Two-Dimensional Helioseismic Power, Phase, and Coherence Spectra of {\it Solar Dynamics Observatory} Photospheric and Chromospheric Observables

While the {\it Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager} (HMI) onboard the {\it Solar Dynamics Observatory} (SDO) provides Doppler velocity [$V$], continuum intensity [$I_C$], and line-depth [$Ld$] observations, each of which is sensitive to the five-minute acoustic spectrum, the {\it Atmospheric Imaging Array} (AIA) also observes at wavelengths -- specifically the 1600 and 1700 Angstrom bands -- that are partly formed in the upper photosphere and have good sensitivity to acoustic modes. In this article we consider the characteristics of the spatio--temporal Fourier spectra in AIA and HMI observables for a 15-degree region around NOAA Active Region 11072. We map the spatio--temporal-power distribution for the different observables and the HMI Line Core [$I_L$], or Continuum minus Line Depth, and the phase and coherence functions for selected observable pairs, as a function of position and frequency. Five-minute oscillation power in all observables is suppressed in the sunspot and also in plage areas. Above the acoustic cut-off frequency, the behaviour is more complicated: power in HMI $I_C$ is still suppressed in the presence of surface magnetic fields, while power in HMI $I_L$ and the AIA bands is suppressed in areas of surface field but enhanced in an extended area around the active region, and power in HMI $V$ is enhanced in a narrow zone around strong-field concentrations and suppressed in a wider surrounding area. The relative phase of the observables, and their cross-coherence functions, are also altered around the active region. These effects may help us to understand the interaction of waves and magnetic fields in the different layers of the photosphere, and will need to be taken into account in multi-wavelength local helioseismic analysis of active regions.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, to be published in Solar Physic

SCIAMACHY Level 1 data: calibration concept and in-flight calibration

The calibration of SCIAMACHY was thoroughly checked since the instrument was launched on-board ENVISAT in February 2002. While SCIAMACHY's functional performance is excellent since launch, a number of technical difficulties have appeared, that required adjustments to the calibration. The problems can be separated into three types: (1) Those caused by the instrument and/or platform environment. Among these are the high water content in the satellite structure and/or MLI layer. This results in the deposition of ice on the detectors in channels 7 and 8 which seriously affects the retrievals in the IR, mostly because of the continuous change of the slit function caused by scattering of the light through the ice layer. Additionally a light leak in channel 7 severely hampers any retrieval from this channel. (2) Problems due to errors in the on-ground calibration and/or data processing affecting for example the radiometric calibration. A new approach based on a mixture of onground and in-flight data is shortly described here. (3) Problems caused by principal limitations of the calibration concept, e.g. the possible appearance of spectral structures after the polarisation correction due to unavoidable errors in the determination of atmospheric polarisation. In this paper we give a complete overview of the calibration and problems that still have to be solved. We will also give an indication of the effect of calibration problems on retrievals where possible. Since the operational processing chain is currently being updated and no newly processed data are available at this point in time, for some calibration issues only a rough estimate of the effect on Level 2 products can be given. However, it is the intention of this paper to serve as a future reference for detailed studies into specific calibration issues

Verification Study of Residual Activity Measurements After Yttrium-90 Radioembolization with Glass Microspheres

OBJECTIVE: After yttrium-90 (90Y) radioembolization, residual activity and its consequences for dosimetric calculations are often not reported. The manufacturer for glass microspheres prescribes standard residual activity measurements by a survey meter, but the validity lacks evidence. This study aims to verify the accuracy of the survey meter approach for measuring residual activity of glass microspheres after treatment with glass microspheres. METHODS: To validate the accuracy of the survey meter approach, the measured residual activity of glass microspheres by survey meter was compared with measurements by PET. A sample of these waste containers was also measured by dose calibrator to confirm the accuracy of the PET. RESULTS: Twenty-four waste containers from glass microsphere treatments were prospectively scanned with 90Y-PET/CT. Bland-Altman plots showed substantial disagreement in residual activity measured by survey meter versus the residual activity measured by PET and dose calibrator, whereas the correlation between PET and dose calibrator was excellent (ρ = 0.99). CONCLUSION: This study found a significant disagreement between the residual activities measured by the survey meter, compared to measurements by PET and dose calibrator. If relatively high amounts of residual activity are encountered using the exposure rate measurement with a survey meter, additional quantification should be considered using either PET/CT or a dose calibrator measurement

