Phase i study of \u27dose-dense\u27 pemetrexed plus carboplatin/radiotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This phase I study investigates the feasibility of carboplatin plus dose-dense (q2-week) pemetrexed given concurrently with radiotherapy (XRT) for locally advanced and oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Eligible patients had Stage III or IV (oligometastatic) NSCLC. Patients received XRT to 63 Gy in standard fractionation. Patients received concurrent carboplatin (AUC = 6) during weeks 1 and 5 of XRT, and pemetrexed during weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 of XRT. The starting dose level (level 1) of pemetrexed was 300 mg/m2. Following the finding of dose limiting toxicity (DLT) in dose level 1, an amended dose level (level 1A) continued pemetrexed at 300 mg/m2, but with involved field radiation instead of extended nodal irradiation. Consolidation consisted of carboplatin (AUC = 6) and pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) q3 weeks × 2 -3 cycles. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were enrolled. Fourteen patients are evaluable for toxicity analysis. Of the initial 6 patients treated on dose level 1, two experienced DLTs (one grade 4 sepsis, one prolonged grade 3 esophagitis). There was one DLT (grade 5 pneumonitis) in the 8 patients treated on dose level 1A. In 16 patients evaluable for response (4 with oligometastatic stage IV disease and 12 with stage III disease), the median follow-up time is 17.8 months. Thirteen of 16 patients had in field local regional response. The actuarial median survival time was 28.6 months in all patients and 34.7 months (estimated) in stage III patients. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent carboplatin with dose-dense (q2week) pemetrexed at 300 mg/m2 with involved field XRT is feasible and encouraging in patients with locally advanced and oligometastatic NSCLC

Impacts of nitrate on the water resources of Malta

High density of population (1250 persons/km2) and livestock (300 head/km2). • Heavy dependence on groundwater for public supply and agriculture. • Complex landuse with multiple cropping and small landholdings. • Semi-arid Mediterranean climate with low and variable infiltration (<200 mm/year). • Two aquifers, ‘perched’ and ‘mean sea level’ (MSL) separated by impermeable clay. • Water level in MSL aquifer depressed to 5 m above sea level by abstraction

Intersubband terahertz lasers using four-level asymmetric quantum wells

We demonstrate the potential for laser operation at far-infrared wavelengths (30–300 µm, 1–10 THz) by using intersubband emission in four-level GaAs/AlGaAs asymmetric (stepped) quantum wells. Achieving population inversion in these devices depends critically on the lifetimes of the nonradiative intersubband transitions, and so we have performed detailed calculations of electron–electron and electron–phonon scattering rates. Our four-subband structures show potential for the realization of room temperature lasing, unlike previously considered three-subband structures which did not give population inversions except at impractically low electron densities and temperatures. Auger-type electron–electron interactions involving the highly populated ground subband effectively destroyed the population inversion in three level systems, but in these four subband structures the inversion is maintained by strong phonon-mediated depopulation of the lower laser level. The largest population inversions are calculated at low temperatures (< 30 K), but for the structures with higher emission energies, room temperature (300 K) operation is also predicted. © 1999 American Institute of Physics

Serialized Asynchronous Links for NoC

This paper proposes an asynchronous serialized link for NoC that can achieve the same levels of performance in terms of flits per second as a synchronous link but with a reduced number of wires in the point to point switch links and reduced power consumption. This is achieved by employing serialization in the asynchronous domain as opposed to synchronous to facilitate the removal of global clocking on the serial links. Based on transistor level simulations using 0.12 ?m foundry models it has been shown that it is possible to achieve the same level of performance as synchronous but with 75% reduction in wires and 65% reduction in power for a 300 MFlit/s link with 8 buffers with a switch clock speed of 300 MHz. Furthermore the paper presents the design requirements arising from interfacing switches of synchronous NoC and asynchronous serial links

The ISIS Project: Real Experience with a Fault Tolerant Programming System

The ISIS project has developed a distributed programming toolkit and a collection of higher level applications based on these tools. ISIS is now in use at more than 300 locations world-wise. The lessons (and surprises) gained from this experience with the real world are discussed

Accurate, rapid, temperature and liquid-level sensor for cryogenic tanks

Thermopiles measure ullage gas temperatures to within plus or minus 1.65 deg K between 20 and 300 deg K, and also serve as point liquid-level sensors. Thermopile technique measures smaller temperature differences by keeping the reference junctions inside the tank and near the temperature range of the measuring junction

Nuclear powered Mars cargo transport mission utilizing advanced ion propulsion

Nuclear-powered ion propulsion technology was combined with detailed trajectory analysis to determine propulsion system and trajectory options for an unmanned cargo mission to Mars in support of manned Mars missions. A total of 96 mission scenarios were identified by combining two power levels, two propellants, four values of specific impulse per propellant, three starting altitudes, and two starting velocities. Sixty of these scenarios were selected for a detailed trajectory analysis; a complete propulsion system study was then conducted for 20 of these trajectories. Trip times ranged from 344 days for a xenon propulsion system operating at 300 kW total power and starting from lunar orbit with escape velocity, to 770 days for an argon propulsion system operating at 300 kW total power and starting from nuclear start orbit with circular velocity. Trip times for the 3 MW cases studied ranged from 356 to 413 days. Payload masses ranged from 5700 to 12,300 kg for the 300 kW power level, and from 72,200 to 81,500 kg for the 3 MW power level

Electronic structure studies of BaFe2As2 by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

We report high resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) studies of the electronic structure of BaFe$_2$As$_2$, which is one of the parent compounds of the Fe-pnictide superconductors. ARPES measurements have been performed at 20 K and 300 K, corresponding to the orthorhombic antiferromagnetic phase and the tetragonal paramagnetic phase, respectively. Photon energies between 30 and 175 eV and polarizations parallel and perpendicular to the scattering plane have been used. Measurements of the Fermi surface yield two hole pockets at the $\Gamma$-point and an electron pocket at each of the X-points. The topology of the pockets has been concluded from the dispersion of the spectral weight as a function of binding energy. Changes in the spectral weight at the Fermi level upon variation of the polarization of the incident photons yield important information on the orbital character of the states near the Fermi level. No differences in the electronic structure between 20 and 300 K could be resolved. The results are compared with density functional theory band structure calculations for the tetragonal paramagnetic phase.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure