Because of the central role of working memory capacity in cognition, many studies have used short measures of working memory capacity to examine its relationship to other domains. Here, we measured ...the reliability and stability of visual working memory capacity, measured using a single-probe change detection task. In Experiment
1
, the participants (
N
= 135) completed a large number of trials of a change detection task (540 in total, 180 each of set sizes 4, 6, and 8). With large numbers of both trials and participants, reliability estimates were high (
α
> .9). We then used an iterative down-sampling procedure to create a look-up table for expected reliability in experiments with small sample sizes. In Experiment
2
, the participants (
N
= 79) completed 31 sessions of single-probe change detection. The first 30 sessions took place over 30 consecutive days, and the last session took place 30 days later. This unprecedented number of sessions allowed us to examine the effects of practice on stability and internal reliability. Even after much practice, individual differences were stable over time (average between-session
r
= .76).
Studies of attention and working memory address the fundamental limits in our ability to encode and maintain behaviorally relevant information, processes that are critical for goal-driven processing. ...Here we review our current understanding of the interactions between these processes, with a focus on how each construct encompasses a variety of dissociable phenomena. Attention facilitates target processing during both perceptual and postperceptual stages of processing, and functionally dissociated processes have been implicated in the maintenance of different kinds of information in working memory. Thus, although it is clear that these processes are closely intertwined, the nature of these interactions depends upon the specific variety of attention or working memory that is considered.
The mechanical description of the seismic cycle has an energetic analogy in terms of statistical physics and the second law of
thermodynamics. In this context, an earthquake can be considered a phase
...transition, where continuous reorganization of stresses and forces reflects
an evolution from equilibrium to non-equilibrium states, and we can use this
analogy to characterize the earthquake hazard of a region. In this study, we used 8 years (2007–2014) of high-quality Integrated Plate Boundary
Observatory Chile (IPOC) seismic data for > 100 000 earthquakes
in northern Chile to test the theory that Shannon entropy, H, is an indicator of the equilibrium state of a seismically active region. We confirmed increasing H reflects the irreversible transition of a system and is linked to the occurrence of large earthquakes. Using variation in H, we could detect major earthquakes and their foreshocks and aftershocks, including the 2007 Mw 7.8 Tocopilla earthquake, the 2014 Mw 8.1 Iquique earthquake,
and the 2010 and 2011 Calama earthquakes (Mw 6.6 and 6.8,
respectively). Moreover, we identified possible periodic seismic behaviour
between 80 and 160 km depth.
It has been suggested that the use of preimplantation genetic screening of cleavage-stage embryos for aneuploidies may improve pregnancy rates in women of advanced maternal age undergoing in vitro ...fertilization (IVF). In this multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial, women 35 through 41 years of age assigned to preimplantation genetic screening had lower rates of ongoing pregnancies and live births than those undergoing IVF alone. These results argue against the routine use of preimplantation genetic screening as an adjunct to IVF in women of advanced maternal age.
In this trial, women of advanced maternal age assigned to preimplantation genetic screening had lower rates of ongoing pregnancies and live births than those undergoing in vitro fertilization alone.
The use of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has steadily increased over the past decade. The American and European registries of assisted reproductive technology reported a total of 352,769 initiated IVF cycles in the year 2002.
1
,
2
In about half of these cycles, the woman was 35 years of age or older,
1
,
2
reflecting the demographic trend toward postponement of the time to start a family.
3
Unfortunately, IVF by itself cannot compensate for the lower fecundity associated with increasing age.
3
A potential cause of the low pregnancy rates in women of advanced maternal age undergoing IVF is the increased incidence of . . .
Adrenal gland metastases are a common diagnostic finding in various tumor diseases. Due to the increased use of imaging methods, they are diagnosed more frequently, especially in asymptomatic ...patients. SBRT has emerged as a new, alternative treatment option in the field of radiation oncology. In the past, it was often used for treating inoperable lung, liver, prostate, and brain tumors. Meanwhile, it is also an established keystone in the treatment of oligometastatic diseases. This retrospective study aims to evaluate the effect of low-dose SBRT in patients with adrenal metastases.
