuming that users had perfect knowledge of the incident conditions and could select paths to avoid the incident location. The results suggest that incidents have a different impact on different OD pairs. The results confirm that an effective traveler information system has the potential to ease the impacts of incident conditions network wide. Yet it is also important to n...
Purpose: During recent years, more intensified systemic and local treatment regimens have increased the 5-year survival figures in localized Ewing's sarcoma to more than 60%. There is, however, concern about the risk of second malignancies (SM) in long-term survivors. We have analyzed the second malignancies in patients treated in the German Ewing's Sarcoma Studies CESS 81 and CESS 86. Materials and Methods: From January 1981 through June 1991, 674 patients were registered in the two sequential multicentric Ewing's sarcoma trials CESS 81 (recruitment period 1981-1985) and CESS 86 (1986-1991). The systemic treatment in both studies consisted of a four-drug-regimen (VACA = vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and adriamycin; or VAIA = vincristine, actinomycin D, ifosfamide, and adriamycin) and a total number of four courses, each lasting nine weeks, was recommended by the protocol. Local therapy in curative patients ...
Late last year the Wolsung Candu in Korea suffered an incident which resulted in heavy water being released from the primary system into the containment. With the unit now back at full power, this article examines the causes of the incident and the action which is being taken to prevent it happening again.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence rate of newly diagnosed cases of coeliac disease in Italy. DESIGN: This was a descriptive study of coeliac disease incidence in the period 1990-91. SETTING:...Full Text Available
The incidence of candidiasis in two groups of voluntary participants wearing tight and loose fitted dresses was investigated by both microscopic and cultural techniques for a period of two months....Full Text Available
Despite high local control rate in Ewing's sarcoma the exact indication of radiation therapy is still controversial as well as the choice of the target volume and the optimal dose of radiation. The importance of the quality of radiotherapy has been stressed in recently published data and has shown a significant impact on long term local control with adequate radiation therapy. The dramatic improvement of precision allowed by the conformal therapy and three dimensional dosimetry allow to expect a decrease of late effects expected for second malignancies. However, late sequelae and radio-induced osteosarcoma still remain the major side effects after radiotherapy. The authors discuss the results of the main trials on Ewing's sarcoma on the choice of dose and target volume. Surgery is still the preferred choice for small tumors if the foreseen outcome is identical. (authors). 28 refs.
We analyzed 16 radiographic features of primary Ewing's sarcoma in 342 patients from the IESS 7299 (Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study) for prognostic significance. Of these, 3 features demonstrated a statistically significant relationship to survival: maximal tumor dimension, tumor location, and an appearance of honeycombing within the lesion. Those individuals with primary lesions centered in the pelvis, femur, or humerus had a worse survival rate than those with lesions centered elsewhere. Similarly, we observed an inverse relationship between the greatest dimension of the osseous portion of the lesion and survival. The radiographic finding of honeycombing also showed a statistical association with improved survival. However, this feature was observed infrequently, and its significance should be assessed further. Otherwise, no other feature that we analyzed showed any relationship to patient prognosis. (orig.).
Spindle cell sarcomas consist of tumors with different biological features, of which distant metastasis is the most ominous sign for a poor prognosis. However, metastasis is difficult to predict on the basis of current histopathological analyses. We have identified actin filament-associated protein 1-like 1 (AFAP1L1) as a candidate for a metastasis-predicting marker from the gene expression profiles of 65 spindle cell sarcomas. A multivariate analysis determined that AFAP1L1 was an independent factor for predicting the occurrence of distant metastasis (P=0.0001), which was further confirmed in another set of 41 tumors by a quantitative mRNA expression analysis. Immunohistochemical staining using paraffin-embedded tumor tissues revealed that the metastasis-free rate was significantly better...
Purpose. We report a case of Ewing's sarcoma in the right distal femur in a 6-year-old male to demonstrate how dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DEMRI) findings predicted histopathology. Materials and methods. DEMRI was performed at presentation and during and after completion of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Histopathologic studies were done at presentation, at 77 weeks (20 weeks after a pathological fracture), and from the en bloc resection at 104 weeks. Results. DEMRI predicted the early tumor response, absence of tumor recurrence, presence of necrosis and lack of fracture healing, confirmed by histopathology. Conclusion. DEMRI is a clinically useful tool in managing Ewing's sarcoma. (orig.)
The philosophy pervading the treatment approach to Ewing's sarcoma was to have therapy encompass all foci of disease, including sites of occult or potential involvement in addition to obvious clinical manifestations. The experience with integrated methods of treatment in 66 consecutive patients at the National Cancer Institute is reviewed. A median survival of 18 months (44 percent 2 year survival rate) for patients with recognizable metastases on admission bears impressive witness to the value of adjuvant therapy in Ewing's sarcoma. Even more encouraging, an uncorrected 5 year survival rate of 53 percent (42 percent continuously free of disease) for patients given ''pyrophylactic'', adjuvant therapy indicates the potential for permanent control of disease in a significant fraction of cases with clinically localized primary tumors. (U.S.).
The use of Sleeping Beauty transposons as somatic mutagens to discover cancer genes in hematopoietic tumors and sarcomas has been documented. Here, we discuss the future of Sleeping...Full Text Available
The p53 tumour suppressor plays a pivotal role in the prevention of oncogenic transformation. Cancers frequently evade the potent antitumour surveillance mechanisms of p53 through mutation of the TP53...Full Text Available
A case of reticulosis of the skin (mycosis fungoides) terminating in reticulum cell sarcoma is described where the features of poikiloderma atrophicans vasculare had been present for 40 years. The...Full Text Available
The walleye dermal sarcoma is a mesenchymal tumor which seasonally affects up to 27% of adult walleye fish (Stizostedion vitreum). It arises multicentrically in the dermis, in which its development...Full Text Available
BackgroundA wide range of techniques is now available for analyzing regulatory networks. Nonetheless, most of these techniques fail to interpret large-scale transcriptional data...Full Text Available
Two cases of primary Ewing's sarcoma of the rib are reported, in which radiation therapy was quite effective. Case 1 was an 18-year-old female who had had an operation and radiation therapy for Ewing's sarcoma of the left 7th rib. She was referred to our hospital after a recurrent tumor was found. Radiation therapy (tumor dose 46.2 Gy) and chemotherapy were given. The tumor disappeared and there has been no relapse for 1 year and 3 months after the treatment. Case 2 was a 2-year-old-infant. Radiation therapy (tumor dose 74 Gy) was given for primary Ewing's sarcoma of the left 6th rib. The tumor became small and was successfully removed at operation. There has been no relapse or distant metastasis for 8 months following the operation. We emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary treatment in case 1 and the usefulness of preoperative radiotherapy in case 2. (author).
IntroductionBRAF (v raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homologue B1) is a serine-threonine kinase involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway, known...Full Text Available
Radiotherapeutic results of the Ewing sarcoma of the long tubular bones in 140 pediatric patients aged 3-16 are analyzed with the respect to different methods of irradiation. Three-field irradiation, the fields being located at 120 deg to one another with daily irradiation of all three fields at a focal dose of 2 Gy, was found superior in treatment of primary neoplasm. It is stressed that the disease termination mainly depends on the efficiency of primary neoplasm treatment, as the neoplasm reccurence generally is followed by metastases. Radiation load is calculated for maximal irradiation area of soft tissues in children.
The results of the examination of 23 children with Ewing's sarcoma of the rib were analyzed: panoramic chest X-rays in 4 projections, spot radiographs of the robs, superexposed pictures, laterograms, urography, angiography, computerized tomography, and scanning of the skeleton. Causes of diagnostic errors made at the first consultation by a physician, were identified. Peculiarities of X-ray signs of tumors of this site in children were studied. Diagnostic difficulties in tumors complicated by pleurisy and in tumors of small sizes with extrapleural growth were shown. Inclusions in the extraoseous tumor component were noted in 8.7% of the cases.
The results of treatment of 134 cases of morphologically-verified localized Ewing's sarcoma were evaluated. A comparative analysis showed relapse-free survival to be significantly lower for radiation treatment (23 %) than for its combination with various cytostatic drugs. Two-year relapse-free survival rate was as high as 43 % in cases receiving sarcolysin or cyclophosphamide as adjuvants. This was matched by 47 % for adjuvant ardiamycin or carminomycin and 56 % for adriamycin plus cyclophosphamide and vincristine. Evaluation of long-term results of adjuvant chemotherapy showed sex, age and site involvement to be of certain prognostic value.
We present the case of a 12-year-old girl who presented with a pathological fracture through a benign-appearing osteolytic lesion that was presumed to represent fibrous dysplasia. The fracture healed, and over the next 2.5 years there was further refracturing and healing with progressive osteolysis. A biopsy was performed and revealed Ewing's sarcoma. The disease was locally controlled by neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The patient is disease free with excellent function 6 years following the discovery of the lesion. We illustrate and discuss the sequence of events. (orig.)
This is a retrospective analysis of bone scans in 72 patients with Ewing's sarcoma. Sites of primary disease were found to be evenly distributed among the axial skeleton and the proximal and distal extremities. Primary disease sites in the axial skeleton were more frequently associated with metastases. Fifty-three of these patients had their first scans done at presentation; among them, 25 were found to have metastases. Unsuspected metastases were picked up in 28 of all the patients. Metastases at presentation were seen to be associated with a poorer prognosis.
Patients with Ewing's sarcoma who present with a central axis or proximal extremity primary and/or with metastatic disease have a poor prognosis despite aggressive combination chemotherapy and local irradiation. In this high risk group of patients, total body irradiation (TBI) has been proposed as a systemic adjuvant. To aid in the design of a clinical TBI protocol, the authors have studied in the in vitro radiation response of two established cell lines of Ewing's sarcoma and human bone marrow CFUc. The Ewing's lines showed a larger D_0 and anti-n compared to the bone marrow CFU. No repair of potentially lethal radiation damage (PLDR) was found after 4.5 Gy in plateau phase Ewing's sarcoma cells. A theoretical split dose survival curve for both the Ewing's sarcoma lines and human bone marrow CFUc using this TBI schedule shows a significantly lower surviving fraction (10"-"4-10"-"5) for the bone marrow ...
Because of limitation on neutron-incident data, it is difficult to obtain global optical model potential for neutrons. In contrast, there are some global optical model potentials for proton in detail. It is interesting to convert the proton-incident global optical potentials into neutron-incident ones. In this study we introduce (N-Z)/A dependent symmetry potential terms into the global proton-incident optical potentials, and then obtain neutron-incident ones. The neutron potentials reproduce total cross sections in an acceptable degree. However, a comparison with potentials proposed by other authors brings about a confused situation in the sign of the symmetry terms. (author).
The objective of the current research was to examine the association of herd level disease incidence with the return over feed (ROF) (milk income minus feed cost) herd profit index offered through Canwest...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE--To review and analyse the changing incidence of gonorrhoea and the increasing antibiotic resistance in gonococci in Australia from 1981 to 1991. DESIGN--Use of data from the sample of gonorrhoea...Full Text Available
It is the Office of protection against the ionizing radiations (O.P.R.I.) who alerted the A.C.R.O. that a new ruthenium incident had arisen to the factory Cogema - La Hague on October 31., 2001. The A.C.R.O. immediately made a campaign of analyses the results of which are presented in this note. The previous similar incident dates May 18., 2001. A loss of depression in the workshop R7 of the factory UP2-800 specialized in the vitrification had brought an unchecked release, by one of the smokestacks, composed essentially of radioactive ruthenium and rhodium; the evacuated activity was estimated by the operator at approximately 11 MBq. The measures in environment made by the A.C.R.O. had led the association to question the Authority of Nuclear Safety about the total quantity of release announced by the operator. Having presented the results of the measures of radioactivity in the environment made following the incident of 31. ...
OBJECTIVETo determine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentration and risk of incident type 2 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSIn...Full Text Available
AimTo assess the progression of bronchial reactivity (BR) and incidence of bronchial hyperreactivity (BH), exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) and asthma in triathletes...Full Text Available
Between 1978 and 1983, 13,890 cataract extractions were performed in Baltimore at JHH and the GBMC with 14 expulsive hemorrhages for an incidence of 0.10%. In the years 1963 through 1983, 180,690 cataract...Full Text Available
Surveys were conducted in one urban and two rural regions of the United Republic of Cameroon to estimate the annual incidence of paralytic poliomyelitis. Three different survey methods were used: a...Full Text Available
Between 1943 and 1982, 5,140 new cases of testicular cancer were diagnosed in Denmark. The age-standardized incidence rate more than doubled in the period. Striking variations is seen in the age-relationship...Full Text Available
There is limited information about the true incidence of acute renal failure (ARF). Most studies could not quantify disease frequency in the general population as they are hospital-based and...Full Text Available
BackgroundRegistered data can provide valuable information regarding blindness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the main causes and 3-year incidence of registered blindness...Full Text Available
A brief letter attempts to justify the assumption in an earlier paper of an isotropic distribution of environmental gamma rays incident on humans. A second letter from the original authors responds to this in yet more detail. (UK).
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical problem with significant clinical and economic consequences. A number of studies point to a rising incidence of AKI in the hospital and in the intensive...Full Text Available
In 1981, the German Society of Pediatric Oncology initiated a multi-institutional study for the treatment of Ewing's sarcoma. The protocol (Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study, CESS 81) consisted of four courses of a four-drug-regimen (VACA), each course taking nine weeks. Local therapy (radical surgery or resection plus irradiation or radiotherapy alone) was performed after the second course. The results of CESS 81 can be summarized as follows: VACA-chemotherapy is effective in controlling systemic disease. Initial tumor mass and response to initial chemotherapy are of major prognostic value for local control and survival. Permanent local control is a problem, especially in irradiated patients. The high local failure rate in irradiated patients in CESS 81 could be attributable to the following reasons: Late start of local therapy (after 18 weeks of chemotherapy), uneven distribution of prognostic parameters: Large tumors were more often ...
Twenty-seven histologically confirmed cases of localised Ewing's sarcoma were treated by two different regimes. Radiotherapy alone was used in 13 cases and a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in 14. Single agent chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide) was given sequentially in nine patients and cyclophosphamide and actinomycin-D in five. There is a significant difference in the response to these different regimes. Only 69.2% of patients treated by radiotherapy alone were disease-free, for a median period of 10.4 months and metastases were noticed in 53.8% of cases. The disease-free survival in patients treated by combination therapy (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) was 18.4 months and metastases were seen in only 42.9%. However, no metastases were seen in patients who received cyclophosphamide and actinomycin-D, during a period of 14 months and only one patient showed residual disease. It is concluded that the addition of cyclophosphamide alone is not adequate in ...
Five cases diagnosed as extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (EES) during a 15 year period, and the relevant literature, were reviewed. The diagnosis in these cases was difficult to confirm, mainly because the distinction between the osseous form of Ewing's sarcoma (OES) and either periosteal reactions or direct tumour invasion into adjacent bone by EES was often unclear. The literature suggests that other authors have also encountered difficulties. The authors believe that many cases reported as EES are likely to have been OES. This distinction has some importance, as the two conditions are usually treated in differing ways. The following criteria are proposed for the diagnosis of primary EES: (i) no evidence of bony involvement on magnetic resonance imaging; (ii) no evidence of increased uptake in bone or periosteum adjacent to the tumour on static isotope bone scan images; (iii) a small round cell tumour with no differentiating features on light ...
Between 1973 and 1978 combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy were given to 22 patients with histologically proven Ewing's sarcoma. The combined chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide, vincristin, adriamycin, as well as dacarbazine in some cases. The neoplasm was a localized one at the beginning of treatment in 14 of the 22. These patients received high-voltage rediotherapy to the primary focus at a focal dose between 42 and 55 Gray (4200-5500 rad), followed by chemotherapy. After 6-8 treatment cycles, adriamycin was replaced by methotrexate. Nine of the 14 patients survived without recurrence for 12 to over 59 months. Eight patients had extensive metastases at the beginning of treatment: they at first received only chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy or operation, as indicated. Full clinical remission was achieved in five of them: in three this remission has now lasted for more than 18, 40 and 44 months, respectively. These results indicate that (1) ...
Late last year the Wolsung Candu in Korea suffered an incident which resulted in heavy water being released from the primary system into the containment. With the unit now back at full power, this article examines the causes of the incident and the action which is being taken to prevent it happening again. (author).
Twenty-four long-term survivors of Ewing's sarcoma were identified as being at risk for a second primary tumor. Among this group of patients followed from 3 to 22 y, 4 new bone tumors were observed, whereas 1.2 x 10"-"3 were expected. All new tumors arose in heavily irradiated areas. The risk associated with radiation after 3 years was 7.2 cases/million person-years per rad. The cumulative cancer risk over 10 years for irradiated patients was 35% (SE, 15.1%). Intensive chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide and vincristine administered in five or more courses) seemed to exert an enhancing effect, increasing the rate of development of new tumors.
Fifteen quantitative bone scintigraphies were performed in an adolescent girl during the follow-up of a femoral osteogenic sarcoma treated by chemotherapy and massive allograft. Three hours after injection of the radiopharmaceutical (7.4 MBq/kg of 99mTc-MDP) bone activity was measured in the inferior limbs at several regions of interest centered on the hips, femurs (proximal, middle, distal) and proximal tibias. The variations of relative bone activities A/S (ratio of corresponding counting rates between two homologous regions in the affected A and in the healthy S limb) and of absolute bone activities (expressed in counts/pixel-second) are interpreted as a function of times during treatment. The quantitative results are discussed with regard to main phenomena influencing bone activity in this particular clinical case: bone growth, chemotherapy and neo-osteogenesis in allograft.
Extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) are widely regarded as clinically and histologically identical tumors which consist of small blue round cells. Extraskeletal ESs/PNETs usually occur in the deep soft tissues of the paraspinal region, chest wall, or lower extremities. However, superficially located cases, so-called cutaneous ESs/PNETs, are exceedingly rare, and the vast majority of the reported cases present as a single small mass. We present magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical course of a unique case of primary cutaneous ES/PNET presenting as numerous huge masses with severe ulceration on them. (orig.)
Local control of Ewing's sarcoma was analysed in a series of 67 patients treated by surgery and/or radiotherapy as well as combination chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was employed with or without surgery in 60 patients and produced an overall local control rate of 55%; complete excision of the primary lesion seemed to be beneficial. There was a marked variation in control rates depending on the site of the primary lesion: limb 85%, rib 53%, pelvis 31% and other sites 33%.Primary tumours greater than 10 cm in diameter were significantly less likely to be controlled. Using daily fractions of approximately 180 cGy, total doses in excess of 6000 cGy seem more likely to produce serious late morbidity amd may not increase the local control rate. No cases of second malignancy arising in irradiated tissue have been observed to date, but one patient developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. (author).
Between 1964 and 1977, 94 patients with Ewing's sarcoma of bone were treated at the National Cancer Institute. They received 5000 rad to the whole bone and progressively more aggressive chemotherapy protocols. The patients were divided according to site of primary lesion into central, proximal and distal lesions, with 19%, 33% and 57%, respectively, alive and well. The local control rate is high (93%), with good functional results in the distal lesions, and no changes are needed in radiation therapy dose or volume. Control is not as satisfactory for central and proximal lesions and efforts need to be made to increase control at these sites. We are at present attempting to define more accurately the extent of soft tissue disease, increasing the dose to 6000 rad for central lesions, and using a more aggressive chemotherapy program, in the hope of increasing the local control in these more aggressive tumors.
Twenty-two patients with vertebral primaries were registered in the Intergroup Ewing's Sarcoma Study between 1973 and 1977. The radiation doses to the primary tumors ranged between 3800 and 6200 rad. All patients received intensive combination chemotherapy. After a followup ranging between 14 and 62 months, 14 patients remained disease-free. All patients with primary tumor of the cervical and dorsal spine remained disease-free. Of eight patients with lesions in the distal spine, (sacrococcygeal region) six developed recurrence, in three a local recurrence was observed despite doses of 6000 rad or higher. Doses of 5000 rad or less (in addition to combination chemotherapy as used in the Intergroup Ewing's Study) appear adequate in controlling the primary tumors of the proximal segments of the spinal column.
A retrospective study of Ewing's Sarcoma at The Armed Forces Malignant Diseases Treatment Centre, Command Hospital, Pune, is presented. A total of 38 cases over a period of thirteen years have been studied. Males predominate slightly, and the common age group on presentation has been in the second and third decade. Humerus, pelvis and femur are the bones commonly affected. The initial line of management has been primarily radiotherapy, which has been over the years supplemented by combination chemotherapy. All the cases achieved remission, though only 32 cases (84 per cent) had complete remission, and the remaining only partial remission. The overall survival in those offered aggressive therapy has been over 50 per cent in two years. The present policy in the management of these cases is discussed. (author). 4 tabs.
Geometrical shapes and diameter of nuclear tracks changes continuously during the process of etching for various incident angles. Besides, there is also a marked difference amongst their profiles, as evidenced by the SEM analysis, when the incoming particles fall on the detector at different angles of incidence. This work outlines this aspect of fission fragment tracks in a glass detector and has set out a few empirical relationships between the mean track diameter, d-bar and the etching time, t, within experimental limits. This study, therefore, sheds some light in the follow up the origins and characteristics of heavy ions in some terrestrial and extra-terrestrial materials and also in studying the collimation accuracy of heavy ion bombardments. The implications of the results in discerning the measurements of incident angles of various types of ions are described in detail in the paper.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiologic findings of the extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma. Six patients with pathologically confirmed extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma were retrospectively reviewed. Patients included two men and four women with an average age of 21.5 years (age range 9-48 years). Plain radiographs (six patients), magnetic resonance (MR) images (five patients), computed tomographic (CT) scans (three patients) and whole body scintigraphy (two patients) were reviewed and analyzed. Images were evaluated with regard to lesion location, size, margin, muscle or bone involvement and intrinsic imaging characteristics on CT and MRI. The tumors were located in the thigh (three patients), back (two patients) and upper arm (one patient). The tumors ranged in size from 2.3 cm to 7.5 cm (mean, 5.2 cm), were mainly well circumscribed and showed no evidence of calcification prior to treatment. Margins were well defined in four out of the ...
Ewing's sarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumour occurring in children and adolescents and exists in two different clinico pathological entities: osseous Ewing's sarcoma (OES) and extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (EES). Five cases of primary epidural EES are described, which presented with non-specific symptoms leading to a long diagnostic delay. The median age at diagnosis was 22 years (range 13-36 years). The median diagnostic delay was 3 months. All patients had one or more neurological deficits. All underwent surgical exploration with a laminectomy and partial resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy to a dose of 46-50 Gy and chemotherapy with VAC (vincristine, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide) alternating with ICE (ifosphamide, cisplatin and etoposide) for at least six cycles. The mean follow-up period is 21.2 months (range 11-32 months). Four of the five patients achieved a complete remission and are disease ...
Purpose: To identify results and prognostic factors on long-term survival and local control following treatment of localized Ewing's sarcoma. Patients and Methods: Between 1979 and 2004, a total of 60 children and young adults with Ewing's sarcoma were treated. Patients with distant metastases at presentation (n = 6) and recurrent cases (n = 2) were excluded from this analysis. Patients were exclusively treated within ongoing national and international protocols CESS-81, CESS-86, EICESS-92, EURO-EWING-99. All patients received local irradiation with a total dose of 45-60 Gy; in addition, 41 (79%) of the patients had local surgical procedures, 27 (52%) of them with clear margins. Results: Overall survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 56% and 45%, respectively. Patients #<=# 14 years at diagnosis had overall survival rates of 66% and 61% at 5 and 10 years compared to older patients with corresponding survival rates of 47% and 31%, respectively ...
Studies have been performed with an anti-osteogenic sarcoma monoclonal antibody 791T/36 and human tumour xenografts to examine some of the quantitative and kinetic aspects of tumour localization. The influence of variations in tumour size and site and antibody dose on the extent and rate of specific antibody localization have been examined, together with the site of intratumoural deposition of the antibody. (UK).
An animated test is made for mice with malignant tumors irradiated by a self-made millimetre wave radiator for medical purpose. It is observed that S-180 sarcomas in mice after irradiation has been distinctly suppressed. And remarkable effects are shown through a lot of clinical practices on peptic ulcer, skin-deep ulcer, acute and chromic soft tissue injuries etc.
A report on the long-term follow up of the first cooperative Scandinavian Sarcoma Group study in Ewing's sarcoma of bone is presented. Fifty-two previously untreated patients entered the study between 1984 and 1990. Half of the tumors were located in the extremities and one quarter in the pelvis. The combined modality treatment consisted of 5 cycles of chemotherapy - including vincristine, methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, bleomycin and dactinomycin. The first two cycles were followed by local resection or amputation in 35 patients and by radiotherapy alone in 17 patients. When surgery was not performed, was incomplete or yielded poor margins radiotherapy was given at a dose of 40-60 Gy. Local tumor relapses developed in 10 patients and in all but one patient were accompanied by metastatic disease. Five patients had metastasis at diagnosis and distant metastases developed after primary treatment in 27 patients after a median of 14 ...
Ewing's sarcoma is a small round-cell tumor typically arising in the bones, rarely in soft tissues, of children and adolescents. Ewing's sarcoma has retained the most unfavorable prognosis of all primary musculoskeletal tumors. Prior to the use of multi-drug chemotherapy, long-term survival was less than 10%. The development of multi-disciplinary therapy with chemotherapy, irradiation, and surgery has increased current long-term survival rates in most clinical centers to greater than 50%. In addition, the preferred method of tumor resection has changed; limb salvage has nearly replaced amputation of the affected limb. Limb salvage procedures can be performed in place of amputation without compromising patient survival rates. Recent studies have revealed that the pathognomonic translocations involving the EWS gene on chromosome 22 and an ETS-type gene, which is most commonly the Fli1 gene on chromosome 11, are implicated in more than 95% of ...
Chondrosarcomas are the most frequently occurring primary malignant chest wall tumors. Furthermore, the lungs serve as the most frequent sites for metastases. Pulmonary metastases from sarcomas usually...Full Text Available
A survey is presented of the consequences of the irradiation of the population with ionizing radiation. There is an increased incidence of leukemia in irradiated population groups. Among the inhabitants of Hiroshima and Nagasaki maximum death of leukemia was observed in the years 1951 to 1952. The results are summed up of the observation of carcinoma of the breast, lungs and bronchi, bones, and carcinoma of the thyroid. The effect of radiation on experimental animals is described. It was found that the scatter of the dependence of the incidence of various types of cancer on the dose equivalent apparently reflects differences in the biological mechanism of this incidence and that a proportional relationship cannot be expected between the primary damage of cells during irradiation and the actual manifestation of the disease. (E.S.).
Measurements of the humeral cortical thickness demonstrate that generalised osteoporosis in female Bantu commences in the fifth decade and gradually increases until, in the ninth decade, all subjects are osteoporotic. The combined cortical thickness (CCT) of the humerus in young adults is very similar to that found previously in a white London population and the loss of cortex with age is very similar. It is concluded that the known low incidence of femoral neck fracture in Bantu is not due to a lower incidence of generalised osteoporosis but to environmental factors. The chief environmental factor postulated is the greater amount of physical work performed by the Bantu. A more careful mode of walking is suggested as a subsidiary cause. (orig.).
Intermittent sun exposure and sunburn are strong predictors of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). On the other hand, melanomas may arise also in non-sun-exposed areas such as the vulva. However, little is known about a possible relationship between sun exposure and vulvar melanoma. Temporal and latitudinal dependencies of the incidence rates of vulvar melanoma were studied in comparison with those of CMM among Caucasians in Sweden, East Germany, USA and Victoria (Australia). The ratios of vulvar melanoma incidence rates to those of CMM tend to decrease with increasing CMM rates. The incidence rates of CMM have increased with time until recently, while those of vulvar melanoma have either decreased or remain constant. In USA vulvar melanoma incidence rates seem to increase from south to no...
Violence in both community and county hospitals in the USA is increasing. It caused significant physical, emotional and economic hardship to many emergency department employees. We describe an incident...Full Text Available
BackgroundIncrease in the incidence of hyperuricemia associated with gout as well as hypertension, renal diseases and cardiovascular diseases has been a public health concern. We...Full Text Available
Assessment of the results of laminectomy for lumbar disc lesions is unsatisfactory, but it seems that some degree of recurrent pain is virtually inevitable. The clinical features and incidence of the...Full Text Available
Local anesthetics are frequently administered in dentistry and thus can be expected to be a major source of drug-related complications in the dental office. Additionally, the dentist will more often...Full Text Available
Heart failure has been singled out as an emerging epidemic, which could be the result of increased incidence and/or increased survival leading to increased prevalence. Knowledge of the responsibility...Full Text Available
For a solar cell, in order to minimize the loss of incident light, transparent glass or plastic material is used at the incident part. When a solar cell is watched from the light incident part, a silicon base material is directly observed with either block or brown color only. This invention enables a solar cell to give brighter color on the incident surface by placing a reflective film which reflects only the light of specific wavelength, without reducing the efficiency of the solar cell. This reflective film consists of multi-layered dielectric with 12 layers and alternative combination of highly refractive and less refractive substances. Highly refractive layer is Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/ with refractive index 1.74 and the less refractive layer is SiO/sub 2/ with refractive index 1.45. (5 figs)
RIFLE criteria have been used to determine the incidence of acute kidney dysfunction (AKD) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, no studies have focused on the incidence of AKD after OLT in patients with normal pre-OLT kidney functions. Using the RIFLE criteria, we determined the incidence and risk factors for AKD after OLT in patients with normal pre-OLT kidney function. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 112 patients who underwent OLT from January 2000 to February 2009 with normal prior kidney function. We investigated three levels of renal dysfunction outlined in the RIFLE criteria: risk (R); injury (I); and failure (F). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were collected. AKD occurred in 64 (57%) OLTs with risk, injury, and failure frequenc...
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a life-threatening reaction of neuroleptic medication. The estimated incidence rate of neuroleptic malignant syndrome is between 1% and 1.5% of patients treated with...Full Text Available
Joensen P. Multiple sclerosis incidence in the Faroe Islands 1986-2007. Acta Neurol Scand: 2010: 121: 348-353.Copyright 2009 The Author Journal compilation Copyright 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard. Objective - Epidemiological studies of the isolated Faroese population in 1945 identified a high annual incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) of 10/100,000. At the time, there was speculation that the disease was brought to the country by British occupation forces resident in the islands from 1940 to 1945. The objective of the current study is to determine the incidence of diagnosis of MS in the Faroe Islands during the period 1986-2007. Methods - All patients in the Faroe Islands diagnosed with MS from July 1, 1986 to July 1, 2007 are documented in the current longitudinal, prospective study. The dia...
Background: Contamination of autologous grafts unfortunately occurs in plastic surgery, but the literature provides no guidance for management of such incidents. Methods: American...Full Text Available
ObjectiveTo determine whether accounting for the time dynamics of diabetes exposure will change the risk estimates for colorectal cancer.Full Text Available
We compared the incidence of nasopharyngeal colonization by Streptococcus pneumoniae, the serotypes causing mucosal and invasive diseases, and the antibiotic resistance of these strains...Full Text Available
Chemical leucoderma is an industrial disorder in developed countries and the common causative chemicals are phenols and catechols. Due to stringent controls and preventive measures the incidence has...Full Text Available
for cyber issues? Did you decide to establish this position because of the WikiLeaks incident? DR. SLAUGHTER: No. No, that decision was actually taken nearly a year ago,...
Several factors have been proposed to explain the persistence of a high incidence of venous thromboembolism worldwide with its associated morbidity and mortality. Underutilization of anticoagulants...Full Text Available
Intrathecal _1_9_8Au colloid and methotrexate were administered to 27 children (between 1972 and 1981) with non-lymphatic leukaemia, 21 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and two with Ewing's sarcoma to prevent CNS involvement. In one boy with non-lymphatic leukaemia a stable remission after a three-year period of cytostatic treatment ended with isolated CNS involvement. No isolated CNS recurrence occurred in children with non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving regular radiogold administration. Combined iris and CNS recurrence occurred in one child with non-Hodkin lymphoma. Eleven of 21 children with non-Hodgkin lymphoma have been in complete initial remission for 4-39 months without cytostatic treatment. Late cerebral complications have not been observed after _1_9_8Au colloid and methotrexate. (orig.).
As reported previously (Namba et al., 1985), normal human fibroblasts were transformed by 60Co gamma-ray irradiation into immortal cells with abnormal karyotypes. These transformed cells (KMST-6), however, showed a low cloning efficiency in soft agar and no transplantability. However, upon treatment with Harvey murine sarcoma virus (Ha-MSV), the cells acquired elevated clonability in soft agar and transplantability in nude mice. Ha-MSV alone, however, did not convert normal human fibroblasts into either immortal or tumorigenic cells. The Ha-MSV-transformed KMST-6 cells showed an enhanced expression of the ras oncogene, but normal and 60Co gamma-ray-transformed cells did not. Our current data suggest that gamma rays worked against normal human cells as an initiator, giving rise to chromosome aberrations and immortality, and that Ha-MSV, probably through its ras oncogene, played a role in the progression of the malignant cell population to a more malignant one ...
Forty cases of Ewing's sarcoma of various sites had attended the Department of Radiotherapy at the Wanless Hospital and the Miraj Medical Centre, attached to the Government Medical College, Miraj, Maharashtra, from January, 1970 through December, 1979. There were 28 male patients and 12 female patients in the series with a male to female ratio of 2.3:1. The youngest patient in the series was a female of 6 years of age with the tumour in the scapula and the oldest patient was a 32-year-old male with a lesion in the metacarpal bone. Sixty per cent of the cases were seen in the second decade. The average age of the patients was 13.5 years. The bones of the lower extremities were most commonly involved with the highest number (35 per cent) of the cases occurring in the femur. Involvement of the bones of the right side of the body was almost equal to that of the left side. Swelling over the site of the lesion and pain over the swelling were the most common complaints ...
The present study was undertaken in 27 children with localized Ewing's sarcoma treated at our hospital. In 9 cases the lesion was central and in 18 peripheral. Treatment consisted of: 1) Chemotherapy with 6 drugs (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, bleomycin, dactinomycin and doxorubicin) for one year in all patients; 2) Radiotherapy in 24 patients at a dose of 30-40 Gy in the entire bone with a booster dose of 10-15 Gy in the lesion. In 7 patients debulking surgery was performed followed by irradiation. Two cases with tumor in expendable bones and one with extensive destructive lesion in the tibia underwent radical surgery. One patient suffered local recurrence (femur) and 6 developed distant metastases. The remaining 20 (74%) patients were alive and tumor-free after follow-up periods of 17-80 months. Among the 12 patients with extremity lesions who were alive, 7 (58%) had minimal or mild treatment sequelae, 2 moderate, and 3 severe sequelae but no ...
We report here a study of the mechanisms leading to loss of growth control in chicken embryo fibroblasts transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). We have been particularly concerned with the role of the src gene in this process, and have used RSV mutants temperature sensitive (ts) for transformation to investigate the nature of the growth regulatory lesion. The two principal findings were (1) the stationary phase of the cell cycle (G{sub 1}) in chick embryo fibroblasts seems to have two distinct regulatory compartments (using the terminology of Brooks et al. we refer to these as 'Q' and 'A' states). When rendered stationary at 41.5 C by serum deprivation, normal cells enter a Q state, but cells infected with the ts-mutant occupy an A state. (2) Whereas normal cells can occupy either state depending on culture conditions, the ts-infected cells, at 41.5 C, do not seem to enter Q even though a known src gene product, a kinase, is ...
The radiographic appearance of Ewing's sarcoma was studied retrospectively in 22 patients who survived 5 years or longer after diagnosis and treatment. Expected changes from treatment, including regression of the extraosseous soft tissue mass, periostitis, and reconstitution of the cortex, occurred in all patients. Local recurrence occurred in one patient 10 years after complete remission whereas secondary osteosarcoma occurred more than 5 years after complete remission in two other cases. Both recurrent and secondary tumors presented as new lytic foci at the site of the original primary lesion. Lytic changes from radiation (radiation osteitis) may develop more than 2 years after treatment and in this sample; such findings were widely distributed in the radiation port. The authors conclude that bone remodeling and postradiation changes occur slowly over 2 years after treatment, and that any localized lysis at the primary site is suspicious for recurrence or ...
From 1964 to 1973 at the Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology, Havana City, 18 clinical histories were studied, all of them from patients with Erwing's sarcoma, histologically diagnosticated by biopsy. Age, sex, race, traumatism background, hemogram disturbances, radiographic signs, primary tumor localization, and early treatment, were exposed. Early treatment in 14(83%) patients as radiotherapy. Local recurrence or metastasis was presented in 10(55,5%) patients during the two first years following attack treatment. Five (35,7%) patients was the survival rate within five years starting early treatemt. After five years, three (21,4%) patients were alive: for 18 and 14 year, and 64 month period; two patients died at 62 and 64 months. It is concluded that this survival may be increased by initial behaviour enclosed at the technologic therapeutic patterns of the the Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology, of Havana City. (author).
3-["1"2"3I]Iodo-L-#alpha#-methyl tyrosine (["1"2"3I]IMT) scintigraphy of extracranial malignant tumors has been described, but little is known about the transport systems involved in ["1"2"3I]IMT uptake into extracranial tumor cells. Here, the precise kinetics of ["1"2"3I]IMT transport into human Ewing's sarcoma cells (VH-64) was determined. The apparent Michaelis constant was of high affinity value (K_m=41.7#+-#3.9 #mu#M) and maximum transport velocity amounted to V_m_a_x=20.7#+-#0.6 nmol#centre dot#mg protein"-"1#centre dot#10 min"-"1. Inhibition experiments revealed the predominance of ["1"2"3I]IMT uptake via sodium-independent system L.
The cellular transport systems and the transport kinetics of ["1"2"3I]IMT uptake into non-malignant extracranial cells were characterized for the first time. Human fibroblasts were chosen as non-malignant extracranial cells as they are found ubiquitous in the body. ["1"2"3I]IMT is exclusively transported into fibroblasts via the sodium independent system L. An apparent Michaelis constant K_m=116.2#+-#18.9 #mu#M and a maximum transport velocity V_m_a_x=191.6#+-#13.9 pmol * (10"6 cells)"-"1 * min"-"1 were calculated for the sodium-independent transport. These results were compared with those determined in two malignantly transformed extracranial cell lines, the human Ewing's sarcoma cell lines VH-64 and CADO-ES-1.
Purpose: To evaluate the effect of low-dose radiation therapy and surgery on local control in patients with Ewing's Sarcoma. Materials and Methods: Between 1979 and 1995 24 patients (ages 4-47) with Ewing's sarcoma were treated with combined modality therapy that included multi agent chemotherapy, surgical resection, and radiation therapy. Twelve patients had metastatic disease at the time of presentation (pleura = 3, lung = 5, bone 4). Tumor location was central in 16 and peripheral in 8. Multi agent chemotherapy consisted of vincristine/actinomycin D/cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin in 19. The same agents with the addition of ifosfamide and etoposide were given in 5. The extent of resection was considered to be radical in 14 and of the 16 patients who received preoperative chemotherapy, 5 were found to have a pathologic complete response. All patients with lung metastases at diagnosis received whole-lung irradiation to 1400 cGy in 10 fractions. ...
To determine the demographics, imaging findings, clinical symptoms, and prognosis of primary vertebral Ewing's sarcoma (PVES). A retrospective review of medical records and radiological studies of patients diagnosed with PVES from 1936 through 2001 in our institution and Department of Pathology consultation files was undertaken. Metastatic and soft tissue Ewing's sarcoma cases were excluded. From a total of 1,277 cases of Ewing's sarcoma, 125 (9.8%) had a primary vertebral origin. There were 48 females and 76 males. Patient ages ranged from 4 to 54 (mean 19.3, standard deviation 10.7, median 16) years. Vertebral column distribution was four cervical (3.2%), 13 thoracic (10.5%), 31 lumbar (25%), and 67 sacrum (53.2%). More than one vertebral segment was involved in ten cases (8%). Satisfactory imaging studies were available in 51 patients: 49 radiographs, 27 computerized tomography (CT), and 23 magnetic resonance imaging ...
The interest of irradiation by carbon ions is in the fact that the carbon ions leave all their energy to a determined depth. ( phenomenon known under the name of Bragg peak)This high diffusion in tissue gives an RBE particularly high. The indications of this therapy are chordomas, and chondrosarcomas of the skull base, some cyst adenoid carcinomas, pulmonary cancer, sarcomas, hepato carcinomas, melanomas. In the light of results in term of efficiency, the place of irradiation by carbon ions should widen. (N.C.)
Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (peripheral PNETs) are rare in the abdomen. We report the imaging findings of four peripheral PNETs arising in the abdomen. Three were ill-demarcated tumors and one was a well-demarcated tumor, with extensive local invasion and lymph node metastasis in two cases, respectively. The tumors are of inhomogeneous attenuation and heterogeneous enhancement after intravenous administration of contrast materials. Although their imaging manifestations cannot distinguish them from other sarcomas, recognition of these imaging features may be helpful in suggesting the possibility of peripheral PNETs in some cases.
Efficient and economical utilization of wind power will require the ability to measure and ultimately predict the effects fluctuations in the incident wind will have on a wind turbine. In order to quantitatively assesss these effects, experimental techniques have been developed which allow analysis of full-scale performance of wind turbines with particular emphasis on the effects caused by turbulence in the incident wind. Examples of these techniques are presented using data from the DOE/Sandia Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) program.
Photon yields were measured from Cu(110) bombarded by H"+, H_2"+ and He"+ with different energies. The energy dependence is different from previous studies at perpendicular incidence. A calculation of the energy dependence of resonant charge capture into the n=3 state of H is compared with experiment. (G.Q.).
The author furnishes a review of incidents of major damage to high-output steam turbines. At the same time, he thereby underlines the call for an improvement in the exchange of experience on such damage and its causes at international level. Only the careful observance of past damage experience - including that of foreign manufacturers and operators - complete and modern monitoring equipment and the painstaking evaluation of all data furnished by such equipment can keep the risk of new technical development within economically tolerable limits. (orig.).
The incidence of adrenal involvement in MEN1 syndrome has been reported between 9 and 45%, while the incidence of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) in MEN1 patients has been reported between 2.6 and 6%....Full Text Available
The evaluation of radiotherapy and surgery as exclusive local treatment in comparably selected subgroups of patients with Ewing's sarcoma on the basis of the CESS 86-data. In the German multicenter Ewing's sarcoma study CESS 86, treatment consisted for four 9-week-courses of VACA- or VAIA-chemotherapy plus local therapy. VACA (vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin) was given in low-risk extremity tumors with a tumor volume below 100 cm"3. Highrisk patients with central lesions or a tumor volume >100 m"3 received VAIA (ifosfamide instead of cyclophosphamide). Local therapy started after one complete chemotherapy course in week 10. Based on an individual decision in each patient, local therapy was either radical surgery or resection plus postoperative irradiation with 45 Gy or definitive radiotherapy with 60 Gy. Because of poor results with radiotherapy in a preceeding study, it was intended to restrict irradiation to ...
Purpose: Treatment results and the pattern of relapse were evaluated in the multimodal treatment of Ewing's sarcomas of the chest wall. Methods and Materials: In a retrospective analysis, 114 patients with non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma of the chest wall were evaluated. They were treated in the CESS 81, CESS 86, or EICESS 92 studies between January 1981 and December 1993. The treatment consisted of polychemotherapy (VACA, VAIA, or EVAIA) and local therapy, either surgery alone (14 patients), radiotherapy alone (28 patients) or a combination of both (71 patients). The median follow-up was 46.6 months (range 5-170). A relapse analysis for all patients with local or combined relapses was performed. Results: Overall survival was 60% after 5 years, event-free survival was 50%. Thirty-seven patients had a systemic relapse (32.4%), 11 patients had a local relapse alone (9.6%), and 3 patients had a combined local and systemic relapse (2.6%). The risk ...
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 26 patients with Ewing's sarcoma of bone preceding and following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, to assess tumour response non-invasively prior to surgery. T1- and T2-weighted spin echo images were obtained. Changes including intra- and extramedullary signal intensities, tumour demarcation, tumour volume and the appearance of residual extramedullary tumour were compared with histophathology of the resected specimens. Reduction of tumour volume was significantly higher in good responders. Other single parameters did not correlated with histologic tumour response. However, when several MR parameters summarized in a classification system were combined, a positive correlation with histopathologic response was found. A limited decrease of tumour volume (<25 %) and/or residual soft tissue mass following chemotherapy correlated with a poor response. An inhomogeneous, well-defined cuff of abnormal tissue encircling the bone ...
Background: In the German CESS-studies, Ewing's sarcoma patients with pulmonary metastases at diagnosis were considered as candidates for additional bilateral lung irradiation. We have retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy on survival. Material and methods: Out of 42 patients presenting with pulmonary metastases of Ewing's sarcoma between 1981 and June 1992, 30 were evaluable. One patient died of progressive disease prior to lung irradiation. The other patients had a complete radiographic remission either after chemotherapy (n=25) or chemotherapy plus resection of lung metastases (n=4). 22 patients received bilateral lung irradiation with doses of 12 to 21 Gy (once daily 1.5 Gy or twice daily 1.25 Gy), six had no further treatment and one had bone marrow transplantation for consolidation. Results: Ten patients are in complete remission, nine of them had received lung irradiation and one had a complete resection of three lung ...
The results of 144 previously untreated cases of primary Ewing's sarcoma of bone are reported with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. This series was treated between 1972 and 1982 at Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli with a combined therapy. The local control of the disease consisted of amputation (ten cases), resection followed by radiation therapy (35-45 Gy) (48 cases) and radiation therapy alone (40-60 Gy) (86 cases). Adjuvant chemotherapy, rigorously standardized, was performed according two different protocols: the first (85 cases treated in the period 1972-1978) consisted of vincristine (VCR) Adriamycin (doxorubicin) (ADM), and cyclophosphamide (EDX); the second (59 cases treated in the period 1979-1982) of VCR, ADM, EDX and dactinomycin (DACT). At a follow-up of 5 to 16 years (median, 9), 59 patients (41%) are continuously disease-free (CDF), 81 (56%) developed metastatic disease and/or local recurrence, and four (3%) had a second malignancy. Three factors seem to be ...
Twenty-four high-risk Ewing's sarcoma patients were treated on an intensive combined modality protocol including low-dose fractionated total body irradiaiton (TBI) and autologous bone marrow infusion (ABMI). Twenty patients (83%) achieved a complete clinical response to the primary and/or metastatic sites following induction therapy. The median disease-free interval was 18 months, and nine patients remain disease-free with a follow-up of 22 to 72 months. Local failure as a manifestation of initial relapse occurred in only three patients (15%), each having synchronous distant failure. Eight patients failed initially with only distant metastases, usually within 1-2 years following a complete clinical response. Two patterns of granulocyte recovery following consolidative therapy (including TBI and ABMI) were recognized. The time to platelet recovery was different for the groups with early and late granulocyte recovery. Patients with late recovery did not tolerate ...
This report presented an analysis of incidents gathered by the Canadian upstream oil and gas industry committee in relation to explosive atmospheres in wellbores, vessels, tanks, and piping systems. The aim of the report was to develop industry recommended practices for oil and gas industry fires and explosions. Two accident theory models were used to set out the relationships between hazards, defenses, and losses. Three levels of defenses were identified based on organizational, local workplace, and human factors. An organizational responsibility approach was used to examine the activities of key people with the system. Incidents were analyzed based on an expanded fire triangle used to identify fire and explosion hazards. The study showed that the ignition of hydrocarbons into the air was a factor in nearly 50 per cent of the incidents. A lack of understanding of liquid-hydrocarbon properties was demonstrated in ...
The increasing number of hazardous materials accidents in the United States has resulted in new federal regulations addressing the emergency response activities associated with chemical releases. A significant part of these new federal standards (29 CFR 1910.120 and 40 CFR Part 311) requires compliance with specific criteria by all personnel involved in a hazardous material emergency. This study investigated alternative lesson design models applicable to instruction for hazardous material emergencies. A specialized design checklist was created based on the work of Gagne, Briggs, and Wager (1988), Merrill (1987), and Clark (1989). This checklist was used in the development of lesson plan templates for the hazardous materials incident commander course. Qualitative data for establishing learning objectives was collected by conducting a needs assessment and a job analysis of the incident commander position. Incident commanders ...
Purpose: To determine if involved field radiation (IF) is equivalent to standard whole bone radiation (SF) in local tumor control; to establish patterns of failure following treatment; and to determine response, event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival rates from multidisciplinary therapy in Ewing's sarcoma. Methods and Materials: Between 1983 and 1988, 184 children with Ewing's sarcoma were enrolled onto Pediatric Oncology Group 8346 (POG 8346). A total of 178 (97%) met eligibility criteria; 6 had pathology other than Ewing's sarcoma. Induction chemotherapy of cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin (adriamycin )(C/A) x 12 weeks was followed by local treatment either surgery or radiation therapy and C/A, dactinomycin, and vincristine for 50 weeks. Resection was advised for patients with small primary tumors if accomplished without functional loss. Forty patients were randomized to receive SF, whole bone radiation to 39.6 Gy ...
INTRODUCTION. We searched for a pathophysiologically based feature of major water electrolytes, which may define water quality better than the water hardness, respecting urinary calculus formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Utilizing a multistage stratified sampling, 2310 patients were diagnosed in the imaging centers of the provincial capitals in Iran between 2007 and 2008. These were composed of 1755 patients who were settled residents of 24 provincial capitals. Data on the regional drinking water composition, obtained from an accredited registry, and their relationships with the region's incidence of urinary calculi were evaluated by metaregression models. The stone risk index (defined as the ratio of calcium to magnesium-bicarbonate product in drinking water) was used to assess the risk of calculus formation. RESULTS. No correlation was found between the urinary calculus incidence and the amount of calcium, bicarbonate, or the total hardness ...
There is limited information on the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) although AKI may contribute to morbidity and mortality. We investigated the incidence of AKI in patients with moderate and severe TBI and the association of AKI with risk factors and outcomes in these patients. We studied all TBI patients over 16 years of age admitted to the two designated trauma hospitals in the state of Victoria, Australia from 1 January to 31 December 2008. Patients were included if they had head trauma and presented with a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) <13. Prospectively collected data from the hospital trauma registries, ICUs, and pathology databases were analyzed retrospectively. Risk injury failure loss end (RIFLE) criteria were used to categorize rena...
We have studied, by a Monte Carlo simulation code ACAT-DIFFUSE, the fluence-dependence of the amount of retained helium atoms in tungsten carbide at room temperature under helium ion bombardment. The retention behavior may be understood qualitatively in terms of irradiation-dependent diffusion coefficient assumed and range. The emission processes from tungsten carbide under helium ion irradiation derived were compared with each other. We have discussed the retention curves for incident energy of 5 keV at incident angles of 0deg and 80deg and of 500 eV at 0deg. The energy spectra of helium atoms reflected from tungsten carbide for incident energy of 500 eV at 0deg and 80deg were compared with those from graphite and tungsten. (author)
Background: Incidence, characteristics and predictive factors of transient ST-segment changes after DC shock are poorly known. Methods: 91 consecutive pts referred for external cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) (61 men, 69+/-10yo) were prospectively included. The presence of ST elevation or depression was assessed on 12 lead-ECG immediately after the first DC shock. Correlations with DC shock characteristics (monophasic/biphasic and energy), clinical variables, echocardiographic parameters, biological parameters, medications, anesthesic drugs as well with morphological features were made. Results: 18 and 20 pts underwent 200J or 300J monophasic and 53 pts 200J biphasic DC shocks. We found an incidence of 48% for ST-segment changes: 35% for ST elevation and 13% for ST depression. ST...
The IAEA Assessment of Safety Significant Events Team (ASSET) report presents the results of an ASSET team's assessment of their investigation of the effectiveness of the plant for prevention of incidents since 1990 at Zaporozhe nuclear power plant. The results, conclusions and suggestions presented herein reflect the views of the ASSET experts. They are provided for consideration by the responsible authorities in Ukraine. The ASSET team's views presented in this report are based on visits to the plant, on review of documentation made available by the operating organization and on discussions with utility personnel. The report is intended to enhance operational safety at Zaporozhe by proposing improvements to the policy for the prevention of incidents at the plant. The report includes, as a usual practice, the official response of the operating organization as well as of the regulatory body to the ASSET recommendations. Figs.
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to review oil spill incidents and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria between 1970 and 2006 and to examine the potential danger posed by such activities to public health. Design/methodology/approach - The approach adopted to achieve this objective is questionnaire administration on health impacts. Also secondary sources of information come from textbooks and journals. However, data from natural resources exploitation and hazards are collated and analyzed. Findings - It is evident that, out of the 1,000 reported oil spill incidents analyzed, some hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil are lost to the environment. Graphic pictures of typical oil spill through acts of vandalism in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria are analyzed and reviewed. The run-off and sedim...
The optical emission of excited H reflected from clean Cu(110) after impingement of H/sup +/ and H/sub 2//sup +/ in the energy range of 250 eV to 20 keV per nucleon at 70/sup 0/ angle of incidence to the surface normal was measured. For incident 10 keV H/sub 2//sup +/, the highest excited hydrogen state detected was the n=10 level. The Hsub(..cap alpha..) yield was found to be fluence and energy dependent. This effect is attributed either to fast sputtered hydrogen, surface roughness or to an increase with hydrogen concentration in electron states of p-like symmetry near the Fermi level of copper. The Hsub(..cap alpha..) yield per reflected nucleon shows approximately an exponential dependence on both projectile energy per nucleon and scattered particle reciprocal velocity perpendicular to the surface.
The optical emission of excited H reflected from clean Cu(110) after impingement of H"+ and H_2"+ in the energy range of 250 eV to 20 keV per nucleon at 70"0 angle of incidence to the surface normal was measured. For incident 10 keV H_2"+, the highest excited hydrogen state detected was the n=10 level. The Hsub(#alpha#) yield was found to be fluence and energy dependent. This effect is attributed either to fast sputtered hydrogen, surface roughness or to an increase with hydrogen concentration in electron states of p-like symmetry near the Fermi level of copper. The Hsub(#alpha#) yield per reflected nucleon shows approximately an exponential dependence on both projectile energy per nucleon and scattered particle reciprocal velocity perpendicular to the surface. (orig.).
