186 research outputs found
A phase II study of S-1 monotherapy administered for 2 weeks of a 3-week cycle in advanced gastric cancer patients with poor performance status
Systemic chemotherapy for gastric cancer is often associated with treatment-related toxicity, which is particularly severe in patients with a poor performance status. In this paper, we describe the first study to evaluate S-1 monotherapy as an option for advanced gastric cancer patients who are not candidates for combination chemotherapy due to poor clinical condition. Fifty-two patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale 2â3, whose general condition had made use of combination chemotherapy impossible, were enrolled. S-1 was administered to 30 patients as second- or third-line therapy. The initial dose of S-1 was 35âmgâmâ2, administered b.i.d for 14 days every 3 weeks. With a median follow-up period of 33 weeks, the median progression-free survival, and overall survival were 11 weeks (95% CI, 8â14) and 33 weeks (95% CI, 19â47), respectively. The overall 1-year survival rate was 29% by intent-to-treat analysis. The overall response rate was 12% (95% CI, 3â21), and the percentage of stable disease was 35%, resulting in the disease control rate of 47% (95% CI, 32â60). Significant drug-related toxicity included grade 3 diarrhoea (14%), anorexia (14%), fatigue (10%), neutropenia (10%), and leucopenia (6%). In conclusion, this study indicated the modest activity of S-1 in gastric cancer patients with poor performance status
Limit on suppression of ionization in metastable neon traps due to long-range anisotropy
This paper investigates the possibility of suppressing the ionization rate in
a magnetostatic trap of metastable neon atoms by spin-polarizing the atoms.
Suppression of the ionization is critical for the possibility of reaching
Bose-Einstein condensation with such atoms. We estimate the relevant long-range
interactions for the system, consisting of electric quadrupole-quadrupole and
dipole-induced dipole terms, and develop short-range potentials based on the
Na_2 singlet and triplet potentials. The auto-ionization widths of the system
are also calculated. With these ingredients we calculate the ionization rate
for spin-polarized and for spin-isotropic samples, caused by anisotropy of the
long-range interactions. We find that spin-polarization may allow for four
orders of magnitude suppression of the ionization rate for Ne. The results
depend sensitively on a precise knowledge of the interaction potentials,
however, pointing out the need for experimental input. The same model gives a
suppression ratio close to unity for metastable xenon in accordance with
experimental results, due to a much increased anisotropy in this case.Comment: 15 pages including figures, LaTex/RevTex, uses epsfig.st
Formation of ultracold RbCs molecules by photoassociation
The formation of ultracold metastable RbCs molecules is observed in a double
species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation below the
^85Rb(5S_1/2)+^133Cs(6P_3/2) dissociation limit followed by spontaneous
emission. The molecules are detected by resonance enhanced two-photon
ionization. Using accurate quantum chemistry calculations of the potential
energy curves and transition dipole moment, we interpret the observed
photoassociation process as occurring at short internuclear distance, in
contrast with most previous cold atom photoassociation studies. The vibrational
levels excited by photoassociation belong to the 5th 0^+ or the 4th 0^-
electronic states correlated to the Rb(5P_1/2,3/2)+Cs(6S_1/2) dissociation
limit. The computed vibrational distribution of the produced molecules shows
that they are stabilized in deeply bound vibrational states of the lowest
triplet state. We also predict that a noticeable fraction of molecules is
produced in the lowest level of the electronic ground state
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THE METABOLSIM AND TOXICITY OF RADIUM-223 IN RATS
This report covers studies of the excretion and retention of 'tracer' and toxic doses of the 11.2-day Ra{sup 223} isotope, its acute toxicity (organ weight changes, gross and microscopic pathology, and Fe{sup 59} utilization by the bone marrow), and long-term histopathological changes and alterations in the hemogram
Theoretical study of the absorption spectra of the sodium dimer
Absorption of radiation from the sodium dimer molecular states correlating to
