The survival outcome of patients with systemic cancer differs significantly between individuals even within the same tumour type. We set out to illustrate this by analysing the factors determining ...survival in patients with metastatic disease from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to design a scoring system based on these prognostic factors. Patients referred between January 1994 and December 1999 were retrospectively analysed. Factors analysed included patient (age group, gender, performance status (BS) at diagnosis of metastases), disease (number of metastatic sites, specific metastatic sites, disease-free interval (DFI), metastases at presentation, presence of locoregional recurrence), and laboratory factors (leucocyte count, haemoglobin level, albumin level). Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed using the Cox proportion hazards model. A numerical score was derived from the regression coefficients of each independent prognostic variable. The prognostic index score (PIS) of each patient was calculated by totalling up the scores of each independent variable. Independently significant, negative prognostic factors were liver metastasis, lung metastasis, anaemia, poor PS, distant metastasis at initial diagnosis, and a DFI of <6 months. Three prognostic groups based on the PIS were obtained: (i) good risk (PIS=0–6); (ii) intermediate risk (7–10); (iii) poor risk (⩾11). The median survivals for these groups were 19.5, 10, and 5.8, months, respectively, (log rank test: P<0.0001). The variable prognosis of patients with disseminated NPC can be assessed by using easily available clinical information (patient, disease and laboratory factors). The PIS system will need to be validated on prospectively collected data of another cohort of patients.
4D simulation, building information modeling, virtual construction, computer simulation and virtual prototyping are emerging topics in the building construction industry. These techniques not only ...relate to the buildings themselves, but can also be applied to other forms of construction, including bridges. Since bridge construction is a complex process involving multiple types of plant and equipment, applying such virtual methods benefits the understanding of all parties in construction practice.
This paper describes the relationship between temporary platforms, plant and equipment resources and a proposed-built model in the construction planning and use of Virtual Prototyping Simulation (VPS) to implement different construction scenarios in order to help planners identify an optimal construction plan. A case study demonstrates the use of VPS integrated with temporary platform design and plant and equipment-resource allocation to generate different construction scenarios.
► Helping planners select a construction scenario by testing different alternatives ► Analyzing the allocation of plant and equipment-resources ► VPS integrated with temporary platform design and resource allocation
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In respiratory and genetic disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis (CF), the lungs produce excess mucus, ...resulting in a thickened mass, which clogs up the airways and reduces airflow. Consequently, breathing becomes more difficult. Medications that break down the structure of mucus will be especially useful in managing the early symptoms of these diseases and preventing their progression into the more severe forms. This work therefore seeks to develop an inhaled mucoactive dry powder formulation that is efficacious on multiple fronts. As an innovative step, sodium chloride was used to tailor the surface architecture of ambroxol hydrochloride particles, such that the resulting angular features on the surfaces contributed to the creation of corrugated particles with enhanced aerodynamicity. The optimized spray-dried powder particles were of respirable-size (d50 of 2.85 ± 0.15 μm) and moderately corrugated. When the crystalline powder was dispersed via an Aerolizer® inhaler at 60 L/min, it gave a fine particle fraction (FPF) of ~31%, which was a ten-fold improvement over the unmodified species (i.e. ambroxol hydrochloride alone). Tests on artificial sputum medium (ASM) showed that the optimized formulation was potentially useful in liquefying the mucus, which favorably pointed towards the effectiveness of the formulation. In addition, the formulation was also stable to moisture ingress (up to ~60% RH) and had good flowability. Hence, the advent of angular adjuvant sodium chloride particles in a mucoactive formulation conferred a three-fold benefit to the product: (1) Improved aerodynamicity and flowability, (2) Enhanced moisture stability and (3) Synergistic mucolytic properties.
A
bstract
The decays
D
→
K
−
π
+
π
+
π
−
and
D
→
K
−
π
+
π
0
are studied in a sample of quantum-correlated
$$ D\overline{D} $$
D
D
¯
pairs produced through the process
e
+
e
−
→
ψ
(3770) →
$$ ...D\overline{D} $$
D
D
¯
, exploiting a data set collected by the BESIII experiment that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb
−
1
. Here
D
indicates a quantum superposition of a
D
0
and a
$$ {\overline{D}}^0 $$
D
¯
0
meson. By reconstructing one neutral charm meson in a signal decay, and the other in the same or a different final state, observables are measured that contain information on the coherence factors and average strong-phase differences of each of the signal modes. These parameters are critical inputs in the measurement of the angle
γ
of the Unitarity Triangle in
B
−
→
DK
−
decays at the LHCb and Belle II experiments. The coherence factors are determined to be
R
K
3
π
=
$$ {0.52}_{-0.10}^{+0.12} $$
0.52
−
0.10
+
0.12
and
$$ {R}_{K{\pi \pi}^0} $$
R
K
ππ
0
= 0
.
78 ± 0
.