Abstract Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses are the most important infections transmitted by the parenteral route in patients receiving maintenance dialysis. The prevalence varies markedly from country to country. The aim of this study is to review the efficacy of the strategies to reduce the incidence of these infections and the trend of results in Iran. As a routine, all hemodialysis patients in Iran have biannual blood samples for assessment of serum HBSAg, HBS Abs, and HCV Abs. The data are collected in the Ministry of Health. For statistical analysis, prevalence, and incidence were calculated. There is an increasing prevalence/incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Iran, from 238/49.9 pmp in 2000 to 357/63.8 pmp in 2006. The prevalence of positive HBSAg and HCV Abs decrease...
Summary Objectives To describe the pattern of incident illness in children after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a large public health sector programme in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods Systematic chart review to retrospectively extract data from medical records of children (i.e. <15 years) initiating ART in the Lusaka, Zambia public sector. Incident conditions were listed separately and then grouped according to broad categories. Predictors for incident diagnoses were determined using univariate and multivariable analysis. Results Between May 2004 and June 2006, 1705 HIV-infected children initiated ART. Of these, 1235 (72%) had their medical records reviewed. Median age at ART initiation was 77 months and 554 (45%) were females. Eight hundred and forty-one (68%) children had an inc...
AbstractBACKGROUND: The authors chose to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and incident colorectal cancer across the spectrum of BMI, including underweight persons, because detailed prospective cohort data on this topic in Asians is scarce, as is data on underweight persons (BMI, <18.5 kg/m2) in any population. METHODS: Analysis of the Singapore Chinese Health Study included 51,251 men and women aged 45-74 years enrolled in 1993-1998 and followed through 2007. Incident cancer cases and deaths among cohort members were identified through record linkage, and 980 cases were identified. Cox regression models were used to investigate the association of baseline BMI with risk of incident colorectal cancer during a mean of 11.5 years of follow-up. RESULTS: A significant, U-sha...
Measurements of alpha spectra in the (n, #alpha#) reactions induced on /sup 90,91/Zr at 14.3 and 18.15 MeV incident neutron energy are presented. A microscopic calculation of these spectra has been made using both pick-up and knock-on theories, and in both cases only one overall normalizing factor, which is the same for the two target nuclei and incident energies and all the considered transitions, appears as a free parameter in the calculation. Pick-up calculations provide a very satisfactory reproduction of the data. Knock-on calculations reproduce many qualitative features of the measured spectra, but do not allow a fully satisfactory reproduction of them. While the results obtained do not exclude knock-on contributions to these reactions, their presence is not established.
Between 1970 and 1975, the incidence of new Schistosoma mansoni infections was reduced in 5 villages after each household was provided with its individual water supply and community...Full Text Available
An ultrasmall spot size scanning laser ophthalmoscope has been developed that employs an annular aberration-corrected incident beam to increase the effective numerical aperture of the eye thereby reducing...Full Text Available
One hundred and fifty patients requiring maintenance haemodialysis were investigated to determine the incidence and pattern of tuberculosis. Twenty patients were found to have tuberculosis, giving an...Full Text Available
BackgroundTraumatic paediatric arterial injuries are a great challenge due to low incidence and specific characteristics of paediatric anatomy and physiology. The aim of the present...Full Text Available
Most breast cancers are multicentric in origin. They drain into two primary lymphatic depots—the axilla and internal mammary chain of nodes. The incidence of metastasis to the internal mammary...Full Text Available
Three flocks raised for broiler or roaster performance tests were studied to determine the incidence and sources of salmonellae during the growing period, transport and processing and to relate these...Full Text Available
The morphological appearance, incidence and prognostic significance of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)-containing cells in seminomas were examined in a retrospective series of 228 orchidectomy specimens,...Full Text Available
BackgroundIt has been reported that the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences the interannual variation of endemic cholera in Bangladesh. There is increased...Full Text Available
The abundance of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis nymphs, the principal vector for the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Old Lyme, Lyme, and East Haddam, Connecticut,...Full Text Available
tial/angular spreading of incident photons from a point source caused by the instrument (de- .... Filter. CDTP0001= 'DATA. ' / Type of calibration. CCNM0001= '2D_PSF ' ... the final resolution of sigma=0.5 arcmin in all energy bands. ...
Recent clinical trials demonstrate that combined oral dosing with estrogen and progestin increases the incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Similarly, in a rat model system of...Full Text Available
Previous studies have revealed marked differences in the incidence of leukemia between rats and mice exposed to 1,3-butadiene that do not appear to be readily explained on the basis of pharmacokinetics...Full Text Available
Cultural monitoring was used to study the incidence and sources of salmonellae in a 4160 bird broiler flock during the growing period, transport and processing in a commercial plant. No salmonellae...Full Text Available
Between 1946 and 1976 over 9,000 women with breast cancer were seen within one year of diagnosis at the A. Maxwell Evans Clinic (AMEC) in Vancouver, British Columbia. By 1978, 275 had a subsequent diagnosis...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe evidence that red and processed meat influences colorectal carcinogenesis was judged convincing in the 2007 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute of Cancer...Full Text Available
Objective To determine whether a centralised telephone intervention reduces the incidence of death or admission for worsening heart failure in outpatients with chronic heart failure.Design...Full Text Available
Incidence of esophageal cancer (EC) is rising more rapidly in the Western world than that of any other cancer. Despite advances in therapy, more than 50% of patients have incurable disease at the time...Full Text Available
Testicular neoplasm accounts for about 1% of all cancers in men. Over the last 40 years, the incidence of testicular cancer has increased in northern European male populations for unknown reasons. When...Full Text Available
Factors potentially contributing to the lower incidence of Lyme borreliosis (LB) in the far-western than in the northeastern United States include tick host-seeking behavior resulting in fewer human...Full Text Available
Locomotive drivers in the steam engine era were exposed to asbestos during their vocational training for two years while training in workshops. Later in their career they had exposure to coal and diesel...Full Text Available
BackgroundNorway, and particularly Oslo, has the highest reported incidence of hip fractures in the world. It is increasingly common to care for older hip fracture patients in orthogeriatric...Full Text Available
The Savannah River Site is a Department of Energy facility. The facility stores, processes, and works with fissionable material at a number of locations. Technical standards and US Department of Energy orders, require these locations to be monitored by criticality alarm systems under certain circumstances. The Savannah River Site calls such instruments Nuclear Incident Monitors or NIMs. The Sole purpose of the Nuclear Incident Monitor is to provide an immediate evacuation signal in the case of an accidental criticality in order to minimize personnel exposure to radiation. The new unit is the third generation Nuclear Incident Monitor at the Savannah River Site. The second generation unit was developed in 1979. It was designed to eliminate vacuum-tube circuits, and was the first solid state NIM at SRS. The major design objectives of the second generation NIM were to improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs. Ten ...
Feed samples from 94 cases involving fungal contamination and suspected mycotoxicosis of farm animals in western Canada were examined during 1982-1994 to assess the incidence of mycotoxins. Samples...Full Text Available
A 42% (70 of 167 isolates) incidence of resistance to 20 micrograms of trimethoprim per ml was found among clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci from two hospitals. A specific trimethoprim...Full Text Available
Melanoma is one of the most aggressive cancers, and its incidence is increasing. These tumors derive from the melanocyte lineage and remain incurable after metastasis. Here we report that SONIC HEDGEHOG...Full Text Available
The exact incidence of pineal germ-cell tumors is largely unknown. The tumors are rare, and the number of patients with these tumors, as reported in clinical series, has been limited. The goal of this...Full Text Available
An incidence study of malignant melanoma of the skin (MMS), conducted previously among the workers of four plants of a large telecommunications industry located in Montreal, Canada, showed a standardised...Full Text Available
BackgroundThoracic injuries play an important role in major trauma patients due to their high incidence and critical relevance. A serious consequence of thoracic trauma is pneumothorax,...Full Text Available
Rationale: Human data suggest that the incidence of acute lung injury is reduced in patients with type II diabetes mellitus. However, the mechanisms by which diabetes confers protection...Full Text Available
Study objectiveThe study aim was to improve our understanding of the relationships between contextual socioeconomic characteristics and coronary heart disease (CHD)...Full Text Available
IntroductionThe aim of the study was to assess and classify incidents of electromagnetic interference (EMI) by second-generation and third-generation mobile phones on critical care...Full Text Available
The AKR mouse strain is characterized by a high incidence of spontaneous thymic lymphoma that appears in older animals (greater than 6 months of age) and is associated with novel provirus integrations...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE--To assess whether occupational exposure among commercial airline cabin attendants are associated with risk of cancer. DESIGN--Record linkage study. SETTING--Finland. SUBJECTS-1577 female...Full Text Available
The presence of highly heat-resistant spores of Bacillus sporothermodurans in ultrahigh-temperature or sterilized consumer milk has emerged as an important item in the dairy industry....Full Text Available
ObjectivesIn 2003, the Omani Ministry of Health Child Health Care Program initiated a national Birth Defects (BD) Register. This paper reviews the magnitude and risk factors of birth...Full Text Available
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the association between gender and the prevalence and incidence of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). One thousand five hundred and twenty-five participants from the United States Naval Academy (USNA) were followed for up to 2.5 years for the development of PFPS. Physicians and certified athletic trainers documented the cases of PFPS. PFPS was defined as retropatellar pain during at least two of the following activities: ascending/descending stairs, hopping/jogging, prolonged sitting, kneeling, and squatting, negative findings on examination of knee ligament, menisci, bursa, and synovial plica, and pain on palpation of either the patellar facets or femoral condyles. Poisson and logistic regressions were performed to determine the association between gender and the incidence and prevalence of PFPS, respectively. The incidence rate for PFPS was 22/1000 person-years. Females ...
Werner Syndrome (WS) is an inherited disease characterized by premature onset of aging, increased cancer incidence, and genomic instability. The WS gene encodes a 1,432-amino acid polypeptide (WRN)...Full Text Available
Objective. So far, few data are available to characterize the flare history of patients with gout. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency and risk factors of gout flares with special consideration of the comorbidity. Methods. A cohort study was conducted in a UK general practice database (The Health Improvement Network) including all patients aged 20-89 years diagnosed with incident gout between the years 2000 and 2007. Results. In this study, 23 857 incident gout patients (mean age 61.9 years) were included, overall incidence rate was 2.68 (95% CI 2.65, 2.72) per 1000 person-years. The proportion of patients with at least one flare during the follow-up period (mean 3.8 years) was 36.9% (n = 8806). A history of ischaemic heart disease [hazard ratio (HR) 1.12 (95% CI 1.06...
Cultural monitoring was used to determine the incidence and sources of salmonellae in a 4160-bird broiler flock raised on litter in 32 pens. Twenty-five of the pens remained apparently free of salmonellae...Full Text Available
The incidence of melanoma is increasing more than any other cancer, and knowledge of its genetic alterations is limited. To systematically analyze such alterations, we performed whole-exome...Full Text Available
BackgroundEarly exposure to ovarian hormones is considered to increase breast cancer incidence. The age at which the ovaries become functional is thus important.Full Text Available
BackgroundCancer constitutes a serious burden of disease worldwide and has become the second leading cause of death in China. Alcohol consumption is causally associated with the...Full Text Available
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon with a high incidence of colon cancer. Dysplasia is a precursor to carcinoma and a predictor of malignant potential; epithelia...Full Text Available
Effects of soil pH on damping-off of sugar beet by R. solani (AG2-2) and soil suppressiveness against the disease were studied by comparing disease incidences in pasteurized versus non-pasteurized, infested soils. Soil pH was correlated neither to disease incidence in five soils ranging from pH?4.5 to 7.2 nor to indigenous disease suppressiveness, the difference in disease incidences between non-treated soil and its pasteurized counterpart. When an alkaline soil was acidified with H2SO4, disease suppression markedly declined, increasing disease incidence in the non-pasteurized soil. Inversely, disease suppression was enhanced when an acidic soil was neutralized by adding Ca(OH)2. Soil amendment with dried peanut plant residue suppressed the disease in two pasteurized, near-neutral soils, l...
Non-cemented femoral fixation in hip arthroplasty has become the standard of practice in the USA. However, recent literature has brought attention to an increasing incidence of periprosthetic femur...Full Text Available
IntroductionIn critically ill patients the relationship between the storage age of red blood cells (RBCs) transfused and outcomes are controversial. To determine if duration of RBC...Full Text Available
The association of dietary glycaemic index (GI) and glycaemic load (GL) with cardiovascular diseases has been examined in several populations with varying results. We tested the hypothesis that...Full Text Available
Hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) is an uncommon tumour, but its incidence is increasing in Canada and elsewhere. Currently, there are no Canadian recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of...Full Text Available
BackgroundPosttransfusion hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection still occurs although its incidence has been substantially reduced since the introduction of screening of hepatitis B...Full Text Available
A review of the literature on chronic inhalation studies in which rats were exposed to mineral fibres at known fibre number concentrations was undertaken to examine the specific roles of fibre length...Full Text Available
Background & objectives: Fatigue is a debilitating symptom experienced by patients undergoing dialysis, but there is only limited information on its prevalence and its association with patient...Full Text Available
The objective was to study the interaction of a side jet with the incoming supersonic flow and hypersonic flow. Qualitatively same Cp trends have been obtained as found experimentally. Also in aerodynamic coefficients side jet interaction results in additional pitching moment which is because of the high pressure region in upstream of the jet and a low pressure region in the downstream of the jet. Also jet interaction results in the rise in the lift coefficient. Whereas in the incidence case, simulation has been performed for the hypersonic flows over a biconic body with supersonic lateral jet at Mach 9.7 and incidence of 0"o to incidence of -12"o and 12"o. The results obtained were compared with the experimental and CFD code CFL3D results. PAK-3D over predicts the surface pressure as compared to the CFL3D and experimental results, whereas the qualitative trends are the same. Finally the integrated aerodynamic force ...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-ranked neoplasm in order of incidence and mortality, worldwide, and the second cause of cancer death in industrialized countries. One of the most important environmental...Full Text Available
Recently, there have been multiple high-profile incidents involving the release of classified government information. Perhaps most prominent was Wikileaks.org's unauthorized publication of more than 600,000 classified Department of Defense documents. Such...
Germ cell tumor development in humans has been proposed to be part of testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS), which manifests as undescended testes, sterility, hypospadias, and, in extreme cases,...Full Text Available
Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and methylene diphenyldiisocyanate (MDI) are used in large quantities in the polyurethane foam manufacturing industry. Both substances are mutagenic and at least TDI is carcinogenic...Full Text Available
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is increasing in incidence, creating worldwide public health concerns and impacting morbidity and mortality rates. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated shared...Full Text Available
tumors make up two-thirds of all adult brain tumors and one-third of childhood brain tumors. Cancer Among Men, 2003-2007 Incidence rates decreased for lung, colorectal,...
BackgroundBallet Dancers have been shown to have a relatively high incidence of stress fractures of the foot and ankle. It was our objective to examine MR imaging patterns of bone...Full Text Available
In 29 patients with urinary obstruction due to prostatic enlargement, medium-fill water cystometry was performed before prostatectomy and again 3 months after. A high incidence of detrusor hyperreflexia...Full Text Available
The physical properties of polymer blends consisting of one or more crystallizable components are affected by the microstructure of these materials. In particular, the degree of crystallinity can be influenced by processing parameters, and the crystallinity, as well as the phase distribution, may vary as a function of depth through an injection molded part Conventional x-ray diffraction techniques can provide information regarding both phase composition and degree of crystallinity, but, because of the relative transparency of these materials to wavelengths generally available in the laboratory, these techniques provide information representative of only the bulk. By employing parallel beam optics at varying grazing incidence angles, the x-ray sampling depth can be varied without loss of resolution. This technique can be used to vary the effective analysis depth from the top several hundred angstroms for low razing incidence to centimeters for ...
The physical properties of polymer blends consisting of one or more crystallizable components are affected by the microstructure of these materials. In particular, the degree of crystallinity can be influenced by processing parameters, and the crystallinity, as well as the phase distribution, may vary as a function of depth through an injection molded part Conventional x-ray diffraction techniques can provide information regarding both phase composition and degree of crystallinity, but, because of the relative transparency of these materials to wavelengths generally available in the laboratory, these techniques provide information representative of only the bulk. By employing parallel beam optics at varying grazing incidence angles, the x-ray sampling depth can be varied without loss of resolution. This technique can be used to vary the effective analysis depth from the top several hundred angstroms for low razing incidence to centimeters for ...
BackgroundWhile some studies have found that anger increases the risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD), others found anger protective. Prior studies did not...Full Text Available
The incidence of arrhythmias after acute myocardial infarction of the inferior wall varies with the affected segment and increases when there is right ventricular involvement. This paper provides a...Full Text Available
Death as a criterion (age distribution of occupational death; mean loss of life years due to radiation deaths); accidents at work (incidence of accidents of certain degrees of severity); total loss of working days due to accidents; occupational diseases; somatic and genetic radiation effects; radiation effects during pregnancy (incidence of pregnancies, ristes before implantation, hazards to the embryo, hazards to the foetus, total additional risk due to radiation exposure during pregnancy); age and sex dependence of risk figures; attempted formulation of an index of harm. (HP/orig.).
When energetic heavy ions traverse a medium, the amount of energy deposited by the ions is closely related to their effective charges. The charge-state fractions of these beams are obtained by solving rate equations for the electron loss and capture processes. By assuming local balance between electron loss and capture, the charge-state distributions, the averge equilibrium charge q, and other properties are obtained as functions of the incident beam velocity. The LET (linear energy transfer) of Ne and Ar ions with energies between 0.01 and 100 MeV/amu is calculatedted using their average equilibrium charge.
Dynamic response of pipelines buried in a back-filled rectangular trench in a semi-infinite medium has been investigated. The pipelines are modeled as long cylindrical shells of small thickness. By using the boundary integral representation and finite element method, we have studied the three-dimensional response to account for either pane P or SV wave incident at an arbitrary angle to the pipe-axis. In this paper numerical results are presented for the normal displacements, displacements along pipe-axis, and the hoop stresses in the pipe wall. It is shown that the response depends critically on the back-filled material as well as on the directions of propagation of the incident waves.
Purpose: We present an update analysis of the multiinstitutional Ewing's sarcoma study CESS 86. Methods and Materials: From January 1986 through June 1991, 177 patients with localized Ewing's sarcoma of bone, aged 25 years or less, were recruited. Chemotherapy consisted of four 9-week courses of vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and adriamycin (VACA) in low-risk tumors (extremity tumors =# 100 cm"3). Local therapy was an individual decision in each patient and was either radical surgery (amputation, wide resection) or resection plus postoperative irradiation with 45 Gy or definitive radiotherapy with 60 Gy (45 Gy plus boost). Irradiated patients were randomized concerning the type of fractionation in either conventional fractionation (once daily 1.8-2.0 Gy, break of chemotherapy) or hyperfractionated split-course irradiation simultaneously with the VACA/VAIA chemotherapy (twice daily 1.6 Gy, break of 12 days after 22.4 Gy and 44.8 ...
A retrospective review was made of 2,659 autopsy patients obtained during the past 31 years and a half in Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Hospital. Of the patients, 1,328 (49.9%) were A-bomb survivors. Five hundred and six A-bomb survivors (38.1%) had been exposed at up to 2,000 m from the hypocenter. There was no correlation between the incidence of malignancy and the presence of exposure to A-bombing. The incidence of multiple malignancy was slightly higher in A-bomb survivors exposed at the place nearer the hypocenter. In the group of A-bomb survivors, cancer of the lung was the most common for men; and cancer of the stomach was the most common for women. The incidence of malignancy has been high in the exposed group during the early eras of examination; however, this figure has recently become high in the non-exposed group. Regarding the kinds of malignancy, there was no significant difference between the exposed and non-exposed ...
Existing test procedures for measuring and rating thermal performance require the determination of the angular response of collectors in order to account for nonnormal incident beam irradiance. Angular response measurements for four different types of collectors, each type tested by three different laboratories, are presented and analyzed. Substantial differences, both within and between laboratories, are reported for the same type collectors. An analysis of the measurement procedure shows that experimentally determined angular response parameters are subject to relatively large uncertainties. The problem results to a large extent from measuring collector efficiencies at non-normal incident angles where measurement uncertainty is of the same order of magnitude as the efficiency reduction attributable to these off-normal angles. Other factors which can affect angular response measurements and the method of correlating results are also discussed. ...
Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) has been the predominant local treatment for Ewing's sarcoma of bone at the University of Florida. Twice-daily hyperfractionated RT was initiated in 1982 to improve local control and functional outcome. This retrospective review compares the results of once-daily vs. twice-daily RT in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of an extremity, with emphasis on functional outcome. Methods and Materials: Between June 1971 and January 1990, 37 patients were treated at the University of Florida for nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of bone with a primary lesion in an extremity. Three patients underwent amputation. Of 34 patients treated with RT, 31 had RT alone and 3 had a combination of RT and local excision. Before 1982, 14 patients received once-daily RT; since 1982, 17 patients have received twice-daily RT. Doses of once-daily RT varied from 47 to 61 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy per fraction. Doses of twice-daily RT ...
Purpose: To evaluate the importance of surgical margins for local and systemic control of Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESFT). Methods and Materials: Between 1979 and 1999, 512 patients with ESFTs entered 4 different adjuvant and neoadjuvant studies performed at a single institution. Of these patients, 335 were treated with surgery alone (196) or surgery followed by radiotherapy at doses of 44.8 Gy (139). We compared their outcome with that of the 177 patients who were locally treated by radiotherapy at 60 Gy. Results: Local control (88.8% vs. 80.2%, p < 0.009) and 5-year disease-free survival (63.8% vs. 47.6%, p < 0.0007) were significantly better in patients treated with surgery and, among them, in those with adequate surgical margins (96.6% vs. 71,7%, p < 0.0008, and 69.6% vs. 46.3%, p < 0.0002). Nonetheless, better results were observed only in extremity tumors. Conclusions: Surgery is better than radiotherapy in cases of extremity ESFT with ...
Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) treated with modern radiotherapy techniques with MRI along with optimal chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: The records of all 60 patients with ESFT who received radiation to the primary site between 1990 and 2004 were reviewed. All patients received chemotherapy, including vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and etoposide. Radiation was used as the sole modality for local control in 31 patients and was given either before (n = 3) or after surgical resection (n = 26) in the remainder. All patients had MRI and CT scan-based treatment planning, and 43% received intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Radiation doses ranged from 30 Gy to 60 Gy (median, 51 Gy), and 35% received hyperfractionated radiotherapy. Results: Median age was 16 years (range, 2-40 years). Because of selection bias for radiotherapy, the majority of primary tumors were centrally located ...
From 1981 up to February 1985, a total of 93 protocol patients entered the study CESS 81. The protocol recommended an initial 18-week period of polychemotherapy (VACA) followed by local therapy and two additional cycles of chemotherapy. Local therapy consisted either of radical surgery or of incomplete resection plus postoperative irradiation with 36 Gy or of radiotherapy alone (46 and 60 Gy). Centrally located lesions were always irradiated with 60 Gy. This article summarizes the data after 5 years. Data of 93 patients were analysed in October 1986 after a median follow-up of 37 months. The projected 5-year survival is 50%. The relapse rate was 42%, distant relapses occurred in 19%, local (plus distant) relapses in 23%. Most of the relapses occurred during the first 3 years of observation. Failure rate was high in patients undergoing irradiation alone (44%). Initial tumour mass (> 100 ml) and histopathologic response to initial chemotherapy were identified as major prognostic ...
Background and purpose: Local treatment for non-metastatic Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESFTs) is controversial. Results achieved in a single institution in patients with ESFT of the humerus are presented. Materials and methods: Patients treated between 1983 and 2000 for ESFT of the humerus were included. The impact of local treatment (surgery, radiotherapy or both) on outcome was assessed. Results: 55 patients: 34 males (62%); 21 females (38%); mean age: 17.9 (range: 3-40). Local treatment: surgery in 27 patients (49%), radiotherapy in 17 (31%) and surgery followed by radiotherapy in 11 (20%). After a mean follow-up of 15 years (range: 7-25 years), 27 patients (49%) remained continuously disease free, 27 (49%) relapsed and one died of chemotherapy toxicity. The local recurrence rate was 13% overall: 18% (3/17) after radiotherapy, 7% (2/27) after surgery and 19% (2/11) after surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (p = ns). On the contrary, the 10-year EFS ...
Ovarian function was evaluated in 11 women 16 to 43 years of age at treatment who received doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and high doses of methotrexate with or without radiotherapy in adjuvant therapy of soft tissue sarcoma. Five women (16-33 yr old) who received chemotherapy alone or combined with radiotherapy only at sites distant from the ovaries (chest wall, thigh, and leg) had minimal menstrual irregularities or temporary cessation of menses during therapy; cyclic menses returned promptly after therapy. Gonadotropin levels (expressed as means +/- SD) (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 10 +/- 15 mlU/ml; luteinizing hormone (LH), 10 +/- 4 mlU/ml) and 17 ..beta..-estradiol (E/sub 2/) levels (means +/- SD, 208 +/- 147 pg/ml) were normal. By contrast, 4 older women (ages 36-43 yr) who received similar treatment developd persistent amenorrhea with postmenopausal levels of gonadotropin (FSH, 109 +/- 29 mlU/ml; LH, 72 +/- 19 mlU/ml) and E/sub 2/ (19 +/- 8 pg/ml). ...
Ovarian function was evaluated in 11 women 16 to 43 years of age at treatment who received doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and high doses of methotrexate with or without radiotherapy in adjuvant therapy of soft tissue sarcoma. Five women (16-33 yr old) who received chemotherapy alone or combined with radiotherapy only at sites distant from the ovaries (chest wall, thigh, and leg) had minimal menstrual irregularities or temporary cessation of menses during therapy; cyclic menses returned promptly after therapy. Gonadotropin levels (expressed as means +/- SD (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 10 +/- 5 mlU/ml; luteinizing hormone (LH), 10 +/- 4 mlU/ml) and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) levels (means +/- SD, 208 +/- 147 pg/ml) were normal. By contrast, 4 older women (ages 36-43 yr) who received similar treatment developed persistent amenorrhea with postmenopausal levels of gonadotropin (FSH, 108 +/- 29 mlU/ml; LH, 72 +/- 19 mlU/ml) and E2 (19 +/- 8 pg/ml). Two additional ...
From 1979 to 1986, 182 patients with biopsy proven diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma of bone were observed. One hundred of the 182 patients (72 males, 28 females, median age 15.8 years) with localized disease and no previous treatment were treated with chemotherapy (VCR, ADM, CTX, D-ACT) for 15-18 months. Local treatment was radiotherapy (42 patients), surgery (31 patients), or a combination of both (27 pts). Radiation doses ranged from 45 to 64 Gy given with conventional fractionation. Median follow-up was 51.2 months (24-106). Overall and disease-free survival were, respectively, 58.7 and 42.6%. Resected patients tended to have a better local control (Surgery 93.6%, Surgery + Radiation therapy 92.6%, Radiation therapy 69.1%). Disease-free survival was significantly related to the volume of the primary tumor (bulky: 33.2%, not-bulky: 57.7%), to site (extremities 54.6%, central sites 16.6%, other sites 40.9%), and to local treatment (Radiation therapy 30.3%, Surgery + ...
