STRONTIUM AND ACTINIDE SORPTION BY MST AND MMST UNDER CONDITIONS REVELANT TO THE SMALL COLUMN ION-EXCHANGE PROCESS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor-Pashow, K.; Hobbs, D.; Poirier, M.

2011-05-06

A series of tests were performed to examine the kinetics of Sr and actinide removal by monosodium titanate (MST) and modified monosodium titanate (mMST) under mixing conditions similar to what will be provided in the Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) Program. Similar removal kinetics were seen for two different mixing energies, indicating that under these conditions bulk solution transport is not the rate limiting step for Sr and actinide removal. Sr removal was found to be rapid for both MST and mMST, reaching steady-state conditions within six hours. In contrast, at least six weeks is necessary to reach steady-state conditions for Pu with MST. For mMST, steady-state conditions for Pu were achieved within two weeks. The actual contact time required for the SCIX process will depend on starting sorbate concentrations as well as the requirements for the decontaminated salt solution. During testing leaks occurred in both the MST and mMST tests and evidence of potential desorption was observed. The desorption likely occurred as a result of the change in solids to liquid phase ratio that occurred due to the loss of solution. Based on these results, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) recommended additional testing to further study the effect of changing phase ratios on desorption. This testing is currently in progress and results will be documented in a separate report.

The Campus take over – the MST under graduate students Ocupando o campus - uma análise sobre os universitários do MST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emerson Dias

2007-05-01

Full Text Available This is an analysis how the historical and sociological influences that belong to the (Movement of the No Land Rural Workers MST are understood by the under graduate student of the movement. He is a new sociological character who arises as a resistance test to testify the capacity of reorganizing and mobilizing the country. Keywords: Rural social movements. Education. MST. O artigo analisa como as influências históricas e sociológicas que permeiam os ideais das lideranças do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra (MST são compreendidas pelo universitário sem-terra, este novo personagem sociológico que desponta como prova da resistência e da capacidade de reorganização das mobilizações do campo. Palavras-chave: Movimentos sociais rurais. Educação. MST.

A novel non-canonical mechanism of regulation of MST3 (mammalian Sterile20-related kinase 3).

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Stephen J; McGuffin, Liam J; Marshall, Andrew K; Giraldo, Alejandro; Pikkarainen, Sampsa; Clerk, Angela; Sugden, Peter H

2012-03-15

The canonical pathway of regulation of the GCK (germinal centre kinase) III subgroup member, MST3 (mammalian Sterile20-related kinase 3), involves a caspase-mediated cleavage between N-terminal catalytic and C-terminal regulatory domains with possible concurrent autophosphorylation of the activation loop MST3(Thr(178)), induction of serine/threonine protein kinase activity and nuclear localization. We identified an alternative 'non-canonical' pathway of MST3 activation (regulated primarily through dephosphorylation) which may also be applicable to other GCKIII (and GCKVI) subgroup members. In the basal state, inactive MST3 co-immunoprecipitated with the Golgi protein GOLGA2/gm130 (golgin A2/Golgi matrix protein 130). Activation of MST3 by calyculin A (a protein serine/threonine phosphatase 1/2A inhibitor) stimulated (auto)phosphorylation of MST3(Thr(178)) in the catalytic domain with essentially simultaneous cis-autophosphorylation of MST3(Thr(328)) in the regulatory domain, an event also requiring the MST3(341-376) sequence which acts as a putative docking domain. MST3(Thr(178)) phosphorylation increased MST3 kinase activity, but this activity was independent of MST3(Thr(328)) phosphorylation. Interestingly, MST3(Thr(328)) lies immediately C-terminal to a STRAD (Sterile20-related adaptor) pseudokinase-like site identified recently as being involved in binding of GCKIII/GCKVI members to MO25 scaffolding proteins. MST3(Thr(178)/Thr(328)) phosphorylation was concurrent with dissociation of MST3 from GOLGA2/gm130 and association of MST3 with MO25, and MST3(Thr(328)) phosphorylation was necessary for formation of the activated MST3-MO25 holocomplex.

Hypermethylation of MST1 in IgG4-related autoimmune pancreatitis and rheumatoid arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukuhara, Takataro; Tomiyama, Takashi [Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Third Department of Internal Medicine, JST CREST, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010 (Japan); Yasuda, Kaneki [Department of Urology and Andrology, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010 (Japan); Ueda, Yoshihiro [Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Science, and JST CREST, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010 (Japan); Ozaki, Yoshio; Son, Yonsu; Nomura, Shosaku [Department of the First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010 (Japan); Uchida, Kazushige; Okazaki, Kazuichi [Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Third Department of Internal Medicine, JST CREST, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010 (Japan); Kinashi, Tatsuo, E-mail: kinashi@takii.kmu.ac.jp [Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Science, and JST CREST, Kansai Medical University, 2-5-1 Shin-machi, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010 (Japan)

2015-08-07

The serine/threonine kinase Mst1 plays important roles in the control of immune cell trafficking, proliferation, and differentiation. Previously, we reported that Mst1 was required for thymocyte selection and regulatory T-cell functions, thereby the prevention of autoimmunity in mice. In humans, MST1 null mutations cause T-cell immunodeficiency and hypergammaglobulinemia with autoantibody production. RASSF5C(RAPL) is an activator of MST1 and it is frequently methylated in some tumors. Herein, we investigated methylation of the promoter regions of MST1 and RASSF5C(RAPL) in leukocytes from patients with IgG4-related autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Increased number of CpG methylation in the 5′ region of MST1 was detected in AIP patients with extrapancreatic lesions, whereas AIP patients without extrapancreatic lesions were similar to controls. In RA patients, we detected a slight increased CpG methylation in MST1, although the overall number of methylation sites was lower than that of AIP patients with extrapancreatic lesions. There were no significant changes of the methylation levels of the CpG islands in the 5′ region of RASSF5C(RAPL) in leukocytes from AIP and RA patients. Consistently, we found a significantly down-regulated expression of MST1 in regulatory T cells of AIP patients. Our results suggest that the decreased expression of MST1 in regulatory T cells due to hypermethylation of the promoter contributes to the pathogenesis of IgG4-related AIP. - Highlights: • Mst1 controls immune cells trafficking, cell proliferation and differentiation. • Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an idiopathic pancreatitis affecting multiple organs. • Decreased MST1 expression and increased CpG methylation of promoter of MST1 in AIP. • Slight increased CpG methylation of MST1 in rheumatoid arthritis patients. • MST1 contributes pathogenesis of IgG4-related AIP.

Hypermethylation of MST1 in IgG4-related autoimmune pancreatitis and rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuhara, Takataro; Tomiyama, Takashi; Yasuda, Kaneki; Ueda, Yoshihiro; Ozaki, Yoshio; Son, Yonsu; Nomura, Shosaku; Uchida, Kazushige; Okazaki, Kazuichi; Kinashi, Tatsuo

2015-01-01

The serine/threonine kinase Mst1 plays important roles in the control of immune cell trafficking, proliferation, and differentiation. Previously, we reported that Mst1 was required for thymocyte selection and regulatory T-cell functions, thereby the prevention of autoimmunity in mice. In humans, MST1 null mutations cause T-cell immunodeficiency and hypergammaglobulinemia with autoantibody production. RASSF5C(RAPL) is an activator of MST1 and it is frequently methylated in some tumors. Herein, we investigated methylation of the promoter regions of MST1 and RASSF5C(RAPL) in leukocytes from patients with IgG4-related autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Increased number of CpG methylation in the 5′ region of MST1 was detected in AIP patients with extrapancreatic lesions, whereas AIP patients without extrapancreatic lesions were similar to controls. In RA patients, we detected a slight increased CpG methylation in MST1, although the overall number of methylation sites was lower than that of AIP patients with extrapancreatic lesions. There were no significant changes of the methylation levels of the CpG islands in the 5′ region of RASSF5C(RAPL) in leukocytes from AIP and RA patients. Consistently, we found a significantly down-regulated expression of MST1 in regulatory T cells of AIP patients. Our results suggest that the decreased expression of MST1 in regulatory T cells due to hypermethylation of the promoter contributes to the pathogenesis of IgG4-related AIP. - Highlights: • Mst1 controls immune cells trafficking, cell proliferation and differentiation. • Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an idiopathic pancreatitis affecting multiple organs. • Decreased MST1 expression and increased CpG methylation of promoter of MST1 in AIP. • Slight increased CpG methylation of MST1 in rheumatoid arthritis patients. • MST1 contributes pathogenesis of IgG4-related AIP

MST radar data-base management

Science.gov (United States)

Wickwar, V. B.

1983-01-01

Data management for Mesospheric-Stratospheric-Tropospheric, (MST) radars is addressed. An incoherent-scatter radar data base is discussed in terms of purpose, centralization, scope, and nature of the data base management system.

Do essencialismo ao não essencialismo? reflexões sobre a identidade cultural do MST From essentialism to non essentialism? reflections about cultural identity of MST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fábio Souza da Cruz

2010-01-01

Full Text Available O trabalho apresenta um estudo envolvendo um movimento social, o MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra, e as noções de identidade cultural. A investigação desenvolve um breve exercício de contextualização do movimento através de sua história, seu relacionamento com o poder e sua estrutura nos dias atuais. Com relação aos marcos teórico-metodológicos, a pesquisa adota os pressupostos de Kathryn Woodward (2000, Stuart Hall (2002 e Zygmunt Bauman (2005 e os discursos dos integrantes do movimento retirados do estudo de recepção realizado por Cruz (2006. Como discussão central, pretende-se analisar os desafios do MST em tempos de globalização.The work presents a study involving a social movement, the MST (Portuguese acronym for Movement of the Agricultural Landless Workers, and the slight knowledge of cultural identity. The inquiry develops a brief exercise combining the meaning of the movement through its history, its relationship with the power and its structure in the current days. In regard to theoretical-methodological landmarks, the research adopts pressupositions of Kathryn Woodward (2000, Stuart Hall (2002 e Zygmunt Bauman (2005 and speeches of people from the movement, taken from Cruz' study of reception (2006. As central quarrel, it is intended to analyze the challenges of the MST in globalization times.

Prospective IS-MST radar. Potential and diagnostic capabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Potekhin A.P.

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the next few years, a new radar is planned to be built near Irkutsk. It should have capabilities of incoherent scatter (IS radars and mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST radars [Zherebtsov et al., 2011]. The IS-MST radar is a phased array of two separated antenna panels with a multichannel digital receiving system, which allows detailed space-time processing of backscattered signal. This paper describes characteristics, configuration, and capabilities of the antenna and transceiver systems of this radar. We estimate its potential in basic operating modes to study the ionosphere by the IS method at heights above 100 km and the atmosphere with the use of signals scattered from refractive index fluctuations, caused by turbulent mixing at heights below 100 km. The modeling shows that the radar will allow us to regularly measure neutral atmosphere parameters at heights up to 26 km as well as to observe mesosphere summer echoes at heights near 85 km in the presence of charged ice particles (an increase in Schmidt number and mesosphere winter echoes at heights near 65 km with increasing background electron density. Evaluation of radar resources at the IS mode in two height ranges 100–600 and 600–2000 km demonstrates that in the daytime and with the accumulation time of 10 min, the upper boundaries of electron density and ionospheric plasma temperature are ~1500 and ~1300 km respectively, with the standard deviation of no more than 10 %. The upper boundary of plasma drift velocity is ~1100 km with the standard deviation of 45 m/s. The estimation of interferometric capabilities of the MST radar shows that it has a high sensitivity to objects of angular size near 7.5 arc min, and its potential accuracy in determining target angles can reach 40 arc sec.

Evaluation of no-MST operations in the SRS ARP for Hanford LAWPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herman, D. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)

2016-11-14

The Savannah River Site (SRS) Actinide Removal Process has been processing salt waste since 2008. This process includes a filtration step in the 512-S facility. Initial operations included the addition, or strike, of monosodium titanate (MST) to remove soluble actinides and strontium. The added MST and any entrained sludge solids were then separated from the supernate by cross flow filtration. During this time, the filter operations have, on many occasions, been the bottleneck process limiting the rate of salt processing. Recently, 512-S- has started operations utilizing “No-MST” where the MST actinide removal strike was not performed and the supernate was simply pre-filtered prior to Cs removal processing. Direct filtration of decanted tank supernate, as demonstrated in 512-S, is the proposed method of operation for the Hanford Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) facility. Processing decanted supernate without MST solids has been demonstrated for cross flow filtration to provide a significant improvement in production with the SRS Salt Batches 8 and 9 feed chemistries. The average filtration rate for the first 512-S batch processing cycle using No-MST has increased filtrate production by over 35% of the historical average. The increase was sustained for more than double the amount of filtrate batches processed before cleaning of the filter was necessary. While there are differences in the design of the 512-S and Hanford filter systems, the 512-S system should provide a reasonable indication of LAWPS filter performance with similar feed properties. Based on the data from the 512-S facility and with favorable feed properties, the LAWPS filter, as currently sized at over twice the size of the 512-S filter (532 square feet filtration area versus 235 square feet), has the potential to provide sustained filtrate production at the upper range of the planned LAWPS production rate of 17 gpm.

INVESTIGATING SUSPENSION OF MST, CST, AND SIMULATED SLUDGE SLURRIES IN A PILOT-SCALE WASTE TANK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poirier, M.; Qureshi, Z.; Restivo, M.; Steeper, T.; Williams, M.

2011-05-24

The Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process is being developed to remove cesium, strontium, and actinides from Savannah River Site (SRS) Liquid Waste using an existing waste tank (i.e., Tank 41H) to house the process. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is conducting pilot-scale mixing tests to determine the pump requirements for suspending and resuspending monosodium titanate (MST), crystalline silicotitanate (CST), and simulated sludge. The purpose of this pilot scale testing is for the pumps to resuspend the MST, CST, and simulated sludge particles so that they can be removed from the tank, and to suspend the MST so it can contact strontium and actinides. The pilot-scale tank is a 1/10.85 linear scaled model of Tank 41H. The tank diameter, tank liquid level, pump nozzle diameter, pump elevation, and cooling coil diameter are all 1/10.85 of their dimensions in Tank 41H. The pump locations correspond to the proposed locations in Tank 41H by the SCIX program (Risers B5, B3, and B1). Previous testing showed that three Submersible Mixer Pumps (SMPs) will provide sufficient power to initially suspend MST in an SRS waste tank, and to resuspend MST that has settled in a waste tank at nominal 45 C for four weeks. The conclusions from this analysis are: (1) Three SMPs will be able to resuspend more than 99.9% of the MST and CST that has settled for four weeks at nominal 45 C. The testing shows the required pump discharge velocity is 84% of the maximum discharge velocity of the pump. (2) Three SMPs will be able to resuspend more than 99.9% of the MST, CST, and simulated sludge that has settled for four weeks at nominal 45 C. The testing shows the required pump discharge velocity is 82% of the maximum discharge velocity of the pump. (3) A contact time of 6-12 hours is needed for strontium sorption by MST in a jet mixed tank with cooling coils, which is consistent with bench-scale testing and actinide removal process (ARP) operation.

Pervanadate induces Mammalian Ste20 Kinase 3 (MST3) tyrosine phosphorylation but not activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, Wei-Chih; Lu, Te-Ling; Ling, Pin; Lee, Te-Hsiu; Cho, Chien-Yu; Huang, Chi-Ying F; Jeng, Wen-Yih; Weng, Yui-Ping; Chiang, Chun-Yen; Wu, Jin Bin; Lu, Te-Jung

2016-07-01

The yeast Ste20 (sterile) protein kinase, which is a serine/threonine kinase, responds to the stimulation of the G proteincoupled receptor (GPCR) pheromone receptor. Ste20 protein kinase serves as the critical component that links signaling from the GPCR/G proteins to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in yeast. The yeast Ste20p functions as a MAP kinase kinase kinase kinase (MAP4K) in the pheromone response. Ste20-like kinases are structurally conserved from yeast to mammals. The mechanism by which MAP4K links GPCR to the MAPK pathway is less clearly defined in vertebrates. In addition to MAP4K, the tyrosine kinase cascade bridges G proteins and the MAPK pathway in vertebrate cells. Mammalian Ste20 Kinase 3 (MST3) has been categorized into the Ste20 family and has been reported to function in the regulation of cell polarity and migration. However, whether MST3 tyrosine phosphorylation regulates diverse signaling pathways is unknown. In this study, the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor pervanadate was found to induce MST3 tyrosine phosphorylation in intact cells, and the activity of tyrosine-phosphorylated MST3 was measured. This tyrosine-directed phosphorylation was independent of MST3 activity. Parameters including protein conformation, Triton concentration and ionic concentration influenced the sensitivity of MST3 activity. Taken together, our data suggests that the serine/threonine kinase MST3 undergoes tyrosinedirected phosphorylation. The tyrosine-phosphorylated MST3 may create a docking site for the structurally conserved SH2/SH3 (Src Homology 2 and 3) domains within the Src oncoprotein. The unusual tyrosinephosphorylated MST3 may recruit MST3 to various signaling components. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

MST1 activation by curcumin mediates JNK activation, Foxo3a nuclear translocation and apoptosis in melanoma cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Teng; Ji, Jiang; Guo, Yong-li

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Curcumin activates MST1 in melanoma cells. •MST1 mediates curcumin-induced apoptosis of melanoma cells. •ROS production is involved in curcumin-induced MST1 activation. •MST1 mediates curcumin-induced JNK activation in melanoma cells. •MST1 mediates curcumin-induced Foxo3a nuclear translocation and Bim expression. -- Abstract: Different groups including ours have shown that curcumin induces melanoma cell apoptosis, here we focused the role of mammalian Sterile 20-like kinase 1 (MST1) in it. We observed that curcumin activated MST1-dependent apoptosis in cultured melanoma cells. MST1 silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) suppressed curcumin-induced cell apoptosis, while MST1 over-expressing increased curcumin sensitivity. Meanwhile, curcumin induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in melanoma cells, and the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), almost blocked MST1 activation to suggest that ROS might be required for MST1 activation by curcumin. c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) activation by curcumin was dependent on MST1, since MST1 inhibition by RNAi or NAC largely inhibited curcumin-induced JNK activation. Further, curcumin induced Foxo3 nuclear translocation and Bim-1 (Foxo3 target gene) expression in melanoma cells, such an effect by curcumin was inhibited by MST1 RNAi. In conclusion, we suggested that MST1 activation by curcumin mediates JNK activation, Foxo3a nuclear translocation and apoptosis in melanoma cells

MST1 activation by curcumin mediates JNK activation, Foxo3a nuclear translocation and apoptosis in melanoma cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Teng, E-mail: tengyu33@yahoo.com [Department of Dermatology, Shandong Ji-ning No. 1 People’s Hospital, Shandong Province 272011 (China); Ji, Jiang [Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Soochow University, SuZhou, Jiangsu Province 215000 (China); Guo, Yong-li [Department of Oncology, Shandong Ji-ning No. 1 People’s Hospital, Shandong Province 272011 (China)

2013-11-08

Highlights: •Curcumin activates MST1 in melanoma cells. •MST1 mediates curcumin-induced apoptosis of melanoma cells. •ROS production is involved in curcumin-induced MST1 activation. •MST1 mediates curcumin-induced JNK activation in melanoma cells. •MST1 mediates curcumin-induced Foxo3a nuclear translocation and Bim expression. -- Abstract: Different groups including ours have shown that curcumin induces melanoma cell apoptosis, here we focused the role of mammalian Sterile 20-like kinase 1 (MST1) in it. We observed that curcumin activated MST1-dependent apoptosis in cultured melanoma cells. MST1 silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) suppressed curcumin-induced cell apoptosis, while MST1 over-expressing increased curcumin sensitivity. Meanwhile, curcumin induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in melanoma cells, and the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), almost blocked MST1 activation to suggest that ROS might be required for MST1 activation by curcumin. c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) activation by curcumin was dependent on MST1, since MST1 inhibition by RNAi or NAC largely inhibited curcumin-induced JNK activation. Further, curcumin induced Foxo3 nuclear translocation and Bim-1 (Foxo3 target gene) expression in melanoma cells, such an effect by curcumin was inhibited by MST1 RNAi. In conclusion, we suggested that MST1 activation by curcumin mediates JNK activation, Foxo3a nuclear translocation and apoptosis in melanoma cells.

System aspects of the Indian MST radar facility

Science.gov (United States)

Viswanathan, G.

1986-01-01

One of the major objectives of the Indian Middle Atmosphere Program is to investigate the motions of the middle atmosphere on temporal and spatial scales and the interaction between the three height regions of the middle atmosphere. Realizing the fact that radar technique has proven to be a very powerful tool for the study of Earth atmosphere, the Indian Middle Atmosphere Program has recommended establishing a mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar as a national facility for atmospheric research. The major landmarks in this attempt to setup the MST radar as a national facility are described.

MST 1: Proceedings of a conference on the integration of mathematics, science and technology in precollege education

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swyler, K. [ed.

1995-11-01

Example MST activities examined here show: (1) an inquiry-driven learning stimulus, involving (2) the synthesis of concepts in math, science and technology, through (3) the application of the scientific method and engineering problem solving/test protocols, and provoking (4) a stimulus for further exploration. A semi-exploratory learning approach offered background aimed at enabling participants to take meaningful courses of investigation; this approach must be balanced by maintaining contact with framework content standards. On the whole, the philosophy underlying the MST learning approach--as envisioned in the draft NYS Framework, and embodied in the example activities--is strongly endorsed. This endorsement is broad-based: those represented include teachers of mathematics, science, and technology, and school district administrators--in roughly equal numbers. Discussion centers not on whether the MST approach should be pursued, but on what is involved in doing it. Teams of conference participants were given time to plan or extend MST initiatives in their own districts. Outlines of the initiatives proposed by ten of the teams are disseminated herein.

Assessment of performing an MST strike in Tank 21H

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poirier, Michael R.

2014-09-29

Previous Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) tank mixing studies performed for the Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) project have shown that 3 Submersible Mixer Pumps (SMPs) installed in Tank 41 are sufficient to support actinide removal by MST sorption as well as subsequent resuspension and removal of settled solids. Savannah River Remediation (SRR) is pursuing MST addition into Tank 21 as part of the Large Tank Strike (LTS) project. The preliminary scope for LTS involves the use of three standard slurry pumps (installed in N, SE, and SW risers) in a Type IV tank. Due to the differences in tank size, internal interferences, and pump design, a separate mixing evaluation is required to determine if the proposed configuration will allow for MST suspension and strontium and actinide sorption. The author performed the analysis by reviewing drawings for Tank 21 [W231023] and determining the required cleaning radius or zone of influence for the pumps. This requirement was compared with previous pilot-scale MST suspension data collected for SCIX that determined the cleaning radius, or zone of influence, as a function of pump operating parameters. The author also reviewed a previous Tank 50 mixing analysis that examined the ability of standard slurry pumps to suspend sludge particles. Based on a review of the pilot-scale SCIX mixing tests and Tank 50 pump operating experience, three standard slurry pumps should be able to suspend sludge and MST to effectively sorb strontium and actinides onto the MST. Using the SCIX data requires an assumption about the impact of cooling coils on slurry pump mixing. The basis for this assumption is described in this report. Using the Tank 50 operating experience shows three standard slurry pumps should be able to suspend solids if the shear strength of the settled solids is less than 160 Pa. Because Tank 21 does not contain cooling coils, the shear strength could be larger.

MST4 kinase phosphorylates ACAP4 protein to orchestrate apical membrane remodeling during gastric acid secretion.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Xiao; Yao, Phil Y; Jiang, Jiying; Zhang, Yin; Su, Zeqi; Yao, Wendy; Wang, Xueying; Gui, Ping; Mullen, McKay; Henry, Calmour; Ward, Tarsha; Wang, Wenwen; Brako, Larry; Tian, Ruijun; Zhao, Xuannv; Wang, Fengsong; Cao, Xinwang; Wang, Dongmei; Liu, Xing; Ding, Xia; Yao, Xuebiao

2017-09-29

Digestion in the stomach depends on acidification of the lumen. Histamine-elicited acid secretion is triggered by activation of the PKA cascade, which ultimately results in the insertion of gastric H,K-ATPases into the apical plasma membranes of parietal cells. Our recent study revealed the functional role of PKA-MST4-ezrin signaling axis in histamine-elicited acid secretion. However, it remains uncharacterized how the PKA-MST4-ezrin signaling axis operates the insertion of H,K-ATPases into the apical plasma membranes of gastric parietal cells. Here we show that MST4 phosphorylates ACAP4, an ARF6 GTPase-activating protein, at Thr 545 Histamine stimulation activates MST4 and promotes MST4 interaction with ACAP4. ACAP4 physically interacts with MST4 and is a cognate substrate of MST4 during parietal cell activation. The phosphorylation site of ACAP4 by MST4 was mapped to Thr 545 by mass spectrometric analyses. Importantly, phosphorylation of Thr 545 is essential for acid secretion in parietal cells because either suppression of ACAP4 or overexpression of non-phosphorylatable ACAP4 prevents the apical membrane reorganization and proton pump translocation elicited by histamine stimulation. In addition, persistent overexpression of MST4 phosphorylation-deficient ACAP4 results in inhibition of gastric acid secretion and blockage of tubulovesicle fusion to the apical membranes. Significantly, phosphorylation of Thr 545 enables ACAP4 to interact with ezrin. Given the location of Thr 545 between the GTPase-activating protein domain and the first ankyrin repeat, we reason that MST4 phosphorylation elicits a conformational change that enables ezrin-ACAP4 interaction. Taken together, these results define a novel molecular mechanism linking the PKA-MST4-ACAP4 signaling cascade to polarized acid secretion in gastric parietal cells. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Jornadas de trabalho de mulheres e homens em um assentamento do MST Workdays of men and women in a collective settlement of the landless movement (MST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovana Ilka Jacinto Salvaro

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Este texto busca discutir a divisão do trabalho em um assentamento coletivo do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST, em Santa Catarina, marcado pela proposta de coletivização da terra e dos meios de produção. Nessa forma de organização, busca-se, seguindo as diretrizes estabelecidas pelo MST, a transformação igualitária e solidária da sociedade, incluindo a construção de novas relações de gênero. O que se observou é que, no cotidiano, mulheres e homens, sujeitos históricos e culturais, apropriam-se desses discursos de gênero, ao mesmo tempo que buscam lidar com as contradições que se apresentam. Entre estas, colocam-se as diferentes jornadas de trabalho que, apoiadas em padrões relacionais fixos, determinam oito horas diárias para os homens na produção e quatro para as mulheres, em função do trabalho doméstico e do cuidado das crianças.This text presents a discussion on the division of labor in a collective settlement of the Landless Movement (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra - MST in Santa Catarina, characterized by the collectivization of land and of all means of production. Within this form of organization and according to the directives established by the MST, an equalitarian and solidarious transformation of society, including the construction of new genre relations, is sought for. What has been noted, throughout the daily routine, is that men and women alike, both historical and cultural subjects, appropriate this discourse at the same time in which they try to deal with upcoming contradictions. Within the latter, and based on fixed relational standards, different work hours are thus established. Men are determined to work on a daily eight hour basis in production whereas women, due to domestic work and child rearing, are granted a four hour schedule.

MST e-News June 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kippen, Karen Elizabeth [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-06-17

This is Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) June 2016 newsletter of the Materials Science and Technology Division. The following are major topics in this newsletter: MST-8 scientists guide national efforts to overcome nuclear energy technical challenges, first-ever scanning probe microscopy capabilities for plutonium, laboratory metallurgists make thorium targets for production of cancer-fighting isotopes, and a spotlight on Veronica Livescu.

Em busca da visibilidade: apropriações e produções de audiovisuais pelo MST * Searching for visibility: appropriations and audiovisual producions by MST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FERNANDO PERLI

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Resumo: A formação do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST marcou-se pelo envolvimento de entidades civis e religiosas na produção de diversos meios de comunicação. Dentre a variedade, os audiovisuais tornaram-se instrumentos cada vez mais recorrentes para a capacitação de quadros e a visibilidade social do MST. Na década de 1990, as coberturas dadas pela mídia e a ampliação dos mecanismos de divulgação do movimento social contribuíram para o desenvolvimento de projetos que incentivaram a produção de vídeos-documentários pelos sem-terra. O presente artigo suscita a análise das apropriações e produções de audiovisuais na organização do MST, considerando o sentido político do reconhecimento de audiovisuais para a divulgação do movimento social e o debate sobre o lugar ocupado por diferentes mecanismos de difusão de representações na luta pela reforma agrária.Palavras-chave: Audiovisuais – Movimentos sociais – Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra. Abstract: The formation of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST was marked by the participation of civil and religious authorities in the production of various media. Among them, the audiovisual production became an increasingly recurrent instrument to train its cadre and to enable social visibility to the organization. In the 1990s, the media coverage and the expansion of dissemination mechanisms have contributed to the development of projects that stimulated the production of documentaries by the landless rural workers. This paper raises the analysis of appropriations and audiovisual productions within MST, considering the political sense of acknowledging the audiovisual as a means to disseminate the social movement as well as the debate on the place occupied by different diffusion mechanisms of representations in the struggle for agrarian reform.Keywords: Audiovisual – Social movement – Landless Rural Workers Movement.

Overview of results from the MST reversed field pinch experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarff, J.S.; Almagri, A.F.; Anderson, J.K.; Borchardt, M.; Carmody, D.; Caspary, K.; Chapman, B.E.; Den Hartog, D.J.; Duff, J.; Eilerman, S.; Falkowski, A.; Forest, C.B.; Goetz, J.A.; Holly, D.J.; Kim, J.-H.; King, J.; Ko, J.; Koliner, J.; Kumar, S.; Lee, J.D.

2013-01-01

An overview of recent results from the MST programme on physics important for the advancement of the reversed field pinch (RFP) as well as for improved understanding of toroidal magnetic confinement more generally is reported. Evidence for the classical confinement of ions in the RFP is provided by analysis of impurity ions and energetic ions created by 1 MW neutral beam injection (NBI). The first appearance of energetic-particle-driven modes by NBI in a RFP plasma is described. MST plasmas robustly access the quasi-single-helicity state that has commonalities to the stellarator and ‘snake’ formation in tokamaks. In MST the dominant mode grows to 8% of the axisymmetric field strength, while the remaining modes are reduced. Predictive capability for tearing mode behaviour has been improved through nonlinear, 3D, resistive magnetohydrodynamic computation using the measured resistivity profile and Lundquist number, which reproduces the sawtooth cycle dynamics. Experimental evidence and computational analysis indicates two-fluid effects, e.g., Hall physics and gyro-viscosity, are needed to understand the coupling of parallel momentum transport and current profile relaxation. Large Reynolds and Maxwell stresses, plus separately measured kinetic stress, indicate an intricate momentum balance and a possible origin for MST's intrinsic plasma rotation. Gyrokinetic analysis indicates that micro-tearing modes can be unstable at high beta, with a critical gradient for the electron temperature that is larger than for tokamak plasmas by roughly the aspect ratio. (paper)

Robust MST-Based Clustering Algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qidong; Zhang, Ruisheng; Zhao, Zhili; Wang, Zhenghai; Jiao, Mengyao; Wang, Guangjing

2018-06-01

Minimax similarity stresses the connectedness of points via mediating elements rather than favoring high mutual similarity. The grouping principle yields superior clustering results when mining arbitrarily-shaped clusters in data. However, it is not robust against noises and outliers in the data. There are two main problems with the grouping principle: first, a single object that is far away from all other objects defines a separate cluster, and second, two connected clusters would be regarded as two parts of one cluster. In order to solve such problems, we propose robust minimum spanning tree (MST)-based clustering algorithm in this letter. First, we separate the connected objects by applying a density-based coarsening phase, resulting in a low-rank matrix in which the element denotes the supernode by combining a set of nodes. Then a greedy method is presented to partition those supernodes through working on the low-rank matrix. Instead of removing the longest edges from MST, our algorithm groups the data set based on the minimax similarity. Finally, the assignment of all data points can be achieved through their corresponding supernodes. Experimental results on many synthetic and real-world data sets show that our algorithm consistently outperforms compared clustering algorithms.

Shikonin regulates C-MYC and GLUT1 expression through the MST1-YAP1-TEAD1 axis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vališ, Karel, E-mail: karel.valis@biomed.cas.cz [Laboratory of Structural Biology and Cell Signaling, Institute of Microbiology, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague (Czech Republic); Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic); Talacko, Pavel; Grobárová, Valéria [Laboratory of Structural Biology and Cell Signaling, Institute of Microbiology, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague (Czech Republic); Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic); Černý, Jan [Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic); Novák, Petr, E-mail: pnovak@biomed.cas.cz [Laboratory of Structural Biology and Cell Signaling, Institute of Microbiology, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague (Czech Republic); Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic)

2016-12-10

The general mechanism underlying the tumor suppressor activity of the Hippo signaling pathway remains unclear. In this study, we explore the molecular mechanisms connecting the Hippo signaling pathway with glucose metabolism. We have found that two key regulators of glycolysis, C-MYC and GLUT1, are targets of the Hippo signaling pathway in human leukemia cells. Our results revealed that activation of MST1 by the natural compound shikonin inhibited the expression of GLUT1 and C-MYC. Furthermore, RNAi experiments confirmed the regulation of GLUT1 and C-MYC expression via the MST1-YAP1-TEAD1 axis. Surprisingly, YAP1 was found to positively regulate C-MYC mRNA levels in complex with TEAD1, while it negatively regulates C-MYC levels in cooperation with MST1. Hence, YAP1 serves as a rheostat for C-MYC, which is regulated by MST1. In addition, depletion of MST1 stimulates lactate production, whereas the specific depletion of TEAD1 has an opposite effect. The inhibition of lactate production and cellular proliferation induced by shikonin also depends on the Hippo pathway activity. Finally, a bioinformatic analysis revealed conserved TEAD-binding motifs in the C-MYC and GLUT1 promoters providing another molecular data supporting our observations. In summary, regulation of glucose metabolism could serve as a new tumor suppressor mechanism orchestrated by the Hippo signaling pathway. - Highlights: • Shikonin inhibits C-MYC and GLUT1 expression in MST1 and YAP1 dependent manner. • YAP1-TEAD1 interaction activates C-MYC and GLUT1 expression. • MST1 in cooperation with YAP1 inhibits C-MYC and GLUT1 expression. • MST1-YAP1-TEAD1 axis regulates lactate production by leukemic cells. • MST1 and YAP1 proteins block proliferation of leukemic cells.

PHLPP1 regulates contact inhibition by dephosphorylating Mst1 at the inhibitory site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Sujin; Kang, Jeong Gu; Lee, Ju Hee; Song, Kyoung Jin; Ko, Jeong-Heon; Kim, Yong-Sam

2014-01-01

Highlights: • PHLPP1 regulates contact inhibition by dephosphorylating Mst1 at Thr 387 . • Overexpression of PHLPP1 sensitizes contact inhibition. • Tumor cells with suppressed PHLPP1 expression are refractory to apoptosis and highly proliferative. • Loss or down-regulation of PHLPP1 may drive tumor development and progression. - Abstract: Contact inhibition has been largely elusive despite that a loss of contact inhibition is a critical event for cancer development and progression. Here, we report that PHLPP1 is a binding protein for Mst1 and it modulates the Hippo pathway by dephosphorylating Mst1 at the inhibitory Thr 387 of Mst1. Yap1 was localized predominantly in the nucleus but marginally in the cytoplasm in HeLa cells under sparse conditions, whereas the functional protein was more directed to sequestration in the cytoplasm under dense environments. Furthermore, loss of PHLPP1 resulted in a failure of the apoptotic control. It is interesting that down-regulated expression of PHLPP1 appears to mimic the loss of contact inhibition, a hallmark of cancer

PHLPP1 regulates contact inhibition by dephosphorylating Mst1 at the inhibitory site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Sujin; Kang, Jeong Gu [Targeted Gene Regulation Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Deajeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ju Hee [Targeted Gene Regulation Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Deajeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Song, Kyoung Jin [Targeted Gene Regulation Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Deajeon (Korea, Republic of); Ko, Jeong-Heon [Targeted Gene Regulation Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Deajeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yong-Sam, E-mail: omsys1@kribb.re.kr [Targeted Gene Regulation Research Center, KRIBB, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Deajeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology, 217 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-01-24

Highlights: • PHLPP1 regulates contact inhibition by dephosphorylating Mst1 at Thr{sup 387}. • Overexpression of PHLPP1 sensitizes contact inhibition. • Tumor cells with suppressed PHLPP1 expression are refractory to apoptosis and highly proliferative. • Loss or down-regulation of PHLPP1 may drive tumor development and progression. - Abstract: Contact inhibition has been largely elusive despite that a loss of contact inhibition is a critical event for cancer development and progression. Here, we report that PHLPP1 is a binding protein for Mst1 and it modulates the Hippo pathway by dephosphorylating Mst1 at the inhibitory Thr{sup 387} of Mst1. Yap1 was localized predominantly in the nucleus but marginally in the cytoplasm in HeLa cells under sparse conditions, whereas the functional protein was more directed to sequestration in the cytoplasm under dense environments. Furthermore, loss of PHLPP1 resulted in a failure of the apoptotic control. It is interesting that down-regulated expression of PHLPP1 appears to mimic the loss of contact inhibition, a hallmark of cancer.

The Telomerase Inhibitor MST-312 Interferes with Multiple Steps in the Herpes Simplex Virus Life Cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Haberichter, Jarod; Roberts, Scott; Abbasi, Imran; Dedthanou, Phonphanh; Pradhan, Prajakta; Nguyen, Marie L

2015-10-01

The life cycle of herpes simplex virus (HSV) has the potential to be further manipulated to yield novel, more effective therapeutic treatments. Recent research has demonstrated that HSV-1 can increase telomerase activity and that expression of the catalytic component of telomerase, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), alters sensitivity to HSV-dependent apoptosis. Telomerase is a cellular enzyme that synthesizes nucleotide repeats at the ends of chromosomes (telomeres), which prevents shortening of the 3' ends of DNA with each cell division. Once telomeres reach a critical length, cells undergo senescence and apoptosis. Here, we used a cell-permeable, reversible inhibitor of the telomerase enzyme, MST-312, to investigate telomerase activity during HSV infection. Human mammary epithelial cells immortalized through TERT expression and human carcinoma HEp-2 cells were infected with the KOS1.1 strain of HSV-1 in the presence of MST-312. MST-312 treatment reduced the number of cells displaying a cytopathic effect and the accumulation of immediate early and late viral proteins. Moreover, the presence of 20 μM to 100 μM MST-312 during infection led to a 2.5- to 5.5-log10 decrease in viral titers. MST-312 also inhibited the replication of HSV-2 and a recent clinical isolate of HSV-1. Additionally, we determined that MST-312 has the largest impact on viral events that take place prior to 5 h postinfection (hpi). Furthermore, MST-312 treatment inhibited virus replication, as measured by adsorption assays and quantification of genome replication. Together, these findings demonstrate that MST-312 interferes with the HSV life cycle. Further investigation into the mechanism for MST-312 is warranted and may provide novel targets for HSV therapies. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections can lead to cold sores, blindness, and brain damage. Identification of host factors that are important for the virus life cycle may provide novel targets for HSV antivirals. One such factor

A novel, non-canonical mechanism of regulation of MST3 (mammalian Sterile20-related kinase 3)

OpenAIRE

Fuller, Stephen J; McGuffin, Liam J; Marshall, Andrew K; Giraldo, Alejandro; Pikkarainen, Sampsa; Clerk, Angela; Sugden, Peter

2012-01-01

The canonical pathway of regulation of the GCK (germinal centre kinase) III subgroup member, MST3 (mammalian Sterile20-related kinase 3), involves a caspase-mediated cleavage between N-terminal catalytic and C-terminal regulatory domains with possible concurrent autophosphorylation of the activation loop MST3(Thr178), induction of serine/threonine protein kinase activity and nuclear localization. We identified an alternative ‘non-canonical’ pathway of MST3 activation (regulated primarily thro...

Inherited MST1 deficiency underlies susceptibility to EV-HPV infections.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amandine Crequer

Full Text Available Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV is characterized by persistent cutaneous lesions caused by a specific group of related human papillomavirus genotypes (EV-HPVs in otherwise healthy individuals. Autosomal recessive (AR EVER1 and EVER2 deficiencies account for two thirds of known cases of EV. AR RHOH deficiency has recently been described in two siblings with EV-HPV infections as well as other infectious and tumoral manifestations. We report here the whole-exome based discovery of AR MST1 deficiency in a 19-year-old patient with a T-cell deficiency associated with EV-HPV, bacterial and fungal infections. MST1 deficiency has recently been described in seven patients from three unrelated kindreds with profound T-cell deficiency and various viral and bacterial infections. The patient was also homozygous for a rare ERCC3 variation. Our findings broaden the clinical range of infections seen in MST1 deficiency and provide a new genetic etiology of susceptibility to EV-HPV infections. Together with the recent discovery of RHOH deficiency, they suggest that T cells are involved in the control of EV-HPVs, at least in some individuals.

The role of radiation therapy for stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer. Impact of clinical nodal stage on survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayakawa, Kazushige; Mitsuhashi, Norio; Furuta, Masaya; Saito, Yoshihiro; Nakayama, Yuko; Katano, Susumu; Ohno, Tatsuya; Niibe, Hideo

1996-01-01

From 1976 through 1989, 46 patients with stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without malignant effusion were treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT) at Gunma University Hospital. All patients were treated with 10 MV x-rays using antero posterior parallel opposed fields. The total dose ranged from 60 Gy to 70 Gy (mean dose; 66 Gy) with once daily standard fractionation. The actuarial two and five-year survival rates of the entire group were 22% and 10% respectively with a median survival time (MST) of 10 months. The survival of 18 patients with stage N0-2 disease was significantly better than the 28 patients with stage N3 disease (MST 21 versus 9 months; p<0.05). There were no significant differences in survival based on age and sex. However, there was a borderline difference in survival rates between patients with a performance status of 0-1 and those with status of 2-3 (p=0.06). Three patients with squamous cell carcinoma were alive after 5 years and were without disease progression. No patients with non-squamous cell carcinoma were free of disease after 5 years. These results provide support for the use of definitive RT to manage those patients with limited stage IIIB squamous cell carcinoma not extending to N3 stage. (author)

INVESTIGATING SUSPENSION OF MST SLURRIES IN A PILOT-SCALE WASTE TANK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poirier, M.; Restivo, M.; Steeper, T.; Williams, M.; Qureshi, Z.

2011-01-24

The Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process is being developed to remove cesium, strontium, and actinides from Savannah River Site (SRS) Liquid Waste using an existing waste tank (i.e., Tank 41H) to house the process. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is conducting pilot-scale mixing tests to determine the pump requirements for suspending monosodium titanate (MST), crystalline silicotitanate (CST), and simulated sludge. The purpose of this pilot scale testing is for the pumps to suspend the MST particles so that MST can be removed from the tank. The pilot-scale tank is a 1/10.85 linear scaled model of Tank 41H. The tank diameter, tank liquid level, pump nozzle diameter, pump elevation, and cooling coil diameter are all 1/10.85 of their dimensions in Tank 41H. The pump locations correspond to the proposed locations in Tank 41H by the SCIX program (Risers B5 and B2 for two pump configurations and Risers B5, B3, and B1 for three pump configurations).

Veja o MST! - Um frame revelado

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Maria Tenuta de Azevedo

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Esta é uma análise de duas reportagens jornalísticas publicadas em 3/04/2002, referentes a um único episódio: a invasão, liderada pelo Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem-Terra (MST, da Fazenda Córrego da Ponte, situada em Buritis, Minas Gerais, de propriedade da família do então presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso, ocorrida em 23/03/2002. Tal análise revela, no texto da Revista Veja (p. 46 a 50, a construção, principalmente através de recursos lexicais, de um determinado modelo cognitivo idealizado - frame - (Fauconnier, 1997 - subjacente à macro-estrutura do texto, o que não ocorre em relação à reportagem da Revista Isto é (p. 31 a 34. A existência de tal frame, compartilhada culturalmente por escritores e leitores, leva, por parte destes, a interpretações maniqueístas do evento sendo reportado.The present work is an analysis of two magazine reports referring to the episode of the invasion of Córrego da Ponte Farm, situated in Buritis, MG, which happened on March 23rd, 2002, led by the Landless Workers Movement (MST. Córrego da Ponte is property of the family of Fernando Henrique Cardoso (The president of Brazil at that time. The first of those reports (Veja Magazine, April 3rd, 2002, p. 46 to 50 is seen in details, since it presents elements of an idealized cognitive model - frame (Fauconnier, 1997 underlying the superstructure of the text. The existence of such frame, revealed by certain linguistic elements, especially the lexical choice, tends to raise dualistic interpretations of the socio-political event being reported. The second one (Isto é Magazine, edition 1696, April 03rd, 2002, p. 31 to 34 is taken as a differentiated parameter, for comparison to the analysis proposal for the first report.

Overcoming the hurdles of multi-step targeting (MST) for effective radioimmunotherapy of solid tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, Steven M.; Cheung, Nai-Kong

2009-01-01

The 4 specific aims of this project are: (1) Optimization of MST to increase tumor uptake; (2) Antigen heterogeneity; (3) Characterization and reduction of renal uptake; and (4) Validation in vivo of optimized MST targeted therapy. This proposal focussed upon optimizing multistep immune targeting strategies for the treatment of cancer. Two multi-step targeting constructs were explored during this funding period: (1) anti-Tag-72 and (2) anti-GD2.

Yogurt Feeding Induced the Prolongation of Fully Major Histocompatibility Complex-Mismatched Murine Cardiac Graft Survival by Induction of CD4+Foxp3+ Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Uchiyama, M; Yin, E; Yanagisawa, T; Jin, X; Hara, M; Matsuyama, S; Imazuru, T; Uchida, K; Kawamura, M; Niimi, M

Yogurt is a nutrient-rich food and the beneficial effects of yogurt on both health and immunomodulatory effects are well documented. In this pilot study, we investigated the effects of commercially produced yogurt R-1 on alloimmune responses in a murine cardiac transplantation model. The R-1 is produced by Meiji Co., Ltd., and contains live and active lactic acid bacteria (lactobacillus bulgaricus OLL1073R-1) mainly. CBA (H2 k ) mice underwent transplantation of a C57BL/6 (H2 b ; B6) heart and received oral administration of 1 mL, 0.1 mL, and 0.01 mL of R-1 from the day of transplantation until 7 days afterward. Additionally, we prepared one group of CBA recipients given 1 mL of R-1 sterilized by microwave for 7 days. Histological and immunohistochemical studies were performed. Naïve CBA mice rejected B6 cardiac graft acutely (median survival time [MST]: 7 days). CBA recipients given of 1 mL of R-1 had significantly prolonged B6 allograft survival (MST, 27 days). However, other doses of 0.1 mL and 0.01 mL of R-1 did not prolonged allograft survival (MSTs, 9 days and 8.5 days, respectively). Also, CBA recipients administered microwaved R-1 had no prolongation of B6 allograft (MST, 9 days). Histological and immunohistochemical studies showed the cardiac allograft from R-1-exposed CBA recipients had preserved graft and vessel structure and the number of infiltrated CD4 + , CD8 + , and Foxp3 + cells in R-1-exposed CBA recipients increased, respectively. In conclusion, our findings imply that yogurt containing active lactic acid bacteria could change alloimmune responses partially and induce the prolongation of cardiac allograft survival via CD4 + Foxp3 + regulatory cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender, Race, and Survival: A Study in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Brain Metastases Patients Utilizing the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Recursive Partitioning Analysis Classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Videtic, Gregory M.M.; Reddy, Chandana A.; Chao, Samuel T.; Rice, Thomas W.; Adelstein, David J.; Barnett, Gene H.; Mekhail, Tarek M.; Vogelbaum, Michael A.; Suh, John H.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To explore whether gender and race influence survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients with brain metastases, using our large single-institution brain tumor database and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) brain metastases classification. Methods and materials: A retrospective review of a single-institution brain metastasis database for the interval January 1982 to September 2004 yielded 835 NSCLC patients with brain metastases for analysis. Patient subsets based on combinations of gender, race, and RPA class were then analyzed for survival differences. Results: Median follow-up was 5.4 months (range, 0-122.9 months). There were 485 male patients (M) (58.4%) and 346 female patients (F) (41.6%). Of the 828 evaluable patients (99%), 143 (17%) were black/African American (B) and 685 (83%) were white/Caucasian (W). Median survival time (MST) from time of brain metastasis diagnosis for all patients was 5.8 months. Median survival time by gender (F vs. M) and race (W vs. B) was 6.3 months vs. 5.5 months (p = 0.013) and 6.0 months vs. 5.2 months (p = 0.08), respectively. For patients stratified by RPA class, gender, and race, MST significantly favored BFs over BMs in Class II: 11.2 months vs. 4.6 months (p = 0.021). On multivariable analysis, significant variables were gender (p = 0.041, relative risk [RR] 0.83) and RPA class (p < 0.0001, RR 0.28 for I vs. III; p < 0.0001, RR 0.51 for II vs. III) but not race. Conclusions: Gender significantly influences NSCLC brain metastasis survival. Race trended to significance in overall survival but was not significant on multivariable analysis. Multivariable analysis identified gender and RPA classification as significant variables with respect to survival.

Eye position effects on the remapped memory trace of visual motion in cortical area MST.

Science.gov (United States)

Inaba, Naoko; Kawano, Kenji

2016-02-23

After a saccade, most MST neurons respond to moving visual stimuli that had existed in their post-saccadic receptive fields and turned off before the saccade ("trans-saccadic memory remapping"). Neuronal responses in higher visual processing areas are known to be modulated in relation to gaze angle to represent image location in spatiotopic coordinates. In the present study, we investigated the eye position effects after saccades and found that the gaze angle modulated the visual sensitivity of MST neurons after saccades both to the actually existing visual stimuli and to the visual memory traces remapped by the saccades. We suggest that two mechanisms, trans-saccadic memory remapping and gaze modulation, work cooperatively in individual MST neurons to represent a continuous visual world.

Probabilistic Survivability Versus Time Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Joyner, James J., Sr.

2016-01-01

This presentation documents Kennedy Space Center's Independent Assessment work completed on three assessments for the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program to assist the Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer during key programmatic reviews and provided the GSDO Program with analyses of how egress time affects the likelihood of astronaut and ground worker survival during an emergency. For each assessment, a team developed probability distributions for hazard scenarios to address statistical uncertainty, resulting in survivability plots over time. The first assessment developed a mathematical model of probabilistic survivability versus time to reach a safe location using an ideal Emergency Egress System at Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B); the second used the first model to evaluate and compare various egress systems under consideration at LC-39B. The third used a modified LC-39B model to determine if a specific hazard decreased survivability more rapidly than other events during flight hardware processing in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building.

Effect of Tumor Subtype on Survival and the Graded Prognostic Assessment for Patients With Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sperduto, Paul W., E-mail: psperduto@mropa.com [University of Minnesota Gamma Knife, Minneapolis Radiation Oncology, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Kased, Norbert [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (United States); Roberge, David [Radiation Oncology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC (Canada); Xu Zhiyuan [Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States); Shanley, Ryan [Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Luo, Xianghua [Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Sneed, Penny K. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (United States); Chao, Samuel T. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States); Weil, Robert J. [Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States); Suh, John [Department of Radiation Oncology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH (United States); Bhatt, Amit [Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Jensen, Ashley W.; Brown, Paul D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (United States); Shih, Helen A. [Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (United States); Kirkpatrick, John [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (United States); Gaspar, Laurie E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO (United States); Fiveash, John B. [Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama Medical Center at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL (United States); and others

2012-04-01

Purpose: The diagnosis-specific Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) was published to clarify prognosis for patients with brain metastases. This study refines the existing Breast-GPA by analyzing a larger cohort and tumor subtype. Methods and Materials: A multi-institutional retrospective database of 400 breast cancer patients treated for newly diagnosed brain metastases was generated. Prognostic factors significant for survival were analyzed by multivariate Cox regression and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). Factors were weighted by the magnitude of their regression coefficients to define the GPA index. Results: Significant prognostic factors by multivariate Cox regression and RPA were Karnofsky performance status (KPS), HER2, ER/PR status, and the interaction between ER/PR and HER2. RPA showed age was significant for patients with KPS 60 to 80. The median survival time (MST) overall was 13.8 months, and for GPA scores of 0 to 1.0, 1.5 to 2.0, 2.5 to 3.0, and 3.5 to 4.0 were 3.4 (n = 23), 7.7 (n = 104), 15.1 (n = 140), and 25.3 (n = 133) months, respectively (p < 0.0001). Among HER2-negative patients, being ER/PR positive improved MST from 6.4 to 9.7 months, whereas in HER2-positive patients, being ER/PR positive improved MST from 17.9 to 20.7 months. The log-rank statistic (predictive power) was 110 for the Breast-GPA vs. 55 for tumor subtype. Conclusions: The Breast-GPA documents wide variation in prognosis and shows clear separation between subgroups of patients with breast cancer and brain metastases. This tool will aid clinical decision making and stratification in clinical trials. These data confirm the effect of tumor subtype on survival and show the Breast-GPA offers significantly more predictive power than the tumor subtype alone.

Prolongation of survival of dogs with oral malignant melanoma treated by en bloc surgical resection and adjuvant CSPG4-antigen electrovaccination.

Science.gov (United States)

Piras, L A; Riccardo, F; Iussich, S; Maniscalco, L; Gattino, F; Martano, M; Morello, E; Lorda Mayayo, S; Rolih, V; Garavaglia, F; De Maria, R; Lardone, E; Collivignarelli, F; Mignacca, D; Giacobino, D; Ferrone, S; Cavallo, F; Buracco, P

2017-09-01

Reported post-surgery 1-year survival rate for oral canine malignant melanoma (cMM) is around 30%; novel treatments are needed as the role of adjuvant chemotherapy is unclear. This prospective study regards adjuvant electrovaccination with human chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-4 (hCSPG4)-encoded plasmid in 23 dogs with resected II/III-staged CSPG4-positive oral cMM compared with 19 dogs with resected only II/III-staged CSPG4-positive oral cMM. Vaccination resulted in 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month survival rate of 95.6, 73.9, 47.8 and 30.4%, respectively [median survival time (MST) 684 days, range 78-1694, 8 of 23 dogs alive] and 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month disease-free interval (DFI) rate of 82.6, 47.8, 26.1 and 17.4%, respectively (DFI 477 days, range 50-1694). Non-vaccinated dogs showed 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month survival rate of 63.2, 26.3, 15.8 and 5.3%, respectively (MST 200 days, range 75-1507, 1 of 19 dogs alive) and 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-month DFI rate of 52.6, 26.3, 10.5 and 5.3%, respectively (DFI 180 days, range 38-1250). Overall survival and DFI of vaccinated dogs was longer in those dogs local recurrence rate was 34.8 and 42%, respectively while lung metastatic rate was 39 and 79%, respectively. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

"Transit data"-based MST computation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thodoris Karatasos

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this work, we present an innovative image recognition technique which is based on the exploitation of transit-data in images or simple photographs of sites of interest. Our objective is to automatically transform real-world images to graphs and, then, compute Minimum Spanning Trees (MST in them.We apply this framework and present an application which automatically computes efficient construction plans (for escalator or low-emission hot spots for connecting all points of interest in cultural sites, i.e., archaeological sites, museums, galleries, etc, aiming to to facilitate global physical access to cultural heritage and artistic work and make it accessible to all groups of population.

Linking age, survival, and transit time distributions

Science.gov (United States)

Calabrese, Salvatore; Porporato, Amilcare

2015-10-01

Although the concepts of age, survival, and transit time have been widely used in many fields, including population dynamics, chemical engineering, and hydrology, a comprehensive mathematical framework is still missing. Here we discuss several relationships among these quantities by starting from the evolution equation for the joint distribution of age and survival, from which the equations for age and survival time readily follow. It also becomes apparent how the statistical dependence between age and survival is directly related to either the age dependence of the loss function or the survival-time dependence of the input function. The solution of the joint distribution equation also allows us to obtain the relationships between the age at exit (or death) and the survival time at input (or birth), as well as to stress the symmetries of the various distributions under time reversal. The transit time is then obtained as a sum of the age and survival time, and its properties are discussed along with the general relationships between their mean values. The special case of steady state case is analyzed in detail. Some examples, inspired by hydrologic applications, are presented to illustrate the theory with the specific results. This article was corrected on 11 Nov 2015. See the end of the full text for details.

Changes in maternal depression are associated with MST outcomes for adolescents with co-occurring externalizing and internalizing problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grimbos, T.; Granic, I.

2010-01-01

he efficacy of Multisystemic therapy (MST) in treating adolescent aggression has been established, however, not all youth and their families benefit from MST. One reason for this treatment variability could be the failure to distinguish between different aggressive Subtypes with different risk

[The survival prediction model of advanced gallbladder cancer based on Bayesian network: a multi-institutional study].

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Z H; Geng, Z M; Chen, C; Si, S B; Cai, Z Q; Song, T Q; Gong, P; Jiang, L; Qiu, Y H; He, Y; Zhai, W L; Li, S P; Zhang, Y C; Yang, Y

2018-05-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of Bayesian network in predicting survival of patients with advanced gallbladder cancer(GBC)who underwent curative intent surgery. Methods: The clinical data of patients with advanced GBC who underwent curative intent surgery in 9 institutions from January 2010 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively.A median survival time model based on a tree augmented naïve Bayes algorithm was established by Bayesia Lab software.The survival time, number of metastatic lymph nodes(NMLN), T stage, pathological grade, margin, jaundice, liver invasion, age, sex and tumor morphology were included in this model.Confusion matrix, the receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve were used to evaluate the accuracy of the model.A priori statistical analysis of these 10 variables and a posterior analysis(survival time as the target variable, the remaining factors as the attribute variables)was performed.The importance rankings of each variable was calculated with the polymorphic Birnbaum importance calculation based on the posterior analysis results.The survival probability forecast table was constructed based on the top 4 prognosis factors. The survival curve was drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences in survival curves were compared using the Log-rank test. Results: A total of 316 patients were enrolled, including 109 males and 207 females.The ratio of male to female was 1.0∶1.9, the age was (62.0±10.8)years.There was 298 cases(94.3%) R0 resection and 18 cases(5.7%) R1 resection.T staging: 287 cases(90.8%) T3 and 29 cases(9.2%) T4.The median survival time(MST) was 23.77 months, and the 1, 3, 5-year survival rates were 67.4%, 40.8%, 32.0%, respectively.For the Bayesian model, the number of correctly predicted cases was 121(≤23.77 months) and 115(>23.77 months) respectively, leading to a 74.86% accuracy of this model.The prior probability of survival time was 0.503 2(≤23.77 months) and 0.496 8

Apoptosis and BCL-2 expression as predictors of survival in radiation-treated non-small-cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Jun-Hwa; Lim, Sung-Chul; Kim, Young-Chul; Park, Kyung-Ok; Ahn, Sung-Ja; Chung, Woong-Ki

2001-01-01

Objectives: We assessed the role of apoptosis and the expression of bcl-2, p53, and c-myc oncoproteins in pretreatment histologic specimens as a predictor of response to radiation therapy and survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: Pretreatment biopsy specimens of 68 patients with NSCLC (62 squamous cell carcinoma, 6 adenocarcinoma) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. From 5 high-powered fields, the apoptotic index (AI) was calculated as the ratio of apoptotic tumor cells to the total number of tumor cells. Bcl-2, p53, and c-myc oncoprotein expression was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results: Twenty-nine cases showed partial or complete remission, whereas 39 showed no response. AI ranged from 0.2 to 12.0% (mean ± SD; 4.3±2.6%, median 4.0%). There was no difference in AI between responders (4.0±2.3) and nonresponders (4.5±2.8, p>0.05). However, in the responders, AI was correlated with the degree of change in tumor volume (r=0.41, p<0.05). In an analysis of 53 subjects who survived more than 1 month after the completion of radiation therapy, the patients with a higher AI (n=27, MST=22.8 m) survived longer than those with a lower AI (n=26, MST=9.2, log-rank, p=0.03). Patients expressing bcl-2 had poorer survival (n=22, MST=6.0 m) than patients without bcl-2 (n=31, 22.8 m, p<0.003). According to multivariate analysis, three variables, bcl-2 expression, AI, and response to radiation, were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusion: A low level of spontaneous apoptosis and expression of apoptosis blocking bcl-2 protein in pretreatment histology predict a poor prognosis for radiation-treated NSCLC patients

Neurons in cortical area MST remap the memory trace of visual motion across saccadic eye movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Inaba, Naoko; Kawano, Kenji

2014-05-27

Perception of a stable visual world despite eye motion requires integration of visual information across saccadic eye movements. To investigate how the visual system deals with localization of moving visual stimuli across saccades, we observed spatiotemporal changes of receptive fields (RFs) of motion-sensitive neurons across periods of saccades in the middle temporal (MT) and medial superior temporal (MST) areas. We found that the location of the RFs moved with shifts of eye position due to saccades, indicating that motion-sensitive neurons in both areas have retinotopic RFs across saccades. Different characteristic responses emerged when the moving visual stimulus was turned off before the saccades. For MT neurons, virtually no response was observed after the saccade, suggesting that the responses of these neurons simply reflect the reafferent visual information. In contrast, most MST neurons increased their firing rates when a saccade brought the location of the visual stimulus into their RFs, where the visual stimulus itself no longer existed. These findings suggest that the responses of such MST neurons after saccades were evoked by a memory of the stimulus that had preexisted in the postsaccadic RFs ("memory remapping"). A delayed-saccade paradigm further revealed that memory remapping in MST was linked to the saccade itself, rather than to a shift in attention. Thus, the visual motion information across saccades was integrated in spatiotopic coordinates and represented in the activity of MST neurons. This is likely to contribute to the perception of a stable visual world in the presence of eye movements.

Design and development of a lower-hybrid antenna for the MST reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, M.; Cekic, M.; Lovell, T.W.; Prager, S.C.; Sarff, J.S.; Uchimoto, E.

1995-01-01

Recent theoretical studies strongly motivated the development of a radio-frequency current drive scheme for current density gradient reduction in the outer region of a reversed field pinch. The preliminary experiments using inductive current drive indicate that such current density profile modification reduces the magnetic fluctuation amplitude and related energy and particle losses. To test the theoretical predictions and to further improve confinement in the MST, the authors are planning a series of lower-hybrid wave experiments. The initial phase is the design and optimization of a low-power antenna to study slow wave propagation in a frequency range 2--3 f LH (200--300 MHz) with parallel index of refraction n parallel ∼10. Ray-tracing calculations, for typical MST plasma parameters, indicate that such a wave will spiral radially into a target zone inside the reversal layer. The antenna consists of an array of tunable loops arranged in the poloidal direction. The design is compatible with the existing box-port openings in the MST conductive shell to prevent additional magnetic field errors associated with large portholes. Antenna vacuum characteristics are studied on a test-stand designed to approximate the geometry of the MST shell. For the initial measurements of plasma response and antenna loading, the authors designed a reduced, easily insertable, vacuum antenna structure. The results of plasma impedance measurements will be compared with the numerical modeling results and incorporated in the optimized design of the antenna for wave propagation experiments

Changes in Maternal Depression Are Associated with MST Outcomes for Adolescents with Co-Occurring Externalizing and Internalizing Problems

Science.gov (United States)

Grimbos, Teresa; Granic, Isabela

2009-01-01

The efficacy of Multisystemic therapy (MST) in treating adolescent aggression has been established, however, not all youth and their families benefit from MST. One reason for this treatment variability could be the failure to distinguish between different aggressive subtypes with different risk factors, developmental prognoses and treatment needs.…

Studying small molecule-aptamer interactions using MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST).