04, with values for the average strong-phase differences that are
$$ {\delta}_D^{K3\pi }=\left({167}_{-19}^{+31}\right){}^{\circ} $$
δ
D
K
3
π
=
167
−
19
+
31
°
and
$$ {\delta}_D^{K{\pi \pi}^0}=\left({196}_{-15}^{+14}\right){}^{\circ} $$
δ
D
K
ππ
0
=
196
−
15
+
14
°
, where the uncertainties include both statistical and systematic contributions. The analysis is re-performed in four bins of the phase-space of the
D
→
K
−
π
+
π
+
π
−
to yield results that will allow for a more sensitive measurement of
γ
with this mode, to which the BESIII inputs will contribute an uncertainty of around 6°.
A
bstract
By using 6.32 fb
−
1
of data collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4.178 and 4.226 GeV, we perform an amplitude analysis of the decay
$$ {D}_s^{+}\to ...{K}_S^0{\pi}^{+}{\pi}^0 $$
D
s
+
→
K
S
0
π
+
π
0
and determine the relative fractions and phase differences of different intermediate processes, which include
$$ {K}_S^0\rho $$
K
S
0
ρ
(770)
+
,
$$ {K}_S^0\rho $$
K
S
0
ρ
(1450)
+
,
K
*
(892)
0
π
+
,
K
*
(892)
+
π
0
, and
K
*
(1410)
0
π
+
. With the detection efficiency based on the amplitude analysis results, the absolute branching fraction is measured to be
$$ \mathrm{\mathcal{B}}\left({D}_s^{+}\to {K}_S^0{\pi}^{+}\pi 0\right)=\left(5.43\pm {0.30}_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm {0.15}_{\mathrm{syst}}\right)\times {10}^{-3} $$
ℬ
D
s
+
→
K
S
0
π
+
π
0
=
5.43
±
0.30
stat
±
0.15
syst
×
10
−
3
.
A
bstract
We measure the branching fractions for seven
$$ {D}_s^{+} $$
D
s
+
two-body decays to pseudo-scalar mesons, by analyzing data collected at
$$ \sqrt{s} $$
s
= 4
.
178 ∼ 4
.
226 GeV with the ...BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The branching fractions are determined to be
$$ {\displaystyle \begin{array}{c}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to {K}^{+}\eta \hbox{'}\right)=\left(2.68\pm 0.17\pm 0.17\pm 0.08\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to \eta \hbox{'}{\pi}^{+}\right)=\left(37.8\pm 0.4\pm 2.1\pm 1.2\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to {K}^{+}\eta \right)=\left(1.62\pm 0.10\pm 0.03\pm 0.05\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to \eta {\pi}^{+}\right)=\left(17.41\pm 0.18\pm 0.27\pm 0.54\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to {K}^{+}{K}_S^0\right)=\left(15.02\pm 0.10\pm 0.27\pm 0.47\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to {K}_S^0{\pi}^{+}\right)=\left(1.109\pm 0.034\pm 0.023\pm 0.035\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({D}_s^{+}\to {K}^{+}{\pi}^0\right)=\left(0.748\pm 0.049\pm 0.018\pm 0.035\right)\times {10}^{-3},\end{array}} $$
B
D
s
+
→
K
+
η
'
=
2.68
±
0.17
±
0.17
±
0.08
×
10
−
3
,
B
D
s
+
→
η
'
π
+
=
37.8
±
0.4
±
2.1
±
1.2
×
10
−
3
,
B
D
s
+
→
K
+
η
=
1.62
±
0.10
±
0.03
±
0.05
×
10
−
3
,
B
D
s
+
→
η
π
+
=
17.41
±
0.18
±
0.27
±
0.54
×
10
−
3
,
B
D
s
+
→
K
+
K
S
0
=
15.02
±
0.10
±
0.27
±
0.47
×
10
−
3
,
B
D
s
+
→
K
S
0
π
+
=
1.109
±
0.034
±
0.023
±
0.035
×
10
−
3
,
B
D
s
+
→
K
+
π
0
=
0.748
±
0.049
±
0.018
±
0.035
×
10
−
3
,
where the first uncertainties are statistical, the second are systematic, and the third are from external input branching fraction of the normalization mode
$$ {D}_s^{+} $$
D
s
+
→
K
+
K
−
π
+
. Precision of our measurements is significantly improved compared with that of the current world average values.
We report the first measurement of the absolute branching fraction of the inclusive decay Λc+→KS0X. The analysis is performed using ane+e- collision data sample corresponding to an integrated ...luminosity of 567 pb-1 taken at s = 4.6 GeV with the BESIII detector. Using eleven Cabibbo-favored Λ¯c- decay modes and the double-tag technique, this absolute branching fraction is measured to be B(Λc+→KS0X)=(9.9±0.6±0.4)%, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The relative deviation between the branching fractions for the inclusive decay and the observed exclusive decays is (18.7±8.3)%, which indicates that there may be some unobserved decay modes with a neutron or excited baryons in the final state.
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