A hyaluronic acid binding fraction was purified from the supernatant media of both 3T3 and murine sarcoma virus (MSV) transformed 3T3 cultures by hyaluronate and immunoaffinity chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis resolved the hyaluronate affinity-purified fraction into three major protein bands of estimated molecular weight (M/sub r,e/) 70K, 66K, and 56K which contained hyaluronate binding activity and which were termed hyaluronate binding proteins (HABP). Hyaluronate affinity chromatography combined with immunoaffinity chromatography, using antibody directed against the larger HABP, allowed a 20-fold purification of HABP. Fractions isolated from 3T3 supernatant medium also contained additional binding molecules in the molecular weight range of 20K. This material was present in vanishingly small amounts and was not detected with a silver stain or with (/sup 35/S)methionine label. The three protein species isolated by ...
Total 125 patients with primary and metastatic Ewing's sarcoma were treated in various ways between 1963 to 1977. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the treatment methods. Group 1 was nonprotocol patients with or without chemotherapy. Total 58 patients were entered. Group 1 was divided into 2 subgroups. 33 patients were treated locally without chemotherapy and 25 patients were treated with local therapy and nonprotocol chemotherapy. Group 2 was treated with local therapy and plus T-2 regimen multiagent chemotherapy. 29 patients were entered. Group 3 was treated with local therapy and T-6 regimen multiagent chemotherapy. 38 patients were entered. Local treatments for primary tumor were surgery and/or radiation therapy. Radiation dose ranged between 2,000 and 8,000 rad. Patients with pulmonary metastases received bilateral pulmonary RT. Local recurrence rate was analyzed according to treatment groups and was 16.8%. Total 15 yr survival was 33% and 8 yr ...
The energy flux distribution at the aperture of cavity receivers is an important parameter that characterizes the performance of point-focusing solar concentrators. Together with simplifying assumptions about cavity absorptance, emittance, and convective losses, good estimates of the dish-receiver collection efficiency as a function of incident flux and effective cavity temperature can be obtained. For detailed design of cavity receivers, however, it is necessary to determine the incident flux distribution on the interior surfaces. This information is needed ultimately to determine the resulting energy fluxes to the working fluid, temperature distributions within the cavity, and receiver performance. Knowing the incident flux distributions provides the designer with insights such as where hot-spots are likely to occur, where heat exchange surfaces are needed, and where more detailed analysis might be warranted. Solar ...
The unsteady state heat transfer behaviour of a vertical wall subject to the effects of uniform radiation is investigated and the dimensional analysis of combined heat transfers by conduction, convection and radiation is presented. The convective heat transfer coefficients used in the numerical model are determined experimentally by means of an assembly resembling the conditions encountered in the dwelling (variable temperatures and heat flows in time and space, wall associated with a floor, radiative flux outside the wall). In routine conditions (homogeneous wall dimensions, temperature differentials less than 40/sup 0/C), it is shown that the problem depends in practice on three parameters (instead of five) and that nomographs can give the energy accumulated in the wall as a function of its geometric and thermal charactersitics and the external conditions (type and thickness of material, changes in incident flux, convection over the height of the wall in laminar, ...
As part of a general study of personnel neutron dosimetry systems, three British and two German TL albedo dosimeters were compared. They range from simple albedo devices to multi-element devices which detect combinations of incident and albedo neutrons. They were exposed to beams of mono-energetic neutrons, a thermal neutron column and a "2"5"2Cf source. The variation in response with neutron energy above 0.1 MeV was similar for all dosimeters. The resuls show that in general multi-component dosimeters fo not provide enough information to deduce the effective energy of incident neutrons. The choice of single or multi-element dosimeters for particular types of environment is discussed. The Harvey dosimeter has the most acceptable thermal neutron response of the simpler devices. For neutron energies below 0.5 MeV its response varies roughly as the cosine of the angle of incidence but is more complex at higher energies. ...
In the Hokuriku area along the coast of the Japan Sea, thunderstorms often occurred not only in summer but also in winter, and this resulted in the shutdown of electricity supply or damage of equipment. This study was concerning the observation of the lightning channels in the Hokuriku area through a year by many still cameras equipped with liquid-crystal shutters. The following conclusions were obtained: Among 165 lightning incidents photographed during 2 years, there included 172 incidents of the falling thunderstorms and 23 incidents of simultaneously falling thunderstorms at multi-area. In the case of winter, frequency to occur simultaneously falling thunderstorms at multi-area was higher and the upward falling thunderstorms were more. There was a tendency that the duration time of the lightning current in winter was longer than in summer. In winter, frequency to occur the upward falling thunderstorms was higher, about ...
In the case of total skin electron therapy without the beam guide, the electron beam is scattered just outside the gantry exit, dose uniformity in the field is broken, and dose is spread outside the light field. The aims of this study were to measure the mean energy of the off-axis incident electron beam without the beam guide and to establish a reference for the clinical situation. For the measurement, a 4 MeV electron beam was selected among several energies from the linear accelerator. A scintillating fiber beam energy monitor measured the mean energy of the incident electron beam. This energy monitor is a small, light-weight piece of equipment composed of a wedge absorber, scintillation fiber, and photodiode. We found the relationship between electron energy and the indicated value of the energy monitor by means of the estimation of correction factors for five different kinds of electron energy. The preferable linear correlation of 0.997 of ...
The study was designed to determine the correlation between parenchymal lesions on MRI and depression. Thirty patients with depression satisfying the following criteria were selected: (1) 60 years or over at the time of MRI scanning, (2) no evidence of cerebrovascular disorder or dementia, and (3) no evidence of neurological findings such as extremity palsy. Seventy six patients with no history of psychiatric visits to a clinic served as controls. There was no significant difference in risk factors for cerebrovascular disorders, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease, between the depressive group and the control group. MRI manifestations were semiquantitatively scored according to the periventricular hyperintensity (PVH), white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and pons hyperintensity (PH). All of the PVH score, WMH score, and cerebral enlargement index correlated with age. Although there was no significant difference in the incidence of ...
Objective. To examine the incidence, radiographic and histologic findings of medial femoral neck buttressing in a consecutive group of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.Design. Biomechanical parameters were evaluated on standard anteroposterior pelvic radiographs of 113 patients prior to hip replacement surgery. Demographic information on all patients was reviewed and histologic evaluation was performed on specimens obtained at the time of surgery.Results. The incidence of medial femoral neck buttressing was found to be 50% in a consecutive series of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. The incidence was slightly higher in women (56% vs 41%). Patients with buttressing had increased neck-shaft angles and smaller femoral neck diameters than were seen in patients without buttressing. Histologic evaluation demonstrated that the buttress resulted from deposition bone by the periosteum on the femoral neck in the ...
In electron beam therapy, tissue overdose due to electrons backscattered from lead has been profusely studied. To quantify this dose enhancement effect, an electron backscatter factor (EBF) wasdefined as the ratio of dose at the tissue-inhomogeneity interface with and without the scatterer present. The dependence of the EBF on energy at the scatterer surface is not well known for energies lower than 3 MeV which is the most frequent clinical situation. In this work, we have done Monte Carlo calculations with the GEANT code to study EBF in lead at this energy range. The applicability of this code and the developed procedure for dose estimation has been experimentally verified. The dependence of the EBF on the beam energy incident on the scatterer has been studied for different nominal beam energies incident at the phantom's surface. The results show a trend of increase of EBF with the beam energy incident on the ...
The main purpose of this study is to develop a thermal hydraulic auditing code for the CANDU reactor, modifying the model of existing PWR auditing tool , i.e. RELAP5/MOD3. This scope of project is a fourth step of the whole project, applying the RELAP5/MOD3/CANDU+ version for the real CANDU plant LOCA Analysis and D2O leakage incident. There are three main models under investigation, i.e. Moody critical flow model, flow regime model of horizontal CANDU bundle, and fuel element heatup model when the stratification occurs, especially when CANDU LOCA is tested. Also, for Wolsung unit 1 D2O leakage incident analysis, the plant behavior is predicted with the newly developed version for the first 1000 seconds after onset of the incident, with the main interest aiming for system pressure, level control system, and thermal hydraulic transient behavior of the secondary system. The model applied for this particular application ...
Total M shell X-ray production cross section for 11 elements with 69 #<=# Z #<=# 92 have been measured using an incident photon energy of 5.96 keV. Measurements have been performed using an "5"5Fe annular source and a Si(Li) detector. Average M shell fluorescence yield at each incident photon energy has been deduced, using the experimental total M X-ray production cross section and theoretical M shell photoionization cross section. Present experimental results are compared with other experimental and theoretical values. Reasonable agreement (to within 0.3-28%) is typically obtained between present and other experimental and theoretical values.
Summary Despite the great interest of red porgy as a new species for Mediterranean aquaculture, its commercial production is constrained by the high incidence of skeletal deformities occurring in this species under culture conditions. Several studies have been conducted to better understand the origin of these anomalies in this species, using different system intensiveness, rotifers enrichment products or rotifers docosahexaenoic acid content. The first study showed that culture intensification increased the number of fish with an extra vertebrae, what was probably related to the different nutritional quality of live preys employed in each treatment, since water temperature, salinity and genetic background were identical for the different batches of fish studied. Total incidence of skeleta...
A solar energy collection and conversion system is disclosed in which a cassegrain mirror system is rotated about a diurnal axis, which axis is adjusted for seasonal variations in the incidence of the sun's rays on the earth's surface. A black body absorption cavity filled with translucent or transparent fluid material is used for direct absorption of the sun's rays. The incident solar energy is absorbed directly by the fluid medium. The fluid within the cavity may be maintained under extremely high pressures and temperatures in order to utilize this fluid as a heat storage medium. Such heat storage is facilitated by apparatus which permits a change in the volume of the reflective cavity in response to the temperature or pressure of the fluid within the cavity.
The aim of the risk assessment consists of a comparative security evaluation for the SNR-300 and the PWR Biblis B. The failure analysis focusses on the reactor core; in addition, possible fission product release from the spent fuel pits is examined. By reliability analyses, the frequency of events leading to incidents is determined together with the probability of core destruction. In the accident analysis, the kind and frequency of failure of the activity barriers, i.e., primary system (reactorvessel) and inner and outer containment are investigated for the various incident sequences. The radionuclide release into the environment is classified into five different release categories. Besides internal failures, external causes (especially earthquakes and plane crashes) are considered under the aspect of their risk contribution. (RF).
The rice japonica variety Nipponbare and the indica variety 93-11, the genomic DNA sequences of which are known, were used to analyze the response of the panicles exserted from the caulis and from various effective tillers at four stages of panicle development to neck blast. Disease incidence in the necks (DIN), disease incidence in the rachis nodes (DIRN), lesion length in the necks (LLN), and number of conidia in the necks (NCN) were measured after inoculating the panicles in vitro of two rice varieties with Magnaporthe oryzae. Both Nipponbare and 93-11 were susceptible, DIN and DIRN of all panicles being 100% in both the varieties except DIRN in several panicles at stage 1 (the panicle fully exserted) in Nipponbare. Both LLN and NCN of panicles decreased as the panicles continued to dev...
The morphological evolution of ripples formed on the surface of Cd2Nb2O7 pyrochlore single crystals by focused ion beam (FIB) bombardment was investigated using in situ electron microscopy. At high ion fluences and off-normal bombardment angles, faceted surface ripples with a terrace-like structure were observed. The ripple propagation direction was oriented along the projected ion beam direction at incident angles ranging from 35 to 65 following high-dose ion bombardment. One side of the terrace was found to be perpendicular to the incident ion beam direction, while the other side was parallel to the ion beam. The terrace propagation velocity and direction were determined and interpreted on the basis of this asymmetric structure. A model based on the propagation of a shock wave that effectively self-selects a stable slope, was developed in order to explain the observed faceted ripple formation.
Objective: We have conducted a longitudinal observational study in order to evaluate the prevalence and the incidence of depressive and anxious symptoms in women and men seeking infertility treatment and to analyze associated factors or risk factors for these kinds of disorders. Study design: A total of 1000 consecutive couples that visited our center for the first time were asked to join this study. Depressive and anxious symptoms were assessed with self-rating Zung Depression Scale (ZDS) and Zung Anxiety Scale (ZAS) questionnaires. A second assessment was planned at the time of b HCG dosage (or at the moment of cycle suspension). A standard questionnaire was used to investigate socio-demographic information and the psychological aspects of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) ...
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Although various risk factors for AKI have been reported, the influence of pretransplant comorbidity on the incidence of AKI has not been well investigated. We performed a retrospective analysis of 207 consecutive patients undergoing myeloablative or nonmyeloablative SCT between 2001 and 2009, using the hematopoietic cell transplantation-specific comorbidity index (HCT-CI) as a representative of pretransplant comorbidities. According to Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, and End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria, 158 patients (76.3%) developed AKI, and 92 patients (44.4%) developed severe AKI (RIFLE class I or class F) within 100 days after SCT. The cumulative incidence of severe AKI within 1...
Abstract Recently, a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis who developed herpes zoster while taking a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- inhibitor reported a decreased incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. The objective of this study was to investigate whether patients on TNF- inhibitors who developed herpes zoster have a lower incidence of subsequent development of postherpetic neuralgia. A retrospective review of herpes zoster patients on TNF- inhibitors (infliximab, etanercept, or adalimumab) was conducted in 12 dermatology clinics. Medical records of such patients were reviewed thoroughly to confirm herpes zoster and TNF- inhibitors and any subsequent development of postherpetic neuralgia (pain score -3 out of 10 after 90 days of shingles onset) was noted. A total of 206 cases were revi...
Background and aimModification of low-density lipoprotein due to oxidative stress is essential in the development of coronary atherosclerosis. Data of specific carotenoids except b-carotene on cardioprotective effects in humans are limited. Methods and resultsThis study examined the associations between plasma concentrations of specific carotenoids and incidence of acute myocardial infarction. The study included 280 incident cases of acute myocardial infarction and 560 matched controls nested within the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a prospective cohort of 63,257 Chinese men and women aged 45-74 years old enrolled in 1993-1998 in Singapore. Retinol and carotenoids in prediagnostic plasma were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. High levels of plasma b-cryptoxanthin a...
A time-reversal-violating spin-correlation coefficient in the total cross section for polarized neutrons incident on a tensor rank-2 polarized target is calculated by assuming a time-reversal-noninvariant, parity-conserving ``five-fold" interaction in the neutron-nucleus optical potential. Results are presented for the system $n + {^{165}{\\rm Ho}}$ for neutron incident energies covering the range 1--20 MeV. From existing experimental bounds, a strength of $2 \\pm 10$ keV is deduced for the real and imaginary parts of the five-fold term, which implies an upper bound of order $10^{-4}$ on the relative $T$-odd strength when compared to the central real optical potential.
A study of elliptical flow is carried out for different mass asymmetries of colliding nuclei using the reactions of Formula Not Shown ( Formula Not Shown ), Formula Not Shown ( Formula Not Shown ) and Formula Not Shown ( Formula Not Shown ). The present reactions are simulated at incident energies between 50 and 250 MeV/nucleon within the framework of isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model. For the present analysis, total mass of colliding pairs is kept fixed and mass asymmetry is varied between 0.3 and 0.7. The elliptical flow shows a transition from in-plane to out-of-plane in the mid rapidity region with incident energy. The transition energy is found to increase with the mass asymmetry for light charged particles. A good agreement is obtained with experimental measurements.
The use of numerical modeling in oil spill incidents is a well established technique that has proven to provide cost-effective and reasonable estimates of oil surface drift. Good predictability of such models depends highly on the quality of the input data of the incident and on the model calibration effort. This paper presents the results of simulating oil spillage trajectory in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. The study employed a 3-D rectilinear hydrodynamic model combined with oil spill model. Typical representative environmental conditions of the Arabian Gulf were first setup into a hydrodynamic circulation model using data from various sources. The performance of the hydrodynamic model was then tested against measurements of tidal fluctuation and sea currents at selected locations. The sp...
The PARLOC Pipeline and Incident Databases provide the most complete information available on North Sea pipelines and risers from 1975. The database information enables the frequency of incidents which either result, or have a potential to result, in loss of containment to be related to the pipeline population as a whole or expressed as a function of particular pipeline characteristics. The importance of the PARLOC study in risk assessments of offshore pipelines is acknowledged worldwide and it is recognized as having contributed positively to their safer operation. Continuing improvements ensure that it remains a key reference in risk assessment studies. This paper describes the improvements which are being made to the study and shows how PARLOC is being used by the offshore industry in the consideration of pipeline safety. The rationalization of current arrangements for regulating pipeline safety presented in the new UK Pipeline Safety ...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered to be one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and the most common one in Africa and Asia. Over the last decade, a rising incidence of up to 10-15/100,000 per population has been seen in the Western world, with an estimate of 250,000 deaths and more than a million worldwide per year. By the year 2010, the World Health Organization expects that HCC will be the leading cause of cancer mortality surpassing lung cancer. This increasing incidence is most likely related to an increasing prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (HC) and B (HB) virus infections and other diseases inducing chronic inflammation (Befeler and Di Bisceglie 2002; Llovet et al. 2003).
Objectives Our purpose was to evaluate interaction of green tea consumption and abdominal obesity as related factors for lacunar infarction in Korean women. Designs A hospital-based, incident case-control study. Settings The Prevention and Managements of Stroke in Women study. Participants Cases (n=233) of first incident lacunar infarction were enrolled and matched by age to stroke-free hospital controls (n=204). Measurements The data were collected through face-to-face interviews by well trained research assistants to assess demographic, medical, lifestyle, marital status, religions status, green tea consumptions, family history of stroke, smoking status, alcohol consumption, meat and vegetable intake frequency, and past history of hypertension. Biochemical analysis, fasting blood specime...
The change in the energy flow on land used for brown coal mining is examined. Terrain mapping was used to obtain land use data for a 14 km{sup 2} mining area and its surroundings. The focus is on the proportion of incident solar energy that is changed to latent heat during evapotranspiration. Each land use unit was assigned an average value for evapotranspiration for the growing season. Satellite data of surface temperature and surface wetness values show incident radiation converted to heat. Relationships between evapotranspiration and surface temperature and between wetness index and evapotranspiration were verified. The results confirm the hypothesis that changes in land use can have a significant effect on total average evapotranspiration. 18 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.
Background Little is known about the role of diet in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). We explored the prospective relation of dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients to incident VTE in older women. Methods In 1986, Iowa women aged 55 to 69 years completed a mailed survey, including a 127-item food frequency questionnaire. These data were linked to Medicare data from 1986 to 2004, and International Classification of Diseases discharge codes were used to identify hospitalized VTE cases. Cox regression analyses evaluated relations of 2 principal components?derived dietary patterns, 11 food groups, and 6 nutrients to VTE, adjusted for age, education, smoking status, physical activity, and energy intake. Results Over 19 years of follow-up, 1,950 of the 37,393 women develope...
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Germany's national metrology institute, developed an alignment strategy to specify elemental depth profiling in vertical sidewall layers on structured wafers. For this purpose, PTB's irradiation chamber for 200?mm and 300?mm silicon wafers was used to combine total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) and grazing incidence XRF (GIXRF) techniques by employing monochromatized undulator radiation of the BESSY II electron storage ring. 3-D test structures were fabricated to develop an optimal alignment strategy allowing for depth profiling in such nanolayers. The test structures consisted of silicon bars with widths/spacings either in the ?m or in the nm range. In order to be able to differentiate the sidewalls more easily from the remainder of ...
Background Despite potentially relevant chemical differences between filtered and boiled coffee, this study is the first to investigate consumption in relation to the risk of incident cancer. Methods Subjects were from the V?sterbotten Intervention Project (64,603 participants, including 3,034 cases), with up to 15?years of follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) were calculated by multivariate Cox regression. Results No associations were found for all cancer sites combined, or for prostate or colorectal cancer. For breast cancer, boiled coffee ?4 versus <1 occasions/day was associated with a reduced risk (HR?=?0.52, CI?=?0.30?0.88, p trend?=?0.247). An increased risk of premenopausal and a reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer were found for both total (HRpremenopausal?=?1.69, CI?=?0.96?2.98...
The LAHET code system calculations and experimental results for proton interactions with an energy <50 MeV are compared. For these energies, the theories behind the LAHET models are not applicable. Three quantities compared are (a) the magnitude of the neutron yield generated through proton interactions, (b) the energy and angular distributions of the resultant neutrons, and (c) the residual nuclei produced by proton interactions (spallation products). The comparisons are for protons incident on iron and copper, except in the case of the energy and angular distributions, which are calculated only for iron. The neutron yields predicted by LAHET agree with published measurements to within 50% for both materials. For iron, the predicted energy and angular distributions agree to within a factor of 3. Finally, the predicted spallation product yields of both materials agree with measurements to within a factor of 4.
Purpose of this item is to report the CT patterns of pancreatic mesenchymal lesions and to investigate the capabilities and limitations of this technique in terms of characterization. In selected cases, CT can provide virtually diagnostic information (lipoma and teratoma), or at least highly suggestive findings (NHL, plexiform neurofibroma, lymphangioma). Moreover, knowledge of the variable morphostructural patterns of mesenchymal hisototypes (SCH, Sarcoma etc.) permits to include them in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic masses. [Italian] Scopo di questo rapporto e' descrivere gli aspetti semeiologici dei tumori mesenchimali del pancreas con la TC verificandone le possibilita e i limiti per la caratterizzazione. Pur nella rarita' dei reperti considerati, la TC puo' consentire l'effettiva caratterizzazione in alcuni casi (lipoma, neurofibroma plessiforme, linfangioma) o includere anche istotipi meno comuni (Schwannoma, ...
The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of long-term subcutaneous application of low-dose IL-2 in children with malignancies at very high risk of relapse who underwent highly T cell and B cell depleted HLA-identical (MUD) or full haplotype mismatched related hematopoetic stem cell transplantation. We studied 11 patients with acute leukemias/myelodysplastic syndrome and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (active disease and/or second stem cell transplantation, n = 8; >=CR 2, n = 2) and relapsed or progressive Ewings sarcoma (n = 2) who received prophylactic IL-2 treatment for a high probability of disease recurrence after allo-HSCT. Toxicities from IL-2 were transient fever, fatigue and local inflammation. In one patient GvHD grade III with no clear association to IL-2 adm...
Electron beam therapy of lesions such as cutaneous metastatic carcinoma and reticulum cell sarcoma is performed via multiple portals for a wide irradiation field. However, the dose distribution in border areas is generally uneven, resulting in hot and cold dose areas depending on the intervals of the portals. We performed electron irradiation by the pendulum technique, especially on curved areas, and evaluated the technique in various respects. Pendulum electron beam irradiation is indicated when the length of the cone must be reduced in order to deliver the target volume near the skin surface as well as to avoid the occurrence of hot spots deep in the body. We prepared a 15cm rotating cone by cutting a 30cm fixed irradiation cone. The modification posed no disadvantages in terms of extent and flatness of the beam, or stability during rotation. After determining the relationship between the rotation speed and the dose, the technique was successfully applied to a ...
Purpose: The occurrence of extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (ES) in deep soft tissues has been well described, but cases in which this tumor occurs in a primary cutaneous or subcutaneous site have rarely been reported. The superficial variant may be less aggressive than are the more common bony and deep soft tissue counterparts with an apparently favorable outcome. A retrospective review of patients with cutaneous or subcutaneous ES was conducted to analyze outcome and patterns of failure. Methods and Materials: Between July 1985 and March 1997, 14 patients with cutaneous or subcutaneous ES were treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The median age at presentation was 16 years (range 7-21 years). Anatomic locations included trunk and pelvis (7), upper or lower extremity (4), and head and neck (3). The median size of the lesion was 3 cm (range, 1-12 cm). Thirteen had definitive surgical resections, and one had biopsy of the mass at the time of referral. They ...
The presence of an amino acid other than aspartic acid at position 57 of the HLA-DQ beta chain (non-Asp-57) is highly associated with susceptibility to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), whereas...Full Text Available
Contrary to the electronic excitation induced phenomena of desorption and sputtering, we observed incorporation of oxygen in a thin Fe film during its irradiation with swift heavy ions. It is observed that the adsorbed oxygen diffuses in to the Fe film. The incorporation of oxygen and its diffusion in the bulk of the film is a manifestation of extremely large electronic energy deposition by the incident ions. It is shown that the experimentally observed high diffusivity of oxygen in Fe during irradiation is due to the existence of transient melt phase of Fe.
The incidence of anogenital malignancies is greatly increased in patients who have received a renal transplant, but this has not been well studied in patients receiving maintenance dialysis. Our aim was to assess the incidence of these malignancies in patients on dialysis and compare these to transplanted patients. The age standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for anogenital malignancies was calculated by comparing the observed number of malignancies to the expected number. The expected number was calculated by multiplying the age specific incidence rates for each malignancy by the person years at risk in 5-year age cohorts. Of 15,820 patients in the Australia and New Zealand data base, 8,215 had received a renal transplant. A total of 39,750 person years at risk were contributed by patients who had received a renal transplant, while 29,276 person years at risk were contributed by dialysis patients who had ...
The sera of NZB/BL mice have been found to be active in the complement fixation test against isogeneic liver antigens to a higher titre than the sera of CBA, C57BL and DBA/2 mice. Six sera from NZB...Full Text Available
A community health survey of 438 individuals was taken to detect health problems related to high voltage electrical transmission among an adjacent residential population. Results revealed no significant or consistent relationships between exposure to a high voltage DC power line and the perceived health problems that were measured. The sample was not, however, large enough to draw statistically significant conclusions regarding possible health effects with a very low incidence.
Thermal absorption with its combined thermal and mechanical loads in a solar receiver does depend significantly on the distribution of incident solar radiation. For a cavity receiver with paraboloid collectar a method is derived which enables the calculation of solar radiation distribution on the areas inside the receiver. The theoretical bases are presented first, and a subsequent example shows the influence of the most important geometric parameters on the distribution of solar radiation.
In radiation therapy with hadron beams, conformal irradiation to a tumour can be achieved by using the properties of incident ions such as the high dose concentration around the Bragg peak. For the effective utilization of such properties, it is necessary to evaluate the volume irradiated with hadron beams and the deposited dose distribution in a patient's body. Several methods have been proposed for this purpose, one of which uses the positron emitters generated through fragmentation reactions between incident ions and target nuclei. In the previous paper, we showed that the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method could be applicable to the estimation of beam end-point from the measured positron emitting activity distribution for mono-energetic beam irradiations. In a practical treatment, a spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP) beam is used to achieve a uniform biological dose distribution in the whole target volume. Therefore, in the ...
BackgroundUnderstanding immunity, incidence and risk factors of the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic (2009 H1N1) through a national seroprevalence study is necessary for informing...Full Text Available
Reflective diffraction grating. A focused ion beam (FIB) micromilling apparatus is used to store color images in a durable medium by milling away portions of the surface of the medium to produce a reflective diffraction grating with blazed pits. The images are retrieved by exposing the surface of the grating to polychromatic light from a particular incident bearing and observing the light reflected by the surface from specified reception bearing.
The quark structure of constituent nucleons is considered by a qualitative comparison of features of different models with experimental data with respect to cumulative meson production. It is shown that the fluctuation of the density of nuclear matter, ie the creation and disintegration of a short lived few-nucleon correlation (flucton), is a type of the quasi-resonance formation in the nucleus which exists without any connection with the incident particle. The cumulative production in the region under investigation is mostly the result of a Regge type dissociation of the flucton. (U.K.).