Science.gov (United States)

Entzian, Clemens; Schubert, Thomas

2016-03-15

Aptamers are potent and versatile binding molecules recognizing various classes of target molecules. Even challenging targets such as small molecules can be identified and bound by aptamers. Studying the interaction between aptamers and drugs, antibiotics or metabolites in detail is however difficult due to the lack of sophisticated analysis methods. Basic binding parameters of these small molecule-aptamer interactions such as binding affinity, stoichiometry and thermodynamics are elaborately to access using the state of the art technologies. The innovative MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST) is a novel, rapid and precise method to characterize these small molecule-aptamer interactions in solution at microliter scale. The technology is based on the movement of molecules through temperature gradients, a physical effect referred to as thermophoresis. The thermophoretic movement of a molecule depends - besides on its size - on charge and hydration shell. Upon the interaction of a small molecule and an aptamer, at least one of these parameters is altered, leading to a change in the movement behavior, which can be used to quantify molecular interactions independent of the size of the target molecule. The MST offers free choice of buffers, even measurements in complex bioliquids are possible. The dynamic affinity range covers the pM to mM range and is therefore perfectly suited to analyze small molecule-aptamer interactions. This section describes a protocol how quantitative binding parameters for aptamer-small molecule interactions can be obtained by MST. This is demonstrated by mapping down the binding site of the well-known ATP aptamer DH25.42 to a specific region at the adenine of the ATP molecule. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quando o Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra - MST - ocupa a escola: A educação da infância em uma escola em movimento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arenhart, Deise

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This text has as an objective to reflect on an educational experience that has grown within the Pedagogy of Brazil’s Landless Rural Workers Movement- MST. The goal is to build an understanding of the social movement as an educational agent and, at the same time, to highlight the experience of a school that is based on the Pedagogy of the MST. Research was conducted in a settlement of the MST, through observations and interviews with adults and children of the settlement and associated sections in the organization of the Movement. The analysis is grounded on critical studies in the fields of Education and Sociology, in particular the Sociology of Childhood. The study indicates that to be in motion is a human formative experience born out of the Pedagogy of a social movement which attempts to become a historical project. Solidarity, class conscience, child participation, cultivating of social memory, collectivism, valuing of rural culture and a recognition of human beings as historical agents are some of the practices observed in the context under study that reflect the presence of MST as educational agent. This article is written in Portugese

Gaseous signalling molecule SO2 via Hippo‑MST pathway to improve myocardial fibrosis of diabetic rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Maojun; Liu, Shengquan; Tan, Wenting; Tang, Fen; Long, Junrong; Li, Zining; Liang, Biao; Chu, Chun; Yang, Jun

2017-12-01

Recent studies have indicated the existence of an endogenous sulfur dioxide (SO2)‑generating system in the cardiovascular system. The present study aimed to discuss the function and regulatory mechanism of gaseous signal molecule SO2 in inhibiting apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) via the Hippo‑MST signaling pathway to improve myocardial fibrosis of diabetic rats. A total of 40 male Sprague‑Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (10 rats per group): Normal control group (control group), diabetic rats group [streptozotocin (STZ) group], SO2 intervention group (STZ+SO2 group) and diabetes mellitus rats treated with L‑Aspartic acid β‑hydroxamate (HDX) group (HDX group). Diabetic rats models were established by intra‑peritoneal injection of STZ (40 mg/kg) Following model establishment, intra‑peritoneal injection of Na2SO3/NaHSO3 solution (0.54 mmol/kg) was administered in the STZ+SO2 group, and HDX solution (25 mg/kg/week) was administered in the HDX group. A total of 4 weeks later, echocardiography was performed to evaluate rats' cardiac function; Masson staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining and transmission electron microscopy examinations were performed to observe myocardial morphological changes. ELISA was employed to determine the SO2 content. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression of proteins associated with apoptosis, ERS and the Hippo‑MST signalling pathway. Compared with the control group, the STZ group and HDX group had a disordered arrangement of myocardial cells with apparent myocardial fibrosis, and echocardiography indicated that the cardiac function was lowered, there was an obvious increase of apoptosis in myocardial tissue, the expression levels of apoptosis‑associated protein B‑cell lymphoma associated protein X, caspase‑3 and caspase‑9 were upregulated, and Bcl‑2 expression was downregulated. The expression of ERS and Hippo‑MST

Fledgling survival increases with development time and adult survival across north and south temperate zones

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Penn; Martin, Thomas E.

2016-01-01

Slow life histories are characterized by high adult survival and few offspring, which are thought to allow increased investment per offspring to increase juvenile survival. Consistent with this pattern, south temperate zone birds are commonly longer-lived and have fewer young than north temperate zone species. However, comparative analyses of juvenile survival, including during the first few weeks of the post-fledging period when most juvenile mortality occurs, are largely lacking. We combined our measurements of fledgling survival for eight passerines in South Africa with estimates from published studies of 57 north and south temperate zone songbird species to test three predictions: (1) fledgling survival increases with length of development time in the nest; (2) fledgling survival increases with adult survival and reduced brood size controlled for development time; and (3) south temperate zone species, with their higher adult survival and smaller brood sizes, exhibit higher fledgling survival than north temperate zone species controlled for development time. We found that fledgling survival was higher among south temperate zone species and generally increased with development time and adult survival within and between latitudinal regions. Clutch size did not explain additional variation, but was confounded with adult survival. Given the importance of age-specific mortality to life history evolution, understanding the causes of these geographical patterns of mortality is important.

Analysis of the water dynamics for the MSE-COIL and theMST-COIL

CERN Document Server

Massidda, L; Kadi, Y; Balhan, B

2005-01-01

In this report, we present the technical specification for the numerical model and the study of the acoustic wave propagation in the water tubes of the extraction septum magnet (MSE) and the thin magnetic septum (MST) in the event of an asynchronous firing of the extraction kickers (MKE). The deposited energy densities, estimated by the high-energy particle transport code FLUKA, were converted to internal heat generation rates according to the time dependence of the extracted beam. The transient response to this thermal load was obtained by simulating power deposition and acoustic wave propagation by the spectral-element code ELSE.

Music-supported therapy (MST) in improving post-stroke patients' upper-limb motor function: a randomised controlled pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Yanna; Forreider, Brian; Sun, Xinting; Geng, Xiaokun; Zhang, Weidong; Du, Huishan; Zhang, Tong; Ding, Yuchuan

2015-05-01

Music-supported therapy (MST) is a new approach for motor rehabilitation of stroke patients. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that MST improved the motor functions of post-stroke patients. However, the underlying mechanism for this effect is still unclear. It may result from repeated practice or repeated practice combined with musical stimulation. Currently, few studies have been designed to clarify this discrepancy. In this study, the application of "mute" musical instruments allowed for the study of music as an independent factor. Thirty-three post-stroke patients with no substantial previous musical training were included. Participants were assigned to either audible music group (MG) or mute music group (CG), permitting observation of music's independent effect. All subjects received the conventional rehabilitation treatments. Patients in MG (n = 15) received 20 extra sessions of audible musical instrument training over 4 weeks. Patients in CG (n = 18) received "mute" musical instrument training of the same protocol as that of MG. Wolf motor function test (WMFT) and Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) for upper limbs were utilised to evaluate motor functions of patients in both groups before and after the treatment. Three patients in CG dropped out. All participants in both groups showed significant improvements in motor functions of upper limbs after 4  weeks' treatment. However, significant differences in the WMFT were found between the two groups (WMFT-quality: P = 0.025; WMFT-time: P = 0.037), but not in the FMA (P = 0.448). In short, all participants showed significant improvement after 4 weeks' treatment, but subjects in MG demonstrated greater improvement than those in CG. This study supports that MST, when combined with conventional treatment, is effective for the recovery of motor skills in post-stroke patients. Additionally, it suggests that apart from the repetitive practices of MST, music may play a unique role in improving

Reducing and measuring fluctuations in the MST RFP: Enhancement of energy confinement and measurement of the MHD dynamo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Hartog, D.J.; Almagri, A.F.

1996-09-01

A three- to five-fold enhancement of the energy confinement time in a reversed-field pinch (RFP) has been achieved in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) by reducing the amplitude of tearing mode fluctuations responsible for anomalous transport in the core of the RFP. By applying a transient poloidal inductive electric field to flatten the current density profile, the fluctuation amplitude b/B decreases from 1.5% to 0.8%, the electron temperature T e0 increases from 250 eV to 370 eV, the ohmic input power decreases from 4.5 MW to approximately 1.5 MW, the poloidal beta β 0 increases from 6% to 9%, and the energy confinement time τ E increases from 1 ms to ∼5 ms in I φ = 340 kA plasmas with density n = 1 x 10 19 m -3 . Current profile control methods are being developed for the RFP in a program to eliminate transport associated with these current-gradient-driven fluctuations. In addition to controlling the amplitude of the tearing modes, we are vigorously pursuing an understanding of the physics of these fluctuations. In particular, plasma flow, both equilibrium and fluctuating, plays a critical role in a diversity of physical phenomena in MST. The key results: 1) Edge probe measurements show that the MHD dynamo is active in low collisionality plasmas, while at high collisionality a new mechanism, the 'electron diamagnetic dynamo,' is observed. 2) Core spectroscopic measurements show that the toroidal velocity fluctuations of the plasma are coherent with the large-scale magnetic tearing modes; the scalar product of these two fluctuating quantities is similar to that expected for the MHD dynamo electromotive force. 3) Toroidal plasma flow in MST exhibits large radial shear and can be actively controlled, including unlocking locked discharges, by modifying E r with a robust biased probe. 24 refs

Molecular cloning, functional characterization and expression analysis of a novel monosaccharide transporter gene OsMST6 from rice (Oryza sativa L.)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, Y.; Xiao, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Chai, C.; Wei, G.; Wei, X.; Xu, H.; Wang, M.; Ouwerkerk, P.B.F.; Zhu, Z.

2008-01-01

Monosaccharides transporters play important roles in assimilate supply for sink tissue development. In this study, a new monosaccharide transporter gene OsMST6 was identified from rice (Oryza sativa L.). The predicted OsMST6 protein shows typical features of sugar transporters and shares 79.6%

B4C solid target boronization of the MST reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Hartog, D.J.; Cekic, M.; Fiksel, G.; Hokin, S.A.; Kendrick, R.D.; Prager, S.C.; Stoneking, M.R.

1992-10-01

A solid rod of hot-pressed boron carbide is being used as the source of boron during boronization of MST. The most striking result of this procedure is the reduction in oxygen contamination of the plasma (O III radiation, characteristic of oxygen at the edge, falls by about a factor of 3 after boronization.). The radiated power fraction drops to about half its initial value. Particle reflux from the wall is also lowered, making density control simpler. The rod (12.7 mm diameter) is inserted into the edge plasma of normal high-power RFP discharges. B 4 C is ablated from the surface of the rod and deposited in a thin film (a-B/C:H) on the walls and limiters. The energy flux carried by ''superthermal'' (not ''runaway'') electrons at the edge of MST appears to enhance the efficient, non-destructive ablation of the boron carbide rod

MST radar and polarization lidar observations of tropical cirrus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Bhavani Kumar

2001-08-01

Full Text Available Significant gaps in our understanding of global cirrus effects on the climate system involve the role of frequently occurring tropical cirrus. Much of the cirrus in the atmosphere is largely due to frequent cumulus and convective activity in the tropics. In the Indian sub-tropical region, the deep convective activity is very prominent from April to December, which is a favorable period for the formation of deep cumulus clouds. The fibrous anvils of these clouds, laden with ice crystals, are one of the source mechanisms for much of the cirrus in the atmosphere. In the present study, several passages of tropical cirrus were investigated by simultaneously operating MST radar and a co-located polarization lidar at the National MST Radar Facility (NMRF, Gadanki (13.45° N, 79.18° E, India to understand its structure, the background wind field and the microphysics at the cloud boundaries. The lidar system used is capable of measuring the degree of depolarization in the laser backscatter. It has identified several different cirrus structures with a peak linear depolarization ratio (LDR in the range of 0.1 to 0.32. Simultaneous observations of tropical cirrus by the VHF Doppler radar indicated a clear enhancement of reflectivity detected in the vicinity of the cloud boundaries, as revealed by the lidar and are strongly dependent on observed cloud LDR. An inter-comparison of radar reflectivity observed for vertical and oblique beams reveals that the radar-enhanced reflectivity at the cloud boundaries is also accompanied by significant aspect sensitivity. These observations indicate the presence of anisotropic turbulence at the cloud boundaries. Radar velocity measurements show that boundaries of cirrus are associated with enhanced horizontal winds, significant vertical shear in the horizontal winds and reduced vertical velocity. Therefore, these measurements indicate that a circulation at the cloud boundaries suggest an entrainment taking place close to

MST radar and polarization lidar observations of tropical cirrus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Bhavani Kumar

Full Text Available Significant gaps in our understanding of global cirrus effects on the climate system involve the role of frequently occurring tropical cirrus. Much of the cirrus in the atmosphere is largely due to frequent cumulus and convective activity in the tropics. In the Indian sub-tropical region, the deep convective activity is very prominent from April to December, which is a favorable period for the formation of deep cumulus clouds. The fibrous anvils of these clouds, laden with ice crystals, are one of the source mechanisms for much of the cirrus in the atmosphere. In the present study, several passages of tropical cirrus were investigated by simultaneously operating MST radar and a co-located polarization lidar at the National MST Radar Facility (NMRF, Gadanki (13.45° N, 79.18° E, India to understand its structure, the background wind field and the microphysics at the cloud boundaries. The lidar system used is capable of measuring the degree of depolarization in the laser backscatter. It has identified several different cirrus structures with a peak linear depolarization ratio (LDR in the range of 0.1 to 0.32. Simultaneous observations of tropical cirrus by the VHF Doppler radar indicated a clear enhancement of reflectivity detected in the vicinity of the cloud boundaries, as revealed by the lidar and are strongly dependent on observed cloud LDR. An inter-comparison of radar reflectivity observed for vertical and oblique beams reveals that the radar-enhanced reflectivity at the cloud boundaries is also accompanied by significant aspect sensitivity. These observations indicate the presence of anisotropic turbulence at the cloud boundaries. Radar velocity measurements show that boundaries of cirrus are associated with enhanced horizontal winds, significant vertical shear in the horizontal winds and reduced vertical velocity. Therefore, these measurements indicate that a circulation at the cloud boundaries suggest an entrainment taking place close to

First Absolutely Calibrated Localized Measurements of Ion Velocity in the MST in Locked and Rotating Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Baltzer, M.; Craig, D.; den Hartog, D. J.; Nornberg, M. D.; Munaretto, S.

2015-11-01

An Ion Doppler Spectrometer (IDS) is used on MST for high time-resolution passive and active measurements of impurity ion emission. Absolutely calibrated measurements of flow are difficult because the spectrometer records data within 0.3 nm of the C+5 line of interest, and commercial calibration lamps do not produce lines in this narrow range . A novel optical system was designed to absolutely calibrate the IDS. The device uses an UV LED to produce a broad emission curve in the desired region. A Fabry-Perot etalon filters this light, cutting transmittance peaks into the pattern of the LED emission. An optical train of fused silica lenses focuses the light into the IDS with f/4. A holographic diffuser blurs the light cone to increase homogeneity. Using this light source, the absolute Doppler shift of ion emissions can be measured in MST plasmas. In combination with charge exchange recombination spectroscopy, localized ion velocities can now be measured. Previously, a time-averaged measurement along the chord bisecting the poloidal plane was used to calibrate the IDS; the quality of these central chord calibrations can be characterized with our absolute calibration. Calibration errors may also be quantified and minimized by optimizing the curve-fitting process. Preliminary measurements of toroidal velocity in locked and rotating plasmas will be shown. This work has been supported by the US DOE.

Fluctuation reduction and enhanced confinement in the MST reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, B.E.

1997-10-01

Plasmas with a factor of ≥3 improvement in energy confinement have been achieved in the MST reversed-field pinch (RFP). These plasmas occur spontaneously, following sawtooth crashes, subject to constraints on, eg, toroidal magnetic field reversal and wall conditioning. Possible contributors to the improved confinement include a reduction of core-resonant, global magnetic fluctuations and a reduction of electrostatic fluctuations over the entire plasma edge. One feature of these plasmas is a region of strong ExB flow shear in the edge. Never before observed in conjunction with enhanced confinement in the RFP, such shear is common in enhanced confinement discharges in tokamaks and stellarators. Another feature of these plasmas is a new type of discrete dynamo event. Like sawtooth crashes, a common form of discrete dynamo, these events correspond to bursts of edge parallel current. The reduction of electrostatic fluctuations in these plasmas occurs within and beyond the region of strong ExB flow shear, similar to what is observed in tokamaks and stellarators. However, the reductions in the MST include fluctuations whose correlation lengths are larger than the width of the shear region. The reduction of the global magnetic fluctuations is most likely due to flattening of the μ=μ 0 rvec J· rvec B/B 2 profile. Flattening can occur, eg, due to the new type of discrete dynamo event and reduced edge resistivity. Enhanced confinement plasmas are also achieved in the MST when auxiliary current is applied to flatten the μ profile and reduce magnetic fluctuations. Unexpectedly, these plasmas also exhibit a region (broader than in the case above) of strong ExB flow shear in the edge, an edge-wide reduction of electrostatic fluctuations, and the new type of discrete dynamo event. Auxiliary current drive has historically been viewed as the principal route to fusion reactor viability for the RFP

Confinement and fluctuations in the MST [Madison Symmetric Torus] reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sprott, J.C.; Almagri, A.F.; Assadi, S.; Beckstead, J.A.; Chartas, G.; Dexter, N.; Den Hartog, D.J.; Hokin, S.A.; Holly, D.J.; Prager, S.C.; Rempel, T.D.; Sarff, J.S.; Scime, E.; Shen, W.; Spragins, C.W.; Watts, C.

1990-09-01

MST is a large (R 0 /a = 1.5/0.52 m) RFP which to date has obtained 80 ms discharges at a peak plasma current of 0.6 MA. Low loop voltages (15 volts) and modest temperatures (T e /T i ∼ 350/250 eV) are routinely obtained giving estimated unoptimized energy confinement times of about 1 ms. Loop voltage and ion temperature are anomalous. Magnetic fluctuations are typically 0.5% with most of the power at frequencies below 30 kHz and mode numbers in agreement with MHD prediction for tearing modes. Electrostatic fluctuations are typically 10 to 20% with a spectrum that decreases with frequency. 5 refs., 2 figs

A generalized additive regression model for survival times

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheike, Thomas H.

2001-01-01

Additive Aalen model; counting process; disability model; illness-death model; generalized additive models; multiple time-scales; non-parametric estimation; survival data; varying-coefficient models......Additive Aalen model; counting process; disability model; illness-death model; generalized additive models; multiple time-scales; non-parametric estimation; survival data; varying-coefficient models...

Increase in MST activity correlates with visual motion learning: A functional MRI study of perceptual learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Larcombe, Stephanie J; Kennard, Chris; Bridge, Holly

2018-01-01

Repeated practice of a specific task can improve visual performance, but the neural mechanisms underlying this improvement in performance are not yet well understood. Here we trained healthy participants on a visual motion task daily for 5 days in one visual hemifield. Before and after training, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the change in neural activity. We also imaged a control group of participants on two occasions who did not receive any task training. While in the MRI scanner, all participants completed the motion task in the trained and untrained visual hemifields separately. Following training, participants improved their ability to discriminate motion direction in the trained hemifield and, to a lesser extent, in the untrained hemifield. The amount of task learning correlated positively with the change in activity in the medial superior temporal (MST) area. MST is the anterior portion of the human motion complex (hMT+). MST changes were localized to the hemisphere contralateral to the region of the visual field, where perceptual training was delivered. Visual areas V2 and V3a showed an increase in activity between the first and second scan in the training group, but this was not correlated with performance. The contralateral anterior hippocampus and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and frontal pole showed changes in neural activity that also correlated with the amount of task learning. These findings emphasize the importance of MST in perceptual learning of a visual motion task. Hum Brain Mapp 39:145-156, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Protein phosphatase 2a (PP2A binds within the oligomerization domain of striatin and regulates the phosphorylation and activation of the mammalian Ste20-Like kinase Mst3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jones Candace A

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Striatin, a putative protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A B-type regulatory subunit, is a multi-domain scaffolding protein that has recently been linked to several diseases including cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM, which causes symptoms ranging from headaches to stroke. Striatin association with the PP2A A/C (structural subunit/catalytic subunit heterodimer alters PP2A substrate specificity, but targets and roles of striatin-associated PP2A are not known. In addition to binding the PP2A A/C heterodimer to form a PP2A holoenzyme, striatin associates with cerebral cavernous malformation 3 (CCM3 protein, the mammalian Mps one binder (MOB homolog, Mob3/phocein, the mammalian sterile 20-like (Mst kinases, Mst3, Mst4 and STK25, and several other proteins to form a large signaling complex. Little is known about the molecular architecture of the striatin complex and the regulation of these sterile 20-like kinases. Results To help define the molecular organization of striatin complexes and to determine whether Mst3 might be negatively regulated by striatin-associated PP2A, a structure-function analysis of striatin was performed. Two distinct regions of striatin are capable of stably binding directly or indirectly to Mob3--one N-terminal, including the coiled-coil domain, and another more C-terminal, including the WD-repeat domain. In addition, striatin residues 191-344 contain determinants necessary for efficient association of Mst3, Mst4, and CCM3. PP2A associates with the coiled-coil domain of striatin, but unlike Mob3 and Mst3, its binding appears to require striatin oligomerization. Deletion of the caveolin-binding domain on striatin abolishes striatin family oligomerization and PP2A binding. Point mutations in striatin that disrupt PP2A association cause hyperphosphorylation and activation of striatin-associated Mst3. Conclusions Striatin orchestrates the regulation of Mst3 by PP2A. It binds Mst3 likely as a dimer with CCM3 via

The Politics of the MST Autonomous Rural Communities, the State, and Electoral Politics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vergara Camus, Leandro

Examination of the politicization of landless people in the encampments and settlements of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra (Landless Rural Workers' Movement-MST) in Brazil suggests that the movement's success rest on the fact that it generates relatively autonomous rural communities

Locked modes and magnetic field errors in MST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almagri, A.F.; Assadi, S.; Prager, S.C.; Sarff, J.S.; Kerst, D.W.

1992-06-01

In the MST reversed field pinch magnetic oscillations become stationary (locked) in the lab frame as a result of a process involving interactions between the modes, sawteeth, and field errors. Several helical modes become phase locked to each other to form a rotating localized disturbance, the disturbance locks to an impulsive field error generated at a sawtooth crash, the error fields grow monotonically after locking (perhaps due to an unstable interaction between the modes and field error), and over the tens of milliseconds of growth confinement degrades and the discharge eventually terminates. Field error control has been partially successful in eliminating locking

Glucose uptake and growth of glucose-limited chemostat cultures of Aspergillus niger and a disruptant lacking MstA, a high-affinity glucose transporter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Thomas R; vanKuyk, Patricia A; Poulsen, Bjarne R

2007-01-01

This is a study of high-affinity glucose uptake in Aspergillus niger and the effect of disruption of a high-affinity monosaccharide-transporter gene, mstA. The substrate saturation constant (K(s)) of a reference strain was about 15 microM in glucose-limited chemostat culture. Disruption of mst......-affinity uptake system of A. niger. The mstA disruptant and a reference strain were cultivated in glucose-limited chemostat cultures at low, intermediate and high dilution rate (D=0.07 h(-1), 0.14 h(-1) and 0.20 h(-1)). Mycelium harvested from steady-state cultures was subjected to glucose uptake assays...

PILOT-SCALE TESTING OF THE SUSPENSION OF MST, CST, AND SIMULATED SLUDGE SLURRIES IN A SLUDGE TANK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poirier, M.; Qureshi, Z.; Restivo, M.; Steeper, T.; Williams, M.; Herman, D.

2011-08-02

The Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process is being developed to remove cesium, strontium, and actinides from Savannah River Site (SRS) Liquid Waste using an existing waste tank (i.e., Tank 41H) to house the process. Following strontium, actinide, and cesium removal, the concentrated solids will be transported to a sludge tank (i.e., monosodium titanate (MST)/sludge solids to Tank 42H or Tank 51H and crystalline silicotitanate (CST) to Tank 40H) for eventual transfer to the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is conducting pilot-scale mixing tests to determine the pump requirements for mixing MST, CST, and simulated sludge. The purpose of this pilot scale testing is to determine the pump requirements for mixing MST and CST with sludge in a sludge tank and to determine whether segregation of particles occurs during settling. Tank 40H and Tank 51H have four Quad Volute pumps; Tank 42H has four standard pumps. The pilot-scale tank is a 1/10.85 linear scaled model of Tank 40H. The tank diameter, tank liquid level, pump nozzle diameter, pump elevation, and cooling coil diameter are all 1/10.85 of their dimensions in Tank 40H. The pump locations correspond to the current locations in Tank 40H (Risers B2, H, B6, and G). The pumps are pilot-scale Quad Volute pumps. Additional settling tests were conducted in a 30 foot tall, 4 inch inner diameter clear column to investigate segregation of MST, CST, and simulated sludge particles during settling.

Improvements to the MST Thomson Scattering Diagnostic

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, D. T.; Borchardt, M. T.; den Hartog, D. J.; Holly, D. J.; Kile, T.; Kubala, S. Z.; Jacobson, C. M.; Thomas, M. A.; Wallace, J. P.; Young, W. C.; MST Thomson Scattering Team

2017-10-01

Multiple upgrades to the MST Thomson Scattering diagnostic have been implemented to expand capabilities of the system. In the past, stray laser light prevented electron density measurements everywhere and temperature measurements for -z/a >0.75. To mitigate stray light, a new laser beamline is being commissioned that includes a longer entrance flight tube, close-fitting apertures, and baffles. A polarizer has been added to the collection optics to further reduce stray light. An absolute density calibration using Rayleigh scattering in argon will be performed. An insertable integrating sphere will provide a full-system spectral calibration as well as maps optical fibers to machine coordinates. Reduced transmission of the collection optics due to coatings from plasma-surface interactions is regularly monitored to inform timely replacements of the first lens. Long-wavelength filters have been installed to better characterize non-Maxwellian electron distribution features. Previous work has identified residual photons not described by a Maxwellian distribution during m =0 magnetic bursts. Further effort to characterize the distribution function will be described. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences program under Award No. DE-FC02-05ER54814.

Edge fluctuations in the MST [Madison Symmetric Torus] reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almagri, A.; Assadi, S.; Beckstead, J.; Chartas, G.; Crocker, N.; Den Hartog, D.; Dexter, R.; Hokin, S.; Holly, D.; Nilles, E.; Prager, S.; Rempel, T.; Sarff, J.; Scime, E.; Shen, W.; Spragins, C.; Sprott, J.; Starr, G.; Stoneking, M.; Watts, C.

1990-10-01

Edge magnetic and electrostatic fluctuations are measured in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) reversed field pinch. At low frequency ( e > p e /p e where φ and p e are the fluctuating potential and pressure, respectively). From measurements of the fluctuating density, temperature, and potential we infer that the electrostatic fluctuation induced transport of particles and energy can be substantial. 13 refs., 11 figs

An overview of data acquisition, signal coding and data analysis techniques for MST radars

Science.gov (United States)

Rastogi, P. K.

1986-01-01

An overview is given of the data acquisition, signal processing, and data analysis techniques that are currently in use with high power MST/ST (mesosphere stratosphere troposphere/stratosphere troposphere) radars. This review supplements the works of Rastogi (1983) and Farley (1984) presented at previous MAP workshops. A general description is given of data acquisition and signal processing operations and they are characterized on the basis of their disparate time scales. Then signal coding, a brief description of frequently used codes, and their limitations are discussed, and finally, several aspects of statistical data processing such as signal statistics, power spectrum and autocovariance analysis, outlier removal techniques are discussed.

tavgU_3d_mst_Cp: MERRA 3D IAU Diagnostic, Moist Physics, Diurnal 1.25 x 1.25 degree V5.2.0 (MATUCPMST) at GES DISC

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The MATUCPMST or tavgU_3d_mst_Cp data product is the MERRA Data Assimilation System 3-Dimensional moist process diagnostic that is time averaged on pressure levels...

First mesospheric turbulence study using coordinated rocket and MST radar measurements over Indian low latitude region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Chandra

2008-09-01

Full Text Available A campaign to study turbulence in the mesosphere, over low latitudes in India, using rocket-borne measurements and Indian MST radar, was conducted during July 2004. A rocket-borne Langmuir probe detected a spectrum of electron density irregularities, with scale sizes in the range of about 1 m to 1 km, in 67.5–78.0 km and 84–89 km altitude regions over a low latitude station Sriharikota (13.6° N, 80.2° E. A rocket-borne chaff experiment measured zonal and meridional winds about 30 min after the Langmuir probe flight. The MST radar located at Gadanki (13.5° N, 79.2° E, which is about 100 km west of Sriharikota, also detected the presence of a strong scattering layer in 73.5–77.5 km region from which radar echoes corresponding to 3 m irregularities were received. Based on the region of occurrence of irregularities, which was highly collisional, presence of significant shears in zonal and meridional components of wind measured by the chaff experiment, 10 min periodicity in zonal and meridional winds obtained by the MST radar and the nature of wave number spectra of the irregularities, it is suggested that the observed irregularities were produced through the neutral turbulence mechanism. The percentage amplitude of fluctuations across the entire scale size range showed that the strength of turbulence was stronger in the lower altitude regions and decreased with increasing altitude. It was also found that the amplitude of fluctuations was large in regions of steeper electron density gradients. MST radar observations showed that at smaller scales of turbulence such as 3 m, (a the thickness of the turbulent layer was between 2 and 3 km and (b and fine structures, with layer thicknesses of about a km or less were also embedded in these layers. Rocket also detected 3-m fluctuations, which were very strong (a few percent in lower altitudes (67.5 to 71.0 km and small but clearly well above the noise floor at higher altitudes. Rocket and radar

First mesospheric turbulence study using coordinated rocket and MST radar measurements over Indian low latitude region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandra, H.; Sinha, H.S.S.; Das, U.; Misra, R.N.; Das, S.R. [Physical Research Lab., Ahmedabad (India); Datta, J.; Chakravarty, S.C. [ISRO Headquarters, Bangalore (India); Patra, A.K.; Vekateswara Rao, N.; Narayana Rao, D. [National Atmospheric Research Lab., Tirupati (India)

2008-07-01

A campaign to study turbulence in the mesosphere, over low latitudes in India, using rocket-borne measurements and Indian MST radar, was conducted during July 2004. A rocket-borne Langmuir probe detected a spectrum of electron density irregularities, with scale sizes in the range of about 1 m to 1 km, in 67.5-78.0 km and 84-89 km altitude regions over a low latitude station Sriharikota (13.6 N, 80.2 E). A rocket-borne chaff experiment measured zonal and meridional winds about 30 min after the Langmuir probe flight. The MST radar located at Gadanki (13.5 N, 79.2 E), which is about 100 km west of Sriharikota, also detected the presence of a strong scattering layer in 73.5-77.5 km region from which radar echoes corresponding to 3 m irregularities were received. Based on the region of occurrence of irregularities, which was highly collisional, presence of significant shears in zonal and meridional components of wind measured by the chaff experiment, 10 min periodicity in zonal and meridional winds obtained by the MST radar and the nature of wave number spectra of the irregularities, it is suggested that the observed irregularities were produced through the neutral turbulence mechanism. The percentage amplitude of fluctuations across the entire scale size range showed that the strength of turbulence was stronger in the lower altitude regions and decreased with increasing altitude. It was also found that the amplitude of fluctuations was large in regions of steeper electron density gradients. MST radar observations showed that at smaller scales of turbulence such as 3 m, (a) the thickness of the turbulent layer was between 2 and 3 km and (b) and fine structures, with layer thicknesses of about a km or less were also embedded in these layers. Rocket also detected 3-m fluctuations, which were very strong (a few percent) in lower altitudes (67.5 to 71.0 km) and small but clearly well above the noise floor at higher altitudes. Rocket and radar results also point to the

tavgM_3d_mst_Cp: MERRA 3D IAU Diagnostic, Moist Physics, Monthly Mean 1.25 x 1.25 degree V5.2.0 (MATMCPMST) at GES DISC

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The MATMCPMST or tavgM_3d_mst_Cp data product is the MERRA Data Assimilation System 3-Dimensional moist process diagnostic that is time averaged on pressure levels...

Development of Ethernet Based Remote Monitoring and Controlling of MST Radar Transmitters using ARM Cortex Microcontroller

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lakshmi Narayana ROSHANNA

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The recently emerging Web Services technology has provided a new and excellent solution to Industrial Automation in online control and remote monitoring. In this paper, a Web Service Based Remote Monitoring & Controlling of Radar Transmitters for safety management (WMCT developed for MST Radar is described. It achieved the MST radar transmitters’ remote supervisory, data logging and controlling activities. The system is developed using an ARM Cortex M3 processor to monitor and control the 32 triode-based transmitters of the 53-MHz Radar. The system controls transmitters via the internet using an Ethernet client server and store health status in the Database for radar performance analysis. The system enables scientists to operate and control the radar transmitters from a remote client machine Webpage.

Prediction Models for Plutonium, Strontium, Uranium and Neptunium Loading onto Monosodium Titanate (MST)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fondeur, F. F.; Hobbs, D. T.; Barnes, M. J.; Peters, T. B.; Fink, S. D.

2005-01-01

The DA isotherm parameters for U, Pu, Sr and Np have been updated to include additional data obtained since the original derivation. The DA isotherms were modified to include a kinetic function derived by Rahn to describe sorbate loading from the beginning of sorption up to equilibrium. The final functions describe both kinetic and thermodynamic sorption. We selected the Rahn function to describe radionuclide sorption because it originates from diffusion and absorption controlled sorption. An investigation of the thermal behavior of radionuclide sorption on MST as shown by this data revealed the sorption process is diffusion (or transport) controlled (in solution). Transport in solution can in theory be accelerated by vigorous mixing but the range of available mixing speed in the facility design will probably not be sufficient to markedly increase radionuclide sorption rate on MST from diffusion-controlled sorption. The laboratory studies included mixing energies hydraulically-scaled to match those of the Actinide Removal Process and these likely approximate the range of energies available in the Salt Waste Processing Facility

An Alternative to Optimize the Indonesian’s Airport Network Design: An Application of Minimum Spanning Tree (MST Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luluk Lusiantoro

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Using minimum spanning tree technique (MST, this exploratory research was done to optimize the interrelation and hierarchical network design of Indonesian’s airports. This research also identifies the position of the Indonesian’s airports regionally based on the ASEAN Open Sky Policy 2015. The secondary data containing distance between airports (both in Indonesia and in ASEAN, flight frequency, and correlation of Gross Domestic Regional Product (GDRP for each region in Indonesia are used as inputs to form MST networks. The result analysis is done by comparing the MST networks with the existing network in Indonesia. This research found that the existing airport network in Indonesia does not depict the optimal network connecting all airports with the shortest distance and maximizing the correlation of regional economic potential in the country. This research then suggests the optimal networks and identifies the airports and regions as hubs and spokes formed by the networks. Lastly, this research indicates that the Indonesian airports have no strategic position in the ASEAN Open Sky network, but they have an opportunity to get strategic positions if 33 airports in 33 regions in Indonesia are included in the network.

A estrutura organizacional do MST: lógica política e lógica prática

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto de Sousa Miranda

Full Text Available Nosso objetivo é compreender as relações entre a base do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST e suas lideranças, tomando como elemento de mediação a estrutura organizacional formalmente adotada em 2003. Para tanto, três chaves analíticas são utilizadas: Clastres, que explora a ideia de estrutura separada do corpo social; Leach, que opõe um modelo abstrato de organização às situações práticas observadas e interpretadas a partir da materialidade do comportamento dos assentados e acampados; o Neo-institucionalismo, que trata as instituições enquanto regras e normas que regulamentam a vida social. As análises foram baseadas em observações realizadas no XII Encontro Estadual do MST na Paraíba e nos assentamentos rurais José Antonio Eufrosino e Osiel Pereira, localizados no município de Campina Grande. Recusando as abordagens que tentam medir o grau de adoção dos modelos organizacionais formais pelos grupos sociais, tentamos revelar as incongruências produtoras das dinâmicas de reestruturação da organização do MST.

Radiotherapy following bronchial artery infusion (BAI) chemotherapy for lung cancer. Analysis of long-term treatment results of 168 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyaji, Noriaki

1995-01-01

Local control is known to contribute to a better survival for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Radiotherapy with bronchial artery infusion (BAI) of anticancer agents was employed to improve the response rate and prognosis of lung cancer. One hundred and sixty-eight patients of lung cancer were treated by this combined therapy. There were 138 with NSCLC and 30 with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The overall cumulative 5-year survival rate of NSCLC was 11.3% and median survival time (MST) was 12 months. The response rate of 84% was obtained by this combined therapy. CR cases showed a better result of 35% of 5-year survival. Histology did not influence survival. Stage IIIA patients showed a significantly better survival than stage IIIB patients (p<0.05). No significant difference in survival was observed in the MMC/ADM group and the CDDP group. In SCLC patients, the overall cumulative 5-year survival was 4% and MST was 12 months. In limited disease (LD) group, MST was 13 months and extensive disease (ED) showed 11 months of MST. Two-year survival of LD was 18%. The response rate of this combined therapy was 94% and CR rate was 31%. On patterns of failure, the lower local recurrence rate of 6% (1/18) suggested contribution of BAI in SCLC. However, the long-term survival of SCLC was not greatly improved by radiotherapy combined with BAI. Thus these results suggest that it is necessary for improvement of survival to achieve CR in NSCLC patients, but local control may not contribute to it in SCLC patients. (author)

A retrospective review of outcome and survival following surgery and adjuvant xenogeneic DNA vaccination in 32 dogs with oral malignant melanoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Treggiari, Elisabetta; Grant, Jessica Pauline; North, Susan Margaret

2016-06-01

A xenogeneic DNA vaccination has been licensed for use in dogs with locally controlled stage II and III oral malignant melanoma (OMM). At present, there are limited outcome data for dogs with OMM treated with surgery and immunotherapy. The aim of this study is to retrospectively review the outcome and survival of 32 dogs affected by OMM that were treated with a combination of surgery and the xenogeneic DNA vaccination (with the addition of radiotherapy in some cases) and to determine the influence of surgical margins and delay in receiving vaccination. The overall median survival time (MST) was 335 days (95% CI: 301-540 days), and the overall median progression-free survival (PFS) was 160 days (mean 182 days, 95% CI: 132-232 days). Stage, completeness of surgical margins and delay in administration of the vaccine did not appear to statistically influence survival or PFS, although these results may reflect the low statistical power of the study due to small numbers. Further studies are required to assess whether the addition of any adjuvant treatment to surgery, including immunotherapy, is able to significantly prolong survival in cases of canine oral melanoma.

Surgical treatment in non-small cell lung cancer with pulmonary oligometastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jinyuan; Li, Yun; An, Jun; Hu, Liu; Zhang, Junhang

2017-02-02

Previous studies have demonstrated survival benefits for local treatment in solitary metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).This study aimed to investigate the effect of local surgery for NSCLC with pulmonary oligometastasis. This study included 21 patients of NSCLC with pulmonary oligometastasis between January 2003 and December 2013, which were divided into two groups, group A (11 cases) for local surgery and group B (10 cases) for systematic chemotherapy, compared the median survival time (MST) and 5-year survival rate between the two groups, and analyzed the impact of the pathological types, the TNM and pN stage of primary tumor, the site, and the mode and number of oligometastatic nodule on group A. The MST of group A and B were 37 and 11.6 months respectively, 5-year survival rates were 18.2 and 9.1% respectively (p  0.05). Local surgery significantly prolonged the overall survival time and 5-year survival rate of primary NSCLC with pulmonary oligometastasis.

Impact of long-term antihypertensive and antidiabetic medications on the prognosis of post-surgical colorectal cancer: the Fujian prospective investigation of cancer (FIESTA) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Feng; Hu, Dan; Lin, Xiandong; Liang, Binying; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Hejun; Xia, Yan; Lin, Jinxiu; Zheng, Xiongwei; Niu, Wenquan

2018-05-24

Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are common comorbidities of colorectal cancer. We designed a prospective cohort study aiming to investigate the impact of long-term antihypertensive and antidiabetic medications on colorectal cancer-specific survival and recurrence among 713 post-surgical patients. All participants received radical resection for colorectal cancer during 2000-08, and they were followed up until July 2017. Colorectal cancer patients without hypertension had better survival than those with hypertension (median survival time [MST]: 190.3 months versus 99.0 months, p colorectal cancer survival was statistically significant, that is, patients receiving antidiabetic medications had longer survival time than untreated diabetic patients (MST: 135.8 months versus 80.2 months, p : 0.007), whereas the prognosis was greatly improved in colorectal cancer patients without diabetes mellitus ( p colorectal cancer relative to those without medications, respectively. Our data indicate that long-term antidiabetic medications can significantly prolong the survival and improve the prognosis of post-surgical colorectal cancer.

A biblioteca na página eletrônica do MST: heterogeneidade e memória The library in the electronic site of MST: heterogeneity and memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucília Maria Sousa Romão

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Esse trabalho busca, à luz da teoria do discurso, investigar como a heterogeneidade é manifesta em uma biblioteca virtual, a saber, a Biblioteca inscrita dentro do site do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST. Interessa-nos perceber como há uma memória sustentadora dos atos de linguagem e como há uma inscrição histórica dos sentidos no verbal e no imagético, que possibilitam a construção de vários gestos de leitura. Por fim, julgamos ser produtivo analisar a biblioteca como o espaço polifônico em que várias vozes estão inscritas, marcando o movimento dos sujeitos, dos sentidos, enfim, dos discursos.This work searches, at the light of the theory of speech, to investigate as the heterogeneity is obvious in a virtual library, in this case, the library in the site of the Rural Workers Movement (MST. It is interesting to know that there is a supporting memory of the language actions and a historical registration of verbal and no-verbal senses, that allow the construction of several reading gestures. Finally, we considered important to analyze the library as a polyphonic space where several voices are enrolled, marking the movement of the subjects, of the senses, that is, of the speech.

MST e Escola Nacional Florestan Fernandes: formação, comunicação e socialização política

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Nabarrete Bastos

Full Text Available Resumo Este artigo apresenta resultados de pesquisa sobre a formação política do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST a partir da comunicação e socialização com o trabalhador urbano. Utiliza-se o método dialético e são aplicadas técnicas qualitativas, entrevistas semiestruturadas com lideranças do MST, e pesquisa antropológica na Escola Nacional Florestan Fernandes (ENFF. A ENFF, fundada pelo MST no município de Guararema, Estado de São Paulo, em 2005, é um dos principais espaços de formação política dos movimentos sociais da América Latina. Constitui também espaço estratégico para a formação, comunicação e socialização política entre a classe trabalhadora do campo e da cidade. A ENFF possui potencial para ser espaço de construção da hegemonia popular por meio da sociabilidade entre movimentos sociais do campo e da cidade, por meio da produção simbólica comum e da educação universalizante, contudo, ainda é um espaço em que prevalecem a hegemonia política e a cultura do MST.

A NEW MULTI-SPECTRAL THRESHOLD NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE WATER INDEX (MST-NDWI WATER EXTRACTION METHOD – A CASE STUDY IN YANHE WATERSHED

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Zhou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Accurate remote sensing water extraction is one of the primary tasks of watershed ecological environment study. Since the Yanhe water system has typical characteristics of a small water volume and narrow river channel, which leads to the difficulty for conventional water extraction methods such as Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI. A new Multi-Spectral Threshold segmentation of the NDWI (MST-NDWI water extraction method is proposed to achieve the accurate water extraction in Yanhe watershed. In the MST-NDWI method, the spectral characteristics of water bodies and typical backgrounds on the Landsat/TM images have been evaluated in Yanhe watershed. The multi-spectral thresholds (TM1, TM4, TM5 based on maximum-likelihood have been utilized before NDWI water extraction to realize segmentation for a division of built-up lands and small linear rivers. With the proposed method, a water map is extracted from the Landsat/TM images in 2010 in China. An accuracy assessment is conducted to compare the proposed method with the conventional water indexes such as NDWI, Modified NDWI (MNDWI, Enhanced Water Index (EWI, and Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI. The result shows that the MST-NDWI method generates better water extraction accuracy in Yanhe watershed and can effectively diminish the confusing background objects compared to the conventional water indexes. The MST-NDWI method integrates NDWI and Multi-Spectral Threshold segmentation algorithms, with richer valuable information and remarkable results in accurate water extraction in Yanhe watershed.

The effect of non-small cell lung cancer histology on survival as measured by the graded prognostic assessment in patients with brain metastases treated by hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Liang-Hua; Li, Guang; Zhang, Hong-Wei; Wang, Zhi-Yu; Dang, Jun; Zhang, Shuo; Yao, Lei

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of histology on survival stratified by the Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a group of selected patients treated recently. A total of 171 NSCLC patients with brain metastases treated by hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy with or without whole-brain radiotherapy between 2001 and 2011 were included. The GPA score was calculated for each patient. Tumor histologies were categorized into adenocarcinoma (ADCA) and non-ADCA. Median survival time (MST, in months) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to determine statistical differences. MSTs by histology were: ADCA 15 (n = 92) and non-ADCA 10 (n = 79) (p < 0.001). For all patients, the MSTs by GPA score were: GPA 3.5-4, 24; GPA 2.5-3, 15; GPA 1.5-2, 9 and GPA 0-1, 6 (p < 0.001). The histology of ADCA showed a statistically significant higher MST than non-ADCA for patients with GPA 2.5-4. For GPA 2.5-3, MSTs were: ADCA 18, non-ADCA 10 (p = 0.007); for GPA 3.5-4, MSTs were: ADCA 30, non-ADCA 17 (p = 0.046). For GPA 0-2, MSTs did not differ significantly by histology. For GPA 0-1, MSTs were: ADCA 8, non-ADCA 4 (p = 0.146); GPA 1.5-2, MSTs were: ADCA 10, non-ADCA 8 (p = 0.291). We further found that non-ADCA in upper GPA class (3.5–4) had similar survival with ADCA in lower GPA class (2.5–3) (MSTs were 17 and 18, respectively, p = 0.775). This phenomenon also happened between patients of non-ADCA in upper GPA class (2.5–3) and those of ADCA in lower GPA class (1.5–2) (MSTs were both 10, p = 0.724). We confirmed that the histology of NSCLC had effect on the GPA in these selected patients treated recently. ADCA showed a statistically significant higher MST than non-ADCA with GPA 2.5-4. The non-ADCA in upper GPA classes (3.5-4 and 2.5-3) had similar survival to ADCA in lower GPA classes (2.5-3 and 1.5-2, respectively). The histology as a new factor should be added to the original

Clinical assessment of class II resin-based composites versus preformed metal crowns performed on primary molars in patients at high risk of caries.

Science.gov (United States)

Alyahya, A; Khanum, A; Qudeimat, M

2018-02-01

To compare class II resin composite with preformed metal crowns (PMC) in the treatment of proximal dentinal caries in high caries-risk patients. The charts (270) of paediatric patients with proximal caries of their primary molars were reviewed. Success or failure of a procedure was assessed using the dental notes. Survival analysis was used to calculate the mean survival time (MST) for both procedures. The influence of variables on the mean survival time was investigated. A total of 593 class II resin composites and 243 PMCs were placed in patients ranging between 4-13 years of age. The failure percentage of class II resin composites was 22.6% with the majority having been due to recurrent caries, while the failure percentage of PMCs was 15.2% with the majority due to loss of the crown. There was no significant difference between the MST of class II resin composites and PMCs, 41.3 and 45.6 months respectively (p value = 0.06). In class II resin composites, mesial restorations were associated with lower MST compared to distal restorations (p-value composites and PMCs were comparable when performed on high caries-risk patients.

Modeling time-to-event (survival) data using classification tree analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, Ariel; Yarnold, Paul R

2017-12-01

Time to the occurrence of an event is often studied in health research. Survival analysis differs from other designs in that follow-up times for individuals who do not experience the event by the end of the study (called censored) are accounted for in the analysis. Cox regression is the standard method for analysing censored data, but the assumptions required of these models are easily violated. In this paper, we introduce classification tree analysis (CTA) as a flexible alternative for modelling censored data. Classification tree analysis is a "decision-tree"-like classification model that provides parsimonious, transparent (ie, easy to visually display and interpret) decision rules that maximize predictive accuracy, derives exact P values via permutation tests, and evaluates model cross-generalizability. Using empirical data, we identify all statistically valid, reproducible, longitudinally consistent, and cross-generalizable CTA survival models and then compare their predictive accuracy to estimates derived via Cox regression and an unadjusted naïve model. Model performance is assessed using integrated Brier scores and a comparison between estimated survival curves. The Cox regression model best predicts average incidence of the outcome over time, whereas CTA survival models best predict either relatively high, or low, incidence of the outcome over time. Classification tree analysis survival models offer many advantages over Cox regression, such as explicit maximization of predictive accuracy, parsimony, statistical robustness, and transparency. Therefore, researchers interested in accurate prognoses and clear decision rules should consider developing models using the CTA-survival framework. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy of small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Yasuo; Chohtoh, Shuichi; Nishijima, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Akihiko; Hirose, Jin-ichiro; Kamimura, Ryoichi; Takashima, Tsutomu; Konishi, Hideo; Miyata, Samon.

1986-01-01

Treatment results of 49 patients (25, limited disease, LD, 24, extensive disease, ED) with small cell lung cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Fifteen patients received chemotherapy with Cyclophosphamide (CPM) and Vincristine (VCR) following thoracic radiotherapy (RT). Twenty-two patients were given induction chemotherapy with CPM, Adriamycin (ADM), and VCR and were followed by thoracic RT. Other chemotherapy consisted of CPM, VCR, Methotrexate, and ADM in 2 patients, 5-FU, CPM, Mitomycin C, and Toyomycin in 1 patient. The remaining 9 patients (2, LD, 7, ED) were treated with RT alone. The response rate was 80 % (64 % CR; 16 % PR) for LD patients and 33 % (4 % CR; 29 % PR) for ED patients (P < 0.001). The three-year survival (Kaplan-Meier's product) of all patients was 14 %, with a median survival time (MST) of 8 months. For patients with LD, the 3-year survival was 27 % (MST 15 months). Survival of patients with ED was 14 % at 1 year, 0 % at 2 year (MST 5.5 months). The difference between these figures was statistically significant (P < 0.0003). The 3-year survival and relapse-free survival for complete responders with LD were 43 % (MST 21 months) and 36 % (median CR duration, 11.5 months) respectively. Six of 16 complete responders with LD are alive and well at over 2 years. Local recurrence rate of the complete responders with LD was 28.8 %. None of the 7 complete responders given more than 48 Gy relapsed within the radiation field. We believe that the addition of thoracic RT to patients with LD is necessary for the control of the primary tumors and for long-term disease-free survival. (author)

A prospective study on concurrent chemotherapy and thoracic three-dimensional radiotherapy for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (1) -survival and toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su Shengfa; Lu Bing; Zhang Bo; Hu Yinyang; Ouyang Weiwei; Li Huiqin; Wang Gang; Long Jinhua

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the overall survival and safety among patients for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with concurrent chemotherapy and thoracic three-dimensional radiotherapy (CCTTRT). Methods: From Jan. 2003 to July 2010, 201 patients with stage IV NSCLC were included. All patients were treated with CCTTRT. Those patients who received only one cycle chemotherapy were not included in survival analysis,but analysis of toxicity. One hundred and eighty-two patients were eligible for survival analysis. All patients received platinum-based two-drug chemotherapy. The median number of cycles was 4. The median dose to planning target volume of primary tumor (DT PTV ) was 63 Gy. Treatment-related gastrointestinal and hematological toxicity were scored according to WHO criteria. Radiation-related pneumonitis and esophagitis were evaluated according to the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTC) version 3.0. Survival was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the Logrank. Cox regression model was used to examine the effect of CCTTRT on overall survival. Results: The follow-up rate of 201 patients was 97.5%. with 201, 170 and 134 patients finished 2 =10.10, P =0.001). For patients eligible for survival analysis and received 4 - 5 cycles of systemic chemotherapy, MST of patients treated with DT PTV ≥63 Gy was significantly longer than those treated with DT PTV 2 =20.48, P =0.000) and 16.1 months vs.8.8 months (χ 2 =11.75, P =0.001)]. For patients with single organ metastasis, MST was 16 months for those treated with DT PTV ≥63 Gy and 9 months for those with DT PTV 2 =10.51, P=0.000); for patients with multiple organ metastasis, it was 11 months and 7 months, respectively (χ 2 =7.90, P =0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that concurrent 4 - 5 cycles chemotherapy and DTPTV ≥63 Gy (β =0.243, P=0.019) and improved KPS (β =1.268, P=0.000) were independent factors for survival. For the whole

Measuring survival time: a probability-based approach useful in healthcare decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

In some clinical situations, the choice between treatment options takes into account their impact on patient survival time. Due to practical constraints (such as loss to follow-up), survival time is usually estimated using a probability calculation based on data obtained in clinical studies or trials. The two techniques most commonly used to estimate survival times are the Kaplan-Meier method and the actuarial method. Despite their limitations, they provide useful information when choosing between treatment options.

Deep RF-hyperthermia: an effective treatment of advanced gliomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahinbas, H.; Groenemeyer, D.H.W.

2005-01-01

Full text: Contrary to the enormous efforts, results of conventional treatments of high-grade malignant gliomas are unsatisfactory. The prognosis of that tumor type is poor, its overall median survival time (MST) less than a year. Most of the cases are inoperable or only partially resectable, and their response to the various chemotherapies and/or radiotherapy is poor. The chemo-therapies which are successful for other locations often fail due to the effective brain-blood barrier (BBB). Probably the modification of the BBB by electromagnetic fields together with the direct electromagnetic-field heating are the main factors for the success of electro-hyperthermia. Primary aim of this study was to present the therapy tolerance for patients of electro-hyperthermia (EHY) for advanced malignant gliomas and as main intention to show the increase of the median survival time (MST). Our study was performed between 2000 - 2004; for patients with inoperable, partially resected or recurrent gliomas (WHO grade III and IV) with progression after radio- and/or chemotherapy and a Karnofsky Performance Score ≤30-40 %. 105 pts were involved in this study: 38 astrocytoma pts, 56 glioblastoma pts and 12 pts with other brain malignancies. All patients were heavily and unsatisfactory pretreated. EHY was applied over 4 weeks, 3 times a week over 1 hour in average by 100 Watt, as mono- or combined therapy (chemotherapy, irradiation therapy). The set of patients as well as the frequency of EHY was well documented for future evaluations. The historic reference of the MST from the first diagnosis for gliomas grade III and IV in our institute is 11.42 months (range 1-62), which is in good agreement with the relevant literature. The median survival time (MST) in our institute with EHY increases to 44.2 m, 23.2 m and 61.0 m for astrocytoma, glioblastoma and other brain malignancies, respectively. The therapy results were controlled by MRI images. EHY is a feasible treatment for advanced

'"My Land, Your Social Transformation": Conflicts within the Landless People Movement (MST), Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Caldeira, Rute

2008-01-01

The Brazilian "Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra" (MST) is one of the best-known and most prominent rural social movements. The unequal distribution of land in Brazil, and the neglect of this problem by successive Brazilian governments contributed greatly to the organisation of rural movements striving for the implementation…

Decay of Fecal Indicator Bacteria and Microbial Source Tracking Markers in Cattle Feces

Science.gov (United States)

The survival of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and microbial source tracking (MST) markers in water microcosms and manure amended soils has been well documented; however, little is known about the survival of MST markers in bovine feces deposited on pastures. We conducted a study...

The lack of cross-national equivalence of a therapist adherence measure (TAM-R) in multisystemic therapy (MST)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lange, A.M.C.; Scholte, R.H.J.; Geffen, W. van; Timman, R.; Busschbach, J.J.V. van; Rijken, R.E.A. van der

2016-01-01

This two-study report investigates the equivalence of the Dutch Therapist Adherence Measure Revised (TAM-R) to the US original. The TAM-R is a questionnaire measuring therapist adherence to the treatment model of Multisystemic Therapy (MST). Monitoring of therapist adherence is essential for

Turbulent transport in the MST reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rempel, T.D.; Almagri, A.F.; Assadi, S.; Den Hartog, D.J.; Hokin, S.A.; Prager, S.C.; Sarff, J.S.; Shen, W.; Sidikman, K.L.; Spragins, C.W.; Sprott, J.C.; Stoneking, M.R.; Zita, E.J.

1991-11-01

Measurements of edge turbulence and the associated transport are ongoing in the Madison Symmetric Torus (R = 1.5 m, a = 0.52 m) reversed-field pinch using magnetic and electrostatic probes. Magnetic fluctuations are dominated by m = 1 and n ∼ 2R/a tearing modes. Particle losses induced by magnetic field fluctuations have been found to be ambipolar ( parallel B r > = O). Electrostatic fluctuations are broadband and turbulent, with mode widths δm ∼ 3--7 and δn ∼70--150. Particle, parallel current, and energy transport arising from coherent motion with the fluctuating ExB drift has been measured. Particle transport via this channel is comparable to the total particle loss from MST. Energy transport (from phi >/B o ) due to electrostatic fluctuations is relatively small, and parallel current transport (from parallel E chi >/B o ) may be small as well

Reframing the Public in Public Education: The Landless Workers Movement (MST) and Adult Education in Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

Thapliyal, Nisha

2013-01-01

Education for rural Brazilians has historically been dominated by two imperatives: human capital and political patronage. For the last four decades, the Landless Workers Movement (MST) have maintained a struggle to democratise public education and democracy itself. In this article, I make a situated analysis of the educational politics of the MST…

Phase synchronization based minimum spanning trees for analysis of financial time series with nonlinear correlations

Science.gov (United States)

Radhakrishnan, Srinivasan; Duvvuru, Arjun; Sultornsanee, Sivarit; Kamarthi, Sagar

2016-02-01

The cross correlation coefficient has been widely applied in financial time series analysis, in specific, for understanding chaotic behaviour in terms of stock price and index movements during crisis periods. To better understand time series correlation dynamics, the cross correlation matrices are represented as networks, in which a node stands for an individual time series and a link indicates cross correlation between a pair of nodes. These networks are converted into simpler trees using different schemes. In this context, Minimum Spanning Trees (MST) are the most favoured tree structures because of their ability to preserve all the nodes and thereby retain essential information imbued in the network. Although cross correlations underlying MSTs capture essential information, they do not faithfully capture dynamic behaviour embedded in the time series data of financial systems because cross correlation is a reliable measure only if the relationship between the time series is linear. To address the issue, this work investigates a new measure called phase synchronization (PS) for establishing correlations among different time series which relate to one another, linearly or nonlinearly. In this approach the strength of a link between a pair of time series (nodes) is determined by the level of phase synchronization between them. We compare the performance of phase synchronization based MST with cross correlation based MST along selected network measures across temporal frame that includes economically good and crisis periods. We observe agreement in the directionality of the results across these two methods. They show similar trends, upward or downward, when comparing selected network measures. Though both the methods give similar trends, the phase synchronization based MST is a more reliable representation of the dynamic behaviour of financial systems than the cross correlation based MST because of the former's ability to quantify nonlinear relationships among time

Selective lymphoid irradiation. V. Synergism with pretransplant thymectomy or thymic irradiation in cardiac transplantation in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iga, C.; Fawwaz, R.; Nowygrod, R.; Reemtsma, K.; Hardy, M.A.

1985-01-01

Selective lymphoid irradiation (SLI) using palladium-109-hematoporphyrin (Pd-H), given four days prior to transplantation, combined with two doses of antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) (10 mg, days -2 and -1), was evaluated as a method of induction of permanent heterotopic cardiac allograft survival in the highly histoincompatible rat strain combination of ACI (RT1(1))-to-Lewis (RT1a). Both Pd-H and ALG localize poorly in the thymus, so this study evaluated whether thymic irradiation (TI) or thymectomy (TX) of the adult recipient results in indefinite allograft survival. Immunosuppression with Pd-H or ALG alone gave a mean survival time (MST) of 6.7 +/- 0.6 days, but the combination of the two agents led to an MST of 17.6 +/- 3.4 days. When TI was combined with Pd-H and ALG, cardiac allograft survival was prolonged to 50.2 +/- 13.9 days, but TI alone showed an MST of 10.3 +/- 1.8 days. Permanent cardiac allograft survival (greater than 250 days) was achieved in all thymectomized recipients treated with the combination of Pd-H and a brief course of ALG. These animals also accepted second-set skin grafts and rejected third-party skin grafts following more than 150 days of ACI cardiac allograft survival. Thymic irradiation, although effective in acting synergistically with SLI and ALG, led to prolonged, but limited allograft survival, although thymectomy with SLI and ALG is synergistic in prolonging allograft survival permanently without chronic immunosuppression

Development of radio acoustic sounding system (RASS with Gadanki MST radar – first results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Tsuda

2008-09-01

Full Text Available A high-power acoustic exciter was designed and developed for the Gadanki MST Radar to facilitate observations in the Radio Acoustic Sounding System (RASS mode. Sweep range of acoustic signal frequencies was set to 94–125 Hz so as to satisfy Bragg matching condition for temperature range of −90°–40°C between surface and the tropopause (about 17 km. Raytracing of acoustic wave propagation was used to predict the antenna beam directions along which optimum RASS echoes could be obtained. During the RASS observation period of about 18 h on 23–24 July 2006 height profiles of atmospheric virtual temperature were obtained between 1.5 km and 10 km and occasionally up to 14 km. In comparison with the three simultaneous radiosonde launches, RASS derived temperature profiles had the r.m.s. discrepancy of about 1 K, although deviation of the RASS results sometimes appeared when the radial wind velocity was not fully available for the correction of apparent sound speed. This study has successfully demonstrated capability of the RASS application with the Gadanki MST radar, which will be used for continuous monitoring of the temperature profiles in the troposphere and lower stratosphere region in the tropics.

Identification and mitigation of stray laser light in the Thomson scattering system on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobson, C. M., E-mail: cjacobson@wisc.edu; Borchardt, M. T.; Den Hartog, D. J.; Falkowski, A. F.; Morton, L. A.; Thomas, M. A. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1150 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2016-11-15

The Thomson scattering diagnostic on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) records excessive levels of stray Nd:YAG laser light. Stray light saturates the 1064 nm spectral channel in all polychromators, which prevents absolute electron density measurements via Rayleigh scattering calibration. Furthermore, stray light contaminates adjacent spectral channels for r/a ≥ 0.75, which renders the diagnostic unable to make electron temperature measurements at these radii. In situ measurements of stray light levels during a vacuum vessel vent are used to identify stray light sources and strategies for reduction of stray light levels. Numerical modeling using Zemax OpticStudio supports these measurements. The model of the vacuum vessel and diagnostic includes synthetic collection optics to enable direct comparison of measured and simulated stray light levels. Modeling produces qualitatively similar stray light distributions to MST measurements, and quantifies the mitigation effects of stray light mitigation strategies prior to implementation.

Identification and mitigation of stray laser light in the Thomson scattering system on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobson, C. M.; Borchardt, M. T.; Den Hartog, D. J.; Falkowski, A. F.; Morton, L. A.; Thomas, M. A.

