RESUMEN
We determine the phase diagram of strongly correlated fermions in the crossover from Bose-Einstein condensates of molecules (BEC) to Cooper pairs of fermions (BCS) utilizing an artificial neural network. By applying advanced image recognition techniques to the momentum distribution of the fermions, a quantity which has been widely considered as featureless for providing information about the condensed state, we measure the critical temperature and show that it exhibits a maximum on the bosonic side of the crossover. Additionally, we backanalyze the trained neural network and demonstrate that it interprets physically relevant quantities.
RESUMEN
Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors (PMTs) are neoplasms associated with tumor-induced osteomalacia. Patients typically present with pathologic fractures in the setting of chronic hypophosphatemic hyperphosphaturic osteomalacia, as well as gradual muscle weakness, bone pain, and difficulty walking. Because of their rarity and nonspecific symptomatology, phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors often go undiagnosed for years. Even when discovered on imaging, the tumors can be diagnostically challenging for radiologists. Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors often tend to be small and can be located nearly anywhere in the body, and, therefore, can mimic many other tumors. This case highlights the imaging and pathologic markers of a phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor, often found in a patient with tumor-induced osteomalacia.
Asunto(s)
Mesenquimoma , Neoplasias de Tejido Conjuntivo , Osteomalacia , Síndromes Paraneoplásicos , Humanos , Mesenquimoma/diagnóstico , Mesenquimoma/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias de Tejido Conjuntivo/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de Tejido Conjuntivo/diagnóstico por imagen , Osteomalacia/diagnóstico por imagen , Osteomalacia/etiología , Síndromes Paraneoplásicos/complicaciones , Síndromes Paraneoplásicos/diagnóstico por imagenRESUMEN
Cold atom experiments commonly use broad magnetic Feshbach resonances to manipulate the interaction between atoms. In order to induce quantum dynamics by a change in the interaction strength, rapid (â¼µs) magnetic field changes over several tens of Gauss are required. Here, we present a compact design of a coil and its control circuit for a change in the magnetic field up to 36 G in 3 µs. The setup comprises two concentric solenoids with minimal space requirements, which can be readily added to existing apparatuses. This design makes the observation of non-equilibrium physics with broad Feshbach resonances accessible.
RESUMEN
Recent studies have shown that sub-lethal doses of herbicides may affect plant flowering, however, no study has established a direct relationship between the concentrations of deposited herbicide and plant flowering. Here the aim was to investigate the relationship between herbicide spray drift deposited on non-target plants and plant flowering in a realistic agro-ecosystem setting. The concentrations of the herbicide glyphosate deposited on plants were estimated by measuring the concentration of a dye tracer applied together with the herbicide. The estimated maximal and average deposition of glyphosate within the experimental area corresponded to 30 g glyphosate/ha (2.08% of the label rate of 1440 g a.i./ha) and 2.4 g glyphosate/ha (0.15% label rate), respectively, and the concentrations decreased rapidly with increasing distance from the spraying track. However, there were not a unique relation between distance and deposition, which indicate that heterogeneities of turbulence, wind speed and/or direction can strongly influence the deposition from 1 min to another during spraying. The effects of glyphosate on cumulative flower numbers and flowering time were modelled using Gompertz growth models on four non-target species. Glyphosate had a significantly negative effect on the cumulative number of flowers on Trifolium pratense and Lotus corniculatus, whereas there were no significant effects on Trifolium repens, and a positive, but non-significant, effect on number of flowers on Cichorium intybus. Glyphosate did not affect the flowering time of any of the four species significantly. Lack of floral resources is known to be of major importance for pollinator declines. The implications of the presented results for pesticide risk assessment are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Ecosistema , Herbicidas , Glicina/análogos & derivados , Glicina/toxicidad , Herbicidas/toxicidad , Plantas , GlifosatoRESUMEN
Inverted/reverse hexagonal (HII) phases are of special interest in several fields of research, including nanomedicine. We used molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to study HII systems composed of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (POPE) at several hydration levels and temperatures. The effect of the hydration level on several HII structural parameters, including deuterium order parameters, was investigated. We further used MD simulations to estimate the maximum hydrations of DOPE and POPE HII lattices at several given temperatures. Finally, the effect of acyl chain unsaturation degree on the HII structure was studied via comparing the DOPE with POPE HII systems. In addition to MD simulations, we used deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (2H NMR) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments to measure the DOPE acyl chain order parameters, lattice plane distances, and the water core radius in HII phase DOPE samples at several temperatures in the presence of excess water. Structural parameters calculated from MD simulations are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Dehydration decreases the radius of the water core. An increase in hydration level slightly increased the deuterium order parameter of lipids acyl chains, whereas an increase in temperature decreased it. Lipid cylinders undulated along the cylinder axis as a function of hydration level. The maximum hydration levels of PE HII phases at different temperatures were successfully predicted by MD simulations based on a single experimental measurement for the lattice plane distance in the presence of excess water. An increase in temperature decreases the maximum hydration and consequently the radius of the water core and lattice plane distances. Finally, DOPE formed HII structures with a higher curvature compared to POPE, as expected. We propose a general protocol for constructing computational HII systems that correspond to the experimental systems. This protocol could be used to study HII systems composed of molecules other than the PE systems used here and to improve and validate force field parameters by using the target data in the HII phase.
Asunto(s)
Fosfatidilcolinas , Fosfatidiletanolaminas , Membrana Dobles de Lípidos , Espectroscopía de Resonancia Magnética , Dispersión del Ángulo Pequeño , Temperatura , Difracción de Rayos XRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Acute hydrocephalus is a common complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH); however, attempts to predict shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus using clinical parameters have been equivocal. METHODS: Cohort study of aSAH is treated with external ventricular drainage (EVD) placement at our institution, 2001-2016, via logistic regression. EVD-related parameters included mean/total EVD output (days 0-2), EVD days, EVD days ≤ 5 mmHg, and wean/clamp fails. aSAH outcomes assessed included ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), radiographic infarction (RI), symptomatic vasospasm (SV), age, and aSAH grades. RESULTS: Two hundred and ten aSAH patients underwent EVD treatment for a median 12 days (range 1-54); 85 required VPS (40%). On univariate analysis, EVD output, total EVD days, EVD days ≤ 5 mmHg, and wean/clamp trial failures were significantly associated with VPS placement (p < 0.01 for all parameters). No EVD output parameter demonstrated a significant association with DCI, RI, or SV. On multivariate analysis, EVD output was a significant predictor of VPS placement, after adjusting for age and clinical and radiological grades; the optimal threshold for predicting VPS placement was mean daily output > 204 ml on days 0-2 (OR 2.59, 95% CI 1.31-5.07). Multiple wean failures were associated with unfavorable functional outcome, after adjusting for age, grade, and VPS placement (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.10-2.47). We developed a score incorporating age, grade and EVD parameters (MAGE) for predicting VPS placement after aSAH. CONCLUSIONS: EVD output parameters and wean/clamp trial failures predicted shunt dependence in an age- and grade-adjusted multivariable model. Early VPS placement may be warranted in patients with MAGE score ≥ 4, particularly following 2 failed wean trials.
Asunto(s)
Aneurisma Roto/terapia , Isquemia Encefálica/epidemiología , Infarto Cerebral/epidemiología , Hidrocefalia/cirugía , Aneurisma Intracraneal/terapia , Hemorragia Subaracnoidea/terapia , Vasoespasmo Intracraneal/epidemiología , Derivación Ventriculoperitoneal/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Aneurisma Roto/complicaciones , Infarto Cerebral/diagnóstico por imagen , Estudios de Cohortes , Drenaje , Femenino , Humanos , Hidrocefalia/etiología , Aneurisma Intracraneal/complicaciones , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Modelos Teóricos , Medición de Riesgo , Rotura Espontánea , Hemorragia Subaracnoidea/complicaciones , Ventriculostomía , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Since the introduction of fast diagnostic tracks in many areas of oncology, the traditional processing of bone marrow biopsies (BMB), requiring either resin embedding or lengthy fixation and decalcification, is due to an upgrade. Thanks to a growing number of new commercially available tissue processors, microwave-enhanced processing is becoming a standard tool in the pathology laboratory, allowing rapid fixation and decalcification of BMB with preserved morphology and antigens. In this short report, we describe the use of a commercially available EDTA-based decalcification fluid (USEDECALC, Medite, Orlando, USA) in combination with the LOGOS J (Milestone, Bergamo, Italy), a closed microwave-enhanced tissue processor, for overnight fixation, decalcification, and paraffin impregnation of the BMB. This allows next-day reporting without impaired morphology or immunohistochemistry, and even improved DNA quality of the BMB.
RESUMEN
A previous US study reported poorer survival in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) exposed to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) above 0.3 µT, but based on small numbers. Data from 3073 cases of childhood ALL were pooled from prospective studies conducted in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Japan, UK and US to determine death or relapse up to 10 years from diagnosis. Adjusting for known prognostic factors, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival and event-free survival for ELF-MF exposure categories and by 0.1 µT increases. The HRs by 0.1 µT increases were 1.00 (CI, 0.93-1.07) for event-free survival analysis and 1.04 (CI, 0.97-1.11) for overall survival. ALL cases exposed to >0.3 µT did not have a poorer event-free survival (HR=0.76; CI, 0.44-1.33) or overall survival (HR=0.96; CI, 0.49-1.89). HRs varied little by subtype of ALL. In conclusion, ELF-MF exposure has no impact on the survival probability or risk of relapse in children with ALL.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to describe the prospective risk and timing of symptomatic hemorrhage in a large cohort of followed patients with intracerebral cavernous malformations (ICMs). METHODS: All patients between 1989 and 1999 with the radiographic diagnosis of intracerebral cavernous malformation were identified retrospectively. The records and radiographic data were reviewed, and follow-up after diagnosis was obtained. An incidence rate was used to calculate annual risk of symptomatic hemorrhage. Predictive factors for outcomes used univariate and multivariable analysis with p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 292 patients were identified (47.3%male) with 2,035 patient years of follow-up. Seventy-four patients presented with hemorrhage, 108 with symptoms not related to hemorrhage (seizure or focal deficit), and 110 as asymptomatic. The overall annual rate of hemorrhage in those presenting initially with hemorrhage, with symptoms not related to hemorrhage, or as an incidental finding was 6.19%, 2.18%, and 0.33%, respectively. Patients who presented initially with symptomatic hemorrhage (hazard ratio 5.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.54-10.4; p < 0.001) were at higher risk for future hemorrhage, and hemorrhage risk decreased with time. Male gender (hazard ratio 2.36; 95% CI 1.14-4.89; p = 0.02), and multiplicity of ICMs (hazard ratio 2.65; 95% CI 1.30-5.43; p = 0.01) also increased the risk of hemorrhage. The median time from first to second hemorrhage was 8 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an estimate of prospective annual symptomatic hemorrhage risk in patients with ICMs stratified by initial presenting symptom. Prior hemorrhage, male gender, and multiplicity of ICMs may predict future hemorrhage. Hemorrhage risk decreases with time in those initially presenting with hemorrhage.
Asunto(s)
Malformaciones Arteriovenosas Intracraneales/complicaciones , Hemorragias Intracraneales/epidemiología , Hemorragias Intracraneales/etiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Incidencia , Malformaciones Arteriovenosas Intracraneales/diagnóstico , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Riesgo , Factores de RiesgoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is curative in children with sickle cell disease, but in adults the procedure is unduly toxic. Graft rejection and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) are additional barriers to its success. We performed nonmyeloablative stem-cell transplantation in adults with sickle cell disease. METHODS: Ten adults (age range, 16 to 45 years) with severe sickle cell disease underwent nonmyeloablative transplantation with CD34+ peripheral-blood stem cells, mobilized by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which were obtained from HLA-matched siblings. The patients received 300 cGy of total-body irradiation plus alemtuzumab before transplantation, and sirolimus was administered afterward. RESULTS: All 10 patients were alive at a median follow-up of 30 months after transplantation (range, 15 to 54). Nine patients had long-term, stable donor lymphohematopoietic engraftment at levels that sufficed to reverse the sickle cell disease phenotype. Mean (+/-SE) donor-recipient chimerism for T cells (CD3+) and myeloid cells (CD14+15+) was 53.3+/-8.6% and 83.3+/-10.3%, respectively, in the nine patients whose grafts were successful. Hemoglobin values before transplantation and at the last follow-up assessment were 9.0+/-0.3 and 12.6+/-0.5 g per deciliter, respectively. Serious adverse events included the narcotic-withdrawal syndrome and sirolimus-associated pneumonitis and arthralgia. Neither acute nor chronic GVHD developed in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: A protocol for nonmyeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation that includes total-body irradiation and treatment with alemtuzumab and sirolimus can achieve stable, mixed donor-recipient chimerism and reverse the sickle cell phenotype. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00061568.)
Asunto(s)
Anemia de Células Falciformes/terapia , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/uso terapéutico , Anticuerpos Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Antineoplásicos/uso terapéutico , Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas , Sirolimus/uso terapéutico , Acondicionamiento Pretrasplante/métodos , Irradiación Corporal Total , Adolescente , Adulto , Alemtuzumab , Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados , Antígenos CD34 , Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Protocolos Clínicos , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/efectos adversos , Trasplante de Células Madre Hematopoyéticas/métodos , Hemoglobinas/análisis , Prueba de Histocompatibilidad , Humanos , Recuento de Leucocitos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Narcóticos/efectos adversos , Neutrófilos , Sirolimus/efectos adversos , Síndrome de Abstinencia a Sustancias , Quimera por Trasplante , Trasplante Homólogo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Sudden cardiac death in the athlete is uncommon but extremely visible. In athletes under age 30, genetic heart disease, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, and ion channel disorders account for the majority of the deaths. Commotio cordis, involving blunt trauma to the chest leading to ventricular fibrillation, is also a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes. As the athlete ages, coronary atherosclerosis contributes to an increasing incidence of sudden death during sporting activities. For athletes with aborted sudden death or arrhythmia-related syncope, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator is generally indicated, and they should be restricted from most competitive sports. Participation in competitive athletics for athletes with heart disease should generally follow the recently published 36th Bethesda Conference Eligibility Recommendations for Competitive Athletes with Cardiovascular Abnormalities.
Asunto(s)
Muerte Súbita Cardíaca/prevención & control , Cardiopatías/complicaciones , Deportes , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Conducta Competitiva , Muerte Súbita Cardíaca/etiología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Factores de Riesgo , Adulto JovenAsunto(s)
Anemia de Células Falciformes/complicaciones , Trasplante de Células Madre de Sangre Periférica/efectos adversos , Neumonía/inducido químicamente , Sirolimus/efectos adversos , Adulto , Anemia de Células Falciformes/terapia , Antibióticos Antineoplásicos/efectos adversos , Femenino , Humanos , Trasplante de Células Madre de Sangre Periférica/métodosRESUMEN
We examined the association between magnetic field (MF) exposure and survival among children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) treated at 51 Pediatric Oncology Group centres between 1996 and 2001. Of 1672 potentially eligible children under treatment, 482 (29%) participated and personal 24-h MF measurements were obtained from 412 participants. A total of 386 children with ALL and 361 with B-precursor ALL were included in the analysis of event-free survival (time from diagnosis to first treatment failure, relapse, secondary malignancy, or death) and overall survival. After adjustment for risk group and socioeconomic status, the event-free survival hazard ratio (HR) for children with measurements >/=0.3 muT was 1.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.8, 4.9), compared to <0.1 muT. For survival, elevated HRs were found for children exposed to >/=0.3 muT (multivariate HR=4.5, 95% CI 1.5-13.8) but based on only four deaths among 19 children. While risk was increased among children with exposures above 0.3 muT, the small numbers limited inferences for this finding.
Asunto(s)
Campos Electromagnéticos/efectos adversos , Leucemia-Linfoma Linfoblástico de Células Precursoras/mortalidad , Adolescente , Niño , Preescolar , Supervivencia sin Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Pronóstico , Factores de Riesgo , Clase SocialAsunto(s)
Malformaciones Vasculares del Sistema Nervioso Central/etiología , Cefalea/etiología , Efusión Subdural/complicaciones , Trombosis de la Vena/etiología , Adulto , Malformaciones Vasculares del Sistema Nervioso Central/fisiopatología , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Femenino , Cefalea/fisiopatología , Humanos , Hipotensión Intracraneal/etiología , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Efusión Subdural/fisiopatología , Acúfeno/etiología , Trombosis de la Vena/fisiopatologíaRESUMEN
Clinical trials indicate that mammography provides a substantial breast cancer survival benefit; however, there is a need to demonstrate that this benefit extends to clinical practice and to determine the extent that current reductions in mortality are attributable to regular screening or adjuvant systemic therapy. Mammography was used routinely at our institution across a broad age range, in an era when most patients received no adjuvant systemic therapy. We examined breast cancer survival for a cohort of 678 stage I-III primary invasive breast cancer patients accrued from 1971 to 1990, and followed to 1996; 18% received adjuvant hormonal therapy and 15% received adjuvant chemotherapy. There were 61 women less than 40 years old; 136, 40-49 years; 341, 50-69 years; 140, > or =70 years. Factors available for multivariate investigations were age (years), tumor size (cm), nodal status (N-, Nx, N+), ER (fmol/mg protein), PgR (fmol/mg protein), adjuvant radiotherapy (no, yes), adjuvant hormonal therapy (no, yes), and adjuvant chemotherapy (no, yes). Forward stepwise multivariate regression with log-normal survival analysis was used to examine the effects of these factors on disease-specific survival. Ten-year survival by tumor size was adjusted for the effects of other significant factors. For women less than 40 years of age, 10-year survival at the T1a, T1b, T1c, and T2 cut-points for tumor size is, respectively, 0.77, 0.74, 0.67, 0.44; for 40-49 years it is 0.92, 0.90, 0.85, 0.62; for 50-69 years it is 0.81, 0.79, 0.75, 0.62; for > or =70 years it is 0.84, 0.81, 0.73, 0.44. With routine use of clinical mammography and up to 26 years of follow-up, we found breast cancer survival to be significantly better (p< or = 0.05) for all women with smaller tumors and that survival indicated a change in natural disease history with early detection. The Canadian National Breast Screening Study (NBSS) controls had significantly smaller tumors (p < 0.001) than our patients, which may indicate access to mammography outside of the NBSS that reduced the apparent survival benefit for clinical trial mammography.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Mama/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias de la Mama/mortalidad , Mamografía/normas , Adulto , Distribución por Edad , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Neoplasias de la Mama/terapia , Canadá/epidemiología , Estudios de Cohortes , Pruebas Diagnósticas de Rutina/normas , Femenino , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Análisis Multivariante , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Factores de Riesgo , Análisis de SupervivenciaRESUMEN
Significant predictors of treatment outcome are poorly defined for patients with T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). A high WBC at diagnosis, which has traditionally been a predictor of poor response in T-ALL, has considerably weakened prognostic significance in the face of modern, more intensive chemotherapy. To test the hypothesis that bone marrow stroma-supported leukemic cell recovery might identify children at high risk for relapse, we measured the ex vivo recovery of T-ALL lymphoblasts from 29 newly diagnosed patients using a stromal cell co-culture assay. In all cases the T-ALL lymphoblasts showed an increase in recovery of T-ALL cells (RTC), ranging from 4 to 343%, in comparison to samples maintained without stroma. Since we were blinded to patient outcome in this case-control study, we then correlated patient outcome with RTC. The RTC for 18 patients in complete continuous remission (CCR) for greater than 4 years was stochastically larger than for the 11 patients who eventually relapsed (P = 0.011, by the two-sided Wilcoxon test). Furthermore, 100% of patients with an RTC of more than 26% had a CCR greater than 4 years while 78% of the patients with an RTC of less than 25% relapsed within 4 years. This is the first report to show that higher lymphoblast recovery may predict a more favorable outcome for children with T-ALL. A prospective study is needed to test whether stroma-supported leukemic cell recovery might serve as a basis for assigning risk-adjusted therapy.
Asunto(s)
Células de la Médula Ósea/citología , Técnicas de Cocultivo/métodos , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T del Adulto/tratamiento farmacológico , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/diagnóstico , Células del Estroma/fisiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Línea Celular , Linaje de la Célula , Supervivencia Celular , Niño , Preescolar , Humanos , Lactante , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T del Adulto/diagnóstico , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T del Adulto/patología , Recuento de Leucocitos , Resultado del Tratamiento , Células Tumorales CultivadasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The cure rate for children/adolescents with localized rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) has tripled over the past 25 years, but patients with metastatic disease at presentation have not benefited similarly, and urgently need new therapy. We evaluated a new drug pair, ifosfamide + doxorubicin, for such patients. PROCEDURE: We estimated the complete and partial response rates (i.e., CR and PR) of 152 previously untreated children/adolescents with metastatic RMS entered on the IRS-IV pilot from July 1988 to October 1991 who received an "up-front window" of ifosfamide (1.8 gm/m(2)/day for 5 days) and doxorubicin (30 mg/m(2)/day for 2 days) given every 3 weeks for 12 weeks. This was followed by combination chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide (VAC), given every 3 weeks for an additional 36 weeks. RESULTS: Of 115 patients evaluable for early response at 12 weeks, 28 (20%) had CR and 66 (43%) had PR. The ultimate CR rate was 52%. Overall, about one-third of patients survived. Prognostic factor analysis revealed that patients < 10 years old (P < 0.001), those with embryonal tumors (P = 0.002), or a GU primary site (P = 0.010), and those who lacked nodal disease (P = 0.041), and those who lacked bone or bone marrow metastasis (P < 0.001) fared better than did others. CONCLUSIONS: The 63% CR + PR rate achieved at 12 weeks and overall 5-year FFS seen with this drug pair is similar to that achieved with previously evaluated drug combinations. We conclude that ifosfamide/doxorubicin is highly active in advanced RMS, and should be considered for inclusion in frontline therapy for children with intermediate or high-risk RMS.