This paper presents a detailed study of the deflection phenomena of a 400 GeV/c proton beam impinging on a new generation of bent silicon crystals; the tests have been performed at the CERN Super ...Proton Synchrotron H8 beam line. Channeling and volume reflection angles are measured with an extremely precise goniometer and with high resolution silicon microstrip detectors. Volume reflection has been observed and measured for the first time at this energy, with a single-pass efficiency as large as 98%, in good agreement with the simulation results. This efficiency makes volume reflection a possible candidate for collimation with bent crystals at the CERN Large Hadron Collider.
The doubling of the angle of beam deflection due to volume reflection of protons by a sequence of two bent silicon crystals was experimentally observed at the 400 GeV proton beam of the CERN SPS. A ...similar sequence of short bent crystals can be used as an efficient primary collimator for the Large Hadron Collider.
We report here that the progression of pancreatic carcinomas in tumor patients is associated with increased serum levels of both the soluble forms of CD95 ligand (CD95L/FasL) and its receptor, CD95 ...(Fas). Shedding of proteolytically processed soluble CD95L was also observed in pancreatic carcinoma cells in vitro, thus identifying one possible source of CD95L in patients' sera. Because the secreted forms of both CD95 and CD95L have been implicated previously in protection of cells from CD95-mediated cell death, we assessed the effect of soluble CD95L in supernatants of pancreatic carcinoma cells on viability of Jurkat T lymphocytes. We describe that (a) supernatants derived from cultured pancreatic carcinoma cells caused apoptosis of Jurkat cells; (b) soluble tumor-derived CD95L contributed significantly to this effect; and (c) in comparison to Jurkat cells, pancreatic carcinoma cells themselves revealed increased resistance to apoptosis induction by autocrine soluble CD95L. These results are consistent with the notion that in the microenvironment of pancreatic tumors, tumor-derived shed CD95L exerts paracrine pro-apoptotic effects. In addition, because it is released at high levels into the bloodstream, soluble CD95L may have systemic effects in tumor patients that reach beyond the microenvironment of the tumor site.
Outcomes of split-liver transplantation (SLT) with pediatric donors have never been specifically reported.
A prospective multicenter study on SLT using donors younger than 15 years was conducted. ...Thirty-nine split-liver procedures generating a left lateral segment (LLS) and an extended right graft (ERG) were performed. In three cases, no recipient was found for ERG. In all but one case, the celiac trunk was maintained with LLS. Data were available for 67 grafts (90% of the total): 38 LLSs and 9 ERGs transplanted into 46 children and 20 ERGs transplanted into 20 adults. Sixty-two (93%) grafts were used for primary transplants and five (7%) for retransplantation. SLT were performed with 15 donors 10 years of age and less and with 24 between 11 and 15 years.
Median follow-up was 24 months. Two-year patient and graft survival were 87% and 82%. Patient and graft survivals were not significantly different between pediatric and adult recipients, between recipients from donors 10 years of age and less and those between 11 and 15 years, and between recipients of LLS and ERG. Arterial complications occurred in 6% of cases (8% in the < or = 10 year donors group, 5% in the 11-15 year donors group). The incidence of other complications was similar between groups.
SLT with pediatric donors, even younger than 10 years, provided results comparable with those achievable using adult donors. The similar incidence of arterial complications among patients receiving LLS or ERG suggests that maintenance of the celiac trunk with LLS is not detrimental for right-sided grafts.
To assess the efficacy and safety of LASIK in patients with high myopic anisometropia and to provide specific screening guidelines for anisometropic patients undergoing refractive surgery.
Twenty-six ...eyes of 16 patients with high myopic anisometropia (>3.0 diopters) were enrolled in this study. Complete pre- and postoperative ophthalmologic and orthoptic examinations were performed. The preoperative orthoptic examination was done with glasses and contact lenses. Twenty-two eyes of 13 patients underwent uncomplicated LASIK; the second eye was treated 2 weeks after the first eye. Patients were examined 1 day, 7 days, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.
Thirteen patients obtaining good results at red glass bar test (RGB) underwent LASIK without postoperative diplopia; four showed an improvement of the sensorial assessment. Three patients were excluded from surgery because of diplopia with RGB values <4 to 5. LASIK temporarily induced diplopia in the suppressed eye of one patient; however, the diplopia disappeared after surgery of the fixating eye.
Patients with high myopic anisometropia and a weak sensorial state who undergo refractive surgery may be at risk for postoperative diplopia. We suggest clinical guidelines to reduce the occurrence of this complication.
This study presents the minimum number and the best combination of tomato harvests needed to compare tomato accessions from germplasm banks. Number and weight of fruit in tomato plants are important ...as auxiliary traits in the evaluation of germplasm banks and should be studied simultaneously with other desirable characteristics such as pest and disease resistance, improved flavor and early production. Brazilian tomato breeding programs should consider not only the number of fruit but also fruit size because Brazilian consumers value fruit that are homogeneous, large and heavy. Our experiment was a randomized block design with three replicates of 32 tomato accessions from the Vegetable Germplasm Bank (Banco de Germoplasma de Hortalicas) at the Federal University of Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil plus two control cultivars (Debora Plus and Santa Clara). Nine harvests were evaluated for four production-related traits. The results indicate that six successive harvests are sufficient to compare tomato genotypes and germplasm bank accessions. Evaluation of genotypes according to the number of fruit requires analysis from the second to the seventh harvest. Evaluation of fruit weight by genotype requires analysis from the fourth to the ninth harvest. Evaluation of both number and weight of fruit require analysis from the second to the ninth harvest.