2016-01-01

The Thomson scattering diagnostic on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) records excessive levels of stray Nd:YAG laser light. Stray light saturates the 1064 nm spectral channel in all polychromators, which prevents absolute electron density measurements via Rayleigh scattering calibration. Furthermore, stray light contaminates adjacent spectral channels for r/a ≥ 0.75, which renders the diagnostic unable to make electron temperature measurements at these radii. In situ measurements of stray light levels during a vacuum vessel vent are used to identify stray light sources and strategies for reduction of stray light levels. Numerical modeling using Zemax OpticStudio supports these measurements. The model of the vacuum vessel and diagnostic includes synthetic collection optics to enable direct comparison of measured and simulated stray light levels. Modeling produces qualitatively similar stray light distributions to MST measurements, and quantifies the mitigation effects of stray light mitigation strategies prior to implementation.

Median survival time of patients after transcatheter chemo-embolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haider, Z.; Haq, T.; Munir, K.; Usman, M.U.; Azeemuddin, M.

2006-01-01

Objective: To determine the effect on survival after trans arterial chemo embolization (TACE) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Radiology Department, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Stadium Road, Karachi, from December 1997 to September 2005. Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing TACE procedure for HCC were prospectively followed. Forty three patients were enrolled from December 1997 to March 2003 in the study and subjected to chemo embolization therapy. Eight out of 43 patients were excluded from the study, who lost to follow-up. All the patients were followed till their death. Median and mean survival were calculated. Results: The median survival of these 35 patients was 410 days (13.6 months), with 95% confidence interval (236 days lower bound and 536 days upper bound). Mean survival time was 603 days (20.1 months) with 95% confidence interval (394 days lower bound and 812 days upper bound). There was significant difference in mean survival time (in days) by Child's Pugh class (X2 = 12.384; df=2, p-value=0.002). Conclusion: The study showed that TACE is an effective palliative treatment. TACE increases the median survival time. (author)

20 ANOS EM MOVIMENTO. 20 ANOS DE EZLN E MST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Ramon Montenegro Gómez

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Ao longo dos meses de abril e maio, aconteceu na FCT/UNESP, campus de Presidente Prudente, uma série de atividades, organizadas pelo Centro de Estudos de Geografia do Trabalho – CEGeT, pelo Centro de Memória e Hemeroteca Sindical “Florestan Fernandes” – CEMOSi e pelo Núcleo de Estudos, Pesquisas e Projetos de Reforma Agrária – NERA, apresentando as lutas e resistências dos dois movimentos sociais com maior visibilidade e reconhecimento na América Latina (e, seguramente, no mundo: O Exército Zapatista de Libertação Nacional – EZLN e o Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra – MST.

The survival time of chocolates on hospital wards: covert observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gajendragadkar, Parag R; Moualed, Daniel J; Nicolson, Phillip L R; Adjei, Felicia D; Cakebread, Holly E; Duehmke, Rudolf M; Martin, Claire A

2013-12-14

To quantify the consumption of chocolates in a hospital ward environment. Multicentre, prospective, covert observational study. Four wards at three hospitals (where the authors worked) within the United Kingdom. Boxes of Quality Street (Nestlé) and Roses (Cadbury) on the ward and anyone eating these chocolates. Observers covertly placed two 350 g boxes of Quality Street and Roses chocolates on each ward (eight boxes were used in the study containing a total of 258 individual chocolates). These boxes were kept under continuous covert surveillance, with the time recorded when each chocolate was eaten. Median survival time of a chocolate. 191 out of 258 (74%) chocolates were observed being eaten. The mean total observation period was 254 minutes (95% confidence interval 179 to 329). The median survival time of a chocolate was 51 minutes (39 to 63). The model of chocolate consumption was non-linear, with an initial rapid rate of consumption that slowed with time. An exponential decay model best fitted these findings (model R(2)=0.844, P<0.001), with a survival half life (time taken for 50% of the chocolates to be eaten) of 99 minutes. The mean time taken to open a box of chocolates from first appearance on the ward was 12 minutes (95% confidence interval 0 to 24). Quality Street chocolates survived longer than Roses chocolates (hazard ratio for survival of Roses v Quality Street 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 0.93, P=0.014). The highest percentages of chocolates were consumed by healthcare assistants (28%) and nurses (28%), followed by doctors (15%). From our observational study, chocolate survival in a hospital ward was relatively short, and was modelled well by an exponential decay model. Roses chocolates were preferentially consumed to Quality Street chocolates in a ward setting. Chocolates were consumed primarily by healthcare assistants and nurses, followed by doctors. Further practical studies are needed.

A brief history of the development of wind-profiling or MST radars

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. E. Van Zandt

2000-07-01

Full Text Available The history of the development of the wind-profiling or MST radar technique is reviewed from its inception in the late 1960s to the present. Extensions of the technique by the development of boundary-layer radars and the radio-acoustic sounding system (RASS technique to measure temperature are documented. Applications are described briefly, particularly practical applications to weather forecasting, with data from networks of radars, and scientific applications to the study of rapidly varying atmospheric phenomena such as gravity waves and turbulence.Key words: Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (instruments and techniques · Radio science (remote sensing; instruments and techniques

Association between time to disease progression end points and overall survival in patients with neuroendocrine tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh S

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Simron Singh,1 Xufang Wang,2 Calvin HL Law1 1Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; 2Novartis Oncology, Florham Park, NJ, USA Abstract: Overall survival can be difficult to determine for slowly progressing malignancies, such as neuroendocrine tumors. We investigated whether time to disease progression is positively associated with overall survival in patients with such tumors. A literature review identified 22 clinical trials in patients with neuroendocrine tumors that reported survival probabilities for both time to disease progression (progression-free survival and time to progression and overall survival. Associations between median time to disease progression and median overall survival and between treatment effects on time to disease progression and treatment effects on overall survival were analyzed using weighted least-squares regression. Median time to disease progression was significantly associated with median overall survival (coefficient 0.595; P=0.022. In the seven randomized studies identified, the risk reduction for time to disease progression was positively associated with the risk reduction for overall survival (coefficient on −ln[HR] 0.151; 95% confidence interval −0.843, 1.145; P=0.713. The significant association between median time to disease progression and median overall survival supports the assertion that time to disease progression is an alternative end point to overall survival in patients with neuroendocrine tumors. An apparent albeit not significant trend correlates treatment effects on time to disease progression and treatment effects on overall survival. Informal surveys of physicians’ perceptions are consistent with these concepts, although additional randomized trials are needed. Keywords: neuroendocrine tumors, progression-free survival, disease progression, mortality

Task completion report for investigating why output signal-variable values differ from their output component-parameter values in test problem MST2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinke, R.G.

1997-01-01

Signal-variable values and their component-parameter values differ in an end-of-timestep edit to the TRCOUT and TRCGRF files because signal variables have beginning-of-timestep values, and component parameters have end-of-timestep values. Oscillatory divergence in the MST2 standard test problem after 9000 s occurs because of TRAC-P's numerical evaluation at a 1000 material Courant number. The magnitude of that divergence has diminished by a factor of 3.5 from Version 5.3.01 to 5.4.15 and by a factor of 25 from Version 5.4.15 to 5.4.28. That divergence can be eliminated by evaluating MST2 with a maximum material Courant number of 500

Integral Time and the Varieties of Post-Mortem Survival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean M. Kelly

2008-06-01

Full Text Available While the question of survival of bodily death is usually approached byfocusing on the mind/body relation (and often with the idea of the soul as a special kindof substance, this paper explores the issue in the context of our understanding of time.The argument of the paper is woven around the central intuition of time as an “everlivingpresent.” The development of this intuition allows for a more integral or “complexholistic”theory of time, the soul, and the question of survival. Following the introductorymatter, the first section proposes a re-interpretation of Nietzsche’s doctrine of eternalrecurrence in terms of moments and lives as “eternally occurring.” The next section is atreatment of Julian Barbour’s neo-Machian model of instants of time as configurations inthe n-dimensional phase-space he calls “Platonia.” While rejecting his claim to have doneaway with time, I do find his model suggestive of the idea of moments and lives aseternally occurring. The following section begins with Fechner’s visionary ideas of thenature of the soul and its survival of bodily death, with particular attention to the notionof holonic inclusion and the central analogy of the transition from perception to memory.I turn next to Whitehead’s equally holonic notions of prehension and the concrescence ofactual occasions. From his epochal theory of time and certain ambiguities in hisreflections on the “divine antinomies,” we are brought to the threshold of a potentiallymore integral or “complex-holistic” theory of time and survival, which is treated in thelast section. This section draws from my earlier work on Hegel, Jung, and Edgar Morin,as well as from key insights of Jean Gebser, for an interpretation of Sri Aurobindo’sinspired but cryptic description of the “Supramental Time Vision.” This interpretationleads to an alternative understanding of reincarnation—and to the possibility of itsreconciliation with the once-only view

Helicopter crashes into water: warning time, final position, and other factors affecting survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Christopher J; MacDonald, Conor V; Baker, Susan P; Shanahan, Dennis F; Haaland, Wren L

2014-04-01

According to 40 yr of data, the fatality rate for a helicopter crash into water is approximately 25%. Does warning time and the final position of the helicopter in the water influence the survival rate? The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database was queried to identify helicopter crashes into water between 1981 and 2011 in the Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii. Fatality rate, amount of warning time prior to the crash, and final position of the helicopter were identified. There were 133 helicopters that crashed into water with 456 crew and passengers. Of these, 119 occupants (26%) did not survive; of those who did survive, 38% were injured. Twelve died after making a successful escape from the helicopter. Crashes with 1 min. However, more than half of fatalities (57%) came from crashes for which the warning time could not be determined. Lack of warning time and how to survive in the water after the crash should be a topic for study in all marine survival/aircraft ditching courses. Investigators should be trained to provide estimates of warning time when investigating helicopter crashes into water.

On the Survival Time of a Duplex System: A Sokhotski-Plemelj Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edmond J. Vanderperre

2008-12-01

Full Text Available We analyze the survival time of a renewable duplex system characterized by warm standby and subjected to a priority rule. In order to obtain the Laplace transform of the survival function, we employ a stochastic process endowed with time-dependent transition measures satisfying coupled partial differential equations. The solution procedure is based on the theory of sectionally holomorphic functions combined with the notion of dual transforms. Finally, we introduce a security interval related to a prescribed security level and a suitable risk criterion based on the survival function of the system. As an example, we consider the particular case of deterministic repair. A computer-plotted graph displays the survival function together with the security interval corresponding to a security level of 90%.

Magnetic fluctuation induced transport and edge dynamo measurements in the MST reversed-field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hokin, S.; Fiksel, G.; Ji, H.

1994-09-01

Probe measurements in MST indicate that RFP particle and energy loss is governed by magnetic fluctuations inside r/a = 0.8, with energy carried out convectively by superthermal electrons. The radial loss rate is lower than the Rechester-Rosenbluth level, presumably due to the establishment of a restraining ambipolar potential. Several aspects of these measurements contradict the Kinetic Dynamo Theory, while the MHD dynamo EMF is measured to be large enough to drive the edge current carried by these superthermal electrons

Long-term results of a randomized controlled trial evaluating preoperative chemotherapy in resectable non-small cell lung cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen ZW

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Zhiwei Chen,* Qingquan Luo,* Hong Jian, Zhen Zhou, Baijun Cheng, Shun Lu, Meilin LiaoShanghai Lung Tumor Clinical Medical Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equallyObjective: We aimed to evaluate whether preoperative chemotherapy provides benefits in the survival and prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC in resectable stages I to IIIA, except T1N0. Methods: In this randomized, controlled trial, 356 patients with stage I (except for T1N0, II and IIIA NSCLC were assigned to either the preoperative chemotherapy plus surgery arm (179 patients or the primary surgery arm (177 patients. Both treatments were followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The end point of this study included overall survival (OS, progression-free survival (PFS, and survival rate associated with clinical remission. Results: Statistical survival difference was found between the preoperative chemotherapy plus surgery arm and the surgery-alone arm. However, the median survival time (MST in the preoperative chemotherapy arm was lower than that of surgery-alone arm (MST, 45.42 months vs 57.59 months (P = 0.016. When comparing the effect of preoperative chemotherapy at each stage of NSCLC, a statistical survival difference was found in stage II NSCLC but not in stage I and IIIA (MST 40.86 months vs 80.81 months (P = 0.044. However, no statistically significant difference in PFS was noticed between the two arms, except for stage I NSCLC (hazard radio [HR] = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.561−1.629; P = 0.027. The survival rate was higher for patients who had clinical remission after preoperative chemotherapy, but the differences did not reach statistical significance (MST 42.10 months vs 35.33 months (P = 0.630. Conclusion: Preoperative chemotherapy did not show benefits in OS and PFS for stage I-IIIA NSCLC patients. Keywords: NSCLC, neoadjuvent, mitomycin, cisplatin, vindesine

Sex-related time-dependent variations in post-stroke survival-evidence of a female stroke survival advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Tom Skyhøj; Dehlendorff, Christian; Andersen, Klaus Kaae

2007-01-01

the influence of gender on post-stroke mortality, from the time of admission through the subsequent years until death or censoring ( mean follow-up time: 538 days). All patients underwent an evaluation including stroke severity, computed tomography and cardiovascular risk factors. Independent predictors......Background: Women live longer than men, yet most studies show that gender has no influence on survival after stroke. Methods: A registry was started in 2001, with the aim of registering all hospitalized stroke patients in Denmark, and it now holds 39,484 patients of which 48% are female. We studied...... of death were identified by means of a survival model based on 22,222 individuals with a complete data set. Results: Females were older and had severer stroke. Interestingly, the risk of death between genders was time dependent. The female/male stroke mortality rate favoured women from the first day...

O MST e a “radicalização democrática”: quando o conservadorismo parece progressista

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frederico Daia Firmiano

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Este texto faz uma discussão sobre a perspectiva da radicalização democrática e a abordagem Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR; mso-fareast-language: PT-BR; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">baseada no “ambiente institucional possibilitador aliado às organizações populares autônomas” de Miguel Carter, apontando alguns de seus limites e a necessidade de sua superação por teorias que consideram os movimentos de luta pela reforma agrária, como o MST, experiências que portam a sociedade futura, a sociedade socialista.

A brief history of the development of wind-profiling or MST radars

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T. E. Van Zandt

Full Text Available The history of the development of the wind-profiling or MST radar technique is reviewed from its inception in the late 1960s to the present. Extensions of the technique by the development of boundary-layer radars and the radio-acoustic sounding system (RASS technique to measure temperature are documented. Applications are described briefly, particularly practical applications to weather forecasting, with data from networks of radars, and scientific applications to the study of rapidly varying atmospheric phenomena such as gravity waves and turbulence.

Key words: Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (instruments and techniques · Radio science (remote sensing; instruments and techniques

Long-term maintenance combination chemotherapy with OPEC/MPEC (vincristine or methotrexate, prednisolone, etoposide and cyclophosphamide) or with daily oral etoposide and prednisolone can improve survival and quality of life in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsushita, K; Matsumoto, T; Ohtsubo, H; Fujiwara, H; Imamura, N; Hidaka, S; Kukita, T; Tei, C; Matsumoto, M; Arima, N

1999-12-01

Acute leukemia and lymphoma varieties of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) usually carry a poor prognosis. While etoposide is generally useful for treating ATL, especially as a daily oral maintenance regimen, etoposide has not proven effective in severe types of ATL efficient in some patients. Of 87 ATL patients whom we have treated, 51 had acute leukemia, 22 lymphoma and 14 progressive chronic leukemia. Seventy-nine patients were treated with a long term maintenance combination protocol, OPEC/MPEC (weekly doses of vincristine, 0.7 mg/m2 or methotrexate, 14 mg/m2; prednisolone, 20 mg/m2; etoposide, 70 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide, 200 mg/m2). The other 8 patients, 3 with acute leukemia, 2 with lymphoma and 3 with progressive chronic leukemia, were treated with daily oral administration of 25 mg of etoposide and 10 mg of prednisolone (DOEP). The dose administered was modified in individual cases to maintain the granulocyte count and reduce the number of ATL cells. Considering both protocols, a complete response and a partial response were achieved in 31.0% and 58.6% patients, respectively. Median survival times (MST) of all patients and, acute leukemia, lymphoma and progressive chronic leukemia types were 7.5, 6.7, 9.6 and 12.4 months, respectively. Respective MST of patients treated with OPEC/MPEC or DOEP protocols were 7.1 and 18.0 months. Relatively normal WBC counts, lower lactate dehydrogenase concentration and normal calcium concentration, limited numbers of anatomic sites involved, good performance status and good response to chemotherapy were significantly associated with long survival time. Drug toxicity was not apparent, and about half of patients were treated in an outpatient setting.

Tunicamycin Enhances Neuroinvasion and Pathogenicity in Mice with Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Steele, Keith

2003-01-01

...) decreased mean survival time (MST) of 7.3 days versus 9.9 days in controls. Using plaque assay, V3000 reached nearly 107 pfu/gram in the brains of TM-treated mice at 48 hours post inoculation (PI...

The first report from Sapporo Tsukisamu Hospital. Chemotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamitsu, Susumu; Kimura, Hiromichi; Yamada, Yoshiyuki; Inui, Noriaki; Hiyama, Shigemi; Hirata, Koichi; Kimura, Yasutoshi; Koito, Kazumitsu; Shirasaka, Tetsuhiko

2007-01-01

The remedy, especially chemotherapy, for advanced pancreatic cancer is hardly ever successful in terms of efficacy rate and survival period, because it is virtually unable to contribute to the improvement of median survival time (MST). Thus, we devised a new intermittent dosage regimen utilizing the cell cycle difference of normal gastrointestinal (GI) tract, bone marrow cell and pancreatic cancer cell, making use of 5-FU (→S-1), cisplatin (CDDP) and paclitaxel in March 2002. Ten patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (4 in Stage IVa and 6 in Stage IVb) were treated with this new regimen. As a result, an efficacy ratio of 50.0% and a 1-year survival ratio of 60.0% were achieved. However, 2-year survival ratio of 12.0% was low, and there was no 3-year survivor. The MST was 19 months as of December 31, 2006. All of the non-hematological toxicities were under grade 2. Eight patients had hematological toxicities over grade 3 and most of them were anemia and neutropenia. Only 2 cases had thrombocytopenia. Although adverse effects related to this regimen were clinically manageable, it was difficult to improve MST of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer with chemotherapy alone including this regimen. Hence, we devised another regimen with the joint use of radiotherapy along with the same chemotherapy regimen in January 2003. Twenty patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (Stage IV) were treated with this regimen. It is presently under way, and an efficacy ratio of 35.0%, 1-year survival ratio of 86.3% and 2-year survival ratio of 64.0% were obtained by May 2005, showing that this may contribute to the extension of survival time of Stage IV pancreatic cancer patients. (author)

Integral Time and the Varieties of Post-Mortem Survival

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Sean M. Kelly

2008-06-01

Full Text Available While the question of survival of bodily death is usually approached by focusing on the mind/body relation (and often with the idea of the soul as a special kind of substance, this paper explores the issue in the context of our understanding of time. The argument of the paper is woven around the central intuition of time as an “ever-living present.” The development of this intuition allows for a more integral or “complex-holistic” theory of time, the soul, and the question of survival. Following the introductory matter, the first section proposes a re-interpretation of Nietzsche’s doctrine of eternal recurrence in terms of moments and lives as “eternally occurring.” The next section is a treatment of Julian Barbour’s neo-Machian model of instants of time as configurations in the n-dimensional phase-space he calls “Platonia.” While rejecting his claim to have done away with time, I do find his model suggestive of the idea of moments and lives as eternally occurring. The following section begins with Fechner’s visionary ideas of the nature of the soul and its survival of bodily death, with particular attention to the notion of holonic inclusion and the central analogy of the transition from perception to memory. I turn next to Whitehead’s equally holonic notions of prehension and the concrescence of actual occasions. From his epochal theory of time and certain ambiguities in his reflections on the “divine antinomies,” we are brought to the threshold of a potentially more integral or “complex-holistic” theory of time and survival, which is treated in the last section. This section draws from my earlier work on Hegel, Jung, and Edgar Morin, as well as from key insights of Jean Gebser, for an interpretation of Sri Aurobindo’s inspired but cryptic description of the “Supramental Time Vision.” This interpretation leads to an alternative understanding of reincarnation—and to the possibility of its reconciliation

[Survival time of HIV/AIDS cases and related factors in Beijing, 1995-2015].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y; Wang, J; He, S F; Chen, J; Lu, H Y

2017-11-10

Objective: To analyze the survival time of HIV/AIDS cases and related factors in Beijing from 1995 to 2015. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the data of 12 874 HIV/AIDS cases. The data were collected from Chinese HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Information Management System. Life table method was applied to calculate the survival proportion, and Cox proportion hazard regression model were used to identify the factors related with survival time. Results: Among 12 874 HIV/AIDS cases, 303 (2.4%) died of AIDS related diseases; 9 346 (72.6%) received antiretroviral therapy. The average survival time was 226.5 months (95 %CI : 223.0-230.1), and the survival rates of 1, 5, 10, and 15 years were 98.2%, 96.4%, 93.2%, and 91.9% respectively. Multivariate Cox proportion hazard regression model showed that AIDS phase ( HR =1.439, 95 %CI : 1.041-1.989), heterosexual transmission ( HR =1.646, 95 %CI : 1.184-2.289), being married ( HR =2.186, 95 %CI : 1.510-3.164); older age (≥60 years) at diagnosis ( HR =6.608, 95 %CI : 3.546-12.316); lower CD(4)(+)T cell counts at diagnosis (<350 cells/μl) ( HR =8.711, 95 %CI : 5.757-13.181); receiving no antiretroviral therapy (ART) ( HR =18.223, 95 %CI : 13.317-24.937) were the high risk factors influencing the survival of AIDS patients compared with HIV phase, homosexual transmission, being unmarried, younger age (≤30 years), higher CD(4)(+)T cell count (≥350 cell/μl) and receiving ART. Conclusion: The average survival time of HIV/AIDS cases was 226.5 months after diagnoses. Receiving ART, higher CD(4)(+)T cell counts at the first test, HIV phase, younger age, being unmarried and the homosexual transmission were related to the longer survival time of HIV/AIDS cases. Receiving no ART, the lower CD(4)(+)T cell counts at the first test, AIDS phase, older age, being married and heterosexual transmission indicated higher risk of death due to AIDS.

[Intraoperative intraperitoneal chemoperfusion treatment with cisplatin and dioxadet on a model of peritoneal carcinomatosis in ovarian cancer: safety and efficacy evaluation].

Science.gov (United States)

Bespalov, V G; Kireeva, G S; Belyaeva, O A; Senchik, K Yu; Stukov, A N; Gafton, G I; Soloviev, L A; Vasilchenko, M V; Guseinov, K D; Alexeev, V V; Belyaev, A M

2015-01-01

A comparative study of safety and efficacy of normothermic and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (IPEC and HIPEC) with cisplatin and dioxadet was carried out in 143 female Wistar rats. Ovarian cancer was inoculated intraperitoneally (i.p.). In 48 hours after ovarian cancer inoculation the drugs were administered i.p. or IPEC and HIPEC with the drugs were performed using maximum tolerated doses (MTD). Content of cisplatin was determined in the perfusate and blood plasma during HIPEC with the drug. The leukocyte count was measured using veterinary hematologic analyzer in peripheral blood of rats at different time points after HIPEC with dioxadet. Efficacy of the treatment was estimated in increase in median survival time (MST). During HIPEC cisplatin was accumulated in the abdominal cavity in a considerable amount with minimal systemic absorption. HIPEC with dioxadet didn't significantly affect the leukocyte count in peripheral blood while i.p. administration of dioxadet suppressed leukopoiesis. MST of rats after IPEC with cisplatin was 37.5 days which was significantly higher compared to MST after i.p. administration of cisplatin (19.5 days, p = 0.037). HIPEC with dioxadet was the most effective regimen of treatment with MST of rats reaching 49 days which was significantly higher compared to MST after HIPEC with cisplatin (25.5 days, p = 0.002).

Absolute brightness modeling for improved measurement of electron temperature from soft x-rays on MST

Science.gov (United States)

Reusch, L. M.; Franz, P.; Goetz, J. A.; den Hartog, D. J.; Nornberg, M. D.; van Meter, P.

2017-10-01

The two-color soft x-ray tomography (SXT) diagnostic on MST is now capable of Te measurement down to 500 eV. The previous lower limit was 1 keV, due to the presence of SXR emission lines from Al sputtered from the MST wall. The two-color technique uses two filters of different thickness to form a coarse spectrometer to estimate the slope of the continuum x-ray spectrum, which depends on Te. The 1.6 - 2.0 keV Al emission lines were previously filtered out by using thick Be filters (400 µm and 800 µm), thus restricting the range of the SXT diagnostic to Te >= 1 keV. Absolute brightness modeling explicitly includes several sources of radiation in the analysis model, enabling the use of thinner filters and measurement of much lower Te. Models based on the atomic database and analysis structure (ADAS) agree very well with our experimental SXR measurements. We used ADAS to assess the effect of bremsstrahlung, recombination, dielectronic recombination, and line emission on the inferred Te. This assessment informed the choice of the optimum filter pair to extend the Te range of the SXT diagnostic. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences program under Award Numbers DE-FC02-05ER54814 and DE-SC0015474.

Retrospective Comparative Study of the Effects of Dendritic Cell Vaccine and Cytokine-Induced Killer Cell Immunotherapy with that of Chemotherapy Alone and in Combination for Colorectal Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingxiu Niu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. This retrospective study determined the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH skin test and safety of dendritic cell (DC vaccine and cytokine-induced killer (CIK cell immunotherapy and the survival compared to chemotherapy in 239 colorectal cancer (CRC patients. Methods. DTH and safety of the immunotherapy were recorded. The overall survival (OS and disease free survival curves were compared according to the immunotherapy and/or chemotherapy received with Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results. Of the 70 patients who received immunotherapy, 62.86% had a positive DTH skin test, 38.57% developed fever, 47.14% developed insomnia, 38.57% developed anorexia, 4.29% developed joint soreness, and 11.43% developed skin rash. For 204 resectable CRC patients, median survival time (MST (198.00 days was significantly longer in patients with immunotherapy plus chemotherapy than with chemotherapy alone (106.00 days (P=0.02. For 35 patients with unresectable or postsurgery relapsed CRC and who were confirmed to be dead, no statistical difference was observed in the MST between the patients treated with immunotherapy and with chemotherapy (P=0.41. MST in the patients treated with chemotherapy plus immunotherapy was 154 days longer than that of patients treated with chemotherapy alone (P=0.41. Conclusions. DC vaccination and CIK immunotherapy did not cause severe adverse effects, induce immune response against CRC, and prolong OS.

Clinical findings and survival time in dogs with advanced heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaumier, Amelie; Rush, John E; Yang, Vicky K; Freeman, Lisa M

2018-04-10

Dogs with advanced heart failure are a clinical challenge for veterinarians but there are no studies reporting clinical features and outcome of this population. To describe clinical findings and outcome of dogs with advanced heart failure caused by degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD). Fifty-four dogs with advanced heart failure because of DMVD. For study purposes, advanced heart failure was defined as recurrence of congestive heart failure signs despite receiving the initially prescribed dose of pimobendan, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), and furosemide >4 mg/kg/day. Data were collected for the time of diagnosis of Stage C heart failure and time of diagnosis of advanced heart failure. Date of death was recorded. At the diagnosis of advanced heart failure, doses of pimobendan (n = 30), furosemide (n = 28), ACEI (n = 13), and spironolactone (n = 4) were increased, with ≥1 new medications added in most dogs. After initial diagnosis of advanced heart failure, 38 (70%) dogs had additional medications adjustments (median = 2 [range, 0-27]), with the final total medication number ranging from 2-10 (median = 5). Median survival time after diagnosis of advanced heart failure was 281 days (range, 3-885 days). Dogs receiving a furosemide dose >6.70 mg/kg/day had significantly longer median survival times (402 days [range, 3-885 days] versus 129 days [range 9-853 days]; P = .017). Dogs with advanced heart failure can have relatively long survival times. Higher furosemide dose and non-hospitalization were associated with longer survival. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Effect of 34 kinds of traditional Japanese herbal medicines on prolongation of cardiac allograft survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, X; Uchiyama, M; Zhang, Q; Harada, T; Otsuka, K; Shimokawa, T; Niimi, M

2014-05-01

Herbal medicines have been used for over 3,000 years in Asian as alternative therapy for their variety effects and have recently become popular in Europe and the United States. In the last 30 years, Japanese herbal medicines were widely used for treatment of diseases after been recognized officially by Japanese government. In this study, we investigated the effect of 34 kinds of traditional Japanese herbal medicines on alloimmune responses in a murine model of cardiac allograft transplantation. CBA mice (H2(k)) underwent transplantation of a C57BL/6 (H2(b)) heart and received oral administration of 2 g/kg/d of the 34 kinds of herbal medicines from the day of transplantation until 7 days afterward. Naïve CBA mice rejected B6 cardiac grafts acutely (median survival time [MST], 7 days). CBA transplant recipients given 2 g/kg/d of Sairei-to (TJ-114) and Tokishakuyaku-san (TJ-23) had prolonged C57BL/6 allograft survival indefinitely (both MSTs > 100 days). Moreover, CBA transplant recipients given Seisinrensiin (TJ-111), Tokishigyakukagoshuyushokyoto (TJ-38), Rikkunshito (TJ-43), Maobushisaishinto (TJ-127), Ninjin-yoei-to (TJ-108), Ryokan-kyomi-shinge-nin-to (TJ-119), Inchingorei-san (TJ-117), Hochuekkito (TJ-41), Kihi-to (TJ-65), and Sinbu-to (TJ-30) had also prolonged C57BL/6 allograft survival significantly (MSTs of 28, 22, 16, 14, 14, 13, 12, 9.5, 9 and 9 days, respectively). However, none of other 22 kinds of herbal medicines could prolong the allograft survival. Furthermore, oral administration of 2 g/kg/d of Daikenchuto (TJ-100) induced sudden death (within 1 minute) in CBA mice. In conclusion, 12 kinds of Japanese herbal medicines prolonged allograft survival and one showed toxic effect in mice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modelling the joint distribution of competing risks survival times using copula functions

OpenAIRE

Kaishev, V. K.; Haberman, S.; Dimitrova, D. S.

2005-01-01

The problem of modelling the joint distribution of survival times in a competing risks model, using copula functions is considered. In order to evaluate this joint distribution and the related overall survival function, a system of non-linear differential equations is solved, which relates the crude and net survival functions of the modelled competing risks, through the copula. A similar approach to modelling dependent multiple decrements was applied by Carriere (1994) who used a Gaussian cop...

Association of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Survival According to Ambulance Response Times After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajan, Shahzleen; Wissenberg, Mads; Folke, Fredrik; Hansen, Steen Møller; Gerds, Thomas A; Kragholm, Kristian; Hansen, Carolina Malta; Karlsson, Lena; Lippert, Freddy K; Køber, Lars; Gislason, Gunnar H; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

2016-12-20

Bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases patient survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, but it is unknown to what degree bystander CPR remains positively associated with survival with increasing time to potential defibrillation. The main objective was to examine the association of bystander CPR with survival as time to advanced treatment increases. We studied 7623 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients between 2005 and 2011, identified through the nationwide Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between time from 911 call to emergency medical service arrival (response time) and survival according to whether bystander CPR was provided (yes or no). Reported are 30-day survival chances with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals. With increasing response times, adjusted 30-day survival chances decreased for both patients with bystander CPR and those without. However, the contrast between the survival chances of patients with versus without bystander CPR increased over time: within 5 minutes, 30-day survival was 14.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.8-16.4) versus 6.3% (95% CI: 5.1-7.6), corresponding to 2.3 times higher chances of survival associated with bystander CPR; within 10 minutes, 30-day survival chances were 6.7% (95% CI: 5.4-8.1) versus 2.2% (95% CI: 1.5-3.1), corresponding to 3.0 times higher chances of 30-day survival associated with bystander CPR. The contrast in 30-day survival became statistically insignificant when response time was >13 minutes (bystander CPR vs no bystander CPR: 3.7% [95% CI: 2.2-5.4] vs 1.5% [95% CI: 0.6-2.7]), but 30-day survival was still 2.5 times higher associated with bystander CPR. Based on the model and Danish out-of-hospital cardiac arrest statistics, an additional 233 patients could potentially be saved annually if response time was reduced from 10 to 5 minutes and 119 patients if response time was reduced from 7 (the median

Time-Dependent Effects of Acute Exercise on University Students’ Cognitive Performance in Temperate and Cold Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling-Yu Ji

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Few studies have examined the acute exercise-induced changes in cognitive performance in different thermal environments and the time course effects.Objective: Investigate the time-dependent effects of acute exercise on university students’ processing speed, working memory and cognitive flexibility in temperate and cold environments.Method: Twenty male university students (age 23.5 ± 2.0 years with moderate physical activity level participated in a repeated-measures within-subjects design. Processing speed, working memory and cognitive flexibility were assessed using CogState test battery at baseline (BASE, followed by a 45-min rest (REST, immediately after (EX and 30 min after (POST-EX 30-min moderate-intensity treadmill running in both temperate (TEMP; 25°C and cold (COLD; 10°C environments. Mean skin temperature (MST and thermal sensation (TS were also recorded. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed to analyze each variable. Spearman’s rho was used to identify the correlations between MST, TS and cognitive performance.Results: Reaction time (RT of processing speed and working memory decreased immediately after exercise in both conditions (processing speed: p = 0.003; working memory: p = 0.007. The facilitating effects on processing speed disappeared within 30 min after exercise in TEMP (p = 0.163 and COLD (p = 0.667, while improvements on working memory remained 30 min after exercise in TEMP (p = 0.047, but not in COLD (p = 0.663. Though RT of cognitive flexibility reduced in both conditions (p = 0.003, no significance was found between EX and REST (p = 0.135. Increased MST and TS were significantly associated with reductions in processing speed RT (MST: r = -0.341, p < 0.001; TS: r = -0.262, p = 0.001 and working memory RT (MST: r = -0.282, p < 0.001; TS: r = -0.2229, p = 0.005, and improvements in working memory accuracy (MST: r = 0.249, p = 0.002; TS: r = 0.255, p = 0.001.Conclusion: The results demonstrate

Measurement of Survival Time in Brachionus Rotifers: Synchronization of Maternal Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Gen; Yoshinaga, Tatsuki; Gribble, Kristin E; Welch, David M; Ushio, Hideki

2016-07-22

Rotifers are microscopic cosmopolitan zooplankton used as models in ecotoxicological and aging studies due to their several advantages such as short lifespan, ease of culture, and parthenogenesis that enables clonal culture. However, caution is required when measuring their survival time as it is affected by maternal age and maternal feeding conditions. Here we provide a protocol for powerful and reproducible measurement of the survival time in Brachionus rotifers following a careful synchronization of culture conditions over several generations. Empirically, poor synchronization results in early mortality and a gradual decrease in survival rate, thus resulting in weak statistical power. Indeed, under such conditions, calorie restriction (CR) failed to significantly extend the lifespan of B. plicatilis although CR-induced longevity has been demonstrated with well-synchronized rotifer samples in past and present studies. This protocol is probably useful for other invertebrate models, including the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, because maternal age effects have also been reported in these species.

Clinical results of BNCT for malignant gliomas using BSH and BPA simultaneously

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyatake, Shin-ichi; Kawabata, Shinji; Kajimoto, Yoshinaga

2006-01-01

Since 2002 to 2006, we applied BNCT for 41 cases of malignant gliomas. We used 3 different protocols. In each protocol, we used BSH and BPA simultaneously. In protocol 1, BSH 5g/body and BPA 250 mg/kg were used for consecutive 13 cases. Median survival time (MST) of newly diagnosed 4 cases of GB was 23 months after diagnosis. 2 cases were still alive. All cases including recurrent ones showed radiographic improvement. Eight out of 12 cases showed more than 50% mass reduction on images. Major cause of death was CSF dissemination. In protocol 2, BNCT were applied for 4 patients, two times with one to 2 week-interval. MST after BNCT was 13.3 months. In protocol 3, BPA 700 mg/kg were used with 20 to 30 Gy XRT after BNCT. XRT boost was applied especially for deeper part of the tumor. In protocol 3, 6 newly diagnosed GB patients were observed more than 16 months. 3 were dead and 3 were still alive on the preparation of this abstract. MST of these 6 patients was 17.3 months after diagnosis. In each protocol, radiation necrosis was the problem for recurrent cases, while removal of the necrosis prolonged the survival and recovered the neurological deficits. (author)

(Re politicizing the concept of gender: the political participation of the women in the MST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Gonçalves

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In this article we examine the complex and contradictory construction of the Gender Sector as a part of the organizational structure of the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST. The background is formed by the tensions surrounding the political participation of women in the struggle for land, in which the initial emphasis given to the category woman is substituted by the concept of gender. More than a simple alteration in terminology, this change involves the challenge of understanding theoretically and constructing in political practice new gender relations.

Causal inference for long-term survival in randomised trials with treatment switching: Should re-censoring be applied when estimating counterfactual survival times?

OpenAIRE

Latimer, N.R.; White, I.R.; Abrams, K.R.; Sieburt, U.

2017-01-01

Treatment switching often has a crucial impact on estimates of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of new oncology treatments. Rank preserving structural failure time models (RPSFTM) and two-stage estimation (TSE) methods estimate ‘counterfactual’ (i.e. had there been no switching) survival times and incorporate re-censoring to guard against informative censoring in the counterfactual dataset. However, re-censoring causes a loss of longer term survival information which is problematic when e...

Association of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and survival according to ambulance response-times after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rajan, Shahzleen; Wissenberg, Mads; Folke, Fredrik

2016-01-01

30-day survival chances decreased for both patients with bystander CPR and those without. However, the contrast between the survival chances of patients with versus without bystander CPR increased over time: within 5 minutes, 30-day survival was 14.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.8-16.4) versus...... 6.3% (95% CI: 5.1-7.6), corresponding to 2.3 times higher chances of survival associated with bystander CPR; within 10 minutes, 30-day survival chances were 6.7% (95% CI: 5.4-8.1) versus 2.2% (95% CI: 1.5-3.1), corresponding to 3.0 times higher chances of 30-day survival associated with bystander...... CPR. The contrast in 30-day survival became statistically insignificant when response time was >13 minutes (bystander CPR vs no bystander CPR: 3.7% [95% CI: 2.2-5.4] vs 1.5% [95% CI: 0.6-2.7]), but 30-day survival was still 2.5 times higher associated with bystander CPR. Based on the model and Danish...

Mediation Analysis with Survival Outcomes: Accelerated Failure Time vs. Proportional Hazards Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfand, Lois A; MacKinnon, David P; DeRubeis, Robert J; Baraldi, Amanda N

2016-01-01

Survival time is an important type of outcome variable in treatment research. Currently, limited guidance is available regarding performing mediation analyses with survival outcomes, which generally do not have normally distributed errors, and contain unobserved (censored) events. We present considerations for choosing an approach, using a comparison of semi-parametric proportional hazards (PH) and fully parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) approaches for illustration. We compare PH and AFT models and procedures in their integration into mediation models and review their ability to produce coefficients that estimate causal effects. Using simulation studies modeling Weibull-distributed survival times, we compare statistical properties of mediation analyses incorporating PH and AFT approaches (employing SAS procedures PHREG and LIFEREG, respectively) under varied data conditions, some including censoring. A simulated data set illustrates the findings. AFT models integrate more easily than PH models into mediation models. Furthermore, mediation analyses incorporating LIFEREG produce coefficients that can estimate causal effects, and demonstrate superior statistical properties. Censoring introduces bias in the coefficient estimate representing the treatment effect on outcome-underestimation in LIFEREG, and overestimation in PHREG. With LIFEREG, this bias can be addressed using an alternative estimate obtained from combining other coefficients, whereas this is not possible with PHREG. When Weibull assumptions are not violated, there are compelling advantages to using LIFEREG over PHREG for mediation analyses involving survival-time outcomes. Irrespective of the procedures used, the interpretation of coefficients, effects of censoring on coefficient estimates, and statistical properties should be taken into account when reporting results.

Mediation Analysis with Survival Outcomes: Accelerated Failure Time vs. Proportional Hazards Models

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfand, Lois A.; MacKinnon, David P.; DeRubeis, Robert J.; Baraldi, Amanda N.

2016-01-01

Objective: Survival time is an important type of outcome variable in treatment research. Currently, limited guidance is available regarding performing mediation analyses with survival outcomes, which generally do not have normally distributed errors, and contain unobserved (censored) events. We present considerations for choosing an approach, using a comparison of semi-parametric proportional hazards (PH) and fully parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) approaches for illustration. Method: We compare PH and AFT models and procedures in their integration into mediation models and review their ability to produce coefficients that estimate causal effects. Using simulation studies modeling Weibull-distributed survival times, we compare statistical properties of mediation analyses incorporating PH and AFT approaches (employing SAS procedures PHREG and LIFEREG, respectively) under varied data conditions, some including censoring. A simulated data set illustrates the findings. Results: AFT models integrate more easily than PH models into mediation models. Furthermore, mediation analyses incorporating LIFEREG produce coefficients that can estimate causal effects, and demonstrate superior statistical properties. Censoring introduces bias in the coefficient estimate representing the treatment effect on outcome—underestimation in LIFEREG, and overestimation in PHREG. With LIFEREG, this bias can be addressed using an alternative estimate obtained from combining other coefficients, whereas this is not possible with PHREG. Conclusions: When Weibull assumptions are not violated, there are compelling advantages to using LIFEREG over PHREG for mediation analyses involving survival-time outcomes. Irrespective of the procedures used, the interpretation of coefficients, effects of censoring on coefficient estimates, and statistical properties should be taken into account when reporting results. PMID:27065906

Mediation Analysis with Survival Outcomes: Accelerated Failure Time Versus Proportional Hazards Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lois A Gelfand

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Survival time is an important type of outcome variable in treatment research. Currently, limited guidance is available regarding performing mediation analyses with survival outcomes, which generally do not have normally distributed errors, and contain unobserved (censored events. We present considerations for choosing an approach, using a comparison of semi-parametric proportional hazards (PH and fully parametric accelerated failure time (AFT approaches for illustration.Method: We compare PH and AFT models and procedures in their integration into mediation models and review their ability to produce coefficients that estimate causal effects. Using simulation studies modeling Weibull-distributed survival times, we compare statistical properties of mediation analyses incorporating PH and AFT approaches (employing SAS procedures PHREG and LIFEREG, respectively under varied data conditions, some including censoring. A simulated data set illustrates the findings.Results: AFT models integrate more easily than PH models into mediation models. Furthermore, mediation analyses incorporating LIFEREG produce coefficients that can estimate causal effects, and demonstrate superior statistical properties. Censoring introduces bias in the coefficient estimate representing the treatment effect on outcome – underestimation in LIFEREG, and overestimation in PHREG. With LIFEREG, this bias can be addressed using an alternative estimate obtained from combining other coefficients, whereas this is not possible with PHREG.Conclusions: When Weibull assumptions are not violated, there are compelling advantages to using LIFEREG over PHREG for mediation analyses involving survival-time outcomes. Irrespective of the procedures used, the interpretation of coefficients, effects of censoring on coefficient estimates, and statistical properties should be taken into account when reporting results.

Survival and prognostic factors at time of diagnosis in high-grade appendicular osteosarcoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colding-Rasmussen, Thomas; Thorn, Andrea Pohly; Horstmann, Peter

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Survival of patients with high-grade osteosarcoma (HOS), the most common primary bone cancer, has not improved significantly the last 30 years and the disease remains a major challenge. The purpose of this study is to evaluate survival in relation to prognostic factors at time of diag...

Combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide adriamycin and vincristine for small cell carcinoma of the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edralin, A.C.

1992-01-01

Between January, 1988 and January, 1991, 29 patients were treated with cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and vincristine (CAV) chemotherapy and were evaluable after a median follow-up of 7.5 months. Of the 29 patients, 25 had limited disease (LD) and 4 had extensive disease (ED). Three patients had a complete remission (CR), 19 had a partial remission (PR) and 7 were non-responders. All the complete responders are still alive at 8, 10 and 40.8 months. The median survival time (MST) of all the patients was 8.5 months. The patients with LD had an MST of 8.5 months while those with ED had an MST of 5.5 months. The chemotherapy regimen produced a total response rate and median survival comparable to those achieved with other regimens. The complete response rate, however, was low and needed to be improved with other approaches. In partial responders, continuation of chemotherapy beyond the 3 courses given for induction did not improve the CR rate. Drug resistance was a limiting factor to the efficacy of this CAV regimen. Prophylactic cranial irradiation is recommended. (auth.). 21 refs.; 2 figs.; 2 tabs

Childhood cancer survival in Switzerland (1976-2013): Time-trends and predictors.

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Schindler, Matthias; Belle, Fabiën N; Grotzer, Michael A; von der Weid, Nicolas X; Kuehni, Claudia E

2017-01-01

Population-based studies on childhood cancer survival are key to monitor progress against cancer and to detect potential differences between regions and other subgroups in the population. We investigated time trends and factors associated with childhood cancer survival on a national level in Switzerland, from 1976 to 2013. We extracted data from the population-based Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry of 5,776 children (age 0-14 years) diagnosed with cancer from 1985 to 2014 in Switzerland. We calculated age-adjusted 5-year survival, defined the annual reduction in risk of death (ARR), and explored associations of survival with clinical and demographic factors. Overall, 5-year survival improved significantly, from 64% in 1976-1983 to 88% in 2004-2013. ARR over the whole period was 4% for all diagnostic groups, greatest for Hodgkin lymphomas (8%), ependymomas (6%), Burkitt's lymphomas (6%) and germ cell tumours (6%). Children treated in hospitals without specialised paediatric cancer centre for leukaemia (HR 12.9), lymphoma (HR 5.0) and neuroblastoma (HR 3.7) were at higher risk of death. In French-speaking Switzerland, risk of death was lower for lymphoma (HR 0.6), CNS tumours (HR 0.7) and neuroblastoma (HR 0.5). Children with migration background had a higher risk of death from all tumours except bone tumours. Childhood cancer survival significantly improved from 1976 to 2013, but there is room for further improvement. Survival rates varied by type of clinical treatment, language region and nationality. All paediatric cancer patients should be referred to a specialised paediatric cancer centre. Further research is needed to intervene and completely eliminate inequalities in survival. © 2016 UICC.

"Jag tror ju på allas lika värde oavsett kön" En studie om hur förskollärares resonemang kring sitt jämställdhetsuppdrag kommer till uttryck i mötet med barn.

OpenAIRE

Gisslén, Mia

2013-01-01

Denna studie har som syfte att belysa relationen mellan förskollärares resonemang om sitt jämställdhetsuppdrag och hur det kommer till uttryck i det direkta mötet med barn. Studiens empiri har samlats ihop genom två halvstrukturerade intervjuer med två förskollärare och tre löpande observationer i samlingssituation vid en förskola. Resultatet visar att förskollärarna resonerar kring sitt jämställdhetsuppdrag på ett professionellt sätt. De visar hög medvetenhet när de resonerar om sitt jämstäl...

Effect of fibrinolysis inhibitors on survival time of irradiated rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smok, W.

1988-01-01

The possibilities of alleviation of the gastrointestinal syndrome of acute radiation sickness by modification of haemorrhagic diathesis using EACA and traskolan were studied. A significant prolongation of the mean survival time was obtained in the irradiated rats treated with EACA. 7 tabs., 10 refs. (author)

Providing Survivable Real-Time Communication Service for Distributed Mission Critical Systems

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Zhao, Wei; Bettati, Riccardo; Vaidya, Nitin

2005-01-01

This document is the final report for Providing Survivable Real-Time Communication Service for Distributed Mission Critical Systems, a Texas A AND M project funded through the DARPA Fault Tolerant Networks Program...

Radiotherapy in supratentorial gliomas. A study of 821 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heesters, M.; Molenaar, W.; Go, G.K.

2003-01-01

Purpose: Analysis of the results of radiotherapy in a large group of cerebral gliomas with identification of prognostic factors and the outcome with respect to different decades of treatment. Patients and Methods: Two decades (1979-1999) of radiotherapy in supratentorial astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors (n = 821) at the University Hospital Groningen were retrospectively evaluated. Prognostic factors for survival were analyzed. Two decades of radiotherapy treatment were compared with respect to radiotherapy dose and treatment-field design. Results: Glioblastoma multiforme, including gliosarcoma, was the most frequent supratentorial glioma (n = 442) with a poor survival, i.e., median survival time (MST) 7 months, especially in patients > 50 years of age and with poor performance. Patients with good performance were selected for radiotherapy with an optimum dose of 60 Gy local-field irradiation. However, in patients with poor prognosis, no radiotherapy was applied or a shorter treatment scheme was given. Anaplastic astrocytomas (n = 131) were treated in the same way as glioblastoma multiforme. Over time, a decrease in radiation dose (from 60 to 45 Gy) and from whole brain irradiation to local-field treatment was observed, following the literature. In low-grade gliomas, prognostic factors for survival were age, performance, and extent of resection. Gemistocytic astrocytoma (n = 15) had an inferior survival compared to astrocytoma (MST 46 vs. 54 months), but a superior survival compared to anaplastic astrocytoma (MST 10 months). The presence of an oligodendroglial component in a glioma implied a superior survival compared to the astrocytic gliomas. The inherent biology of the glioma is reflected by the study of recurrent tumors with progression to higher grades of malignancy in 32-40% and by the histology of recurrent oligodendroglial tumors. In comparing two decades of radiotherapy in gliomas, no differences in survival were observed despite the technological

Radiotherapy in supratentorial gliomas. A study of 821 cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heesters, M. [Dept. of Radiotherapy, Groningen Univ. Hospital (Netherlands); Molenaar, W. [Dept. of Pathology, Groningen Univ. Hospital (Netherlands); Go, G.K. [Dept. of Neurosurgery, Groningen Univ. Hospital (Netherlands)

2003-09-01

Purpose: Analysis of the results of radiotherapy in a large group of cerebral gliomas with identification of prognostic factors and the outcome with respect to different decades of treatment. Patients and Methods: Two decades (1979-1999) of radiotherapy in supratentorial astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors (n = 821) at the University Hospital Groningen were retrospectively evaluated. Prognostic factors for survival were analyzed. Two decades of radiotherapy treatment were compared with respect to radiotherapy dose and treatment-field design. Results: Glioblastoma multiforme, including gliosarcoma, was the most frequent supratentorial glioma (n = 442) with a poor survival, i.e., median survival time (MST) 7 months, especially in patients > 50 years of age and with poor performance. Patients with good performance were selected for radiotherapy with an optimum dose of 60 Gy local-field irradiation. However, in patients with poor prognosis, no radiotherapy was applied or a shorter treatment scheme was given. Anaplastic astrocytomas (n = 131) were treated in the same way as glioblastoma multiforme. Over time, a decrease in radiation dose (from 60 to 45 Gy) and from whole brain irradiation to local-field treatment was observed, following the literature. In low-grade gliomas, prognostic factors for survival were age, performance, and extent of resection. Gemistocytic astrocytoma (n = 15) had an inferior survival compared to astrocytoma (MST 46 vs. 54 months), but a superior survival compared to anaplastic astrocytoma (MST 10 months). The presence of an oligodendroglial component in a glioma implied a superior survival compared to the astrocytic gliomas. The inherent biology of the glioma is reflected by the study of recurrent tumors with progression to higher grades of malignancy in 32-40% and by the histology of recurrent oligodendroglial tumors. In comparing two decades of radiotherapy in gliomas, no differences in survival were observed despite the technological

EL MST Y LAS DISPUTAS POR LAS ALTERNATIVAS EN BRASIL

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João Pedro Stédile

2012-04-01

Full Text Available La victoria del presidente Lulaen las últimas elecciones cambió la correlaciónde fuerzas de la lucha por la reforma agraria enBrasil. Por los compromisos históricos del PT,su liderazgo y como partido de izquierda,tenemos ahora un gobierno federal que apoyala reforma agraria, al contrario de lo que fue elgobierno de Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Porlo tanto, la disputa se sitúa en otro nivel. Sinembargo, hay otras fuerzas poderosas que seoponen a la reforma agraria como lo son ellatifundio, el modelo neoliberal del agro-negocio, la clase dominante como un todo, elEstado burgués brasileño y los medios decomunicación que actúan como un espacio delucha ideológica que disputa la hegemonía en lasociedad contra nosotros. En este nuevocontexto, el MST evalúa que ahora sí se puedeavanzar en la reforma agraria, pero que es unmomento de acumulación de fuerzas y no degrandes definiciones que consoliden la reformaagraria de nuevo tipo que nosotrosdefendemos. Es decir, estamos acumulandopara el futuro.

Survival times of pre-1950 US women radium dial workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stehney, A.F.

1994-01-01

Survival times of US women radium dial workers to the end of 1989 were examined by life table methods. Included were 1301 women rust employed before 1930 and 1242 first employed in 1930-1949. Expected numbers of deaths were estimated from age- and time-specific death rates for US white females. In the early group, 85 deaths from the well-known radium-induced cancers - bone sarcomas and head carcinomas - were observed, but only 724 deaths from aH other causes were observed vs 755 expected. Life shortening (±S.E.) of 1.8 ±0.5 y compared to the general population of US white females was calculated from the time distribution of all deaths in the pre-1930 group. In the 1930--1949 group, 350 deaths were observed vs 343 expected and no bone sarcomas or head carcinomas occurred. Among women who survived at least 2 y after rust measurement of body radium, a significant excess of observed vs expected deaths was found only for radium intakes greater than 1.85 MBq of 226 Ra + 228 Ra, and no trend of deaths or reduction of life expectancy was found with length of employment

Increasing survival time decreases the cost-effectiveness of using "test & treat'' to eliminate HIV epidemics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Bradley G; Coburn, Brian J; Blower, Sally

2013-01-01

Treating HIV-infected individuals reduces their viral load, consequently increasing their survival time and decreasing their infectivity. It has been proposed that universal testing and treatment (i.e., universal "test & treat'') could lead to HIV elimination and would be extremely cost-effective. It is now being debated whether to use a universal "test & treat'' approach in the "real-world'' as a prevention strategy to control HIV epidemics. However current modeling predictions of the impact, and cost-effectiveness, of universal `"est & treat'' strategies are based on an unrealistically short survival time for treated individuals. Here we use mathematical modeling and a longer, more realistic, survival time. We model the potential impact of a universal "test & treat'' strategy in South Africa. Our results show that increasing the length of the survival time on treatment, although beneficial to individuals, reduces the probability of eliminating HIV and decreases the cost-effectiveness of using universal "test & treat'' strategies. Therefore our results show that individual-level benefits and public health benefits will conflict when using "test &treat'' strategies to reduce HIV transmission.

Survival time and effect of selected predictor variables on survival in owned pet cats seropositive for feline immunodeficiency and leukemia virus attending a referral clinic in northern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Spada, Eva; Perego, Roberta; Sgamma, Elena Assunta; Proverbio, Daniela

2018-02-01

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are among the most important feline infectious diseases worldwide. This retrospective study investigated survival times and effects of selected predictor factors on survival time in a population of owned pet cats in Northern Italy testing positive for the presence of FIV antibodies and FeLV antigen. One hundred and three retrovirus-seropositive cats, 53 FIV-seropositive cats, 40 FeLV-seropositive cats, and 10 FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats were included in the study. A population of 103 retrovirus-seronegative age and sex-matched cats was selected. Survival time was calculated and compared between retrovirus-seronegative, FIV, FeLV and FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis was used to study the effect of selected predictor factors (male gender, peripheral blood cytopenia as reduced red blood cells - RBC- count, leukopenia, neutropenia and lymphopenia, hypercreatininemia and reduced albumin to globulin ratio) on survival time in retrovirus-seropositive populations. Median survival times for seronegative cats, FIV, FeLV and FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats were 3960, 2040, 714 and 77days, respectively. Compared to retrovirus-seronegative cats median survival time was significantly lower (P<0.000) in FeLV and FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats. Median survival time in FeLV and FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats was also significant lower (P<0.000) when compared to FIV-seropositive cats. Hazard ratio of death in FeLV and FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats being respectively 3.4 and 7.4 times higher, in comparison to seronegative cats and 2.3 and 4.8 times higher in FeLV and FIV+FeLV-seropositive cats as compared to FIV-seropositive cats. A Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis showed that FIV and FeLV-seropositive cats with reduced RBC counts at time of diagnosis of seropositivity had significantly shorter survival times when compared to FIV and Fe

Analyzing survival curves at a fixed point in time for paired and clustered right-censored data

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Su, Pei-Fang; Chi, Yunchan; Lee, Chun-Yi; Shyr, Yu; Liao, Yi-De

2018-01-01

In clinical trials, information about certain time points may be of interest in making decisions about treatment effectiveness. Rather than comparing entire survival curves, researchers can focus on the comparison at fixed time points that may have a clinical utility for patients. For two independent samples of right-censored data, Klein et al. (2007) compared survival probabilities at a fixed time point by studying a number of tests based on some transformations of the Kaplan-Meier estimators of the survival function. However, to compare the survival probabilities at a fixed time point for paired right-censored data or clustered right-censored data, their approach would need to be modified. In this paper, we extend the statistics to accommodate the possible within-paired correlation and within-clustered correlation, respectively. We use simulation studies to present comparative results. Finally, we illustrate the implementation of these methods using two real data sets. PMID:29456280

Correlation between the CT manifestations and post-operative survival time in patients with thymic epithelial tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Juan; Tan Ye; Wang Xiangyang; Du Jun; Pan Jishu; Wei Jiahu

2011-01-01

Objective: To describe the CT manifestations of thymic epithelial tumor and explore the correlation between CT findings and post-operative tumor-related survival time. Methods: Ninety-one patients who underwent CT scan before operation were reviewed retrospectively. All cases had operation and were classified according to the WHO classification. The size, contour, shape, density and enhancement of the tumors on CT were assessed. Presence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy, great vessel invasion, metastasis to the lung or plural, myasthenia gravis (MG) were also analyzed. The survival rate was obtained using, the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox model was applied to determine the factors affecting the tumor-related survivals. Chi square test was used to analyze the relationship between CT findings and WHO classification. Results: Two patients were excluded because of dying of myocardial infarction and colon cancer. The total 5-year survival rate was 84.3% (n=75). Eighty-nine patients had total 91 tumors. Tumors with diameter larger than 5 cm, lobular contour, heterogenous density, and presence of great vessel invasion, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and metastasis were adverse factors which could significantly affect the survival time. Five-year survival rates of these factors were 72.7%, 77.3%, 76.7%, 73.8%, 30.0%, and 68.8%, respectively. Presence of MG was a favorable factor which also significantly affected the survival time (P 0.05). The result of the Cox multivariate analysis was consistent with that of the Log-rank test. For different WHO classification, there were significant different among the size or contour of the tumors, presence of great vessel invasion, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and metastasis (χ 2 value were 6.598, 5.737, 18.307, 8.465, and 15.608, respectively P<0.05). Conclusions: CT findings may be served as predictors of clinical prognosis of the thymic epithelial tumors. Adverse factors for survival time are the size of the tumors and presence of

Lessons from Cacti: How to Survive the Prickles of Life during Tough Times

Science.gov (United States)

Bigger, Alan S.; Bigger, Linda B.

2009-01-01

The saguaro cactus looked a little like humans, in different shapes and sizes. How on earth do they survive in a climate that seems so inhospitable? It is possible to learn lessons for life from a cactus, if one can only get beyond the thorns, and that these lessons will assist one to survive during tough or prickly times. These plants survive…

Effect of liquid nitrogen storage time on the survival and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Investigations were undertaken on the effect of liquid nitrogen (LN) storage time on survival and regeneration of somatic embryos of cocoa (Theobroma cacao l.). Somatic embryos from different cocoa genotypes (AMAZ 3-2, AMAZ 10-1, AMAZ 12, SIAL 93, and IMC 14) at 15.45% moisture content were cryopreserved in LN ...

Reliability of Patient-Led Screening with the Malnutrition Screening Tool: Agreement between Patient and Health Care Professional Scores in the Cancer Care Ambulatory Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Bella, Alexandra; Blake, Claire; Young, Adrienne; Pelecanos, Anita; Brown, Teresa

2018-02-01

The prevalence of malnutrition in patients with cancer is reported as high as 60% to 80%, and malnutrition is associated with lower survival, reduced response to treatment, and poorer functional status. The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) is a validated tool when administered by health care professionals; however, it has not been evaluated for patient-led screening. This study aims to assess the reliability of patient-led MST screening through assessment of inter-rater reliability between patient-led and dietitian-researcher-led screening and intra-rater reliability between an initial and a repeat patient screening. This cross-sectional study included 208 adults attending ambulatory cancer care services in a metropolitan teaching hospital in Queensland, Australia, in October 2016 (n=160 inter-rater reliability; n=48 intra-rater reliability measured in a separate sample). Primary outcome measures were MST risk categories (MST 0-1: not at risk, MST ≥2: at risk) as determined by screening completed by patients and a dietitian-researcher, patient test-retest screening, and patient acceptability. Percent and chance-corrected agreement (Cohen's kappa coefficient, κ) were used to determine agreement between patient-MST and dietitian-MST (inter-rater reliability) and MST completed by patient on admission to unit (patient-MSTA) and MST completed by patient 1 to 3 hours after completion of initial MST (patient-MSTB) (intra-rater reliability). High inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability were observed. Agreement between patient-MST and dietitian-MST was 96%, with "almost perfect" chance-adjusted agreement (κ=0.92, 95% CI 0.84 to 0.97). Agreement between repeated patient-MSTA and patient-MSTB was 94%, with "almost perfect" chance-adjusted agreement (κ=0.88, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.00). Based on dietitian-MST, 33% (n=53) of patients were identified as being at risk for malnutrition, and 40% of these reported not seeing a dietitian. Of 156 patients who provided

Definitive radiation therapy for clinical stage N0-N1 epidermoid carcinoma of the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayakawa, Kazushige; Mitsuhashi, Norio; Saito, Yoshihiro; Yamakawa, Michitaka; Nakayama, Yuko; Katano, Susumu; Furuta, Masaya; Niibe, Hideo

1993-01-01

From 1976 through 1989, 94 patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the lung without mediastinal nodal involvement were treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT) at Gunma University Hospital. All patients were treated with 10 MV X-rays and the mediastinum was treated in 86% of the patients. The total dose ranged from 60 Gy to 80 Gy with once-daily conventional fractionation. The actuarial two and five-year survival rates of the entire group were 44% and 22%, respectively, with a median survival time (MST) of 17 months. Patients with a performance status of 0-1 lived longer than those with a status of 2 or more (MST 22.5 vs. 12 months). The survival of 60 patients with T2 tumors was better than that of 24 patients with T3 tumors (MST 19 vs. 13.5 months). Forty-seven patients with tumors less than 5 cm in diameter had a two-year progression rate of 25%, in comparison with 39% for 47 patients with tumors greater than 5 cm. The survival difference between these two groups was statistically significant (p<0.01). Patients given a total dose of 80 Gy or over had only 20% local progression at the time of the last follow-up, but they had a lower long-term survival rate than those given a total dose of 60-74 Gy because of the development of pulmonary insufficiency after high-dose irradiation. There was no relapse in the field given 40 Gy or more to the mediastinum for prophylaxis in the patients with no evidence of primary progression. The actuarial five-year survival rates for the patients given 40 Gy or more to the mediastinum, and for the patients given less than 40 Gy were 32% and 9%, respectively. These was a statistically significant difference between these two survival curves, (p<0.05). Differences in survival did not depend on age, sex, or location of the primary tumor. These results should provide support for definitive RT to manage patients with medically inoperable or unresectable epidermoid carcinoma of the lung without mediastinal nodal involvement. (author)

Median Survival Time of Endometrial Cancer Patients with Lymphovascular Invasion at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia.

