Improved Measurement of the Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay.

Reactor neutrino experiments play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of neutrinos. In this Letter, the evolution of the flux and spectrum as a function of the reactor isotopic content is reported in terms of the inverse-beta-decay yield at Daya Bay with 1958 days of data and improved systematic uncertainties. These measurements are compared with two signature model predictions: the Huber-Mueller model based on the conversion method and the SM2018 model based on the summation method. The measured average flux and spectrum, as well as the flux evolution with the ^{239}Pu isotopic fraction, are inconsistent with the predictions of the Huber-Mueller model. In contrast, the SM2018 model is shown to agree with the average flux and its evolution but fails to describe the energy spectrum. Altering the predicted inverse-beta-decay spectrum from ^{239}Pu fission does not improve the agreement with the measurement for either model. The models can be brought into better agreement with the measurements if either the predicted spectrum due to ^{235}U fission is changed or the predicted ^{235}U, ^{238}U, ^{239}Pu, and ^{241}Pu spectra are changed in equal measure.

Moxibustion attenuates inflammatory response to chronic exhaustive exercise in rats.

Exercise is recognized as an activator to elicit an inflammatory response whilst moxibustion in traditional Chinese medicine has been previously found to modulate immune functioning. However, whether moxibustion can alleviate the inflammatory cytokines response to chronic exhaustive exercise remains unknown. In the present study, rats were randomly assigned to a sedentary control group (Sed), a sedentary moxibustion group (Sed + Moxa), and 2 trained groups- one submitted to a 3-week exhaustive swimming (Trained), and the other a trained moxibustion group (Trained + Moxa). We found that chronic exhaustive exercise significantly increased the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ) and the IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio, and decreased the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10). Moxibustion treatment markedly reduced the serum levels of IL-1ß, IFN-γ and the IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio, while elevated the IL-4 and IL-10 productions in trained rats. However, TNF-α level was not significantly affected. Our results suggested that an excessive inflammatory response and a potential inflammatory damage may be involved during chronic exhaustive exercise. Moxibustion could attenuate the inflammatory impairment and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The beneficial effects of moxibustion might be mediated by reducing the pro-inflammatory cytokines, increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokines, and modulating the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Portal vein embolization with lipiodol for treatment of HCC--an experimental study.

A suspension of iodized oil and anticancer agent was injected into the portal veins of 20 rats with hepatic carcinoma. Oil drops were seen in tumor cell lines, small blood vessels inside the cancer nest, the sinusoid, and the central veins. After injection of oil suspension through the portal vein the distal small vessels were embolized and necrotic changes of tumor cells and their subordinate normal liver cells were observed. The results obtained in this experiment provided a good anatomical and pathological basis for treating liver cancers with the portal vein embolization with chemotherapeutic agents.

Hepatic carcinoma. The possibility of transcatheter chemoembolization through the portal vein.

A suspension of iodized oil and anticancer agent was injected into the portal veins of 20 rats with hepatic carcinoma and of 20 normal rats to observe its distribution in the liver and the effect on cancer tissue and normal cells. Microscopic and transmission electron microscopic examinations were carried out. Oil drops were seen in tumor cell lines, small blood vessels inside the cancer nest, the sinusoids, and the central veins. More oil drops were found in the peripheral parts of the tumor than in the central part. The distal small vessels were embolized with necrotic change of tumor cells and their subordinate normal liver cells. We conclude that portal vein part takes in the blood supply of liver cancer and tumor cell necrosis can be achieved after administration of iodized oil and anticancer agent mixture through the portal vein. Hence transcatheter treatment through the portal vein may be helpful as a supplement to intraarterial treatment of primary liver cancer and transcatheter embolization via the portal vein to reinforce the intraarterial therapy may be recommended. This procedure may cause necrosis of normal liver cells and care must be taken in clinical application.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with anticancer drug in iodized oil for primary hepatic carcinoma.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using a suspension of anticancer drug in iodized oil combined with Gelfoam embolization was performed in 85 patients with advanced primary hepatic carcinoma. Long-term retention of iodized oil in the tumor was observed in 90% of the cases, and changes in tumor size were observable by abdominal X-ray film on follow-up studies. There was a decrease of tumor size in all cases and the overall 1-year survival rate was 43%. In tumors whose diameter was less than 20 cm and in patients without portal vein thrombosis the survival rate was nearly 60%. Combined treatment with anticancer drug in iodized oil and Gelfoam embolization of the proper hepatic artery was superior to use of the suspension alone. There was also better detection of small cancer nodules by the suspension as compared to conventional angiography.