Evaporation of light particles from a hot, deformed and rotating nucleus

The dependence of the transmission coefficient on the deformation, the collective rotation and excitation energy of the compound nucleus emitting light particles is introduced in the framework of Wei{\ss}kopf's evaporation theory. The competition between fission and particle evaporation is treated by a~Langevin equation for the fission variable coupled to the emission process. Detailed calculations are presented on the decay of different Gd and Yb isotopes at an excitation energy of about 250~MeV. These calculations demonstrate the importance of the effects of nuclear deformation and of the initial spin distribution on the evaporation.Comment: 22 pages in LaTeX and 26 PS-figures include

Study of the nucleon-induced preequilibrium reactions in terms of the Quantum Molecular Dynamics

The preequilibrium (nucleon-in, nucleon-out) angular distributions of $^{27}$Al, $^{58}$Ni and $^{90}$Zr have been analyzed in the energy region from 90 to 200 MeV in terms of the Quantum Moleculear Dynamics (QMD) theory. First, we show that the present approach can reproduce the measured (p,xp') and (p,xn) angular distributions leading to continuous final states without adjusing any parameters. Second, we show the results of the detailed study of the preequilibrium reaction processes; the step-wise contribution to the angular distribution, comparison with the quantum-mechanical Feshbach-Kerman-Koonin theory, the effects of momentum distribution and surface refraction/reflection to the quasifree scattering. Finally, the present method was used to assess the importance of multiple preequilibrium particle emission as a function of projectile energy up to 1 GeV.Comment: 22pages, Revex is used, 10 Postscript figures are available by request from [email protected]

Phase II trial of the antiangiogenic agent IM862 in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

IM862 is a naturally occurring dipeptide (L-glu-L-trp) with immunomodulatory and antiangiogenic properties. A significant anticancer activity has been reported recently in AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, a tumour of endothelial cell origin. The high vascularity and responsiveness to immunotherapy of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) makes such a tumour a potential target for IM862. In all, 25 patients were accrued in a prospective phase II trial using a standard two-step design. The main inclusion criteria were WHO performance status 3 months, normal marrow, kidney and liver functions. IM862 was given intranasally at a dose of 20 mg three times daily. Each cycle consisted of 8 consecutive weeks of treatment. All 25 patients were fully evaluable for response and 24 for toxicities. Median age was 62 years (range 42-76), median WHO PS was 1 (0-2). No grade 2 or 3 toxicities related to the study drug have been recorded. Eight patients had stable disease (SD) and 17 progressed while on treatment. Median survival was 7.9 months (range 2.7-20). Median time to progression was 1.9 months (range 1.2-12.6). Median duration of SD was 6 months (range 5.2-12.6+). Analysis of blood angiogenic markers showed a significant decrease of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels after 4 and 8 weeks of therapy. Treatment with IM862 has no toxicity, but does not lead to any significant objective responses in metastatic RCC. IM862 should not be further evaluated as a single agent at these doses and schedule for this population of patients. The decrease in VEGF levels warrants further investigation of IM862 as an antiangiogenic therapy

Particle-hole state densities with non-equidistant single-particle levels

The correct use of energy-dependent single-particle level (s.p.l.) densities within particle-hole state densities based on the equidistant spacing model (ESM) is analysed. First, an analytical expression is obtained following the convolution of energy-dependent excited-particle and hole densities. Next, a comparison is made with results of the ESM formula using average s.p.l. densities for the excited particles and holes, respectively. The Fermi-gas model (FGM) s.p.l. densities calculated at the corresponding average excitation energies are used in both cases. The analysis concerns also the density of particle-hole bound states. The pairing correlations are taken into account while the comparison of various effects includes the exact correction for the Pauli exclusion principle. Quantum-mechanical s.p.l. densities and the continuum effect can also match a corresponding FGM formula, suitable for use within the average energy-dependent partial state density in multistep reaction models.Comment: 29 pages, ReVTeX, 11 postscript figures, submitted to Phys.Rev.