Na(3s)-Na(3s) is investigated theoretically. Vibrational bound and continuum
transitions from the singlet X Sigma-g+ state to the first excited singlet A
Sigma-u+ and singlet B Pi-u states and from the triplet a Sigma-u+ state to the
first excited triplet b Sigma-g+ and triplet c Pi-g states are studied
quantum-mechanically. Theoretical and experimental data are used to
characterize the molecular properties taking advantage of knowledge recently
obtained from ab initio calculations, spectroscopy, and ultra-cold atom
collision studies. The quantum-mechanical calculations are carried out for
temperatures in the range from 500 to 3000 K and are compared with previous
calculations and measurements where available.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, revtex, eps
Nucleation of a sodium droplet on C60
We investigate theoretically the progressive coating of C60 by several sodium
atoms. Density functional calculations using a nonlocal functional are
performed for NaC60 and Na2C60 in various configurations. These data are used
to construct an empirical atomistic model in order to treat larger sizes in a
statistical and dynamical context. Fluctuating charges are incorporated to
account for charge transfer between sodium and carbon atoms. By performing
systematic global optimization in the size range 1<=n<=30, we find that Na_nC60
is homogeneously coated at small sizes, and that a growing droplet is formed
above n=>8. The separate effects of single ionization and thermalization are
also considered, as well as the changes due to a strong external electric
field. The present results are discussed in the light of various experimental
data.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure
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Placing relationships in the foreground: the role of workplace friendships in engagement
We explore the role of workplace friendships as a lens for understanding the emotional element and relational context for personal engagement (Kahn, 1990). The review of engagement theory differentiates personal engagement, recognising the role emotions play in enabling individualsâ âpreferred selvesâ. Workplace relationships and friendship provide a conceptual discussion of individuals in social and workplace roles in engagement, drawing on friendship, emotion, attachment theories, particularly Kahnâs work. A case study drawn from recent research illustrates our discussion before concluding with ideas for the development of a future research agenda in answer to recent calls for work on the social context of engagement
Focused Ion Beam Fabrication
Contains reports on thirteen research projects and a list of publications.Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency/U.S. Army Research Office Contract DAAL03-88-K-0108National Science Foundation Grant ECS 89-21728MIT Lincoln Laboratory Innovative Research ProgramSEMATECH Contract 90-MC-503Micrion Contract M08774U.S. Army Research Office Contract DAAL03-87-K-0126IBM Corporatio
A randomised multicentre phase II trial of capecitabine vs S-1 as first-line treatment in elderly patients with metastatic or recurrent unresectable gastric cancer
This randomised multicentre phase II study was conducted to investigate the activity and safety of two oral fluoropyrimidines, capecitabine or S-1, in elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Elderly (â©Ÿ65 years) chemo-naive patients with AGC were randomly assigned to receive capecitabine 1250âmgâmâ2 two times daily on days 1â14 every 3 weeks or S-1 40â60âmg two times daily according to body surface area on days 1â28 every 6 weeks. Ninety-six patients were enrolled and 91 patients were randomised to capecitabine (N=46) or S-1 (N=45). Overall response rate, the primary end point, was 27.2% (95% CI, 14.1â40.4, 12 of 44 assessable patients) with capecitabine and 28.9% (95% CI, 15.6â42.1, 13 of 45) with S-1. Median times to progression and overall survival in the capecitabine arm (4.7 and 9.5 months, respectively) were similar to those in the S-1 arm (4.2 and 8.2 months, respectively). The incidence of grade 3â4 granulocytopenia was 6.8% with capecitabine and 4.8% with S-1. Grade 3â4 nonhaematologic toxicities were: asthenia (9.1% with capecitabine vs 7.1% with S-1), anorexia (6.8 vs 9.5%), diarrhoea (2.3 vs 0%), and handâfoot syndrome (6.8 vs 0%). Both capecitabine and S-1 monotherapies were active and tolerable as first-line treatment for elderly patients with AGC
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