We analyzed a group of 31 patients with 34 adrenal gland lesions treated with low-dose SBRT between July 2006 and July 2019. Treatment-planning was performed through contrast-enhanced CT, followed by image-guided stereotactic radiotherapy using cone-beam CT. The applied cumulative median dose was 35 Gy; the median single dose was 7 Gy. We focused on local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), as well as acute and late toxicity.
Seven adrenal gland metastases (20.6%) experienced local failure, 80.6% of the patients faced a distant progression. Fourteen patients were still alive. Median follow-up for all patients was 9.8 months and for patients alive 14.4 months. No treatment-related side-effects >grade 2 occurred. Of all, 48.4% suffered from acute gastrointestinal disorders; 32.3% reported acute fatigue, throbbing pain in the renal area, and mild adrenal insufficiency. Altogether, 19.4% of the patients faced late-toxicities, which were as follows: Grade 1: 12.9% gastrointestinal disorders, 3.2% fatigue, Grade 2: 9.7% fatigue, 6.5% headache, 3.2% loss of weight. The 1-year OS and probability of LF were 64 and 25.9%, respectively.
Low-dose SBRT has proven as an effective and safe method with promising outcomes for treating adrenal metastases. There appeared no high-grade toxicities >grade 2, and 79.4% of treated metastases were progression-free. Thus, SBRT should be considered as a therapy option for adrenal metastases as an individual therapeutic concept in the interdisciplinary discussion as an alternative to surgical or systemic treatment.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Determining if a sequence of numbers is ordered or not is one of the fundamental aspects of numerical processing linked to concurrent and future arithmetic skills. While some studies have explored ...the neural underpinnings of order processing using functional magnetic resonance imaging, our understanding of electrophysiological correlates is comparatively limited. To address this gap, we used a three-item symbolic numerical order verification task (with Arabic numerals from 1 to 9) to study event-related potentials (ERPs) in 73 adult participants in an exploratory approach. We presented three-item sequences and manipulated their order (ordered vs. unordered) as well as their inter-item numerical distance (one vs. two). Participants had to determine if a presented sequence was ordered or not. They also completed a speeded arithmetic fluency test, which measured their arithmetic skills. Our results revealed a significant mean amplitude difference in the grand average ERP waveform between ordered and unordered sequences in a time window of 500-750 ms at left anterior-frontal, left parietal, and central electrodes. We also identified distance-related amplitude differences for both ordered and unordered sequences. While unordered sequences showed an effect in the time window of 500-750 ms at electrode clusters around anterior-frontal and right-frontal regions, ordered sequences differed in an earlier time window (190-275 ms) in frontal and right parieto-occipital regions. Only the mean amplitude difference between ordered and unordered sequences showed an association with arithmetic fluency at the left anterior-frontal electrode. While the earlier time window for ordered sequences is consistent with a more automated and efficient processing of ordered sequential items, distance-related differences in unordered sequences occur later in time.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
An all-quartz oscillating-disk viscometer of very high precision was used to measure the temperature dependence of the viscosity of argon in the limit of zero density. The measurements were based on ...a single calibration value at 298.15 K, which was calculated theoretically using an accurate
ab initio
pair potential for argon and the kinetic theory of dilute gases. The uncertainty of the experimental data is conservatively estimated to be 0.15 % temperature increasing to 0.2 % 680 K. The new data, as well as viscosities determined in 2007 at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the range from 200 K to 400 K, agree excellently within ±0.1 % theoretically calculated viscosity of argon at zero density. On the contrary, the widely accepted viscosity data recommended by Kestin et al. (J Chem Phys 56:4119, 1972) deviate by as much as 0.9 %