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Asyikeen, Wan Adnan Wan Nor; Siti-Azrin, Ab Hamid; Jalil, Nur Asyilla Che; Zin, Anani Aila Mat; Othman, Nor Hayati

2016-11-01

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecologic malignancy among females worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine the median survival time of endometrial cancer patients at the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). A list of 121 endometrial cancer cases registered at Hospital USM between 2000 until 2011 was retrospectively reviewed. The survival time of the endometrial cancer patients was estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Log-rank tests were performed to compare the survival of the patients based on socio-demographics and clinical presentation. Only 108 patients, 87.0%, were included who were of Malay ethnicity. Previous history included menopause in 67.6% of patients and diabetes mellitus in 39.8% of patients; additionally, 63.4% of patients were nulliparous. Tumour staging was as follows: 24.5% stage I, 10.8% stage II, 26.5% stage III and 38.2% stage IV. The overall median survival time of the endometrial cancer patients was 70.20 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 51.79, 88.61). The significant factors were age, the presence of lymphovascular invasion and treatment received. The overall survival of endometrial cancer was low. A prospective study needs to be carried out to discover more effective and accurate tests for the early detection of endometrial cancer.

The time dependent association of adrenaline administration and survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewy, Gordon A; Bobrow, Bentley J; Chikani, Vatsal; Sanders, Arthur B; Otto, Charles W; Spaite, Daniel W; Kern, Karl B

2015-11-01

Recommended for decades, the therapeutic value of adrenaline (epinephrine) in the resuscitation of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is controversial. To investigate the possible time-dependent outcomes associated with adrenaline administration by Emergency Medical Services personnel (EMS). A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from a near statewide cardiac resuscitation database between 1 January 2005 and 30 November 2013. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of the time interval between EMS dispatch and the initial dose of adrenaline on survival. The primary endpoints were survival to hospital discharge and favourable neurologic outcome. Data from 3469 patients with witnessed OHCA were analyzed. Their mean age was 66.3 years and 69% were male. An initially shockable rhythm was present in 41.8% of patients. Based on a multivariable logistic regression model with initial adrenaline administration time interval (AATI) from EMS dispatch as the covariate, survival was greatest when adrenaline was administered very early but decreased rapidly with increasing (AATI); odds ratio 0.94 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.92-0.97). The AATI had no significant effect on good neurological outcome (OR=0.96, 95% CI=0.90-1.02). In patients with OHCA, survival to hospital discharge was greater in those treated early with adrenaline by EMS especially in the subset of patients with a shockable rhythm. However survival rapidly decreased with increasing adrenaline administration time intervals (AATI). Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

33 CFR 150.503 - What are the time interval requirements for maintenance on survival craft falls?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are the time interval requirements for maintenance on survival craft falls? 150.503 Section 150.503 Navigation and Navigable Waters... maintenance on survival craft falls? (a) Each fall used in a launching device for survival craft or rescue...

Time dependent ethnic convergence in colorectal cancer survival in hawaii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hundahl Scott A

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although colorectal cancer death rates have been declining, this trend is not consistent across all ethnic groups. Biological, environmental, behavioral and socioeconomic explanations exist, but the reason for this discrepancy remains inconclusive. We examined the hypothesis that improved cancer screening across all ethnic groups will reduce ethnic differences in colorectal cancer survival. Methods Through the Hawaii Tumor Registry 16,424 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer were identified during the years 1960–2000. Cox regression analyses were performed for each of three cohorts stratified by ethnicity (Caucasian, Japanese, Hawaiian, Filipino, and Chinese. The models included stage of diagnosis, year of diagnosis, age, and sex as predictors of survival. Results Mortality rates improved significantly for all ethnic groups. Moreover, with the exception of Hawaiians, rates for all ethnic groups converged over time. Persistently lower survival for Hawaiians appeared linked with more cancer treatment. Conclusion Ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer mortality rates appear primarily the result of differential utilization of health care. If modern screening procedures can be provided equally to all ethnic groups, ethnic outcome differences can be virtually eliminated.

Timely disclosure of progress in long-term cancer survival: the boomerang method substantially improved estimates in a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Hermann; Jansen, Lina

2016-02-01

Monitoring cancer survival is a key task of cancer registries, but timely disclosure of progress in long-term survival remains a challenge. We introduce and evaluate a novel method, denoted "boomerang method," for deriving more up-to-date estimates of long-term survival. We applied three established methods (cohort, complete, and period analysis) and the boomerang method to derive up-to-date 10-year relative survival of patients diagnosed with common solid cancers and hematological malignancies in the United States. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results 9 database, we compared the most up-to-date age-specific estimates that might have been obtained with the database including patients diagnosed up to 2001 with 10-year survival later observed for patients diagnosed in 1997-2001. For cancers with little or no increase in survival over time, the various estimates of 10-year relative survival potentially available by the end of 2001 were generally rather similar. For malignancies with strongly increasing survival over time, including breast and prostate cancer and all hematological malignancies, the boomerang method provided estimates that were closest to later observed 10-year relative survival in 23 of the 34 groups assessed. The boomerang method can substantially improve up-to-dateness of long-term cancer survival estimates in times of ongoing improvement in prognosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting survival time in noncurative patients with advanced cancer: a prospective study in China.

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Cui, Jing; Zhou, Lingjun; Wee, B; Shen, Fengping; Ma, Xiuqiang; Zhao, Jijun

2014-05-01

Accurate prediction of prognosis for cancer patients is important for good clinical decision making in therapeutic and care strategies. The application of prognostic tools and indicators could improve prediction accuracy. This study aimed to develop a new prognostic scale to predict survival time of advanced cancer patients in China. We prospectively collected items that we anticipated might influence survival time of advanced cancer patients. Participants were recruited from 12 hospitals in Shanghai, China. We collected data including demographic information, clinical symptoms and signs, and biochemical test results. Log-rank tests, Cox regression, and linear regression were performed to develop a prognostic scale. Three hundred twenty patients with advanced cancer were recruited. Fourteen prognostic factors were included in the prognostic scale: Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, pain, ascites, hydrothorax, edema, delirium, cachexia, white blood cell (WBC) count, hemoglobin, sodium, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) values. The score was calculated by summing the partial scores, ranging from 0 to 30. When using the cutoff points of 7-day, 30-day, 90-day, and 180-day survival time, the scores were calculated as 12, 10, 8, and 6, respectively. We propose a new prognostic scale including KPS, pain, ascites, hydrothorax, edema, delirium, cachexia, WBC count, hemoglobin, sodium, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, and ALP values, which may help guide physicians in predicting the likely survival time of cancer patients more accurately. More studies are needed to validate this scale in the future.

Survivable architectures for time and wavelength division multiplexed passive optical networks

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Wong, Elaine

2014-08-01

The increased network reach and customer base of next-generation time and wavelength division multiplexed PON (TWDM-PONs) have necessitated rapid fault detection and subsequent restoration of services to its users. However, direct application of existing solutions for conventional PONs to TWDM-PONs is unsuitable as these schemes rely on the loss of signal (LOS) of upstream transmissions to trigger protection switching. As TWDM-PONs are required to potentially use sleep/doze mode optical network units (ONU), the loss of upstream transmission from a sleeping or dozing ONU could erroneously trigger protection switching. Further, TWDM-PONs require its monitoring modules for fiber/device fault detection to be more sensitive than those typically deployed in conventional PONs. To address the above issues, three survivable architectures that are compliant with TWDM-PON specifications are presented in this work. These architectures combine rapid detection and protection switching against multipoint failure, and most importantly do not rely on upstream transmissions for LOS activation. Survivability analyses as well as evaluations of the additional costs incurred to achieve survivability are performed and compared to the unprotected TWDM-PON. Network parameters that impact the maximum achievable network reach, maximum split ratio, connection availability, fault impact, and the incremental reliability costs for each proposed survivable architecture are highlighted.

An approach to the drone fleet survivability assessment based on a stochastic continues-time model

Science.gov (United States)

Kharchenko, Vyacheslav; Fesenko, Herman; Doukas, Nikos

2017-09-01

An approach and the algorithm to the drone fleet survivability assessment based on a stochastic continues-time model are proposed. The input data are the number of the drones, the drone fleet redundancy coefficient, the drone stability and restoration rate, the limit deviation from the norms of the drone fleet recovery, the drone fleet operational availability coefficient, the probability of the drone failure-free operation, time needed for performing the required tasks by the drone fleet. The ways for improving the recoverable drone fleet survivability taking into account amazing factors of system accident are suggested. Dependencies of the drone fleet survivability rate both on the drone stability and the number of the drones are analysed.

Survival Times of Meter-Sized Rock Boulders on the Surface of Airless Bodies

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Basilevsky, A. T.; Head, J. W.; Horz, F.; Ramsley, K.

2015-01-01

This study considers the survival times of meter-sized rock boulders on the surfaces of several airless bodies. As the starting point, we employ estimates of the survival times of such boulders on the surface of the Moon by[1], then discuss the role of destruction due to day-night temperature cycling, consider the meteorite bombardment environment on the considered bodies in terms of projectile flux and velocities and finally estimate the survival times. Survival times of meter-sized rocks on lunar surface: The survival times of hand specimen-sized rocks exposed to the lunar surface environment were estimated based on experiments modeling the destruction of rocks by meteorite impacts, combined with measurements of the lunar surface meteorite flux, (e.g.,[2]). For estimations of the survival times of meter-sized lunar boulders, [1] suggested a different approach based on analysis of the spatial density of boulders on the rims of small lunar craters of known absolute age. It was found that for a few million years, only a small fraction of the boulders ejected by cratering process are destroyed, for several tens of million years approx.50% are destroyed, and for 200-300 Ma, 90 to 99% are destroyed. Following [2] and other works, [1] considered that the rocks are mostly destroyed by meteorite impacts. Destruction of rocks by thermal-stress. However, high diurnal temperature variations on the surface of the Moon and other airless bodies imply that thermal stresses may also be a cause of surface rock destruction. Delbo et al. [3] interpreted the observed presence of fine debris on the surface of small asteroids as due to thermal surface cycling. They stated that because of the very low gravity on the surface of these bodies, ejecta from meteorite impacts should leave the body, so formation there of fine debris has to be due to thermal cycling. Based on experiments on heating-cooling of cm-scale pieces of ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites and theoretical modeling of

SUT sucrose and MST monosaccharide transporter inventory of the Selaginella genome

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Sylvie eLalonde

2012-02-01

Full Text Available While most metazoa mainly use hexose transporters to acquire hexoses from their diet and as a transport form for distributing carbon and energy within their bodies, insects use trehalose and plants use sucrose as their major form for translocation. Plant genomes contain at least three families of mono- and disaccharide transporters: monosaccharide/polyol transporters that are evolutionary closely related to the yeast and human glucose transporters, sucrose transporters of the SUT family, which similar to the hexose transporters belong to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS, but share only minimal amino acid sequence homology to the hexose transporters, and the family of SWEET sugar transporters conserved between animals and plants. Recently, the genome sequence of the spikemoss Selaginella has been determined. In order to study the evolution of sugar transport in plants, we carried out a careful annotation of the complement of sugar transporters in Selaginella. We review what is known about sugar transport in spikemoss and provide phylogenetic analyses of the complement of MST and SUT homologs in Selaginella.

A comparison of the conditional inference survival forest model to random survival forests based on a simulation study as well as on two applications with time-to-event data.

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Nasejje, Justine B; Mwambi, Henry; Dheda, Keertan; Lesosky, Maia

2017-07-28

Random survival forest (RSF) models have been identified as alternative methods to the Cox proportional hazards model in analysing time-to-event data. These methods, however, have been criticised for the bias that results from favouring covariates with many split-points and hence conditional inference forests for time-to-event data have been suggested. Conditional inference forests (CIF) are known to correct the bias in RSF models by separating the procedure for the best covariate to split on from that of the best split point search for the selected covariate. In this study, we compare the random survival forest model to the conditional inference model (CIF) using twenty-two simulated time-to-event datasets. We also analysed two real time-to-event datasets. The first dataset is based on the survival of children under-five years of age in Uganda and it consists of categorical covariates with most of them having more than two levels (many split-points). The second dataset is based on the survival of patients with extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) which consists of mainly categorical covariates with two levels (few split-points). The study findings indicate that the conditional inference forest model is superior to random survival forest models in analysing time-to-event data that consists of covariates with many split-points based on the values of the bootstrap cross-validated estimates for integrated Brier scores. However, conditional inference forests perform comparably similar to random survival forests models in analysing time-to-event data consisting of covariates with fewer split-points. Although survival forests are promising methods in analysing time-to-event data, it is important to identify the best forest model for analysis based on the nature of covariates of the dataset in question.

A comparison of the conditional inference survival forest model to random survival forests based on a simulation study as well as on two applications with time-to-event data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justine B. Nasejje

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Random survival forest (RSF models have been identified as alternative methods to the Cox proportional hazards model in analysing time-to-event data. These methods, however, have been criticised for the bias that results from favouring covariates with many split-points and hence conditional inference forests for time-to-event data have been suggested. Conditional inference forests (CIF are known to correct the bias in RSF models by separating the procedure for the best covariate to split on from that of the best split point search for the selected covariate. Methods In this study, we compare the random survival forest model to the conditional inference model (CIF using twenty-two simulated time-to-event datasets. We also analysed two real time-to-event datasets. The first dataset is based on the survival of children under-five years of age in Uganda and it consists of categorical covariates with most of them having more than two levels (many split-points. The second dataset is based on the survival of patients with extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB which consists of mainly categorical covariates with two levels (few split-points. Results The study findings indicate that the conditional inference forest model is superior to random survival forest models in analysing time-to-event data that consists of covariates with many split-points based on the values of the bootstrap cross-validated estimates for integrated Brier scores. However, conditional inference forests perform comparably similar to random survival forests models in analysing time-to-event data consisting of covariates with fewer split-points. Conclusion Although survival forests are promising methods in analysing time-to-event data, it is important to identify the best forest model for analysis based on the nature of covariates of the dataset in question.

Enhancement of radiation effect on mouse intestinal crypt survival by timing of 5-fluorouracil administration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ho, E.; Coffey, C.; Maruyama, Y.

1977-01-01

There is a marked dependence of mouse crypt survival on the sequence of combined drug-radiation treatment and on the time lapse between irradiation and drug administration. When 5-fluorouracil is administered 6 hours after irradiation or later (up to 18 hours postirradiation), crypt survival drops significantly

KMWin--a convenient tool for graphical presentation of results from Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Arnd; Ziepert, Marita; Scholz, Markus

2012-01-01

Analysis of clinical studies often necessitates multiple graphical representations of the results. Many professional software packages are available for this purpose. Most packages are either only commercially available or hard to use especially if one aims to generate or customize a huge number of similar graphical outputs. We developed a new, freely available software tool called KMWin (Kaplan-Meier for Windows) facilitating Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis. KMWin is based on the statistical software environment R and provides an easy to use graphical interface. Survival time data can be supplied as SPSS (sav), SAS export (xpt) or text file (dat), which is also a common export format of other applications such as Excel. Figures can directly be exported in any graphical file format supported by R. On the basis of a working example, we demonstrate how to use KMWin and present its main functions. We show how to control the interface, customize the graphical output, and analyse survival time data. A number of comparisons are performed between KMWin and SPSS regarding graphical output, statistical output, data management and development. Although the general functionality of SPSS is larger, KMWin comprises a number of features useful for survival time analysis in clinical trials and other applications. These are for example number of cases and number of cases under risk within the figure or provision of a queue system for repetitive analyses of updated data sets. Moreover, major adjustments of graphical settings can be performed easily on a single window. We conclude that our tool is well suited and convenient for repetitive analyses of survival time data. It can be used by non-statisticians and provides often used functions as well as functions which are not supplied by standard software packages. The software is routinely applied in several clinical study groups.

KMWin--a convenient tool for graphical presentation of results from Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnd Gross

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Analysis of clinical studies often necessitates multiple graphical representations of the results. Many professional software packages are available for this purpose. Most packages are either only commercially available or hard to use especially if one aims to generate or customize a huge number of similar graphical outputs. We developed a new, freely available software tool called KMWin (Kaplan-Meier for Windows facilitating Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis. KMWin is based on the statistical software environment R and provides an easy to use graphical interface. Survival time data can be supplied as SPSS (sav, SAS export (xpt or text file (dat, which is also a common export format of other applications such as Excel. Figures can directly be exported in any graphical file format supported by R. RESULTS: On the basis of a working example, we demonstrate how to use KMWin and present its main functions. We show how to control the interface, customize the graphical output, and analyse survival time data. A number of comparisons are performed between KMWin and SPSS regarding graphical output, statistical output, data management and development. Although the general functionality of SPSS is larger, KMWin comprises a number of features useful for survival time analysis in clinical trials and other applications. These are for example number of cases and number of cases under risk within the figure or provision of a queue system for repetitive analyses of updated data sets. Moreover, major adjustments of graphical settings can be performed easily on a single window. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that our tool is well suited and convenient for repetitive analyses of survival time data. It can be used by non-statisticians and provides often used functions as well as functions which are not supplied by standard software packages. The software is routinely applied in several clinical study groups.

Observations on Stratospheric-Mesospheric-Thermospheric temperatures using Indian MST radar and co-located LIDAR during Leonid Meteor Shower (LMS

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R. Selvamurugan

2002-11-01

Full Text Available The temporal and height statistics of the occurrence of meteor trails during the Leonid meteor shower revealed the capability of the Indian MST radar to record large numbers of meteor trails. The distribution of radio meteor trails due to a Leonid meteor shower in space and time provided a unique opportunity to construct the height profiles of lower thermospheric temperatures and winds, with good time and height resolution. There was a four-fold increase in the meteor trails observed during the LMS compared to a typical non-shower day. The temperatures were found to be in excellent continuity with the temperature profiles below the radio meteor region derived from the co-located Nd-Yag LIDAR and the maximum height of the temperature profile was extended from the LIDAR to ~110 km. There are, how-ever, some significant differences between the observed profiles and the CIRA-86 model profiles. The first results on the meteor statistics and neutral temperature are presented and discussed below.  Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (pres-sure, density, and temperature History of geophysics (at-mospheric sciences Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (middle atmosphere dynamics

Integration of RNA-Seq and RPPA data for survival time prediction in cancer patients.

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Isik, Zerrin; Ercan, Muserref Ece

2017-10-01

Integration of several types of patient data in a computational framework can accelerate the identification of more reliable biomarkers, especially for prognostic purposes. This study aims to identify biomarkers that can successfully predict the potential survival time of a cancer patient by integrating the transcriptomic (RNA-Seq), proteomic (RPPA), and protein-protein interaction (PPI) data. The proposed method -RPBioNet- employs a random walk-based algorithm that works on a PPI network to identify a limited number of protein biomarkers. Later, the method uses gene expression measurements of the selected biomarkers to train a classifier for the survival time prediction of patients. RPBioNet was applied to classify kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) patients based on their survival time classes (long- or short-term). The RPBioNet method correctly identified the survival time classes of patients with between 66% and 78% average accuracy for three data sets. RPBioNet operates with only 20 to 50 biomarkers and can achieve on average 6% higher accuracy compared to the closest alternative method, which uses only RNA-Seq data in the biomarker selection. Further analysis of the most predictive biomarkers highlighted genes that are common for both cancer types, as they may be driver proteins responsible for cancer progression. The novelty of this study is the integration of a PPI network with mRNA and protein expression data to identify more accurate prognostic biomarkers that can be used for clinical purposes in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flow cytometric and radioisotopic determinations of platelet survival time in normal cats and feline leukemia virus-infected cats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobs, R.M.; Boyce, J.T.; Kociba, G.J.

1986-01-01

This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of a flow cytometric technique to measure platelet survival time in cats utilizing autologous platelets labeled in vitro with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). When compared with a 51Cr method, no significant differences in estimated survival times were found. Both the 51Cr and FITC-labeling procedures induced similar changes in platelet shape and collagen-induced aggregation. Platelets labeled with FITC had significantly greater volumes compared with those of glutaraldehyde-fixed platelets. These changes were primarily related to the platelet centrifugation and washing procedures rather than the labels themselves. This novel technique potentially has wide applicability to cell circulation time studies as flow cytometry equipment becomes more readily available. Problems with the technique are discussed. In a preliminary study of the platelet survival time in feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-infected cats, two of three cats had significantly reduced survival times using both flow cytometric and radioisotopic methods. These data suggest increased platelet turnover in FeLV-infected cats

Flow cytometric and radioisotopic determinations of platelet survival time in normal cats and feline leukemia virus-infected cats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobs, R.M.; Boyce, J.T.; Kociba, G.J.

1986-01-01

This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of a flow cytometric technique to measure platelet survival time in cats utilizing autologous platelets labeled in vitro with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). When compared with a 51Cr method, no significant differences in estimated survival times were found. Both the 51Cr and FITC-labeling procedures induced similar changes in platelet shape and collagen-induced aggregation. Platelets labeled with FITC had significantly greater volumes compared with those of glutaraldehyde-fixed platelets. These changes were primarily related to the platelet centrifugation and washing procedures rather than the labels themselves. This novel technique potentially has wide applicability to cell circulation time studies as flow cytometry equipment becomes more readily available. Problems with the technique are discussed. In a preliminary study of the platelet survival time in feline leukemia virus (FeLV)-infected cats, two of three cats had significantly reduced survival times using both flow cytometric and radioisotopic methods. These data suggest increased platelet turnover in FeLV-infected cats.

A página virtual do movimento dos trabalhadores rurais sem terra (MST) como instrumento de contrainformação na luta político-ideológica pela reforma agrária

OpenAIRE

Engelmann, Solange Inês

2013-01-01

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo a análise da página nacional de internet do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), criada em 1997. Nosso propósito foi compreender o processo de construção do portal e qual a importância desse novo aparato de comunicação na divulgação das demandas do MST e no debate da Reforma Agrária no Brasil, para o diálogo com a classe trabalhadora urbana e sua base social. Para tanto, inicialmente apresentamos uma discussão sobre o novo processo de t...

Examining the Influence of Campus Climate on Students' Time to Degree: A Multilevel Discrete-Time Survival Analysis

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Zhou, Ji; Castellanos, Michelle

2013-01-01

Utilizing longitudinal data of 3477 students from 28 institutions, we examine the effects of structural diversity and quality of interracial relation on students' persistence towards graduation within six years. We utilize multilevel discrete-time survival analysis to account for the longitudinal persistence patterns as well as the nested…

Multiparametric analysis of magnetic resonance images for glioma grading and patient survival time prediction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garzon, Benjamin; Emblem, Kyrre E.; Mouridsen, Kim; Nedregaard, Baard; Due-Toennessen, Paulina; Nome, Terje; Hald, John K.; Bjoernerud, Atle; Haaberg, Asta K.; Kvinnsland, Yngve

2011-01-01

Background. A systematic comparison of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) options for glioma diagnosis is lacking. Purpose. To investigate multiple MR-derived image features with respect to diagnostic accuracy in tumor grading and survival prediction in glioma patients. Material and Methods. T1 pre- and post-contrast, T2 and dynamic susceptibility contrast scans of 74 glioma patients with histologically confirmed grade were acquired. For each patient, a set of statistical features was obtained from the parametric maps derived from the original images, in a region-of-interest encompassing the tumor volume. A forward stepwise selection procedure was used to find the best combinations of features for grade prediction with a cross-validated logistic model and survival time prediction with a cox proportional-hazards regression. Results. Presence/absence of enhancement paired with kurtosis of the FM (first moment of the first-pass curve) was the feature combination that best predicted tumor grade (grade II vs. grade III-IV; median AUC 0.96), with the main contribution being due to the first of the features. A lower predictive value (median AUC = 0.82) was obtained when grade IV tumors were excluded. Presence/absence of enhancement alone was the best predictor for survival time, and the regression was significant (P < 0.0001). Conclusion. Presence/absence of enhancement, reflecting transendothelial leakage, was the feature with highest predictive value for grade and survival time in glioma patients

Multiparametric analysis of magnetic resonance images for glioma grading and patient survival time prediction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garzon, Benjamin (Dept. of Circulation and Medical Imaging, NTNU, Trondheim (Norway)), email: benjamin.garzon@ntnu.no; Emblem, Kyrre E. (The Interventional Center, Rikshospitalet, Oslo Univ. Hospital, Oslo (Norway); Dept. of Radiology, MGH-HST AA Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston (United States)); Mouridsen, Kim (Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus Univ., Aarhus (Denmark)); Nedregaard, Baard; Due-Toennessen, Paulina; Nome, Terje; Hald, John K. (Dept. of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rikshospitalet, Oslo Univ. Hospital, Oslo (Norway)); Bjoernerud, Atle (The Interventional Center, Rikshospitalet, Oslo Univ. Hospital, Oslo (Norway)); Haaberg, Asta K. (Dept. of Circulation and Medical Imaging, NTNU, Trondheim (Norway); Dept. of Medical Imaging, St Olav' s Hospital, Trondheim (Norway)); Kvinnsland, Yngve (NordicImagingLab, Bergen (Norway))

2011-11-15

Background. A systematic comparison of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) options for glioma diagnosis is lacking. Purpose. To investigate multiple MR-derived image features with respect to diagnostic accuracy in tumor grading and survival prediction in glioma patients. Material and Methods. T1 pre- and post-contrast, T2 and dynamic susceptibility contrast scans of 74 glioma patients with histologically confirmed grade were acquired. For each patient, a set of statistical features was obtained from the parametric maps derived from the original images, in a region-of-interest encompassing the tumor volume. A forward stepwise selection procedure was used to find the best combinations of features for grade prediction with a cross-validated logistic model and survival time prediction with a cox proportional-hazards regression. Results. Presence/absence of enhancement paired with kurtosis of the FM (first moment of the first-pass curve) was the feature combination that best predicted tumor grade (grade II vs. grade III-IV; median AUC 0.96), with the main contribution being due to the first of the features. A lower predictive value (median AUC = 0.82) was obtained when grade IV tumors were excluded. Presence/absence of enhancement alone was the best predictor for survival time, and the regression was significant (P < 0.0001). Conclusion. Presence/absence of enhancement, reflecting transendothelial leakage, was the feature with highest predictive value for grade and survival time in glioma patients

Hemipelvectomy: outcome in 84 dogs and 16 cats. A veterinary society of surgical oncology retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bray, Jonathan P; Worley, Deanna R; Henderson, Ralph A; Boston, Sarah E; Mathews, Kyle G; Romanelli, Giorgio; Bacon, Nicholas J; Liptak, Julius M; Scase, Tim J

2014-01-01

To report clinical findings, perioperative complications and long-term outcome in dogs and cats that had hemipelvectomy surgery for treatment of neoplasia. Multi-institutional retrospective case series. Dogs (n = 84) and cats (16). Medical records (January 2000 to December 2009) of dogs and cats that had hemipelvectomy at participating institutions were reviewed. Postoperative progress and current status of the patient at the time of the study was determined by either medical record review, or via telephone contact with the referring veterinarian or owner. Complications were infrequent and usually minor. Hemorrhage was the main intraoperative complication; 2 dogs required blood transfusion. One dog developed an incisional hernia. In dogs, hemangiosarcoma had the worst prognosis with a median survival time (MST) of 179 days. MST for chondrosarcoma (1232 days), osteosarcoma (533 days), and soft tissue sarcoma (373 days) were not statistically different. Median disease-free interval (DFI) for local recurrence of all tumor types was 257 days. Cats had 75% survival at 1 year, which was significantly longer than dogs. Survival times for most tumor types can be good, but surgical margins should be carefully evaluated to ensure complete tumor removal. Adjuvant therapies may be advisable particularly for dogs to reduce rates of local recurrence or distant metastasis. © Copyright 2013 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Time to treatment as a quality metric in lung cancer: Staging studies, time to treatment, and patient survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez, Daniel R.; Liao, Kai-Ping; Swisher, Stephen G.; Blumenschein, George R.; Erasmus, Jeremy J.; Buchholz, Thomas A.; Giordano, Sharon H.; Smith, Benjamin D.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Prompt staging and treatment are crucial for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We determined if predictors of treatment delay after diagnosis were associated with prognosis. Materials and methods: Medicare claims from 28,732 patients diagnosed with NSCLC in 2004–2007 were used to establish the diagnosis-to-treatment interval (ideally ⩽35 days) and identify staging studies during that interval. Factors associated with delay were identified with multivariate logistic regression, and associations between delay and survival by stage were tested with Cox proportional hazard regression. Results: Median diagnosis-to-treatment interval was 27 days. Receipt of PET was associated with delays (57.4% of patients with PET delayed [n = 6646/11,583] versus 22.8% of those without [n = 3908/17,149]; adjusted OR = 4.48, 95% CI 4.23–4.74, p < 0.001). Median diagnosis-to-PET interval was 15 days; PET-to-clinic, 5 days; and clinic-to-treatment, 12 days. Diagnosis-to-treatment intervals <35 days were associated with improved survival for patients with localized disease and those with distant disease surviving ⩾1 year but not for patients with distant disease surviving <1 year. Conclusion: Delays between diagnosing and treating NSCLC are common and associated with use of PET for staging. Reducing time to treatment may improve survival for patients with manageable disease at diagnosis

Evaluation of serum biochemical marker concentrations and survival time in dogs with protein-losing enteropathy.

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Equilino, Mirjam; Théodoloz, Vincent; Gorgas, Daniela; Doherr, Marcus G; Heilmann, Romy M; Suchodolski, Jan S; Steiner, Jörg M; Burgener Dvm, Iwan A

2015-01-01

To evaluate serum concentrations of biochemical markers and survival time in dogs with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE). Prospective study. 29 dogs with PLE and 18 dogs with food-responsive diarrhea (FRD). Data regarding serum concentrations of various biochemical markers at the initial evaluation were available for 18 of the 29 dogs with PLE and compared with findings for dogs with FRD. Correlations between biochemical marker concentrations and survival time (interval between time of initial evaluation and death or euthanasia) for dogs with PLE were evaluated. Serum C-reactive protein concentration was high in 13 of 18 dogs with PLE and in 2 of 18 dogs with FRD. Serum concentration of canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity was high in 3 dogs with PLE but within the reference interval in all dogs with FRD. Serum α1-proteinase inhibitor concentration was less than the lower reference limit in 9 dogs with PLE and 1 dog with FRD. Compared with findings in dogs with FRD, values of those 3 variables in dogs with PLE were significantly different. Serum calprotectin (measured by radioimmunoassay and ELISA) and S100A12 concentrations were high but did not differ significantly between groups. Seventeen of the 29 dogs with PLE were euthanized owing to this disease; median survival time was 67 days (range, 2 to 2,551 days). Serum C-reactive protein, canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, and α1-proteinase inhibitor concentrations differed significantly between dogs with PLE and FRD. Most initial biomarker concentrations were not predictive of survival time in dogs with PLE.

The role of donor age and ischemic time on survival following orthotopic heart transplantation.

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Del Rizzo, D F; Menkis, A H; Pflugfelder, P W; Novick, R J; McKenzie, F N; Boyd, W D; Kostuk, W J

1999-04-01

The advances in immunotherapy, along with a liberalization of eligibility criteria have contributed significantly to the ever increasing demand for donor organs. In an attempt to expand the donor pool, transplant programs are now accepting older donors as well as donors from more remote areas. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of donor age and organ ischemic time on survival following orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). From April 1981 to December 1996 372 adult patients underwent OHT at the University of Western Ontario. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify predictors of outcome. Variables affecting survival were then entered into a stepwise logistic regression model to develop probability models for 30-day- and 1-year-mortality. The mean age of the recipient population was 45.6 +/- 12.3 years (range 18-64 years: 54 56 years). The majority (329 patients, 86.1%) were male and the most common indications for OHT were ischemic (n = 180) and idiopathic (n = 171) cardiomyopathy. Total ischemic time (TIT) was 202.4 +/- 84.5 minutes (range 47-457 minutes). In 86 donors TIT was under 2 hours while it was between 2 and 4 hours in 168, and more than 4 hours in 128 donors. Actuarial survival was 80%, 73%, and 55% at 1, 5, and 10 years respectively. By Cox proportional hazards models, recipient status (Status I-II vs III-IV; risk ratio 1.75; p = 0.003) and donor age, examined as either a continuous or categorical variable ([age or = 35; risk ratio 1.98; p or = 50; risk ratio 2.20; p or = 50; risk ratio 1.83; p 50 years (p = 0.009). By stepwise logistic regression analysis, a probability model for survival was then developed based on donor age, the interaction between donor age and ischemic time, and patient status. Improvements in myocardial preservation and peri-operative management may allow for the safe utilization of donor organs with prolonged ischemic times. Older donors are associated with decreased peri-operative and long

Factors associated with supermarket and convenience store closure: a discrete time spatial survival modelling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Joshua L; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2018-06-01

While there is a literature on the distribution of food stores across geographic and social space, much of this research uses cross-sectional data. Analyses attempting to understand whether the availability of stores across neighborhoods is associated with diet and/or health outcomes are limited by a lack of understanding of factors that shape the emergence of new stores and the closure of others. We used quarterly data on supermarket and convenience store locations spanning seven years (2006-2012) and tract-level census data in four US cities: Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Francisco, California. A spatial discrete-time survival model was used to identify factors associated with an earlier and/or later closure time of a store. Sales volume was typically the strongest indicator of store survival. We identified heterogeneity in the association between tract-level poverty and racial composition with respect to store survival. Stores in high poverty, non-White tracts were often at a disadvantage in terms of survival length. The observed patterns of store survival varied by some of the same neighborhood sociodemographic factors associated with lifestyle and health outcomes, which could lead to confusion in interpretation in studies of the estimated effects of introduction of food stores into neighborhoods on health.

Is Local Radiotherapy Still Valuable for Patients With Multiple Intrahepatic Hepatocellular Carcinomas?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koom, Woong Sub; Seong, Jinsil; Han, Kwang Hyub; Lee, Do Yun; Lee, Jong Tae

2010-01-01

Purpose: To investigate whether local radiotherapy (RT) is valuable for patients with multiple hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Methods and Materials: From July 1992 to August 2006, 107 patients with unresectable HCC were treated with local RT after incomplete transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). The RT field included a main tumor with or without other tumor nodules, depending on the effectiveness of TACE. The median RT dose was 50.4Gy in conventional fractionation. Patients were categorized into four groups: Group 1, single tumor (39 patients); Group 2, multiple tumors within the RT field (25 patients); Group 3, controlled tumors out of the RT field (19 patients); and Group 4, tumors that remained viable out of the RT field (24 patients). Results: Group 1 showed the best survival rate (MST, 35 months; 2-year OS, 60%) and Group 4 the worst (MST, 5 months; 2-year OS, 16%). Group 2 and Group 3 showed similar survival (MST, 13 vs. 19 months; 2-year OS, 35% vs. 46%; p = 0.698). Significantly worse intrahepatic control in Group 4 was observed. The survival in Groups 2 and 3 (MST, 16 months) was significantly different from that in Group 4 (p = 0.004), and was marginally significant compared with that in Group 1 (p = 0.051). Conclusions: Local RT to the main tumor could be applicable in well-controlled intrahepatic tumors out of the RT field. Patients with viable intrahepatic tumors out of the RT field showed worse survival. In future clinical trials, these patients need to be excluded.

Association of the Timing of Pregnancy With Survival in Women With Breast Cancer

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Iqbal, Javaid; Amir, Eitan; Rochon, Paula A.; Giannakeas, Vasily; Sun, Ping

2017-01-01

Importance Increasing numbers of women experience pregnancy around the time of, or after, a diagnosis of breast cancer. Understanding the effect of pregnancy on survival in women with breast cancer will help in the counseling and treatment of these women. Objective To compare the overall survival of women diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy or in the postpartum period with that of women who had breast cancer but did not become pregnant. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based, retrospective cohort study linked health administrative databases in Ontario, Canada, comprising 7553 women aged 20 to 45 years at the time of diagnosis with invasive breast cancer, from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2014. Exposures Any pregnancy in the period from 5 years before, until 5 years after, the index date of the diagnosis of breast cancer. Women were classified into the following 4 exposure groups: no pregnancy (the referent), pregnancy before breast cancer, pregnancy-associated breast cancer, and pregnancy following breast cancer. Main Outcomes and Measures Five-year actuarial survival rates for all exposure groups, age-adjusted and multivariable hazard ratios [HRs] of pregnancy for overall survival for all exposure groups, and time-dependent hazard ratios for women with pregnancy following breast cancer. Results Among the 7553 women in the study (mean age at diagnosis, 39.1 years; median, 40 years; range, 20-44 years) the 5-year actuarial survival rate was 87.5% (95% CI, 86.5%-88.4%) for women with no pregnancy, 85.3% (95% CI, 82.8%-87.8%) for women with pregnancy before breast cancer (age-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.85-1.27; P = .73), and 82.1% (95% CI, 78.3%-85.9%) for women with pregnancy-associated breast cancer (age-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.91-1.53; P = .20). The 5-year actuarial survival rate was 96.7% (95% CI, 94.1%-99.3%) for women who had pregnancy 6 months or more after diagnosis of breast cancer, vs 87

Survival analysis using S analysis of time-to-event data

CERN Document Server

Tableman, Mara

2003-01-01

Survival Analysis Using S: Analysis of Time-to-Event Data is designed as a text for a one-semester or one-quarter course in survival analysis for upper-level or graduate students in statistics, biostatistics, and epidemiology. Prerequisites are a standard pre-calculus first course in probability and statistics, and a course in applied linear regression models. No prior knowledge of S or R is assumed. A wide choice of exercises is included, some intended for more advanced students with a first course in mathematical statistics. The authors emphasize parametric log-linear models, while also detailing nonparametric procedures along with model building and data diagnostics. Medical and public health researchers will find the discussion of cut point analysis with bootstrap validation, competing risks and the cumulative incidence estimator, and the analysis of left-truncated and right-censored data invaluable. The bootstrap procedure checks robustness of cut point analysis and determines cut point(s). In a chapter ...

The M1 form of tumor-associated macrophages in non-small cell lung cancer is positively associated with survival time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Junliang; Liu, Lunxu; Che, Guowei; Yu, Nanbin; Dai, Fuqiang; You, Zongbing

2010-01-01

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play an important role in growth, progression and metastasis of tumors. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), TAMs' anti-tumor or pro-tumor role is not determined. Macrophages are polarized into M1 (with anti-tumor function) and M2 (with pro-tumor function) forms. This study was conducted to determine whether the M1 and M2 macrophage densities in NSCLC are associated with patient's survival time. Fifty patients with an average of 1-year survival (short survival group) and 50 patients with an average of 5-year survival (long survival group) were included in this retrospective study. Paraffin-embedded NSCLC specimens and their clinicopathological data including up to 8-year follow-up information were used. Immunohistochemical double-staining of CD68/HLA-DR (markers for M1 macrophages) and CD68/CD163 (markers for M2 macrophages) was performed and evaluated in a blinded fashion. The M1 and M2 macrophage densities in the tumor islets, stroma, or islets and stroma were determined using computer-aided microscopy. Correlation of the macrophage densities and patient's survival time was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Approximately 70% of TAMs were M2 macrophages and the remaining 30% were M1 macrophages in NSCLC. The M2 macrophage densities (approximately 78 to 113 per mm 2 ) in the tumor islets, stroma, or islets and stroma were not significantly different between the long survival and short survival groups. The M1 macrophage densities in the tumor islets (approximately 70/mm 2 ) and stroma (approximately 34/mm 2 ) of the long survival group were significantly higher than the M1 macrophage densities in the tumor islets (approximately 7/mm 2 ) and stroma (13/mm 2 ) of the short survival group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The M2 macrophage densities were not associated with patient's survival time. The M1 macrophage densities in the tumor islets, stroma, or islets and stroma

KMWin – A Convenient Tool for Graphical Presentation of Results from Kaplan-Meier Survival Time Analysis

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Gross, Arnd; Ziepert, Marita; Scholz, Markus

2012-01-01

Background Analysis of clinical studies often necessitates multiple graphical representations of the results. Many professional software packages are available for this purpose. Most packages are either only commercially available or hard to use especially if one aims to generate or customize a huge number of similar graphical outputs. We developed a new, freely available software tool called KMWin (Kaplan-Meier for Windows) facilitating Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis. KMWin is based on the statistical software environment R and provides an easy to use graphical interface. Survival time data can be supplied as SPSS (sav), SAS export (xpt) or text file (dat), which is also a common export format of other applications such as Excel. Figures can directly be exported in any graphical file format supported by R. Results On the basis of a working example, we demonstrate how to use KMWin and present its main functions. We show how to control the interface, customize the graphical output, and analyse survival time data. A number of comparisons are performed between KMWin and SPSS regarding graphical output, statistical output, data management and development. Although the general functionality of SPSS is larger, KMWin comprises a number of features useful for survival time analysis in clinical trials and other applications. These are for example number of cases and number of cases under risk within the figure or provision of a queue system for repetitive analyses of updated data sets. Moreover, major adjustments of graphical settings can be performed easily on a single window. Conclusions We conclude that our tool is well suited and convenient for repetitive analyses of survival time data. It can be used by non-statisticians and provides often used functions as well as functions which are not supplied by standard software packages. The software is routinely applied in several clinical study groups. PMID:22723912

A high time resolution x-ray diagnostic on the Madison Symmetric Torus

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DuBois, Ami M.; Lee, John David; Almagri, Abdulgadar F.

2015-07-01

A new high time resolution x-ray detector has been installed on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) to make measurements around sawtooth events. The detector system is comprised of a silicon avalanche photodiode, a 20 ns Gaussian shaping amplifier, and a 500 MHz digitizer with 14-bit sampling resolution. The fast shaping time diminishes the need to restrict the amount of x-ray flux reaching the detector, limiting the system dead-time. With a much higher time resolution than systems currently in use in high temperature plasma physics experiments, this new detector has the versatility to be used in a variety of discharges with varying flux and the ability to study dynamics on both slow and fast time scales. This paper discusses the new fast x-ray detector recently installed on MST and the improved time resolution capabilities compared to the existing soft and hard x-ray diagnostics. In addition to the detector hardware, improvements to the detector calibration and x-ray pulse identification software, such as additional fitting parameters and a more sophisticated fitting routine are discussed. Finally, initial data taken in both high confinement and standard reversed-field pinch plasma discharges are compared.

Effect of 153Sm-EDTMP on survival time in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and multiple bone metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Wei; Zheng Zongyuan; Xu Guangpu

2004-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effect on survival of Samarium-153-ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonate (153Sm-EDTMP) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and multiple bone metastases. Methods: From 1993 to 1999, 160 patients (127 men, 33 women; median age 35 years) presented with NPC and multiple bone metastases. Of these, 40 patients had undergone chemotherapy, and 72 palliative radiotherapy. Patients were randomly divided into four groups: Group 1 (N = 20) received analgesics (control); Groups 2, 3 and 4 (N = 80, 40, and 20, respectively) received one, two or three courses, respectively, of 153Sm-EDTMP (77.7 MBq/kg/course; course interval, 4 wk). Results: Eight patients died of non-cancer-related causes, and 24 were lost to follow-up. The median survival time for Group 1 (7.8 months) was significantly less (p < 0.05) than that of Groups 2, 3 and 4 (11.6, 13.4 and 12.8 months, respectively). Patients given 153Sm-EDTMP who had had revious external radiation survived longer (p < 0.05) than those in the other treatment groups. Conclusions: Internal radiotherapy with 153Sm-EDTMP can extend survival time in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and multiple bone metastases; when combined with external radiotherapy in appropriate patients, its effect on survival time is enhanced.. (authors)

Survival times of patients with a first hip fracture with and without subsequent major long-bone fractures.

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Angthong, Chayanin; Angthong, Wirana; Harnroongroj, Thos; Naito, Masatoshi; Harnroongroj, Thossart

2013-01-01

Survival rates are poorer after a second hip fracture than after a first hip fracture. Previous survival studies have included in-hospital mortality. Excluding in-hospital deaths from the analysis allows survival times to be evaluated in community-based patients. There is still a lack of data regarding the effects of subsequent fractures on survival times after hospital discharge following an initial hip fracture. This study compared the survival times of community-dwelling patients with hip fracture who had or did not have a subsequent major long-bone fracture. Hazard ratios and risk factors for subsequent fractures and mortality rates with and without subsequent fractures were calculated. Of 844 patients with hip fracture from 2000 through 2008, 71 had a subsequent major long-bone fracture and 773 did not. Patients who died of other causes, such as perioperative complications, during hospitalization were excluded. Such exclusion allowed us to determine the effect of subsequent fracture on the survival of community-dwelling individuals after hospital discharge or after the time of the fracture if they did not need hospitalization. Demographic data, causes of death, and mortality rates were recorded. Differences in mortality rates between the patient groups and hazard ratios were calculated. Mortality rates during the first year and from 1 to 5 years after the most recent fracture were 5.6% and 1.4%, respectively, in patients with subsequent fractures, and 4.7% and 1.4%, respectively, in patients without subsequent fractures. These rates did not differ significantly between the groups. Cox regression analysis and calculation of hazard ratios did not show significant differences between patients with subsequent fractures and those without. On univariate and multivariate analyses, age fracture. This study found that survival times did not differ significantly between patients with and without subsequent major long-bone fractures after hip fracture. Therefore, all

O fato e a notícia. A mídia impressa e o movimento dos trabalhadores rurais sem-terra (MST.

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Sônia Maria Ribeiro de Souza

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Este texto expressa os primeiros passos rumo às investigações sobre as manifestações ideológicas e os juízos de valor veiculados pelos meios de comunicação em Presidente Prudente especificamente os jornais O Imparcial e o Oeste Notícias, tendo como referência a luta pela terra no Pontal do Paranapanema e o contexto de organização social do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra (MST.

The accuracy of survival time prediction for patients with glioma is improved by measuring mitotic spindle checkpoint gene expression.

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Li Bie

Full Text Available Identification of gene expression changes that improve prediction of survival time across all glioma grades would be clinically useful. Four Affymetrix GeneChip datasets from the literature, containing data from 771 glioma samples representing all WHO grades and eight normal brain samples, were used in an ANOVA model to screen for transcript changes that correlated with grade. Observations were confirmed and extended using qPCR assays on RNA derived from 38 additional glioma samples and eight normal samples for which survival data were available. RNA levels of eight major mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC genes (BUB1, BUB1B, BUB3, CENPE, MAD1L1, MAD2L1, CDC20, TTK significantly correlated with glioma grade and six also significantly correlated with survival time. In particular, the level of BUB1B expression was highly correlated with survival time (p<0.0001, and significantly outperformed all other measured parameters, including two standards; WHO grade and MIB-1 (Ki-67 labeling index. Measurement of the expression levels of a small set of SAC genes may complement histological grade and other clinical parameters for predicting survival time.

It's Deja Vu All over Again: Using Multiple-Spell Discrete-Time Survival Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Willett, John B.; Singer, Judith D.

1995-01-01

The multiple-spell discrete-time survival analysis method is introduced and illustrated using longitudinal data on exit from and reentry into the teaching profession. The method is applicable to many educational problems involving the sequential occurrence of disparate events or episodes. (SLD)

Refletindo sobre os vínculos com a carreira dos militantes do MST: Entrincheiramento em análise.

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Denilson Aparecido Leite Freire

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Este estudo analisou o entrincheiramento na carreira dos trabalhadores queatuam no Movimento Sem Terra (MST, através de um levantamento quantitativo com99 participantes do movimento. O entrincheiramento é um construto que engloba apercepção de falta de alternativas na carreira, custos emocionais e investimento nacarreira. Foram utilizadas escalas validadas, com um KMO de 0.741. Os resultadosmostraram níveis de entrincheiramento maiores entre: assalariados, com relação aosvoluntários; mulheres, com relação aos homens; e público das regiões Sul e Sudestedevido à questões históricas ligadas à Terra.

Evaluation of Survival Time of Tooth Color Dental Materials in Primary Anterior Teeth

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Behjat-Al-Molook Ajami

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In restorative dentistry, selecting the proper material is an important factor for clinical success. The objective of this study was clinical evaluation of survival time of three tooth color materials in primary anterior teeth. Methods: In this interventional clinical trial study, 94 deciduous anterior teeth (36 teeth in boys, 58 teeth in girls belonging to 3-5 year old children in Pediatric Department of Mashhad Faculty of Dentistry, Iran were selected. Selective dental materials included compoglass, glass-ionomer Fuji II LC, and composite resin. The data were analyzed with Kaplan–Meyer and Log rank test. Results: compoglass had the highest survival time in comparison with composite and glass-ionomer. Nine months retention rate for teeth restored with compoglass, composite resin and glass-ionomer were estimated: 95%, 21%, and 12.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Compoglass can be a suitable material for anterior primary teeth restoration

Evaluation of Survival Time of Tooth Color Dental Materials in Primary Anterior Teeth

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Taraneh Movahhed

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In restorative dentistry, selecting the proper material is an important factor for clinical success. The objective of this study was clinical evaluation of survival time of three tooth color materials in primary anterior teeth. Methods: In this interventional clinical trial study, 94 deciduous anterior teeth (36 teeth in boys, 58 teeth in girls belonging to 3-5 year old children in Pediatric Department of Mashhad Faculty of Dentistry, Iran were selected. Selective dental materials included compoglass, glass-ionomer Fuji II LC, and composite resin. The data were analyzed with Kaplan–Meyer and Log rank test. Results: compoglass had the highest survival time in comparison with composite and glass-ionomer. Nine months retention rate for teeth restored with compoglass, composite resin and glass-ionomer were estimated: 95%, 21%, and 12.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Compoglass can be a suitable material for anterior primary teeth restoration.

Decay of Fecal Indicator Bacterial Populations and Bovine-Associated Source-Tracking Markers in Freshly Deposited Cow Pats

Science.gov (United States)

Understanding the survival of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and microbial source-tracking (MST) markers is critical to developing pathogen fate and transport models. Although pathogen survival in water microcosms and manure-amended soils is well documented, little is known about...

Survival with Three-Times Weekly In-Center Nocturnal Versus Conventional Hemodialysis

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jianglin; Suri, Rita S.; Nesrallah, Gihad; Lindsay, Robert; Garg, Amit X.; Lester, Keith; Ofsthun, Norma; Lazarus, Michael; Hakim, Raymond M.

2012-01-01

Whether the duration of hemodialysis treatments improves outcomes remains controversial. Here, we evaluated survival and clinical changes associated with converting from conventional hemodialysis (mean=3.75 h/treatment) to in-center nocturnal hemodialysis (mean=7.85 h/treatment). All 959 consecutive patients who initiated nocturnal hemodialysis for the first time in 77 Fresenius Medical Care facilities during 2006 and 2007 were eligible. We used Cox models to compare risk for mortality during 2 years of follow-up in a 1:3 propensity score–matched cohort of 746 nocturnal and 2062 control patients on conventional hemodialysis. Two-year mortality was 19% among nocturnal hemodialysis patients compared with 27% among conventional patients. Nocturnal hemodialysis associated with a 25% reduction in the risk for death after adjustment for age, body mass index, and dialysis vintage (hazard ratio=0.75, 95% confidence interval=0.61–0.91, P=0.004). With respect to clinical features, interdialytic weight gain, albumin, hemoglobin, dialysis dose, and calcium increased on nocturnal therapy, whereas postdialysis weight, predialysis systolic blood pressure, ultrafiltration rate, phosphorus, and white blood cell count declined (all P<0.001). In summary, notwithstanding the possibility of residual selection bias, conversion to treatment with nocturnal hemodialysis associates with favorable clinical features, laboratory biomarkers, and improved survival compared with propensity score–matched controls. The potential impact of extended treatment time on clinical outcomes while maintaining a three times per week hemodialysis schedule requires evaluation in future clinical trials. PMID:22362905

Biologically-equivalent dose and long-term survival time in radiation treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaider, Marco; Hanin, Leonid

2007-01-01

Within the linear-quadratic model the biologically-effective dose (BED)-taken to represent treatments with an equal tumor control probability (TCP)-is commonly (and plausibly) calculated according to BED(D) = -log[S(D)]/α. We ask whether in the presence of cellular proliferation this claim is justified and examine, as a related question, the extent to which BED approximates an isoeffective dose (IED) defined, more sensibly, in terms of an equal long-term survival probability, rather than TCP. We derive, under the assumption that cellular birth and death rates are time homogeneous, exact equations for the isoeffective dose, IED. As well, we give a rigorous definition of effective long-term survival time, T eff . By using several sets of radiobiological parameters, we illustrate potential differences between BED and IED on the one hand and, on the other, between T eff calculated as suggested here or by an earlier recipe. In summary: (a) the equations currently in use for calculating the effective treatment time may underestimate the isoeffective dose and should be avoided. The same is the case for the tumor control probability (TCP), only more so; (b) for permanent implants BED may be a poor substitute for IED; (c) for a fractionated treatment schedule, interpreting the observed probability of cure in terms of a TCP formalism that refers to the end of the treatment (rather than T eff ) may result in a miscalculation (underestimation) of the initial number of clonogens

Survival analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badwe, R.A.

1999-01-01

The primary endpoint in the majority of the studies has been either disease recurrence or death. This kind of analysis requires a special method since all patients in the study experience the endpoint. The standard method for estimating such survival distribution is Kaplan Meier method. The survival function is defined as the proportion of individuals who survive beyond certain time. Multi-variate comparison for survival has been carried out with Cox's proportional hazard model

Palliative reirradiation of recurrent rectal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lingareddy, Vasudha; Ahmad, Neelofur; Mohiuddin, Mohammed

1995-01-01

a significant difference in late complication rate between patients receiving standard fractionation (47%) and those receiving hyperfractionation (18%), p=0.04. Median survival time (MST) from recurrence for the entire group was 12 months. Two and 3 year acturial survival rates were 25% and 14%, respectively. Gender, age, initial stage, and fractionation scheme did not significantly impact survival. However, patients who recurred ≤ 2 years of initial treatment had an MST of 10 months vs. 17 months for patients who recurred later (p=0.0569). Reirradiation doses of ≤30.6 Gy resulted in an MST of 9 months vs. 18 months for higher doses (p=0.0125). Patients with Karnofsky Performance Status ≤70 had an MST of 6 months vs. 18 months in patients with KPS > 70 (p=0.0005). CONCLUSION: This unique institutional approach to recurrent rectal cancers results in excellent palliation of symptoms. Late complications may be reduced by hyperfractionated treatment delivery. Patients recurring > 2 years from initial treatment, and those with KPS > 70 may have prolonged survival when retreated to higher doses

Pre-hospital transport times and survival for Hypotensive patients with penetrating thoracic trauma

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Mamta Swaroop

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Achieving definitive care within the "Golden Hour" by minimizing response times is a consistent goal of regional trauma systems . This study hypothesizes that in urban Level I Trauma Centers, shorter pre-hospital times would predict outcomes in penetrating thoracic injuries. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using a statewide trauma registry for the years 1999-2003 . Total pre-hospital times were measured for urban victims of penetrating thoracic trauma. Crude and adjusted mortality rates were compared by pre-hospital time using STATA statistical software. Results: During the study period, 908 patients presented to the hospital after penetrating thoracic trauma, with 79% surviving . Patients with higher injury severity scores (ISS were transported more quickly. Injury severity scores (ISS ≥16 and emergency department (ED hypotension (systolic blood pressure, SBP <90 strongly predicted mortality (P < 0.05 for each . In a logistic regression model including age, race, and ISS, longer transport times for hypotensive patients were associated with higher mortality rates (all P values <0.05. This was seen most significantly when comparing patient transport times 0-15 min and 46-60 min (P < 0.001. Conclusion: In victims of penetrating thoracic trauma, more severely injured patients arrive at urban trauma centers sooner . Mortality is strongly predicted by injury severity, although shorter pre-hospital times are associated with improved survival . These results suggest that careful planning to optimize transport time-encompassing hospital capacity and existing resources, traffic patterns, and trauma incident densities may be beneficial in areas with a high burden of penetrating trauma.

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

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Chen, Shao-Bin; Weng, Hong-Rui; Wang, Geng; Yang, Jie-Sheng; Yang, Wei-Ping; Li, Hua; Liu, Di-Tian; Chen, Yu-Ping

2012-07-01

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) of the esophagus is a rare carcinoma with distinct characteristics. No standard treatment has been established. This retrospective study was designed to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of esophageal BSCC. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from 26 patients with pathologically confirmed esophageal BSCC who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy with lymphadenectomy between January 1995 and June 2010 at the Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College. Clinicopathologic data between BSCC patients and different histologic grades of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients were statistically compared by means of the χ(2) test or Fisher's exact test. The Kaplan-Meier and log-rank methods were used to estimate and compare survival rates. Microscopically, BSCC was characterized by a nesting, lobular, or trabecular arrangement of small crowded cells with scant cytoplasm. None of the histologic specimens taken at preoperative esophagoscopy were diagnosed as BSCC. The median survival time (MST) of the 26 patients was 29.0 months (95% confidence interval, 9.0-49.0), and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 73.1, 42.7, and 36.6%, respectively. The MST for BSCC patients was significantly lower than that of well-differentiated SCC patients (P = 0.024), but there were no significant differences between the MST for BSCC patients and that of moderately or poorly differentiated SCC patients (P > 0.05). BSCC of the esophagus is a rare but distinctive disease and is prone to be misdiagnosed by endoscopic biopsy. The prognosis is poorer than well-differentiated SCC, but similar to moderately or poorly differentiated SCC.

Effect of bifidobacteria implantation on the survival time of whole-body irradiated mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yokokura, Teruo; Onoue, Masaharu; Mutai, Masahiko

1980-01-01

Letahl dose (2 KR) of gamma-ray was irradiated on the whole bodies of mice. Survival time after irradiation was significantly longer in mice with administration of both Bifidobacterium breve YIT 4008 and transgalactosyl oligosaccharide than in mice with administration of either of the two or nothing. (Tsunoda, M.)

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Treatment Time Impacts Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMillan, Matthew T.; Ojerholm, Eric; Roses, Robert E.; Plastaras, John P.; Metz, James M.; Mamtani, Ronac; Karakousis, Giorgos C.; Fraker, Douglas L.; Drebin, Jeffrey A.; Stripp, Diana; Ben-Josef, Edgar; Datta, Jashodeep

2015-01-01

Purpose: Prolonged radiation therapy treatment time (RTT) is associated with worse survival in several tumor types. This study investigated whether delays during adjuvant radiation therapy impact overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer. Methods and Materials: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with resected gastric cancer who received adjuvant radiation therapy with National Comprehensive Cancer Network–recommended doses (45 or 50.4 Gy) between 1998 and 2006. RTT was classified as standard (45 Gy: 33-36 days, 50.4 Gy: 38-41 days) or prolonged (45 Gy: >36 days, 50.4 Gy: >41 days). Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the association between the following factors and OS: RTT, interval from surgery to radiation therapy initiation, interval from surgery to radiation therapy completion, radiation therapy dose, demographic/pathologic and operative factors, and other elements of adjuvant multimodality therapy. Results: Of 1591 patients, RTT was delayed in 732 (46%). Factors associated with prolonged RTT were non-private health insurance (OR 1.3, P=.005) and treatment at non-academic facilities (OR 1.2, P=.045). Median OS and 5-year actuarial survival were significantly worse in patients with prolonged RTT compared with standard RTT (36 vs 51 months, P=.001; 39 vs 47%, P=.005); OS worsened with each cumulative week of delay (P<.0004). On multivariable analysis, prolonged RTT was associated with inferior OS (hazard ratio 1.2, P=.002); the intervals from surgery to radiation therapy initiation or completion were not. Prolonged RTT was particularly detrimental in patients with node positivity, inadequate nodal staging (<15 nodes examined), and those undergoing a cycle of chemotherapy before chemoradiation therapy. Conclusions: Delays during adjuvant radiation therapy appear to negatively impact survival in gastric cancer. Efforts to minimize cumulative interruptions to <7 days should be considered

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Treatment Time Impacts Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer

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McMillan, Matthew T. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Ojerholm, Eric [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Roses, Robert E., E-mail: Robert.Roses@uphs.upenn.edu [Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Plastaras, John P.; Metz, James M. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Mamtani, Ronac [Department of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Karakousis, Giorgos C.; Fraker, Douglas L.; Drebin, Jeffrey A. [Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Stripp, Diana; Ben-Josef, Edgar [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States); Datta, Jashodeep [Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (United States)

2015-10-01

Purpose: Prolonged radiation therapy treatment time (RTT) is associated with worse survival in several tumor types. This study investigated whether delays during adjuvant radiation therapy impact overall survival (OS) in gastric cancer. Methods and Materials: The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients with resected gastric cancer who received adjuvant radiation therapy with National Comprehensive Cancer Network–recommended doses (45 or 50.4 Gy) between 1998 and 2006. RTT was classified as standard (45 Gy: 33-36 days, 50.4 Gy: 38-41 days) or prolonged (45 Gy: >36 days, 50.4 Gy: >41 days). Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the association between the following factors and OS: RTT, interval from surgery to radiation therapy initiation, interval from surgery to radiation therapy completion, radiation therapy dose, demographic/pathologic and operative factors, and other elements of adjuvant multimodality therapy. Results: Of 1591 patients, RTT was delayed in 732 (46%). Factors associated with prolonged RTT were non-private health insurance (OR 1.3, P=.005) and treatment at non-academic facilities (OR 1.2, P=.045). Median OS and 5-year actuarial survival were significantly worse in patients with prolonged RTT compared with standard RTT (36 vs 51 months, P=.001; 39 vs 47%, P=.005); OS worsened with each cumulative week of delay (P<.0004). On multivariable analysis, prolonged RTT was associated with inferior OS (hazard ratio 1.2, P=.002); the intervals from surgery to radiation therapy initiation or completion were not. Prolonged RTT was particularly detrimental in patients with node positivity, inadequate nodal staging (<15 nodes examined), and those undergoing a cycle of chemotherapy before chemoradiation therapy. Conclusions: Delays during adjuvant radiation therapy appear to negatively impact survival in gastric cancer. Efforts to minimize cumulative interruptions to <7 days should be considered.

Modelling survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ashauer, Roman; Albert, Carlo; Augustine, Starrlight

2016-01-01

The General Unified Threshold model for Survival (GUTS) integrates previously published toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic models and estimates survival with explicitly defined assumptions. Importantly, GUTS accounts for time-variable exposure to the stressor. We performed three studies to test...

Similarity measure and topology evolution of foreign exchange markets using dynamic time warping method: Evidence from minimal spanning tree

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Wang, Gang-Jin; Xie, Chi; Han, Feng; Sun, Bo

2012-08-01

In this study, we employ a dynamic time warping method to study the topology of similarity networks among 35 major currencies in international foreign exchange (FX) markets, measured by the minimal spanning tree (MST) approach, which is expected to overcome the synchronous restriction of the Pearson correlation coefficient. In the empirical process, firstly, we subdivide the analysis period from June 2005 to May 2011 into three sub-periods: before, during, and after the US sub-prime crisis. Secondly, we choose NZD (New Zealand dollar) as the numeraire and then, analyze the topology evolution of FX markets in terms of the structure changes of MSTs during the above periods. We also present the hierarchical tree associated with the MST to study the currency clusters in each sub-period. Our results confirm that USD and EUR are the predominant world currencies. But USD gradually loses the most central position while EUR acts as a stable center in the MST passing through the crisis. Furthermore, an interesting finding is that, after the crisis, SGD (Singapore dollar) becomes a new center currency for the network.

Determine the Influence of Time Held in “Knockdown” Anesthesia on Survival and Stress of Surgically Implanted Juvenile Salmonids

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Woodley, Christa M.; Wagner, Katie A.; Knox, Kasey M.

