4,765 research outputs found
CT-based tumour response criteria compared after combined treatment for liver metastases of colorectal cancer
open6noPurpose: The aim of this analysis is to compare different tumour response
criteria (TRC) after chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab in liver
metastases from colorectal cancer (mCRC) to ascertain the best early
prognostic indicator of response.
Methods and Materials: 103 target liver metastases from 65 mCRC patients
treated with chemoterapy plus bevacizumab were examined at the Istituto
Oncologico Veneto IOV-IRCSS (March 2008-January 2013). All patients had
baseline CT and at least one follow-up scan. Tumour response was
retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists using RECIST1.1, modified Choi,
and Chun morphologic criteria. Tumour response, classified as good (complete
or partial response) or poor (stable or progressive disease), was compared
with progression-free survival (PFS) at first follow-up (t1) and time of best
response. Interobserver agreement and concordance between TRC were
measured.
Results: At t1, 32.31% showed a good response according to RECIST1.1
(median PFS 11.1), 84.62% according to Choi (median PFS 10.8). These
percentages rose to 49.23% (median PFS 12.1) and 87.69% (median PFS
10.8), respectively, at the time of best response. According to Chun, 67.69%
showed a good response at the time of best response (median PFS 10.8). The
Choi criteria detected a higher proportion of good responders at t1, showing a
better correlation with PFS; all methods correlated with PFS at the time of best
response.
Conclusion: The Choi criteria proved more consistent in the early detection of
response in mCRC treated with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab,
underscoring the importance of using these criteria in the early assessment of
response to combined treatment.openopenVarotto, A.; Di Grazia, L.; Aliberti, C.; Bergamo, F.; Nardin, M.; Pomerri, F.Varotto, A.; Di Grazia, L.; Aliberti, C.; Bergamo, F.; Nardin, M.; Pomerri, Fabi
Early warning system for the prevention and control of unauthorized accesses to air navigation services infrastructures
Early warning systems are fundamental instruments for the management of
critical situations since they are able to signal in advance any anomaly with
respect to ordinary situations.
The purpose of this paper is to present an early warning system, based on
artificial neural networks, for the prevention and control of unauthorized
accesses to the air navigation services infrastructure in Italy
The natural pseudo-distance as a quotient pseudo-metric, and applications
The natural pseudo-distance is a similarity measure conceived for the purpose of comparing shapes. In this paper we revisit this pseudo-distance from the point of view of quotients. In particular, we show that the natural pseudo-distance coincides with the quotient pseudo-metric on the space of continuous functions on a compact manifold, endowed with the uniform convergence metric, modulo self-homeomorphisms of the manifold. As applications of this result, the natural pseudo-distance is shown to be actually a metric on a number of function subspaces such as the space of topological embeddings, of isometries, and of simple Morse functions on surfaces
Assessing radiative transfer models trained by numerical weather forecasts using sun-tracking radiometric measurements for satellite link characterization up to W band
Radio communications, and in particular Earth-to-satellite
links, are worldwide used for delivering digital services.
The bandwidth demand of such services is increasing
accordingly to the advent of more advanced applications
(e.g., multimedia services, deep-space explorations, etc.)
thus pushing the scientific community toward the
investigation of channel carriers at higher frequencies.
When using carrier frequencies above X band, the main
drawback is how to tackle the impact of tropospheric
processes (i.e., rain, cloud, water vapor). This work
assesses the joint use of weather forecast models, radiative
transfer models and Sun-tracking radiometric
measurements to explore their potential benefits in
predicting path attenuation and sky noise temperature for
slant paths at frequencies between K and W band, thus
paving the way to the optimization of satellite link-budgets
Atomic Force Microscope nanolithography on chromosomes to genrate single-cell genetic probes
Abstract Background Chromosomal dissection provides a direct advance for isolating DNA from cytogenetically recognizable region to generate genetic probes for fluorescence in situ hybridization, a technique that became very common in cyto and molecular genetics research and diagnostics. Several reports describing microdissection methods (glass needle or a laser beam) to obtain specific probes from metaphase chromosomes are available. Several limitations are imposed by the traditional methods of dissection as the need for a large number of chromosomes for the production of a probe. In addition, the conventional methods are not suitable for single chromosome analysis, because of the relatively big size of the microneedles. Consequently new dissection techniques are essential for advanced research on chromosomes at the nanoscale level. Results We report the use of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) as a tool for nanomanipulation of single chromosomes to generate individual cell specific genetic probes. Besides new methods towards a better nanodissection, this work is focused on the combination of molecular and nanomanipulation techniques which enable both nanodissection and amplification of chromosomal and chromatidic DNA. Cross-sectional analysis of the dissected chromosomes reveals 20 nm and 40 nm deep cuts. Isolated single chromosomal regions can be directly amplified and labeled by the Degenerate Oligonucleotide-Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (DOP-PCR) and subsequently hybridized to chromosomes and interphasic nuclei. Conclusions Atomic force microscope can be easily used to visualize and to manipulate biological material with high resolution and accuracy. The fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performed with the DOP-PCR products as test probes has been tested succesfully in avian microchromosomes and interphasic nuclei. Chromosome nanolithography, with a resolution beyond the resolution limit of light microscopy, could be useful to the construction of chromosome band libraries and to the molecular cytogenetic mapping related to the investigation of genetic diseases.</p
Ferritin nanocages for protein delivery to tumor cells
