10,595 research outputs found
Treatment of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Purpose
To review the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), including the use of new targeted therapies. Methods
A search of MEDLINE (1966 to August 2008) and American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting abstracts (2005 to May 2008) was preformed using the search terms bevacizumab, everolimus, interferon-alfa (IFN-α), interleukin-2 (IL-2), sorafenib, sunitinib, temsirolimus, and RCC. Articles most pertinent to the treatment of metastatic RCC are reviewed. Results
The treatment of metastatic RCC has undergone a paradigm shift over the past 5 years from biologic response modifiers to new targeted therapies. Historically, response rates for the biological response modifiers, aldesleukin (IL-2), and IFN-α were approximately 15%. Recently, three targeted agents, sorafenib, sunitinib, and temsirolimus have been approved for the treatment of RCC. Additionally, bevacizumab has been investigated and shown to increase progression free survival in RCC. IL-2 remains the only agent to induce complete, durable remissions; however, many patients are not eligible for this therapy. Newer agents (sorafenib, sunitinib, and temsirolimus) have shown to be superior to IFN-α or placebo and bevacizumab combined with IFN-α has shown activity when compared to IFN-α alone. Unlike IL-2, the greatest benefit obtained with targeted therapies is in achieving stable disease (SD). Despite their benefit, targeted therapies have never been compared with each other in clinical trials and choosing the most appropriate agent remains challenging. To date, the optimal sequence or combination of treatments has not been defined; however, everolimus has recently demonstrated activity in patients progressing on targeted therapy. Conclusions
IL-2 remains the most active regimen in inducing complete responses; however, its use is accompanied by substantial morbidity and is limited to those with a good performance status. Targeted therapies are also efficacious in the treatment of RCC, with the major benefit being induction of SD. Future research will better define the sequencing of therapies, as well as, explore the activity of novel combination regimens
Retrospective Evaluation of Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in the Adult Cancer Population
Study objectives. Hospitalized cancer patients are at an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and it is recommended they receive pharmacologic prophylaxis unless otherwise contraindicated. The majority of data supporting this recommendation comes from sub-group analyses and extrapolation of data gathered in general medical/surgical patients. This study seeks to assess the safety and efficacy of VTE prophylaxis in cancer patients admitted to our institution. Methods. Charts of patients 18—89 years of age receiving VTE prophylaxis with unfractionated heparin, low molecular weigh heparin, or fondaparinux while admitted to Karmanos Cancer Center between September and October 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Risk factors for VTE were assessed and the efficacy/safety of the prophylactic agents was compared. Results. One-hundred and eighty consecutive patients were identified. The average number of risk factors for developing VTE was 3—4 per hospital admission in addition to an active cancer diagnosis. Three VTEs occurred in the heparin group with two patients experiencing a VTE during their admission and one experiencing a VTE within 1 month after discharge. Four (2.6%) patients receiving heparin had a major bleeding event. Minor bleeding occurred in 14.3, 11.5, and 22.2% of patients receiving heparin, enoxaparin, and fondaparinux, respectively. Conclusions. This retrospective study showed cancer patients are at increased risk for VTE, typically with 3—4 risk factors per admission. VTEs were uncommon; however, three patients receiving heparin experienced a VTE and four had a major bleeding event. Minor bleeding rates were similar among groups
The detection of extragalactic N: Consequences for nitrogen nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution
Detections of extragalactic N are reported from observations of the
rare hydrogen cyanide isotope HCN toward the Large Magellanic Cloud
(LMC) and the core of the (post-) starburst galaxy NGC 4945. Accounting for
optical depth effects, the LMC data from the massive star-forming region N113
infer a N ratio of 111 17, about twice the C
value. For the LMC star-forming region N159HW and for the central region of NGC
4945, N ratios are also 100. The N ratios
are smaller than all interstellar nitrogen isotope ratios measured in the disk
and center of the Milky Way, strongly supporting the idea that N is
predominantly of `primary' nature, with massive stars being its dominant
source. Although this appears to be in contradiction with standard stellar
evolution and nucleosynthesis calculations, it supports recent findings of
abundant N production due to rotationally induced mixing of protons into
the helium-burning shells of massive stars.Comment: 15 pages including one postscript figure, accepted for publication by
ApJ Letter, further comments: please contact Yi-nan Chi
Abundances and Isotope Ratios in the Magellanic Clouds: The Star Forming Environment of N113
With the goal of deriving the physical and chemical conditions of star
forming regions in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a spectral line survey of