Prompt fission neutron energy spectra for "2"3"5U and "2"3"9Pu have been measured for fission neutron energies greater than the energy of the incident neutrons inducing fission. The measurements were undertaken to investigate the shape dependence of the fission neutron spectra upon both the incident neutron energy and the mass of the nucleus undergoing fission. Measurements were made for both nuclides at incident neutron energies of 0.50, 1.50, 2.50 and 3.50 MeV. The data are presented either as relative yields or as ratios of measured spectra to that of "2"3"5U at 0.50 MeV. Incident neutrons were produced by the "7Li(p,n)"7Be reaction using a pulsed, bunched proton beam from the 5.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator at the University of Massachusetts Lowell Radiation Laboratory. Fission neutrons were detected by a thin liquid scintillator with good time resolution capabilities. Neutron energies were ...
Numerical errors of PALLAS calculation due to spatial mesh sizes are examined for a typical deep penetration shielding problem of isotropic incident fission neutrons penetrating a 200-cm-thick water slab. The exponential approximation for the source spatial distribution to solve the transport equation based on the direct integration method is verified to be effective for radiation transport in attenuating medium, while the linear approximation employed in the old PALLAS code is found to produce large errors for calculations with large mesh sizes.
Heavy high viscosity oils, transformer oils, and very light low viscosity oils have been used in a Norwegian company in the impregnation, sheathing, and installation of paper insulated cables. The aim...Full Text Available
A method for detecting electrons emitted as secondary particles by photon incidence to a specimen, as well as a method of using the photons emitted by electron incidence as detecting particles are explained. Pd-Si(100)2{times}1 system is adopted for a case study of using photo-electron spectroscopy where synchrotron emitted light in soft X-ray region is used as the incident light. Pd atoms are deposited little by little on clean Si surface to investigate the electron structure of the surface, and the interface electron structure after bonded formation of Pd(thin film)-Si(substrate) is estimated. Radiation soft X-ray spectroscopy is employed to observe the real state of the bonded interface of Pd(thin film)-Si(substrate) prepared by depositing Pd film in a short period of time. In the case of radiation soft X-ray spectroscopy with electron beam excitation, bonded system of thin film and substrate can be investigated by ...
The nuclear interaction probability of light charged particles in BaF[sub 2] crystals has been studied as a function of the incident particle energy. Light charged particles were identified in charge and mass by measuring their magnetic rigidity and their time-of-flight. The percentage of particles undergoing nuclear interactions has been measured for particles of charge from Z=1 to Z=6 and the experimental data are compared with the results of a model calculation. (orig.)
BackgroundAs the promotion of alcohol and tobacco to young people through direct advertising has become increasingly restricted, there has been greater interest in whether images...Full Text Available
Ksub(#beta#)/Ksub(#alpha#) X-ray intensity ratios have been measured for various elements between Z = 29 and Z = 79 for incident proton energies of 23.6, 32.1 and 43.6 MeV. The results yield no evidence for a variation in ratio with particle energy. (orig.).
In a joint study conducted by the University Clinic of Radiology, Graz, and the Medical University Clinic, Innsbruck, the results of computer tomography examinations of the abdomen and pelvis in 23 cases of tumours in children are discussed. In children computer tomography resents special difficulties on account of the very poorly developed fatty layers between the organs and the increased incidence of movement artifacts. The importance of computer tomography for the diagnosis of abdominal and pelvic tumours is discussed.
With reference to three hypotheses on the causes of forest decline, the manifold uses of forest decline surveys are demonstrated. Hypothesis no. 1: Forest disease from high-voltage transmission lines; hypothesis no. 2: Forest disease as the consequence of damage from micorrhizas; hypothesis no. 3: Radioactivity as the cause of the increased incidence of forest disease. (orig./MG)
The Health Physics, Safety and Medical Services Report for Harwell Laboratory for 1989 includes data on the monitoring of the working environment, personnel monitoring, radiological incidents, disposal of radioactive waste and protection of the public. Work on emergency planning, non-radiological health and safety, occupational hygiene, operations support is also discussed. Finally the medical services available and the medical examinations performed are described. (UK).
This patent describes a {gamma}-ray detector. It comprises: a dislocation-free single crystal having an input surface and a transmission surface at opposite ends thereof; an active shield surrounding the crystal and functioning as an anticoincidence counter; and {gamma}-ray detector means disposed adjacent the transmission surface of the crystal for receiving and detecting {gamma}-rays of a predetermined wavelength incident on the input surface of the crystal at a specific Bragg angle and transmitted through the crystal.
The emission of hammer fragments in inelastic collisions of carbon nuclei at 3.6 GeV/nucleon with the nuclei of a photographic emulsion has been studied experimentally. The results show that the formation of these fragments is determined primarily by the extent to which the heavy target nucleus breaks up and does not depend directly on the mass of the incident nucleus.
An analytic solution is obtained for the equations of resonance coherent SRS by neglecting the population of the final level of the Raman transition for the systems with the active-medium length that is smaller than the wavelength of the incident light. For the extended systems, a numerical solution is obtained. The energy distribution of the Stokes pulses is found. The large-scale (about 100%) fluctuations of the Stokes radiation energy were observed in the case of unsaturated amplified spontaneous emission. (nonlinear optical phenomena)
Laboratory-based surveillance of Lyme disease in Connecticut during 1984 and 1985 identified 3,098 persons with suspected Lyme disease; 1,149 were defined as cases. Lyme disease incidence in Connecticut...Full Text Available
We calculated the matter effect, including both the Earth and supernova, on the detection of neutrinos from type II supernovae at the proposed Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment. It is found that apart from the dependence on the flip probability P_H inside the supernova and the mass hierarchy of neutrinos, the amount of the Earth matter effect depends on the direction of the incoming supernova neutrinos, and reaches the biggest value when the incident angle of neutrinos is around 93^\\circ. In the reaction channel \\bar{\
CTX-M extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) have emerged as the most common type of ESBL globally, their incidence easily surpassing those of SHV and TEM ESBLs in most locales. This study compared...Full Text Available
BackgroundInfertility affects ∼20% of couples in Europe and in 50% of cases the problem lies with the male partner. The impact of damaged DNA originating...Full Text Available
We apply two variations of the principle of Minimum Cross Entropy (the Kullback information measure) to fit parameterized probability density models to observed data densities. For an array beamforming problem with P incident narrowband point sources, N > P sensors, and colored noise, both approaches yield eigenvector fitting methods similar to that of the MUSIC algorithm[1]. Furthermore, the corresponding cross-entropies are related to the MDL model order selection criterion[2].
The crabbing of an incident photon beam from a laser, and the electron beam with which it interacts at the conversion point, is shown to have the same efficiency as in head-on Compton scattering, but with the advantages of a crossing geometry. The resulting #gamma#-ray beam is also crabbed, which allows for a crossing collision point, while maintaining the luminosity at the same value it would have in a head-on collision.
The crabbing of an incident photon beam from a laser, and the electron beam with which it interacts at the conversion point, is shown to have the same efficiency as in head-on Compton scattering, but with the advantages of a crossing geometry. The resulting {gamma}-ray beam is also crabbed, which allows for a crossing collision point, while maintaining the luminosity at the same value it would have in a head-on collision. ((orig.)).
The crabbing of an incident photon beam from a laser, and the electron beam with which it interacts at the conversion point, is shown to have the same efficiency as in head-on Compton scattering, but with the advantages of a crossing geometry. The resulting #gamma#-ray beam is also crabbed, which allows for a crossing collision point, while maintaining the luminosity at the same value it would have in a head-on collision. ((orig.)).
AimsTo evaluate the associations of myocardial infarction (MI) and major bleeding with 1-year mortality. Both MI and major bleeding predict 1-year mortality in patients presenting...Full Text Available
The Albedo Theory was applied in order to develop an one-group algorithm for coupled neutron-gamma shielding calculations. The configuration analyzed consists of multilayered plane systems, where a incident neutron current generates gamma radiation through neutron-gamma reactions. The results obtained by Albedo Method and ANISN code have shown excellent agreement. (author)
The Albedo Theory was applied in order to develop an one-group algorithm for coupled neutron-gamma shielding calculations. The configuration analyzed consists of multilayered plane systems, where a incident neutron current generates gamma radiation through neutron-gamma reactions. The results obtained by Albedo Method and ANISN code have shown excellent agreement. (author)
This report provides a concise summary of the information collected and analyzed regarding the leak characteristics which define them as applicable candidates for pressure activated sealant technology. This information covers Office of Pipeline Safety reported incidents from 1985 to 1997 and was collected from existing data sources as well as operator and service company input.
A large-acceptance Bragg curve spectrometer with a longitudinal electron collection field and a segmented anode has been constructed and tested. The effects on the charge resolution of the entrance angle and entrance position of the incident particle have been studied. Simulations have been done in order to isolate the contribution to the overall detector performance of the signal-shaping electronics from that of the intrinsic design of the detector. ((orig.))
In order to consider some procedures to prevent errors in radiotherapy based in learned lessons of accidental expositions and in accordance with information contained in international reports elaborated by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and of the data base availability by the European group Radiation Oncology Safety Information System (ROSIS) on the events, a research of the occurred errors was performed. For the evaluation of the incidents a data base based in the ROSIS and added plus a parameter was created 'type of error'. All the stored data make possible the evaluation of the 839 incidents in terms of frequency of the type of error, the process of detention, the number of reached patients and the degree of severity. Of the 50 types of found errors, the type of error more frequently was 'incorrect treatment coordinate', confirmed with the data of literature and representing 28,96 por cent of ...
Full text: The principal nuclear design tools available to the shielding designer include diffusion approximation, transport theory, and Monte Carlo techniques. Full transport theory or Monte Carlo methods are routinely used for shielding analyses, where penetration investigations are more sensitive to directional aspects. However, the aim of this paper is to illustrate the coupled neutron-gamma Albedo method particularly as applied to problems of shielding analysis. The multigroup Albedo method is applied to coupled neutron-gamma radiations considering 'n' neutron energy groups and 'g' gamma energy groups to estimate the probabilities of transmission through, absorption in, and reflection from shieldings composed by multiple material layers, 'm' slabs, in which no fission occurs. In this study, these energy groups were selected in order to minimize upscattering effects of the radiation from lower energy groups to higher energy groups. However, neutrons of all energies are assumed to ...
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by the JC virus (JCV), a human papovavirus. PML is a relatively rare disease seen predominantly in immunocompromised individuals and is a frequent complication observed in AIDS patients. The significantly higher incidence of PML in AIDS patients than in other immunosuppressive disorders has suggested that the presence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in the brain may directly or indirectly contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease. In the present study the authors have examined the expression of the JCV genome in both glial and non-glial cells in the presence of HIV-1 regulatory proteins. They find that the HIV-1-encoded trans-regulatory protein tat increases the basal activity of the JCV late promoter, JCV{sub L}, in glial cells. They conclude that the presence of the HIV-1-encoded tat protein may positively affect the JCV lytic cycle ...
Effects of swimming exercise training on left ventricular contraction and relaxation, the incidence of spontaneous defibrillation and the ventricular fibrillation threshold were studied in the isolated, perfused rat heart. The heart/body weight ratio was 4.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(-3) in swimmers compared with 3.9 +/- 0.6 x 10(-3) in sedentary controls (p less than 0.0005). The spontaneous heart rate was lower in isolated hearts of trained animals (222 +/- 18 bpm compared with 244 +/- 28, p less than 0.05). Left ventricular systolic pressure was higher in trained hearts and the rate of ventricular relaxation enhanced (p less than 0.05). The ventricular fibrillation threshold was 7.2 +/- 5.2 and 10.8 +/- 6.1 mamp in hearts of swimmers and controls, respectively, the difference not being significant. The incidence of spontaneous defibrillation was not significantly different between the two groups. It is concluded that, while swimming induces cardiac ...
We will describe recent improvements to the SPEAR reflectometer at the Manuel Lujan Jr. Neutron Scattering Center at Los Alamos. One of the changes consists of wider convergent, incident-beam, collimation to take advantage of optical imaging for specular scattering. In addition, the instrument now views a partially coupled liquid hydrogen moderator as opposed to the decoupled moderator that was previous in-place. While the wavelength distribution is poorer, it matches the time (wavelength) resolution of the reflectometer more closely with the angular resolution. Since the integrated intensity of the partially coupled moderator is higher than the decoupled moderator, we show a similar gain in incident beam flux on the sample without loss of the ability to separate fringes. The increases in intensity from the moderator gain and the improved collimation combine to allow us to measure reflectivities with good statistics down to 10"-"4 in a matter ...
We will describe recent improvements to the SPEAR reflectometer at the Manuel Lujan Jr. Neutron Scattering Center at Los Alamos. One of the changes consists of wider convergent, incident-beam, collimation to take advantage of optical imaging for specular scattering. In addition, the instrument now views a partially coupled liquid hydrogen moderator as opposed to the decoupled moderator that was previous in-place. While the wavelength distribution is poorer, it matches the time (wavelength) resolution of the reflectometer more closely with the angular resolution. Since the integrated intensity of the partially coupled moderator is higher than the decoupled moderator, we show a similar gain in incident beam flux on the sample without loss of the ability to separate fringes. The increases in intensity from the moderator gain and the improved collimation combine to allow us to measure reflectivities with good statistics down to 10{sup -4} in a ...
Tachycardia Detection, ICD, CRT-D Devices, Appropriate and Inappropriate Shock.-Introduction: We evaluated the frequency of appropriate and inappropriate shocks and survival in patients using dual-zone programming versus single-zone programming. Methods and Results: For the ALTITUDE REDUCES study, patients were followed for 1.6 1.1 years. The 12-month incidence of any shock was lower for dual-versus single-zone programmed detection at rates -170 bpm and between 170-200 bpm (P < 0.001). Appropriate shock rates at 1 year were also lower with dual-zone programming in these rate intervals (single zone 9.1%, 5.4%, P < 0.001, dual zone 6.7%, 4.7%, P < 0.02). There were no detectable differences between single- and dual-zone shock incidence at detection rates - 200 bpm (P = 0.14). Inappropriate s...
Seizures are a frequent sequela of impaired brain development and can be expected to affect more children with radiation-related brain damage than children without such damage. This report deals with the incidence and type of seizures among survivors prenatally exposed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and their association with specific stages of prenatal development at the time of irradiation. Fetal radiation dose was assumed to be equal to the dose to the maternal uterus. Seizures here include all references in the clinical record to seizure, epilepsy, or convulsion. Histories of seizures were obtained at biennial routine clinical examinations starting at about the age of 2 years. These clinical records were used to classify seizures as febrile or unprovoked (without precipitating cause). No seizures were ascertained among subjects exposed 0-7 weeks after fertilization at doses higher than 0.10 Gy. The incidence of seizures ...
In this experiment, a beam incident from an oblique direction is reflected by a spherical lens toward the direction of incidence. When the surface of a matter is vibrated by elastic waves, the spherical lens comes into a translation motion that accompanies the vibration. It follows accordingly that the vibration on the surface of the matter may be detected by sensing the spherical lens travelling speed. Three components of the vibration may be determined if beams are focused at one spot from three directions. Detection of the S-wave component by LDV (laser Doppler vibrometer) discloses the complicated wave field in a heterogeneous material, and this physical model experiment may be utilized in various fields of study. For instance, information about problems that may surface in the field work may be collected beforehand in a physical model experiment for developing an S-wave-aided probing method. For the study of seismic wave propagation in a ...
ITN Energy Systems is developing next-generation solar cells based on the concepts of an optical rectenna. ITN's optical rectenna consists of two key elements: (1) an optical antenna to efficiently absorb the incident solar radiation, and (2) a high-frequency metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunneling diode that rectifies the AC field across the antenna, providing DC power to an external load. The combination of a rectifying diode at the feedpoints of a receiving antenna is often referred to as a rectenna. Rectennas were originally proposed in the 1960s for power transmission by radio waves for remote powering of aircraft for surveillance or communications platforms. Conversion efficiencies greater than 85% have been demonstrated at radio frequencies (efficiency defined as DC power generated divided by RF power incident on the device). Later, concepts were proposed to extend the rectennas into the IR and optical region of the ...
The formation of porous structures of nanometre size (nanoporous structures) on germanium (Ge) surfaces by focused ion beam (FIB) irradiations was investigated using various FIB conditions such as ion species, irradiation energies, total fluences, fluence rates, and incident angles. FIB-irradiated regions were observed using a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope. It is found that, using a focused Ga ion beam (Ga FIB) at an energy of 100 keV, the irradiated Ge surface swelled up to ion fluence of 2 x 10"1"7 cm"-"2 with nanoporous structures and then was etched for larger fluences. The shape of swollen nanoporous structures depended on the fluence rate and the incident angle of the Ga FIB. However, such porous structures were observed neither for low-energy (15-30 keV) FIB irradiations using Si and Au ions nor for high-energy (200 keV), heavy ion (Au) irradiation. These observations might be helpful in discussing the ...
An in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy has been observed in thin Co films normally deposited onto obliquely sputtered Ta and Pt underlayers. Associated with this anisotropy is an augmented easy axis coercivity. The in-plane easy axis is, in most cases, perpendicular to the incident deposition plane. Microstructural results indicate that grains are well connected along the magnetic easy axis but are separated by long continuous voids along the hard axis, which is ascribed to a geometric shadowing effect due to the oblique incidence deposition of the underlayer. Hence, the magnetic anisotropy mimics the film growth anisotropy. It is therefore believed that the observed magnetic properties are due to magnetostatic shape anisotropy effects. In-plane coercivity and anisotropy field are shown to increase with underlayer deposition angle, underlayer thickness and magnetic layer thickness. The choice of capping layer is also observed to dramatically ...
Measurements of ion-induced electron emission have been performed with helium and argon ions with energies between 300 and 900 eV on W, W with 10% Ti, Al, Al with 1% Cu, Al with 1% Si, Si, and Be. This article describes many of the important surface characteristics that influence the ion-induced electron emission. For low-energy ions, the substrate material was found to be less important as the velocity of the incident ion decreased. In the case of incident Ar"+ the substrate material had a negligible effect on the emission for this energy range. The presence of an adsorbed layer enhanced emission in all cases. Heating the substrates resulted in oxidation of the surfaces and a subsequent increase in emission. The electron emission from aluminum samples with smaller grain sizes was higher than samples of identical composition with larger grains. This effect is due to the greater number of adsorption sites resulting from the higher grain boundary ...
As part of the Probabilistic Safety Analysis of the Multi Purpose Reactor, MPR, the list of Postulated Initiating Events was analyzed and one of these PIEs corresponds to the Loss of Coolant Flow. It is well known that during the operation life of a research reactor a LOFA could eventually occur and, once this event takes place, in time detection and automatic actions, thanks to the engineering safety features of the system, will mitigate the incident evolution. The postulated event corresponds to a loss of flow due to a total loss of power supply. The goal of the present work is to provide a general description and the engineering safety features of the MPR, as well as describe the sequence of scenarios during a LOFA. Temporal evolution of main parameters is presented, also. During Stage A of the Commissioning Program measurements of the core cooling system pump coast-down were performed in order to validate previous simulation results, as well as, flap valves ...
Both (001)- and (111)-oriented CeO[sub 2] thin films have been grown on amorphous fused silica (SiO[sub 2]) substrates by ion-beam assisted pulsed laser ablation of a polycrystalline CeO[sub 2] target. Using 200 eV Ar[sup +] ions incident at 55[degree] to the substrate normal, the preferred orientation for CeO[sub 2] film growth is (001) at room temperature, but changes to (111) for temperatures [ge]300 [degree]C. Furthermore, the ion-beam assisted CeO[sub 2] films exhibit strong in-plane crystallographic alignment. In contrast, CeO[sub 2] films grown without ion-beam assistance exhibit a mixture of polycrystalline orientations with the relative amounts depending on growth temperature. Under optimum conditions, off-normal-incidence Ar[sup +] ions produce a (111)-oriented crystalline CeO[sub 2] film that is aligned with respect to a single in-plane axis, on an amorphous substrate.
The unsteady flow and heat transfer are simulated using LES and DNS for a channel with two angled ribs as a vee-shaped vortex generator to augment heat transfer. The vortex generators are attached on the bottom wall of the channel and their angles in respect to the main flow are between 10"o and 30"o. The Prandtl number is 0.71 and the Reynolds numbers based on the inflow velocity and the height of channel are from 200 to 2000. Based on the results of this work, the variations of the Nusselt number, pressure coefficient, bulk temperature, friction factor and Colburn factor with the Reynolds numbers and the incidence angles are provided. The relation between the key parameters of the velocity (friction factor f) and thermal (Colburn factor J) boundary layers is calculated for all cases and their values are compared with the predicted values by the Chilton-Colburn analogy. A comparison between the DNS and LES results is performed and it is found that relatively ...
This paper described the Geographic Response Information Network (GRIN) project which was launched to address some of the logistical challenges that often complicate oil spill and emergency response operations. The objective of the project was to develop a computer-based tool for incident logistics to organize maps and data related to oil spills, safety, public relations and basic community resources. In addition to its use for oil spill response planning, the data available can be useful for all-hazards emergency response planning. Early prototypes of the GRIN used PowerPoint slides to organize basic information about coastal communities in Alaska. With time, hyper text markup language (html) was used as the programming format because it can be more readily hyper-linked. Currently, GRIN is organized as a web page with the following 5 categories of information: general, liaison, public information, logistics and safety. There are several sub-headings under each ...
When quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) is applied to the nuclear reactions in theory of relativity region, a number of problems arise, and in order to solve them, the prescription of the extension of ordinary nonrelativistic QMD is introduced, and the analysis of proton incidence reaction by using it is shown. By introducing the interaction corresponding to Lorentz transformation, the problems were solved. QMD is the semiclassical simulation that treats the motion of nucleons represented by Gauss wave packet. The motion of wave packet center is expressed by Newton equations and two-nucleon collision. The introduction of the interaction corresponding to Lorentz transformation is explained. As the result of the introduction, through the relative distance of two particles, the interaction becomes to depend on momentum. The phase distribution function of one body corresponding to Lorentz transformation is used for calculating the final state Pauli effect of collision ...
New comparative tests on two different types of solar collectors are presented in this paper. A standard glazed flat plate collector and an evacuated tube collector are installed in parallel and tested at the same working conditions; the evacuated collector is a direct flow through type with external compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) reflectors. Efficiency in steady-state and quasi-dynamic conditions is measured following the standard and it is compared with the input/output curves measured for the whole day. The first purpose of the present work is the comparison of results in steady-state and quasi-dynamic test methods both for flat plate and evacuated tube collectors. Besides this, the objective is to characterize and to compare the daily energy performance of these two types of collectors. An effective mean for describing and analyzing the daily performance is the so called input/output diagram, in which the collected solar energy is plotted against the daily ...
Some of the smaller sports- und travel aircrafts are still propelled by piston engines. The first part of the article looks into some characteristic damage incidents that occur in aircraft engines. Not surprisingly, vibration fatigue failure happens most frequently. Apart from technical faults it is surprisingly lack of fuel that accounts for the high incidence of engine failure (one third). Flight turbines occasionally fail due to vibration fatigue of component parts. Added to this thermal fatigue cracks and damage due to overheating may occur in a gas turbine while the compressor parts may be affected by corrosion. (orig.) [German] Ein erheblicher Teil der kleineren Sport- und Reiseflugzeuge ist auch heute noch mit Kolbentriebwerken ausgestattet. Im ersten Teil des Aufsatzes werden daher einige charakteristische Schaeden an Flugmotoren vorgestellt. Als Versagensart dominiert erwartungsgemaess der Schwingbruch (Dauerbruch). Neben den technisch ...
The Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) formats and libraries are decided by the Cross Section Evaluation Working Group (CSEWG), a cooperative effort of national laboratories, industry, and universities in the U.S. and Canada, and are maintained by the National Nuclear Data Center (NNDC). Earlier versions of the ENDF format provided representations for neutron cross sections and distributions, photon production from neutron reactions, a limited amount of charged-particle production from neutron reactions, photo-atomic interaction data, thermal neutron scattering data, and radionuclide production and decay data (including fission products). Version 6 (ENDF-6) allows higher incident energies, adds more complete descriptions of the distributions of emitted particles, and provides for incident charged particles and photonuclear data by partitioning the ENDF library into sub-libraries. Decay data, fission product yield data, thermal scattering data, ...
For the purpose of risk estimates from radiation carcinogenesis including leukemogenesis and radiation genetic effects, the biological significant dose is not the tissue kerma in air but the absorbed dose in organ or tissue with respect to carcinogenic and leukemogenic effects or genetic effects. In order to estimate organ or tissue dose from the tissue kerma in air, a ratio of the organ or tissue dose to the tissue kerma in air for survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was calculated with the aid of the Snyder's mathematical phantoms constructed so as to simulate the body shape of survivors aged 5, 10 years old and adult at the time of atomic bomb detonations. The ratios were corrected for the angular distribution of atomic bomb radiations, assuming an anisotropic angular distribution for the survivors exposed to the atomic bombs in open air and the isotropic distribution for the survivors incide a Japanese house or other structures. The resultant ratios are ...
The United States Government (USG) first developed nuclear forensics-related capabilities to analyze radiological and nuclear materials, including underground nuclear test debris and interdicted materials. Nuclear forensics is not a new mission for Department of Defense (DoD). The department's existing nuclear forensics capability is the result of programs that span six (6) decades and includes activities to assess foreign nuclear weapons testing activities, monitor and verify nuclear arms control treaties, and to support intelligence and law enforcement activities. Today, nuclear forensics must support not only weapons programs and nuclear smuggling incidents, but also the scientific analysis and subsequent attribution of terrorists' use of radiological or nuclear materials/devices. Nuclear forensics can help divulge the source of origin of nuclear materials, the type of design for an interdicted or detonated device, as well as the pathway of the materials or ...
We have performed inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments on CeRh{sub 3}B{sub 2} at various temperatures to obtain direct information on the crystal electric field (CEF) in this compound, which exhibits some very peculiar magnetic properties for a Ce system: it is ferromagnetic with an unusually high Curie temperature (115 K), which contrasts with a strongly reduced and anisotropic magnetization (0.4 {mu}{sub B}/fu within the c-plane of the hexagonal structure). Measurements with high incident energies show only one well defined magnetic excitation around 150 meV, its exact position varying with the temperature. These results, combined with our previous data of magnetization and magnetic form factor, have permitted us to determine the CEF energy level scheme taking into account the two J multiplets of the Ce{sup 3+} ion. Information on the ground state (quasielastic contribution and ground state moment) has also been obtained by experiments at low ...
We have performed inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments on CeRh_3B_2 at various temperatures to obtain direct information on the crystal electric field (CEF) in this compound, which exhibits some very peculiar magnetic properties for a Ce system: it is ferromagnetic with an unusually high Curie temperature (115 K), which contrasts with a strongly reduced and anisotropic magnetization (0.4 #mu#_B/fu within the c-plane of the hexagonal structure). Measurements with high incident energies show only one well defined magnetic excitation around 150 meV, its exact position varying with the temperature. These results, combined with our previous data of magnetization and magnetic form factor, have permitted us to determine the CEF energy level scheme taking into account the two J multiplets of the Ce"3"+ ion. Information on the ground state (quasielastic contribution and ground state moment) has also been obtained by experiments at low incident ...