TNM Staging of Neoplasms of the Endocrine Pancreas: Results From a Large International Cohort Study

Background Both the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) and the International Union for Cancer Control/American Joint Cancer Committee/World Health Organization (UICC/AJCC/WHO) have proposed TNM staging systems for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. This study aims to identify the most accurate and useful TNM system for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms. Methods The study included 1072 patients who had undergone previous surgery for their cancer and for which at least 2 years of follow-up from 1990 to 2007 was available. Data on 28 variables were collected, and the performance of the two TNM staging systems was compared by Cox regression analysis and multivariable analyses. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results Differences in distribution of sex and age were observed for the ENETS TNM staging system. At Cox regression analysis, only the ENETS TNM staging system perfectly allocated patients into four statistically significantly different and equally populated risk groups (with stage I as the reference; stage II hazard ratio [HR] of death = 16.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.14 to 123, P = .007; stage III HR of death = 51.81, 95% CI = 7.11 to 377, P < .001; and stage IV HR of death = 160, 95% CI = 22.30 to 1143, P < .001). However, the UICC/AJCC/WHO 2010 TNM staging system compressed the disease into three differently populated classes, with most patients in stage I, and with the patients being equally distributed into stages II-III (statistically similar) and IV (with stage I as the reference; stage II HR of death = 9.57, 95% CI = 4.62 to 19.88, P < .001; stage III HR of death = 9.32, 95% CI = 3.69 to 23.53, P = .94; and stage IV HR of death = 30.84, 95% CI = 15.62 to 60.87, P < .001). Multivariable modeling indicated curative surgery, TNM staging, and grading were effective predictors of death, and grading was the second most effective independent predictor of survival in the absence of staging information. Though both TNM staging systems were independent predictors of survival, the UICC/AJCC/WHO 2010 TNM stages showed very large 95% confidence intervals for each stage, indicating an inaccurate predictive ability. Conclusion Our data suggest the ENETS TNM staging system is superior to the UICC/AJCC/WHO 2010 TNM staging system and supports its use in clinical practic

SCIAMACHY Level 1 data: calibration concept and in-flight calibration

The calibration of SCIAMACHY was thoroughly checked since the instrument was launched on-board ENVISAT in February 2002. While SCIAMACHY&apos;s functional performance is excellent since launch, a number of technical difficulties have appeared, that required adjustments to the calibration. The problems can be separated into three types: (1) Those caused by the instrument and/or platform environment. Among these are the high water content in the satellite structure and/or MLI layer. This results in the deposition of ice on the detectors in channels 7 and 8 which seriously affects the retrievals in the IR, mostly because of the continuous change of the slit function caused by scattering of the light through the ice layer. Additionally a light leak in channel 7 severely hampers any retrieval from this channel. (2) Problems due to errors in the on-ground calibration and/or data processing affecting for example the radiometric calibration. A new approach based on a mixture of on-ground and in-flight data is shortly described here. (3) Problems caused by principal limitations of the calibration concept, e.g. the possible appearance of spectral structures after the polarisation correction due to unavoidable errors in the determination of atmospheric polarisation. In this paper we give a complete overview of the calibration and problems that still have to be solved. We will also give an indication of the effect of calibration problems on retrievals where possible. Since the operational processing chain is currently being updated and no newly processed data are available at this point in time, for some calibration issues only a rough estimate of the effect on Level 2 products can be given. However, it is the intention of this paper to serve as a future reference for detailed studies into specific calibration issues

Human monoclonal antibodies against Staphylococcus aureus surface antigens recognize in vitro and in vivo biofilm

Implant-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections are difficult to treat because of biofilm formation. Bacteria in a biofilm are often insensitive to antibiotics and host immunity. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) could provide an alternative approach to improve the diagnosis and potential treatment of biofilm-related infections. Here, we show that mAbs targeting common surface components of S. aureus can recognize clinically relevant biofilm types. The mAbs were also shown to bind a collection of clinical isolates derived from different biofilm-associated infections (endocarditis, prosthetic joint, catheter). We identify two groups of antibodies: one group that uniquely binds S. aureus in biofilm state and one that recognizes S. aureus in both biofilm and planktonic state. Furthermore, we show that a mAb recognizing wall teichoic acid (clone 4497) specifically localizes to a subcutaneously implanted pre-colonized catheter in mice. In conclusion, we demonstrate the capacity of several human mAbs to detect S. aureus biofilms in vitro and in vivo

Is radiotherapy required in first-line treatment of stage I diffuse anaplastic Wilms tumor? A report of SIOP-RTSG, AIEOP, JWiTS, and UKCCSG

BACKGROUND: As a significant proportion of relapses occurred in the tumor bed or abdomen on patients with the fifth National Wilms Tumor Study stage I anaplastic Wilms tumor (WT), flank radiotherapy was added for stage I anaplastic WT in the subsequent study of the Children's Oncology Group (AREN0321). Preliminary results revealed reduction of relapse rate and improved survival. In cases treated with preoperative chemotherapy, such as in International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), the value of radiotherapy has never been studied. The aim of this observational study is to describe the pattern of recurrence and survival of patients with stage I diffuse anaplastic WT (DAWT) after induction chemotherapy. METHODS: Retrospective data analysis of the pattern of relapse and survival of all patients with stage I DAWT were included in recent SIOP, L'Associazone Italiana Ematologica Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP), Japan Wilms Tumor Study Group (JWiTS), United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) renal tumor registries. Postoperative treatment consisted of actinomycin D, vincristine, and doxorubicin for 28 weeks without local irradiation. RESULTS: One hundred nine cases with stage I DAWT were identified, of which 95 cases received preoperative chemotherapy. Of these, seven patients underwent preoperative true‐cut biopsy. Sixteen of the 95 patients relapsed (17%), six locally, four at distant site, and six combined, and all treated according to SIOP 2001 relapse protocol, which resulted in a 5‐year overall survival of 93%. CONCLUSION: Despite 13% locoregional relapse rate, an excellent rescue rate was achieved after salvage treatment, in patients with stage I DAWT whose first‐line treatment comprised three‐drug chemotherapy (including doxorubicin), without flank irradiation. Therefore, we continue not to advocate the use of radiotherapy in first‐line treatment after preoperative chemotherapy in stage I DAWT in the next SIOP protocol

Sentinel lymph node detection in oral cancer: a within-patient comparison between [99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept and [99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid

Purpose: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has proven to reliably stage the clinically negative neck in early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept may be of benefit in OSCC with complex lymphatic drainage patterns and close spatial relation to SLNs. Methods: A prospective within-patient evaluation study was designed to compare [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept with [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid for SLN detection. A total of 20 patients with early-stage OSCC were included, who underwent lymphoscintigraphy with both tracers. Both lymphoscintigraphic images of each patient were evaluated for SLN detection and radiotracer distribution at 2–4 h post-injection. Results: The injection site’s remaining radioactivity was significantly lower for [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept (29.9%), compared with [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid (60.9%; p < 0.001). Radioactive uptake in SLNs was significantly lower for [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept (1.95%) compared with [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid (3.16%; p = 0.010). No significant difference was seen in SLN to injection site ratio in radioactivity between [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept (0.066) and [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid (0.054; p = 0.232). A median of 3.0 and 2.5 SLNs were identified with [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept and [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid, respectively (p = 0.297). Radioactive uptake in higher echelon nodes was not significantly different between [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept (0.57%) and [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid (0.86%) (p = 0.052). A median of 2.0 and 2.5 higher echelon nodes was identified with [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept and [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid, respectively (p = 0.083). Conclusion: [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept had a higher injection site clearance, but at the same time a lower uptake in the SLN, resulting in an SLN to injection site ratio, which was not significantly different from [ 99mTc]Tc-nanocolloid. The relatively low-radioactive uptake in SLNs of [ 99mTc]Tc-tilmanocept may limit intraoperative detection of SLNs, but can be overcome by a higher injection dose

Commissioning of inline ECE system within waveguide based ECRH transmission systems on ASDEX upgrade

A CW capable inline electron cyclotron emission (ECE) separation system for feedback control, featuring oversized corrugated waveguides, is commissioned on ASDEX upgrade (AUG). The system is based on a combination of a polarization independent, non-resonant, Mach-Zehnder diplexer equipped with dielectric plate beam splitters [2, 3] employed as corrugated oversized waveguide filter, and a resonant Fast Directional Switch, FADIS [4, 5, 6, 7] as ECE/ECCD separation system. This paper presents an overview of the system, the low power characterisation tests and first high power commissioning on AUG