the prominent star forming region N113 is presented. The observations cover
parts of the frequency range from 85 GHz to 357 GHz and include 63 molecular
transitions from a total of 16 species, among them spectra of rare
isotopologues. Maps of selected molecular lines as well as the 1.2 mm continuum
distribution are also presented. Molecular abundances in the core of the
complex are found to be consistent with a photon dominated region (PDR) that is
nitrogen deficient, with the potential exception of N2H+. Densities range from
5x10^3 cm-3 for CO to almost 10^6 for CS and HCN, indicating that only the
densest regions provide sufficient shielding even for some of the most common
species. An ortho- to para-H_2CO ratio of ~3 hints at H_2CO formation in a warm
(>=40 K) environment. Isotope ratios are 12C/13C ~ 49+-5, 16O/18O ~ 2000+-250,
18O/17O ~ 1.7+-0.2 and 32S/34S ~ 15. Agreement with data from other star
forming clouds shows that the gas is well mixed in the LMC . The isotope ratios
do not only differ from those seen in the Galaxy. They also do not form a
continuation of the trends observed with decreasing metallicity from the inner
to the outer Galaxy. This implies that the outer Galaxy, is not providing a
transition zone between the inner Galaxy and the metal poor environment of the
Magellanic Clouds. A part of this discrepancy is likely caused by differences
in the age of the stellar populations in the outer Galaxy and the LMC.Comment: 50 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Quantum Teleportation from a Propagating Photon to a Solid-State Spin Qubit
The realization of a quantum interface between a propagating photon used for
transmission of quantum information, and a stationary qubit used for storage
and manipulation, has long been an outstanding goal in quantum information
science. A method for implementing such an interface between dissimilar qubits
is quantum teleportation, which has attracted considerable interest not only as
a versatile quantum-state-transfer method but also as a quantum computational
primitive. Here, we experimentally demonstrate transfer of quantum information
carried by a photonic qubit to a quantum dot spin qubit using quantum
teleportation. In our experiment, a single photon in a superposition state of
two colors -- a photonic qubit is generated using selective resonant excitation
of a neutral quantum dot. We achieve an unprecedented degree of
indistinguishability of single photons from different quantum dots by using
local electric and magnetic field control. To teleport a photonic qubit, we
generate an entangled spin-photon state in a second quantum dot located 5
meters away from the first and interfere the photons from the two dots in a
Hong-Ou-Mandel set-up. A coincidence detection at the output of the
interferometer heralds successful teleportation, which we verify by measuring
the resulting spin state after its coherence time is prolonged by an optical
spin-echo pulse sequence. The demonstration of successful inter-conversion of
photonic and semiconductor spin qubits constitute a major step towards the
realization of on-chip quantum networks based on semiconductor nano-structures.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, Comments welcom
Coupled valence and spin state transition in (Pr0.7Sm0.3)0.7Ca0.3CoO3
The coupled valence and spin state transition (VSST) taking place in
(Pr0.7Sm0.3)0.7Ca0.3CoO3 was investigated by soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy
(XAS) experiments carried out at the Pr-M4,5, Co-L2,3, and O-1s edges. This
VSST is found to be composed of a sharp Pr/Co valence and Co spin state
transition centered at T*=89.3 K, followed by a smoother Co spin-state
evolution at higher temperatures. At T < T*, we found that the praseodymium
displays a mixed valence Pr3+/Pr4+ with about 0.13 Pr4+/f.u., while all the
Co3+ is in the low-spin (LS) state. At T around T*, the sharp valence
transition converts all the Pr4+ to Pr3+ with a corresponding Co3+ to Co4+
compensation. This is accompanied by an equally sharp spin state transition of
the Co3+ from the low to an incoherent mixture of low and high spin (HS)
states. An involvement of the intermediate spin (IS) state can be discarded for
the Co3+. While above T* and at high temperatures the system shares rather
similar properties as Sr-doped LaCoO3, at low temperatures it behaves much more
like EuCoO3 with its highly stable LS configuration for the Co3+. Apparently,
the mechanism responsible for the formation of Pr4+ at low temperatures also
helps to stabilize the Co3+ in the LS configuration despite the presence of
Co4+ ions. We also found out that that the Co4+ is in an IS state over the
entire temperature range investigated in this study (10-290 K). The presence of
Co3+ HS and Co4+ IS at elevated temperatures facilitates the conductivity of
the material.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, Accepted in PR
Critical velocity for superfluid flow across the BEC-BCS crossover
Critical velocities have been observed in an ultracold superfluid Fermi gas
throughout the BEC-BCS crossover. A pronounced peak of the critical velocity at
unitarity demonstrates that superfluidity is most robust for resonant atomic
interactions. Critical velocities were determined from the abrupt onset of
dissipation when the velocity of a moving one dimensional optical lattice was
varied. The dependence of the critical velocity on lattice depth and on the
inhomogeneous density profile was studied
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