Incident venous thromboembolic events in the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER)

<p>Background: Venous thromboembolic events (VTE), including deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, are common in older age. It has been suggested that statins might reduce the risk of VTE however positive results from studies of middle aged subjects may not be generalisable to elderly people. We aimed to determine the effect of pravastatin on incident VTE in older people; we also studied the impact of clinical and plasma risk variables.</p> <p>Methods: This study was an analysis of incident VTE using data from the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of pravastatin in men and women aged 70-82. Mean follow-up was 3.2 years. Risk for VTE was examined in non-warfarin treated pravastatin (n = 2834) and placebo (n = 2865) patients using a Cox's proportional hazard model, and the impact of other risk factors assessed in a multivariate forward stepwise regression analysis. Baseline clinical characteristics, blood biochemistry and hematology variables, plasma levels of lipids and lipoproteins, and plasma markers of inflammation and adiposity were compared. Plasma markers of thrombosis and hemostasis were assessed in a nested case (n = 48) control (n = 93) study where the cohort was those participants, not on warfarin, for whom data were available.</p> <p>Results: There were 28 definite cases (1.0%) of incident VTE in the pravastatin group recipients and 20 cases (0.70%) in placebo recipients. Pravastatin did not reduce VTE in PROSPER compared to placebo [unadjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) 1.42 (0.80, 2.52) p = 0.23]. Higher body mass index (BMI) [1.09 (1.02, 1.15) p = 0.0075], country [Scotland vs Netherlands 4.26 (1.00, 18.21) p = 0.050 and Ireland vs Netherlands 6.16 (1.46, 26.00) p = 0.013], lower systolic blood pressure [1.35 (1.03, 1.75) p = 0.027] and lower baseline Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score [1.19 (1.01, 1.41) p = 0.034] were associated with an increased risk of VTE, however only BMI, country and systolic blood pressure remained significant on multivariate analysis. In a nested case control study of definite VTE, plasma Factor VIII levels were associated with VTE [1.52 (1.01, 2.28), p = 0.044]. However no other measure of thrombosis and haemostasis was associated with increased risk of VTE.</p> <p>Conclusions: Pravastatin does not prevent VTE in elderly people at risk of vascular disease. Blood markers of haemostasis and inflammation are not strongly predictive of VTE in older age however BMI, country and lower systolic blood pressure are independently associated with VTE risk.</p&gt

Proton inelastic scattering to continuum studied with antisymmetrized molecular dynamics

Intermediate energy (p,p$'$x) reaction is studied with antisymmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) in the cases of $^{58}$Ni target with $E_p = 120$ MeV and $^{12}$C target with $E_p =$ 200 and 90 MeV. Angular distributions for various $E_{p'}$ energies are shown to be reproduced well without any adjustable parameter, which shows the reliability and usefulness of AMD in describing light-ion reactions. Detailed analyses of the calculations are made in the case of $^{58}$Ni target and following results are obtained: Two-step contributions are found to be dominant in some large angle region and to be indispensable for the reproduction of data. Furthermore the reproduction of data in the large angle region \theta \agt 120^\circ for $E_{p'}$ = 100 MeV is shown to be due to three-step contributions. Angular distributions for E_{p'} \agt 40 MeV are found to be insensitive to the choice of different in-medium nucleon-nucleon cross sections $\sigma_{NN}$ and the reason of this insensitivity is discussed in detail. On the other hand, the total reaction cross section and the cross section of evaporated protons are found to be sensitive to $\sigma_{NN}$. In the course of the analyses of the calculations, comparison is made with the distorted wave approach.Comment: 16 pages, 7 Postscript figure

Analysis of factors influencing the ultrasonic fetal weight estimation

Objective: The aim of our study was the evaluation of sonographic fetal weight estimation taking into consideration 9 of the most important factors of influence on the precision of the estimation. Methods: We analyzed 820 singleton pregnancies from 22 to 42 weeks of gestational age. We evaluated 9 different factors that potentially influence the precision of sonographic weight estimation ( time interval between estimation and delivery, experts vs. less experienced investigator, fetal gender, gestational age, fetal weight, maternal BMI, amniotic fluid index, presentation of the fetus, location of the placenta). Finally, we compared the results of the fetal weight estimation of the fetuses with poor scanning conditions to those presenting good scanning conditions. Results: Of the 9 evaluated factors that may influence accuracy of fetal weight estimation, only a short interval between sonographic weight estimation and delivery (0-7 vs. 8-14 days) had a statistically significant impact. Conclusion: Of all known factors of influence, only a time interval of more than 7 days between estimation and delivery had a negative impact on the estimation