The CATHENA (formerly ATHENA) has been used to simulate the thermalhydraulic behaviour of the WOLSUNG-1 CANDU-600 reactor during the D_20 spill incident of 1984 November 25. A 4-inch (nominal) Liquid Relief Valve inadvertently opened in the reactor auxiliary system during normal reactor operation, resulting in a discharge of heavy water from the primary heat transport system. The valve remained open for approximately 29 minutes. CATHENA is an advanced thermalhydraulic computer code for analysis of postulated loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCA) and transient faults in CANDU nuclear reactors. A full two-fluid (six-equation) representation of the two-phase flow is used. Component models are used to represent pumps, valves, critical discharge, etc., which are necessary to describe the behaviour of the CANDU system under upset conditions. Heat transfer between the fluid and piping walls (or fuel) is modelled using applicable correlations for boiling, condensation and ...
An energy analyzer has been constructed and operated in UHV for the purpose of analyzing the energy of neutral atoms scattered from solid surfaces. The analyzer consists of a LiF single crystal located at an angle close to the normal to the sample crystal so that the diffraction pattern obtained by scanning the LiF crystal yields the energy of the scattered atoms. Two designs which have been used are described. The temperature of both sample and analyzer crystal is near 20 K and once cleaned they can be maintained in the state of initial preparation for many weeks. The sample was a (001) Cu surface in this case. Such an energy analyzer can only be used, in most cases, for He atom scattering although Ne atoms could be used if the scattered intensities were adequate. The detector developed in this study is able to detect about 2 x 10"5 atoms/s. The resolution of the spectrometer depends on the incident energy of the atom and is about 1 meV at an ...
This disclosure provides a solar rechargeable aircraft that is inexpensive to produce, is steerable, and can remain airborne almost indefinitely. The preferred aircraft is a span-loaded flying wing, having no fuselage or rudder. Travelling at relatively slow speeds, and having a two-hundred foot wingspan that mounts photovoltaic cells on most all of the wing`s top surface, the aircraft uses only differential thrust of its eight propellers to turn. Each of five sections of the wing has one or more engines and photovoltaic arrays, and produces its own lift independent of the other sections, to avoid loading them. Five two-sided photovoltaic arrays, in all, are mounted on the wing, and receive photovoltaic energy both incident on top of the wing, and which is incident also from below, through a bottom, transparent surface. The aircraft is capable of a top speed of about ninety miles per hour, which enables the aircraft to attain and can ...
Two researchers, Tom Goreau of the Discovery Laboratory in Jamaica and Raymond Hayes of Howard University, claim that they have evidence that nearly clinches the temperature connection to the bleached corals in the Caribbean and that the coral bleaching is an indication of Greenhouse warming. The incidents of scattered bleaching of corals, which have been reported for decades, are increasing in both intensity and frequency. The researchers based their theory on increased temperature of the seas measured by satellites. However, some other scientists feel that the satellites measure the temperature of only the top few millimeters of the water and that since corals lie on reefs perhaps 60 to 100 feet below the ocean surface, the elevated temperatures are not significant.
This paper is to report a case of multi-ruptured complex pseudoaneurysm confirmed by three-dimensional DSA. Under three-dimensional DSA guidance, the thrombin was injected into lumens in the attempt to cure the pseudoaneurysm. As the result was unsatisfactory, fibrin sealant was used to inject into the lumens again, and good curative effect was obtained. In clinical interventional practice, the incidence of pseudoaneurysm has been steadily increasing and the lesions have become more and more complex. In this paper the authors have discussed the diagnostic and therapeutic methods of complex pseudoaneurysm in order to provide clinical physicians with useful information. (authors)
Search engine researchers typically depict search as the solitary activity of an individual searcher. In contrast, results from our critical-incident survey of 150 users on Amazon's Mechanical Turk service suggest that social interactions play an important role throughout the search process. Our main contribution is that we have integrated models from previous work in sensemaking and information seeking behavior to present a canonical social model of user activities before, during, and after search, suggesting where in the search process even implicitly shared information may be valuable to individual searchers.
Scattered radiation generated in patient and imaging system has to be considered when quality-assurance tests involve dose detection or image-quality estimations. Measurement of automatic-exposure control dose can be altered by backscattering from intensifying screens of more than 10% and the equipment transmission factor can be overestimated up to a factor of 10 when only primary radiation is used. The sensitivity of intensifying screens depends on the angle of incidence of the radiation and so primary and scattered radiation are detected differently. The quality-control aspects of anti-scatter grids are discussed. (author).
Scattered radiation generated in patient and imaging system has to be considered when quality-assurance tests involve dose detection or image-quality estimations. Measurement of automatic-exposure control dose can be altered by backscattering from intensifying screens of more than 10% and the equipment transmission factor can be overestimated up to a factor of 10 when only primary radiation is used. The sensitivity of intensifying screens depends on the angle of incidence of the radiation and so primary and scattered radiation are detected differently. The quality-control aspects of anti-scatter grids are discussed. (author).
Survival curves were constructed from dose-incidence curves for apoptosis in the crypts of mouse small intestine, using the number of apoptotic cells after high doses (N{sub M}) as maximum cell population size. The mean lethal doses (D{sub 0}) for the dose range 0-0.5 Gy were calculated for each time of day. A circadian rhythm in both D{sub 0} and N{sub M} values was detected, indicating that both the number and sensitivity of radiation-induced apoptosis were changing throughout the day. (author).
Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained atrial arrhythmia and it is independently associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. As a result of the high prevalence of AF, the economic and clinical impact of the disease is substantial. This study describes the economic and clinical impact of AF in the Netherlands. Methods Epidemiological data on AF in the Netherlands were projected on population estimates of the Netherlands in 2009 and combined with data on the cost of AF and its interventions. Results Overall prevalence of AF in the Netherlands is 5.5% in the population over 55?years, corresponding to about 250,000 AF patients. The prevalence increases with age, and the mean age of AF patients is 69.3?years. Incidence of AF in the Netherlands varies with age...
The assumed linear relationship between exposure to radiation and cancer incidence is questioned in this article. The current research data on radiation effects at the cellular level is reviewed, as are epidemiological studies of background radiation effects and health effects of populations exposed to low levels of radiation exposure via employment or medical treatments. Statistics reveal that threshold levels currently in force need to be reviewed. Some evidence of beneficial effects of low level radiation exposure effects of low level radiation exposure is also presented, and so regulations should be reviewed at an international level. (UK).
Abstract in english We consider the three dimensional electromagnetic inverse scattering problem of determining information about a buried coated object from a knowledge of the electric and magnetic fields measured on the surface of the earth corresponding to time harmonic electric dipoles as incident fields. We assume that the buried object is a perfect conductor that is (possibly) partially coated by a thin dielectric layer. No a priori assumption is made on the extent of the coating, i.e. (more) the object can be fully coated, partially coated or not coated at all. We present an algorithm based on the linear sampling method and reciprocity gap functional for reconstructing the shape of the scattering obstacle together with an estimate of the surface impedance of the coating.
TVA is currently engaged in an extensive program to mitigate steam generator tube denting at the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, which is in commercial operation, and to prevent or minimize the onset of denting at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, which is under construction. This paper describes TVA's denting mitigation program, which is primarily feedwater chemistry and system operation improvement, and the effect the changes that have been implemented have had on the incidence as well as the progression rate of steam generator tube denting during the past 220 effective full power days of Sequoyah unit 1 operation.
The mechanism of abrupt increase of the giant magneto impedance (GMI) ratio in the ion irradiated Co-based amorphous ribbon has been investigated. The grazing incident X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope were used to characterize the samples before and after ion irradiation. The GMI-ratio considerably increased in the ion irradiated samples and the GMI response showed strong dependence on the driving frequencies. The Barkhausen noise (BN) signals are increased for the Ar ion irradiated sample with dose of 1x10^1^7 ion/cm^2. The results are interpreted in terms of GMI variation associated with domain wall dynamics.
A review of the performance of steam generator tubes in 116 water-cooled nuclear power reactors showed that tubes were plugged at 54 (46 percent) of the reactors. The number of tubes removed from service decreased from 4 692 (0.30 percent) in 1981 to 3 222 (0.20 percent) in 1982. The leading causes of tube failures were stress corrosion cracking from the primary side, stress corrosion cracking (or intergranular attack) from the secondary side and pitting corrosion. The lowest incidence of corrosion-induced defects from the secondary side occurred in reactors that have used only volatile treatment, with or without condensate demineralization.
For light water reactors, loss of coolant is an important point in safety analysis, whereas for gas-cooled reactors the ingress of water into the core region is an incident of safety relevance. The applicability of the computer code system GAMTEREX to pebble beds of spherical high-temperature gas-cooled reactor fuel elements with simulated water ingress is verified by experiment. The measurements were performed at a Siemens-Argonaut reactor, using its ring core as a driver zone for a pebble-bed core in the center of the reactor.
Depth resolved positron annihilation studies on Pd/Si thin film system have been carried out to investigate silicide phase formation and vacancy defect production induced by thermal annealing. The evolution of defect sensitive S-parameter clearly indicates the presence of divacancy defects across the interface, due to enhanced Si diffusion beyond 870 K consequent to silicide formation. Corroborative glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) have elucidated the aspects related to silicide phase formation and Si surface segregation.
Survey report: The Petroleum Association for the Conservation of the Canadian Environment is an organization of petroleum refiners that works closely with the Canadian government to set realistic air pollution control standards for refinery emissions. To date, the refiners have made a substantial investment in pollution abatement equipment. As a result, there have been no major pollution incidents traceable to refinery emissions. In the future, it will be essential that refiners continue to invest in air pollution abatement measures and continue to cooperate with the government in setting achievable pollution control standards. (1 photo, 1 table)
The response of a real time neutron dosemeter using a thin LiF target sandwiched between tow parallel surface barrier semiconductor detectors is studied for different neutron distributions and different angles of incidence. Calculations of the response function defined for a simultaneous detection by the two detectors of the particles emitted when the reaction "6Li(n,t)#alpha# occurs in the target are fulfilled by geometrical considerations of the reaction kinematics and the differential cross section variations. Finally, the efficiency of the studied detection systems is analyzed for dosimetric uses. (author).
Data breaches, regularly in the news thanks to absent-minded employees or malicious hackers, are a real threat about which any company involved in the storing or transfer of data needs to be aware. And this isn't just about reputation and privacy - it has a real financial impact, too. In March 2010 the Ponemon Institute revealed that the cost of a data breach has risen for the third consecutive year. It found that the average data breach incident cost UK organisations @$1.9m or @$71 per record, an increase of 13% on 2009, and 18% on 2008. We all know how important it is to protect our data. Clearly, customers need to be choosy about whom they trust.
Secondary deuterium in the atmosphere are produced in interactions by primary cosmic rays. The shape of their energy spectrum depends on the primary cosmic ray spectrum incident at the top of the atmosphere. At high energies, the spectral shape depends on the primary spectrum of helium and heavy nuclei. However, at very low energies, specially below the geomagnetic cut-off, the spectral shape depends on the evaporation and recoil processes and hence almost independent of the spectral shape of the primary radiation. It is undertaken a calculation of the secondary deuterium spectrum at small atmospheric depths at various latitudes and the results will be presented.
The K-shell X-ray intensity ratios for W, Au, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th and U were measured at a photon incident energy of 121.9 keV from "5"7Co radionuclide. A comparison between the experimental results and the theoretically calculated values shows that the experimental results are, in general, higher than the theoretical values. The measured intensities are regarded to be reported for the first time. (author) 9 refs.; 1 tab.
The optical pressure exerted o a thin film, which is locked in the evanescent field formed at the plane interface with a totally-reflected Gaussian beam, is investigated. Some calculations of the pressure on the film caused by the evanescent field are presented in the different conditions of film thickness, film position, incident angle and polarization of a gaussian beam. The results show that the pressure exertion on the thin film can change from pushing to pulling as the parameters are varied. In particular, we find that the direction of optical pressure can act oppositely at the different positions of the film surface in the evanescent field.
The 3 MW TRIGA Mark-II research reactor of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) has been operating since September 14, 1986. The reactor is used for radioisotope production ("1"3"1I, "9"9"mTc, "4"6Sc), various R and D activities and manpower training. The reactor has been operated successfully since it's commissioning with the exception of a few reportable incidents. Of these, the decay tank leakage incident of 1997 is considered to be the most significant one. As a result of this incident, reactor operation at full power under forced-convection mode remained suspended for about 4 years. During that time, the reactor was operated at a power level of 250 kW so as to carry out experiments that require lower neutron flux. This was made possible by establishing a temporary by pass connection across the decay tank using local technology. The other incident was the contamination of the Dry Central ...
DescriptionBoth wild and aquaculture reared abalone, mussels and other shellfish of commercial importance as a food resource to man can be afflicted by poisoning if they feed on toxic species of small single-celled planktonic marine algae. If humans consume these shellfish that have become intoxicated by HAB's, illness or even death may occur. HAB's occur world-wide, but some regions are more severely affected than others. The incidence of HAB's also appear to be on the increase globally, perhaps because o [continued...
A study of the thin gold film growth, during the deposition on glass substrate under UHV conditions at low temperatures, is presented. The complementary methods, the atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence x-ray reflectometry, are used for the research. It is shown that due to variation of the time of deposition from 2 to 50 min different kinds of thin Au films nanostructures are obtained: from discontinuous films consisting of isolated islands, via formation of the chains of islands, up to continuous films. (author)
The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in developed countries and the general status of HCC patients is now by far better than a few years ago, allowing physicians to propose some different treatments of these patients. Among these treatments, intra-arterial injection of 131-iodine-labelled Lipiodol could be used in palliative, curative or adjuvant settings. After a brief summary of the modalities of this treatment, requiring the collaboration of Gastro-enterologists, Oncologists, Radiologists and Nuclear Medicine physicians, the different possibilities of therapeutic uses of this new approach are described and an outlook of these developments is proposed. (author)
Marginal fractures of the tibial plateau are associated with a high incidence of soft tissue injuries to the stabilising structures of the knee joint. Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament are associated with the Segond fracture and impingement fractures of the posteromedial tibial plateau. Recognition of these fractures aids diagnosis of these injuries. Marginal fractures of the tibial plateau associated with posterior cruciate ligament injuries are less common, though recently a ''reverse'' Segond fracture has been recognised. We describe a fracture of the anteromedial tibial plateau associated with complete disruption of the posterior cruciate ligament and posterolateral complex. (orig.)
Background This report describes the authors? experience with a unique endoluminal, endoscopically delivered and retrieved gastroduodenojejunal bypass sleeve, including short-term weight loss and changes in comorbidities. Methods A prospective, single-center trial was designed. The patients were morbidly obese individuals who met the National Institutes of Health criteria for bariatric surgery. The device used was a unique gastroduodenojejunal bypass sleeve secured at the esophagogastric junction with endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques and designed to create an endoluminal gastroduodenojejunal bypass. At completion of the trial, the device was explanted with endoscopic retrieval. The primary end points were safety and incidence of adverse events. The secondary outcomes included the per...
We consider light waves propagating clockwise and other light waves propagating counterclockwise around a closed path in a plane (theoretically with the help of stationary mirrors). The time difference between the two light propagating path orientations constitutes the Sagnac effect. The general relativistic expression for the Sagnac effect is discussed. It is shown that a gravitational wave incident to the light beams at an arbitrary angle will not induce a Sagnac effect so long as the wave length of the weak gravitational wave is long on the length scale of the closed light beam paths. The gravitational wave induced Sagnac effect is thereby null.
There are good prospects for silicon carbide anti-corrosion coatings on fuel elements to be realised, which opens up the chance to reduce the safety engineering requirements to the suitable design and safe performance of the ceramic fuel element. Another possibility offered is combined-cycle operation with high efficiencies, and thus good economic prospects, as with this design concept combining gas and steam turbines, air ingress due to turbine malfunction is an incident that can be managed by the system. This development will allow economically efficient operation also of nuclear power reactors with relatively small output, and hence contribute to reducing CO_2 emissions. (orig./DG).
Until April 2007 the Major Atmospheric Gamma ray Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) telescope used a 300 MSamples/s flash analog-to-digital converter (FADC) system to sample the shaped photomultiplier tube (PMT) signals produced by the captured Cherenkov photons of air showers. Different algorithms to reconstruct the signal from the read-out samples (extractors) have been implemented and are described and compared. Criteria based on the obtained charge and time resolution/bias are defined and used to judge the different extractors, by applying them to calibration, cosmic and pedestal signals. The achievable charge and time resolution have been derived as functions of the number of incident photo-electrons.
A typical incident response pits technicians against networks that aren't prepared forensically. [1, 2] If practitioners do consider collecting network forensic data, they face a choice between expending extraordinary effort (time and money) collecting forensically sound data, or simply restoring the network as quickly as possible. In this context, the concept of organizational network forensic readiness has emerged. This paper proposes a methodology for "operationalizing" organizational network forensic readiness. The methodology, and the theoretical analysis that led to its development, are offered as a conceptual framework for thinking about more efficient, proactive approaches to digital forensics on networks.
Atomic L- and M-shell ionization cross sections by protons have been calculated in the plane-wave Born approximation for /sub 79/Au and /sub 92/U with incident energy from 0.1 to 3 MeV with use of relativistic and nonrelativistic Hartree-Slater wave functions. These results are compared with those from the screened hydrogenic model to study the effects of relativity and wave functions. The relativistic and wave-function effects are found to operate in opposite directions. For M/sub 1,2,3/-subshell cross sections, severe cancellations occur between these two factors.
During a hypothetical severe incident in a nuclear power plant with core meltdown a large part of radioactive material is present as aerosol particles in the reactor containment. In current severe accident containment codes the potential influences of hydrogen combustions on the behaviour of aerosols are not considered. Among other effects dry resuspension can increase the aerosol concentration in the atmosphere. Already deposited aerosol material can be re-released into the containment atmosphere by atmospheric currents induced by hydrogen deflagrations or by other phenomena like steam explosions. The objective is to assess the possible influence of this dry resuspension effect on the radioactive source term. (author)
Theft, illegal possession, smuggling, or attempted unauthorized sale of nuclear and radiological materials remains a worldwide problem. The Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group (ITWG) has adopted a model action plan to guide investigation of these cases through a systematic approach to nuclear forensics. The model action plan was recently documented and provides recommendations concerning incident response, collection of evidence in conformance with required legal standards, laboratory sampling and distribution of samples, radioactive materials analysis, including categorization and characterization of samples, forensics analysis of conventional evidence, and case development including interpretation of forensic signatures. (author)
Inelastically scattered neutron spectra and angular distributions measured for a number of nuclei at the 9.1 and 14.4 MeV incident neutron energies are fitted well as a sum of neutron evaporation spectrum and the direct interaction part. For the last one the practical scheme of parametrization based on direct interaction theory is presented. The relative contribution of direct interactions in double differential cross sections and parameters of neutron evaporation spectra have been evaluated. All results have a simple physical interpretation and may be useful at interpolating of data in a wide energy interval.
Inhaled beryllium oxide results in impaired alveolar clearance of inhaled "2"3"9PuO_2 and induces an inflammatory reaction in the lung. However, only one of 184 rats exposed to beryllium developed a lung tumor; none of 128 unexposed rats developed a lung tumor. Fifty-six lung tumors were induced in 181 rats exposed to plutonium. A total of 37 lung tumors were found in 119 rats given combined exposures to beryllium and plutonium. Only in rats given the highest levels of both beryllium and plutonium was there an incidence of lung tumors greater than that seen with exposure to plutonium only.
The report traces the documented incidences of brittle fracture in composite suspension insulators for use on high voltage transmission lines, and presents the subsequent investigations. It describes the part played by electrical activity, stress corrosion and humidity, and compares similar failures that have taken place in electric traction insulators. It then goes on to review related work on the humidity effects, stress corrosion, fatigue and partial discharges in glass fiber reinforced plastics in general. The final section summarizes the present understanding of the problem and the various measures taken by different manufactures to avoid it in the future. The need for acceptance criteria in this respect is outlined.
The subband structure and optical properties of a cylindrical quantum well wire under intense non-resonant laser field are investigated by taking into account the correct dressing effect for the confinement potential. The energy levels and wave functions are calculated within the effective mass- approximation using a finite element method. It is found that the absorption coefficient and the saturation intensity are strongly affected by the laser amplitude and frequency as well as by the incident light polarization. As a key result, a large anisotropy in the linear and nonlinear optical absorptions for very intense laser field is predicted. These effects can be useful for the design of polarization sensitive devices.
The mutual inductance between parallel transmission lines influences the locating of the transmission line faults. A fault location algorithm for parallel lines developed in this paper takes into account the magnetic coupling between parallel lines. The paper presents a detailed description of the developed algorithm and test results performed on a simplified real transmission line. The obtained error is less than 0.5 percent in most cases. Also, the developed algorithm is not sensitive to typical fault parameters, such as: resistance, type, location, and incidence angle. 7 refs, 4 figs, 12 tabs
One of the main problems related to optical thin film materials used in high power laser environments is the catastrophic damage caused to them due to laser irradiation. While the influence of ion bombardment on the optical properties of oxide thin films is now a well understood subject, the morphology and crystalline behaviour of these films under ion incidence is not so well studied. Hence, it is of great importance to investigate the effects of ion bombardment during growth on the microstructure and crystalline behaviour of oxide materials.
We have developed a new type personal dosemeter by using a B-10 doped silicon p-n junction detector with a polyethylene radiator and a polyethylene moderator. The purpose of this study was to develop a real time neutron dosemeter with a nearly flat response in the energy range from thermal to 15 MeV and low angular dependence to the incident neutron direction. The neutron response of the dosemeter was obtained with the Monte Carlo calculation and the monoenergetic neutron experiment in a free air field and also under a condition attached on a phantom.
The A dependence of cumulative pion production yield cross sections on the basis of the comparison of the data on relative pion yields on Be,C,Al,Ti,Mo and W nuclei at the 159 deg angle laboratory system for the incident proton energy E_0 from 25 to 62 GeV is considered. The regular A dependence on cumulative variable X is noted. The results are compared with the data at E_0< 10 GeV. A possible interpretation of the observed behaviour on the basis of the hypothesis of the flucton mechanism of the pion production in the cumulative region is discussed. 15 refs.; 4 figs.
Full text: Lung cancer is responsible for most of the cancer related deaths and calls for new approaches to control the menace. In the present study chemopreventive efficacy of curcumin and quercetin was investigated against benzo(a)pyrene (BP) induced lung carcinogenesis. The mice were segregated into five groups which included normal control, BP treated, BP+curcumin treated, BP+quercetin treated and BP+curcumin+quercetin treated groups. The morphological and histological analyses of tumor nodules confirmed lung carcinogenesis, after 22 weeks of single i.p. injection of BP at a dose of 100 mg/Kg body weight to mice. Tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity were observed to be 88% and 1.75, respectively in the BP treated mice. A statistically significant increase in the uptake of "3H thymidine indicative of increased DNA synthesis which in turn is the marker of uncontrolled cancer cell proliferation, was observed in the lung slices of BP treated mice. Further, BP ...
Many thermoluminescent materials has been developed and used for photon personal dosimetry but no one has all desired characteristics alone. These characteristics include robustness, high sensitivity, energy photon independence, large range of photon energy detection, good reproducibility, small fading and simple glow curve with peaks above 150 deg C. Calcium Sulfate Dysprosium doped (CaSO{sub 4}:Dy) phosphor Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) has been used by many laboratories, mainly in Brazil and India. Another interesting phosphor is Calcium Fluoride (CaF{sub 2}). These phosphor advantages begin to be more required and its disadvantages have became more apparent, in a global market more and more competitive. These phosphors are used in environmental and area monitoring, once they present more sensibility than other phosphors, like LiF:Mg. Theirs mainly disadvantage is a strong energetic dependence response, which must be corrected for theirs application in the field, where photon ...
In the use of doxorubicin and radiation for treatment of human malignant tumors in vivo, the relationship between treatment-induced apoptosis and Ki-67 labeling index was investigated. Four human tumor xenografts (ependymoblastoma, NNE; primitive neuroectodermal tumor, YKP; small cell lung carcinoma, GLS; glioblastoma, KYG) were transplanted under the skin of thigh of the nude mice (BALB/cA JcL-nu). The mice were given a single radiation dose of 1 Gy, or doxorubicin alone intraperitoneally at a dose of 8 mg/kg. After treatment, sections of tumor specimens were prepared from paraffin-embedded tissues. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, TUNEL staining, and immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67 were performed. In NNE, apoptotic cells appeared most frequently after treatment compared with all other tumors, and the incidence of apoptosis in the radiation-treated group was much higher than in the doxorubicintreated group. As the incidence of apoptosis ...
For the Convolution, Superposition and Monte Carlo methods, energy spectrum data is an essential parameter. Especially, by using Monte Carlo method, if the adequate properties of electrons are set, complex energy spectrum data can be calculated by simple input. However, adjustment of the property of electrons incident on the target of linear accelerator is time-consuming procedure. To cover the difference of many accelerators, it is important how we obtain accurate energy spectrum by simple methods. Especially, the total accuracy of dose calculation depends on the agreement of measured and calculated percentage depth dose (PDD) and off-axis ratio (OAR). Thus, a simple method for the determination of the simulation parameters was considered. To reduce the adjustment procedure, we selected values of important three parameters, which were the mean energy of the input electron beam, the energy distribution of the input electron beam and the radial distribution of the ...
M shell x-ray production cross sections in thick targets of Pb, Th and U by K x-rays of Rb, Nb and Mo respectively have been measured. As the incident K x-ray energies are above the L_3 edge but below L_2 edge energies of the respective target elements under reference, the M x-rays are produced not only due to direct interaction of incident photons with M shell electrons but also due to the shift of the L_3 subshell vacancies to the M shell. The experiment has been performed using a double reflection geometrical setup with a 1 Curie"2"4"1Am gamma ray source and a Si (Li) x-ray spectrometer. The measured values have been compared with those calculated using known values of M and L_3 subshell photoionisation cross sections and fluorescence yields etc., wherever possible. The component of the percentage contribution due to shift of L_3 subshell vacancies to M shell to the total M shell x-ray emission were evaluated and it is seen that the shift of ...
Medetomidine and fentanyl-droperidol (Innovar-vet) were assessed over a three hour period in 80 healthy dogs. Following physical examination, electrocardiogram (ECG), arterial blood sample analysis, and dynamometer pressure threshold (analgesia score), the dogs were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: Miv--medetomidine (750 micrograms/M2) administered intravenously (IV), Mim--medetomidine (1000 micrograms/M2) administered intramuscularly (IM), Iiv--Innovar-vet IV (0.05 mL/kg) or Iim--Innovar-vet IM (0.1 mL/kg). All assessments were carried out by a single individual unaware of the treatment used. Objective assessments included temperature, heart and respiratory rates, analgesia score, arterial blood gases, acid-base and lactate levels. Subjective evaluation included degree of sedation, response to various clinical procedures, noise responsiveness, posture, and the incidence of side effects. Onset and duration of effect were also recorded. The ECG strips ...