2012-01-31

The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) was developed for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Portland District (USACE) to address questions related to survival and performance measures of juvenile salmonids as they pass through the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). Researchers using JSATS acoustic transmitters (ATs) were tasked with standardizing the surgical implantation procedure to ensure that the stressors of handling and surgery on salmonids were consistent and less likely to cause effects of tagging in survival studies. Researchers questioned whether the exposure time in 'knockdown' anesthesia (or induction) to prepare fish for surgery could influence the survival of study fish (CBSPSC 2011). Currently, fish are held in knockdown anesthesia after they reach Stage 4 anesthesia until the completion of the surgical implantation of a transmitter, varies from 5 to 15 minutes for studies conducted in the Columbia Basin. The Columbia Basin Surgical Protocol Steering Committee (CBSPSC ) expressed concern that its currently recommended 10-minute maximum time limit during which fish are held in anesthetic - tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222, 80 mg L-1 water) - could increase behavioral and physiological costs, and/or decrease survival of outmigrating juvenile salmonids. In addition, the variability in the time fish are held at Stage 4 could affect the data intended for direct comparison of fish within or among survival studies. Under the current recommended protocol, if fish exceed the 10-minute time limit, they are to be released without surgical implantation, thereby increasing the number of fish handled and endangered species 'take' at the bypass systems for FCRPS survival studies.

Momentum transport during reconnection events in the MST reversed field pinch

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Kuritsyn, Alexey

2008-11-01

During reconnection events in the MST reversed field pinch momentum parallel to the magnetic field is observed to be suddenly transported from the core to the edge. This occurs simultaneous with a surge in multiple resistive tearing instabilities. From measurements of the plasma flow and the forces arising from tearing instability (Maxwell and Reynolds stresses) we have established that tearing instabilities induce strong momentum transport. Comparison with nonlinear MHD computation of tearing fluctuations supports this conclusion, although it also indicates that effects beyond single-fluid MHD are likely to be important. The radial profile of the parallel velocity is reconstructed from a combination of diagnostics: Rutherford scattering of injected neutral atoms (for majority ions), charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (for minority ions), and Mach probes (for edge majority ion flow). Maxwell stress has been measured previously in the core by laser Faraday rotation, and both stresses are measured in the edge with probes. A surprising observation is that both the Maxwell and Reynolds stresses are each ten times larger than needed to account for the observed momentum transport (i.e., larger than the inertial and viscous terms in the momentum balance equation). However, they are oppositely directed such that their difference is approximately equal to the rate of change of plasma momentum. The large magnitude of the individual stresses is not predicted by MHD theory; the Maxwell stress also produces a Hall dynamo effect, implying that a two-fluid theory might be necessary for a complete description of momentum transport. To test further the relation between momentum transport and tearing fluctuations, momentum transport was measured perturbatively, by altering plasma rotation with inserted biased electrodes. Biasing is applied in plasmas with large tearing activity and improved confinement plasmas in which tearing activity is reduced by inductive current profile

The Application of Extended Cox Proportional Hazard Method for Estimating Survival Time of Breast Cancer

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Husain, Hartina; Astuti Thamrin, Sri; Tahir, Sulaiha; Mukhlisin, Ahmad; Mirna Apriani, M.

2018-03-01

Breast cancer is one type of cancer that is the leading cause of death worldwide. This study aims to model the factors that affect the survival time and rate of cure of breast cancer patients. The extended cox model, which is a modification of the proportional hazard cox model in which the proportional hazard assumptions are not met, is used in this study. The maximum likelihood estimation approach is used to estimate the parameters of the model. This method is then applied to medical record data of breast cancer patient in 2011-2016, which is taken from Hasanuddin University Education Hospital. The results obtained indicate that the factors that affect the survival time of breast cancer patients are malignancy and leukocyte levels.

Nature of the suppressor cells mediating prolonged graft survival after administration of extracted histocompatibility antigen and cyclosporine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, N.; Kahan, B.D.

1985-01-01

Antigen-specific suppressor T cells are induced by donor histocompatibility antigen extracted from spleen cells with 3M KCl combined with cyclosporine (Ag-CsA). A single i.v. injection of 5 mg 3M-KCl-extracted donor Buffalo (Buf, RT1b) antigen (Ag) combined with a three day course of CsA prolonged renal allograft survival in Wistar-Furth (WFu, RT1u) hosts to a greater extent (MST 26.5 days) than CsA alone (MST 11.8 days). Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) or spleen cells harvested from Ag-CsA-treated recipients ten days after transplantation inhibited the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) between normal responder WFu cells and irradiated Buf cells (55.6% and 64.4% suppression, respectively, P less than 0.025), but not third-party Brown-Norway (BN, RT1n) stimulator cells (13.6% and -18.3% suppression, respectively, NS). The suppressor effect was not mediated by cytolytic cells; there was neither primary nor secondary cytolytic activity against 51 Cr-labeled Con-A blastoid Buf cells. The suppressor cells were neither adherent to plastic dishes nor to nylon-wool columns. PBL irradiated with 800 rads, but not 1500 rads, suppressed the MLR. A single injection of cyclophosphamide (CY, 25 mg/kg) seven days after transplantation abrogated the suppression induced by Ag-CsA treatment. Moreover, PBL from Ag-CsA recipients failed to suppress the MLR, if depleted either of all T cells by treatment with monoclonal antibody (Mab) W3/13 HLK (pan T cells; % suppression -15.8), or of cytotoxic/suppressor cells with Mab OX-8 (-19.3% suppression) together with rabbit antimouse immunoglobulin and complement

Plant interactions alter the predictions of metabolic scaling theory.

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Yue Lin

Full Text Available Metabolic scaling theory (MST is an attempt to link physiological processes of individual organisms with macroecology. It predicts a power law relationship with an exponent of -4/3 between mean individual biomass and density during density-dependent mortality (self-thinning. Empirical tests have produced variable results, and the validity of MST is intensely debated. MST focuses on organisms' internal physiological mechanisms but we hypothesize that ecological interactions can be more important in determining plant mass-density relationships induced by density. We employ an individual-based model of plant stand development that includes three elements: a model of individual plant growth based on MST, different modes of local competition (size-symmetric vs. -asymmetric, and different resource levels. Our model is consistent with the observed variation in the slopes of self-thinning trajectories. Slopes were significantly shallower than -4/3 if competition was size-symmetric. We conclude that when the size of survivors is influenced by strong ecological interactions, these can override predictions of MST, whereas when surviving plants are less affected by interactions, individual-level metabolic processes can scale up to the population level. MST, like thermodynamics or biomechanics, sets limits within which organisms can live and function, but there may be stronger limits determined by ecological interactions. In such cases MST will not be predictive.

Integrated survival analysis using an event-time approach in a Bayesian framework.

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Walsh, Daniel P; Dreitz, Victoria J; Heisey, Dennis M

2015-02-01

Event-time or continuous-time statistical approaches have been applied throughout the biostatistical literature and have led to numerous scientific advances. However, these techniques have traditionally relied on knowing failure times. This has limited application of these analyses, particularly, within the ecological field where fates of marked animals may be unknown. To address these limitations, we developed an integrated approach within a Bayesian framework to estimate hazard rates in the face of unknown fates. We combine failure/survival times from individuals whose fates are known and times of which are interval-censored with information from those whose fates are unknown, and model the process of detecting animals with unknown fates. This provides the foundation for our integrated model and permits necessary parameter estimation. We provide the Bayesian model, its derivation, and use simulation techniques to investigate the properties and performance of our approach under several scenarios. Lastly, we apply our estimation technique using a piece-wise constant hazard function to investigate the effects of year, age, chick size and sex, sex of the tending adult, and nesting habitat on mortality hazard rates of the endangered mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) chicks. Traditional models were inappropriate for this analysis because fates of some individual chicks were unknown due to failed radio transmitters. Simulations revealed biases of posterior mean estimates were minimal (≤ 4.95%), and posterior distributions behaved as expected with RMSE of the estimates decreasing as sample sizes, detection probability, and survival increased. We determined mortality hazard rates for plover chicks were highest at birth weights and/or whose nest was within agricultural habitats. Based on its performance, our approach greatly expands the range of problems for which event-time analyses can be used by eliminating the need for having completely known fate data.

Integrated survival analysis using an event-time approach in a Bayesian framework

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Daniel P.; Dreitz, VJ; Heisey, Dennis M.

2015-01-01

Event-time or continuous-time statistical approaches have been applied throughout the biostatistical literature and have led to numerous scientific advances. However, these techniques have traditionally relied on knowing failure times. This has limited application of these analyses, particularly, within the ecological field where fates of marked animals may be unknown. To address these limitations, we developed an integrated approach within a Bayesian framework to estimate hazard rates in the face of unknown fates. We combine failure/survival times from individuals whose fates are known and times of which are interval-censored with information from those whose fates are unknown, and model the process of detecting animals with unknown fates. This provides the foundation for our integrated model and permits necessary parameter estimation. We provide the Bayesian model, its derivation, and use simulation techniques to investigate the properties and performance of our approach under several scenarios. Lastly, we apply our estimation technique using a piece-wise constant hazard function to investigate the effects of year, age, chick size and sex, sex of the tending adult, and nesting habitat on mortality hazard rates of the endangered mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) chicks. Traditional models were inappropriate for this analysis because fates of some individual chicks were unknown due to failed radio transmitters. Simulations revealed biases of posterior mean estimates were minimal (≤ 4.95%), and posterior distributions behaved as expected with RMSE of the estimates decreasing as sample sizes, detection probability, and survival increased. We determined mortality hazard rates for plover chicks were highest at birth weights and/or whose nest was within agricultural habitats. Based on its performance, our approach greatly expands the range of problems for which event-time analyses can be used by eliminating the need for having completely known fate data.

Is the time interval between surgery and radiotherapy important in operable nonsmall cell lung cancer? A retrospective analysis of 340 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wuerschmidt, Florian; Buenemann, Henry; Ehnert, Michael; Heilmann, Hans-Peter

1997-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of prognostic factors in postoperative radiotherapy of NSCLC with special emphasis on the time interval between surgery and start of radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Between January 1976 and December 1993, 340 cases were treated and retrospectively analyzed meeting the following criteria: complete follow-up; complete staging information including pathological confirmation of resection status; maximum interval between surgery (SX) and radiotherapy (RT) of 12 weeks (median 36 days, range 18 to 84 days); minimum dose of 50 Gy (R0), and maximum dose of 70 Gy (R2). Two hundred thirty patients (68%) had N2 disease; 228 patients were completely resected (R0). One hundred six (31%) had adenocarcinoma, 172 (51%) squamous cell carcinoma. Results: In univariate analysis, Karnofsky performance status (90+ > 60-80%; p = 0.019 log rank), resection status stratified for nodal disease (R+ < R0; p = 0.046), and the time interval between SX and RT were of significant importance. Patients with a long interval (37 to 84 days) had higher 5-year survival rates (26%) and a median survival time (MST: 21.9 months, 95% C.I. 17.2 to 28.6 months) than patients with a short interval (18 to 36 days: 15%; 14.9 months, 13 to 19.9 months; p = 0.013). A further subgroup analysis revealed significant higher survival rates in patients with a long interval in N0/1 disease (p = 0.011) and incompletely resected NSCLC (p = 0.012). In multivariate analysis, the time interval had a p-value of 0.009 (nodal disease: p = 0.0083; KPI: p = 0.0037; sex: p = 0.035). Conclusion: Shortening the time interval between surgery and postoperative radiotherapy to less than 6 weeks even in R+ cases is not necessary. Survival of patients with a long interval between surgery and start of radiotherapy was better in this retrospective analysis as compared to patients with a short interval

Impact of Sodium Chloride and Heat on Survival Time of Linguatula Serrata Nymphs in vitro: An Experimental Study

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B. Hajimohammadi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Linguatula serrata is a zoonotic parasite, belonging to the class Pentastomida. The major aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of sodium chloride (NaCl and heat on survival time of Linguatula serrata nymphs. Materials & Methods: Thirty nymphs (10 in triplicate were separately transferred to plastic tubes, containing different concentrations of NaCl solution (2%, 5% and 10%. Meanwhile, 30 nymphs in tubes containing Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS were separately treated by +50°C, +60°C and +72°C. As control group, thirty nymphs were stored in PBS at +4°C. The effects of different conditions on survival time of the nymphs were evaluated by observing their motility in different periods of time. Results: The survival time of the nymphs stored in 10% NaCl solution was too short and all of them were dead after 3 hours. But the other ones maintained in 2% NaCl solution were significantly more resistant (p<0.05 and were survived for 2 days. All the nymphs pertaining to each +60°C and +72°C treatments were found dead after first 5-minute storage interval; the nymphs stored at +50°C died totally after 20 minutes. The nymphs maintained in PBS at +4°C (control group showed the longest survival time (p<0.05; all of them were alive until day 4 and the last ones died on day 34. Conclusion: It is concluded that salting and heating have significant parasiticidal effects on L. serrata nymphs and could be used as disinfecting methods in processing of meat products especially liver. However, refrigeration at +4°C increases the resistance of the nymphs in meat products and therefore might endanger the food safety.

Frozen in Time? Microbial strategies for survival and carbon metabolism over geologic time in a Pleistocene permafrost chronosequence

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Mackelprang, R.; Douglas, T. A.; Waldrop, M. P.

2014-12-01

Permafrost soils have received tremendous interest due to their importance as a global carbon store with the potential to be thawed over the coming centuries. Instead of being 'frozen in time,' permafrost contains active microbes. Most metagenomic studies have focused on Holocene aged permafrost. Here, we target Pleistocene aged ice and carbon rich permafrost (Yedoma), which can differ in carbon content and stage of decay. Our aim was to understand how microbes in the permafrost transform organic matter over geologic time and to identify physiological and biochemical adaptations that enable long-term survival. We used next-generation sequencing to characterize microbial communities along a permafrost age gradient. Samples were collected from the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) Permafrost Tunnel near Fox, AK, which penetrates a hillside providing access to permafrost ranging in age from 12 to 40 kyr. DNA was extracted directly from unthawed samples. 16S rRNA amplicon (16S) and shotgun metagenome sequencing revealed significant age-driven differences. First, microbial diversity declines with permafrost age, likely due to long-term exposure to environmental stresses and a reduction in metabolic resources. Second, we observed taxonomic differences among ages, with an increasing abundance of Firmicutes (endospore-formers) in older samples, suggesting that dormancy is a common survival strategy in older permafrost. Ordination of 16S and metagenome data revealed age-based clustering. Genes differing significantly between age categories included those involved in lipopolysaccharide assembly, cold-response, and carbon processing. These data point to the physiological adaptations to long-term frozen conditions and to the metabolic processes utilized in ancient permafrost. In fact, a gene common in older samples is involved in cadaverine production, which could potentially explain the putrefied smell of Pleistocene aged permafrost. Coupled with soil

Validation and predictive power of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) recursive partitioning analysis classes for malignant glioma patients: A report using RTOG 90-06

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, Charles B.; Scarantino, Charles; Urtasun, Raul; Movsas, Benjamin; Jones, Christopher U.; Simpson, Joseph R.; Fischbach, A. Jennifer; Curran, Walter J.

1998-01-01

Purpose: The recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) classes for malignant glioma patients were previously established using data on over 1500 patients entered on Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) clinical trials. The purpose of the current analysis was to validate the RPA classes with a new dataset (RTOG 90-06), determine the predictive power of the RPA classes, and establish the usefulness of the database norms for the RPA classes. Patients and Methods: There are six RPA classes for malignant glioma patients that comprise distinct groups of patients with significantly different survival outcome. RTOG 90-06 is a randomized Phase III study of 712 patients accrued from 1990 to 1994. The minimum potential follow-up is 18 months. The treatment arms were combined for the purpose of this analysis. There were 84, 13, 105, 240, 150, and 23 patients in the RPA Classes I-VI from RTOG 90-06, respectively. Results: The median survival times (MST) and 2-year survival rates for the six RPA classes in RTOG 90-06 are compared to those previously published. The MST and 2-year survival rates for the RTOG RPA classes were within 95% confidence intervals of the 90-06 estimates for Classes I, III, IV, and V. The RPA classes explained 43% of the variation (squared error loss). By comparison, a Cox model explains 30% of the variation. The RPA classes within RTOG 90-06 are statistically distinct with all comparisons exceeding 0.0001, except those involving Class II. A survival analysis from a prior RTOG study indicated that 72.0 Gy had superior outcome to literature controls; analysis of this data by RPA classes indicates the survival results were not superior to the RTOG database norms. Conclusion: The validity of the model is verified by the reliability of the RPA classes to define distinct groups with respect to survival. Further evidence is given by prediction of MST and 2-year survival for all classes except Class II. The RPA classes explained a good portion of the variation in

Survival times with and without tube feeding in patients with dementia or psychiatric diseases in Japan.

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Takayama, Keiko; Hirayama, Keisuke; Hirao, Akihiko; Kondo, Keiko; Hayashi, Hideki; Kadota, Koichi; Asaba, Hiroyuki; Ishizu, Hideki; Nakata, Kenji; Kurisu, Kairi; Oshima, Etsuko; Yokota, Osamu; Yamada, Norihito; Terada, Seishi

2017-11-01

It is widely supposed that there has been no evidence of increased survival in patients with advanced dementia receiving enteral tube feeding. However, more than a few studies have reported no harmful outcome from tube feeding in dementia patients compared to in patients without dementia. This was a retrospective study. Nine psychiatric hospitals in Okayama Prefecture participated in this survey. All inpatients fulfilling the entry criteria were evaluated. All subjects suffered from difficulty with oral intake. Attending physicians thought that the patients could not live without long-term artificial nutrition. The physicians decided whether to make use of long-term artificial nutrition between January 2012 and December 2014. We evaluated 185 patients. Their mean age was 76.6 ± 11.4 years. Of all subjects, patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (n = 78) formed the biggest group, schizophrenia patients (n = 44) the second, and those with vascular dementia (n = 30) the third. The median survival times were 711 days for patients with tube feeding and 61 days for patients without tube feeding. In a comparison different types of tube feeding, median survival times were 611 days for patients with a nasogastric tube and more than 1000 days for those with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube. Patients with tube feeding survived longer than those without tube feeding, even among dementia patients. This study suggests that enteral nutrition for patients with dementia prolongs survival. Additionally, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube feeding may be safer than nasogastric tube feeding among patients in psychiatric hospitals. © 2017 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Ras and Rheb Signaling in Survival and Cell Death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrkamp, Anja; Herrmann, Christian; Stoll, Raphael; Heumann, Rolf

2013-01-01

One of the most obvious hallmarks of cancer is uncontrolled proliferation of cells partly due to independence of growth factor supply. A major component of mitogenic signaling is Ras, a small GTPase. It was the first identified human protooncogene and is known since more than three decades to promote cellular proliferation and growth. Ras was shown to support growth factor-independent survival during development and to protect from chemical or mechanical lesion-induced neuronal degeneration in postmitotic neurons. In contrast, for specific patho-physiological cases and cellular systems it has been shown that Ras may also promote cell death. Proteins from the Ras association family (Rassf, especially Rassf1 and Rassf5) are tumor suppressors that are activated by Ras-GTP, triggering apoptosis via e.g., activation of mammalian sterile 20-like (MST1) kinase. In contrast to Ras, their expression is suppressed in many types of tumours, which makes Rassf proteins an exciting model for understanding the divergent effects of Ras activity. It seems likely that the outcome of Ras signaling depends on the balance between the activation of its various downstream effectors, thus determining cellular fate towards either proliferation or apoptosis. Ras homologue enriched in brain (Rheb) is a protein from the Ras superfamily that is also known to promote proliferation, growth, and regeneration through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) pathway. However, recent evidences indicate that the Rheb-mTor pathway may switch its function from a pro-growth into a cell death pathway, depending on the cellular situation. In contrast to Ras signaling, for Rheb, the cellular context is likely to modulate the whole Rheb-mTor pathway towards cellular death or survival, respectively

Ras and Rheb Signaling in Survival and Cell Death

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ehrkamp, Anja [Molecular Neurobiochemistry, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Herrmann, Christian [Department of Physical Chemistry1, Protein Interaction, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Stoll, Raphael [Biomolecular NMR, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany); Heumann, Rolf, E-mail: rolf.heumann@rub.de [Molecular Neurobiochemistry, Ruhr University of Bochum, 44780 Bochum (Germany)

2013-05-28

One of the most obvious hallmarks of cancer is uncontrolled proliferation of cells partly due to independence of growth factor supply. A major component of mitogenic signaling is Ras, a small GTPase. It was the first identified human protooncogene and is known since more than three decades to promote cellular proliferation and growth. Ras was shown to support growth factor-independent survival during development and to protect from chemical or mechanical lesion-induced neuronal degeneration in postmitotic neurons. In contrast, for specific patho-physiological cases and cellular systems it has been shown that Ras may also promote cell death. Proteins from the Ras association family (Rassf, especially Rassf1 and Rassf5) are tumor suppressors that are activated by Ras-GTP, triggering apoptosis via e.g., activation of mammalian sterile 20-like (MST1) kinase. In contrast to Ras, their expression is suppressed in many types of tumours, which makes Rassf proteins an exciting model for understanding the divergent effects of Ras activity. It seems likely that the outcome of Ras signaling depends on the balance between the activation of its various downstream effectors, thus determining cellular fate towards either proliferation or apoptosis. Ras homologue enriched in brain (Rheb) is a protein from the Ras superfamily that is also known to promote proliferation, growth, and regeneration through the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTor) pathway. However, recent evidences indicate that the Rheb-mTor pathway may switch its function from a pro-growth into a cell death pathway, depending on the cellular situation. In contrast to Ras signaling, for Rheb, the cellular context is likely to modulate the whole Rheb-mTor pathway towards cellular death or survival, respectively.

The impact of chemotherapy and its timing on survival in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma treated with complete debulking.

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Naffouje, Samer A; Tulla, Kiara A; Salti, George I

2018-04-12

The current standard of treatment for malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is cytoreductive surgery when the disease distribution is favorable. The role of chemotherapy, as an adjunct to surgery, remains unclear. The national database of mesothelioma was used to identify MPM patients who were treated with curative intent. Patients were divided into treatment groups: (1) chemotherapy only, (2) surgery only, (3) neoadjuvant chemotherapy + surgery, and (4) surgery + adjuvant chemotherapy. A negative control group of patients who did not receive any treatment was added (group 0). Totally, 1740 patients were included. Mean age was 63.04 ± 14.58 and 60.7% were males. The patients' distribution into the treatment groups was 604, 684, 169, 55, and 228 patients in groups 0-4, respectively, with a median survival of 3.61 ± 0.37, 11.10 ± 0.73, 57.41 ± 11.91, 52.30 ± 7.20, and 55.00 ± 9.19 months. The addition of chemotherapy, in any setting, to surgery provided an improved survival at 1 year (p = 0.006). This survival benefit ceased at the 2-, 3-, and 5-year checkpoints. The multivariate analysis identified age, sarcomatoid/biphasic histologies, nodal and distant metastasis, and offering no treatment or chemotherapy only as poor prognostic factors for overall survival. No difference in overall survival was noted with the addition of chemotherapy to complete debulking regardless of the timing. Complete debulking remains the standard treatment for MPM. The addition of systemic chemotherapy provides a short-term survival improvement at 1 year only and was similar whether given in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting. Nevertheless, it did not add a survival benefit beyond the 1-year time point.

End points for adjuvant therapy trials: has the time come to accept disease-free survival as a surrogate end point for overall survival?

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Gill, Sharlene; Sargent, Daniel

2006-06-01

The intent of adjuvant therapy is to eradicate micro-metastatic residual disease following curative resection with the goal of preventing or delaying recurrence. The time-honored standard for demonstrating efficacy of new adjuvant therapies is an improvement in overall survival (OS). This typically requires phase III trials of large sample size with lengthy follow-up. With the intent of reducing the cost and time of completing such trials, there is considerable interest in developing alternative or surrogate end points. A surrogate end point may be employed as a substitute to directly assess the effects of an intervention on an already accepted clinical end point such as mortality. When used judiciously, surrogate end points can accelerate the evaluation of new therapies, resulting in the more timely dissemination of effective therapies to patients. The current review provides a perspective on the suitability and validity of disease-free survival (DFS) as an alternative end point for OS. Criteria for establishing surrogacy and the advantages and limitations associated with the use of DFS as a primary end point in adjuvant clinical trials and as the basis for approval of new adjuvant therapies are discussed.

Does prehospital time affect survival of major trauma patients where there is no prehospital care?

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S B Dharap

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Survival after major trauma is considered to be time dependent. Efficient prehospital care with rapid transport is the norm in developed countries, which is not available in many lower middle and low-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of prehospital time and primary treatment given on survival of major trauma patients in a setting without prehospital care. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out in a university hospital in Mumbai, from January to December 2014. The hospital has a trauma service but no organized prehospital care or defined interhospital transfer protocols. All patients with life- and/or limb-threatening injuries were included in the study. Injury time and arrival time were noted and the interval was defined as “prehospital time” for the directly arriving patients and as “time to tertiary care” for those transferred. Primary outcome measure was in-hospital death (or discharge. Results: Of 1181 patients, 352 were admitted directly from the trauma scene and 829 were transferred from other hospitals. In-hospital mortality was associated with age, mechanism and mode of injury, shock, Glasgow Coma Score <9, Injury Severity Score ≥16, need for intubation, and ventilatory support on arrival; but neither with prehospital time nor with time to tertiary care. Transferred patients had a significantly higher mortality (odds ratio = 1.869, 95% confidence interval = 1.233–2.561, P = 0.005 despite fewer patients with severe injury. Two hundred and ninety-four (35% of these needed airway intervention while 108 (13% needed chest tube insertion on arrival to the trauma unit suggesting inadequate care at primary facility. Conclusion: Mortality is not associated with prehospital time but with transfers from primary care; probably due to deficient care. To improve survival after major trauma, enhancement of resources for resuscitation and capacity building of on

Evaluation of effects of different treatments for the wrist joints of subdominant hands using joint proprioception and writing time.

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Hu, Chunying; Huang, Qiuchen; Yu, Lili; Hu, Yue; Rongming, Xia; Li, Zhou; Xiaojiao, Fu; Gu, Rui; Cui, Yao; Ge, Meng; Xu, Yanfeng; Liu, Jianfeng

2016-05-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine immediate effects of strength training and NJF distal resistance training in wrist joints by using writing time and evaluation of proprioception using the JPE test. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 12 young healthy people (24.2 ± 3.1 y, 169.7 ± 6.5 cm, 65.3 ± 12.6 kg). Two isotonic contraction techniques were applied on the wrist joint: wrist joint extension muscle strength training (MST) and the wrist joint extension pattern of NJF. The uppercase English alphabet writing time and joint position errors of the left upper limb were measured before and after one intervention session of MST and NJF. [Results] The decrease in errors in wrist extension angle repetition and the writing time represented the improvement resulting from NJF. [Conclusion] This result suggests that the subdominant hands wrist joint proprioception and writing function can be improved by NJF together with proximal resistance training.

ANOTAÇÕES SOBRE A AUTO-ORGANIZAÇÃO DAS MULHERES: O EXEMPLO DA VIA CAMPESINA NO BRASIL E DO MST

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Claúdia Mazzei Nogueira

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Esse texto trata, em especial, da luta por uma divisão sócio-sexual do trabalho mais justa, travada pelas mulheres inseridas nos movimentos sociais presentes no espaço rural, que tem como objetivo a igualdade substantiva. Para tanto, indicamos e analisamos, introdutoriamente, alguns elementos que perfazem a auto-organização das mulheres do MST e Via Campesina no Brasil, que tem como apoio a centralidade do trabalho enquanto fundamento ontológico necessário para a luta da classe trabalhadora contra a “exploração” agroindustrial.

Patients with type 2 diabetes benefit from primary care-based disease management: a propensity score matched survival time analysis.

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Drabik, Anna; Büscher, Guido; Thomas, Karsten; Graf, Christian; Müller, Dirk; Stock, Stephanie

2012-08-01

This study aimed to assess the impact of a nationwide German diabetes mellitus disease management program (DMP) on survival time and costs in comparison to routine care. The authors conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using routine administration data from Germany's largest sickness fund to identify insured suffering from diabetes in 2002. A total of 95,443 insured with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were born before January 1, 1962 met the defined inclusion criteria, resulting in 19,888 pairs of DMP participants and nonparticipants matched for socioeconomic and health status using propensity score matching methods. This is the first time propensity score matching has been used to evaluate a survival benefit of DMPs. In the time frame analyzed (3 years), mean survival time for the DMP group was 1045 days vs. 985 days for the routine care group (Ptime. They also incurred lower costs compared to propensity score matched insured in routine care.

Validation and predictive power of radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) recursive partitioning analysis classes for malignant glioma patients: a report using RTOG 90-06

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, Charles B.; Scarantino, Charles; Urtasun, Raul; Movsas, Benjamin; Jones, Christopher U.; Simpson, Joseph R.; Fischbach, A. Jennifer; Curran, Walter J.

1996-01-01

Background/Purpose: The recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) classes for malignant glioma patients were previously established by Curran et al. (JNCI 85:704-10, 1993) using data on over 1500 patients from the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG). The current analysis was to validate the RPA classes on a new dataset (RTOG 90-06) and determine the predictive power of the RPA classes. Patients and Methods: There are six RPA classes for malignant glioma patients that comprise distinct groups of patients with significantly different survival outcome. RTOG 90-06 is a randomized phase III study of 712 patients accrued from 1990 to 1994. The minimum potential follow-up is 18 months. The treatment arms were combined for the purpose of this analysis. There were 84, 13, 105, 240, 150, and 23 patients in the six RPA classes from RTOG 90-06. Results: The median survival times (MST) and two-year survivals for the six RPA classes in RTOG 90-06 are compared to those published by Curran et al. (JNCI 1993). The RPA classes appear in descending order in the following table. The MST and 2-year survivals for the RTOG RPA classes were within 95% confidence intervals of the 90-06 estimates for classes I, III, IV, and V. The RPA classes explained 43% of the variation (squared error loss). By comparison, a model containing only histology explains only 13% of the variation. The RPA classes are statistically distinct with all comparisons exceeding 0.0001, except those involving class II. Conclusion: The validity of the model is verified by the reliability of the RPA classes to define distinct groups with respect to survival. Further evidence is given by prediction of MST and 2-year survival for all classes except class II. The RPA classes explained a good portion of the variation in the data. RPA class II did not perform well which may be an artifact of the small sample size or an indication that this class is not distinct. The validation of the RPA classes attests to their usefulness as

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. 1,000 mg/m{sup 2} gemcitabine can be administered using limited-field radiotherapy

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Yamazaki, Hideya [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; National Hospital Organization, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Radiology; Nishiyama, Kinji; Koizumi, Masahiko; Tanaka, Eiichi [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Ioka, Tatsuya; Uehara, Hiroyuki; Iishi, Hiroyasu; Nakaizumi, Akihiko [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Internal Medicine; Ohigashi, Hiroaki; Ishikawa, Osamu [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Surgery

2007-06-15

Purpose: To examine the feasibility of concurrent use of full-dose gemcitabine (GEM) and radiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. Patient and Methods: 22 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were subjected to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (GEM 1,000 mg/m2 weekly, three times during 4 weeks). They received limited-field irradiation by three-dimensional radiotherapy planning. Results: Of the 22 patients, 16 (72%) completed the treatment (50 Gy irradiation and at least three times concurrent administration of 1 g/m{sup 2} GEM). One patient with unresectable tail cancer showed peritonitis carcinomatosa and both chemotherapy and radiotherapy had to be stopped. Dose reduction or omission of GEM was necessary in another four patients. In addition, radiotherapy was discontinued in one patient for fatigue. Grade 3 hematologic toxicity was detected in eight patients (36%), and grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity (anorexia) in one patient (5%). In total, the response rate amounted to 32% (seven partial responses), and the median survival time (MST) was 16 months. Among the twelve patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy, nine underwent surgery and showed a survival rate of 78% at 1 year. Another 13 patients without surgery showed 14 months of MST. No regional lymph node failure has appeared so far. Conclusion: Limited-field radiotherapy enables the safe concurrent administration of 1,000 mg/m{sup 2} GEM.

First recovery in anorexia nervosa patients in the long-term course: a discrete-time survival analysis.

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Herzog, W; Schellberg, D; Deter, H C

1997-02-01

The results of a 12-year follow-up study of occurrence and timing of first recovery in 69 hospitalized patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) are presented. For the first time discrete-time survival analysis methods were used to determine the likelihood of recovery in AN patients. Furthermore, predictors gleaned from pretreatment-posttreatment studies of long-term outcome in AN could be evaluated as to their effect on a change in the time course structure of the likelihood of first recovery. Results show that AN condition did not improve until after 6 years after the first inpatient treatment in 50% of patients. However, a restricter-type AN and low serum creatinine levels were predictors for earlier recovery. One specific effect was that AN patients who show purging behavior in combination with additional social disturbances have a lower chance of recovering. The use of discrete-time survival analysis methodology in further prospective studies will contribute to the development of more tailored treatment of AN, which also takes the individual phase of illness and specific aspects of the symptomatology into account.

The number and microlocalization of tumor-associated immune cells are associated with patient's survival time in non-small cell lung cancer

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Dai, Fuqiang; Liu, Lunxu; Che, Guowei; Yu, Nanbin; Pu, Qiang; Zhang, Shangfu; Ma, Junliang; Ma, Lin; You, Zongbing

2010-01-01

Tumor microenvironment is composed of tumor cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and infiltrating immune cells. Tumor-associated immune cells may inhibit or promote tumor growth and progression. This study was conducted to determine whether the number and microlocalization of macrophages, mature dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells in non-small cell lung cancer are associated with patient's survival time. Ninety-nine patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were included in this retrospective study. Paraffin-embedded NSCLC specimens and their clinicopathological data including up to 8-year follow-up information were used. Immunohistochemical staining for CD68 (marker for macrophages), CD83 (marker for mature dendritic cells), and CD8 (marker for cytotoxic T cells) was performed and evaluated in a blinded fashion. The numbers of immune cells in tumor islets and stroma, tumor islets, or tumor stroma were counted under a microscope. Correlation of the cell numbers and patient's survival time was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 13.0). The numbers of macrophages, mature dendritic cells and cytotoxic T cells were significantly more in the tumor stroma than in the tumor islets. The number of macrophages in the tumor islets was positively associated with patient's survival time, whereas the number of macrophages in the tumor stroma was negatively associated with patient's survival time in both univariate and multivariate analyses. The number of mature dendritic cells in the tumor islets and stroma, tumor islets only, or tumor stroma only was positively associated with patient's survival time in a univariate analysis but not in a multivariate analysis. The number of cytotoxic T cells in the tumor islets and stroma was positively associated with patient's survival time in a univariate analysis but not in a multivariate analysis. The number of cytotoxic T cells in the tumor islets only or stroma

Clinical impact of sarcopenia on prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

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Ninomiya, Go; Fujii, Tsutomu; Yamada, Suguru; Yabusaki, Norimitsu; Suzuki, Kojiro; Iwata, Naoki; Kanda, Mitsuro; Hayashi, Masamichi; Tanaka, Chie; Nakayama, Goro; Sugimoto, Hiroyuki; Koike, Masahiko; Fujiwara, Michitaka; Kodera, Yasuhiro

2017-03-01

To investigate the impact of the body composition such as skeletal muscle, visceral fat and body mass index (BMI) on patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A total of 265 patients who underwent curative surgery for PDAC were examined in this study. The total skeletal muscle and fat tissue areas were evaluated in a single image obtained at the third lumber vertebra during a preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan. The patients were assigned to either the sarcopenia or non-sarcopenia group based on their skeletal muscle index (SMI) and classified into high visceral fat area (H-VFA) or low VFA (L-VFA) groups. The association of clinicopathological features and prognosis with the body composition were statistically analyzed. There were 170 patients (64.2%) with sarcopenia. The median survival time (MST) was 23.7 months for sarcopenia patients and 25.8 months for patients without sarcopenia. The MST was 24.4 months for H-VFA patients and 25.8 months for L-VFA patients. However, sarcopenia patients with BMI ≥22 exhibited significantly poorer survival than patients without sarcopenia (MST: 19.2 vs. 35.4 months, P = 0.025). There was a significant difference between patients with and without sarcopenia who did not receive chemotherapy (5-year survival rate: 0% vs. 68.3%, P = 0.003). The multivariate analysis revealed that tumor size, positive dissected peripancreatic tissue margin, and sarcopenia were independent prognostic factors. Sarcopenia is an independent prognostic factor in PDAC patients with a BMI ≥22. Therefore, evaluating skeletal muscle mass may be a simple and useful approach for predicting patient prognosis. Copyright © 2017 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Splenectomy increases the survival time of heart allograft via developing immune tolerance

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2013-01-01

Background The spleen is an active lymphoid organ. The effect of splenectomy on the immune response remains unclear. This study investigated whether splenectomy can induce immune tolerance and has a beneficial role in cardiac allograft. Methods Wistar rats were used for heart donors. The Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats designated as the recipients of heart transplantation (HT) were randomly assigned into four groups: sham, splenectomy, HT, splenectomy + HT. The survival of transplanted hearts was assessed by daily checking of abdominal palpation. At various time points after transplantation, the transplanted hearts were collected and histologically examined; the level of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs) and rate of lymphocyte apoptosis (annexin-v+ PI+ cells) in the blood were analyzed by using flow cytometric method. Results 1) Splenectomy significantly prolonged the mean survival time of heart allografts (7 ± 1.1 days and 27 ± 1.5 days for HT and splenectomy + HT, respectively; n = 12-14/group, HT vs. splenectomy + HT, p Splenectomy delayed pathological changes (inflammatory cell infiltration, myocardial damage) of the transplanted hearts in splenectomy + HT rats; 3) The level of CD4+CD25+ Tregs in the blood of splenectomized rats was significantly increased within 7 days (2.4 ± 0.5%, 4.9 ± 1.3% and 5.3 ± 1.0% for sham, splenectomy and splenectomy + HT, respectively; n = 15/group, sham vs. splenectomy or splenectomy + HT, p splenectomy surgery and gradually decreased to baseline level; 4) Splenectomy increased the rate of lymphocyte apoptosis (day 7: 0.3 ± 0.05%, 3.9 ± 0.9% and 4.1 ± 0.9% for sham, splenectomy and splenectomy + HT, respectively; n = 15/group, sham vs. splenectomy or splenectomy + HT, p Splenectomy inhibits the development of pathology and prolongs the survival time of cardiac allograft. The responsible mechanism is associated with induction of immune

Results of surgical excision and evaluation of factors associated with survival time in dogs with lingual neoplasia: 97 cases (1995-2008).

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Culp, William T N; Ehrhart, Nicole; Withrow, Stephen J; Rebhun, Robert B; Boston, Sarah; Buracco, Paolo; Reiter, Alexander M; Schallberger, Sandra P; Aldridge, Charles F; Kent, Michael S; Mayhew, Philipp D; Brown, Dorothy C

2013-05-15

To describe the clinical characteristics, treatments, outcomes, and factors associated with survival time in a cohort of dogs with lingual neoplasia that underwent surgical excision. Retrospective case series. Animals-97 client-owned dogs. Medical records of dogs with a lingual tumor examined between 1995 and 2008 were reviewed. Records were included if a lingual tumor was confirmed by histologic examination and surgical excision of the mass was attempted. Data were recorded and analyzed to identify prognostic factors. Clinical signs were mostly related to the oral cavity. For 93 dogs, marginal excision, subtotal glossectomy, and near-total glossectomy were performed in 35 (38%), 55 (59%), and 3 (3%), respectively. Surgery-related complications were rare, but 27 (28%) dogs had tumor recurrence. The most common histopathologic diagnoses for the 97 dogs were squamous cell carcinoma (31 [32%]) and malignant melanoma (29 [30%]). Eighteen (19%) dogs developed metastatic disease, and the overall median survival time was 483 days. Median survival time was 216 days for dogs with squamous cell carcinoma and 241 days for dogs with malignant melanoma. Dogs with lingual tumors ≥ 2 cm in diameter at diagnosis had a significantly shorter survival time than did dogs with tumors melanoma predominate. A thorough physical examination to identify lingual tumors at an early stage and surgical treatment after tumor identification are recommended because tumor size significantly affected survival time.

MERRA 3D IAU Diagnostic, Moist Physics, Time average 3-hourly (1.25x1.25L42) V5.2.0

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The MAT3CPMST or tavg3_3d_mst_Cp data product is the MERRA Data Assimilation System 3-Dimensional moist process diagnostic that is time averaged on pressure levels...

Rigorous bounds on survival times in circular accelerators and efficient computation of fringe-field transfer maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffstaetter, G.H.

1994-12-01

Analyzing stability of particle motion in storage rings contributes to the general field of stability analysis in weakly nonlinear motion. A method which we call pseudo invariant estimation (PIE) is used to compute lower bounds on the survival time in circular accelerators. The pseudeo invariants needed for this approach are computed via nonlinear perturbative normal form theory and the required global maxima of the highly complicated multivariate functions could only be rigorously bound with an extension of interval arithmetic. The bounds on the survival times are large enough to the relevant; the same is true for the lower bounds on dynamical aperatures, which can be computed. The PIE method can lead to novel design criteria with the objective of maximizing the survival time. A major effort in the direction of rigourous predictions only makes sense if accurate models of accelerators are available. Fringe fields often have a significant influence on optical properties, but the computation of fringe-field maps by DA based integration is slower by several orders of magnitude than DA evaluation of the propagator for main-field maps. A novel computation of fringe-field effects called symplectic scaling (SYSCA) is introduced. It exploits the advantages of Lie transformations, generating functions, and scaling properties and is extremely accurate. The computation of fringe-field maps is typically made nearly two orders of magnitude faster. (orig.)

Consequences of cold-ischemia time on primary nonfunction and patient and graft survival in liver transplantation: a meta-analysis.

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James E Stahl

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The ability to preserve organs prior to transplant is essential to the organ allocation process.The purpose of this study is to describe the functional relationship between cold-ischemia time (CIT and primary nonfunction (PNF, patient and graft survival in liver transplant.To identify relevant articles Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane database, including the non-English literature identified in these databases, was searched from 1966 to April 2008. Two independent reviewers screened and extracted the data. CIT was analyzed both as a continuous variable and stratified by clinically relevant intervals. Nondichotomous variables were weighted by sample size. Percent variables were weighted by the inverse of the binomial variance.Twenty-six studies met criteria. Functionally, PNF% = -6.678281+0.9134701*CIT Mean+0.1250879*(CIT Mean-9.895352-0.0067663*(CIT Mean-9.895353, r2 = .625, , p<.0001. Mean patient survival: 93% (1 month, 88% (3 months, 83% (6 months and 83% (12 months. Mean graft survival: 85.9% (1 month, 80.5% (3 months, 78.1% (6 months and 76.8% (12 months. Maximum patient and graft survival occurred with CITs between 7.5-12.5 hrs at each survival interval. PNF was also significantly correlated with ICU time, % first time grafts and % immunologic mismatches.The results of this work imply that CIT may be the most important pre-transplant information needed in the decision to accept an organ.

Application of accelerated failure time models for breast cancer patients' survival in Kurdistan Province of Iran.

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Karimi, Asrin; Delpisheh, Ali; Sayehmiri, Kourosh

2016-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second common cause of cancer-induced mortalities in Iranian women. There has been a rapid development in hazard models and survival analysis in the last decade. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors of overall survival (OS) in breast cancer patients using accelerated failure time models (AFT). This was a retrospective-analytic cohort study. About 313 women with a pathologically proven diagnosis of breast cancer who had been treated during a 7-year period (since January 2006 until March 2014) in Sanandaj City, Kurdistan Province of Iran were recruited. Performance among AFT was assessed using the goodness of fit methods. Discrimination among the exponential, Weibull, generalized gamma, log-logistic, and log-normal distributions was done using Akaik information criteria and maximum likelihood. The 5 years OS was 75% (95% CI = 74.57-75.43). The main results in terms of survival were found for the different categories of the clinical stage covariate, tumor metastasis, and relapse of cancer. Survival time in breast cancer patients without tumor metastasis and relapse were 4, 2-fold longer than other patients with metastasis and relapse, respectively. One of the most important undermining prognostic factors in breast cancer is metastasis; hence, knowledge of the mechanisms of metastasis is necessary to prevent it so occurrence and treatment of metastatic breast cancer and ultimately extend the lifetime of patients.

Relações de saúde e trabalho em assentamento rural do MST na região de fronteira Brasil-Paraguai Health and work relations in a rural settlement of the MST in the Brazil-Paraguay border region

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Eduardo Espíndola Fontoura Júnior

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Com o presente artigo, busca-se relatar e analisar as relações entre saúde e trabalho de pequenos produtores rurais do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST. Quanto à metodologia, adotou-se o aporte da investigação participativa e as bases da educação popular. O estudo realizado tornou possível uma compreensão de saúde e de trabalho mediante as narrativas dos trabalhadores e histórias relativas às lutas coletivas contra a exclusão e a violência no campo. Constataram-se importantes aspectos próprios a esse grupo populacional, como o sentido de conquista da propriedade da terra, os conflitos advindos da 'militância' e as diferenças de gênero e geração. Com base nos relatos, analisaram-se também os acidentes e os riscos relacionados à atividade de trabalho no assentamento rural, principalmente a exposição ao agrotóxico. Confirmaram-se, ainda, a solidariedade e a cooperação como valores importantes e como base de novas relações, um modo distinto de organização social coletiva do trabalho.In this article, we aim to report on and analyze the relationship between health and work of small farmers of the Landless Workers Movement (MST. So far as the methodology is concerned, we used participatory research and the basics of popular education. The study allowed for an understanding of health and work based on the workers' narratives, stories relating to collective struggles against exclusion and violence in the countryside. Important aspects related to this population group as were discovered, such as, for example, the sense of conquest of land ownership, the conflicts arising from 'activism,' and the differences of gender and generations. From the reports that were provided, we also examined the accidents and risks related to work in the rural settlement, particularly exposure to pesticides. It was also found that solidarity and cooperation are important values, basic elements for new relations and a distinctive

Timing of adjuvant chemotherapy and its relation to survival among patients with stage III colon cancer.

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Bos, A C R K; van Erning, F N; van Gestel, Y R B M; Creemers, G J M; Punt, C J A; van Oijen, M G H; Lemmens, V E P P

2015-11-01

Currently available data suggest that delaying the start of adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer patients has a detrimental effect on survival. We analysed which factors impact on the timing of adjuvant chemotherapy and evaluated the influence on overall survival (OS). Stage III colon cancer patients who underwent resection and received adjuvant chemotherapy between 2008 and 2013 were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Timing of adjuvant chemotherapy was subdivided into: ⩽ 4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-16 weeks post-surgery. Multivariable regressions were performed to assess the influence of several factors on the probability of starting treatment within 8 weeks post-surgery and to evaluate the association of timing of adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-year OS. 6620 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, 14% commenced after 8 weeks. Factors associated with starting treatment after 8 weeks were older age (Odds ratio (OR) 65-74 versus colon cancer patients within 8 weeks post-surgery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Control of the wax moth Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae by the male sterile technique (MST

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Jafari Reza

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In this study we examined the control of wax moth using the male sterile technique (MST with gamma-rays. To determine the safe and effective dosage of gamma-rays capable of sterilizing male pupae of the wax moth, male pupae were exposed to increasing single doses of gamma-rays (250, 300, 350 and 400 Gy. The release ratio of sterile to normal males was also studied in a similar experiment. Treatments included sterile males, normal males and virgin females at the following ratios: 1:1:1, 2:1:1, 3:1:1, 4:1:1 and 5:1:1. Possible parthenogenetic reproduction of this pest was also examined. The results showed that 350 Gy was the most effective dose capable of sterilizing the male pupae of the wax moth. The best release ratio was established at four sterile males, one normal male for each normal female (4:1:1. Also females were incapable of producing offspring without males.

Effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to lethal whole-body. gamma. irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Onoue, M.; Uchida, K.; Yokokura, T.; Takahashi, T.; Mutai, M.

1981-11-01

The effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to 2-kR whole-body ..gamma.. irradiation was studied using germfree, monoassociated, and conventionalized ICR mice. The germfree mice were monoassociated with 1 of 11 bacterial strains, which were isolated from the fresh feces of conventional mice, 2 weeks prior to irradiation. All mice died within 3 weeks after irradiation. Monoassociation with Fusobacterium sp., Streptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, or Pseudomonas sp. significantly reduced the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. In contrast, monoassociation with Clostridium sp., Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, or Lactobacillus acidophilus significantly prolonged the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. This suggests that the latter organisms may perform some activity to protect the mice from radiation injury. In this histopathological autopsy examination, the main lesions were hypocellularity in hematopoietic organs and hemorrhage in various organs. Neither karyorrhexis nor desquamation of intestinal mucosal cells was observed in any mice. From these observations, it is suggested that the death of these mice was related to hematopoietic damage. Bacterial invasion into various organs was observed in conventionalized and Pseudomonas-, E. coli-, or S. faecalis-monoassociated mice but not in Clostridium-, B. pseudolongum-, L. acidophilus-, or Fusobacterium-monoassociated mice.

Effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to lethal whole-body γ irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onoue, M.; Uchida, K.; Yokokura, T.; Takahashi, T.; Mutai, M.

1981-01-01

The effect of intestinal microflora on the survival time of mice exposed to 2-kR whole-body γ irradiation was studied using germfree, monoassociated, and conventionalized ICR mice. The germfree mice were monoassociated with 1 of 11 bacterial strains, which were isolated from the fresh feces of conventional mice, 2 weeks prior to irradiation. All mice died within 3 weeks after irradiation. Monoassociation with Fusobacterium sp., Streptococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, or Pseudomonas sp. significantly reduced the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. In contrast, monoassociation with Clostridium sp., Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, or Lactobacillus acidophilus significantly prolonged the mean survival time compared to that of germfree mice. This suggests that the latter organisms may perform some activity to protect the mice from radiation injury. In this histopathological autopsy examination, the main lesions were hypocellularity in hematopoietic organs and hemorrhage in various organs. Neither karyorrhexis nor desquamation of intestinal mucosal cells was observed in any mice. From these observations, it is suggested that the death of these mice was related to hematopoietic damage. Bacterial invasion into various organs was observed in conventionalized and Pseudomonas-, E. coli-, or S. faecalis-monoassociated mice but not in Clostridium-, B. pseudolongum-, L. acidophilus-, or Fusobacterium-monoassociated mice

The role of radiotherapy in the management of extrahepatic bile duct cancer: an analysis of 145 consecutive patients treated with intraluminal and/or external beam radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamada, Tadashi; Saitou, Hiroya; Takamura, Akio; Nojima, Takayuki; Okushiba, Shun-Ichi

1996-01-01

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of high dose radiotherapy and to evaluate its role in the management of extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer. Methods and Materials: Between 1983 and 1991, 145 consecutive patients with EHBD cancer were treated by low dose rate intraluminal 192 Ir irradiation (ILRT) either alone or in combination with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Among the primarily irradiated, 77 patients unsuitable for surgical resection, 54 were enrolled in radical radiotherapy, and 23 received palliative radiotherapy. Fifty-nine received postoperative radiotherapy, and the remaining 9 preoperative radiotherapy. The mean radiation dose was 67.8 Gy, ranging from 10 to 135 Gy. Intraluminal 192 Ir irradiation was indicated in 103 patients, and 85 of them were combined with EBRT. Expandable metallic biliary endoprosthesis (EMBE) was used in 32 primarily irradiated patients (31 radical and 1 palliative radiotherapy) after the completion of radiotherapy. Results: The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial survival rates for all 145 patients were 55%, 18%, and 10%, for the 54 patients treated by radical radiotherapy (mean 83.1 Gy), 56%, 13%, and 6% [median survival time (MST) 12.4 months], and for the 59 patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy (mean 61.6 Gy), 73%, 31%, and 18% (MST 21.5 months), respectively. Expandable metallic biliary endoprosthesis was useful for the early establishment of an internal bile passage in radically irradiated patients and MST of 14.9 months in these 31 patients was significantly longer than that of 9.3 months in the remaining 23 patients without EMBE placement (p < 0.05). Eighteen patients whose surgical margins were positive in the hepatic side bile duct(s) showed significantly better survival compared with 15 patients whose surgical margins were positive in the adjacent structure(s) (44% vs. 0% survival at 3 years, p < 0.001). No survival benefit was obtained in patients given palliative or preoperative radiotherapy

Vinte anos do MST: a psicologia nesta história Veinte años de lo movimiento de los trabajadores rurales sin tierra: la psicología en esta historia Landless peasants’ movement after twenty years: psychology and the movement’s history

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eliane Domingues

2007-12-01

Full Text Available O Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST completou vinte anos em 2004. Ao longo de sua existência vem despertando o interesse de pesquisadores de diversas áreas, principalmente da Educação e da Sociologia. No entanto, ainda existem poucos trabalhos na Psicologia sobre o MST. Mapear a produção científica geral sobre o MST e analisar a produção específica da Psicologia sobre esta temática é o que se propôs esta pesquisa. Com esse objetivo, foi realizada uma busca online no banco de teses da Capes, abrangendo o período de 1987 a 2004. Todos os resumos encontrados foram impressos e categorizados. Através dos resumos foram identificadas as teses e dissertações desenvolvidas em programas de pós-graduação em Psicologia, as quais, por sua vez, foram lidas em sua totalidade, buscando-se identificar as questões orientadoras, principais resultados e conclusões das pesquisas. Destaca-se a necessidade de estudos sobre a infância, desterritorialização e sofrimento psíquico e saúde mental no campo.El movimiento de los Trabajadores Rurales Sin Tierra (MST ha cumplido veinte años en 2004. A lo largo de su existencia viene despertando el interés de los investigadores de diversas áreas, principalmente, de la Educación y Sociología. Sin embargo, aun existen pocos trabajadores en la Psicología sobre el MST. Mapear la producción científica general sobre el MST y analizar la producción específica de la Psicología, sobre esta temática es lo que se ha propuesto con esta encuesta. Con ese objetivo ha sido realizada una búsqueda online en el banco de tesis de la CAPES, abarcando el período de 1987 a 2004. Todos los resúmenes encontrados fueron impresos y puesto en categorías. A través de los resúmenes fueron identificadas las tesis y disertaciones desarrolladas en Programas de Postgrado en Psicología que, por su vez, fueron leídas en su totalidad, buscando identificar las cuestiones orientadoras, principales

Long time to diagnosis of medulloblastoma in children is not associated with decreased survival or with worse neurological outcome.

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Jean-Francois Brasme

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The long time to diagnosis of medulloblastoma, one of the most frequent brain tumors in children, is the source of painful remorse and sometimes lawsuits. We analyzed its consequences for tumor stage, survival, and sequelae. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective population-based cohort study included all cases of pediatric medulloblastoma from a region of France between 1990 and 2005. We collected the demographic, clinical, and tumor data and analyzed the relations between the interval from symptom onset until diagnosis, initial disease stage, survival, and neuropsychological and neurological outcome. RESULTS: The median interval from symptom onset until diagnosis for the 166 cases was 65 days (interquartile range 31-121, range 3-457. A long interval (defined as longer than the median was associated with a lower frequency of metastasis in the univariate and multivariate analyses and with a larger tumor volume, desmoplastic histology, and longer survival in the univariate analysis, but not after adjustment for confounding factors. The time to diagnosis was significantly associated with IQ score among survivors. No significant relation was found between the time to diagnosis and neurological disability. In the 62 patients with metastases, a long prediagnosis interval was associated with a higher T stage, infiltration of the fourth ventricle floor, and incomplete surgical resection; it nonetheless did not influence survival significantly in this subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: We found complex and often inverse relations between time to diagnosis of medulloblastoma in children and initial severity factors, survival, and neuropsychological and neurological outcome. This interval appears due more to the nature of the tumor and its progression than to parental or medical factors. These conclusions should be taken into account in the information provided to parents and in expert assessments produced for malpractice claims.

Using Concurrent Cardiovascular Information to Augment Survival Time Data from Orthostatic Tilt Tests

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Feiveson, Alan H.; Fiedler, James; Lee, Stuart M. M.; Westby, Christian M.; Stenger, Michael B.; Platts, Steven H.

2014-01-01

Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) is the propensity to develop symptoms of fainting during upright standing. OI is associated with changes in heart rate, blood pressure and other measures of cardiac function. Problem: NASA astronauts have shown increased susceptibility to OI on return from space missions. Current methods for counteracting OI in astronauts include fluid loading and the use of compression garments. Multivariate trajectory spread is greater as OI increases. Pairwise comparisons at the same time within subjects allows incorporation of pass/fail outcomes. Path length, convex hull area, and covariance matrix determinant do well as statistics to summarize this spread Missing data problems Time series analysis need many more time points per OTT session treatment of trend? how incorporate survival information?

What affects local community hospitals' survival in turbulent times?

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Chiang, Hung-Che; Wang, Shiow-Ing

2015-06-01

Hospital closures became a prevalent phenomenon in Taiwan after the implementation of a national health insurance program. A wide range of causes contributes to the viability of hospitals, but little is known about the situation under universal coverage health systems. The purpose of present study is to recognize the factors that may contribute to hospital survival under the universal coverage health system. This is a retrospective case-control study. Local community hospitals that contracted with the Bureau of National Health Insurance in 1998 and remained open during the period 1998-2011 are the designated cases. Controls are local community hospitals that closed during the same period. Using longitudinal representative health claim data, 209 local community hospitals that closed during 1998-2011 were compared with 165 that remained open. Variables related to institutional characteristics, degree of competition, characteristics of patients and financial performance were analyzed by logistic regression models. Hospitals' survival was positively related to specialty hospital, the number of respiratory care beds, the physician to population ratio, the number of clinics in the same region, a highly competitive market and the occupancy rate of elderly patients in the hospital. Teaching hospitals, investor-owned hospitals, the provision of obstetrics services or home care, and the number of medical centers or other local community hospitals may jeopardize the chance of survival. Factors-enhanced local hospitals to survive under the universal coverage health system have been identified. Hospital managers could manipulate these findings and adapt strategies for subsistence. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Analysis of the clinical benefit of intraoperative radiotherapy in patients undergoing macroscopically curative resection for pancreatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kokubo, Masaki; Nishimura, Yasumasa; Shibamoto, Yuta; Sasai, Keisuke; Kanamori, Shuichi; Hosotani, Ryo; Imamura, Masayuki; Hiraoka, Masahiro

2000-01-01

Purpose: To determine the survival of pancreatic cancer patients treated with intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) and/or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) following macroscopically curative resection. Methods and Materials: One hundred and thirty-eight patients with pancreatic cancer who had undergone potentially curative total or regional pancreatectomy between 1980 and 1997 were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 138 patients, 98 had a pathologically negative surgical margin and the remaining 40 patients had a positive surgical margin. The usual EBRT dose was 45-55 Gy with a daily fraction of 1.5-2.0 Gy. The median IORT dose was 25 Gy in a single fraction. Results: The 2-year cause-specific survival rate of patients with pathologically negative surgical margins was 19%, and that of patients with positive margins was 4% (p < 0.005). Although the median survival time (MST) of patients with negative margins treated with IORT and EBRT was significantly longer than that of those treated with operation alone (17 vs. 11 months), no significant difference in survival curves was observed. In patients with positive surgical margins in peripancreatic soft tissue, the difference between the survival curve of patients treated with surgery alone and that of those treated with surgery and radiation therapy was borderline significant (p < 0.10). Patients receiving intraarterial or intraportal infusion chemotherapy had significantly improved survival rates compared with those who did not receive it (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Although the MST was longer in patients with negative margins receiving IORT and EBRT than in those receiving no radiation, improved long-term survival by IORT and/or EBRT was not suggested. In patients with positive margins, our results obtained by IORT/EBRT were encouraging. Randomized studies with much higher patient numbers are necessary to define the role of IORT in curatively resected pancreatic cancer

Enseñanza de lengua extranjera española en la educación de jóvenes y adultos del campo – Un proyecto del PRONERA/ UFSC y el MST/SC

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Luana Lopes de Oliveira

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Resumen: Brasil en  torno a la problemática de la enseñanza de la lengua española para jóvenes y adultos de escuelas de asentamientos del Movimiento de Trabajadores Rurales sin Tierra (MST. La enseñanza del idioma español como problema cultural y político. Se plantea la enseñanza como “semilla para el internacionalismo”. En el texto relata el trabajo conjunto entre la Universidad Estadual de Santa Catarina con programas educativos en asentamientos de la reforma Agraria y puntualmente desarrolla el trabajo concreto de planificación de la enseñanza de la lengua española remitiéndonos a referentes teóricos y empíricos que han sustentado este trabajo tales como el mismo educador Pistrak en la revolución rusa, referente que sirve de sustento en la praxis de las escuelas del MST. Palabras claves: enseñanza de la lengua española, idioma español como problema cultural y político, internacionalismo

Phase I/II Trial of Sequential Chemoradiotherapy Using a Novel Hypoxic Cell Radiosensitizer, Doranidazole (PR-350), in Patients With Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (WJTOG-0002)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Yasumasa; Nakagawa, Kazuhiko; Takeda, Koji; Tanaka, Masahiro; Segawa, Yoshihiko; Tsujino, Kayoko; Negoro, Shunichi; Fuwa, Nobukazu; Hida, Toyoaki; Kawahara, Masaaki; Katakami, Nobuyuki; Hirokawa, Keiko; Yamamoto, Nobuyuki; Fukuoka, Masahiro; Ariyoshi, Yutaka

2007-01-01

Purpose: This Phase I/II trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of PR-350, a novel hypoxic cell radiosensitizer, when administered with thoracic radiation therapy (RT) after induction chemotherapy (CT) for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials: Two cycles of cisplatin (80 mg/m 2 ) and paclitaxel (180 mg/m 2 ), or carboplatin (AUC = 6) and paclitaxel (200 mg/m 2 ) were given before RT of 60 Gy in 30 fractions. In the Phase I portion, the starting dosage of PR-350 was 10 daily administrations (2000 mg/m 2 ) in combination with RT, and this number was increased in increments of 10 for successive groups to 30 doses. Results: In total, 37 patients were enrolled. In Phase I (n = 20), PR-350 could be administered 30 times with concurrent thoracic RT. Thus, in Phase II (n = 17), PR-350 was administered 30 times. The major toxicity was radiation pneumonitis, with Grade 3 or more pneumonitis noted in 6 patients (16%) including 2 with treatment-related deaths. However, no Grade 3 or more esophageal toxicity was noted, and only Grade 1 peripheral neuropathy was noted in 9 patients (24%). For all 37 patients, the median survival time (MST) and the 2-year survival rate were 15.9 months and 24%, respectively. For 18 patients receiving 21 to 30 doses of PR-350, the MST and 2-year survival rate were 20.9 months and 33%, respectively. Conclusions: Thoracic RT combined with 30 daily administrations of PR-350 after induction CT was well tolerated and promising for locally advanced NSCLC

Biostatistics series module 9: Survival analysis

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Avijit Hazra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Survival analysis is concerned with “time to event“ data. Conventionally, it dealt with cancer death as the event in question, but it can handle any event occurring over a time frame, and this need not be always adverse in nature. When the outcome of a study is the time to an event, it is often not possible to wait until the event in question has happened to all the subjects, for example, until all are dead. In addition, subjects may leave the study prematurely. Such situations lead to what is called censored observations as complete information is not available for these subjects. The data set is thus an assemblage of times to the event in question and times after which no more information on the individual is available. Survival analysis methods are the only techniques capable of handling censored observations without treating them as missing data. They also make no assumption regarding normal distribution of time to event data. Descriptive methods for exploring survival times in a sample include life table and Kaplan–Meier techniques as well as various kinds of distribution fitting as advanced modeling techniques. The Kaplan–Meier cumulative survival probability over time plot has become the signature plot for biomedical survival analysis. Several techniques are available for comparing the survival experience in two or more groups – the log-rank test is popularly used. This test can also be used to produce an odds ratio as an estimate of risk of the event in the test group; this is called hazard ratio (HR. Limitations of the traditional log-rank test have led to various modifications and enhancements. Finally, survival analysis offers different regression models for estimating the impact of multiple predictors on survival. Cox's proportional hazard model is the most general of the regression methods that allows the hazard function to be modeled on a set of explanatory variables without making restrictive assumptions concerning the

Conditional survival is greater than overall survival at diagnosis in patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

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Miller, Benjamin J; Lynch, Charles F; Buckwalter, Joseph A

2013-11-01

Conditional survival is a measure of the risk of mortality given that a patient has survived a defined period of time. These estimates are clinically helpful, but have not been reported previously for osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma. We determined the conditional survival of patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma given survival of 1 or more years. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database to investigate cases of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in patients younger than 40 years from 1973 to 2009. The SEER Program is managed by the National Cancer Institute and provides survival data gathered from population-based cancer registries. We used an actuarial life table analysis to determine any cancer cause-specific 5-year survival estimates conditional on 1 to 5 years of survival after diagnosis. We performed a similar analysis to determine 20-year survival from the time of diagnosis. The estimated 5-year survival improved each year after diagnosis. For local/regional osteosarcoma, the 5-year survival improved from 74.8% at baseline to 91.4% at 5 years-meaning that if a patient with localized osteosarcoma lives for 5 years, the chance of living for another 5 years is 91.4%. Similarly, the 5-year survivals for local/regional Ewing's sarcoma improved from 72.9% at baseline to 92.5% at 5 years, for metastatic osteosarcoma 35.5% at baseline to 85.4% at 5 years, and for metastatic Ewing's sarcoma 31.7% at baseline to 83.6% at 5 years. The likelihood of 20-year cause-specific survival from the time of diagnosis in osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma was almost 90% or greater after 10 years of survival, suggesting that while most patients will remain disease-free indefinitely, some experience cancer-related complications years after presumed eradication. The 5-year survival estimates of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma improve with each additional year of patient survival. Knowledge of a changing risk profile is useful in counseling

SURVIVAL ANALYSIS AND LENGTH-BIASED SAMPLING

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Masoud Asgharian

2010-12-01

Full Text Available When survival data are colleted as part of a prevalent cohort study, the recruited cases have already experienced their initiating event. These prevalent cases are then followed for a fixed period of time at the end of which the subjects will either have failed or have been censored. When interests lies in estimating the survival distribution, from onset, of subjects with the disease, one must take into account that the survival times of the cases in a prevalent cohort study are left truncated. When it is possible to assume that there has not been any epidemic of the disease over the past period of time that covers the onset times of the subjects, one may assume that the underlying incidence process that generates the initiating event times is a stationary Poisson process. Under such assumption, the survival times of the recruited subjects are called “lengthbiased”. I discuss the challenges one is faced with in analyzing these type of data. To address the theoretical aspects of the work, I present asymptotic results for the NPMLE of the length-biased as well as the unbiased survival distribution. I also discuss estimating the unbiased survival function using only the follow-up time. This addresses the case that the onset times are either unknown or known with uncertainty. Some of our most recent work and open questions will be presented. These include some aspects of analysis of covariates, strong approximation, functional LIL and density estimation under length-biased sampling with right censoring. The results will be illustrated with survival data from patients with dementia, collected as part of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA.

