The Tamar Trough revisited: correlations berween sedimentary beds, basalts, their ages and valley evolution, North Tasmania

The Tamar Trough, an Early Palaeogene fault structure, contains sedimentaty beds and interleaved basaltic flows that infill the structure along its 70 km length. These infills represent a complex interplay between sedimentation, channel erosion, eruptive dislocations, and even 'out of trough' diyersions of the ancestral Tamar drainage. Several areas of resistant basalt flows remain in the south, upper, middle and lower Tamar reaches. Although some palynological control was known, radiometric dating of previously untested basalts now allows close integration and age-pegging for observed palynological biozones. The K-Ar and Ar-Ar ages of the basalt bodies indicate eruptive events at 47, 33-37 and 25 Ma, correlating with Proteacidites asperopolus-Malvacipollis diversus, Nothofagites asperus and Proteacidites tuberculatus biozone age sedimentary beds respectively. Basanite, alkali basalt and hawaiite flows dominate basalt lithology with lesser olivine nephelinite, transitional olivine basalt, olivine tholeiite and quartz tholeiite. Basalt geochemistry suggests derivation from different degrees of partial mande melting (from 7 to 35%), with alkaline and tholeiitic basalts being derived from separate source regions. Most alkaline basalts have high-jl (HIMU) related trace element signatures, which are absent in the tholeiitic rocks. A basalt plug on the trough margin at Loira gave a Jurassic age and has Jurassic dolerite-like geochemistry. The Tamar sequence suggests that the initial fluvio-Iacustrine and later channel-fill sedimentation from 65(?) to 24(?) Ma was then punctuated in places by periods of alkaline volcanism between 47 to 33(?) Ma, and alkaline and tholeiitic volcanism between 33 to 24(?) Ma. No Neogene fossils are known, so this later period was probably one of net erosion. These contrasting quiet sedimentary and more volcanic intervals are related here to a tectonic model that involves northerly drift of Victorian and Tasmanian lithosphere over several former Tasman metasomatised mantle plume sources

Unusual pegmatoid crystallisations in a nephelinite plug, near Round Lagoon, eastern Central Plateau, Tasmania

Pegmatoids in a Late Oligocene olivine nephelinite plug near Round Lagoon form a complex low-pressure fractionation suite. The host nephelinite contains meta-peridotite and meta-wehrlite mantle xenoliths and its composition (Mg# 0.63) may reflect both mantle and then limited fractionation. The pegmatoids range from ultramafic through mafic to feldspathic assemblages in a progressive, but discontinuous, fractionation sequence ~ olivine ~ sodalite ijolite, nepheline syenite ~ alkali syenite). Within this sequence, olivine and clinopyroxene compositions decrease in content, while clinopyroxene becomes increasingly Na- and Fe-rich to produce late stage aegirine-augite and aegirine. Nepheline is prominent in the sequence and crystallised over a wide temperature range from 10000 to <500°C. The presence of sodalite suggests volatile Cl-rich fluxing. Mg-rich spinel crystallised in assemblages, distinct from Fe- and Ti-rich oxides of the magnetite-ulvospinel series in later assemblages. The Round Lagoon low-pressure pegmatoids developed by fractionation in a narrow, vertical feeder rather than in broad lava ponds such as those noted in nephelinite flows at Inverell, New South Wales, and at La Madera, Argentina

Thermal Neutron Relative Biological Effectiveness Factors for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy from In Vitro Irradiations

The experimental determination of the relative biological effectiveness of thermal neutron factors is fundamental in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. The present values have been obtained while using mixed beams that consist of both neutrons and photons of various energies. A common weighting factor has been used for both thermal and fast neutron doses, although such an approach has been questioned. At the nuclear reactor of the Institut Laue-Langevin a pure low-energy neutron beam has been used to determine thermal neutron relative biological effectiveness factors. Different cancer cell lines, which correspond to glioblastoma, melanoma, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and non-tumor cell lines (lung fibroblast and embryonic kidney), have been irradiated while using an experimental arrangement designed to minimize neutron-induced secondary gamma radiation. Additionally, the cells were irradiated with photons at a medical linear accelerator, providing reference data for comparison with that from neutron irradiation. The survival and proliferation were studied after irradiation, yielding the Relative Biological Effectiveness that corresponds to the damage of thermal neutrons for the different tissue types.Asociacion Espanola Contra el Cancer (AECC) PS16163811PORRSpanish MINECO FIS2015-69941-C2-1-PJunta de Andalucia P11-FQM-8229Campus of International Excellence BioTic P-BS-64University of Granada Chair Neutrons for Medicine: the Spanish Fundacion ACSAsociacion Capitan AntonioFundacion ACSLa Kuadrilla de IznallozSonriendo Se Puede Gana

Radiobiology data of melanoma cells after low-energy neutron irradiation and boron compound administration

The cold neutron beam at the PF1b line at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), without fast neutrons and a low contribution of gamma rays, is a very suitable facility to measure cell damage following low-energy neutron irradiation. The biological damage associated with the thermal and the boron doses can be obtained in order to evaluate the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. Three different experiments were carried out on the A375 melanoma cell line: the first one in a hospital LINAC, to obtain the reference radiation data, and the other two at the ILL, in which the damage to cells with and without boron compounds added was measured