The delivery of therapeutic proteins is one of the greatest challenges in the treatment of human diseases. In this frame, ferritins occupy a very special place. Thanks to their hollow spherical structure, they are used as modular nanocages for the delivery of anticancer drugs. More recently, the possibility of encapsulating even small proteins with enzymatic or cytotoxic activity is emerging. Among all ferritins, particular interest is paid to the Archaeoglobus fulgidus one, due to its peculiar ability to associate/dissociate in physiological conditions. This protein has also been engineered to allow recognition of human receptors and used in vitro for the delivery of cytotoxic proteins with extremely promising results
Biowaste home composting: Experimental process monitoring and quality control
none5noBecause home composting is a prevention option in managing biowaste at local levels, the objective of
the present study was to contribute to the knowledge of the process evolution and compost quality that
can be expected and obtained, respectively, in this decentralized option. In this study, organized as the
research portion of a provincial project on home composting in the territory of Pesaro-Urbino (Central
Italy), four experimental composters were first initiated and temporally monitored. Second, two small
sub-sets of selected provincial composters (directly operated by households involved in the project)
underwent quality control on their compost products at two different temporal steps. The monitored
experimental composters showed overall decreasing profiles versus composting time for moisture,
organic carbon, and C/N, as well as overall increasing profiles for electrical conductivity and total nitrogen,
which represented qualitative indications of progress in the process. Comparative evaluations of the
monitored experimental composters also suggested some interactions in home composting, i.e., high C/N
ratios limiting organic matter decomposition rates and final humification levels; high moisture contents
restricting the internal temperature regime; nearly horizontal phosphorus and potassium evolutions contributing
to limit the rates of increase in electrical conductivity; and prolonged biowaste additions contributing
to limit the rate of decrease in moisture. The measures of parametric data variability in the two
sub-sets of controlled provincial composters showed decreased variability in moisture, organic carbon,
and C/N from the seventh to fifteenth month of home composting, as well as increased variability in electrical
conductivity, total nitrogen, and humification rate, which could be considered compatible with the
respective nature of decreasing and increasing parameters during composting. The modeled parametric
kinetics in the monitored experimental composters, along with the evaluation of the parametric central
tendencies in the sub-sets of controlled provincial composters, all indicate that 12–15 months is a suitable
duration for the appropriate development of home composting in final and simultaneous compliance
with typical reference limits.openFabio TATANO; Giacomo Pagliaro; Paolo Di Giovanni; Enrico Floriani; Filippo ManganiTatano, Fabio; Giacomo, Pagliaro; Paolo Di, Giovanni; Enrico, Floriani; Filippo, Mangan
Evolution of Large Scale Curvature Fluctuations During the Perturbative Decay of the Inflaton
We study the evolution of cosmological fluctuations during and after
inflation driven by a scalar field coupled to a perfect fluid through afriction
term. During the slow-roll regime for the scalar field, the perfect fluid is
also frozen and isocurvature perturbations are generated. After the end of
inflation, during the decay of the inflaton, we find that a change in the
observationally relevant large scale curvature fluctuations is possible.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures; v2: version published in PR
The Eyjafjöll explosive volcanic eruption from a microwave weather radar perspective
Abstract. The sub-glacial Eyjafjöll explosive volcanic eruptions of April and May 2010 are analyzed and quantitatively interpreted by using ground-based weather radar data and the Volcanic Ash Radar Retrieval (VARR) technique. The Eyjafjöll eruptions have been continuously monitored by the Keflavík C-band weather radar, located at a distance of about 155 km from the volcano vent. Considering that the Eyjafjöll volcano is approximately 20 km from the Atlantic Ocean and that the northerly winds stretched the plume toward the mainland Europe, weather radars are the only means to provide an estimate of the total ejected tephra. The VARR methodology is summarized and applied to available radar time series to estimate the plume maximum height, ash particle category, ash volume, ash fallout and ash concentration every 5 min near the vent. Estimates of the discharge rate of eruption, based on the retrieved ash plume top height, are provided together with an evaluation of the total erupted mass and volume. Deposited ash at ground is also retrieved from radar data by empirically reconstructing the vertical profile of radar reflectivity and estimating the near-surface ash fallout. Radar-based retrieval results cannot be compared with ground measurements, due to the lack of the latter, but further demonstrate the unique contribution of these remote sensing products to the understating and modelling of explosive volcanic ash eruptions
Ethylchloroformate derivatization for GC-MS analysis of resveratrol isomers in red wine
Resveratrol (3,5,40-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural compound that can be found in high concentrations in red wine and in many typical foods found in human diet. Over the past decades, resveratrol has been widely investigated for its potential beneficial effects on human health. At the same time, numerous analytical methods have been developed for the quantitative determination of resveratrol isomers in oenological and food matrices. In the present work, we developed a very fast and sensitive GC-MS method for the determination of resveratrol in red wine based on ethylchloroformate derivatization. Since this reaction occurs directly in the water phase during the extraction process itself, it has the advantage of significantly reducing the overall processing time for the sample. This method presents low limits of quantification (LOQ) (25 ng/mL and 50 ng/mL for cis- and trans-resveratrol, respectively) and excellent accuracy and precision. Ethylchloroformate derivatization was successfully applied to the analysis of resveratrol isomers in a selection of 15 commercial Italian red wines, providing concentration values comparable to those reported in other studies. As this method can be easily extended to other classes of molecules present in red wine, it allows further development of new GC-MS methods for the molecular profiling of oenological matrices
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