Apoptosis is a pattern of cell death involving nuclear pycnosis, cytoplasmic condensation, and karyorrhexis. Apoptosis induced by continuous irradiation with gamma rays (externally given by a 137Cs source) or with beta rays (from tritiated water injected ip) was quantified in the crypts of two portions of mouse bowel, the small intestine and descending colon. The time-course change in the incidence of apoptosis after each type of radiation could be explained on the basis of the innate circadian rhythm of the cells susceptible to apoptotic death and of the excretion of tritiated water (HTO) from the body. For 6-h continuous gamma irradiation at various dose rates (0.6-480 mGy/h) and for 6 h after injection of HTO of various radioactivities (0.15-150 GBq per kg body wt), the relationships between dose and incidence of apoptosis were obtained. Survival curves were then constructed from the curves for dose vs incidence of ...
Background and Purpose: Total-body irradiation (TBI) is an important part of the conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. The results after treatment with various TBI regimes were compared, and dose-effect relationships for the endpoints relapse incidence, disease-free survival, treatment-related mortality, and overall survival were derived. The aim was to define requirements for an optimal treatment schedule with respect to leukemic cell kill and late normal-tissue morbidity. Material and Methods: A literature search was performed. Three randomized studies, four studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens, and nine reports with results of one specific TBI regimen were identified. Biologically effective doses (BEDs) were calculated. The results of the randomized studies and the studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens were pooled, and the pooled relative risk (RR) was ...
Background and Purpose: Total-body irradiation (TBI) is an important part of the conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. The results after treatment with various TBI regimes were compared, and dose-effect relationships for the endpoints relapse incidence, disease-free survival, treatment-related mortality, and overall survival were derived. The aim was to define requirements for an optimal treatment schedule with respect to leukemic cell kill and late normal-tissue morbidity. Material and Methods: A literature search was performed. Three randomized studies, four studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens, and nine reports with results of one specific TBI regimen were identified. Biologically effective doses (BEDs) were calculated. The results of the randomized studies and the studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens were pooled, and the pooled relative risk (RR) was ...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly conversed topic, particularly since implementation of screening for CRC is imminent within the U.K. Aims: The aim of this research project was to examine the diagnostic tools currently used within the UK to detect CRC and their impact on the aetiology and epidemiology of CRC. Methodology: The complexity of the research topic lent itself towards a literature review. A systematic approach of researching was therefore adopted to analyse and critically evaluate the reliability and validity of articles. Electronic databases including AMED, Cancerlit, CINHAL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE and EBM-Reviews were utilised to provide a wide spectrum of recent and relevant articles. Other research strategies involved looking for books relating to the topics, which were kept to within 6 years of publication to maintain accuracy of information. Selected websites, such as NICE, the Department of Health, NHS websites and Cancer Research U.K. were useful at ...
The late effects of "2"3"9Pu have been studied after its administration to perinatal, juvenile and adult rats. Adults and weanlings were injected intravenously, newborns intracardially and 19-day foetuses by intravenous injection of the dam. Dose levels were selected to deliver radiation doses of approximately 7, 23, or 70 rads to the femur of all ages during the first 10 days post injection; in general these values were achieved as shown by tissue analysis. Dose rates subsequently diverged, resulting in widely varying cumulative radiation doses for the four age groups. Survival times of rats exposed post-natally were progressively decreased by increasing dose. No decrement in survival was found for those exposed prenatally. Bone tumour incidence was increased by exposure to Pu in all age groups. The younger rats were less sensitive on an administered dose basis, but perhaps more sensitive on the basis of cumulative radiation dose. Prenatally exposed animals, which ...
Purpose: To determine if involved field radiation (IF) is equivalent to standard whole bone radiation (SF) in local tumor control; to establish patterns of failure following treatment; and to determine response, event free (EFS) and overall survival rates from multi-disciplinary therapy in Ewing's Sarcoma (ES). Materials and Methods: Between 1983 and 1988, 184 children with ES were enrolled onto POG 8346. 178 (97%) met eligibility criteria; 6 had non-ES pathology. Induction treatment of Cyclophosphamide/Adriamycin (C/A) x 12 weeks was followed by local treatment either surgery or radiation therapy (XRT) and C/A, Dactinomycin and Vincristine for 50 weeks. Resection was advised for patients with small primary tumors if accomplished without functional loss. 40 patients were randomized to receive SF, whole bone XRT to 39.6 Gy plus a 16.2 Gy boost (total 55.8 Gy) or IF to 55.8 Gy while 84 were assigned to IF XRT. Results: Of 179 eligible patients, 141 (79%) had ...
Investigations of radionuclide metabolism and effects in various mammalian species revealed important similarities between animals and humans and between some animal species. These include skeletal deposition of radium and radiostrontium in bone volume; deposition on bone surfaces of plutonium and other actinides; liver deposition of actinides; induction of skeletal or liver malignancies by these radionuclides; induction of tooth and jaw abnormalities; mammary cancer induction by radium in humans and in the beagle; depression of circulating cells in blood; and induction of bone fractures. There are also inter-species differences that may not have been noted if multiple species (including humans) had not been studied. Some of these are more rapid excretion of radium in humans compared with most other mammals; induction by radium of eye melanomas in animals but not humans; rapid loss of deposited plutonium from liver in many species of mice and rats but not in humans and dog; substantial ...
Reporting of the first nuclear trafficking incidents began in the early 1990's. The incidents were handled on a national level, using the resources and expertise available in the respective states. However, it soon became evident that fighting this illicit movement of nuclear material across borders would require international cooperation and a systematic and methodological approach. To this end, the G-8 states encouraged the creation of a dedicated group of experts. The Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group (ITWG) was created in the mid 1990's under the auspices of the G-8, following the 1995 Ottawa summit and the 1996 nuclear security summit held in Moscow. The group reports regularly to the Nuclear Safety and Security Group (NSSG) of the G-8. The ITWG has been working towards a sustainable mechanism to help resolve the international problem surrounding combating the illicit trafficking of nuclear material. In consequence, ...
The motivation of this work is to develop high reflectance normal-incidence multilayer mirrors in the 8-12 nm wavelength region for applications in astronomy and extreme ultraviolet lithography. To achieve this goal, Mo/Sr and Mo/Y multilayers were studied. These multilayers were deposited with a UHV magnetron sputtering system and their reflectances were measured with synchrotron radiation. High normal-incidence reflectances of 23% at 8.8 nm, 40.8% at 9.4 nm, and 48.3% at 10.5 nm were achieved. However, the reflectance of Mo/Sr multilayers decreased rapidly after exposure to air. Attempts to use thin layers of carbon to passivate the surface of Mo/Sr multilayers were unsuccessful. Experimental results on the refractive index {tilde n} = 1-{delta} + i{beta} of yttrium and molybdenum in the 50-1300 eV energy region are reported in this work. This is the first time ever that values on the refractive index of yttrium are measured in this energy ...
Full text: There have been many recent calls for increased international cooperation in the field of nuclear forensics. While much is already being done, for example by the International Technical Working Group on Nuclear Smuggling and International Atomic Energy Agency, more effort is needed as cooperation on real-world incidents is often ad hoc. As a result, incidents - particularly diversions of nuclear material - are not effectively investigated, and opportunities to keep dangerous materials out of the hands of terrorists or proliferators are missed. Forensics techniques can be used to investigate many types of incidents involving illicit uses of nuclear or radiological material, but the need for cooperation can be seen most clearly in the area of illicit trafficking where collaboration is needed now. Here governments have had some success interdicting smuggled material but diversions are not usually effectively ...
The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of central vein stenosis and occlusion following upper extremity placement of peripherally inserted central venous catheters(PICCs) and venous ports. One hundred fifty-four patients who underwent venography of the ipsilateral central veins prior to initial and subsequent venous access device insertion were retrospectively identified. All follow-up venograms were interpreted at the time of catheter placement by one interventional radiologist over a 5-year period and compared to the findings on initial venography. For patients with central vein abnormalities, hospital and home infusion service records and radiology reports were reviewed to determine catheter dwelltime and potential alternative etiologies of central vein stenosis or occlusion. The effect of catheter caliber and dwell time on development of central vein abnormalities was evaluated. Venography performed prior to initial catheter placement showed ...
The study evaluates 160 cases of positive spermioculture taken from 522 sterile individuals examined by the authors at the Couple Sterility Outpatient unit in Department A of the Institute of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Turin University during the period between January 1984 and December 1993. The germs responsible for infection were assayed in order to evaluate the strains which showed the highest incidence every year. Whereas there was no significant change in the absolute number of cases of sterility over the period, the number of cases caused by infection increased significantly during the second five-year period. It was found that the germs predominantly implicated in the genesis of male sterility formed part of the so-called mixed flora group, responsible in women for syndromes of often asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis which are not identified and consequently not treated. PMID:8559444
Randomly oriented ZnO microsheets were successfully self-assembled on TiO2 nanoparticle (TN) film to act as the scattering layer via a cathodic electrodeposition process. The light scattering properties of ZnO microsheets were studied by UV-Vis spectrometer in the 400?800 nm wavelength range. It was found that ZnO microsheets exhibited excellent ability to scatter the incident light for ZnO microsheet-TiO2 nanoparticle (ZT) composite films. The results showed that dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated with ZT composite films showed higher short-circuit density (J sc) and conversion efficiency than TN-based DSSCs, due to the light scattering properties of ZnO microsheets.
Recent studies have shown Y chromosome microdeletions associated with male infertility. The factors responsible for Y chromosome microdeletions in spermatozoa remain unresolved. However, the environmental pollutants are known to damage DNA in differentiating and maturing germ cells in the male reproductive tract. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of seminal hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and its isomers, an environmental pollutant, in 50 fertile and 50 infertile males in relation to semen quality and the incidence of Y chromosome microdeletion in azoospermic factor (AZF) region. As compared to control, an increased HCH level and significantly decreased semen quality were observed in the infertile males. A positive significant association was found between sperm c...
Radiation doses to workers at the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) sites due to external irradiation during 1940--1960 are reviewed. Categorized radiation dose data were available from AEC annual reports for some years. Annual individual radiation dose data for ten MED/AEC sites for all years were available from the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource (CEDR). These data are combined to produce an estimate of external collective dose equivalent to 172,000 person-rems (1720 person-Sv) for 1940--1960. During this period there were 41 overexposures, 19 criticality incidents, and 3 deaths due to acute radiation syndrome among several hundred thousand workers.
A scheme of evaluating a generalized three-photon excitation cross section #sigma#/sub (3)/ in neutral atomic argon at 3144.67 A is outlined. Three photons at this wavelength can excite the neutral argon atoms from the ground 3p"6 "1S_0 state to the 3p"54s'[1/2]_1"0 state. The fourth photon will ionize the argon atoms. Assuming linear polarization of the incident laser radiation, contributions from several channels in various energy-level schemes are summed in the evaluation of the transition probability. For a laser linewidth of #DELTA##lambda#/sub L/ = 1 A, our maximum numerical value of the computed result for the three-photon excitation cross section is #sigma#/sub (3)/ = 1.414 x 10/sup -80/ cm"6 s"2. .AE.
PurposeThe behavior of trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) during maxillofacial surgeries has not yet been sufficiently studied and knowledge of its behavior is limited to some case reports. The present study aimed to assess the occurrence of TCR in bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy and to determine the possible effect of Gow-Gates block on its incidence. Materials and MethodsTwenty candidates for bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (included were American Society of Anesthesiologists I Class III patients with a prognathism of 3 to 5 mm) were given routine general anesthesia after at least 12 hours of fasting. All patients received Gow-Gates mandibular nerve block on 1 random side (case ramus; the other side was used as the control) after induction of general anesthesia before surger...
Background Adrenalectomy remains the definitive therapy for most adrenal neoplasms. Introduced in the 1990s, laparoscopic adrenalectomy is reported to have lower associated morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate national adrenalectomy trends, including major postoperative complications and perioperative mortality. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried to identify all adrenalectomies performed during 1998?2006. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed, with adjustments for patient age, sex, comorbidities, indication, year of surgery, laparoscopy, hospital teaching status, and hospital volume. Annual incidence, major in-hospital postoperative complications, and in-hospital mortality were evaluated. Results Using weighted national estimate, 4...
Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of transvesical obturator nerve block (ONB) in the prevention of obturator nerve reflex and leg jerking during transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). Patients and Methods: A total of 60 patients were studied, in whom the transurethral resection of tumors on the posterolateral bladder wall were performed under spinal anesthesia (SA). The patients were randomly divided into two groups. In the first group, we performed transvesical ONB and SA together, while the second group received only SA. The patients underwent TURBT using monopolar cautery. Incidence of leg jerking was registered and compared in these two groups. We used a nerve stimulator to detect the obturator nerve next to the lateral bladder wall. The obturator nerve was identif...
A time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been constructed to measure the energy spectra of particles scattered by 10/sup 0/ with primary energies between 200 eV and 15 keV. The energy resolution ..delta..E/E of the system is between 0.1 and 0.4%. Energy spectra of scattered molecules and their dissociation products are shown for 570 eV H/sub 2//sup +/ and 4430 eV N/sub 2//sup +/ as projectiles. Electron capture into unbound states of the neutral molecule, with perhaps some contribution from mutual scattering within the molecule, appears to explain the observed dissociation product energy spectra peak widths.
A time-of-flight mass spectrometer has been constructed to measure the energy spectra of particles scattered by 10"0 with primary energies between 200 eV and 15 keV. The energy resolution #DELTA#E/E of the system is between 0.1 and 0.4%. Energy spectra of scattered molecules and their dissociation products are shown for 570 eV H_2"+ and 4430 eV N_2"+ as projectiles. Electron capture into unbound states of the neutral molecule, with perhaps some contribution from mutual scattering within the molecule, appears to explain the observed dissociation product energy spectra peak widths. (orig.).
The radiative heat loss from a surface is determined by its total hemispherical emittance, which consequently plays an important role in aerospace and solar applications. This study compares emittances measured calorimetrically with values derived from near normal incidence spectral reflectance measurements. This optical derivation is based on a number of assumptions which limit the accuracy if not sufficiency fulfilled. These assumptions include sample specularity, a straybody character beyond the range of measurement, only small variations of emittance with temperature, and a perfectly smooth sample surface. The comparison of calorimetrically and optically derived emittance performed in this study not only quantifies the errors introduced by insufficient fulfillment of the assumptions but also identifies which assumption causes the dominant error. The calorimetric emissometer, constructed for this study and based on a heat flow sensor, was calibrated with ...
This study reports the outcome of real-time ultrasonographic screening tests of a healthy population. The study group consisted of 33 female teachers who were found to have asymptomatic gallstone disease. All cases were followed up to determine the incidence of biliary colic or complications. After a 38-month period of follow-up, seven subjects (21.2%) developed either biliary colic or complication. Study results revealed that the 38-month cumulative probability of the development of biliary colic or complication was 36%. Data shown that development of biliary colic or complications was positively associated with obesity, but no assocition was found with age, number of activities, or duration of contraceptive pill-taking. Having such a high percentage of subjects who developed biliary colic or complications within a relatively short period of time suggests that the silent gallstone is not innocent. PMID:17372404
Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and diabetes mellitus, as well as patients admitted with elevated blood glucose without known diabetes, have impaired outcome. Therefore intensive glucose-lowering therapy with insulin (IGL) has been proposed in diabetic or hyperglycaemic patients and has been shown to improve survival and reduce incidence of adverse events. The current manuscript provides an overview of randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of IGL. Furthermore, systematic glucose?insulin?potassium infusion (GIK) has been studied to improve outcome after AMI. In spite of positive findings in some early studies, GIK did not show any beneficial effects in recent clinical trials and thus this concept has been abandoned. While IGL targeted to achieve normoglycaemi...
Previous family and twin studies have indicated that Graves' disease has a heritable component. Family studies have also shown that some autoimmune disease cluster in families and genetic studies have been able to show shared susceptibility genes. In the present nation-wide study we describe familial risk for Graves' disease among parents and offspring, singleton siblings, twins and spouses with regard to age of onset, gender and number and type of affected family members. Additionally familial association of Graves' disease with any of 33 other autoimmune and related conditions was analyzed. The Swedish Multigeneration Register on 0-75-year-old subjects was linked to the Hospital Discharge Register from years 1987-2007. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for individuals ...
Autoionizing and Auger transitions in atomic manganese and samarium have been experimentally investigated by observation of the ejected electrons in the energy region 0 to 40 eV following electron impact excitation with incident beams in the energy range 15-500 eV. Seventy-four spectral features are tabulated for manganese and a number of new assignments have been made based on pseudo-relativistic Hartree-Fock calculations and quantum defect analysis. A similar study of samarium reveals only a number of broad features in the ejected-electron energy range 8-10 eV. Three features have been observed consistently in the ejected-electron spectrum of samarium and assigned by comparison with previous work. (author).
The theoretical performance of ideal single- and multijunction cells are compared at 100xconcentration under a range of cloudless-sky conditions. The sensitivities of device performance to cell temperature and spectral variations are shown to depend on the number of junctions (one, two or three), the way in which the junctions are connected (series, parallel or independent), and the band gaps of the devices. The average performances of all of the multijunction devices surpass that of a single-junction GaAs device, but the inconsistency in performance of some of the multijunction devices is significant for large variations in cell temperature and incident spectrum. The choice of band gap and connection scheme is more important than the number of junctions in determining the consistency of device performance. (orig.).
Many foods have been implicated in theories about the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease. While evidence has accumulated that nutritional factors as part of overall lifestyle changes may play a role in the growing incidence, no specific dietary recommendations except the promotion of breastfeeding can currently be given to decrease the risk of developing Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. For the treatment of Crohn's disease in children and adolescents, however, enteral feeding with a semi-elemental diet seems to be as effective as corticosteroids in inducing and maintaining remission. In the meta-analyses, advantages of one formula over the other are evened out, and more research is warranted into the anti-inflammatory properties of different nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fat...
A pin hole camera assembly for use in viewing an object having a relatively large light intensity range, for example a crucible containing molten metal in an atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS) system is disclosed herein. The assembly includes means for optically compressing the light intensity range appearing at its input sufficient to make it receivable and decipherable by a standard video camera. To accomplish this, the assembly utilizes the combination of interference filter and a liquid crystal notch filter. The latter which preferably includes a cholesteric liquid crystal arrangement is configured to pass light at all wavelengths, except a relatively narrow wavelength band which defines the filter's notch, and includes means for causing the notch to vary to at least a limited extent with the intensity of light at its light incidence surface.
Corrosion is a materials degradation process that engineering personnel in the pulp and paper industry have had to accept as unavoidable to some degree, due to aggressive processing conditions prevalent in paper mills. The increasing incidence of corrosion-related failures in plant and equipment has resulted in the introduction of new techniques to monitor corrosion rates, since many of the more traditional methods do not provide data that is either recent or accurate enough. Thin layer activation (TLA) is a new corrosion monitoring technique which has recently been employed to measure corrosion trends inside a continuous pulp digester. With TLA a surface is irradiated by a particle beam from a nuclear accelerator, causing it to be labelled with an accurate depth profile and low level radioactivity. By monitoring this activity, it is possible to calculate how much of the surface has been removed by corrosion. 14 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs.
Corrosion is a materials degradation process that engineering personnel in the pulp and paper industry have had to accept as unavoidable to some degree, due to aggressive processing conditions prevalent in paper mills. The increasing incidence of corrosion-related failures in plant and equipment has resulted in the introduction of new techniques to monitor corrosion rates, since many of the more traditional methods do not provide data that is either recent or accurate enough. Thin layer activation (TLA) is a new corrosion monitoring technique which has recently been employed to measure corrosion trends inside a continuous pulp digester. With TLA a surface is irradiated by a particle beam from a nuclear accelerator, causing it to be labelled with an accurate depth profile and low level radioactivity. By monitoring this activity, it is possible to calculate how much of the surface has been removed by corrosion. 14 refs., 7 figs., 4 tabs.
Entomological survey was conducted to know the breeding habitat preference of the forest breeder malaria vector Anopheles baimaii, known earlier as An. dirus species D in the northeastern region of India. Breeding potential of the vector in forest areas was found to be high in water stored in jungle pool (69.84%) followed by elephant footprints with clear water (39.13%) and with turbid water (26.19%), whereas in forest fringe areas, the vector breeding was more prominent in elephant footprints: 65.11% in clear water and 62.5% in turbid water. Although other habitats had shown only low breeding of the vector, all types of habitats were positively correlated with malaria occurrence. Cattle hoof marks (r?=?0.998) and elephant footprint (turbid; r?=?0.999) explained nearly the same amount of v...
The performance of steam generator tubes in water-cooled nuclear power reactors has been reviewed for 1979. Tube failures occurred at 38 of the 93 reactors surveyed. Causes of these failures and procedures designed to deal with them are described. The defect rate was twice that in 1978 but still lower than the two previous years. Methods being employed to detect defects include increasing use of multifrequency eddy-current testing and a trend to full-length inspection of all tubes. To reduce the incidence of tube failures by corrosion, plant operators are turning to full-flow condensate demineralization and more leak-resistant condenser tubes. (author).
The Surry low power and shutdown probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) is an ongoing project at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to identify and quantify potential accident scenarios that may occur in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) during low power and shutdown. It was initiated as a result of various incidents and accidents that have occurred within the United States and overseas. The project involves review and evaluation of PWR experience at shutdown, identification of accident scenarios, determination of methods to mitigate the accidents, and performance a level 1 PRA. An evaluation of accident progression, source terms and consequences has also been initiated. The results will be used to address issues related to shutdown conditions. The objective of this paper is to provide a progress report on the project, and to present the approach used as well as the preliminary results of the ongoing and completed tasks.
The Working Group reviewed the revised Who guidance and the information published since 1991 on the risks of thyroid cancer in children from radioiodine and the risks of side effects from stable iodine. In particular, it reviewed data compiled on the incidence of thyroid cancers in children following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986. It considered whether the NRPB Earls were still appropriate, in the light of the new data. It also reviewed a range of other recommendations given by the 1st Working Group, concerning the chemical form of stable iodine tablets and practical issues concerning implementation of stable iodine prophylaxis. Finally, it reviewed the Patient Information Leaflet that is required, by law, to be included in each box of tablets and provided suggestions for information to be included in a separate information leaflet to be handed out to the public when stable iodine tablets are distributed
Tiered response is a basic approach to emergency plans, including oil spill response (OSR). This paper delineates a huge set of accidental scenarios within a certain tier of response generated by a computer during risk assessment. Parameters such as the amount of oil spilled, duration of discharge and types of losses should be provided in OSR scenarios. Examples of applications include offshore installations, sub sea or onshore pipelines, and localized onshore facilities. The paper demonstrates how to use risk analysis results for delineating all likely spills into groups that need a specific tier response. The best world practices and Russian regulatory approaches were outlined and compared. Corresponding algorithms were developed and their application in pipelines was presented. The algorithm combines expert's skills and spill trajectory modeling with the net environmental benefit analysis principle into the incident specific emergency response planning. ...
The #alpha# radiation dose to the lungs of people who live in buildings constructed of some granites, low density concretes, and gypsum boards is higher than for residents of most other types of dwellings due to the air-borne progeny of radon. There is evidence that sealing the interior surfaces with epoxy paint, for example, can reduce the #alpha# dose to the lung significantly without a compensating increase in whole-body exposure to the #gamma#-rays from radon progeny. Based on the incidence rates for lung cancer in uranium miners, a concentration of radon of the order of 1 to 5 pCi/l. appears to be a reasonable limit for 'lifetime' exposure indoors for 'typical' home ventilation conditions. (author).
He ions incident at grazing angles on Cu(110) and Ni(110) surfaces are neutralised into triplet and singlet states, of which the 3p, 3d and 4d upper states are accessible to optical spectroscopy. In the energy range from 500 eV to 15 keV no significant energy dependence of the relative intensities of singlet and triplet lines was observed for scattering on Cu(110). The intensities from Ni(110) are higher and the singlet to triplet intensity ratio of the 3d to 2p transition is about 6% smaller than that from Cu(110). The results can be explained well by assuming resonant charge capture into excited He and intermediate formation of negative He/sup -/ states.
He ions incident at grazing angles on Cu(110) and Ni(110) surfaces are neutralised into triplet and singlet states, of which the 3p, 3d and 4d upper states are accessible to optical spectroscopy. In the energy range from 500 eV to 15 keV no significant energy dependence of the relative intensities of singlet and triplet lines was observed for scattering on Cu(110). The intensities from Ni(110) are higher and the singlet to triplet intensity ratio of the 3d to 2p transition is about 6% smaller than that from Cu(110). The results can be explained well by assuming resonant charge capture into excited He and intermediate formation of negative He"- states. (orig.).
The incidence of hilar cholangiocarcinoma is very rare worldwide. Radical resection is the only prognostic factor for long survival in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Postoperative radiation therapy can improve local control and survival rates for patients with palliative resection, but it remains controversial in patients with radical resection. Biliary drainage can effectively release bile duct obstruction for the majority of patients with locally advanced disease, and may even prolong survival when combined with radiation therapy. Radiation therapy includes extrernal beam therapy alone, external beam therapy with intraluminal brachytheapy and new radiation technique, such as three dimentional conformal therapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy. The propective randomized clinical study is needed for further investigation in the role of combined modality therapy especially for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. (authors)
This book gives an overview of the entire field of radiation protection with the subject areas radioactivity, X-rays, UV radiation, laser beams and high-frequency electromagnetic fields. It deals graphically with the most important physical notions, the incidence, origin, properties and biological effects of types of radiation, administrative and practical protection measures and the code of rules governing them. Apart from fundamentals of radiation protection the emphasis on the following: natural radiation exposure, radiation exposure to radon, disaster relief plans in the environment of nuclear plant, the precautionary radiation protection system evolved after Chernobyl, radiation exposure through UV radiation devices, radio, RF communication, radar, microwave ovens and high-voltage transmission lines as well as computer work-places. (orig.).
The Front End Enclosure (FEE) of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a shielding housing located between the electron dump area and the first experimental hutch. The upstream part of the FEE hosts the commissioning diagnostics for the FEL beam. In the downstream part of the FEE, two sets of grazing incidence mirror and several collimators are used to direct the beam to one of the experimental stations and reduce the bremsstrahlung background and the hard component of the spontaneous radiation spectrum. This paper addresses the beam loss assumptions and radiation sources entering the FEE used for the design of the FEE shielding using the Monte-Carlo code FLUKA. The beam containment system prevents abnormal levels of radiations inside the FEE and ensures that the beam remains in its intended path is also described.
HCV infection continues to spread at an alarming rate among IDU populations. The available evidence suggests that HCV is acquired relatively quickly following onset of injection. However, there are few prospective studies of HCV acquisition, particularly among IDU populations in resource-poor settings. A sample of young male heroin injectors with recent onset of injection (<4?years) was recruited in Hanoi, Vietnam for a prospective assessment of the early course of injection (n?=?179). Both behavioral and biological assessments (including detailed retrospective assessment of injection initiation) were conducted at baseline and repeated at 6-month intervals for a period of 16?months. Variables associated with HCV infection (p value?p value?=?0.0005). In multivariate logistic regression anal...
Dr. Rudolf Schulten of West Germany and expert witnesses from national laboratories, utilities, and the nuclear industry testified on reactor safety issues as they relate to the Chernobyl accident and public concern that modern technology has not paid enough attention to public safety. Each of the witnesses contributed safety-related information based on what has been learned from the Soviet incident. Particular focus went to similarities and differences between the Chernobyl and US reactors in safety design and engineering and to the environmental effects of the accident. The N reactor near Richland and a commercial reactor at Fort St. Vrain, Colorado are the only two operating graphite reactors, but neither is a boiling water reactor.