Expression of Regulatory Platelet MicroRNAs in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Background: Increased platelet activation in sickle cell disease (SCD) contributes to a state of hypercoagulability and confers a risk of thromboembolic complications. The role for post-transcriptional regulation of the platelet transcriptome by microRNAs (miRNAs) in SCD has not been previously explored. This is the first study to determine whether platelets from SCD exhibit an altered miRNA expression profile. Methods and Findings: We analyzed the expression of miRNAs isolated from platelets from a primary cohort (SCD = 19, controls = 10) and a validation cohort (SCD = 7, controls = 7) by hybridizing to the Agilent miRNA microarrays. A dramatic difference in miRNA expression profiles between patients and controls was noted in both cohorts separately. A total of 40 differentially expressed platelet miRNAs were identified as common in both cohorts (p-value 0.05, fold change>2) with 24 miRNAs downregulated. Interestingly, 14 of the 24 downregulated miRNAs were members of three families - miR-329, miR-376 and miR-154 - which localized to the epigenetically regulated, maternally imprinted chromosome 14q32 region. We validated the downregulated miRNAs, miR-376a and miR-409-3p, and an upregulated miR-1225-3p using qRT-PCR. Over-expression of the miR-1225-3p in the Meg01 cells was followed by mRNA expression profiling to identify mRNA targets. This resulted in significant transcriptional repression of 1605 transcripts. A combinatorial approach using Meg01 mRNA expression profiles following miR-1225-3p overexpression, a computational prediction analysis of miRNA target sequences and a previously published set of differentially expressed platelet transcripts from SCD patients, identified three novel platelet mRNA targets: PBXIP1, PLAGL2 and PHF20L1. Conclusions: We have identified significant differences in functionally active platelet miRNAs in patients with SCD as compared to controls. These data provide an important inventory of differentially expressed miRNAs in SCD patients and an experimental framework for future studies of miRNAs as regulators of biological pathways in platelets. © 2013 Jain et al

Retinal vessel diameters and reactivity in diabetes mellitus and/or cardiovascular disease

Background: Retinal vessel calibre and vascular dilation/constriction in response to flicker light provocation may provide a measure distinguishing patients suffering from diabetes mellitus and/or cardiovascular disease. Methods: One hundred and sixteen age and sex matched patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and both DM and CVD (DM+CVD) underwent systemic and intraocular pressure measurements. Retinal vessel calibres were assessed using a validated computer-based program to compute central retinal artery and vein equivalents (CRVE) from monochromatic retinal images. Vessel dilation and constriction responses to flicker light provocation were assessed by continuous retinal vessel diameter recordings. Plasma endothelial markers von Willebrand factor (vWf) and soluble E selectin (sEsel) were measured by ELISA. Results: Retinal vessel calibres were comparable across groups but CRVE correlated significantly with disease duration in DM patients (r=0.57, p<0.001). Patients suffering DM only exhibited reduced arterial vasomotion at rest and reduced arterial constriction following flicker light induced vessel dilation compared to patients with CVD and those suffering both CVD+DM (p=0.030). Patients suffering from CVD+DM exhibited significant differences between each flicker cycle in regards to arterial maximum constriction (p=0.006) and time needed to reach arterial maximum dilation (p=0.004), whereas the other two groups did not show such inconsistencies between individual flicker cycles. vWf was raised in CVD+DM compared to the other two groups (p≤0.02), whilst sEsel was raised in CVD+DM compared to DM alone (p=0.044). Conclusions: Dynamic retinal vascular calibres as obtained by continuous diameter measurements using flicker light provocation can reveal subtle differences between groups suffering from CVD with and without DM. This difference in reaction pattern and lack of arterial constriction in DM may provide a suitable marker to monitor progression