Leptomeningeal disease in oligodendroglial tumors: a population-based study

In this population-based study, we determined the frequency and clinical characteristics of leptomeningeal disease (LMD) developing in the context of oligodendroglial tumors (oligodendrogliomas and oligoastrocytomas). LMD occurred in only 3.9% (8/204) of oligodendroglial tumors and in patients with more recurrences [mean 2.88 vs. 1.27 in LMD and non-LMD, respectively (p = 0.001)]. In contrast to LMD from systemic solid tumors, the median survival following the diagnosis of LMD in oligodendroglial tumors was surprisingly long at 22 months (95% CI 11–33 months). Treatment with oral chemotherapy seemed as effective as more aggressive treatments (e.g. repeat RT or intrathecal chemotherapy) in these patients

Online dispute resolution: an artificial intelligence perspective

Litigation in court is still the main dispute resolution mode. However, given the amount and characteristics of the new disputes, mostly arising out of electronic contracting, courts are becoming slower and outdated. Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) recently emerged as a set of tools and techniques, supported by technology, aimed at facilitating conflict resolution. In this paper we present a critical evaluation on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based techniques in ODR. In order to fulfill this goal, we analyze a set of commercial providers (in this case twenty four) and some research projects (in this circumstance six). Supported by the results so far achieved, a new approach to deal with the problem of ODR is proposed, in which we take on some of the problems identified in the current state of the art in linking ODR and AI.The work described in this paper is included in TIARAC - Telematics and Artificial Intelligence in Alternative Conflict Resolution Project (PTDC/JUR/71354/2006), which is a research project supported by FCT (Science & Technology Foundation), Portugal. The work of Davide Carneiro is also supported by a doctoral grant by FCT (SFRH/BD/64890/2009).Acknowledgments. The work described in this paper is included in TIARAC - Telematics and Artificial Intelligence in Alternative Conflict Resolution Project (PTDC/JUR/71354/2006), which is a research project supported by FCT (Science & Technology Foundation), Portugal. The work of Davide Carneiro is also supported by a doctoral grant by FCT (SFRH/BD/64890/2009)

Phase II study of weekly vinorelbine and 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin as first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer

We prospectively investigated the efficacy and safety of combining weekly vinorelbine (VNB) with weekly 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV) in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). Vinorelbine 25 mg m−2 30-min intravenous infusion, and high-dose 5-FU 2600 mg m−2 plus LV 300 mg m−2 24-h intravenous infusion (HDFL regimen) were given on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks. Between June 1999 and April 2003, 40 patients with histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic breast cancer were enrolled with a median age of 49 years (range: 36–68). A total of 25 patients had recurrent ABC, and 15 patients had primary metastatic diseases. The overall response rate for the intent-to-treat group was 70.0% (95% CI: 54–84%) with eight complete responses and 20 partial responses. All 40 patients were evaluated for survival and toxicities. Among a total of 316 cycles of VNB–HDFL given (average: 7.9: range: 4–14 cycles per patient), the main toxicity was Gr3/4 leucopenia and Gr3/4 neutropenia in 57 (18.0%) and 120 (38.0%) cycles, respectively. Gr1/2 infection and Gr1/2 stomatitis were noted in five (1.6%) and 59 (18.7%) cycles, respectively. None of the patients developed Gr3/4 stomatitis or Gr3/4 infection. Gr2/3 and Gr1 hand–foot syndrome was noted in two (5.0%) and 23 (57.5%) patients, respectively. Gr1 sensory neuropathy developed in three patients. The median time to progression was 8.0 months (range: 3–25.5 months), and the median overall survival was 25.0 months with a follow-up of 5.5 to 45+ months. This VNB–HDFL regimen is a highly active yet well-tolerated first-line treatment for ABC

A cognitive behavioral based group intervention for children with a chronic illness and their parents: a multicentre randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Coping with a chronic illness (CI) challenges children's psychosocial functioning and wellbeing. Cognitive-behavioral intervention programs that focus on teaching the active use of coping strategies may prevent children with CI from developing psychosocial problems. Involvement of parents in the intervention program may enhance the use of learned coping strategies in daily life, especially on the long-term. The primary aim of the present study is to examine the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioral based group intervention (called 'Op Koers') <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B1">1</abbr></abbrgrp> for children with CI and of a parallel intervention for their parents. A secondary objective is to investigate why and for whom this intervention works, in order to understand the underlying mechanisms of the intervention effect.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>This study is a multicentre randomized controlled trial. Participants are children (8 to 18 years of age) with a chronic illness, and their parents, recruited from seven participating hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants are randomly allocated to two intervention groups (the child intervention group and the child intervention combined with a parent program) and a wait-list control group. Primary outcomes are child psychosocial functioning, wellbeing and child disease related coping skills. Secondary outcomes are child quality of life, child general coping skills, child self-perception, parental stress, quality of parent-child interaction, and parental perceived vulnerability. Outcomes are evaluated at baseline, after 6 weeks of treatment, and at a 6 and 12-month follow-up period. The analyses will be performed on the basis of an intention-to-treat population.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study evaluates the effectiveness of a group intervention improving psychosocial functioning in children with CI and their parents. If proven effective, the intervention will be implemented in clinical practice. Strengths and limitations of the study design are discussed.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN60919570">ISRCTN60919570</a></p