Cytotoxicity of Titanate-Calcium Complexes to MC3T3 Osteoblast-Like Cells

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Drury, Jeanie L.; Moussi, Joelle; Taylor-Pashow, Kathryn M. L.

2016-01-01

Monosodium titanates (MST) are a relatively novel form of particulate titanium dioxide that have been proposed for biological use as metal sorbents or delivery agents, most recently calcium (II). In these roles, the toxicity of the titanate or its metal complex is crucial to its biological utility. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity of MST and MST-calcium complexes with MC3T3 osteoblast-like cells; MST-Ca(II) complexes could be useful to promote bone formation in various hard tissue applications. MC3T3 cells were exposed to native MST or MST-Ca(II) complexes for 24–72 h. A CellTiter-Blue® assay was employed to assess the metabolic activity of the cells. The results showed that MST and MST-Ca(II) suppressed MC3T3 metabolic activity significantly in a dose-, time-, and cell-density-dependent fashion. MST-Ca(II) suppressed MC3T3 metabolism in a statistically identical manner as native MST at all concentrations. We concluded that MST and MST-Ca(II) are significantly cytotoxic to MC3T3 cells through a mechanism yet unknown; this is a potential problem to the biological utility of these complexes. PMID:28044136

Cytotoxicity of Titanate-Calcium Complexes to MC3T3 Osteoblast-Like Cells

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Yen-Wei Chen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Monosodium titanates (MST are a relatively novel form of particulate titanium dioxide that have been proposed for biological use as metal sorbents or delivery agents, most recently calcium (II. In these roles, the toxicity of the titanate or its metal complex is crucial to its biological utility. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxicity of MST and MST-calcium complexes with MC3T3 osteoblast-like cells; MST-Ca(II complexes could be useful to promote bone formation in various hard tissue applications. MC3T3 cells were exposed to native MST or MST-Ca(II complexes for 24–72 h. A CellTiter-Blue® assay was employed to assess the metabolic activity of the cells. The results showed that MST and MST-Ca(II suppressed MC3T3 metabolic activity significantly in a dose-, time-, and cell-density-dependent fashion. MST-Ca(II suppressed MC3T3 metabolism in a statistically identical manner as native MST at all concentrations. We concluded that MST and MST-Ca(II are significantly cytotoxic to MC3T3 cells through a mechanism yet unknown; this is a potential problem to the biological utility of these complexes.

Progression-free survival/time to progression as a potential surrogate for overall survival in HR+, HER2– metastatic breast cancer

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Forsythe A

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Anna Forsythe,1 David Chandiwana,2 Janina Barth,3 Marroon Thabane,4 Johan Baeck,2 Gabriel Tremblay1 1Purple Squirrel Economics, New York, NY, 2Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA; 3Novartis Pharma GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany; 4Novartis Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Dorval, QC, Canada Background: Several recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs in hormone receptor-positive (HR+, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2– metastatic breast cancer (MBC have demonstrated significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS; however, few have reported improvement in overall survival (OS. The surrogacy of PFS or time to progression (TTP for OS has not been formally investigated in HR+, HER2– MBC.Methods: A systematic literature review of RCTs in HR+, HER2– MBC was conducted to identify studies that reported both median PFS/TTP and OS. The correlation between PFS/TTP and OS was evaluated using Pearson’s product–moment correlation and Spearman’s rank correlation. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore possible reasons for heterogeneity. Errors-in-variables weighted least squares regression (LSR was used to model incremental OS months as a function of incremental PFS/TTP months. An exploratory analysis investigated the impact of three covariates (chemotherapy vs hormonal/targeted therapy, PFS vs TTP, and first-line therapy vs second-line therapy or greater on OS prediction. The lower 95% prediction band was used to determine the minimum incremental PFS/TTP months required to predict OS benefit (surrogate threshold effect [STE].Results: Forty studies were identified. There was a statistically significant correlation between median PFS/TTP and OS (Pearson =0.741, P=0.000; Spearman =0.650, P=0.000. These results proved consistent for chemotherapy and hormonal/targeted therapy. Univariate LSR analysis yielded an R2 of 0.354 with 1 incremental PFS/TTP month corresponding to 1.13 incremental OS months

Effect of antibiotic decontamination of the GI tract on survival time after neutron and gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geraci, J.P.; Jackson, K.L.; Mariano, M.S.

1984-01-01

Antibiotic decontaminated and conventional rats were whole-body irradiated with 8 MeV neutrons (1.5 to 13 Gy) or 137 Cs gamma radiation (9 to 20 Gy). The animals were checked for survival at four hour intervals from the second to the seventh day postirradiation and at eight hour intervals on other days. Decontamination of the GI tract increased median survival time 1 to 5 days in this range of dose dependency, whereas the effect of decontamination was negligible for doses that produced mostly intestinal death. These results suggest that sepsis and endotoxin produced by bacteria from the intestinal tract play little role in acute intestinal radiation death

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA is associated with the kidney survival time in chronic kidney disease patients.

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Xu, Jinsheng; Guo, Zhanjun; Bai, Yaling; Zhang, Junxia; Cui, Liwen; Zhang, Huiran; Zhang, Shenglei; Ai, Xiaolu

2015-02-01

The mitochondrial displacement loop (D-loop) is known to accumulate mutations and SNPs at a higher frequency than other regions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We had identified chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk-associated SNPs in the D-loop of CKD patients previously. In this study, we investigated the association of SNPs in the D-loop of mtDNA with the kidney survival of CKD. The D-loop region of mtDNA was sequenced for 119 CKD patients from the inpatient of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to identify disease outcome-associated SNPs in the D-loop of CKD patients. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify risk factors for the kidney survival of CKD. In the present study, we identified 20 SNPs with a frequency higher than 5% and assessed the relationship of these SNPs with kidney survival time in CKD patients, a SNP of 146 was identified by log-rank test for statistically significant prediction of the kidney survival time. In an overall multivariate analysis, allele 146 was identified as an independent predictor of kidney survival time in CKD patients. The survival time of kidney in the CKD patients with 146C was significantly shorter than that of kidney in CKD patients with 146T (relative risk, 2.336; 95% CI, 1.319-3.923; p = 0.001). SNPs in the D-loop can predict the kidney survival of CKD patients. Analysis of genetic polymorphisms in the mitochondrial D-loop can help to identify CKD patient subgroup at high risk of a poor disease outcome.

Using Concurrent Cardiovascular Information to Augment Survival Time Data for Evaluating Orthostatic Tilt Test Performance

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Feiveson, Alan H.; Fiedler, James; Lee, Stuart M. C.; Koslovsky, Matthew D.; Stenger, Michael B.; Platts, Steven H.

2018-01-01

Head-up tilt (HUT) tests often are used in research to measure orthostatic intolerance (OI) (inability to appropriately control blood pressure while upright) in clinical populations and otherwise healthy individuals after interventions. Post-space flight orthostatic intolerance is a well-known phenomenon, and countermeasures to its development has been an active area of research at NASA. In the NASA HUT protocol, subjects lie horizontally on an automatic tilt table for baseline measurements before being raised to 80deg head-up tilt for a defined period of time or until signs or symptoms of presyncope ensues (light-headedness, nausea, dizziness, sweating, weakness or fainting). Multiple measures are collected to evaluate the cardiovascular system's ability to respond appropriately to the orthostatic challenge. However if the intended duration of the HUT is short, the ability to detect changes in OI due to an intervention or its prevention by a countermeasure may be limited by a small number of failures to permit comparisons based on survival time alone. Thus, the time-trajectory of the cardiovascular data becomes an important additional source of information. In particular, we will show how various measures of trajectory variability can effectively augment survival analysis for the assessment of OI in a joint model when high censoring rates are present.

Understanding survival analysis: Kaplan-Meier estimate.

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Goel, Manish Kumar; Khanna, Pardeep; Kishore, Jugal

2010-10-01

Kaplan-Meier estimate is one of the best options to be used to measure the fraction of subjects living for a certain amount of time after treatment. In clinical trials or community trials, the effect of an intervention is assessed by measuring the number of subjects survived or saved after that intervention over a period of time. The time starting from a defined point to the occurrence of a given event, for example death is called as survival time and the analysis of group data as survival analysis. This can be affected by subjects under study that are uncooperative and refused to be remained in the study or when some of the subjects may not experience the event or death before the end of the study, although they would have experienced or died if observation continued, or we lose touch with them midway in the study. We label these situations as censored observations. The Kaplan-Meier estimate is the simplest way of computing the survival over time in spite of all these difficulties associated with subjects or situations. The survival curve can be created assuming various situations. It involves computing of probabilities of occurrence of event at a certain point of time and multiplying these successive probabilities by any earlier computed probabilities to get the final estimate. This can be calculated for two groups of subjects and also their statistical difference in the survivals. This can be used in Ayurveda research when they are comparing two drugs and looking for survival of subjects.

Combination vinblastine, prednisolone and toceranib phosphate for treatment of grade II and III mast cell tumours in dogs.

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Olsen, Jaime A; Thomson, Maurine; O'Connell, Kathleen; Wyatt, Ken

2018-05-24

This retrospective study evaluates the progression-free interval and survival outcomes of 40 canine (Canis familiaris) patients with Patnaik grade II and III mast cell tumours treated with combination vinblastine, prednisolone and toceranib phosphate from 2011 to 2015. Patients were subdivided into three groups; patients who received neoadjuvant therapy for poorly operable lesions, patients who received adjuvant therapy following surgical resection and patients being palliated for gross metastatic disease. Median survival time (MST) for the neoadjuvant group was not reached. Median survival time for the remaining groups was 893 days and 218 days, respectively. This combination demonstrated response in 90% (26/29) patients with measurable disease. The predominant side effects related to this chemotherapy combination were gastrointestinal in origin. Further prospective studies are required to further validate the efficacy of this treatment protocol. © 2018 The Authors Veterinary Medicine and Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An energy confinement study of the MST [Madison Symmetric Torus] reversed field pinch using a Thomson scattering diagnostic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Den Hartog, D.J.

1989-11-01

Thomson scattering measurements of the central electron temperature and density during the plasma current peak have been performed on the MST Reversed Field Pinch (RFP). This Thomson scattering diagnostic was calibrated for absolute electron density measurements. These measurements of T e and n e , when combined with profile assumptions, were used to calculate estimates of energy confinement time (τ E ) and poloidal beta (β θ ). A standard discharge with I p ∼ 400 kA, F ∼ -0.1, and θ ∼ 1.6 typically exhibited T e ∼ 275 eV, n e ∼ 2.0 x 10 13 cm -3 , τ E ≤ 1 ms, and β θ ≤ 8%. The results of a limited plasma current scaling study did not indicate a strong scaling of T e or τ E with I p . The Thomson scattering diagnostic was used in conjunction with a bolometer, VUV radiation monitor, and edge magnetic coils to study the loss of energy from the plasma. Results indicate that thermal transport from stochastic magnetic fields, particle loss, and radiation are important energy loss processes. The experiments done for this study included an F-scan, a paddle limiter insertion series, and an argon doping series. The plasma maintained a constant βτ during these perturbation experiments, suggesting that increases in one energy loss channel are compensated by drops in other channels and increases in input power to the plasma

High-frequency fluctuation measurements by far-infrared laser Faraday-effect polarimetry-interferometry and forward scattering system on MST.

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Ding, W X; Lin, L; Duff, J R; Brower, D L

2014-11-01

Magnetic fluctuation-induced transport driven by global tearing modes has been measured by Faraday-effect polarimetry and interferometry (phase measurements) in the MST reversed field pinch. However, the role of small-scale broadband magnetic and density turbulence in transport remains unknown. In order to investigate broadband magnetic turbulence, we plan to upgrade the existing detector system by using planar-diode fundamental waveguide mixers optimized for high sensitivity. Initial tests indicate these mixers have ×10 sensitivity improvement compared to currently employed corner-cube Schottky-diode mixers and ×5 lower noise. Compact mixer design will allow us to resolve the wavenumbers up to k ∼ 1-2 cm(-1) for beam width w = 1.5 cm and 15 cm(-1) for beam width w = 2 mm. The system can also be used to measure the scattered signal (amplitude measurement) induced by both plasma density and magnetic fluctuations.

Xenogeneic murine tyrosinase DNA vaccine for malignant melanoma of the digit of dogs.

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Manley, C A; Leibman, N F; Wolchok, J D; Rivière, I C; Bartido, S; Craft, D M; Bergman, P J

2011-01-01

Malignant melanoma of dogs is a highly aggressive neoplasm and is the 2nd most common digit tumor. Metastatic disease is a common sequela for which few effective treatment options exist. Studies show that xenogeneic tyrosinase DNA vaccination yields immune responses and prolongation of survival in dogs with oral malignant melanoma. Describe clinical findings and tumor characteristics of a cohort of dogs with digit malignant melanoma, and evaluate the prognostic utility of a proposed staging system. Determine if a novel xenogeneic DNA vaccine is safe and potentially effective for treatment of dogs with digit melanoma. Fifty-eight dogs with digit malignant melanoma treated at the Animal Medical Center between 2004 and 2007. Retrospective, medical records review of dogs with digit melanoma treated with xenogeneic DNA vaccine. Overall median survival time (MST) for dogs treated with loco-regional control and xenogeneic DNA vaccine was 476 days with a 1-year survival rate of 63%. MST for dogs presenting with metastasis was 105 days versus 533 days for dogs presenting without metastasis (P dogs in the latter group were alive at 2 and 3 years. A proposed staging system proved prognostic with stages I-IV dogs surviving >952, >1,093, 321, and 76 days, respectively. The xenogeneic murine tyrosinase DNA vaccine was safe and appears effective when used in conjunction with local and regional disease control. The proposed staging system was prognostic in this study and future studies might benefit from utilizing this staging system. Copyright © 2010 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

The comparison of proportional hazards and accelerated failure time models in analyzing the first birth interval survival data

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Faruk, Alfensi

2018-03-01

Survival analysis is a branch of statistics, which is focussed on the analysis of time- to-event data. In multivariate survival analysis, the proportional hazards (PH) is the most popular model in order to analyze the effects of several covariates on the survival time. However, the assumption of constant hazards in PH model is not always satisfied by the data. The violation of the PH assumption leads to the misinterpretation of the estimation results and decreasing the power of the related statistical tests. On the other hand, the accelerated failure time (AFT) models do not assume the constant hazards in the survival data as in PH model. The AFT models, moreover, can be used as the alternative to PH model if the constant hazards assumption is violated. The objective of this research was to compare the performance of PH model and the AFT models in analyzing the significant factors affecting the first birth interval (FBI) data in Indonesia. In this work, the discussion was limited to three AFT models which were based on Weibull, exponential, and log-normal distribution. The analysis by using graphical approach and a statistical test showed that the non-proportional hazards exist in the FBI data set. Based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC), the log-normal AFT model was the most appropriate model among the other considered models. Results of the best fitted model (log-normal AFT model) showed that the covariates such as women’s educational level, husband’s educational level, contraceptive knowledge, access to mass media, wealth index, and employment status were among factors affecting the FBI in Indonesia.

Time-of-Day Dependent Neuronal Injury After Ischemic Stroke: Implication of Circadian Clock Transcriptional Factor Bmal1 and Survival Kinase AKT.

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Beker, Mustafa Caglar; Caglayan, Berrak; Yalcin, Esra; Caglayan, Ahmet Burak; Turkseven, Seyma; Gurel, Busra; Kelestemur, Taha; Sertel, Elif; Sahin, Zafer; Kutlu, Selim; Kilic, Ulkan; Baykal, Ahmet Tarik; Kilic, Ertugrul

2018-03-01

Occurrence of stroke cases displays a time-of-day variation in human. However, the mechanism linking circadian rhythm to the internal response mechanisms against pathophysiological events after ischemic stroke remained largely unknown. To this end, temporal changes in the susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury were investigated in mice in which the ischemic stroke induced at four different Zeitgeber time points with 6-h intervals (ZT0, ZT6, ZT12, and ZT18). Besides infarct volume and brain swelling, neuronal survival, apoptosis, ischemia, and circadian rhythm related proteins were examined using immunohistochemistry, Western blot, planar surface immune assay, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry tools. Here, we present evidence that midnight (ZT18; 24:00) I/R injury in mice resulted in significantly improved infarct volume, brain swelling, neurological deficit score, neuronal survival, and decreased apoptotic cell death compared with ischemia induced at other time points, which were associated with increased expressions of circadian proteins Bmal1, PerI, and Clock proteins and survival kinases AKT and Erk-1/2. Moreover, ribosomal protein S6, mTOR, and Bad were also significantly increased, while the levels of PRAS40, negative regulator of AKT and mTOR, and phosphorylated p53 were decreased at this time point compared to ZT0 (06:00). Furthermore, detailed proteomic analysis revealed significantly decreased CSKP, HBB-1/2, and HBA levels, while increased GNAZ, NEGR1, IMPCT, and PDE1B at midnight as compared with early morning. Our results indicate that nighttime I/R injury results in less severe neuronal damage, with increased neuronal survival, increased levels of survival kinases and circadian clock proteins, and also alters the circadian-related proteins.

Determinants of IPO survival on the Johannesburg securities exchange

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Brownhilder Ngek Neneh

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper was to establish the determinants of IPO survival on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE. Using the Kaplan-Meier test, this study established that firms less than five years prior to listing on the JSE have a significant smaller mean survival time; firms with a gross proceed less than the median have a significant shorter mean survival time; overpriced IPOs have a significant higher survival time; IPOs listed during the hot market period on the JSE have a significant smaller mean survival time and IPOs with return on asset, operating profit margin, and return on equity less than or equal to zero have a low mean survival time. Also, being in the internet industry significantly shortens the mean survival time of an IPO. Moreover, based on the Cox Proportional Hazard model, it was established that the determinants of IPO survivability on the JSE are the firms’ age, size, market period, return on equity and operating profit margin are. These findings provide investors and companies in the JSE with empirical evidence of the determinants of IPO survivability of the JSE. As such, investors are advised to consider these factors when selecting their portfolios

Parent-child communication and marijuana initiation: evidence using discrete-time survival analysis.

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Nonnemaker, James M; Silber-Ashley, Olivia; Farrelly, Matthew C; Dench, Daniel

2012-12-01

This study supplements existing literature on the relationship between parent-child communication and adolescent drug use by exploring whether parental and/or adolescent recall of specific drug-related conversations differentially impact youth's likelihood of initiating marijuana use. Using discrete-time survival analysis, we estimated the hazard of marijuana initiation using a logit model to obtain an estimate of the relative risk of initiation. Our results suggest that parent-child communication about drug use is either not protective (no effect) or - in the case of youth reports of communication - potentially harmful (leading to increased likelihood of marijuana initiation). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of time interval between capecitabine intake and radiotherapy on local recurrence-free survival in preoperative chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yeon Joo; Kim, Jong Hoon; Yu, Chang Sik; Kim, Tae Won; Jang, Se Jin; Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Jin Cheon [Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Won Sik [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung (Korea, Republic of)

2017-06-15

The concentration of capecitabine peaks at 1–2 hours after administration. We therefore assumed that proper timing of capecitabine administration and radiotherapy would maximize radiosensitization and influence survival among patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 223 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiation, followed by surgery from January 2002 to May 2006. All patients underwent pelvic radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions) and received capecitabine twice daily at 12-hour intervals (1,650 mg/m2/day). Patients were divided into two groups according to the time interval between capecitabine intake and radiotherapy. Patients who took capecitabine 1 hour before radiotherapy were classified as Group A (n = 109); all others were classified as Group B (n = 114). The median follow-up period was 72 months (range, 7 to 149 months). Although Group A had a significantly higher rate of good responses (44% vs. 25%; p = 0.005), the 5-year local recurrence-free survival rates of 93% in Group A and 97% in Group B did not differ significantly (p = 0.519). The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were also comparable between the groups. Despite the better pathological response in Group A, the time interval between capecitabine and radiotherapy administration did not have a significant effect on survivals. Further evaluations are needed to clarify the interaction of these treatment modalities.

Timing of chemotherapy and survival in patients with resectable gastric adenocarcinoma

Science.gov (United States)

Arrington, Amanda K; Nelson, Rebecca; Patel, Supriya S; Luu, Carrie; Ko, Michelle; Garcia-Aguilar, Julio; Kim, Joseph

2013-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the timing of chemotherapy in gastric cancer by comparing survival outcomes in treatment groups. METHODS: Patients with surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma from 1988 to 2006 were identified from the Los Angeles County Cancer Surveillance Program. To evaluate the population most likely to receive and/or benefit from adjunct chemotherapy, inclusion criteria consisted of Stage II or III gastric cancer patients > 18 years of age who underwent curative-intent surgical resection. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the receipt of chemotherapy: (1) no chemotherapy; (2) preoperative chemotherapy; or (3) postoperative chemotherapy. Clinical and pathologic characteristics were compared across the different treatment arms. RESULTS: Of 1518 patients with surgically resected gastric cancer, 327 (21.5%) received perioperative chemotherapy. The majority of these 327 patients were male (68%) with a mean age of 61.5 years; and they were significantly younger than non-chemotherapy patients (mean age, 70.7; P advanced gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: This study supports the implementation of a randomized trial comparing the timing of perioperative therapy in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. PMID:24392183

Interfraction interval does not affect survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with hyperfractionated radiotherapy with/without chemotherapy: a multivariate analysis of 682 RTOG patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werner-Wasik, Maria; Scott, Charles; Graham, Mary L.; Smith, Colum; Byhardt, Roger W.; Roach, Mack; Andras, E. James

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Radiobiologic considerations led to the choice of a 4-6 hr as an optimal interfraction interval (IFI) in hyperfractionated radiation therapy (HFX RT). Recently it was suggested (Jeremic, '95) that a shorter IFI (4.5-5.0 hr vs. 5.5-6.0) was associated with an improved survival in patients (pts) with locally advanced/inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) treated with a concurrent chemotherapy (CT)-HFX RT or HFX RT alone. Our analysis was therefore undertaken to verify this hypothesis in a larger patient population. METHODS: Records of patients treated with HFX RT with/without CT on 5 RTOG studies were reviewed retrospectively and an actual IFI, defined as a mean of all daily IFIs, was calculated. RT dose was 1.2 Gy BID to 69.6 Gy. CT included cisplatin and either oral etoposide or vinblastine. The relationship between the length of IFI and the median survival time (MST), overall survival (OS) and incidence of esophagitis was investigated using log rank and Cox analyses. RESULTS: Pts with a LA-NSCLC were treated in 2 HFX RT only studies (n=927) and in 3 CT-HFX RT studies (n=209). Pt characteristics was as follows: Stage IIIA, 52%; Stage IIIB, 37%; males, 72%; older than 60 yr, 64%; Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of > 70, 84%; weight loss of >5%, 31% of pts. In 682 pts eligible for this analysis, a full dose of RT (69.6 Gy +/- 10%) was delivered and at least 90% of all daily IFIs were available. Six percent of all pts (n=42) are alive. The HFX RT studies recommended an IFI of 4-6 hr and CT-HFX RT studies, an IFI of at least 6 hr. The actual mean IFI was as follows: 4-4.9 hr in 51% of pts; 5-5.9 hr in 17%; 6-6.9 in 28% and 7-8 hr in 4%. MST and incidence of esophagitis by mean IFI are as follows: In multivariate analysis, however, only no weight loss, use of CT, low nodal stage and good KPS, but not IFI (4-6 hr vs. 6-8 hr) were associated with an improved survival for all pts (p values: <0.0001; <0.0001; 0.02; 0.0001 and 0.55, respectively), as

Nutrition management methods effective in increasing weight, survival time and functional status in ALS patients: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kellogg, Jaylin; Bottman, Lindsey; Arra, Erin J; Selkirk, Stephen M; Kozlowski, Frances

2018-02-01

Poor prognosis and decreased survival time correlate with the nutritional status of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Various studies were reviewed which assessed weight, body mass index (BMI), survival time and ALS functional rating scale revised (ALSFRS-R) in order to determine the best nutrition management methods for this patient population. A systematic review was conducted using CINAHL, Medline, and PubMed, and various search terms in order to determine the most recent clinical trials and observational studies that have been conducted concerning nutrition and ALS. Four articles met criteria to be included in the review. Data were extracted from these articles and were inputted into the Data Extraction Tool (DET) provided by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND). Results showed that nutrition supplementation does promote weight stabilisation or weight gain in individuals with ALS. Given the low risk and low cost associated with intervention, early and aggressive nutrition intervention is recommended. This systematic review shows that there is a lack of high quality evidence regarding the efficacy of any dietary interventions for promoting survival in ALS or slowing disease progression; therefore more research is necessary related to effects of nutrition interventions.

Spectroscopic measurement of the MHD dynamo in the MST reversed field pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, J.T.

1998-09-01

The author has directly observed the coupling of ion velocity fluctuations and magnetic field fluctuations to produce an MHD dynamo electric field in the interior of the MST reversed field pinch. Chord averaged ion velocity fluctuations were measured with a fast spectroscopic diagnostic which collects line radiation from intrinsic carbon impurities simultaneously along two lines of sight. The chords employed for the measurements resolved long wavelength velocity fluctuations of several km/s at 8--20 kHz as tiny, fast Doppler shifts in the emitted line profile. During discrete dynamo events the velocity fluctuations, like the magnetic fluctuations, increase dramatically. The toroidal and poloidal chords with impact parameters of 0.3 a and 0.6 a respectively, resolved fluctuation wavenumbers with resonance surfaces near or along the lines of sight indicating a radial velocity fluctuation width for each mode which spans only a fraction of the plasma radius. The phase between the measured toroidal velocity fluctuations and the magnetic fluctuations matches the predictions of resistive MHD while the poloidal velocity fluctuations exhibit a phase consistent with the superposition of MHD effects and the advection of a mean flow gradient past the poloidal line of sight. Radial velocity fluctuations resolved by a chord through the center of the plasma were small compared to the poloidal and toroidal fluctuations and exhibited low coherence with the magnetic fluctuations. The ensembled nonlinear product of the ion velocity fluctuations and fluctuations in the magnetic field indicates a substantial dynamo electric field which peaks during the periods of spontaneous flux generation

Spectroscopic measurement of the MHD dynamo in the MST reversed field pinch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chapman, James Tharp [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

1998-09-01

The author has directly observed the coupling of ion velocity fluctuations and magnetic field fluctuations to produce an MHD dynamo electric field in the interior of the MST reversed field pinch. Chord averaged ion velocity fluctuations were measured with a fast spectroscopic diagnostic which collects line radiation from intrinsic carbon impurities simultaneously along two lines of sight. The chords employed for the measurements resolved long wavelength velocity fluctuations of several km/s at 8-20 kHz as tiny, fast Doppler shifts in the emitted line profile. During discrete dynamo events the velocity fluctuations, like the magnetic fluctuations, increase dramatically. The toroidal and poloidal chords with impact parameters of 0.3 a and 0.6 a respectively, resolved fluctuation wavenumbers with resonance surfaces near or along the lines of sight indicating a radial velocity fluctuation width for each mode which spans only a fraction of the plasma radius. The phase between the measured toroidal velocity fluctuations and the magnetic fluctuations matches the predictions of resistive MHD while the poloidal velocity fluctuations exhibit a phase consistent with the superposition of MHD effects and the advection of a mean flow gradient past the poloidal line of sight. Radial velocity fluctuations resolved by a chord through the center of the plasma were small compared to the poloidal and toroidal fluctuations and exhibited low coherence with the magnetic fluctuations. The ensembled nonlinear product of the ion velocity fluctuations and fluctuations in the magnetic field indicates a substantial dynamo electric field which peaks during the periods of spontaneous flux generation.

Using simulation to interpret a discrete time survival model in a complex biological system: fertility and lameness in dairy cows.

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Christopher D Hudson

Full Text Available The ever-growing volume of data routinely collected and stored in everyday life presents researchers with a number of opportunities to gain insight and make predictions. This study aimed to demonstrate the usefulness in a specific clinical context of a simulation-based technique called probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA in interpreting the results of a discrete time survival model based on a large dataset of routinely collected dairy herd management data. Data from 12,515 dairy cows (from 39 herds were used to construct a multilevel discrete time survival model in which the outcome was the probability of a cow becoming pregnant during a given two day period of risk, and presence or absence of a recorded lameness event during various time frames relative to the risk period amongst the potential explanatory variables. A separate simulation model was then constructed to evaluate the wider clinical implications of the model results (i.e. the potential for a herd's incidence rate of lameness to influence its overall reproductive performance using PSA. Although the discrete time survival analysis revealed some relatively large associations between lameness events and risk of pregnancy (for example, occurrence of a lameness case within 14 days of a risk period was associated with a 25% reduction in the risk of the cow becoming pregnant during that risk period, PSA revealed that, when viewed in the context of a realistic clinical situation, a herd's lameness incidence rate is highly unlikely to influence its overall reproductive performance to a meaningful extent in the vast majority of situations. Construction of a simulation model within a PSA framework proved to be a very useful additional step to aid contextualisation of the results from a discrete time survival model, especially where the research is designed to guide on-farm management decisions at population (i.e. herd rather than individual level.

Ensemble survival tree models to reveal pairwise interactions of variables with time-to-events outcomes in low-dimensional setting

Science.gov (United States)

Dazard, Jean-Eudes; Ishwaran, Hemant; Mehlotra, Rajeev; Weinberg, Aaron; Zimmerman, Peter

2018-01-01

Unraveling interactions among variables such as genetic, clinical, demographic and environmental factors is essential to understand the development of common and complex diseases. To increase the power to detect such variables interactions associated with clinical time-to-events outcomes, we borrowed established concepts from random survival forest (RSF) models. We introduce a novel RSF-based pairwise interaction estimator and derive a randomization method with bootstrap confidence intervals for inferring interaction significance. Using various linear and nonlinear time-to-events survival models in simulation studies, we first show the efficiency of our approach: true pairwise interaction-effects between variables are uncovered, while they may not be accompanied with their corresponding main-effects, and may not be detected by standard semi-parametric regression modeling and test statistics used in survival analysis. Moreover, using a RSF-based cross-validation scheme for generating prediction estimators, we show that informative predictors may be inferred. We applied our approach to an HIV cohort study recording key host gene polymorphisms and their association with HIV change of tropism or AIDS progression. Altogether, this shows how linear or nonlinear pairwise statistical interactions of variables may be efficiently detected with a predictive value in observational studies with time-to-event outcomes. PMID:29453930

An exploratory discrete-time multilevel analysis of the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Zhixin; Jones, Kelvyn; Wang, Wenfei Winnie

2015-01-01

This study undertakes a survival analysis of elderly persons in China using Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2002–2008. Employing discrete-time multilevel models, we explored the effect of social support on the survival of elderly people in China. This study focuses on objective (living arrangements and received support) and subjective activities (perceived support) of social support, finding that the effect of different activities of social support on the survival of elderly people varies according to the availability of different support resources. Specifically, living with a spouse, financial independence, perceiving care support from any resource is associated with higher survival rates for elderly people. Separate analysis focusing on urban elderly and rural elderly revealed broadly similar results. There is a larger difference between those perceiving care support from family or social service and not perceiving care support in urban areas comparing to those in rural areas. Those who cannot pay medical expenses are the least likely to survive. The higher level of economic development in province has no significant effect on the survival of elderly people for the whole sample model and the elderly people in urban areas; however, there is a negative influence on the survival of the rural elderly people. PMID:25703671

Survival during the Breeding Season: Nest Stage, Parental Sex, and Season Advancement Affect Reed Warbler Survival.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaja Wierucka

Full Text Available Avian annual survival has received much attention, yet little is known about seasonal patterns in survival, especially of migratory passerines. In order to evaluate survival rates and timing of mortality within the breeding season of adult reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus, mark-recapture data were collected in southwest Poland, between 2006 and 2012. A total of 612 individuals (304 females and 308 males were monitored throughout the entire breeding season, and their capture-recapture histories were used to model survival rates. Males showed higher survival during the breeding season (0.985, 95% CI: 0.941-0.996 than females (0.869, 95% CI: 0.727-0.937. Survival rates of females declined with the progression of the breeding season (from May to August, while males showed constant survival during this period. We also found a clear pattern within the female (but not male nesting cycle: survival was significantly lower during the laying, incubation, and nestling periods (0.934, 95% CI: 0.898-0.958, when birds spent much time on the nest, compared to the nest building and fledgling periods (1.000, 95% CI: 1.00-1.000, when we did not record any female mortality. These data (coupled with some direct evidence, like bird corpses or blood remains found next to/on the nest may suggest that the main cause of adult mortality was on-nest predation. The calculated survival rates for both sexes during the breeding season were high compared to annual rates reported for this species, suggesting that a majority of mortality occurs at other times of the year, during migration or wintering. These results have implications for understanding survival variation within the reproductive period as well as general trends of avian mortality.

Mean exit time and survival probability within the CTRW formalism

Science.gov (United States)

Montero, M.; Masoliver, J.

2007-05-01

An intense research on financial market microstructure is presently in progress. Continuous time random walks (CTRWs) are general models capable to capture the small-scale properties that high frequency data series show. The use of CTRW models in the analysis of financial problems is quite recent and their potentials have not been fully developed. Here we present two (closely related) applications of great interest in risk control. In the first place, we will review the problem of modelling the behaviour of the mean exit time (MET) of a process out of a given region of fixed size. The surveyed stochastic processes are the cumulative returns of asset prices. The link between the value of the MET and the timescale of the market fluctuations of a certain degree is crystal clear. In this sense, MET value may help, for instance, in deciding the optimal time horizon for the investment. The MET is, however, one among the statistics of a distribution of bigger interest: the survival probability (SP), the likelihood that after some lapse of time a process remains inside the given region without having crossed its boundaries. The final part of the manuscript is devoted to the study of this quantity. Note that the use of SPs may outperform the standard “Value at Risk" (VaR) method for two reasons: we can consider other market dynamics than the limited Wiener process and, even in this case, a risk level derived from the SP will ensure (within the desired quintile) that the quoted value of the portfolio will not leave the safety zone. We present some preliminary theoretical and applied results concerning this topic.

A Model for the Detailed Analysis of Radio Links Involving Tree Canopies

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F. Perez-Fontan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Detailed analysis of tree canopy interaction with incident radiowaves has mainly been limited to remote sensing for the purpose of forest classification among many other applications. This represents a monostatic configuration, unlike the case of communication links, which are bistatic. In general, link analyses have been limited to the application of simple, empirical formulas based on the use of specific attenuation values in dB/m and the traversed vegetated mass as, e.g., the model in Recommendation ITU-R P.833-8 [1]. In remote sensing, two main techniques are used: Multiple Scattering Theory (MST [2][5] and Radiative Transfer Theory (RT, [5] and [6]. We have paid attention in the past to MST [7][10]. It was shown that a full application of MST leads to very long computation times which are unacceptable in the case where we have to analyze a scenario with several trees. Extensive work using MST has been also presented by others in [11][16] showing the interest in this technique. We have proposed a simplified model for scattering from tree canopies based on a hybridization of MST and a modified physical optics (PO approach [16]. We assume that propagation through a canopy is accounted for by using the complex valued propagation constant obtained by MST. Unlike the case when the full MST is applied, the proposed approach offers significant benefits including a direct software implementation and acceptable computation times even for high frequencies and electrically large canopies. The proposed model thus replaces the coherent component in MST, significant in the forward direction, but keeps the incoherent or diffuse scattering component present in all directions. The incoherent component can be calculated within reasonable times. Here, we present tests of the proposed model against MST using an artificial single-tree scenario at 2 GHz and 10 GHz.

Characterization of beam-driven instabilities and current redistribution in MST plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Parke, E.

2015-11-01

A unique, high-rep-rate (>10 kHz) Thomson scattering diagnostic and a high-bandwidth FIR interferometer-polarimeter on MST have enabled characterization of beam-driven instabilities and magnetic equilibrium changes observed during high power (1 MW) neutral beam injection (NBI). While NBI leads to negligible net current drive, an increase in on-axis current density observed through Faraday rotation is offset by a reduction in mid-radius current. Identification of the phase flip in temperature fluctuations associated with tearing modes provides a sensitive measure of rational surface locations. This technique strongly constrains the safety factor for equilibrium reconstruction and provides a powerful new tool for measuring the equilibrium magnetic field. For example, the n = 6 temperature structure is observed to shift inward 1.1 +/- 0.6 cm, with an estimated reduction of q0 by 5%. This is consistent with a mid-radius reduction in current, and together the Faraday rotation and Thomson scattering measurements corroborate an inductive redistribution of current that compares well with TRANSP/MSTFit predictions. Interpreting tearing mode temperature structures in the RFP remains challenging; the effects of multiple, closely-spaced tearing modes on the mode phase measurement require further verification. In addition to equilibrium changes, previous work has shown that the large fast ion population drives instabilities at higher frequencies near the Alfvén continuum. Recent observations reveal a new instability at much lower frequency (~7 kHz) with strongly chirping behavior. It participates in extensive avalanches of the higher frequency energetic particle and Alfvénic modes to drive enhanced fast ion transport. Internal structures measured from Te and ne fluctuations, their dependence on the safety factor, as well as frequency scaling motivate speculation about mode identity. Work supported by U.S. DOE.

Gene expression profiling of canine osteosarcoma reveals genes associated with short and long survival times

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Rao Nagesha AS

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gene expression profiling of spontaneous tumors in the dog offers a unique translational opportunity to identify prognostic biomarkers and signaling pathways that are common to both canine and human. Osteosarcoma (OS accounts for approximately 80% of all malignant bone tumors in the dog. Canine OS are highly comparable with their human counterpart with respect to histology, high metastatic rate and poor long-term survival. This study investigates the prognostic gene profile among thirty-two primary canine OS using canine specific cDNA microarrays representing 20,313 genes to identify genes and cellular signaling pathways associated with survival. This, the first report of its kind in dogs with OS, also demonstrates the advantages of cross-species comparison with human OS. Results The 32 tumors were classified into two prognostic groups based on survival time (ST. They were defined as short survivors (dogs with poor prognosis: surviving fewer than 6 months and long survivors (dogs with better prognosis: surviving 6 months or longer. Fifty-one transcripts were found to be differentially expressed, with common upregulation of these genes in the short survivors. The overexpressed genes in short survivors are associated with possible roles in proliferation, drug resistance or metastasis. Several deregulated pathways identified in the present study, including Wnt signaling, Integrin signaling and Chemokine/cytokine signaling are comparable to the pathway analysis conducted on human OS gene profiles, emphasizing the value of the dog as an excellent model for humans. Conclusion A molecular-based method for discrimination of outcome for short and long survivors is useful for future prognostic stratification at initial diagnosis, where genes and pathways associated with cell cycle/proliferation, drug resistance and metastasis could be potential targets for diagnosis and therapy. The similarities between human and canine OS makes the

Applied survival analysis using R

CERN Document Server

Moore, Dirk F

2016-01-01

Applied Survival Analysis Using R covers the main principles of survival analysis, gives examples of how it is applied, and teaches how to put those principles to use to analyze data using R as a vehicle. Survival data, where the primary outcome is time to a specific event, arise in many areas of biomedical research, including clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and studies of animals. Many survival methods are extensions of techniques used in linear regression and categorical data, while other aspects of this field are unique to survival data. This text employs numerous actual examples to illustrate survival curve estimation, comparison of survivals of different groups, proper accounting for censoring and truncation, model variable selection, and residual analysis. Because explaining survival analysis requires more advanced mathematics than many other statistical topics, this book is organized with basic concepts and most frequently used procedures covered in earlier chapters, with more advanced topics...

The Health Rationale for Family Planning: Timing of Births and Child Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

United Nations, New York, NY. Population Div.

Among the most influential findings from the World Fertility Survey (WFS) were those linking fertility patterns to child survival, in particular the findings concerning the high infant and child mortality for children born after a short birth interval. This study examined the relations between fertility and child survival based on more recent data…

Electric field strength and focality in electroconvulsive therapy and magnetic seizure therapy: a finite element simulation study

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zhi-De; Lisanby, Sarah H.; Peterchev, Angel V.

2011-02-01

We present the first computational study comparing the electric field induced by various electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and magnetic seizure therapy (MST) paradigms. Four ECT electrode configurations (bilateral, bifrontal, right unilateral, and focal electrically administered seizure therapy) and three MST coil configurations (circular, cap, and double cone) were modeled. The model incorporated a modality-specific neural activation threshold. ECT (0.3 ms pulse width) and MST induced the maximum electric field of 2.1-2.5 V cm-1 and 1.1-2.2 V cm-1 in the brain, corresponding to 6.2-7.2 times and 1.2-2.3 times the neural activation threshold, respectively. The MST electric field is more confined to the superficial cortex compared to ECT. The brain volume stimulated was much larger with ECT (up to 100%) than with MST (up to 8.2%). MST with the double-cone coil was the most focal, and bilateral ECT was the least focal. Our results suggest a possible biophysical explanation of the reduced side effects of MST compared to ECT. Our results also indicate that the conventional ECT pulse amplitude (800-900 mA) is much higher than necessary for seizure induction. Reducing the ECT pulse amplitude should be explored as a potential means of diminishing side effects.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for advanced esophageal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Wakako; Ogino, Takashi; Ishikura, Satoshi; Kawashima, Mitsuhiko; Ikeda, Hiroshi

1997-01-01

To investigate factors influencing response and survival for patients with squamous cell cancer of the esophagus. Forty-nine patients with squamous cell cancer of the esophagus, classified by guidelines for the clinical and pathologic studies on carcinoma of the esophagus published by the Japanese Society for Esophageal Disease, were treated by concurrent chemoradiotherapy using chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil with definitive irradiation of 60 Gy concurrently. Endoscopic findings and biopsy were used for evaluating the response. Nurse charts recording patient's feeding status were adopted to estimate severity of dysphagia. Complete response (CR) rate was 69.4%, median survival time (MST) was 12.3 months, and median local failure-free survival time 7.3 months. Patients in early stage (= 32.4 months, 20.4 months, 20.4 months, 15.7 months, respectively). Patients in A3 stage were often suffered from severe dysphagia both before and after treatment (81.5%, 70.4%), respectively. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy was effective treatment for esophageal cancer. Degree of dysphagia was considered to be a good prognosticator of patients' survival. (author)

Enhanced secondary analysis of survival data: reconstructing the data from published Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

Science.gov (United States)

Guyot, Patricia; Ades, A E; Ouwens, Mario J N M; Welton, Nicky J

2012-02-01

The results of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) on time-to-event outcomes that are usually reported are median time to events and Cox Hazard Ratio. These do not constitute the sufficient statistics required for meta-analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis, and their use in secondary analyses requires strong assumptions that may not have been adequately tested. In order to enhance the quality of secondary data analyses, we propose a method which derives from the published Kaplan Meier survival curves a close approximation to the original individual patient time-to-event data from which they were generated. We develop an algorithm that maps from digitised curves back to KM data by finding numerical solutions to the inverted KM equations, using where available information on number of events and numbers at risk. The reproducibility and accuracy of survival probabilities, median survival times and hazard ratios based on reconstructed KM data was assessed by comparing published statistics (survival probabilities, medians and hazard ratios) with statistics based on repeated reconstructions by multiple observers. The validation exercise established there was no material systematic error and that there was a high degree of reproducibility for all statistics. Accuracy was excellent for survival probabilities and medians, for hazard ratios reasonable accuracy can only be obtained if at least numbers at risk or total number of events are reported. The algorithm is a reliable tool for meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analyses of RCTs reporting time-to-event data. It is recommended that all RCTs should report information on numbers at risk and total number of events alongside KM curves.

Bauer, Carlos. Educação, terra e liberdade: princípios educacionais do MST em perspectiva histórica. São Paulo: Ediciones Pulsar - Xamã, 2009. 151 p.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Crucelly González Rey

2011-05-01

Full Text Available El trabajo del Carlos Bauer, es producto de su tesis pos-doctoral desarrollada conjunto al núcleo de estudios sobre movimientos sociales, educación y ciudadanía (GEMDEC de la Uni-versidad Estatal de Campinas en São Paulo, Brasil. Esta edición es publicada en portugués en el año 2009, siendo la educación en el Movimiento Sin Tierra (MST su objeto principal del estudio.

PSO-Based Robot Path Planning for Multisurvivor Rescue in Limited Survival Time

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N. Geng

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Since the strength of a trapped person often declines with time in urgent and dangerous circumstances, adopting a robot to rescue as many survivors as possible in limited time is of considerable significance. However, as one key issue in robot navigation, how to plan an optimal rescue path of a robot has not yet been fully solved. This paper studies robot path planning for multisurvivor rescue in limited survival time using a representative heuristic, particle swarm optimization (PSO. First, the robot path planning problem including multiple survivors is formulated as a discrete optimization one with high constraint, where the number of rescued persons is taken as the unique objective function, and the strength of a trapped person is used to constrain the feasibility of a path. Then, a new integer PSO algorithm is presented to solve the mathematical model, and several new operations, such as the update of a particle, the insertion and inversion operators, and the rapidly local search method, are incorporated into the proposed algorithm to improve its effectiveness. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate the capacity of our method in generating optimal paths with high quality.

Systematic review of survival time in experimental mouse stroke with impact on reliability of infarct estimation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klarskov, Carina Kirstine; Klarskov, Mikkel Buster; Hasseldam, Henrik

2016-01-01

infarcts with more substantial edema. Purpose: This paper will give an overview of previous studies of experimental mouse stroke, and correlate survival time to peak time of edema formation. Furthermore, investigations of whether the included studies corrected the infarct measurements for edema...... of reasons for the translational problems from mouse experimental stroke to clinical trials probably exists, including infarct size estimations around the peak time of edema formation. Furthermore, edema is a more prominent feature of stroke in mice than in humans, because of the tendency to produce larger...... of the investigated process. Our findings indicate a need for more research in this area, and establishment of common correction methodology....

TAILORING INORGANIC SORBENTS FOR SRS STRONTIUM AND ACTINIDE SEPARATIONS: OPTIMIZED MONOSODIUM TITANATE PHASE II FINAL REPORT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hobbs, D; Thomas Peters, T; Michael Poirier, M; Mark Barnes, M; Major Thompson, M; Samuel Fink, S

2007-01-01

3). Performance testing with simulated and actual waste solutions indicated that the material performs as well as or better than batches of modified MST prepared at the laboratory-scale. Particle size data of the vendor-prepared modified MST indicates a broader distribution centered at a larger particle size and microscopy shows more irregular particle morphology compared to the baseline MST and laboratory prepared modified MST. Stirred-cell (i.e., dead-end) filter testing revealed similar filtration rates relative to the baseline MST for both the laboratory and vendor-prepared modified MST materials. Crossflow filtration testing indicated that with MST-only slurries, the baseline MST produced between 30-100% higher flux than the vendor-prepared modified MST at lower solids loadings and comparable flux at higher solids loadings. With sludge-MST slurries, the modified MST produced 1.5-2.2 times higher flux than the baseline MST at all solids loadings. Based on these findings we conclude that the modified MST represents a much improved sorbent for the separation of strontium and actinides from alkaline waste solutions and recommend continued development of the material as a replacement for the baseline MST for waste treatment facilities at the Savannah River Site

Meta-analysis of single-arm survival studies: a distribution-free approach for estimating summary survival curves with random effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Combescure, Christophe; Foucher, Yohann; Jackson, Daniel

2014-07-10

In epidemiologic studies and clinical trials with time-dependent outcome (for instance death or disease progression), survival curves are used to describe the risk of the event over time. In meta-analyses of studies reporting a survival curve, the most informative finding is a summary survival curve. In this paper, we propose a method to obtain a distribution-free summary survival curve by expanding the product-limit estimator of survival for aggregated survival data. The extension of DerSimonian and Laird's methodology for multiple outcomes is applied to account for the between-study heterogeneity. Statistics I(2)  and H(2) are used to quantify the impact of the heterogeneity in the published survival curves. A statistical test for between-strata comparison is proposed, with the aim to explore study-level factors potentially associated with survival. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated in a simulation study. Our approach is also applied to synthesize the survival of untreated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from aggregate data of 27 studies and synthesize the graft survival of kidney transplant recipients from individual data from six hospitals. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Treatment results of non-operated lung cancer by radiotherapy and radiochemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seino, Yasuo; Watarai, Jiro; Kobayashi, Mitsuru; Sashi, Ryuji; Shindo, Masaaki; Kato, Toshio

1993-01-01

The treatment results of 152 non-operated lung cancer patients were analyzed. Median survival times (MST; months) for all patients based on the stage (UICC'87) were 28 M (n=12) for stage I, 18 M (n=16) for stage II, 8 M (n=58) for stage III A, 6 M (n=46) for stage III B, and 4 M (n=20) for stage IV. The effect of combined radiochemotherapy was quite evident in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Here, the MST of the radiotherapy alone group (n=11) was 5 M, whereas that of radiochemotherapy group (n=14) was 12 M (p<0.05). In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the effect of radiochemotherapy was recognized only in stage III A and III B patients. In this case, the MST of the radiotherapy alone group (n=50) was 6 M, whereas that of the radiochemotherapy group (n=38) was 9 M (p<0.05). The duration of time from the initial therapy to the occurrence of distant metastasis in stage III A and III B patients was longer in the radiochemotherapy group than in the radiotherapy alone group (p<0.05). As for the metastatic sites, a delay in the occurrence of brain, lung and pleural metastasis was also recognized in the radiochemotherapy group (p<0.05). In this retrospective study, the value of combined radiochemotherapy was evident in SCLC and stage III-NSCLC patients. However, there was considerable case to case variation in the dosage, combination of agents and timing of chemotherapy. Recently, more aggressive chemotherapy is now being applied. (author)

Preoperative diffusion-weighted imaging of single brain metastases correlates with patient survival times.

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Anna Sophie Berghoff

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: MRI-based diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI visualizes the local differences in water diffusion in vivo. The prognostic value of DWI signal intensities on the source images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC maps respectively has not yet been studied in brain metastases (BM. METHODS: We included into this retrospective analysis all patients operated for single BM at our institution between 2002 and 2010, in whom presurgical DWI and BM tissue samples were available. We recorded relevant clinical data, assessed DWI signal intensity and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC values and performed histopathological analysis of BM tissues. Statistical analyses including uni- and multivariate survival analyses were performed. RESULTS: 65 patients (34 female, 31 male with a median overall survival time (OS of 15 months (range 0-99 months were available for this study. 19 (29.2% patients presented with hyper-, 3 (4.6% with iso-, and 43 (66.2% with hypointense DWI. ADCmean values could be determined in 32 (49.2% patients, ranged from 456.4 to 1691.8*10⁻⁶ mm²/s (median 969.5 and showed a highly significant correlation with DWI signal intensity. DWI hyperintensity correlated significantly with high amount of interstitial reticulin deposition. In univariate analysis, patients with hyperintense DWI (5 months and low ADCmean values (7 months had significantly worse OS than patients with iso/hypointense DWI (16 months and high ADCmean values (30 months, respectively. In multivariate survival analysis, high ADCmean values retained independent statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative DWI findings strongly and independently correlate with OS in patients operated for single BM and are related to interstitial fibrosis. Inclusion of DWI parameters into established risk stratification scores for BM patients should be considered.

Conditional survival of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Michael Boe; Pedersen, Niels Tinggaard; Christensen, Bjarne E

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prognosis of lymphoma patients is usually estimated at the time of diagnosis and the estimates are guided by the International Prognostic Index (IPI). However, conditional survival estimates are more informative clinically, as they consider those patients only who have already survive...... survival probability provides more accurate prognostic information than the conventional survival rate estimated from the time of diagnosis.......BACKGROUND: Prognosis of lymphoma patients is usually estimated at the time of diagnosis and the estimates are guided by the International Prognostic Index (IPI). However, conditional survival estimates are more informative clinically, as they consider those patients only who have already survived...... a period of time after treatment. Conditional survival data have not been reported for lymphoma patients. METHODS: Conditional survival was estimated for 1209 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) from the population-based LYFO registry of the Danish Lymphoma Group. The Kaplan-Meier method...

A Molecular MST Approach to Investigate Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Bioaerosols, Bathing Water, Seaweed Wrack, and Sand at Recreational Beaches

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Thoren, K. M.; Sinigalliano, C. D.

2016-02-01

Despite numerous cases of beach bacteria affecting millions of people worldwide, the persistence of the bacteria populations in coastal areas is still not well understood. The purpose of this study was to test the levels of persistence of Fecal Indicating Bacteria (FIB) of enterococci, Escherichia coli, and Human-source Bacteroidales, within the intertidal "swash zone" and the deeper waist zone in which people commonly bathe and play. In addition, the study sought to determine if these bacterial contaminants may also be found in aerosols at the beach. Measuring solar insolation in relation to bacterial persistence in seaweed wrack was used to determine if sunlight plays a role in modifying concentrations of FIB at the beach. Light intensity measured by a solar photometer and air quality measured by aerosol plate counts and qPCR Microbial Source Tracking (MST) was compared to varying locations where the beach samples were collected. Results from water samples demonstrate that bacteria measured using plate counts and qPCR were indeed higher within the swash zone than in the waist zone. This is in contrast with the way that the EPA currently measures and determines the public safety of beach waters. They commonly measure the waist zone, but disregard the swash zone. Results from beach bio-aerosol samples showed a wide variety of fungi and bacteria in the beach air, and qPCR MST analysis of these bio-aerosols showed the presence of FIBs such as enterococci on several of the aerosol collection plates. This emphasizes the need to collect samples from the entire beach instead of just measuring at an isolated area, and that exposure to microbial contaminants may include bathing water, beach sand, seaweed wrack, and bio-aerosols. Thus, the data reveals a potential way to identify harmful levels of bacteria and dangerous levels of poor air quality at recreational beaches. These results expound the need for broader assessment of potential beach contamination, not only the

Survival Processing Enhances Visual Search Efficiency.

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Cho, Kit W

2018-05-01

Words rated for their survival relevance are remembered better than when rated using other well-known memory mnemonics. This finding, which is known as the survival advantage effect and has been replicated in many studies, suggests that our memory systems are molded by natural selection pressures. In two experiments, the present study used a visual search task to examine whether there is likewise a survival advantage for our visual systems. Participants rated words for their survival relevance or for their pleasantness before locating that object's picture in a search array with 8 or 16 objects. Although there was no difference in search times among the two rating scenarios when set size was 8, survival processing reduced visual search times when set size was 16. These findings reflect a search efficiency effect and suggest that similar to our memory systems, our visual systems are also tuned toward self-preservation.

A flexible and coherent test/estimation procedure based on restricted mean survival times for censored time-to-event data in randomized clinical trials.

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Horiguchi, Miki; Cronin, Angel M; Takeuchi, Masahiro; Uno, Hajime

2018-04-22

In randomized clinical trials where time-to-event is the primary outcome, almost routinely, the logrank test is prespecified as the primary test and the hazard ratio is used to quantify treatment effect. If the ratio of 2 hazard functions is not constant, the logrank test is not optimal and the interpretation of hazard ratio is not obvious. When such a nonproportional hazards case is expected at the design stage, the conventional practice is to prespecify another member of weighted logrank tests, eg, Peto-Prentice-Wilcoxon test. Alternatively, one may specify a robust test as the primary test, which can capture various patterns of difference between 2 event time distributions. However, most of those tests do not have companion procedures to quantify the treatment difference, and investigators have fallen back on reporting treatment effect estimates not associated with the primary test. Such incoherence in the "test/estimation" procedure may potentially mislead clinicians/patients who have to balance risk-benefit for treatment decision. To address this, we propose a flexible and coherent test/estimation procedure based on restricted mean survival time, where the truncation time τ is selected data dependently. The proposed procedure is composed of a prespecified test and an estimation of corresponding robust and interpretable quantitative treatment effect. The utility of the new procedure is demonstrated by numerical studies based on 2 randomized cancer clinical trials; the test is dramatically more powerful than the logrank, Wilcoxon tests, and the restricted mean survival time-based test with a fixed τ, for the patterns of difference seen in these cancer clinical trials. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A phase II study of icotinib and whole-brain radiotherapy in Chinese patients with brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.

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Fan, Yun; Huang, Zhiyu; Fang, Luo; Miao, Lulu; Gong, Lei; Yu, Haifeng; Yang, Haiyan; Lei, Tao; Mao, Weimin

2015-09-01

Icotinib is a new first-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors. A phase II study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib in combination with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in Chinese NSCLC patients with brain metastases (BMs); the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/plasma concentrations of icotinib were also investigated. Eligible patients had BMs from NSCLC, regardless of the EGFR status. Icotinib was administered at 125 mg orally 3 times/day until tumor progression or unacceptable toxicity, concurrently with WBRT (3.0 Gy per day, 5 days per week, to 30 Gy). CSF and plasma samples were collected simultaneously from 10 patients. Icotinib concentrations in the CSF and plasma were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Twenty patients were enrolled. The median follow-up time was 20.0 months. The overall response rate was 80.0%. The median progression-free survival time was 7.0 months (95% CI 1.2-13.2 months), and the median survival time (MST) was 14.6 months (95% CI 12.5-16.7 months). Of the 18 patients with known EGFR status, the MST was 22.0 months for those with an EGFR mutation and was 7.5 months for those with wild-type EGFR (P = 0.0001). The CSF concentration and penetration rate of icotinib were 11.6 ± 9.1 ng/mL and 1.4 ± 1.1%, respectively. No patient experienced ≥grade 4 toxicity. Icotinib was well tolerated in combination with WBRT and showed efficacy in patients with BMs from NSCLC. This clinical benefit was related to the presence of activating EGFR mutations.

Risk-adjusted survival for adults following in-hospital cardiac arrest by day of week and time of day: observational cohort study

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Robinson, Emily J; Power, Geraldine S; Nolan, Jerry; Soar, Jasmeet; Spearpoint, Ken; Gwinnutt, Carl; Rowan, Kathryn M

2016-01-01

Background Internationally, hospital survival is lower for patients admitted at weekends and at night. Data from the UK National Cardiac Arrest Audit (NCAA) indicate that crude hospital survival was worse after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) at night versus day, and at weekends versus weekdays, despite similar frequency of events. Objective To describe IHCA demographics during three day/time periods—weekday daytime (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 19:59), weekend daytime (Saturday and Sunday, 08:00 to 19:59) and night-time (Monday to Sunday, 20:00 to 07:59)—and to compare the associated rates of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) for >20 min (ROSC>20 min) and survival to hospital discharge, adjusted for risk using previously developed NCAA risk models. To consider whether any observed difference could be attributed to differences in the case mix of patients resident in hospital and/or the administered care. Methods We performed a prospectively defined analysis of NCAA data from 27 700 patients aged ≥16 years receiving chest compressions and/or defibrillation and attended by a hospital-based resuscitation team in response to a resuscitation (2222) call in 146 UK acute hospitals. Results Risk-adjusted outcomes (OR (95% CI)) were worse (p20 min 0.88 (0.81 to 0.95); hospital survival 0.72 (0.64 to 0.80)), and night-time (ROSC>20 min 0.72 (0.68 to 0.76); hospital survival 0.58 (0.54 to 0.63)) compared with weekday daytime. The effects were stronger for non-shockable than shockable rhythms, but there was no significant interaction between day/time of arrest and age, or day/time of arrest and arrest location. While many daytime IHCAs involved procedures, restricting the analyses to IHCAs in medical admissions with an arrest location of ward produced results that are broadly in line with the primary analyses. Conclusions IHCAs attended by the hospital-based resuscitation team during nights and weekends have substantially worse outcomes than during

Enhanced secondary analysis of survival data: reconstructing the data from published Kaplan-Meier survival curves

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Guyot Patricia

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The results of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs on time-to-event outcomes that are usually reported are median time to events and Cox Hazard Ratio. These do not constitute the sufficient statistics required for meta-analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis, and their use in secondary analyses requires strong assumptions that may not have been adequately tested. In order to enhance the quality of secondary data analyses, we propose a method which derives from the published Kaplan Meier survival curves a close approximation to the original individual patient time-to-event data from which they were generated. Methods We develop an algorithm that maps from digitised curves back to KM data by finding numerical solutions to the inverted KM equations, using where available information on number of events and numbers at risk. The reproducibility and accuracy of survival probabilities, median survival times and hazard ratios based on reconstructed KM data was assessed by comparing published statistics (survival probabilities, medians and hazard ratios with statistics based on repeated reconstructions by multiple observers. Results The validation exercise established there was no material systematic error and that there was a high degree of reproducibility for all statistics. Accuracy was excellent for survival probabilities and medians, for hazard ratios reasonable accuracy can only be obtained if at least numbers at risk or total number of events are reported. Conclusion The algorithm is a reliable tool for meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analyses of RCTs reporting time-to-event data. It is recommended that all RCTs should report information on numbers at risk and total number of events alongside KM curves.