Background Hepatic metastases occur frequently in the context of many tumor entities. Patients with colorectal carcinoma have already developed liver metastases in 20% at the time of diagnosis, and ...25-50% develop metastases in the further course of the disease and therapy. The frequent manifestation and the variable appearance of liver metastases result in an interdisciplinary challenge, regarding treatment management. The aim of this study was to evaluate high-precision stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for liver metastases. Methods A cohort of 115 patients with 150 irradiated liver metastases was analyzed. All metastases were treated between May 2004 and January 2020 using SBRT. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) was performed in all patients for treatment planning, followed by image-guided high-precision radiotherapy using cone-beam CT. A median cumulative dose of 35 Gy and a median single dose of 7 Gy was applied. Results Median OS was 20.4 months and median LC was 35.1 months with a 1-year probability of local failure of 18% (95%-CI: 12.0-24.3%). In this cohort, 18 patients were still alive at the time of evaluation. The median FU-time in total was 11.4 months and for living patients 26.6 months. 70.4% of patients suffered from acute toxicities. There were several cases of grade 1 and 2 toxicities, such as constipation (13.9%), nausea (24.4%), loss of appetite (7.8%), vomiting (10.4%), diarrhea (7.8%), and abdominal pain (16.5%). 10 patients (8.7%) suffered from grade 3 toxicities. Late toxicities affected 42.6% of patients, the majority of these affected the gastrointestinal system. Conclusion SBRT is becoming increasingly important in the field of radiation oncology. It has evolved to be a highly effective treatment for primary and metastasized tumors, and offers a semi-curative treatment option also in the case of oligometastatic patients. Overall, it represents a very effective and well-tolerated therapy option to treat hepatic metastases. Based on the results of this work and the studies already available, high-precision radiotherapy should be considered as a valid and promising treatment alternative in the interdisciplinary discussion. Keywords: Stereotactic body radiation therapy, Liver metastases, Hepatic metastases, High-precision radiotherapy, Oncology, Outcome, SBRT, Toxicity, Survival
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
(1) Purpose: To assess the safety and effectivity of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on spinal metastases utilizing a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) concept in oligometastatic cancer ...patients. (2) Methods: 62 consecutive patients with 71 spinal metastases received SIB-SBRT between 01/2013 and 09/2022 at our institution. We retrospectively analyzed toxicity, local tumor control (LC), and progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) following SIB-SBRT and assessed possible influencing factors (Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test and Cox proportional-hazards model). (3) Results: SIB-SBRT was delivered in five fractions, mostly with 25/40 Gy (
= 43; 60.56%) and 25/35 Gy (
= 19, 26.76%). Estimated rates of freedom from VCF were 96.1/90.4% at one/two years. VCF development was significantly associated with osteoporosis (
< 0.001). No ≥ grade III acute and one grade III late toxicity (VCF) were observed. Estimated LC rates at one/two years were 98.6/96.4%, and histology was significantly associated with local treatment failure (
= 0.039). Median PFS/OS was 10 months (95% CI 6.01-13.99)/not reached. Development of metastases ≥ one year after initial diagnosis and Karnofsky Performance Score ≥ 90% were predictors for superior PFS (
= 0.038) and OS (
= 0.012), respectively. (4) Conclusion: Spinal SIB-SBRT yields low toxicity and excellent LC. It may be utilized in selected oligometastatic patients to improve prognosis. To the best of our knowledge, we provide the first clinical data on the toxicity and effectivity of SIB-SBRT in spinal metastases in a larger patient cohort.
The results of this survey reveal current clinical practice in the handling of combined radioimmunotherapy with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (RT + ICI). We aim to provide a basis to open a discussion ...for clinical application of RT + ICI by analyzation of experts' assessment. We conducted a survey with 24 items with a focus on side effects of RT + ICI, common practice of scheduling and handling of adverse events. After pilot testing by radiation oncology experts the link to the online survey was sent to all members of the German Society of Radiation Oncology (DEGRO). In total, 51 radiation oncologists completed the questionnaire. Pulmonary toxicity under RT + ICI with ICIs was reported most frequently. Consensus was observed for bone and soft tissue RT of the limbs in favor for no interruption of ICIs. For cranial RT half of the participants do not suspend ICIs during normofractionated radiotherapy (nfRT) or stereotactic hypofractionated RT (SRT). More participants pause ICIs for central than for peripheral thoracic region. Maintenance therapy with ICIs is mostly not interrupted prior to RT. For management of RT associated pneumonitis under durvalumab the majority of 86.3% suggest corticosteroid therapy and 76.5% would postpone the next cycle of ICI therapy. The here obtained assessment and experiences by radiation oncologists reveal a large variability in practical handling of combined RT + ICI. Until scientific evidence is available a discussion for current clinical application of RT + ICI should be triggered. Interdisciplinary consensus guidelines with practical recommendations are required.
PDF