Dr. Rudolf Schulten of West Germany and expert witnesses from national laboratories, utilities, and the nuclear industry testified on reactor safety issues as they relate to the Chernobyl accident and public concern that modern technology has not paid enough attention to public safety. Each of the witnesses contributed safety-related information based on what has been learned from the Soviet incident. Particular focus went to similarities and differences between the Chernobyl and US reactors in safety design and engineering and to the environmental effects of the accident. The N reactor near Richland and a commercial reactor at Fort St. Vrain, Colorado are the only two operating graphite reactors, but neither is a boiling water reactor.
Heusler films with L2_1 and B2 structure are deposited simultaneously on amorphous carbon films, Si(100) surfaces, and in situ cleaved InAs(110) surfaces by coevaporation of Ni and the alloy MnIn. Morphology, structure, and stoichiometry are investigated with transmission-electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and X-ray spectroscopy. The almost perfect lattice match supports highly oriented growth of Ni_2MnIn on InAs, which is proven by electron diffraction under grazing incidence. The electrical resistivity of thin films on Si show metallic behavior. At temperatures of liquid helium point-contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy is performed on films grown on Si(100) and in situ cleaved InAs(110) surfaces yielding spin polarizations comparable to the ones of Fe, Ni, Co, and permalloy (Ni_8_0Fe_2_0).
Objective: To describe the meaning of the theme of empowerment from research on health promotion in nursing from the perspective of nurses participating in the study. Methods: Manual data analysis and QSR NUD*IST Vivo were used to analyse the data generated by individual and focus group interviews and the critical incident technique with 32 qualified nurses working in an acute hospital setting in the UK. Results: The participants identified a number of issues related to the theme of empowerment. These included the nurse as patient informer, psychological supporter and rapport builder and the concepts of informed choice/decision making, gatekeeping, coping, patient assertiveness, self-esteem and confidence. Conclusion: Empowerment is a complex, multi-dimensional, contested concept which can...
Increasing threat by terrorists for a possible nuclear attack is particularly alarming in recent years. The likelihood of such an event is highly uncertain but cannot be ruled out. The consequence of such an event would be highly disastrous and the implications could be far-reaching both socially and politically. It is feared that significant amount of nuclear weapons materials may be kept under poor security. Therefore, there is a greater demand with utmost priority to curb nuclear terrorism by adapting proper security measures. One of the most important measures is to stop illicit trafficking of nuclear materials which are the source of building nuclear explosive devices. According to the IAEA illicit trafficking database (ITDB) report, a total number of 252 incidents were reported in 2006, of which 150 occurred in 2006 and the remaining 102 had taken place prior to that year, mainly in 2005
Internet is providing essential communication between an infinite number of people and is being increasingly used as a tool for commerce. At the same time, security is becoming a tremendously important issue to deal with. Different network security solutions exist and contribute to enhanced security. From these solutions, Intrusion detection systems (IDS) have become one of the most common countermeasures for monitoring safety in computer systems and networks. The purpose of IDSs is distinguishing between intruders and normal users. However, IDSs report a massive number of isolated alerts. These isolated alerts represent low-level security-related events. Many of these isolated alerts are logically involved in a single multi-stage intrusion incident and a security officer often wants to an...
Thick-target recoil ranges of radioactive nuclei produced in 30-200 MeV alpha-particle bombardment of /sup 59/Co have been used to deduce the longitudinal momentum transfer per projectile nucleon (psub(parallel)/A) as a function of residue mass and bombarding energy. The average value of psub(parallel)/A increases monotonically with bombarding energy and reaches a maximum value of proportional160 MeV/c at proportional23 MeV/u, and decreases thereafter. The maximum value of psub(parallel)/A is equal to the incident momentum up to proportional23 MeV/u and saturates at a value of proportional220 MeV/c beyond this energy.
Modeling is performed for focused-ion-beam (FIB) sputtering and redeposition on trench sidewalls in a steady state approximation. Calculations are carried out to demonstrate the sputtered surface profile under known parameters such as sputtering yield as a function of ion incident angle, the FIB current density profile, and the FIB scan speed. It is found that a steplike slope with a gradient angle of {theta}{sub 0} is formed at the FIB bombarding position. Furthermore, the redeposition flux on the sidewalls is calculated as a function of {theta}{sub 0} for the FIB trench milling assuming the cosine law for the angular distribution of the sputtered atom. The redeposition will be more accurately predictable and controllable when more information about these assumptions is obtained.
Modeling is performed for focused-ion-beam (FIB) sputtering and redeposition on trench sidewalls in a steady state approximation. Calculations are carried out to demonstrate the sputtered surface profile under known parameters such as sputtering yield as a function of ion incident angle, the FIB current density profile, and the FIB scan speed. It is found that a steplike slope with a gradient angle of #theta#_0 is formed at the FIB bombarding position. Furthermore, the redeposition flux on the sidewalls is calculated as a function of #theta#_0 for the FIB trench milling assuming the cosine law for the angular distribution of the sputtered atom. The redeposition will be more accurately predictable and controllable when more information about these assumptions is obtained.
M-shell X-ray production cross sections for the light rare-earth elements of {sup 68}Er, {sup 7}Yb and {sup 71}Lu have been measured for incident {sup 4}He{sup +} ions in the energy range from 0.75 to 6 MeV. The measured X-ray production cross sections are compared to the predictions of the First Born approximation, the ECPSSR theory and the ECUSAR theory. A comparison of the ytterbium M-shell X-ray production cross sections with these theories is made for two different sets of fluorescence yields and Coster-Kronig factors that are further modified for multiple ionization.
A crossed-electron-ion-beam experiment was used to measure the total ionization cross section for Ar"8"+ in the energy range from 50 to 600 eV. The present results are roughly in agreement with the previous measurements of Defrance et al. [Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 23, 256 (1987)] above 450 eV. However, the present measurements show a significant contribution below the threshold for direct ionization. The present measurements agree with the distorted-wave calculations of Pindzola et al. [Phys. Rev. A 41, 1375 (1990)] when 3% of the incident ion beam is assumed to be in metastable states and excitation autoionization from metastable states is included.
An intact basement membrane (BM) is essential for the proper function, differentiation and morphology of many epithelial cells. The disruption or loss of this BM occurs during normal development as well as in the disease state. To examine the importance of BM during mammary gland development in vivo, we generated transgenic mice that inappropriately express autoactivating isoforms of the matrix metalloproteinase stromelysin-1. The mammary glands from these mice are both functionally and morphologically altered throughout development. We have now documented a dramatic incidence of breast tumors in several independent lines of these mice. These data suggest that overexpression of stromelysin-1 and disruption of the BM may be a key step in the multi-step process of breast cancer.
The condition for obtaining a calorimetric response linear with energy for hadronic showers and an energy resolution that improves as the incident energy increases is the equalization of the electromagnetic (e) and the hadronic (#pi#) signal responses. This equalization is obtained by exploiting a local hardening effect realized through the insertion of low-Z thin plates between the high-Z absorbers and the active material in a hadronic calorimeter with silicon readout. This effect, which allows the reduction of the calorimeter response to the electromagnetic component of the incoming hadronic showers, has been investigated for different low-Z materials. The relevance of some aspects of this study to the radiation hardness of the calorimeters is also addressed. (orig.).
Antibodies to human native and denatured types I, II, III, IV, and V collagens were measured using 125I-radioimmunoassay. Mean levels of binding by sera from 30 rheumatoid arthritis patients were significantly higher than those from 20 normal subjects against all of the collagens tested. The relative antibody concentration was higher in synovial fluid than in simultaneously obtained serum. Many patients with gout or various other rheumatic diseases also had detectable anticollagen antibodies. With a few notable exceptions, the majority of the reactivity detected in all patient groups was directed against covalent structural determinants present on all of the denatured collagens, suggesting a secondary reaction to tissue injury.
Double streamtube codes model the curved blade (Darrieus-type) vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) as a double actuator fish arrangement (one half) and use conservation of momentum principles to determine the forces acting on the turbine blades and the turbine performance. Sandia National Laboratories developed a double multiple streamtube model for the VAWT which incorporates the effects of the incident wind boundary layer, nonuniform velocity between the upwind and downwind sections of the rotor, dynamic stall effects and local blade Reynolds number variations. The theory underlying this VAWT model is described, as well as the code capabilities. Code results are compared with experimental data from two VAWT's and with the results from another double multiple streamtube and a vortex filament code. The effects of neglecting dynamic stall and horizontal wind velocity distribution are also illustrated.
Introduction: Haploidentical transplantation, with extensive T cell depletion to prevent GvHD, is associated with a high incidence of infection-related deaths. The key challenge is to improve immune recovery with allogeneic donor T cells without triggering GvHD. As T regulatory cells (Tregs) controlled GvHD in pre-clinical studies, the present study evaluated the impact of an infusion of donor CD4/CD25 + Tregs, followed by an inoculum of donor mature T cells (Tcons) and positively immunoselected CD34 + cells in the setting of haploidentical stem cell transplantation. Patients and methods: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled in this study (22 AML; 5 ALL; 1 NHL). All received immunoselected Tregs (CliniMACS, Miltenyi Biotec) followed by positively immunoselected CD34 + cells together with Tc...
The closed-cycle hydrogen-oxygen PEM regenerative fuel cell (RFC) at Nasa Glenn Research Center has successfully demonstrated closed-cycle operation at rated power for multiple charge/discharge cycles. During the charge cycle the RFC has absorbed input electrical power simulating a solar day cycle ranging from zero to 15 kWe peak, and delivered steady 5 kWe output power for periods exceeding 8 h. Orderly transitions from charge to discharge mode, and return to charging after full discharge, have been accomplished without incident. The RFC is beginning to demonstrate its potential as an energy storage device for aerospace solar power systems such as solar electric aircraft, lunar and planetary surface installations - any airless environment where minimum system weight is critical. This hard...
Through an unusual differentiation process, human trophoblast progenitors (cytotrophoblasts) give rise to tumor-like cells that invade the uterus. By an unknown mechanism, invasive cytotrophoblasts exhibit permanent cell cycle withdrawal. Here we report molecular cytogenetic data showing that {approx} 20 to 60 percent of these interphase cells had acquired aneusomies involving chromosomes X, Y, o r16. The incidence positively correlated with gestational age and differentiation to an invasive phenotype. Scoring 12 chromosomes in flow-sorted cytotrophoblasts showed that more than 95 percent of the cells were hyperdiploid. Thus, aneuploidy appears to be an important component of normal placentation, perhaps limiting the proliferative and invasive potential of cytotrophoblasts within the uterus.
Multi-kilo-electron-volt x-ray microscopy will be an important laser-produced plasma diagnostic at future megajoule facilities such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF). However, laser energies and plasma characteristics imply that x-ray microscopy will be more challenging at NIF than at existing facilities. We use analytical estimates and numerical ray tracing to investigate several instrumentation options in detail, and we conclude that near-normal-incidence single spherical or toroidal crystals may offer the best general solution for high-energy x-ray microscopy at NIF and similar large facilities. Apertured Kirkpatrick{endash}Baez microscopes using multilayer mirrors may also be good options, particularly for applications requiring one-dimensional imaging over narrow fields of view. {copyright} 1998 Optical Society of America
Possible mechanisms of the cumulative production of particles in the processes of high momentum transfers to complex systems are discussed. Production of the multi-nucleon systems, the so-called fluctons, during collision of a high-energy particle with a nucleus, is proposed as a most realistic explanation of the cumulative effect. A probability of the flucton production in nucleus and its interaction with the incident particle are investigated. A possible origin of fluctons, considered, in the framework of the quark bag model, as quasistable states with the definite coupling energy and the lifetime, is studied. A probability for the presence of a flucton, as multibaryon configuration in a nucleus is evaluated. The production of multibaryon configurations in a nucleus is demonstrated to show up as a presence of strong multiparticle repulsion at small distances, which cannot be reduced only to two-particle interactions.
The purpose of this note is to provide guidance to those who have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act and other relevant legislation. It gives guidance on the practical application of legislation, concerning radiotherapy equipment. Two particular issues arise out of the requirements of Regulation 33 of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 (IRR85) in relation to equipment which is used for medical exposures. These are the requirement to select, install and maintain this type of equipment in such a way that it is capable of restricting, so far as reasonably practicable, the medical exposure of any person where this is compatible with the intended clinical purpose, including the need to ensure that equipment used for radiotherapy is properly calibrated, and the requirement to notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) when an incident occurs involving a malfunction or defect in any 'radiation equipment' which gives rise to a medical ...
Abstract Background The increase in the incidence of atopic dermatitis (AD) in developed countries has been related to familiar and environmental factors. This survey was undertaken to investigate the family background, birthweight and the home environment of children suffering from AD in order to point out the possible factors that provoke the development of the disease. Methods The study uses data collected by means of self-administered questionnaires and discusses 461 cases of children (age 0-12) with active skin signs of AD. The control group comprised of 343 children (age 0-12) with no skin signs or positive lifetime history of AD. Associations between familiar and various home environmental factors and the risk of AD were calculated by means of odds ratios. Results There were statist...
Aluminium phosphide ingestion is the most common agricultural poisoning in suburban and rural India and with a high mortality rate. Among survivors of acute poisoning there are recent sporadic reports of esophageal complications such as esophageal strictures and tracheo-esophageal fistula. The present study was carried out to determine the incidence, natural history, and treatment outcome of local esophageal complications in survivors of aluminium phosphide poisoning with complaints of dysphagia. All confirmed cases of poisoning with aluminium phosphide ingestion were admitted in Hamidia Hospital, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, from October 2007 to October 2008. Survivors with complaints of dysphagia underwent a barium study and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to d...
Extensive epidemiological studies have been carried out in recent years to examine the possible effects of exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on the development of cancer. In some studies, both residential and occupational, a number of cancers, in particular leukaemia and brain cancer, have occurred at an increased incidence at higher levels of exposure. In general, however, no consistent and coherent pattern of results has been obtained and no clear evidence of a cancer risk has been demonstrated. A better understanding of any effect of electromagnetic fields on the development of cancer must await the results of more informative epidemiological studies and an improved understanding of the mechanisms by which these fields may interact with the body and their likely consequences. (author)
Abstract: Environmental synergisms may pose the greatest threat to tropical biodiversity. Using recently updated data sets from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, we evaluated the incidence of perceived threats to all known mammal, bird, and amphibian species in tropical forests. Vulnerable, endangered, and extinct species were collectively far more likely to be imperiled by combinations of threats than expected by chance. Among 45 possible pairwise combinations of 10 different threats, 69%, 93%, and 71% were significantly more frequent than expected for threatened mammals, birds, and amphibians, respectively, even with a stringent Bonferroni-corrected probability value (p= 0.003). Based on this analysis, we identified five key environmental synergisms in t...
Electron simulated desorption of anions from CFCl_3 and CF_2Cl_2 condensed on an Au substrate is studied in the energy range 0-15 eV. The negative fragments are recorded mass spectro metrically as the function of the incident electron energy. Below 10 eV we observe anion desorption via pronounced resonance profiles which are characteristic for dissociative electron attachment (DA) while the continuous rise of the signal at higher energies accounts for dipolar dissociation (DD) and processes involving secondary electrons from the metallic substrate. For both compounds F"- and Cl"- are the only fragment anions we could observe. (author).
The properties of negative-ion beams are very important for designing negative-ion apparatus and applications of negative-ion beams, especially, electron detachment cross-sections at the interaction between negative-ion beams and gas particles in the transport system, and secondary-electron emission factors when negative ions are incident on solid surfaces. These properties of negative-ion beams were investigated experimentally as a function of the ion energy under 50 keV. The single electron detachment cross-sections are almost constant in the other of 10[sup -15] cm[sup 2] in this energy range, but double electron detachment cross-sections increase in proportion to the ion velocity and much smaller than the single one. As for the secondary-electron emission factor, the emission factors for negative-ion beam are found to be larger by 1 than those for positive-ion beams. (author).
The properties of negative-ion beams are very important for designing negative-ion apparatus and applications of negative-ion beams, especially, electron detachment cross-sections at the interaction between negative-ion beams and gas particles in the transport system, and secondary-electron emission factors when negative ions are incident on solid surfaces. These properties of negative-ion beams were investigated experimentally as a function of the ion energy under 50 keV. The single electron detachment cross-sections are almost constant in the other of 10"-"1"5 cm"2 in this energy range, but double electron detachment cross-sections increase in proportion to the ion velocity and much smaller than the single one. As for the secondary-electron emission factor, the emission factors for negative-ion beam are found to be larger by 1 than those for positive-ion beams. (author).
This paper aims to estimate the prevalence of cigarette smoking among students in Vietnam ages 13-15 and examines its relationship with compositional and contextual factors. The data used in this paper were obtained from the 2007 Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in nine provinces in Vietnam. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to analyse the association between the current incidence of cigarette smoking and factors on both the individual and school level. The prevalence of cigarette smoking among students was 3.3% overall. The prevalence of smoking among male students (5.9%) was higher than that among females (1.2%). Parental smoking was a significant risk factor for smoking among the students. Having a friend who smoked was the strongest predictor of smoking status amo...
The authors present results of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction studies concerning the effect of pH (and thus, of headgroup dissociation) on Langmuir monolayers of fatty acids, in the absence of any divalent cations in the aqueous subphase. An increase in pH transforms the distorted-hexagonal S phase first to the partially disordered Rotator-I phase with less distortion, and then to the completely disordered Rotator-II phase with an undistorted hexagonal structure. The S-Rotator-I and Rotator-I-Rotator-II transitions are pushed to lower temperatures with increase in pH. The fact that the effects of pH increase are almost identical to the effects of increasing temperature indicates the important role of headgroup-headgroup interactions in these monolayer phases.
The incidence of columnar cell lesions in breast core needle biopsies since full-field digital mammography in comparison with screen-filmed mammography was analyzed. As tiny microcalcifications characterize columnar cell lesions at mammography, we hypothesized that more columnar cell lesions are diagnosed since full-field digital mammography due to its higher sensitivity for microcalcifications. In all, 3437 breast core needle biopsies performed in three hospitals and resulting from in total 55?159 mammographies were revised: 1424 taken in the screen-filmed mammography and 2013 in the full-field digital mammography period. Between the screen-filmed mammography and full-field digital mammography periods, we compared the proportion of mammographies that led to core needle biopsies, the...
Dimensioning of actinides waste packages for long duration storage has to take into account helium production from natural decay and release rates from the material. For the latter, we propose here an improved method for the determination of the helium diffusion coefficient in britholite, to be used for minor actinides storage. This work is based on results we previously published using the classical three steps method: "3He implantation on a Van de Graaff facility, "3He profile determination analysing the protons resulting from the "3He(d,p)"4He reaction in a nuclear microprobe, evolution of the helium profile during annealings. Taking explicitly into account the incident deuterons energy stragglings allows us to show that the implanted helium profiles are bimodal, each component leading to a different helium diffusion coefficient.
In everyday radiotherapy we must carry out the determination of absorbed dose measurement according to JARP's protocol. We explained an outline of JARP's 1974 and 1986 protocol in electron beam therapy, and mentioned it about the matter that should examined. To use it easily in clinic, a simplified procedure based on precisely to JARP's 1986 protocol is practical, the character of this procedure settles briefly the determination of mean incident energy of electron beams and get ready to table of ionization to absorbed dose conversion factor for various ionization chamber. Also, this procedure almost not influence on the accuracy of determination. We described systematically practical procedure for requisite absorbed dose calculation in a patient in electron beam therapy. (author).
The information given in the present report about the Chernobyl accident and its radiological consequences indicates a serious crisis of the international radiation community. The following signs of this crises can be discerned: The international radiation community did not recognize the real reasons of the accident for a long time. It could not make a correct assessment of the damage to the thyroid of the affected populations of Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine. Up to present time it rejects the reliable data on hereditary malformations. It is not able to accept reliable data on the increase in the incidence in all categories of people affected by the Chernobyl accident. The international radiation community supported the Soviet authorities in their attempts to play down the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident for a long time. (author)
A calorimetric sensor with several novel design features has been developed. These sensors will provide an accurate sampling of thermal power density and energy deposition from proton beams incident on target components of accelerator-based systems, such as the Accelerator Production of Tritium Project (APT) and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). A small, solid slug (volume = 0.347 cc) of target material is suspended by kevlar fibers and surrounded by an adiabatic enclosure in an insulating vacuum canister of stainless steel construction. The slug is in thermal contact with a low-mass, calibrated, 100-k{Omega} thermistor. Power deposition caused by the passage of radiation through the slug is calculated from the rate of temperature rise of the slug. The authors have chosen slugs composed of Pb, Al, and LiAl.
Presented here is the calculation of radionuclide concentration in gaseous effluents from the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant by using the Gaussian model, based on the analysis of the radionuclides in gaseous effluents and based on the measured wind field in the area of Guangdong province in November 2005. The calculating results about the relative concentration distribution of the radionuclides in Guangdong province, especially in Daya Bay, Shengzheng, Zhuhai and Guangzhou, are obtained. These results can provide reference data for the effect of radiation on the environment of Guangdong province under normal conditions of operation of the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant. It can also provide reference data for monitoring possible nuclear incidents in nuclear power plants. (authors)
Brain CT images were reviewed of 98 schizophrenic patients and 90 healthy persons in relation to handedness and aging. CT images were further reconstructed to examine morphologically subtle changes in each region. Schizophrenic patients had progressive brain atrophy and dilated lateral ventricles, especially on the left side and in the posterior part of the lateral ventricle. These findings were more marked in left-handed than in right-handed schizophrenic patients. According to age groups, there were significant differences between schizophrenic and normal persons over the age of 40. The incidence of left handedness was significantly higher in schizophrenic patients in their fourties than the age-matched normal persons (31.4% vs 15.1%). Morphological abnormality and laterality might be due to the same pathologic consequences. (N.K.).
Effects of avian gut-passage on seed germination are important to assess the effectiveness of frugivores in woodland regeneration, particularly in biodiversity hotspots that have a high incidence of avian frugivory. We examined the effect of avian gut-passage on seed germination in contrast to seeds that remain uneaten in five shrub species in Mediterranean central Chile and sought to determine the physiological mechanism(s) by which seed germinability is modified. Germination assays were conducted in a glasshouse for five common shrub species of the sub-Andean matorral: Azara dentata (Flacourtiaceae), Schinus polygamus and Schinus molle (Anacardiaceae), Cestrum parqui (Solanaceae), and Maytenus boaria (Celastraceae). We estimated germinability (final percent germination), dormancy length ...
Elastic scattering of 22 MeV alpha particles by "2"3Na, sup(24-25-26)Mg, "2"7Al and "2"8Si has been measured between 24"0 and 174"0 lab. Partial angular distributions, from 120"0 to 174"0, were also measured at incident energies of 18.4 and 20.7 MeV for "2"4Mg, and 18.9 and 20.5 MeV for "2"8Si. The most striking feature of the data is the large angle behaviour: spin-zero nuclei display more pronounced backward oscillations and the cross section rises more steeply towards 180"0 for 4n nuclei than for the others. (Z.M.).
Comparisons of calculated neutron yield distributions from #alpha#-particle induced reactions on thick targets are made with measured data to analyze the initial reaction process in the framework of the exciton (hybrid) model code ALICE91 (M. Blann, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Report UCID 19614, 1982). We have considered two reaction mechanisms: dissolution of the #alpha# in the nuclear field, and preequilibrium processes initiated by #alpha#-nucleon collisions. Both these processes seem to contribute to the emitted neutron spectra in varying proportions depending on the incident #alpha# energy and possibly on the target nucleus. Contributions from other processes appear to be non-negligible.
This paper reports on a series of experiments performed to examine the ability of ion beam assisted thermal deposition to produce good adhesion of Au metallization on GaAs left-angle 100 right-angle substrates. A study of the influence of Ar ion-assisted thermal deposition of the Au films as well as in situ pre-sputtering of the GaAs surface with low-energy Ar ions prior to thermal deposition, shows that strong adhesion can be achieved without resorting to chemical cleaning. The substrate temperature and the relative flux of Ar ions to incident Au atoms were varied in order to correlate these parameters with film adhesion. The interfaces of films processed under these various conditions were examined by XTEM, RBS and XPS. Orientation texture was studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD).
This paper reports measurements of absolute differential cross sections for electron capture and loss for fast hydrogen atoms incident on H_2, N_2, O_2, Ar, and He. Cross sections have been determined in the 2.0- to 5.0-keV energy range over the laboratory angular range 0.02 degree--2 degree, with an angular resolution of 0.02 degree. The high angular resolution allows us to observe structure at small angles in some of the cross sections. Comparison of the present results with those of other authors generally shows very good agreement.
We have mapped and studied the effects of MeV alpha-particle bombardment in polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) and polyethylene (PE). We used 3.5 and 5.0 MeV alpha-particle incident beams and stacked polymer films to separate the contributing effects of the electronic ({var_epsilon}{sub e}) and nuclear ({var_epsilon}{sub n}) stopping powers. The electrical conductance and change in the chemical structures were measured by direct resistivity measurement, Raman microprobe, RBS and FTIR. The results indicate significant differences in the ({var_epsilon}{sub e}) and ({var_epsilon}{sub n}) effects at higher alpha-particle bombardment fluences. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}
An analytical method was proposed for calculating radiative fluxes incident on a planar circular detector from a volume multiple point chemi- or bio-luminescent source inside a coaxial cylindrical reactor. The method was designed for a cylindrical reactor when the surface reflections were neglected and when chemi- or bio-luminescence reaches a detector embedded in the same homogeneous optical medium as the point emitters of the volume multiple point source model. The radiative fluxes from arbitrarily distributed point emitters were expressed by one generalized quadruple-integral formula. Then some double- and single-integral formulas were obtained for calculating radiative fluxes from identically radiating point emitters uniformly distributed within the reactor. Selected results were compu...
Summary Background The incidence of food allergy to wheat is increasing. Its diagnosis depends on the purity of major allergens and their inclusion in tests. Isolation and characterization of wheat allergens are therefore of utmost importance. Objective To purify and identify wheat flour allergens most frequently recognized by patients' IgE antibodies and to study their allergenicity. Methods Water/salt-soluble extracts from wheat flour were prepared and separated using a combination of ultrafiltration, isoelectric focusing and liquid chromatography. Purified proteins were analysed by immunoblotting using pooled sera from patients with atopic dermatitis who possessed IgE specific to wheat. Wheat proteins found to bind IgE were subsequently identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ion...
Magnesium fructose-1,6-diphosphate is a novel agent of antimyocardial ischaemia. In the present study, the subchronic toxicity of magnesium fructose-1,6-diphosphate was investigated after 13-week repeated intravenous administration in beagle dogs. The animals received doses of 0, 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg/day (three males and three females for each dose). During the study period, clinical signs, mortality, body weights, food consumption, electrocardiogram, urinalysis, haematology, clinical biochemistry, macroscopic findings, organ weights and histopathology were examined. The administration of magnesium fructose-1,6-diphosphate resulted in increased incidence of clinical signs, including salivation and emesis. These effects were transient and were noted in almost all dogs given 300 mg/kg/day a...