Impact of latency time on survival for adolescents and young adults with a second primary malignancy.

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Goldfarb, Melanie; Rosenberg, Aaron S; Li, Qian; Keegan, Theresa H M

2018-03-15

The adverse impact of second primary malignancies (SPMs) on survival is substantial for adolescents and young adults (AYAs; ie, those 15-39 years old). No studies have evaluated whether the latency time between the first malignancy (the primary malignancy [PM]) and the SPM affects cancer-specific survival (CSS). A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression with Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data for 13 regions from 1992 to 2008 was used to ascertain whether the latency time (1-5 vs ≥ 6 years) to the development of an SPM affected the CSS and overall survival with respect to either the PM or SPM for AYAs with common SPMs. The majority of 1515 AYAs with an SPM had their PM diagnosed between the ages of 26 and 39 years (74.2%) and an SPM diagnosed within 1 to 5 years (72.9%) of the PM's diagnosis. Overall, AYAs that developed an SPM 1 to 5 years after the diagnosis (vs ≥ 6 years) had an increased risk of death from cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 2.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92-3.29) as well as any cause (HR, 2.60; 95% CI, 2.04-3.32). Specifically, for AYAs with an SPM that was leukemia or a colorectal, breast, or central nervous system malignancy, a shorter latency time (1-5 years) from their PM diagnosis was associated with an overall significantly increased risk of death (2.6-fold) from either their PM or that particular SPM. However, latency did not appear to affect the CSS with respect to either the PM or SPM for AYA patients with a lymphoma or sarcoma SPM. Most AYAs who develop an SPM do so within 1 to 5 years of their primary cancer diagnosis, and they have an increased risk of death from cancer in comparison with AYAs with an SPM developing after longer survivorship intervals. Cancer 2018;124:1260-8. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Cancer survival among Alaska Native people.

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Nash, Sarah H; Meisner, Angela L W; Zimpelman, Garrett L; Barry, Marc; Wiggins, Charles L

2018-03-26

Recent cancer survival trends among American Indian and Alaska Native (AN) people are not well understood; survival has not been reported among AN people since 2001. This study examined cause-specific survival among AN cancer patients for lung, colorectal, female breast, prostate, and kidney cancers. It evaluated whether survival differed between cancers diagnosed in 1992-2002 (the earlier period) and cancers diagnosed in 2003-2013 (the later period) and by the age at diagnosis (<65 vs ≥65 years), stage at diagnosis (local or regional/distant/unknown), and sex. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate univariate and multivariate-adjusted cause-specific survival for each cancer. An improvement was observed in 5-year survival over time from lung cancer (hazard ratio [HR] for the later period vs the earlier period, 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-0.97), and a marginally nonsignificant improvement was observed for colorectal cancer (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66-1.01). Site-specific differences in survival were observed by age and stage at diagnosis. This study presents the first data on cancer survival among AN people in almost 2 decades. During this time, AN people have experienced improvements in survival from lung and colorectal cancers. The reasons for these improvements may include increased access to care (including screening) as well as improvements in treatment. Improving cancer survival should be a priority for reducing the burden of cancer among AN people and eliminating cancer disparities. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Survival of influenza virus on banknotes.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Yves; Vogel, Guido; Wunderli, Werner; Suter, Patricia; Witschi, Mark; Koch, Daniel; Tapparel, Caroline; Kaiser, Laurent

2008-05-01

Successful control of a viral disease requires knowledge of the different vectors that could promote its transmission among hosts. We assessed the survival of human influenza viruses on banknotes given that billions of these notes are exchanged daily worldwide. Banknotes were experimentally contaminated with representative influenza virus subtypes at various concentrations, and survival was tested after different time periods. Influenza A viruses tested by cell culture survived up to 3 days when they were inoculated at high concentrations. The same inoculum in the presence of respiratory mucus showed a striking increase in survival time (up to 17 days). Similarly, B/Hong Kong/335/2001 virus was still infectious after 1 day when it was mixed with respiratory mucus. When nasopharyngeal secretions of naturally infected children were used, influenza virus survived for at least 48 h in one-third of the cases. The unexpected stability of influenza virus in this nonbiological environment suggests that unusual environmental contamination should be considered in the setting of pandemic preparedness.

Survival of Influenza Virus on Banknotes▿

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Yves; Vogel, Guido; Wunderli, Werner; Suter, Patricia; Witschi, Mark; Koch, Daniel; Tapparel, Caroline; Kaiser, Laurent

2008-01-01

Successful control of a viral disease requires knowledge of the different vectors that could promote its transmission among hosts. We assessed the survival of human influenza viruses on banknotes given that billions of these notes are exchanged daily worldwide. Banknotes were experimentally contaminated with representative influenza virus subtypes at various concentrations, and survival was tested after different time periods. Influenza A viruses tested by cell culture survived up to 3 days when they were inoculated at high concentrations. The same inoculum in the presence of respiratory mucus showed a striking increase in survival time (up to 17 days). Similarly, B/Hong Kong/335/2001 virus was still infectious after 1 day when it was mixed with respiratory mucus. When nasopharyngeal secretions of naturally infected children were used, influenza virus survived for at least 48 h in one-third of the cases. The unexpected stability of influenza virus in this nonbiological environment suggests that unusual environmental contamination should be considered in the setting of pandemic preparedness. PMID:18359825

Randomized, placebo controlled study of the effect of propentofylline on survival time and quality of life of cats with feline infectious peritonitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Y; Ritz, S; Weber, K; Sauter-Louis, C; Hartmann, K

2011-01-01

Currently there is no drug proven to effectively treat cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Propentofylline (PPF) can decrease vasculitis, and therefore prolong survival time in cats with FIP, and increase their quality of life. Twenty-three privately owned cats with FIP. Placebo-controlled double-blind trial. FIP was confirmed by histology or immunostaining of feline coronavirus (FCoV) antigen in effusion or tissue macrophages or both. The cats were randomly selected for treatment with either PPF or placebo. All cats received additional treatment with glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and low molecular weight heparin according to methods. There was no statistically significant difference in the survival time of cats treated with PPF (8 days, 95% CI 5.4-10.6) versus placebo (7.5 days, 95% CI 4.4-9.6). The median survival time of all cats was 8 days (4-36 days). There was neither a difference in quality of life (day 7, P = .892), in the amount of effusion (day 7, P = .710), the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentration (day 7, P = .355), nor in any other variable investigated in this study, including a complete blood count, and a small animal biochemistry profile. This study did not detect an effect of PPF on the survival time, the quality of life, or any clinical or laboratory parameter in cats with FIP. Therefore, PPF does not appear to be an effective treatment option in cats with a late stage of the disease FIP. Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

The effect of donor gender on renal allograft survival.

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Neugarten, J; Srinivas, T; Tellis, V; Silbiger, S; Greenstein, S

1996-02-01

Donor gender plays a role in the outcome of renal transplantation, but the mechanisms responsible for this effect are unclear. In this study, actuarial graft survival in 1049 recipients transplanted at Montefiore Medical Center between 1979 and 1994 was examined. It was found that donor gender had no influence on graft survival in recipients treated with precyclosporine immunosuppressive agents. In contrast, graft survival time was greater in cyclosporine-treated recipients of male donor kidneys compared with female kidneys (p demand results in hyperfiltration-mediated glomerular injury and that this is responsible for reduced survival time of female allografts. Any hypothesis purporting to explain gender-related differences in graft survival time must take into account this study's observations that the donor-gender effect was observed only in cyclosporine-treated recipients, was not seen in African-American donors, appeared soon after renal transplantation, and did not increase progressively with time. These observations are most consistent with the hypothesis that gender-related differences in graft survival time may reflect differences in susceptibility to cyclosporine nephrotoxicity or differences in the therapeutic response to cyclosporine.

Probability of Survival Decision Aid (PSDA)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Xu, Xiaojiang; Amin, Mitesh; Santee, William R

2008-01-01

A Probability of Survival Decision Aid (PSDA) is developed to predict survival time for hypothermia and dehydration during prolonged exposure at sea in both air and water for a wide range of environmental conditions...

AS PRÁTICAS EDUCATIVAS EM AGROECOLOGIA DO MOVIMENTO DOS TRABALHADORES RURAIS SEM TERRA (MST E OS DESAFIOS FRENTE AS ORDENS IMPOSTAS PELO CAPITALISMO NO CAMPO BRASILEIRO

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Claudia Maria Bernava Aguillar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available O cenário atual do campo brasileiro faz parte do processo de inserção e intervenção das práticas impostas pelo modo de produção capitalista, capitaneadas pela classe dominante burguesa, que têm como projeto articulador, a implantação e implementação da chamnada "revolução verde", a qual revela as políticas ofensivas para dinamizar e aumentar a concentração de riquezas por meio da produção e reprodução do capital, em detrimento da luta dos trabalhadores rurais pelo acesso à terra e o cumprimento de sua função social. Para enfrentar o desafio de minimizar as ofensivas do capital, o Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST criou a educação agroecologica, com o objetivo de conceber as manipulações embutidas nas contradições impostas pelo sistema, como a falta de interação das disciplinas e a fragmentação do conhecimento em virtude da falta de organicidade dos professores, a dificuldade de apropriação teórica dos alunos, a falta de investimentos para a manutenção das escolas e incentivos à pesquisa em agroecologia. As práticas educativas em Agroecologia do MST, frente às políticas neoliberais impostas pela classe dominante, se constituem no foco das reflexões iluminadas pela fundamentação teórica e a pesquisa exploratória, as quais contribuem para a análise das questões postas.

Unique protein expression signatures of survival time in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma through a pan-cancer screening.

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Han, Guangchun; Zhao, Wei; Song, Xiaofeng; Kwok-Shing Ng, Patrick; Karam, Jose A; Jonasch, Eric; Mills, Gordon B; Zhao, Zhongming; Ding, Zhiyong; Jia, Peilin

2017-10-03

In 2016, it is estimated that there will be 62,700 new cases of kidney cancer in the United States, and 14,240 patients will die from the disease. Because the incidence of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), the most common type of kidney cancer, is expected to continue to increase in the US, there is an urgent need to find effective diagnostic biomarkers for KIRC that could help earlier detection of and customized treatment strategies for the disease. Accordingly, in this study we systematically investigated KIRC's prognostic biomarkers for survival using the reverse phase protein array (RPPA) data and the high throughput sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). With comprehensive data available in TCGA, we systematically screened protein expression based survival biomarkers in 10 major cancer types, among which KIRC presented many protein prognostic biomarkers of survival time. This is in agreement with a previous report that expression level changes (mRNAs, microRNA and protein) may have a better performance for prognosis of KIRC. In this study, we also identified 52 prognostic genes for KIRC, many of which are involved in cell-cycle and cancer signaling, as well as 15 tumor-stage-specific prognostic biomarkers. Notably, we found fewer prognostic biomarkers for early-stage than for late-stage KIRC. Four biomarkers (the RPPA protein IDs: FASN, ACC1, Cyclin_B1 and Rad51) were found to be prognostic for survival based on both protein and mRNA expression data. Through pan-cancer screening, we found that many protein biomarkers were prognostic for patients' survival in KIRC. Stage-specific survival biomarkers in KIRC were also identified. Our study indicated that these protein biomarkers might have potential clinical value in terms of predicting survival in KIRC patients and developing individualized treatment strategies. Importantly, we found many biomarkers in KIRC at both the mRNA expression level and the protein expression level. These

Hyperthermic survival of Chinese hamster ovary cells as a function of cellular population density at the time of plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Highfield, D.P.; Holahan, E.V.; Holahan, P.K.; Dewey, W.C.

1984-01-01

The survival of synchronous G 1 or asynchronous Chinese hamster ovary cells in vitro to heat treatment may depend on the cellular population density at the time of heating and/or as the cells are cultured after heating. The addition of lethally irradiated feeder cells may increase survival at 10 -3 by as much as 10- to 100-fold for a variety of conditions when cells are heated either in suspension culture or as monolayers with or without trypsinization. The protective effect associated with feeder cells appears to be associated with close cell-to-cell proximity. However, when cells are heated without trypsinization about 24 hr or later after plating, when adaptation to monolayer has occurred, the protective effect is reduced; i.e., addition of feeder cells enhances survival much less, for example, about 2- to 3-fold at 10 -2 -10 -3 survival. Also, the survival of a cell to heat is independent of whether the neighboring cell in a microcolony is destined to live or die. Finally, if protective effects associated with cell density do occur and are not controlled, serious artifacts can result as the interaction of heat and radiation is studied; for example, survival curves can be moved upward, and thus changed in shape as the number of cells plated is increased with an increase in the hyperthermic treatment or radiation dose following hyperthermia. Therefore, to understand mechanisms and to obtain information relevant to populations of cells in close proximity, such as those in vivo, these cellular population density effects should be considered and understood

Relationships among the cervical mucus urea and acetone, accuracy of insemination timing, and sperm survival in Holstein cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Beran, J; Stádník, L; Ducháček, J; Okrouhlá, M; Doležalová, M; Kadlecová, V; Ptáček, M

2013-11-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relationships among urea and acetone content in cows' cervical mucus (CM), its crystallization type (CT) and sperm survival (SS) after timed AI. Samples of CM were collected from 192 Holstein cows treated by Ovsynch(®) protocol. Analysis of the urea and acetone content for identification of the metabolic status, the arborization test for evaluation of insemination timing and the short-term heat test of SS for assessment of its suitability as a biological matrix were performed. The data set was analyzed by the GLM procedure using SAS(®). The results documented the existence of substantial differences in individual response to the Ovsynch(®) protocol causing insemination of 55.2% cows at an inappropriate time. The urea content was found as a possible indicator of a cow's metabolism and/or of insemination timing, concentrations of less than 500 mg/L corresponded (Pacetone content on SS were determined. The greatest values of SS were detected in cows with an expected response to precisely timed oestrus documented by the corresponding CT. Greater values of urea (>260 mg/L) and acetone (>5mg/L) negatively affected SS as well (P<0.05-0.01). The results confirmed that the accuracy of insemination timing can be affected by the metabolism intensity, just as CM quality directly influences sperm survival. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Growth and Survival of Transplanted Plane and Pine Trees According to IBA Application, Tree Age, Transplanting Time and Method

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N. Etemadi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The major problems in transplanting the landscape trees are high level of mortality and low establishment rate of transplanted trees, especially in the first year. In order to achieve the best condition for successful transplanting of pine and plane trees in Isfahan landscape, the present study was carried out based on a completely randomized block design with four replicates and three treatments including transplanting method (balled and burlapped and bare root, tree age (immature and mature and IBA application (0 and 150 mg/L. Trees were transplanted during 2009 and 2010 in three times (dormant season, early and late growing season. Survival rate and Relative Growth Rate index based on tree height (RGRH and trunk diameter (RGRD were measured during the first and second years. Trees transplanted early in the growing season showed the most survival percentage during the two years, as compared to other transplanting dates. Survival of Balled and burlapped and immature transplanted trees was significantly greater than bare root or mature trees. The significant effect of age treatment was continued in the second year. IBA treatment had no effect on survival rate of the studied species. Balled and burlapped and immature transplanted pine trees also had higher RGRH and RGRD compared to bare root or mature trees. According to the results of this study, early growing season is the best time for transplanting pine and plane trees. Also, transplanting of immature trees using balled and burlapped method is recommended to increase the survival and establishment rate.

Clustered survival data with left-truncation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, Frank; Martinussen, Torben; Scheike, Thomas H.

2015-01-01

Left-truncation occurs frequently in survival studies, and it is well known how to deal with this for univariate survival times. However, there are few results on how to estimate dependence parameters and regression effects in semiparametric models for clustered survival data with delayed entry....... Surprisingly, existing methods only deal with special cases. In this paper, we clarify different kinds of left-truncation and suggest estimators for semiparametric survival models under specific truncation schemes. The large-sample properties of the estimators are established. Small-sample properties...

New methods of minimally invasive brain modulation as therapies in psychiatry: TMS, MST, VNS and DBS.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Mark S

2002-08-01

Over the past 20 years, new methods have been developed that have allowed scientists to visualize the human brain in action. Initially positron emission tomography (PET) and now functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are causing a paradigm shift in psychiatry and the neurosciences. Psychiatry is abandoning the pharmacological model of 'brain as soup', used for much of the past 20 years. Instead, there is new realization that both normal and abnormal behavior arise from chemical processes that occur within parallel distributed networks in specific brain regions. Many of these pathological circuits are becoming well characterized, in disorders ranging from Parkinson's disease, to obsessive-compulsive disorder, to depression. Most recently, there has been an explosion of new techniques that allow for direct stimulation of these brain circuits, without the need for open craniotomy and neurosurgical ablation. The techniques include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), magnetic seizure therapy (MST), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS). This review will describe these new tools, and overview their current and future potential for research and clinical neuropsychiatric use. The psychiatry of the future will be better grounded in a firm understanding of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology (as well as pharmacology). These brain stimulation tools, or their next iterations, will play an ever-larger role in clinical neuropsychiatric practice.

Adjuvant therapy with carboplatin and pamidronate for canine appendicular osteosarcoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozicki, A R; Robat, C; Chun, R; Kurzman, I D

2015-09-01

Amputation and chemotherapy are the mainstay of treatment for canine appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA). In vitro studies have demonstrated anti-tumour activity of pamidronate against canine OSA. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of adding pamidronate to standard post-operative carboplatin chemotherapy in 17 dogs with appendicular OSA treated with limb amputation. Median disease-free interval (DFI) and median survival time (MST) were evaluated as secondary endpoints. Incidence of side effects and treatment outcomes were compared to 14 contemporary control patients treated with carboplatin alone. There were no identified side effects to the pamidronate treatment. The median DFI for the study group was 185 days compared to 172 days for the control group (P = 0.90). The MST of the study group was 311 days compared to 294 days for the control group (P = 0.89). Addition of pamidronate to carboplatin chemotherapy for the treatment of canine appendicular OSA is safe and does not impair efficacy of standard carboplatin treatment. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Child mortality inequalities across Rwanda districts: a geoadditive continuous-time survival analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Niragire

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Child survival programmes are efficient when they target the most significant and area-specific factors. This study aimed to assess the key determinants and spatial variation of child mortality at the district level in Rwanda. Data from the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey were analysed for 8817 live births that occurred during five years preceding the survey. Out of the children born, 433 had died before survey interviews were carried out. A full Bayesian geo-additive continuous-time hazard model enabled us to maximise data utilisation and hence improve the accuracy of our estimates. The results showed substantial district- level spatial variation in childhood mortality in Rwanda. District-specific spatial characteristics were particularly associated with higher death hazards in two districts: Musanze and Nyabihu. The model estimates showed that there were lower death rates among children from households of medium and high economic status compared to those from low-economic status households. Factors, such as four antenatal care visits, delivery at a health facility, prolonged breastfeeding and mothers younger than 31 years were associated with lower child death rates. Long preceding birth intervals were also associated with fewer hazards. For these reasons, programmes aimed at reducing child mortality gaps between districts in Rwanda should target maternal factors and take into consideration district-specific spatial characteristics. Further, child survival gains require strengthening or scaling-up of existing programmes pertaining to access to, and utilisation of maternal and child health care services as well as reduction of the household gap in the economic status.

Child mortality inequalities across Rwanda districts: a geoadditive continuous-time survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Niragire, François; Achia, Thomas N O; Lyambabaje, Alexandre; Ntaganira, Joseph

2017-05-11

Child survival programmes are efficient when they target the most significant and area-specific factors. This study aimed to assess the key determinants and spatial variation of child mortality at the district level in Rwanda. Data from the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey were analysed for 8817 live births that occurred during five years preceding the survey. Out of the children born, 433 had died before survey interviews were carried out. A full Bayesian geo-additive continuous-time hazard model enabled us to maximise data utilisation and hence improve the accuracy of our estimates. The results showed substantial district- level spatial variation in childhood mortality in Rwanda. District-specific spatial characteristics were particularly associated with higher death hazards in two districts: Musanze and Nyabihu. The model estimates showed that there were lower death rates among children from households of medium and high economic status compared to those from low-economic status households. Factors, such as four antenatal care visits, delivery at a health facility, prolonged breastfeeding and mothers younger than 31 years were associated with lower child death rates. Long preceding birth intervals were also associated with fewer hazards. For these reasons, programmes aimed at reducing child mortality gaps between districts in Rwanda should target maternal factors and take into consideration district-specific spatial characteristics. Further, child survival gains require strengthening or scaling-up of existing programmes pertaining to access to, and utilisation of maternal and child health care services as well as reduction of the household gap in the economic status.

Risk-adjusted survival for adults following in-hospital cardiac arrest by day of week and time of day: observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Emily J; Smith, Gary B; Power, Geraldine S; Harrison, David A; Nolan, Jerry; Soar, Jasmeet; Spearpoint, Ken; Gwinnutt, Carl; Rowan, Kathryn M

2016-11-01

Internationally, hospital survival is lower for patients admitted at weekends and at night. Data from the UK National Cardiac Arrest Audit (NCAA) indicate that crude hospital survival was worse after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) at night versus day, and at weekends versus weekdays, despite similar frequency of events. To describe IHCA demographics during three day/time periods-weekday daytime (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 19:59), weekend daytime (Saturday and Sunday, 08:00 to 19:59) and night-time (Monday to Sunday, 20:00 to 07:59)-and to compare the associated rates of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) for >20 min (ROSC>20 min) and survival to hospital discharge, adjusted for risk using previously developed NCAA risk models. To consider whether any observed difference could be attributed to differences in the case mix of patients resident in hospital and/or the administered care. We performed a prospectively defined analysis of NCAA data from 27 700 patients aged ≥16 years receiving chest compressions and/or defibrillation and attended by a hospital-based resuscitation team in response to a resuscitation (2222) call in 146 UK acute hospitals. Risk-adjusted outcomes (OR (95% CI)) were worse (p20 min 0.88 (0.81 to 0.95); hospital survival 0.72 (0.64 to 0.80)), and night-time (ROSC>20 min 0.72 (0.68 to 0.76); hospital survival 0.58 (0.54 to 0.63)) compared with weekday daytime. The effects were stronger for non-shockable than shockable rhythms, but there was no significant interaction between day/time of arrest and age, or day/time of arrest and arrest location. While many daytime IHCAs involved procedures, restricting the analyses to IHCAs in medical admissions with an arrest location of ward produced results that are broadly in line with the primary analyses. IHCAs attended by the hospital-based resuscitation team during nights and weekends have substantially worse outcomes than during weekday daytimes. Organisational or care differences at

Time-Domain Simulation of RF Couplers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smithe, David; Carlsson, Johan; Austin, Travis

2009-01-01

We have developed a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) fluid-like approach to integrated plasma-and-coupler simulation [1], and show how it can be used to model LH and ICRF couplers in the MST and larger tokamaks.[2] This approach permits very accurate 3-D representation of coupler geometry, and easily includes non-axi-symmetry in vessel wall, magnetic equilibrium, and plasma density. The plasma is integrated with the FDTD Maxwell solver in an implicit solve that steps over electron time-scales, and permits tenuous plasma in the coupler itself, without any need to distinguish or interface between different regions of vacuum and/or plasma. The FDTD algorithm is also generalized to incorporate a time-domain sheath potential [3] on metal structures within the simulation, to look for situations where the sheath potential might generate local sputtering opportunities. Benchmarking of the time-domain sheath algorithm has been reported in the references. Finally, the time-domain software [4] permits the use of particles, either as field diagnostic (test particles) or to self-consistently compute plasma current from the applied RF power.

Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 11p15.5 and relapse in hepatoblastomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Chitragar, S; Iyer, V K; Agarwala, S; Gupta, S D; Sharma, A; Wari, M N

2011-01-01

IGF2 is a tumor suppressor gene at locus 11p15. Many hepatoblastomas have loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at this locus. Earlier studies have not demonstrated any association between LOH and prognosis. Aim of the study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of LOH at 11p15.5 in hepatoblastomas. DNA was isolated from normal liver and tumor tissue in 20 patients with hepatoblastoma. PCR was performed and cases were classified as LOH present, absent or non-informative. Patients' follow-up data was analyzed using Fischer's exact test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for relapse-free survival (RFS) in relation to LOH. Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional ethics board. All cases were informative for at least one microsatellite marker used. 4 of the 20 cases (20%) had LOH at 11p15.5. One patient died in the immediate postoperative period. 5 of 19 patients relapsed (26%). Of 4 patients who had LOH, 3 (75%) relapsed, the time to relapse being 7, 7 and 9 months, respectively. Of the 15 cases without LOH, 2 (13.3%) relapsed. 4 patients had mixed epithelial and mesenchymal histology; 3 of them had LOH. The 2 groups with and without LOH were well matched. The RFS for patients with LOH (n=4) was 13% (mean survival time [MST]: 8.7 months; 95CI 6.7-10.7), while the RFS for cases without LOH (n=15) was 75% (MST: 100.7 months; 95CI 74.5-126.8). Mixed epithelial and mesenchymal histology is more frequently associated with LOH on chromosome 11p15.5 than pure epithelial histology. LOH on chromosome 11p15.5 is associated with a significantly increased incidence of relapse and a significantly shorter relapse-free survival in patients with hepatoblastoma. The risk of relapse is higher and the RFS lower both in standard-risk and high-risk patients with hepatoblastoma if they demonstrate the presence of LOH at 11p15.5. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Small cell lung cancer with and without superior vena cava syndrome: a multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in 408 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wuerschmidt, Florian; Buenemann, Henry; Heilmann, Hans-Peter

1995-01-01

Purpose: Patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) are widely believed to have a grave prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prognosis of patients with SCLC and SVCS as compared to SCLC without SVCS. Methods and Materials: A retrospective analysis of 408 cases of SCLC ± SVCS was performed. Three-hundred and sixty showed no clinical signs of SVCS and 43 (11%) had SVCS; in 5 patients no adequate information was available about clinical signs of SVCS. All patients were classified as limited disease cases. About 98% received chemotherapy usually as the first treatment followed by radiotherapy. A median total dose of 46 Gy (range 30 to 70 Gy) was given at 2.0 Gy per fraction five times weekly. A prophylactic cranial irradiation was applied if a complete remission was achieved after chemotherapy or after 30 Gy of irradiation. Kaplan-Meier survival curves are shown and comparisons were made by the log-rank and the Gehan/Wilcoxon test. To adjust for prognostic factors, a proportional hazards analysis was done. Results: Patients without SVCS had 5-year survival rates (± SE) and a median survival time (MST; 95% confidence intervals) of 11% ± 2% and 13.7 months (12.7-14.5) in UICC Stage I to III; in Stage III the figures were 9% ± 2% and 12.6 months (11.2-13.7). In comparison, SCLC with SVCS had 5-year survival rates of 15% ± 7% and MST of 16.1 months (13.8-20.5). The difference was significant in univariate analysis (Stage III disease: p 0.008 by the log-rank test). In a multivariate analysis of all patients, Stage (Stage I + II > III; p = 0.0003), SVCS (yes > no; p = 0.005), and Karnofsky performance status (≤ 70 < 80-100%; p = 0.008) were of significant importance. Conclusions: SVCS is a favorable prognostic sign in SCLC. The treatment should be curatively intended

Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients with Gastric Cancer using a Random Survival Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Adham, Davoud; Abbasgholizadeh, Nategh; Abazari, Malek

2017-01-01

Background: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the third top cause of cancer related death with about 1 million new cases and 700,000 deaths in 2012. The aim of this investigation was to identify important factors for outcome using a random survival forest (RSF) approach. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 128 gastric cancer patients through a historical cohort study in Hamedan-Iran from 2007 to 2013. The event under consideration was death due to gastric cancer. The random survival forest model in R software was applied to determine the key factors affecting survival. Four split criteria were used to determine importance of the variables in the model including log-rank, conversation?? of events, log-rank score, and randomization. Efficiency of the model was confirmed in terms of Harrell’s concordance index. Results: The mean age of diagnosis was 63 ±12.57 and mean and median survival times were 15.2 (95%CI: 13.3, 17.0) and 12.3 (95%CI: 11.0, 13.4) months, respectively. The one-year, two-year, and three-year rates for survival were 51%, 13%, and 5%, respectively. Each RSF approach showed a slightly different ranking order. Very important covariates in nearly all the 4 RSF approaches were metastatic status, age at diagnosis and tumor size. The performance of each RSF approach was in the range of 0.29-0.32 and the best error rate was obtained by the log-rank splitting rule; second, third, and fourth ranks were log-rank score, conservation of events, and the random splitting rule, respectively. Conclusion: Low survival rate of gastric cancer patients is an indication of absence of a screening program for early diagnosis of the disease. Timely diagnosis in early phases increases survival and decreases mortality. Creative Commons Attribution License

Disparities in breast cancer tumor characteristics, treatment, time to treatment, and survival probability among African American and white women.

Science.gov (United States)

Foy, Kevin Chu; Fisher, James L; Lustberg, Maryam B; Gray, Darrell M; DeGraffinreid, Cecilia R; Paskett, Electra D

2018-01-01

African American (AA) women have a 42% higher breast cancer death rate compared to white women despite recent advancements in management of the disease. We examined racial differences in clinical and tumor characteristics, treatment and survival in patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2005 and 2014 at a single institution, the James Cancer Hospital, and who were included in the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute Cancer Registry in Columbus OH. Statistical analyses included likelihood ratio chi-square tests for differences in proportions, as well as univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regressions to examine associations between race and overall and progression-free survival probabilities. AA women made up 10.2% (469 of 4593) the sample. Average time to onset of treatment after diagnosis was almost two times longer in AA women compared to white women (62.0 days vs 35.5 days, p  triple negative and late stage breast cancer, and were less likely to receive surgery, especially mastectomy and reconstruction following mastectomy. After adjustment for confounding factors (age, grade, and surgery), overall survival probability was significantly associated with race (HR = 1.33; 95% CI 1.03-1.72). These findings highlight the need for efforts focused on screening and receipt of prompt treatment among AA women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Survival time of bacteria on different plastics by application of ultraviolet rays and desinfectants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glueck, S.

1975-01-01

The survival times of four sorts of germs were studied (Staph. albus, Staph. aureus, E.coli and Clebsiella) on 28 different plastic surfaces under different ambient conditions, (darkness, daylight, UV-radiation) and after preceding disinfection of the surfaces. For these studies, a formaldehydecontaining, phenolic, and a surface-active preparation were used. No essential differences in the survival times of the 4 types of germs tested were found. Besides the chemical basic structure additional substances were found to play a substantial role for the autobactericides. The dark values which could help to obtain findings about auto-bactericides did not show significant correspondence within the groups of the plastics. Only for a few materials a safe auto-bactericide could be found (alkyd lake, phenol resin). In the case of some other substances (some preparations made of PVC, polystyrene, polyacetal) an effect on the germs could be seen which was, at least totally seen, unfavourable, if all test conditions (darkness, daylight, UV-radiation) are viewed as a total. As comparative values on glass had shown a lower lethal rate of the germs, a certain auto-bactericide is likely to exist in all plastics tested. A considerable antibacterial effect of daylight was found, even with low daylight quotients and clased windows. UV-rays also diminished the number of germs on the plastic surfaces considerably, even with only indirect irradiation. Delayed effects of desinfecting agents partially depend on the surface material. Thus the phenolic agent showed strong delayed effects on the acryl glas, polyethylene, phenol resin, polycarbonate, but less on PVC. Phormaldehyde showed a good long-term effect only on phenol resin. (orig.) [de

Patient outcomes of monotherapy with hypofractionated three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for stage T2 or T3 non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaguchi, Masakuni; Maebayashi, Toshiya; Aizawa, Takuya; Ishibashi, Naoya; Fukushima, Shoko; Abe, Osamu; Saito, Tsutomu

2016-01-01

Hypofractionated three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) is a treatment option for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are medically unable to tolerate surgery and who are not amenable to treatment with stereotactic body radiotherapy. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of 3D-CRT as a monotherapy in patients with localized stage T2 or T3 NSCLC. This retrospective study consisted of 29 patients (20 males) aged 56–89 years (median, 76 years) with histologically confirmed NSCLC who underwent 3D-CRT between 2005 and 2014. The median duration of patient observation was 17.0 months (range, 1.0–64.0 months). Complete and partial responses occurred in 13.8 and 44.8 % of patients, respectively, and the overall response rate was 58.2 %. Meanwhile, the 1- and 3-year survival rates were 65.8 and 33.8 %, respectively. In T2 NSCLC, the median survival time (MST) was 12 months, and the 1- and 3-year survival rates were 62.4 and 21.4 %, respectively. In T3 NSCLC, the MST was 17 months, and the 1- and 3-year survival rates were 72.9 and 48.6 %, respectively. Severe toxicities (Common Terminology Criteria Grade 3) were not observed. The mean biologically effective dose required to improve local control exceeded 80 Gy (range, 67.2–96.0 Gy). These findings support a role for 3D-CRT as a treatment option for patients who refuse or could not tolerate surgical therapy with early-stage NSCLC. Although this was a small, retrospective study, it may form the basis for future, larger controlled studies on 3D-CRT as a monotherapy for NSCLC

Adjuvant Medications That Improve Survival after Locoregional Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Boas, F Edward; Ziv, Etay; Yarmohammadi, Hooman; Brown, Karen T; Erinjeri, Joseph P; Sofocleous, Constantinos T; Harding, James J; Solomon, Stephen B

2017-07-01

To determine if outpatient medications taken at the time of liver tumor embolization or ablation affect survival. A retrospective review was done of 2,032 liver tumor embolization, radioembolization, and ablation procedures performed in 1,092 patients from June 2009 to April 2016. Pathology, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stage (American Joint Committee on Cancer), neuroendocrine tumor (NET) grade, initial locoregional therapy, overall survival after initial locoregional therapy, Child-Pugh score, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and outpatient medications taken at the time of locoregional therapy were analyzed for each patient. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated for patients taking 29 medications or medication classes (including prescription and nonprescription medications) for reasons unrelated to their primary cancer diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier curves were compared using the log-rank test. For patients with HCC initially treated with embolization (n = 304 patients), the following medications were associated with improved survival when taken at the time of embolization: beta-blockers (P = .0007), aspirin (P = .0008) and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (P = .009), proton pump inhibitors (P = .004), and antivirals for hepatitis B or C (P = .01). For colorectal liver metastases initially treated with ablation (n = 172 patients), beta-blockers were associated with improved survival when taken at the time of ablation (P = .02). Aspirin and beta-blockers are associated with significantly improved survival when taken at the time of embolization for HCC. Aspirin was not associated with survival differences after locoregional therapy for NET or colorectal liver metastases, suggesting an HCC-specific effect. Copyright © 2017 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mesenchymal stem cells increase skin graft survival time and up-regulate PD-L1 expression in splenocytes of mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Moravej, Ali; Geramizadeh, Bita; Azarpira, Negar; Zarnani, Amir-Hassan; Yaghobi, Ramin; Kalani, Mehdi; Khosravi, Maryam; Kouhpayeh, Amin; Karimi, Mohammad-Hossein

2017-02-01

Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gained considerable interests as hopeful therapeutic cells in transplantation due to their immunoregulatory functions. But exact mechanisms underlying MSCs immunoregulatory function is not fully understood. Herein, in addition to investigate the ability of MSCs to prolong graft survival time, the effects of them on the expression of PD-L1 and IDO immunomodulatory molecules in splenocytes of skin graft recipient mice was clarified. To achieve this goal, full-thickness skins were transplanted from C57BL/6 to BALB/c mice. MSCs were isolated from bone marrow of BALB/c mice and injected to the recipient mice. Skin graft survival was monitored daily to determine graft rejection time. On days 2, 5 and 10 post skin transplantation, serum cytokine levels and expression of PD-L1 and IDO mRNA and protein in the splenocytes of recipient mice were evaluated. The results showed that administration of MSCs prolonged skin graft survival time from 11 to 14 days. On days 2 and 5 post transplantation, splenocytes PD-L1 expression and IL-10 serum level in MSCs treated mice were higher than those in the controls, while IL-2 and IFN-γ levels were lower. Rejection in MSCs treated mice was accompanied by an increase in IL-2 and IFN-γ, and decrease in PD-L1 expression and IL-10 level. No difference in the expression of IDO between MSCs treated mice and controls was observed. In conclusion, we found that one of the mechanisms underlying MSCs immunomodulatory function could be up-regulating PD-L1 expression. Copyright © 2017 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Estimation of age- and stage-specific Catalan breast cancer survival functions using US and Catalan survival data

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Background During the last part of the 1990s the chance of surviving breast cancer increased. Changes in survival functions reflect a mixture of effects. Both, the introduction of adjuvant treatments and early screening with mammography played a role in the decline in mortality. Evaluating the contribution of these interventions using mathematical models requires survival functions before and after their introduction. Furthermore, required survival functions may be different by age groups and are related to disease stage at diagnosis. Sometimes detailed information is not available, as was the case for the region of Catalonia (Spain). Then one may derive the functions using information from other geographical areas. This work presents the methodology used to estimate age- and stage-specific Catalan breast cancer survival functions from scarce Catalan survival data by adapting the age- and stage-specific US functions. Methods Cubic splines were used to smooth data and obtain continuous hazard rate functions. After, we fitted a Poisson model to derive hazard ratios. The model included time as a covariate. Then the hazard ratios were applied to US survival functions detailed by age and stage to obtain Catalan estimations. Results We started estimating the hazard ratios for Catalonia versus the USA before and after the introduction of screening. The hazard ratios were then multiplied by the age- and stage-specific breast cancer hazard rates from the USA to obtain the Catalan hazard rates. We also compared breast cancer survival in Catalonia and the USA in two time periods, before cancer control interventions (USA 1975–79, Catalonia 1980–89) and after (USA and Catalonia 1990–2001). Survival in Catalonia in the 1980–89 period was worse than in the USA during 1975–79, but the differences disappeared in 1990–2001. Conclusion Our results suggest that access to better treatments and quality of care contributed to large improvements in survival in Catalonia. On

Foreign Ownership and Long-term Survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kronborg, Dorte; Thomsen, Steen

2006-01-01

probability. On average exit risk for domestic companies is 2.3 times higher than for foreign companies. First movers like Siemens, Philips, Kodak, Ford, GM or Goodyear have been active in the country for almost a century. Relative foreign survival increases with company age. However, the foreign survival...

Male microchimerism and survival among women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads; Hjalgrim, Henrik; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

2014-01-01

During pregnancy, woman and fetus exchange small quantities of cells, and their persistence at later times is termed microchimerism. Microchimerism is known to substantially impact on women's later health. This study examined the survival of women according to male microchimerism status.......During pregnancy, woman and fetus exchange small quantities of cells, and their persistence at later times is termed microchimerism. Microchimerism is known to substantially impact on women's later health. This study examined the survival of women according to male microchimerism status....

The influence of intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) on outcome of surgically resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Mark K.; Ahmad, Neelofur; Huq, M. Saiful; Vernick, Jerome; Rosato, Francis E.

1996-01-01

Purpose/Objective: Surgical resection offers an opportunity for long term survival for patients with cancer of the pancreas. Unfavorable pathologic prognostic factors following resection of these lesions include positive surgical margins and positive lymph nodes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of IORT on survival of completely resected adenocarcinomas of the pancreas in patients with these poor pathologic features. Materials and Methods: From 1988 to 1994, 391 newly diagnosed patients with carcinoma of the pancreas were seen at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Pre-operative work-up identified 166 patients with clinically localized disease. These patients were evaluated by the Department of Radiation Oncology for possible treatment with IORT. These patients underwent exploratory laparotomy and 26 had a complete surgical resection (i.e. Whipple procedure or total pancreatectomy) and received IORT. Mean patient age was 66 ± 2 years (range: 43-80) with 15 male and 11 female patients. All patients had histologically proven adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. IORT was delivered to the surgical tumor bed and regional lymph nodes with a median dose of 15.0 Gy (range: 10.0-20.0 Gy). Technique, field size, and energy of the electron radiation beam varied with the clinical situation and were determined by the radiation oncologist. All 26 patients received post-operative external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with concurrent weekly 5-FU chemotherapy. Follow-up times ranged from one to 84 months (median: 15 months). Actuarial survival rates were calculated by the Life-Table Method. Patient outcome was evaluated with respect to surgical margin and pathological lymph node status. Results: The overall actuarial 2-year survival rate was 44%. The overall median survival time (MST) was 19 months. At pathological review, five of the 26 patients (19%) were found to have positive surgical margins, four of whom also had involved lymph nodes. Thus, only one

Survivability Assessment: Modeling A Recovery Process

OpenAIRE

Paputungan, Irving Vitra; Abdullah, Azween

2009-01-01

Survivability is the ability of a system to continue operating, in a timely manner, in the presence ofattacks, failures, or accidents. Recovery in survivability is a process of a system to heal or recover from damageas early as possible to fulfill its mission as condition permit. In this paper, we show a preliminary recoverymodel to enhance the system survivability. The model focuses on how we preserve the system and resumes itscritical service under attacks as soon as possible.Keywords: surv...

Survival probability of a local excitation in a non-Markovian environment: Survival collapse, Zeno and anti-Zeno effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rufeil-Fiori, E.; Pastawski, H.M.

2009-01-01

The decay dynamics of a local excitation interacting with a non-Markovian environment, modeled by a semi-infinite tight-binding chain, is exactly evaluated. We identify distinctive regimes for the dynamics. Sequentially: (i) early quadratic decay of the initial-state survival probability, up to a spreading time t S , (ii) exponential decay described by a self-consistent Fermi Golden Rule, and (iii) asymptotic behavior governed by quantum diffusion through the return processes, leading to an inverse power law decay. At this last cross-over time t R a survival collapse becomes possible. This could reduce the survival probability by several orders of magnitude. The cross-over times t S and t R allow to assess the range of applicability of the Fermi Golden Rule and give the conditions for the observation of the Zeno and anti-Zeno effect.

Survival rate and expression of Heat-shock protein 70 and Frost genes after temperature stress in Drosophila melanogaster lines that are selected for recovery time from temperature coma.

Science.gov (United States)

Udaka, Hiroko; Ueda, Chiaki; Goto, Shin G

2010-12-01

In this study, we investigated the physiological mechanisms underlying temperature tolerance using Drosophila melanogaster lines with rapid, intermediate, or slow recovery from heat or chill coma that were established by artificial selection or by free recombination without selection. Specifically, we focused on the relationships among their recovery from heat or chill coma, survival after severe heat or cold, and survival enhanced by rapid cold hardening (RCH) or heat hardening. The recovery time from heat coma was not related to the survival rate after severe heat. The line with rapid recovery from chill coma showed a higher survival rate after severe cold exposure, and therefore the same mechanisms are likely to underlie these phenotypes. The recovery time from chill coma and survival rate after severe cold were unrelated to RCH-enhanced survival. We also examined the expression of two genes, Heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and Frost, in these lines to understand the contribution of these stress-inducible genes to intraspecific variation in recovery from temperature coma. The line showing rapid recovery from heat coma did not exhibit higher expression of Hsp70 and Frost. In addition, Hsp70 and Frost transcription levels were not correlated with the recovery time from chill coma. Thus, Hsp70 and Frost transcriptional regulation was not involved in the intraspecific variation in recovery from temperature coma. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modelling survival: exposure pattern, species sensitivity and uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Ashauer, Roman; Albert, Carlo; Augustine, Starrlight; Cedergreen, Nina; Charles, Sandrine; Ducrot, Virginie; Focks, Andreas; Gabsi, Faten; Gergs, André; Goussen, Benoit; Jager, Tjalling; Kramer, Nynke I; Nyman, Anna-Maija; Poulsen, Veronique; Reichenberger, Stefan; Schäfer, Ralf B; Van den Brink, Paul J; Veltman, Karin; Vogel, Sören; Zimmer, Elke I; Preuss, Thomas G

2016-07-06

The General Unified Threshold model for Survival (GUTS) integrates previously published toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic models and estimates survival with explicitly defined assumptions. Importantly, GUTS accounts for time-variable exposure to the stressor. We performed three studies to test the ability of GUTS to predict survival of aquatic organisms across different pesticide exposure patterns, time scales and species. Firstly, using synthetic data, we identified experimental data requirements which allow for the estimation of all parameters of the GUTS proper model. Secondly, we assessed how well GUTS, calibrated with short-term survival data of Gammarus pulex exposed to four pesticides, can forecast effects of longer-term pulsed exposures. Thirdly, we tested the ability of GUTS to estimate 14-day median effect concentrations of malathion for a range of species and use these estimates to build species sensitivity distributions for different exposure patterns. We find that GUTS adequately predicts survival across exposure patterns that vary over time. When toxicity is assessed for time-variable concentrations species may differ in their responses depending on the exposure profile. This can result in different species sensitivity rankings and safe levels. The interplay of exposure pattern and species sensitivity deserves systematic investigation in order to better understand how organisms respond to stress, including humans.

Incidence, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis in 113 patients with brain/meningeal metastasis from breast cancer. Screening in accordance with hormone receptor and HER2/neu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kan, Norimichi; Takada, Masayasu; Kuwata, Katsuya

2009-01-01

In 113 of 422 patients with metastatic/recurrent breast cancer (MBC who were treated in our hospital after 2001, brain/meningeal metastasis was detected. In 240 patients who died, the overall incidence of brain/meningeal metastasis was 36.3% (n=87). With respect to hormone receptor (HR) and HER2 presence, metastasis was detected in 32 (58.2%) of 55 patients showing HR(-) and HER2(+), 17 (39.5%) of 43 patients showing HR(-) and HER2(-), 19 (31.5%) of 54 patients showing HR(+) and HER2(+), and 17 (20%) of 85 patients showing HR(+) and HER2(-) (brain metastasis was detected in 2 of 3 patients in whom HR or HER2 was unclear); the incidence was significantly higher in HR(-) or HER2(+) patients. Of our series including surviving patients, asymptomatic brain metastasis was detected using contrast-enhanced MRI in 24 HER2(+) patients. In the above 113 patients, the median survival time (MST) after diagnosis was 10 months. However, it was 17 months in 24 patients who underwent screening. For treatment, whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) mainly with a gamma knife was performed. During a follow-up of more than 12 months, 1 to 4 sessions of treatment (mean: 2.39, median: 2) were required. In 50% of the patients, both WBRT and SRS were performed. There were no HR- or HER2- related differences in survival after brain metastasis. However, the MST was 34 months in 7 patients in whom the 1st relapse site involved the brain. In the future, the usefulness of early treatment via brain metastasis screening should be reviewed in HR(-) and HER2(+) patients. (author)

Feasibility of Elective Nodal Irradiation (ENI) and Involved Field Irradiation (IFI) in Radiotherapy for the Elderly Patients (Aged ≥ 70 Years) with Esophageal Squamous Cell Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis from a Single Institute.

Science.gov (United States)

Jing, Wang; Zhu, Hui; Guo, Hongbo; Zhang, Yan; Shi, Fang; Han, Anqin; Li, Minghuan; Kong, Li; Yu, Jinming

2015-01-01

We conducted a retrospective analysis to assess the feasibility of involved field irradiation (IFI) in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). We performed a retrospective review of the records of elderly patients (≥ 70 years) with unresectable ESCC and no distant metastases who received treatment with radiotherapy between January 2009 and March 2013. According to the irradiation volume, patients were allocated into either the elective nodal irradiation (ENI) group or the IFI group. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and treatment-related toxicities were compared between the two groups. A total of 137 patients were enrolled. Fifty-four patients (39.4%) were allocated to the ENI group and 83 patients (60.6%) to the IFI group, the median doses in the two groups were 60 Gy and 59.4 Gy, respectively. For the entire group, the median survival time (MST) and PFS were 16 months and 12 months, respectively. The median PFS and 3-year PFS rate in the ENI group were 13 months and 20.6%, compared to 11 months and 21.0% in the IFI groups (p = 0.61). The MST and 3-year OS rate in the ENI and IFI groups were 17 months and 26.4% and 15.5 months and 21.7%, respectively (p = 0.25). The rate of grade ≥ 3 acute irradiation esophagitis in the ENI group was significantly higher than that in the IFI group (18.5% vs. 6.0%; p = 0.027). Other grade ≥ 3 treatment-related toxicities did not significantly differ between the two groups. IFI resulted in decreased irradiation toxicities without sacrificing OS in elderly patients with ESCC.

Pro-angiogenic TIE-2-expressing monocytes/TEMs as a biomarker of the effect of sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoji, Hirotaka; Yoshio, Sachiyo; Mano, Yohei; Doi, Hiroyoshi; Sugiyama, Masaya; Osawa, Yosuke; Kimura, Kiminori; Arai, Taeang; Itokawa, Norio; Atsukawa, Masanori; Aoki, Yoshihiko; Fukai, Moto; Taketomi, Akinobu; Mizokami, Masashi; Kanto, Tatsuya

2017-09-01

Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, inhibits tumor angiogenesis and is the first-line systemic therapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, due to its limited effects and frequent occurrence of side effects, biomarkers are needed to predict the effects of sorafenib. We considered the possibility of using TIE-2-expressing monocytes (TEMs) to predict the response in sorafenib-treated patients with advanced HCC. TEMs serve as a diagnostic marker of HCC and are related to angiogenesis. We analyzed 25 advanced HCC patients and prospectively evaluated TEMs before (Pre TEMs) and at 1 month after initial therapy (T1m TEMs). The radiologic response was evaluated by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Median survival time (MST) was significantly longer in the partial response/stable disease (PR/SD) group (21.8 months) than in the PD group (8.7 months). ΔTEMs (changes of T1m TEMs compared to Pre TEMs) were significantly lower in the PR/SD group than in the PD group. MST of the ΔTEMs low group (14.2 months) was significantly longer than that of the high group (8.7 months). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that ΔTEMs [hazard ratio (HR) = 8.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.51-48.16, p = 0.015] and Child-Pugh class (HR = 5.59, 95% CI = 1.06-29.63, p = 0.043) were independently associated with overall survival. Our results suggest that ΔTEMs could serve as a biomarker for predicting radiologic response and overall survival in sorafenib-treated patients with advanced HCC. © 2017 UICC.

Survival of Salmonella enterica in poultry feed is strain dependent.

Science.gov (United States)

Andino, Ana; Pendleton, Sean; Zhang, Nan; Chen, Wei; Critzer, Faith; Hanning, Irene

2014-02-01

Feed components have low water activity, making bacterial survival difficult. The mechanisms of Salmonella survival in feed and subsequent colonization of poultry are unknown. The purpose of this research was to compare the ability of Salmonella serovars and strains to survive in broiler feed and to evaluate molecular mechanisms associated with survival and colonization by measuring the expression of genes associated with colonization (hilA, invA) and survival via fatty acid synthesis (cfa, fabA, fabB, fabD). Feed was inoculated with 1 of 15 strains of Salmonella enterica consisting of 11 serovars (Typhimurium, Enteriditis, Kentucky, Seftenburg, Heidelberg, Mbandanka, Newport, Bairely, Javiana, Montevideo, and Infantis). To inoculate feed, cultures were suspended in PBS and survival was evaluated by plating samples onto XLT4 agar plates at specific time points (0 h, 4 h, 8 h, 24 h, 4 d, and 7 d). To evaluate gene expression, RNA was extracted from the samples at the specific time points (0, 4, 8, and 24 h) and gene expression measured with real-time PCR. The largest reduction in Salmonella occurred at the first and third sampling time points (4 h and 4 d) with the average reductions being 1.9 and 1.6 log cfu per g, respectively. For the remaining time points (8 h, 24 h, and 7 d), the average reduction was less than 1 log cfu per g (0.6, 0.4, and 0.6, respectively). Most strains upregulated cfa (cyclopropane fatty acid synthesis) within 8 h, which would modify the fluidity of the cell wall to aid in survival. There was a weak negative correlation between survival and virulence gene expression indicating downregulation to focus energy on other gene expression efforts such as survival-related genes. These data indicate the ability of strains to survive over time in poultry feed was strain dependent and that upregulation of cyclopropane fatty acid synthesis and downregulation of virulence genes were associated with a response to desiccation stress.

Vitamin D Depletion in Pregnancy Decreases Survival Time, Oxygen Saturation, Lung Weight and Body Weight in Preterm Rat Offspring.

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Sine Lykkedegn

Full Text Available Animal studies suggest a role of vitamin D in fetal lung development although not studied in preterm animals. We tested the hypothesis that vitamin D depletion aggravates respiratory insufficiency in preterm rat offspring. Furthermore, the effects of vitamin D depletion on growth and lung surfactant were investigated. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned low vitamin D (VDL or control diet before mating and followed with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OHD determinations. After cesarean section at gestational day 19 (E19 or day 22 (E22, placental weight, birth weight, crown-rump-length (CRL, oxygenation (SaO2 at 30 min and survival time were recorded. The pup lungs were analyzed for phospholipid levels, surfactant protein A-D mRNA and the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR. S-25(OHD was significantly lower in the VDL group at cesarean section (12 vs. 30nmol/L, p<0.0001. Compared to the controls, E19 VDL pups had lower birth weight (2.13 vs. 2.29g, p<0.001, lung weight (0.09 vs. 0.10g, p = 0.002, SaO2 (54% vs. 69%, p = 0.002 as well as reduced survival time (0.50 vs. 1.25h, p<0.0001. At E22, the VDL-induced pulmonary differences were leveled out, but VDL pups had lower CRL (4.0 vs. 4.5cm, p<0.0001. The phospholipid levels and the surfactant protein mRNA expression did not differ between the dietary groups. In conclusion, Vitamin D depletion led to lower oxygenation and reduced survival time in the preterm offspring, associated with reduced lung weight and birth weight. Further studies of vitamin D depletion in respiratory insufficiency in preterm neonates are warranted.

Human umbilical-cord-blood mononucleated cells enhance the survival of lethally irradiated mice. Dosage and the window of time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovalenko, Olga A.; Ende, Norman; Azzam, Edouard I.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the window of time and dose of human umbilical-cord-blood (HUCB) mononucleated cells necessary for successful treatment of radiation injury in mice. Female A/J mice (27-30 weeks old) were exposed to an absorbed dose of 9-10 Gy of 137 Cs γ-rays delivered acutely to the whole body. They were treated either with 1 × 10 8 or 2 × 10 8 HUCB mononucleated cells at 24-52 h after the irradiation. The antibiotic Levaquin was applied 4 h postirradiation. The increased dose of cord-blood cells resulted in enhanced survival. The enhancement of survival in animals that received 2 × 10 8 HUCB mononucleated cells relative to irradiated but untreated animals was highly significant (P < 0.01). Compared with earlier studies, the increased dose of HUCB mononucleated cells, coupled with early use of an antibiotic, extended the window of time for effective treatment of severe radiation injury from 4 to 24-52 h after exposure. (author)

Determination of the Impact of Glycolate on ARP and MCU Operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor-Pashow, K.; Peters, T.; Shehee, T.

2012-01-01

Savannah River Remediation (SRR) is evaluating an alternate flowsheet for the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) using glycolic acid as a reductant. An important aspect of the development of the glycolic acid flowsheet is determining if glycolate has any detrimental downstream impacts. Testing was performed to determine if there is any impact to the strontium and actinide sorption by monosodium titanate (MST) and modified monosodium titanate (mMST) or if there is an impact to the cesium removal at the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Processing Unit (MCU). Sorption testing was performed using both MST and modified MST (mMST) in the presence of 5,000 and 10,000 ppm (mass basis) glycolate. 10,000 ppm is the estimated bounding concentration expected in the DWPF recycle stream based on DWPF melter flammable gas model results. The presence of glycolate was found to slow the removal of Sr and Pu by MST, while increasing the removal rate of Np. Results indicate that the impact is a kinetic effect, and the overall capacity of the material is not affected. There was no measurable effect on U removal at either glycolate concentration. The slower removal rates for Sr and Pu at 5,000 and 10,000 ppm glycolate could result in lower DF values for these sorbates in ARP based on the current (12 hours) and proposed (8 hours) contact times. For the highest glycolate concentration used in this study, the percentage of Sr removed at 6 hours of contact decreased by 1% and the percentage of Pu removed decreased by nearly 7%. The impact may prove insignificant if the concentration of glycolate that is returned to the tank farm is well below the concentrations tested in this study. The presence of glycolate also decreased the removal rates for all three sorbates (Sr, Pu, and Np) by mMST. Similarly to MST, the results for mMST indicate that the impact is a kinetic effect, and the overall capacity of the material is not affected. The presence of glycolate did not change the lack

Polygenic Score × Intervention Moderation: an Application of Discrete-Time Survival Analysis to Model the Timing of First Marijuana Use Among Urban Youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Musci, Rashelle J; Fairman, Brian; Masyn, Katherine E; Uhl, George; Maher, Brion; Sisto, Danielle Y; Kellam, Sheppard G; Ialongo, Nicholas S

2018-01-01

The present study examines the interaction between a polygenic score and an elementary school-based universal preventive intervention trial and its effects on a discrete-time survival analysis of time to first smoking marijuana. Research has suggested that initiation of substances is both genetically and environmentally driven (Rhee et al., Archives of general psychiatry 60:1256-1264, 2003; Verweij et al., Addiction 105:417-430, 2010). A previous work has found a significant interaction between the polygenic score and the same elementary school-based intervention with tobacco smoking (Musci et al., in press). The polygenic score reflects the contribution of multiple genes and has been shown in prior research to be predictive of smoking cessation, tobacco use, and marijuana use (Uhl et al., Molecular Psychiatry 19:50-54, 2014). Using data from a longitudinal preventive intervention study (N = 678), we examined age of first marijuana use from sixth grade to age 18. Genetic data were collected during emerging adulthood and were genotyped using the Affymetrix 6.0 microarray (N = 545). The polygenic score was computed using these data. Discrete-time survival analysis was employed to test for intervention main and interaction effects with the polygenic score. We found main effect of the polygenic score approaching significance, with the participants with higher polygenic scores reporting their first smoking marijuana at an age significantly later than controls (p = .050). We also found a significant intervention × polygenic score interaction effect at p = .003, with participants at the higher end of the polygenic score benefiting the most from the intervention in terms of delayed age of first use. These results suggest that genetics may play an important role in the age of first use of marijuana and that differences in genetics may account for the differential effectiveness of classroom-based interventions in delaying substance use experimentation.

Survival and clinical outcome of dogs with ischaemic stroke

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gredal, Hanne Birgit; Toft, Nils; Westrup, Ulrik

2013-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to investigate survival time, possible predictors of survival and clinical outcome in dogs with ischaemic stroke. A retrospective study of dogs with a previous diagnosis of ischaemic stroke diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed....... The association between survival and the hypothesised risk factors was examined using univariable exact logistic regression. Survival was examined using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression. Twenty-two dogs were identified. Five dogs (23%) died within the first 30days of the stroke event. Median survival in 30-day...... survivors was 505days. Four dogs (18%) were still alive by the end of the study. Right-sided lesions posed a significantly increased risk of mortality with a median survival time in dogs with right-sided lesions of 24days vs. 602days in dogs with left sided lesions (P=0.006). Clinical outcome was considered...

Survival period after tube feeding in bedridden older patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosaka, Yoichi; Nakagawa-Satoh, Takuma; Ohrui, Takashi; Fujii, Masahiko; Arai, Hiroyuki; Sasaki, Hidetada

2012-04-01

We prospectively studied survival periods after tube feeding. Participants were 163 bedridden older patients suffering from dysphagia. A wide range of survival periods after tube feeding were observed within half a year without tube feeding after being bedridden. After this initial period, survival periods after tube feeding were limited to approximately half a year. Survival periods after tube feeding were positively proportional to the length of time patients were free from pneumonia after tube feeding. After tube feeding, patients died from pneumonia within half a year, and the frequency of pneumonia was 3.1 ± 2.7 times (mean ± SD) before death. Survival periods after tube feeding for less than 1 year were primarily determined by being bedridden for more than half a year without tube feeding and once pneumonia occurred; patients who were tube fed did not survive for more than half a year. © 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Chronic consequences of acute injuries: worse survival after discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Shafi, Shahid; Renfro, Lindsay A; Barnes, Sunni; Rayan, Nadine; Gentilello, Larry M; Fleming, Neil; Ballard, David

2012-09-01

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program uses inhospital mortality to measure quality of care, which assumes patients who survive injury are not likely to suffer higher mortality after discharge. We hypothesized that survival rates in trauma patients who survive to discharge remain stable afterward. Patients treated at an urban Level I trauma center (2006-2008) were linked with the Social Security Administration Death Master File. Survival rates were measured at 30, 90, and 180 days and 1 and 2 years from injury among two groups of trauma patients who survived to discharge: major trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥ 3 injuries, n = 2,238) and minor trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≤ 2 injuries, n = 1,171). Control groups matched to each trauma group by age and sex were simulated from the US general population using annual survival probabilities from census data. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses conditional upon survival to each time point were used to determine changes in risk of mortality after discharge. Cox proportional hazards models with left truncation at the time of discharge were used to determine independent predictors of mortality after discharge. The survival rate in trauma patients with major injuries was 92% at 30 days posttrauma and declined to 84% by 3 years (p > 0.05 compared with general population). Minor trauma patients experienced a survival rate similar to the general population. Age and injury severity were the only independent predictors of long-term mortality given survival to discharge. Log-rank tests conditional on survival to each time point showed that mortality risk in patients with major injuries remained significantly higher than the general population for up to 6 months after injury. The survival rate of trauma patients with major injuries remains significantly lower than survival for minor trauma patients and the general population for several months postdischarge. Surveillance for early identification and treatment of

In-hospital resuscitation: opioids and other factors influencing survival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karamarie Fecho

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Karamarie Fecho1, Freeman Jackson1, Frances Smith1, Frank J Overdyk21Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; 2Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USAPurpose: “Code Blue” is a standard term used to alertt hospital staff that a patient requires resuscitation. This study determined rates of survival from Code Blue events and the role of opioids and other factors on survival.Methods: Data derived from medical records and the Code Blue and Pharmacy databases were analyzed for factors affecting survival.Results: During 2006, rates of survival from the code only and to discharge were 25.9% and 26.4%, respectively, for Code Blue events involving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR; N = 216. Survival rates for events not ultimately requiring CPR (N = 77 were higher, with 32.5% surviving the code only and 62.3% surviving to discharge. For CPR events, rates of survival to discharge correlated inversely with time to chest compressions and defibrillation, precipitating event, need for airway management, location and age. Time of week, witnessing, postoperative status, gender and opioid use did not influence survival rates. For non-CPR events, opioid use was associated with decreased survival. Survival rates were lowest for patients receiving continuous infusions (P < 0.01 or iv boluses of opioids (P < 0.05.Conclusions: One-quarter of patients survive to discharge after a CPR Code Blue event and two-thirds survive to discharge after a non-CPR event. Opioids may influence survival from non-CPR events.Keywords: code blue, survival, opioids, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiac arrest, patient safety

Extensions and Applications of the Cox-Aalen Survival Model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheike, Thomas H.; Zhang, Mei-Jie

2003-01-01

Aalen additive risk model; competing risk; counting processes; Cox model; cumulative incidence function; goodness of fit; prediction of survival probability; time-varying effects......Aalen additive risk model; competing risk; counting processes; Cox model; cumulative incidence function; goodness of fit; prediction of survival probability; time-varying effects...

