Cytotoxic activity of the sub-fraction 2125 from Vernonia scorpioides against Sarcoma 180 tumor cells in mice

The effect of the selected sub-fraction SF-2125 of the Vernonia scorpioides leaf extract on Sarcoma 180 (S180) ascitic tumor-bearing mice was investigated. The animals were treated with SF-2125 at a concentration of 5 mg/kg, administered intraperitoneally and intravenous during the development of the tumor. Treatment with SF-2125 5 mg/kg i.p. increased the lifespan of the animals, maintained their body and the ascitic tumor showed no development. Intravenous treatment did not reduce the tumor volume

Tests of the Equivalence Principle with Neutral Kaons

We test the Principle of Equivalence for particles and antiparticles, using CPLEAR data on tagged K0 and K0bar decays into pi^+ pi^-. For the first time, we search for possible annual, monthly and diurnal modulations of the observables |eta_{+-}| and phi_{+-}, that could be correlated with variations in astrophysical potentials. Within the accuracy of CPLEAR, the measured values of |eta_{+-}| and phi_{+-} are found not to be correlated with changes of the gravitational potential. We analyze data assuming effective scalar, vector and tensor interactions, and we conclude that the Principle of Equivalence between particles and antiparticles holds to a level of 6.5, 4.3 and 1.8 x 10^{-9}, respectively, for scalar, vector and tensor potentials originating from the Sun with a range much greater than the distance Earth-Sun. We also study energy-dependent effects that might arise from vector or tensor interactions. Finally, we compile upper limits on the gravitational coupling difference between K0 and K0bar as a function of the scalar, vector and tensor interaction range.Comment: 15 pages latex 2e, five figures, one style file (cernart.csl) incorporate

Test of CPT Symmetry and Quantum Mechanics with Experimental data from CPLEAR

We use fits to recent published CPLEAR data on neutral kaon decays to $\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\pi e\nu$ to constrain the CPT--violation parameters appearing in a formulation of the neutral kaon system as an open quantum-mechanical system. The obtained upper limits of the CPT--violation parameters are approaching the range suggested by certain ideas concerning quantum gravity.Comment: 9 pages of uuencoded postscript (includes 3 figures

Environmental Risk Assessment of Fluctuating Diazinon Concentrations in an Urban and Agricultural Catchment Using Toxicokinetic–Toxicodynamic Modeling

Temporally resolved environmental risk assessment of fluctuating concentrations of micropollutants is presented. We separated the prediction of toxicity over time from the extrapolation from one to many species and from acute to sublethal effects. A toxicokinetic–toxicodynamic (TKTD) model predicted toxicity caused by fluctuating concentrations of diazinon, measured by time-resolved sampling over 108 days from three locations in a stream network, representing urban, agricultural and mixed land use. We calculated extrapolation factors to quantify variation in toxicity among species and effect types based on available toxicity data, while correcting for different test durations with the TKTD model. Sampling from the distribution of extrapolation factors and prediction of time-resolved toxicity with the TKTD model facilitated subsequent calculation of the risk of undesired toxic events. Approximately one-fifth of aquatic organisms were at risk and fluctuating concentrations were more toxic than their averages. Contribution of urban and agricultural sources of diazinon to the overall risk varied. Thus using fixed concentrations as water quality criteria appears overly simplistic because it ignores the temporal dimension of toxicity. However, the improved prediction of toxicity for fluctuating concentrations may be small compared to uncertainty due to limited diversity of toxicity data to base the extrapolation factors on

Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory-9 (CAHAI-9): Perceived clinical utility within 14 days of stroke

Purpose: The Chedoke Arm and Hand Activity Inventory-9 (CAHAI-9) is an activity-based assessment developed to include relevant functional tasks and to be sensitive to clinically important changes in upper limb function. The aim of this study was to explore both therapists' and clients' views on the clinical utility of CAHAI-9 within 14 days of stroke. Method: Twenty-one occupational therapists actively working in stroke settings were recruited by convenience sampling from 8 hospitals and participated in semistructured focus groups. Five clients within 14 days of stroke were recruited by consecutive sampling from 1 metropolitan hospital and participated in structured individual interviews. The transcripts were analyzed thematically. Results: Six themes emerged from the focus groups and interviews: collecting information, decisions regarding client suitability, administration and scoring, organizational demands, raising awareness, and clients' perceptions of CAHAI-9 utility. All therapists agreed CAHAI-9 was suited for the stroke population and assisted identification of client abilities or difficulties within functional contexts. Opinions varied as to whether CAHAI-9 should be routinely administered with clients who had mild and severe upper limb deficits, but therapists agreed it was appropriate for clients with moderate deficits. Therapists made suggestions regarding refinement of the scoring and training to increase utility. All clients with stroke felt that the assessment provided reassurance regarding their recovery. Conclusion: The findings indicate that CAHAI-9 shows promise as an upper limb ability assessment for clients within 14 days of stroke

Evidence-based patient choice: a prostate cancer decision aid in plain language

BACKGROUND: Decision aids (DA) to assist patients in evaluating treatment options and sharing in decision making have proliferated in recent years. Most require high literacy and do not use plain language principles. We describe one of the first attempts to design a decision aid using principles from reading research and document design. The plain language DA prototype addressed treatment decisions for localized prostate cancer. Evaluation assessed impact on knowledge, decisions, and discussions with doctors in men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer. METHODS: Document development steps included preparing an evidence-based DA in standard medical parlance, iteratively translating it to emphasize shared decision making and plain language in three formats (booklet, Internet, and audio-tape). Scientific review of medical content was integrated with expert health literacy review of document structure and design. Formative evaluation methods included focus groups (n = 4) and survey of a new sample of men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer (n = 60), compared with historical controls (n = 184). RESULTS: A transparent description of the development process and design elements is reported. Formative evaluation among newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients found the DA to be clear and useful in reaching a decision. Newly diagnosed patients reported more discussions with doctors about treatment options, and showed increases in knowledge of side effects of radiation therapy. CONCLUSION: The plain language DA presenting medical evidence in text and numerical formats appears acceptable and useful in decision-making about localized prostate cancer treatment. Further testing should evaluate the impact of all three media on decisions made and quality of life in the survivorship period, especially among very low literacy men

Dispersion relation analysis of the neutral kaon regeneration amplitude in carbon

We apply a forward dispersion relation to the regeneration amplitude for kaon scattering on \PCtw using all available data. The CPLEAR data at low energies allow the determination of the net contribution from the subthreshold region which turns out to be much smaller than earlier evaluations, solving a long standing puzzle

Determination of the T- and CPT-violation parameters in the neutral-kaon system using the Bell-Steinberger relation and data from CPLEAR

Data from the CPLEAR experiment, together with the most recent world averages for some of the neutral-kaon parameters, were constrained with the Bell--Steinberger (or unitarity) relation, allowing the T-violation parameter \ree and the CPT-violation parameter \imd of the neutral-kaon mixing matrix to be determined with an increased accuracy: \ree = (164.9 \pm 2.5)\times 10^{-5}, \imd = ( 2.4 \pm 5.0)\times 10^{-5}. Moreover, the constraint allows the CPT-violation parameter for the neutral-kaon semileptonic decays, \rey, to be determined for the first time. The $\Delta S \neq \Delta Q$ parameters \rexm and \imxp are given with an increased accuracy. The quantity $\mathrm{Re}(y~+~x_-)$, which enters the T-violation CPLEAR asymmetry previously published, is determined to be $(0.2 \pm 0.3)\times 10^{-3}$. The value obtained for \red is in agreement with the one resulting from a previous unconstrained fit and has a slightly smaller error