The multimodal approach to patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma often includes polychemotherapy combined with radiation therapy. Cancer dysphagia and drug-related anorexia, mucositis and ...vomiting can all lead to malnutrition. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the administration of enteral nutrition (EN) on the patient's nutritional status, tolerance of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and final oncological outcome.
Fifty esophageal cancer patients who were to be submitted to chemotherapy (days 1-4 5-fluorouracil (FU) 1 g/m2/day and cisplatin (CDDP) 100 mg/m2/day 1) for two cycles plus radiotherapy (31 Gy) were referred to the Nutrition Support Unit prior to any therapy due to their malnourished status. Twenty-nine dysphagic patients received nutrition via tube (37 kcal/kg/day + 2.0 g proteins/kg/day for 34 days), while 21 others who were not dysphagic were given a standard oral diet (SD). The patients who received EN had a more severe weight loss than the SD patients (16.8% vs 12.8%, P <0.02).
The dose of administered EN represented 86% of the planned support, and 70% of the nutritional therapy was administered in the home setting. Administration of EN support resulted in stable body weight and unchanged levels of visceral proteins, while SD patients had a decrease in body weight, total proteins and serum albumin (P <0.01). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of tolerance and response to cancer therapy, suitability for radical resection and median survival (9.5 months).
EN in patients with cancer of the esophagus undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy is well tolerated, feasible even in the home setting, prevents further nutritional deterioration and achieves the same oncological results in dysphagic patients as those achieved in non-dysphagic patients.
Summary
Delayed graft function (DGF) is a frequent complication of kidney transplantation (KT) that may affect both short‐ and long‐term graft outcome. It has been reported that pretransplantation ...peritoneal dialysis was correlated with a better recovery of graft function than hemodialysis in adult kidney recipients. However, the effect of pretransplantation dialysis mode (PDM) seemed to be unclear on the early outcome of KT in pediatric recipients. In this study, the potential impact of PDM on early graft function was evaluated in 174 pediatric patients who underwent KT by using cadaveric donors. The primary outcome parameter was the time to reach a serum creatinine (SCr) level 50% of the pretransplantation value T1/2(SCr), while DGF was defined as a T1/2(SCr) >3 days after KT (n = 40). By stratifying kidney recipients for normal function graft or DGF, this latter group showed a significantly higher body weight (BW) on the day of KT (P = 0.014), body surface area (BSA) (P = 0.005), warm ischemia time (WIT) (P = 0.022), early SCr on the day 1 after KT (P < 0.001), and T1/2(SCr) (P < 0.001), whereas lower urine volume (UV) collected in the first 24 h after KT (P < 0.001) and fluid load (P < 0.001) occurred. Univariate exponential correlation that was carried out between T1/2(SCr) and all the other variables had shown a better value than the linear correlation for BW (R2 = 0.28 vs. R2 = 0.04), BSA (R2 = 0.29 vs. R2 = 0.03), and SCr (R2 = 0.51 vs. R2 = 0.28). In a multivariate regression analysis performed by entering T1/2(SCr) as dependent variable and following a forward stepwise method, cold ischemia time (CIT) (P = 0.027) but not PDM (P = 0.195) reached significance. In a Cox regression analysis carried out with T1/2(SCr) as dependent variable, neither CIT nor PDM gained significance. This study suggests that PDM does not affect early graft function in pediatric kidney recipients.
Results of this multicentric study have shown that by giving Master Amino acid Pattern (MAP) as a sole and total substitute of dietary proteins to 500 overweight participants undergoing the American ...Nutrition Clinics/Overweight Management Program (ANC/OMP), the participants' body nitrogen balance could be maintained in equilibrium with essentially no calories (MAP 1 g=0.04 kcal), thereby preserving the body's structural and functional proteins, eliminating excessive water retention from the interstitial compartment, and preventing the sudden weight increase after study conclusion commonly known as the yo-yo effect. Study results have shown that the use of MAP, in conjunction with the ANC/OMP regimen, has proven to be safe and effective by preventing those adverse effects associated with a negative nitrogen balance, such as oversized or flabby tissue, stretch marks, the sagging of breast tissue, increased hair loss, faded hair color, and fragile or brittle nails. Also prevented were those anomalies commonly associated with weight-loss diets, such as hunger, weakness, headache caused by ketosis, constipation, and decreased libido. The use of MAP in conjunction with the ANC/OMP also allowed for mean weight loss of 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) per week, achieved through reduction of excessive fat tissue and elimination of excessive water retention from the interstitial compartment.
PDF