A comparative study of machine learning methods for time-to-event survival data for radiomics risk modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Leger, Stefan; Zwanenburg, Alex; Pilz, Karoline; Lohaus, Fabian; Linge, Annett; Zöphel, Klaus; Kotzerke, Jörg; Schreiber, Andreas; Tinhofer, Inge; Budach, Volker; Sak, Ali; Stuschke, Martin; Balermpas, Panagiotis; Rödel, Claus; Ganswindt, Ute; Belka, Claus; Pigorsch, Steffi; Combs, Stephanie E; Mönnich, David; Zips, Daniel; Krause, Mechthild; Baumann, Michael; Troost, Esther G C; Löck, Steffen; Richter, Christian

2017-10-16

Radiomics applies machine learning algorithms to quantitative imaging data to characterise the tumour phenotype and predict clinical outcome. For the development of radiomics risk models, a variety of different algorithms is available and it is not clear which one gives optimal results. Therefore, we assessed the performance of 11 machine learning algorithms combined with 12 feature selection methods by the concordance index (C-Index), to predict loco-regional tumour control (LRC) and overall survival for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The considered algorithms are able to deal with continuous time-to-event survival data. Feature selection and model building were performed on a multicentre cohort (213 patients) and validated using an independent cohort (80 patients). We found several combinations of machine learning algorithms and feature selection methods which achieve similar results, e.g. C-Index = 0.71 and BT-COX: C-Index = 0.70 in combination with Spearman feature selection. Using the best performing models, patients were stratified into groups of low and high risk of recurrence. Significant differences in LRC were obtained between both groups on the validation cohort. Based on the presented analysis, we identified a subset of algorithms which should be considered in future radiomics studies to develop stable and clinically relevant predictive models for time-to-event endpoints.

Survival of Lactobacillus plantarumU40 on the in vitro rumen fermentation quantified with real-time PCR

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W.D. Astuti

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the survival of L. plantarumU40 quantified with real-time PCR during in vitro rumen fermentation. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with 3 treatments and 4 replications. Treatments were control, rumen fermentation inoculated with L. plantarumU40and L. plantarumU40 + glucose solution. Population of L. plantarum U40 was higher at inoculation treatment. After 8 hours incubation, glucose addition tended to decrease L. plantarum U40 population. Control treatment showed lowest population of L. plantarum U40 along in vitro fermentation compared with other treatment. Inoculation of L. plantarumU40 significantly (p<0.05 increased population of LAB until 12 hours incubation compared with control. Control treatment had highest pH at all incubation time. Glucose addition significantly (P<0.05 decreased final rumen pH (24 hours (6.30, compared with control treatment (6.85. Inoculation of L. plantarum U40 with glucose addition significantly (P<0.05increased propionic acid, decreased acetic acid and A/P ratio compared with other treatments. Lactobacillus plantarum U40 without glucose addition did not affect propionic acid production significantly. As conclusion, Lactobacillus plantarum U40 can survive in rumen fluid and changes rumen fermentation when glucose is added as carbon source.

The effect from maximal bench press strength training on work economy during wheelchair propulsion in men with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Tørhaug, T; Brurok, B; Hoff, J; Helgerud, J; Leivseth, G

2016-10-01

To assess the effect from maximal bench press strength training (MST) on wheelchair propulsion work economy (WE). Pretest-posttest case-control group design. St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. Seventeen male individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) paraplegia were allocated to either MST bench press (n=11) or the control group (CG) (n=7). The MST group trained bench press three times per week, for 6 weeks, starting at 85-95% of their pretest bench press one-repetition maximum (1RM). For calculation of WE during wheelchair propulsion, oxygen uptake (VO 2 ) measurements were collected during wheelchair ergometry (WCE) at submaximal workload of 50 W. Similarly, peak oxygen uptake (VO 2peak ) and peak power output (W) were measured during WCE. Individuals in the MST regimen significantly improved WE compared with the CG by 17.3 % (mean between-group differences: 95% confidence interval) of 2.63 ml kg -1  min -1 : (-4.34, -0.91) (P=0.007). Between pretest and posttest, the increase in bench press 1RM was by 17% higher in the MST group compared with the CG. At peak testing, the MST group generated significantly higher peak power compared with the CG. All other physiological variables were comparable within and between groups. A 6-week MST bench press regimen significantly improved WE during wheelchair propulsion at 50 W workload. These preliminary data support a possible beneficial role for MST to reduce the energy cost of wheelchair propulsion for SCI individuals.

A retrospective analysis of survival outcomes for two different radiotherapy fractionation schedules given in the same overall time for limited stage small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bettington, Catherine S.; Bryant, Guy; Hickey, Brigid; Tripcony, Lee; Pratt, Gary; Fay, Michael

2013-01-01

To compare survival outcomes for two fractionation schedules of thoracic radiotherapy, both given over 3 weeks, in patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). At Radiation Oncology Mater Centre (ROMC) and the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), patients with LS-SCLC treated with curative intent are given radiotherapy (with concurrent chemotherapy) to a dose of either 40Gy in 15 fractions ('the 40Gy/15⧣group') or 45Gy in 30 fractions ('the 45Gy/30⧣group'). The choice largely depends on institutional preference. Both these schedules are given over 3 weeks, using daily and twice-daily fractionation respectively. The records of all such patients treated from January 2000 to July 2009 were retrospectively reviewed and survival outcomes between the two groups compared. Of 118 eligible patients, there were 38 patients in the 40Gy/15⧣ group and 41 patients in the 45Gy/30⧣ group. The median relapse-free survival time was 12 months in both groups. Median overall survival was 21 months (95% CI 2–37 months) in the 40Gy/15⧣ group and 26 months (95% CI 1–48 months) in the 45Gy/30⧣ group. The 5-year overall survival rates were 20% and 25%, respectively (P=0.24). On multivariate analysis, factors influencing overall survival were: whether prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) was given (P=0.01) and whether salvage chemotherapy was given at the time of relapse (P=0.057). Given the small sample size, the potential for selection bias and the retrospective nature of our study it is not possible to draw firm conclusions regarding the efficacy of hypofractionated thoracic radiotherapy compared with hyperfractionated accelerated thoracic radiotherapy however hypofractionated radiotherapy may result in equivalent relapse-free survival.

Democratic survival in Latin America (1945-2005

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aníbal PÉREZ-LIÑÁN

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Why do democracies survive or break down? In this paper, it returns to this classic question with an empirical focus on Latin America from 1945 to 2005. The argument deviates from the quantitative literature and a good part of the qualitative literature on democratic survival and breakdown. It is argued that structural variables such as the level of development and inequalities have not shaped prospects for democratic survival in Latin America. Nor, contrary to findings in some of the literature, has economic performance affected the survival of competitive regimes. Instead, it is focused on the regional political environment and on actors’ normative preferences about democracy and dictatorship and their policy radicalism or moderation. It is argued that 1 a higher level of development did not increase the likelihood of democratic survival in Latin America over this long time; 2 if actors have a normative preference for democracy, it is more likely to survive; and 3 policy moderation facilitates democratic survival.

Predicting and Modelling of Survival Data when Cox's Regression Model does not hold

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheike, Thomas H.; Zhang, Mei-Jie

2002-01-01

Aalen model; additive risk model; counting processes; competing risk; Cox regression; flexible modeling; goodness of fit; prediction of survival; survival analysis; time-varying effects......Aalen model; additive risk model; counting processes; competing risk; Cox regression; flexible modeling; goodness of fit; prediction of survival; survival analysis; time-varying effects...

Expectation-maximization algorithms for learning a finite mixture of univariate survival time distributions from partially specified class values

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Youngrok [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2013-05-15

Heterogeneity exists on a data set when samples from di erent classes are merged into the data set. Finite mixture models can be used to represent a survival time distribution on heterogeneous patient group by the proportions of each class and by the survival time distribution within each class as well. The heterogeneous data set cannot be explicitly decomposed to homogeneous subgroups unless all the samples are precisely labeled by their origin classes; such impossibility of decomposition is a barrier to overcome for estimating nite mixture models. The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm has been used to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of nite mixture models by soft-decomposition of heterogeneous samples without labels for a subset or the entire set of data. In medical surveillance databases we can find partially labeled data, that is, while not completely unlabeled there is only imprecise information about class values. In this study we propose new EM algorithms that take advantages of using such partial labels, and thus incorporate more information than traditional EM algorithms. We particularly propose four variants of the EM algorithm named EM-OCML, EM-PCML, EM-HCML and EM-CPCML, each of which assumes a specific mechanism of missing class values. We conducted a simulation study on exponential survival trees with five classes and showed that the advantages of incorporating substantial amount of partially labeled data can be highly signi cant. We also showed model selection based on AIC values fairly works to select the best proposed algorithm on each specific data set. A case study on a real-world data set of gastric cancer provided by Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program showed a superiority of EM-CPCML to not only the other proposed EM algorithms but also conventional supervised, unsupervised and semi-supervised learning algorithms.

Interaction of defibrillation waveform with the time to defibrillation or the number of defibrillation attempts on survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagihara, Akihito; Onozuka, Daisuke; Ono, Junko; Nagata, Takashi; Hasegawa, Manabu

2018-01-01

Early biphasic defibrillation is effective in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases. In the resuscitation of patients with OHCA, it is not clear how the defibrillation waveform interacts with the time to defibrillation to influence patient survival. The second, and any subsequent, shocks need to be administered by an on-line physician in Japan. Thus, we investigated the interaction between the defibrillation waveform and time to or the number of defibrillation on resuscitation outcomes. This prospective observational study used data for all OHCAs that occurred between 2005 and 2014 in Japan. To investigate the interaction effect between the defibrillation waveform and the time to defibrillation or the number of defibrillations on the return to spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 1-month survival, and cerebral performance category (CPC) (1, 2), we assessed the modifying effects of the defibrillation waveform and the time to or the number of defibrillation on additive scale (i.e., the relative excessive risk due to interaction, RERI) and multiplicative scale (i.e., ratio of odds ratios (ORs)). In total, 71,566 cases met the inclusion criteria. For the measure of interaction between the defibrillation waveform and the time to defibrillation, ratio of ORs for ROSC was 0.84 (0.75-0.94), implying that the effect of time to first defibrillation on ROSC was negatively modified by defibrillation waveform. For the interaction between the defibrillation waveform and the number of defibrillations, RERI and ratio of ORs for CPC (1, 2) was -0.25 (-0.47 to -0.06) and 0.79 (0.67-0.93), respectively. It is implied that the effect of number of defibrillation on CPC (1, 2) was negatively modified by defibrillation waveform. An increased number of defibrillations was associated with a decreased ROSC in the case of biphasic and monophasic defibrillation, while an increased number of defibrillations was related to an increased 1-month survival rate and CPC (1, 2) only in the case of

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related primary cerebral lymphoma: response to irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoo, V.S.; Wilson, P.C.; Sexton, M.J.; Liew, K.H.

2000-01-01

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related primary cerebral lymphoma (AIDS-PCL) is uncommon. Fourteen cases of presumed AIDS-PCL between 1986 and 1995 were reviewed retrospectively in order to characterize the natural history, and the response to radiotherapy. The median age was 38 years (range 24-65). The median interval between seropositive diagnosis of HIV and AIDS-PCL was 28 months (range 5-113). The median duration of symptoms was 2 weeks (range 0.2-12). At presentation, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) was PS1 (2/14 patients), PS2 (6/14) and PS3 (6/14). The symptoms and signs were non-specific and depended on the site and extent of cerebral involvement. There was no characteristic pattern of brain imaging in terms of size, number, location or pattern of contrast enhancement of the cerebral lesions. Nine patients received various fractionation-dose schedules (range 8-50 Gy). Complete and partial responses were seen in 2/9 and 3/9 cases, respectively. Clinical stabilization of neurological symptoms was noted in 3/9 cases and disease progression in 1/9. The median survival times (MST) from presentation for irradiated and non-irradiated patients were 9.3 and 2.1 weeks, respectively (range 0.9-43.1). Although patient selection introduced bias, there appears to be a modest improvement in MST for treated patients. The MST with radiotherapy alone remains poor, but radiotherapy may provide palliation. For some selected patients, a prolonged response is possible. Copyright (1999) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

Evaluating Mobile Survey Tools (MSTs for Field-Level Monitoring and Data Collection: Development of a Novel Evaluation Framework, and Application to MSTs for Rural Water and Sanitation Monitoring

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Michael B. Fisher

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Information and communications technologies (ICTs such as mobile survey tools (MSTs can facilitate field-level data collection to drive improvements in national and international development programs. MSTs allow users to gather and transmit field data in real time, standardize data storage and management, automate routine analyses, and visualize data. Dozens of diverse MST options are available, and users may struggle to select suitable options. We developed a systematic MST Evaluation Framework (EF, based on International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC software quality modeling standards, to objectively assess MSTs and assist program implementers in identifying suitable MST options. The EF is applicable to MSTs for a broad variety of applications. We also conducted an MST user survey to elucidate needs and priorities of current MST users. Finally, the EF was used to assess seven MSTs currently used for water and sanitation monitoring, as a validation exercise. The results suggest that the EF is a promising method for evaluating MSTs.

Exposure to aged crumb rubber reduces survival time during a stress test in earthworms (Eisenia fetida).

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Pochron, Sharon; Nikakis, Jacqueline; Illuzzi, Kyra; Baatz, Andrea; Demirciyan, Loriana; Dhillon, Amritjot; Gaylor, Thomas; Manganaro, Alexa; Maritato, Nicholas; Moawad, Michael; Singh, Rajwinder; Tucker, Clara; Vaughan, Daniel

2018-04-01

Solid waste management struggles with the sustainable disposal of used tires. One solution involves shredding used tires into crumb rubber and using the material as infill for artificial turf. However, crumb rubber contains hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and heavy metals, and it travels into the environment. Earthworms living in soil contaminated with virgin crumb rubber gained 14% less body weight than did earthworms living in uncontaminated soil, but the impact of aged crumb rubber on the earthworms is unknown. Since many athletic fields contain aged crumb rubber, we compared the body weight, survivorship, and longevity in heat and light stress for earthworms living in clean topsoil to those living in topsoil contaminated with aged crumb rubber. We also characterized levels of metals, nutrients, and micronutrients of both soil treatments and compared those to published values for soil contaminated with virgin crumb rubber. Consistent with earlier research, we found that contaminated soil did not inhibit microbial respiration rates. Aged crumb rubber, like new crumb rubber, had high levels of zinc. However, while exposure to aged crumb rubber did not reduce earthworm body weight as did exposure to new crumb rubber, exposure to aged crumb rubber reduced earthworm survival time during a stress test by a statistically significant 38 min (16.2%) relative to the survival time for worms that had lived in clean soil. Aged crumb rubber and new crumb rubber appear to pose similar toxic risks to earthworms. This study suggests an environmental cost associated with the current tire-recycling solution.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells suppress MHC class II expression on rat vascular endothelium and prolong survival time of cardiac allograft

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Qiu, Ying; Yun, Mark M; Han, Xia; Zhao, Ruidong; Zhou, Erxia; Yun, Sheng

2014-01-01

Background: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) have low immunogenicity and immune regulation. To investigate immunomodulatory effects of human UC-MSCs on MHC class II expression and allograft, we transplanted heart of transgenic rats with MHC class II expression on vascular endothelium. Methods: UC-MSCs were obtained from human umbilical cords and confirmed with flow cytometry analysis. Transgenic rat line was established using the construct of human MHC class II transactivator gene (CIITA) under mouse ICAM-2 promoter control. The induced MHC class II expression on transgenic rat vascular endothelial cells (VECs) was assessed with immunohistological staining. And the survival time of cardiac allograft was compared between the recipients with and without UC-MSC transfusion. Results: Flow cytometry confirmed that the human UC-MSCs were positive for CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD271, and negative for CD34 and HLA-DR. Repeated infusion of human UC-MSCs reduced MHC class II expression on vascular endothelia of transplanted hearts, and increased survival time of allograft. The UC-MSCs increased regulatory cytokines IL10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and suppressed proinflammatory cytokines IL2 and IFN-γ in vivo. The UC-MSC culture supernatant had similar effects on cytokine expression, and decreased lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. Conclusions: Repeated transfusion of the human UC-MSCs reduced MHC class II expression on vascular endothelia and prolonged the survival time of rat cardiac allograft. PMID:25126177

Survival and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes among Periviable Infants.

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Younge, Noelle; Goldstein, Ricki F; Bann, Carla M; Hintz, Susan R; Patel, Ravi M; Smith, P Brian; Bell, Edward F; Rysavy, Matthew A; Duncan, Andrea F; Vohr, Betty R; Das, Abhik; Goldberg, Ronald N; Higgins, Rosemary D; Cotten, C Michael

2017-02-16

Data reported during the past 5 years indicate that rates of survival have increased among infants born at the borderline of viability, but less is known about how increased rates of survival among these infants relate to early childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes. We compared survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes among infants born at 22 to 24 weeks of gestation, as assessed at 18 to 22 months of corrected age, across three consecutive birth-year epochs (2000-2003 [epoch 1], 2004-2007 [epoch 2], and 2008-2011 [epoch 3]). The infants were born at 11 centers that participated in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network. The primary outcome measure was a three-level outcome - survival without neurodevelopmental impairment, survival with neurodevelopmental impairment, or death. After accounting for differences in infant characteristics, including birth center, we used multinomial generalized logit models to compare the relative risk of survival without neurodevelopmental impairment, survival with neurodevelopmental impairment, and death. Data on the primary outcome were available for 4274 of 4458 infants (96%) born at the 11 centers. The percentage of infants who survived increased from 30% (424 of 1391 infants) in epoch 1 to 36% (487 of 1348 infants) in epoch 3 (Pneurodevelopmental impairment increased from 16% (217 of 1391) in epoch 1 to 20% (276 of 1348) in epoch 3 (P=0.001), whereas the percentage of infants who survived with neurodevelopmental impairment did not change significantly (15% [207 of 1391] in epoch 1 and 16% [211 of 1348] in epoch 3, P=0.29). After adjustment for changes in the baseline characteristics of the infants over time, both the rate of survival with neurodevelopmental impairment (as compared with death) and the rate of survival without neurodevelopmental impairment (as compared with death) increased over time (adjusted relative risks, 1.27 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.01 to 1.59] and 1

Endogenous TSH levels at the time of 131I ablation do not influence ablation success, recurrence-free survival or differentiated thyroid cancer-related mortality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vrachimis, Alexis; Riemann, Burkhard; Maeder, Uwe; Reiners, Christoph; Verburg, Frederik A.

2016-01-01

Based on a single older study it is established dogma that TSH levels should be ≥30 mU/l at the time of postoperative 131 I ablation in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients. We sought to determine whether endogenous TSH levels, i.e. after levothyroxine withdrawal, at the time of ablation influence ablation success rates, recurrence-free survival and DTC-related mortality. A total of 1,873 patients without distant metastases referred for postoperative adjuvant 131 I therapy were retrospectively included from 1991 onwards. Successful ablation was defined as stimulated Tg <1 μg/l. Age, gender and the presence of lymph node metastases were independent determinants of TSH levels at the time of ablation. TSH levels were not significantly related to ablation success rates (p = 0.34), recurrence-free survival (p = 0.29) or DTC -elated mortality (p = 0.82), but established risk factors such as T-stage, lymph node metastases and age were. Ablation was successful in 230 of 275 patients (83.6 %) with TSH <30 mU/l and in 1,359 of 1,598 patients (85.0 %) with TSH ≥30 mU/l. The difference was not significant (p = 0.55). Of the whole group of 1,873 patients, 21 had recurrent disease. There were no significant differences in recurrence rates between patients with TSH <30 mU/l and TSH ≥30 mU/l (p = 0.16). Ten of the 1,873 patients died of DTC. There were no significant differences in DTC-specific survival between patients with TSH <30 mU/l and TSH ≥30 mU/l (p = 0.53). The precise endogenous TSH levels at the time of 131 I ablation are not related to the ablation success rates, recurrence free survival and DTC related mortality. The established dogma that TSH levels need to be ≥30 mU/l at the time of 131 I ablation can be discarded. (orig.)

Design and calibration of a fast-time resolution charge exchange analyzer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scime, E.; Hokin, S.

1992-04-01

A five channel, fast time resolution, scanning charge exchange analyzer has been developed for the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST). The analyzer consists of an iron vacuum vessel, a gas stripping cell, an electrostatic bending field, and five continuous electron multiplier detectors. The incident neutral flux and operation of the detectors in current mode limits the time resolution of the analyzer to 10 μs. The analyzer was absolutely calibrated over the energy range of interest (500--2000 eV) with an H + beam, so that the charge exchange power loss could also be measured. The analyzer can be swiveled on a shot-to-shot basis for measurements of T i (r), where 0.3 < r/a < 0.7. The mechanical design was driven by the need for a low cost, expandable ion temperature diagnostic

TH-E-BRF-05: Comparison of Survival-Time Prediction Models After Radiotherapy for High-Grade Glioma Patients Based On Clinical and DVH Features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magome, T; Haga, A; Igaki, H; Sekiya, N; Masutani, Y; Sakumi, A; Mukasa, A; Nakagawa, K

2014-01-01

Purpose: Although many outcome prediction models based on dose-volume information have been proposed, it is well known that the prognosis may be affected also by multiple clinical factors. The purpose of this study is to predict the survival time after radiotherapy for high-grade glioma patients based on features including clinical and dose-volume histogram (DVH) information. Methods: A total of 35 patients with high-grade glioma (oligodendroglioma: 2, anaplastic astrocytoma: 3, glioblastoma: 30) were selected in this study. All patients were treated with prescribed dose of 30–80 Gy after surgical resection or biopsy from 2006 to 2013 at The University of Tokyo Hospital. All cases were randomly separated into training dataset (30 cases) and test dataset (5 cases). The survival time after radiotherapy was predicted based on a multiple linear regression analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) by using 204 candidate features. The candidate features included the 12 clinical features (tumor location, extent of surgical resection, treatment duration of radiotherapy, etc.), and the 192 DVH features (maximum dose, minimum dose, D95, V60, etc.). The effective features for the prediction were selected according to a step-wise method by using 30 training cases. The prediction accuracy was evaluated by a coefficient of determination (R 2 ) between the predicted and actual survival time for the training and test dataset. Results: In the multiple regression analysis, the value of R 2 between the predicted and actual survival time was 0.460 for the training dataset and 0.375 for the test dataset. On the other hand, in the ANN analysis, the value of R 2 was 0.806 for the training dataset and 0.811 for the test dataset. Conclusion: Although a large number of patients would be needed for more accurate and robust prediction, our preliminary Result showed the potential to predict the outcome in the patients with high-grade glioma. This work was partly supported by the JSPS Core

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after single-lung transplantation: impact of time to onset on functional pattern and survival.

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Brugière, Olivier; Pessione, Fabienne; Thabut, Gabriel; Mal, Hervé; Jebrak, Gilles; Lesèche, Guy; Fournier, Michel

2002-06-01

Among risk factors for the progression of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after lung transplantation (LT), the influence of time to BOS onset is not known. The aim of the study was to assess if BOS occurring earlier after LT is associated with worse functional prognosis and worse graft survival. We retrospectively compared functional outcome and survival of all single-LT (SLT) recipients who had BOS develop during follow-up in our center according to time to onset of BOS ( or = 3 years after transplantation). Among the 29 SLT recipients with BOS identified during the study period, 20 patients had early-onset BOS and 9 patients had late-onset BOS. The mean decline of FEV(1) over time during the first 9 months in patients with early-onset BOS was significantly greater than in patients with of late-onset BOS (p = 0.04). At last follow-up, patients with early-onset BOS had a lower mean FEV(1) value (25% vs 39% of predicted, p = 0.004), a lower mean PaO(2) value (54 mm Hg vs 73 mm Hg, p = 0.0005), a lower 6-min walk test distance (241 m vs 414 m, p = 0.001), a higher Medical Research Council index value (3.6 vs 1.6, p = 0.0001), and a higher percentage of oxygen dependency (90% vs 11%, p = 0.001) compared with patients with late-onset BOS. In addition, graft survival of patients with early-onset BOS was significantly lower than that of patients with late-onset BOS (log-rank test, p = 0.04). There were 18 of 20 graft failures (90%) in the early-onset BOS group, directly attributable to BOS in all cases (deaths [n = 10] or retransplantation [n = 8]). In the late-onset BOS group, graft failure occurred in four of nine patients due to death from extrapulmonary causes in three of four cases. The median duration of follow-up after occurrence of BOS was not statistically different between patients with early-onset BOS and patients with late-onset BOS (31 +/- 28 months and 37 +/- 26 months, respectively; p = not significant). The subgroup of patients who had BOS develop

Evaluating time to cancer recurrence as a surrogate marker for survival from an information theory perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, Ariel; Molenberghs, Geert

2008-10-01

The last two decades have seen a lot of development in the area of surrogate marker validation. One of these approaches places the evaluation in a meta-analytic framework, leading to definitions in terms of trial- and individual-level association. A drawback of this methodology is that different settings have led to different measures at the individual level. Using information theory, Alonso et al. proposed a unified framework, leading to a new definition of surrogacy, which offers interpretational advantages and is applicable in a wide range of situations. In this work, we illustrate how this information-theoretic approach can be used to evaluate surrogacy when both endpoints are of a time-to-event type. Two meta-analyses, in early and advanced colon cancer, respectively, are then used to evaluate the performance of time to cancer recurrence as a surrogate for overall survival.

Instrumental variables estimation of exposure effects on a time-to-event endpoint using structural cumulative survival models.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinussen, Torben; Vansteelandt, Stijn; Tchetgen Tchetgen, Eric J; Zucker, David M

2017-12-01

The use of instrumental variables for estimating the effect of an exposure on an outcome is popular in econometrics, and increasingly so in epidemiology. This increasing popularity may be attributed to the natural occurrence of instrumental variables in observational studies that incorporate elements of randomization, either by design or by nature (e.g., random inheritance of genes). Instrumental variables estimation of exposure effects is well established for continuous outcomes and to some extent for binary outcomes. It is, however, largely lacking for time-to-event outcomes because of complications due to censoring and survivorship bias. In this article, we make a novel proposal under a class of structural cumulative survival models which parameterize time-varying effects of a point exposure directly on the scale of the survival function; these models are essentially equivalent with a semi-parametric variant of the instrumental variables additive hazards model. We propose a class of recursive instrumental variable estimators for these exposure effects, and derive their large sample properties along with inferential tools. We examine the performance of the proposed method in simulation studies and illustrate it in a Mendelian randomization study to evaluate the effect of diabetes on mortality using data from the Health and Retirement Study. We further use the proposed method to investigate potential benefit from breast cancer screening on subsequent breast cancer mortality based on the HIP-study. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

Modification of bacterial cell survival by postirradiation hypoxia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vexler, F B; Eidus, L Kh

1986-01-27

It is shown that postirradiation hypoxia affects the survival of E.coli. Hypoxic conditions immediately after a single-dose irradiation diminish cell survival in nutrient medium. Increasing time intervals between irradiation and hypoxia decrease the efficiency of the latter, while 1 h after irradiation hypoxia does not modify the survival of irradiated cells. These findings reveal that the mechanisms of action of postirradiation hypoxia on eu- and prokaryotic cells are similar.

The use of simple reparameterizations to improve the efficiency of Markov chain Monte Carlo estimation for multilevel models with applications to discrete time survival models.

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, William J; Steele, Fiona; Golalizadeh, Mousa; Green, Martin J

2009-06-01

We consider the application of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation methods to random-effects models and in particular the family of discrete time survival models. Survival models can be used in many situations in the medical and social sciences and we illustrate their use through two examples that differ in terms of both substantive area and data structure. A multilevel discrete time survival analysis involves expanding the data set so that the model can be cast as a standard multilevel binary response model. For such models it has been shown that MCMC methods have advantages in terms of reducing estimate bias. However, the data expansion results in very large data sets for which MCMC estimation is often slow and can produce chains that exhibit poor mixing. Any way of improving the mixing will result in both speeding up the methods and more confidence in the estimates that are produced. The MCMC methodological literature is full of alternative algorithms designed to improve mixing of chains and we describe three reparameterization techniques that are easy to implement in available software. We consider two examples of multilevel survival analysis: incidence of mastitis in dairy cattle and contraceptive use dynamics in Indonesia. For each application we show where the reparameterization techniques can be used and assess their performance.

Evaluation of carboranylporphyrins as boron delivery agents for neutron capture therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawabata, Shinji; Barth, Rolf F.; Yang, Weilian; Wu, Gong; Binns, Peter J.; Riley, Kent J.; Ongayi, Owendi; Gottumukkala, Vijay; Vicente, Graca H.

2006-01-01

The goals of the present study were two-fold. First, to determine the biodistribution of three carboranyl-porphyrins, designated H 2 DCP, H 2 TCP and H 2 TBP following intracerebral (i.c.) administration by means of convection enhanced delivery (CED) to F98 glioma bearing rats. Tumor boron concentrations immediately after CED were 36 and 88 μg/g for H 2 DCP and H 2 TCP, respectively, and were 103 and 62 μg/g for H 2 TCP and H 2 TBP, respectively, 24h after termination of CED. The corresponding normal brain concentrations were 5.2, 3.3 and 0.8 μg/g, and blood and liver concentrations all were 2 TCP and H 2 TBP as boron delivery agents in F98 glioma bearing rats. BNCT was carried out at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Research Reactor (MITRR) 24 h after CED of 200 μl of either 0.5 mg of H 2 TCP or H 2 TBP. Untreated control rats all died within 29 days after tumor implantation and had a mean survival time (MST) of 23±3 days and irradiated controls had a MST of 27±3 days. Animals that received H 2 TCP by CED, followed by BNCT, had a MST of 35±4 days and animals received H 2 TBP had a MST of 44±10 days. Further studies were carried out using H 2 TBP at a dose of 0.2 mg administered by a Harvard pump, either alone or in combination with i.v. BPA, and the corresponding MSTs were 34±3 d and 43±9 d, respectively. Histopathologic examination of the brains of animals that died revealed large numbers of porphyrin laden macrophages and extracellular accumulations of free porphyrin indicating that tumor cell uptake was suboptimal. Further studies are planned to synthesize and evaluate new compounds that will have enhanced cellular uptake and efficacy as boron delivery agents for NCT. (author)

Improved survival in HIV treatment programs in Asia

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De La Mata, Nicole L; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Khol, Vohith; Ng, Oon Tek; Van Nguyen, Kinh; Merati, Tuti Parwati; Pham, Thuy Thanh; Lee, Man Po; Durier, Nicolas; Law, Matthew

2016-01-01

Background Antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV-positive patients has expanded rapidly in Asia over the last ten years. Our study aimed to describe the time trends and risk factors for overall survival in patients receiving first-line ART in Asia. Methods We included HIV-positive adult patients who initiated ART between 2003–2013 (n=16 546), from seven sites across six Asia-Pacific countries. Patient follow-up was to May 2014. We compared survival for each country and overall by time period of ART initiation using Kaplan-Meier curves. Factors associated with mortality were assessed using Cox regression, stratified by site. We also summarized first-line ART regimens, CD4 count at ART initiation, and CD4 and HIV viral load testing frequencies. Results There were 880 deaths observed over 54 532 person-years of follow-up, a crude rate of 1.61 (1.51, 1.72) per 100 person-years. Survival significantly improved in more recent years of ART initiation. The survival probabilities at 4 years follow-up for those initiating ART in 2003–05 was 92.1%, 2006–09 was 94.3% and 2010–2013 was 94.5% (pAsia have improved survival in more recent years of ART initiation. This is likely a consequence of improvements in treatment and, patient management and monitoring over time. PMID:26961354

Conditional survival of cancer patients: an Australian perspective

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Yu Xue

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Estimated conditional survival for cancer patients diagnosed at different ages and disease stage provides important information for cancer patients and clinicians in planning follow-up, surveillance and ongoing management. Methods Using population-based cancer registry data for New South Wales Australia, we estimated conditional 5-year relative survival for 11 major cancers diagnosed 1972–2006 by time since diagnosis and age and stage at diagnosis. Results 193,182 cases were included, with the most common cancers being prostate (39,851, female breast (36,585 and colorectal (35,455. Five-year relative survival tended to increase with increasing years already survived and improvement was greatest for cancers with poor prognosis at diagnosis (lung or pancreas and for those with advanced stage or older age at diagnosis. After surviving 10 years, conditional 5-year survival was over 95% for 6 localised, 6 regional, 3 distant and 3 unknown stage cancers. For the remaining patient groups, conditional 5-year survival ranged from 74% (for distant stage bladder cancer to 94% (for 4 cancers at different stages, indicating that they continue to have excess mortality 10–15 years after diagnosis. Conclusion These data provide important information for cancer patients, based on age and stage at diagnosis, as they continue on their cancer journey. This information may also be used by clinicians as a tool to make more evidence-based decisions regarding follow-up, surveillance, or ongoing management according to patients' changing survival expectations over time.

ENTREVISTA: A Rica Experiência de Formação do e com o MST

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Maristela Dal Moro*; Geraldo Gasparin**

2012-02-01

Full Text Available

Radiation therapy for malignant gliomas in adults. Analysis of treatment results regarding factors on the radiation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Yoshiaki; Kawamori, Jiro; Saito, Tsutomu; Karasawa, Katsuyuki; Shitara, Nobuyuki; Matsutani, Masao.

1997-01-01

During 19 years, 309 patients with astrocytic tumors (173 of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), 41 of anaplastic astrocytoma (AA), and 95 of astrocytoma) were treated with radiation therapy. Initially a dose of 50 Gy was given with an extended field, then the target volume was decreased to the contrast enhancing lesion plus 1-2 cm margin and treated to the total dose ranging from 60 Gy to 66 Gy for GBM and about 60 Gy for AA. Fifty-four patients underwent surgical resection combined with a single dose of 15-20 Gy by intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT). The one-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates and the median survival time (MST) of patients with GBM were 56%, 27%, 16%, and 495 days, respectively. For patients with AA, these were 63%, 50%, 33%, and 762 days, respectively. From analysis on GBM, patients treated with IORT were survived longer than without IORT, significantly (p 2 , were significantly inferior than with less portal size (p<0.05). Patients treated with conformation radiotherapy (CFRT) were superior on survival rates than without it on GBM, however, there was no difference on AA. The treatment factors for radiation therapy which affected for prolonging survival time were considered as dose, size of irradiated portals, application of IORT and CFRT, especially on patients with GBM. (author)

Primary localization and tumor thickness as prognostic factors of survival in patients with mucosal melanoma.

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Tarun Mehra

Full Text Available Data on survival with mucosal melanoma and on prognostic factors of are scarce. It is still unclear if the disease course allows for mucosal melanoma to be treated as primary cutaneous melanoma or if differences in overall survival patterns require adapted therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, this investigation is the first to present 10-year survival rates for mucosal melanomas of different anatomical localizations.116 cases from Sep 10 1984 until Feb 15 2011 retrieved from the Comprehensive Cancer Center and of the Central Register of the German Dermatologic Society databases in Tübingen were included in our analysis. We recorded anatomical location and tumor thickness, and estimated overall survival at 2, 5 and 10 years and the mean overall survival time. Survival times were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare survival times by localizations and by T-stages.We found a median overall survival time of 80.9 months, with an overall 2-year survival of 71.7%, 5-year survival of 55.8% and 10-year survival of 38.3%. The 10-year survival rates for patients with T1, T2, T3 or T4 stage tumors were 100.0%, 77.9%, 66.3% and 10.6% respectively. 10-year survival of patients with melanomas of the vulva was 64.5% in comparison to 22.3% of patients with non-vulva mucosal melanomas.Survival times differed significantly between patients with melanomas of the vulva compared to the rest (p = 0.0006. It also depends on T-stage at the time of diagnosis (p < 0.0001.

Times of analgesic efficacy of two drugs in the treatment of patients with renal-ureteral colic compared by survival models

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Luis Reyes Velázquez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Renourethral colic is a very painful clinical situation that requires a quick diagnosis and treatment. A study was done with patients who were administered two types of analgesics, and whose pain was measured through a visual analogue scale. Censored data results were obtained, considering the time when the pain disappeared as the random variable. Maximum likelihood and survival analysis give useful methods to estimate the distribution and parametric functions for this variable. This study will allow a more effective, timely, lower cost and suitable medical treatment for patients.

PSA response to cabazitaxel is associated with improved progression-free survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: the non-interventional QoLiTime study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammerer, Peter; Al-Batran, Salah-Eddin; Windemuth-Kieselbach, Christine; Keller, Martin; Hofheinz, Ralf-Dieter

2018-03-01

To evaluate the association between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and progression-free and overall survival in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with cabazitaxel. Men with mCRPC receiving cabazitaxel (25 mg/m 2 , every 3 weeks) plus oral prednis(ol)one (10 mg/day) were enrolled in the non-interventional, prospective QoLiTime study. Main outcome measures were progression-free survival and overall survival, in all patients and in those who showed a ≥ 50 or a ≥ 30% decrease in PSA relative to baseline after four cycles of cabazitaxel, as well as quality-of-life parameters. Of the 527 men (median age 72 years), 266 received ≥ 4 cycles of cabazitaxel and had PSA response data. After four cycles, 34.6% of men achieved a PSA decrease ≥ 50% and 49.6% a decrease ≥ 30%. Median progression-free survival was 7.7 (95% CI 6.2, 9.5) months, and overall survival was 19.5 (95% CI 16.0, 30.9) months, corresponding to 1-year event rates of 39.4 and 78.8%, respectively. Median progression-free survival was longer in PSA responders versus non-responders (15.7 vs 5.5 months at 50% cut-off; 15.7 vs 5.3 months for 30% cut-off; both P PSA response after four cycles of cabazitaxel is associated with improved progression-free survival in men with mCRPC treated with cabazitaxel plus prednis(ol)one.

Comparison of cancer survival in New Zealand and Australia, 2006-2010.

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Aye, Phyu S; Elwood, J Mark; Stevanovic, Vladimir

2014-12-19

Previous studies have shown substantially higher mortality rates from cancer in New Zealand compared to Australia, but these studies have not included data on patient survival. This study compares the survival of cancer patients diagnosed in 2006-10 in the whole populations of New Zealand and Australia. Identical period survival methods were used to calculate relative survival ratios for all cancers combined, and for 18 cancers each accounting for more than 50 deaths per year in New Zealand, from 1 to 10 years from diagnosis. Cancer survival was lower in New Zealand, with 5-year relative survival being 4.2% lower in women, and 3.8% lower in men for all cancers combined. Of 18 cancers, 14 showed lower survival in New Zealand; the exceptions, with similar survival in each country, being melanoma, myeloma, mesothelioma, and cervical cancer. For most cancers, the differences in survival were maximum at 1 year after diagnosis, becoming smaller later; however, for breast cancer, the survival difference increased with time after diagnosis. The lower survival in New Zealand, and the higher mortality rates shown earlier, suggest that further improvements in recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in New Zealand should be possible. As the survival differences are seen soon after diagnosis, issues of early management in primary care and time intervals to diagnosis and treatment may be particularly important.

Structural changes in the minimal spanning tree and the hierarchical network in the Korean stock market around the global financial crisis

Science.gov (United States)

Nobi, Ashadun; Maeng, Seong Eun; Ha, Gyeong Gyun; Lee, Jae Woo

2015-04-01

This paper considers stock prices in the Korean stock market during the 2008 global financial crisis by focusing on three time periods: before, during, and after the crisis. Complex networks are extracted from cross-correlation coefficients between the normalized logarithmic return of the stock price time series of firms. The minimal spanning trees (MSTs) and the hierarchical network (HN) are generated from cross-correlation coefficients. Before and after the crisis, securities firms are located at the center of the MST. During the crisis, however, the center of the MST changes to a firm in heavy industry and construction. During the crisis, the MST shrinks in comparison to that before and that after the crisis. This topological change in the MST during the crisis reflects a distinct effect of the global financial crisis. The cophenetic correlation coefficient increases during the crisis, indicating an increase in the hierarchical structure during in this period. When crisis hits the market, firms behave synchronously, and their correlations are higher than those during a normal period.

Endogenous TSH levels at the time of {sup 131}I ablation do not influence ablation success, recurrence-free survival or differentiated thyroid cancer-related mortality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vrachimis, Alexis; Riemann, Burkhard [University Hospital Muenster, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Muenster (Germany); Maeder, Uwe; Reiners, Christoph [University of Wuerzburg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuerzburg (Germany); Verburg, Frederik A. [University of Wuerzburg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuerzburg (Germany); RWTH University Hospital Aachen, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aachen (Germany)

2016-02-15

Based on a single older study it is established dogma that TSH levels should be ≥30 mU/l at the time of postoperative {sup 131}I ablation in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients. We sought to determine whether endogenous TSH levels, i.e. after levothyroxine withdrawal, at the time of ablation influence ablation success rates, recurrence-free survival and DTC-related mortality. A total of 1,873 patients without distant metastases referred for postoperative adjuvant {sup 131}I therapy were retrospectively included from 1991 onwards. Successful ablation was defined as stimulated Tg <1 μg/l. Age, gender and the presence of lymph node metastases were independent determinants of TSH levels at the time of ablation. TSH levels were not significantly related to ablation success rates (p = 0.34), recurrence-free survival (p = 0.29) or DTC -elated mortality (p = 0.82), but established risk factors such as T-stage, lymph node metastases and age were. Ablation was successful in 230 of 275 patients (83.6 %) with TSH <30 mU/l and in 1,359 of 1,598 patients (85.0 %) with TSH ≥30 mU/l. The difference was not significant (p = 0.55). Of the whole group of 1,873 patients, 21 had recurrent disease. There were no significant differences in recurrence rates between patients with TSH <30 mU/l and TSH ≥30 mU/l (p = 0.16). Ten of the 1,873 patients died of DTC. There were no significant differences in DTC-specific survival between patients with TSH <30 mU/l and TSH ≥30 mU/l (p = 0.53). The precise endogenous TSH levels at the time of {sup 131}I ablation are not related to the ablation success rates, recurrence free survival and DTC related mortality. The established dogma that TSH levels need to be ≥30 mU/l at the time of {sup 131}I ablation can be discarded. (orig.)

The LDsub(50/30) and the survival time in whole-body gamma-irradiated conventional and germfree Minnesota miniature piglets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandel, L.; Travnicek, J.; Talafantova, M.; Zahradnickova, M.

1980-01-01

The median lethal exposure causing the death in 30 days after single whole-body gamma-irradiation (the LD 50/30) was found to be 2731 MBq (73.8 mC/kg) for conventional piglets, but 3226 MBq (87.2 mC/kg) for germ-free piglets both irradiated 14 days after birth. After lethal exposures, the survival time in germ-free piglets was prolonged for 7 days in comparison with conventional piglets. (author)

Scale free effects in world currency exchange network

Science.gov (United States)

Górski, A. Z.; Drożdż, S.; Kwapień, J.

2008-11-01

A large collection of daily time series for 60 world currencies' exchange rates is considered. The correlation matrices are calculated and the corresponding Minimal Spanning Tree (MST) graphs are constructed for each of those currencies used as reference for the remaining ones. It is shown that multiplicity of the MST graphs' nodes to a good approximation develops a power like, scale free distribution with the scaling exponent similar as for several other complex systems studied so far. Furthermore, quantitative arguments in favor of the hierarchical organization of the world currency exchange network are provided by relating the structure of the above MST graphs and their scaling exponents to those that are derived from an exactly solvable hierarchical network model. A special status of the USD during the period considered can be attributed to some departures of the MST features, when this currency (or some other tied to it) is used as reference, from characteristics typical to such a hierarchical clustering of nodes towards those that correspond to the random graphs. Even though in general the basic structure of the MST is robust with respect to changing the reference currency some trace of a systematic transition from somewhat dispersed - like the USD case - towards more compact MST topology can be observed when correlations increase.

Conditional Melanoma Cancer Survival in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ray M. Merrill

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Beyond relative survival, which indicates the likelihood that patients will not die from causes associated with their cancer, conditional relative survival probabilities provide further useful prognostic information to cancer patients, tailored to the time already survived from diagnosis. This study presents conditional relative survival for melanoma patients in the United States, diagnosed during 2000–2008 and followed through 2012. Analyses are based on 62,803 male and 50,261 female cases in population-based cancer registries in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute. Five-year relative survival estimates are presented for melanoma patients who have already survived one, two, three, four, or five years after the initial diagnosis. Five- and ten-year relative survival decreases with age, stage at diagnosis, and is lower among males, Blacks, and Hispanics. Five-year conditional relative survival improves with each year already survived. The potential for improvement in five-year conditional relative survival is greatest for older age, males, Blacks, Hispanics, and in later staged cases. For local disease, five-year conditional relative survival was significantly lower in ages greater than 65 years and in Blacks. It was significantly higher in females, non-Hispanics, and married individuals. Age had a greater inverse relationship with five-year survival in later staged disease. A similar result occurred for females and married individuals. In contrast, non-Hispanics had better five-year survival if diagnosed with local or regional disease, but not distant disease.

Predictive model for survival in patients with gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Goshayeshi, Ladan; Hoseini, Benyamin; Yousefli, Zahra; Khooie, Alireza; Etminani, Kobra; Esmaeilzadeh, Abbas; Golabpour, Amin

2017-12-01

Gastric cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world. Characterized by poor prognosis, it is a frequent cause of cancer in Iran. The aim of the study was to design a predictive model of survival time for patients suffering from gastric cancer. This was a historical cohort conducted between 2011 and 2016. Study population were 277 patients suffering from gastric cancer. Data were gathered from the Iranian Cancer Registry and the laboratory of Emam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. Patients or their relatives underwent interviews where it was needed. Missing values were imputed by data mining techniques. Fifteen factors were analyzed. Survival was addressed as a dependent variable. Then, the predictive model was designed by combining both genetic algorithm and logistic regression. Matlab 2014 software was used to combine them. Of the 277 patients, only survival of 80 patients was available whose data were used for designing the predictive model. Mean ?SD of missing values for each patient was 4.43?.41 combined predictive model achieved 72.57% accuracy. Sex, birth year, age at diagnosis time, age at diagnosis time of patients' family, family history of gastric cancer, and family history of other gastrointestinal cancers were six parameters associated with patient survival. The study revealed that imputing missing values by data mining techniques have a good accuracy. And it also revealed six parameters extracted by genetic algorithm effect on the survival of patients with gastric cancer. Our combined predictive model, with a good accuracy, is appropriate to forecast the survival of patients suffering from Gastric cancer. So, we suggest policy makers and specialists to apply it for prediction of patients' survival.

Rheology Of Settled Solids In The Small Column Ion Exchange Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poirier, M.; Ferguson, C.; Koopman, D.

2011-01-01

The Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process is being developed to remove cesium, strontium, and actinides from Savannah River Site (SRS) Liquid Waste using an existing waste tank (i.e., Tank 41H) to house the process. This process adds monosodium titanate (MST) to a waste tank containing salt solution (and entrained sludge solids). While the process is operating, the solid particles will begin to settle at temperatures up to 45 C. Previous testing has shown that sludge-MST slurries that sit for extended periods (i.e., 1-61 days) at elevated temperatures (i.e., 23-80 C) can develop large shear strengths which could make them difficult to resuspend and remove from the tank. The authors are conducting rheological testing of mixtures containing various concentrations of sludge, MST, and crystalline silicotitanate (CST, ground and unground) that have been aged at different times (i.e., 0 to 13 weeks) and isothermally heated to 30, 45, or 60 C. Additional tests are being conducted that will allow the solid particles to settle at 45 C for 6, 12, and 24 months. The objectives of this task are to determine the impact of settling time and temperature on the shear strength, yield stress, and consistency of the slurries and to determine the impact of radiation on slurry rheology. The testing will determine the relative impact of these parameters rather than predict the shear strength, yield stress, and consistency as a function of feed and operating conditions. This document describes the rheology of slurries containing MST and simulated sludge that sat at elevated temperatures (i.e., up to 60 C) for up to 13 weeks. Rheology of CST-containing slurries, as well as results of the long term settling (6, 12, and 24 months) and irradiation tests (10 and 100 MRad), will be reported later. The conclusions from this analysis follow: (1) MST only slurries that sat at elevated temperatures had larger shear strength, yield stress, and consistency than MST plus sludge slurries that

RHEOLOGY OF SETTLED SOLIDS IN THE SMALL COLUMN ION EXCHANGE PROCESS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poirier, M.; Ferguson, C.; Koopman, D.

2011-01-27

The Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX) process is being developed to remove cesium, strontium, and actinides from Savannah River Site (SRS) Liquid Waste using an existing waste tank (i.e., Tank 41H) to house the process. This process adds monosodium titanate (MST) to a waste tank containing salt solution (and entrained sludge solids). While the process is operating, the solid particles will begin to settle at temperatures up to 45 C. Previous testing has shown that sludge-MST slurries that sit for extended periods (i.e., 1-61 days) at elevated temperatures (i.e., 23-80 C) can develop large shear strengths which could make them difficult to resuspend and remove from the tank. The authors are conducting rheological testing of mixtures containing various concentrations of sludge, MST, and crystalline silicotitanate (CST, ground and unground) that have been aged at different times (i.e., 0 to 13 weeks) and isothermally heated to 30, 45, or 60 C. Additional tests are being conducted that will allow the solid particles to settle at 45 C for 6, 12, and 24 months. The objectives of this task are to determine the impact of settling time and temperature on the shear strength, yield stress, and consistency of the slurries and to determine the impact of radiation on slurry rheology. The testing will determine the relative impact of these parameters rather than predict the shear strength, yield stress, and consistency as a function of feed and operating conditions. This document describes the rheology of slurries containing MST and simulated sludge that sat at elevated temperatures (i.e., up to 60 C) for up to 13 weeks. Rheology of CST-containing slurries, as well as results of the long term settling (6, 12, and 24 months) and irradiation tests (10 and 100 MRad), will be reported later. The conclusions from this analysis follow: (1) MST only slurries that sat at elevated temperatures had larger shear strength, yield stress, and consistency than MST plus sludge slurries that

Moving-shot versus fixed electrode techniques for radiofrequency ablation: Comparison in an ex-vivo bovine liver tissue model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Eun Ju; Baek, Jung Hwan; Lee, Jeong Hyun

2014-01-01

To compare the ablation characteristics of the moving-shot technique (MST) and the fixed electrode technique (FET) for radiofrequency (RF) ablation in an ex-vivo bovine liver tissue model. We performed RF ablation using FET in 110 bovine liver blocks using 11 different ablation times ranging from 5 seconds to 5 minutes (10 blocks per each time duration). Ten bovine liver blocks at each ablation time of 1- or 2-minute, were ablated with MST, which treated conceptual ablation units by moving the electrode tip. We evaluated the ablation volume obtained with FET across ablation time lengths. The results of FET and MST performed with the same ablation time lengths, i.e., 1- and 2-minute ablation time were also compared. The ablation volume achieved with FET gradually increased with increasing ablation time; however, the pair-wise statistical comparison between 2 neighboring ablation time lengths was not significant after 30 seconds. MST with either 1- or 2-minute ablation time achieved larger ablation volumes (1.1 +/- 0.2 mL vs. 2.7 +/- 0.3 mL, p < 0.001; and 1.4 +/- 0.2 mL vs. 5.6 +/- 0.4 mL, p < 0.001, respectively), longer true RF times (46.7 +/- 4.6 seconds vs. 60 seconds, p < 0.001; and 64.8 +/- 4.6 seconds vs. 120 seconds, p < 0.001, respectively), fewer numbers of RF cut-offs (1.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 0, p < 0.001; and 5.5 +/- 0.5 vs. 0, p < 0.001, respectively), and greater energy deposition (2050.16 +/- 209.2 J vs. 2677.76 +/- 83.68 J, p < 0.001; and 2970.64 +/- 376.56 J vs. 5564.72 +/- 5439.2 J, p < 0.001, respectively), than FET. The MST can achieve a larger ablation volume by preventing RF cut-off, compared with the FET in an ex-vivo bovine liver model.

The effects of music-supported therapy on motor, cognitive, and psychosocial functions in chronic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujioka, Takako; Dawson, Deirdre R; Wright, Rebecca; Honjo, Kie; Chen, Joyce L; Chen, J Jean; Black, Sandra E; Stuss, Donald T; Ross, Bernhard

2018-05-24

Neuroplasticity accompanying learning is a key mediator of stroke rehabilitation. Training in playing music in healthy populations and patients with movement disorders requires resources within motor, sensory, cognitive, and affective systems, and coordination among these systems. We investigated effects of music-supported therapy (MST) in chronic stroke on motor, cognitive, and psychosocial functions compared to conventional physical training (GRASP). Twenty-eight adults with unilateral arm and hand impairment were randomly assigned to MST (n = 14) and GRASP (n = 14) and received 30 h of training over a 10-week period. The assessment was conducted at four time points: before intervention, after 5 weeks, after 10 weeks, and 3 months after training completion. As for two of our three primary outcome measures concerning motor function, all patients slightly improved in Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment hand score, while the time to complete Action Research Arm Test became shorter in the MST group. The third primary outcome measure for well-being, Stroke Impact Scale, was improved for emotion and social communication earlier in MST and coincided with the improved executive function for task switching and music rhythm perception. The results confirmed previous findings and expanded the potential usage of MST for enhancing quality of life in community-dwelling chronic-stage survivors. © 2018 New York Academy of Sciences.

Comparison of effectiveness and adverse effects of gefitinib, erlotinib and icotinib among patients with non-small cell lung cancer: A network meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yu; Feng, Gangling; Niu, Qiang; Xu, Shangzhi; Yan, Yizhong; Li, Shugang; Jing, Mingxia

2017-11-01

The present network meta-analysis aimed to compare the effectiveness and adverse effects of gefitinib, erlotinib and icotinib in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Two reviewers searched the Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals and Wanfang databases for relevant studies. Studies were then screened and evaluated, and data was extracted. End-points evaluated for NSCLC included complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), progressive disease (PD), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), median survival time (MST) and adverse effects, including rash, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and abnormal liver function. For the analysis of incorporated studies, RevMan, SPSS, R and Stata software were used. A total of 43 studies with 7,168 patients were included in the network meta-analysis. No significant differences were observed in CR, PR, SD, PD, ORR or DCR between gefitinib, erlotinib and icotinib by using network meta analysis. Compared with gefitinib, erlotinib resulted in a higher rate of nausea and vomiting [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.0; 95% credible interval, 1.1-3.7]. However, no significant differences were observed in the rates of rash, diarrhea, fatigue or abnormal liver function using network meta-analysis. Compared with erlotinib, gefitinib resulted in a lower SD rate [OR=0.86; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75-0.99; P=0.04], and lower rates of rash (OR=0.45; 95% CI, 0.36-0.55; Panalysis of two congruent drugs. However, gefitinib resulted in a higher rate of rash compared with icotinib (OR=1.57; 95% CI, 1.18-2.09; P=0.002). Otherwise, no significant differences were observed in CR, PR, PD, ORR, DCR and abnormal liver function between gefitinib, erlotinib and icotinib through meta-analysis of two congruent drugs. The PFS rate for gefitinib, erlotinib and icotinib

Cancer survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: a national study of survival rates and excess mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Condon, John R; Zhang, Xiaohua; Baade, Peter; Griffiths, Kalinda; Cunningham, Joan; Roder, David M; Coory, Michael; Jelfs, Paul L; Threlfall, Tim

2014-01-31

National cancer survival statistics are available for the total Australian population but not Indigenous Australians, although their cancer mortality rates are known to be higher than those of other Australians. We aimed to validate analysis methods and report cancer survival rates for Indigenous Australians as the basis for regular national reporting. We used national cancer registrations data to calculate all-cancer and site-specific relative survival for Indigenous Australians (compared with non-Indigenous Australians) diagnosed in 2001-2005. Because of limited availability of Indigenous life tables, we validated and used cause-specific survival (rather than relative survival) for proportional hazards regression to analyze time trends and regional variation in all-cancer survival between 1991 and 2005. Survival was lower for Indigenous than non-Indigenous Australians for all cancers combined and for many cancer sites. The excess mortality of Indigenous people with cancer was restricted to the first three years after diagnosis, and greatest in the first year. Survival was lower for rural and remote than urban residents; this disparity was much greater for Indigenous people. Survival improved between 1991 and 2005 for non-Indigenous people (mortality decreased by 28%), but to a much lesser extent for Indigenous people (11%) and only for those in remote areas; cancer survival did not improve for urban Indigenous residents. Cancer survival is lower for Indigenous than other Australians, for all cancers combined and many individual cancer sites, although more accurate recording of Indigenous status by cancer registers is required before the extent of this disadvantage can be known with certainty. Cancer care for Indigenous Australians needs to be considerably improved; cancer diagnosis, treatment, and support services need to be redesigned specifically to be accessible and acceptable to Indigenous people.

Survival after stereotactic biopsy of malignant gliomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coffey, R.J.; Lunsford, L.D.; Taylor, F.H.

1988-01-01

For many patients with malignant gliomas in inaccessible or functionally important locations, stereotactic biopsy followed by radiation therapy (RT) may be a more appropriate initial treatment than craniotomy and tumor resection. We studied the long term survival in 91 consecutive patients with malignant gliomas diagnosed by stereotactic biopsy: 64 had glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and 27 had anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). Sixty-four per cent of the GBMs and 33% of the AAs involved deep or midline cerebral structures. The treatment prescribed after biopsy, the tumor location, the histological findings, and the patient's age at presentation (for AAs) were statistically important factors determining patient survival. If adequate RT (tumor dose of 5000 to 6000 cGy) was not prescribed, the median survival was less than or equal to 11 weeks regardless of tumor histology or location. The median survival for patients with deep or midline tumors who completed RT was similar in AA (19.4 weeks) and GBM (27 weeks) cases. Histology was an important predictor of survival only for patients with adequately treated lobar tumors. The median survival in lobar GBM patients who completed RT was 46.9 weeks, and that in lobar AA patients who completed RT was 129 weeks. Cytoreductive surgery had no statistically significant effect on survival. Among the clinical factors examined, age of less than 40 years at presentation was associated with prolonged survival only in AA patients. Constellations of clinical features, tumor location, histological diagnosis, and treatment prescribed were related to survival time

Partitioning of excess mortality in population-based cancer patient survival studies using flexible parametric survival models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eloranta Sandra

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Relative survival is commonly used for studying survival of cancer patients as it captures both the direct and indirect contribution of a cancer diagnosis on mortality by comparing the observed survival of the patients to the expected survival in a comparable cancer-free population. However, existing methods do not allow estimation of the impact of isolated conditions (e.g., excess cardiovascular mortality on the total excess mortality. For this purpose we extend flexible parametric survival models for relative survival, which use restricted cubic splines for the baseline cumulative excess hazard and for any time-dependent effects. Methods In the extended model we partition the excess mortality associated with a diagnosis of cancer through estimating a separate baseline excess hazard function for the outcomes under investigation. This is done by incorporating mutually exclusive background mortality rates, stratified by the underlying causes of death reported in the Swedish population, and by introducing cause of death as a time-dependent effect in the extended model. This approach thereby enables modeling of temporal trends in e.g., excess cardiovascular mortality and remaining cancer excess mortality simultaneously. Furthermore, we illustrate how the results from the proposed model can be used to derive crude probabilities of death due to the component parts, i.e., probabilities estimated in the presence of competing causes of death. Results The method is illustrated with examples where the total excess mortality experienced by patients diagnosed with breast cancer is partitioned into excess cardiovascular mortality and remaining cancer excess mortality. Conclusions The proposed method can be used to simultaneously study disease patterns and temporal trends for various causes of cancer-consequent deaths. Such information should be of interest for patients and clinicians as one way of improving prognosis after cancer is

The Impact of Timing and Graft Dysfunction on Survival and Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Antibody Mediated Rejection

Science.gov (United States)

Clerkin, Kevin J.; Restaino, Susan W.; Zorn, Emmanuel; Vasilescu, Elena R.; Marboe, Charles C.; Mancini, Donna M.

2017-01-01

Background Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) has been associated with increased mortality and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Early studies suggested that late AMR was rarely associated with graft dysfunction while recent reports have demonstrated an association with increased mortality. We sought to investigate the timing of AMR and its association with graft dysfunction, mortality, and CAV. Methods This retrospective cohort study identified all adult heart transplant recipients at Columbia University Medical Center from 2004–2013 (689 patients). There were 68 primary cases of AMR, which were stratified by early (1-year post-OHT) AMR. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and modeling was performed with multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results From January 1, 2004 through October 1, 2015 43 patients had early AMR (median 23 days post-OHT) and 25 had late AMR (median 1084 days post-OHT). Graft dysfunction was less common with early compared with late AMR (25.6% vs. 56%, p=0.01). Patients with late AMR had decreased post-AMR survival compared with early AMR (1-year 80% vs. 93%, 5-year 51% vs. 73%, p<0.05). When stratified by graft dysfunction, only those with late AMR and graft dysfunction had worse survival (30-day 79%, 1-year 64%, and 5-year 36%, p<0.006). The association remained irrespective of age, sex, DSA, LVAD use, reason for OHT, and recovery of graft function. Similarly, those with late AMR and graft dysfunction had accelerated development of de-novo CAV (50% at 1 year, HR 5.42, p=0.009), while all other groups were all similar to the general transplant population. Conclusion Late AMR is frequently associated with graft dysfunction. When graft dysfunction is present in late AMR there is an early and sustained increased risk of mortality and rapid development of de-novo CAV despite aggressive treatment. PMID:27423693

Accelerated failure time regression for backward recurrence times and current durations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keiding, N; Fine, J P; Hansen, O H

2011-01-01

Backward recurrence times in stationary renewal processes and current durations in dynamic populations observed at a cross-section may yield estimates of underlying interarrival times or survival distributions under suitable stationarity assumptions. Regression models have been proposed for these......Backward recurrence times in stationary renewal processes and current durations in dynamic populations observed at a cross-section may yield estimates of underlying interarrival times or survival distributions under suitable stationarity assumptions. Regression models have been proposed...... for these situations, but accelerated failure time models have the particularly attractive feature that they are preserved when going from the backward recurrence times to the underlying survival distribution of interest. This simple fact has recently been noticed in a sociological context and is here illustrated...... by a study of current duration of time to pregnancy...

The survival of Coxiella burnetii in soils

Science.gov (United States)

Evstigneeva, A. S.; Ul'Yanova, T. Yu.; Tarasevich, I. V.

2007-05-01

Coxiella burnetii is a pathogen of Q-fever—a widespread zoonosis. The effective adaptation of C. burnetii to intracellular existence is in contrast with its ability to survive in the environment outside the host cells and its resistance to chemical and physical agents. Its mechanism of survival remains unknown. However, its survival appears to be related to the developmental cycle of the microorganism itself, i.e., to the formation of its dormant forms. The survival of Coxiella burnetii was studied for the first time. The pathogenic microorganism was inoculated into different types of soil and cultivated under different temperatures. The survival of the pathogen was verified using a model with laboratory animals (mice). Viable C. burnetii were found in the soil even 20 days after their inoculation. The relationship between the organic carbon content in the soils and the survival of C. burnetii was revealed. Thus, the results obtained were the first to demonstrate that the soil may serve as a reservoir for the preservation and further spreading of the Q-fever pathogen in the environment, on the one hand, and reduce the risk of epidemics, on the other.