A report on Canadian participation in an international comparison of instrument transformer calibrations - 1959

Results obtained by the National Research Council in a comparison of instrument transformer calibraitons with the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt of Germany and the National Bureau of Standards of the United States are presented, along with corresponding results obtained by the other two laboratories. Calibrations were carried out at a frequency of 50 cycles per second by all three laboratories. Additional calibrations were made at 60 cycles per second by the National Bureau of Standards and the National Research Council. Agreement between the laboratories, for the most part, appears to be of the order of one part in ten thousand. Somewhat larger deviations are present, however, in the calibration of potential transformers in the 100 to 300 kilovolt range at 60 cycles per second. Sources of error in the NRC equipment, and the corrections required for them, are also discussed.NRC publication: Ye

Aspergillus vadensis, a new species of the group of black Aspergilli

A strain from the group of black Aspergilli was analysed in detail to determine the species to which it belongs. A detailed analysis of morphology, RFLP patterns and metabolite profiles was carried out. In addition, a phylogenetic tree was constructed for the black Aspergilli using the ITS and the -tubulin sequences of the individual strains. The new species differs by its poor growth on glycerol and galacturonate and its unique extrolite profile consisting of aurasperone B, nigragillin, asperazine and kotanins. RFLP analysis using three genes as probes also resulted in a unique pattern. These data indicate that the strain was closely related but not identical to Aspergillus foetidus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tubingensis. It was therefore designated as a novel species and named Aspergillus vadensi

Perioperative systemic therapy and cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC versus upfront cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC alone for isolated resectable colorectal peritoneal metastases: protocol of a multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, phase II-III, randomised, superiority study (CAIRO6)

Contains fulltext : 207201.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Upfront cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC (CRS-HIPEC) is the standard treatment for isolated resectable colorectal peritoneal metastases (PM) in the Netherlands. This study investigates whether addition of perioperative systemic therapy to CRS-HIPEC improves oncological outcomes. METHODS: This open-label, parallel-group, phase II-III, randomised, superiority study is performed in nine Dutch tertiary referral centres. Eligible patients are adults who have a good performance status, histologically or cytologically proven resectable PM of a colorectal adenocarcinoma, no systemic colorectal metastases, no systemic therapy for colorectal cancer within six months prior to enrolment, and no previous CRS-HIPEC. Eligible patients are randomised (1:1) to perioperative systemic therapy and CRS-HIPEC (experimental arm) or upfront CRS-HIPEC alone (control arm) by using central randomisation software with minimisation stratified by a peritoneal cancer index of 0-10 or 11-20, metachronous or synchronous PM, previous systemic therapy for colorectal cancer, and HIPEC with oxaliplatin or mitomycin C. At the treating physician's discretion, perioperative systemic therapy consists of either four 3-weekly neoadjuvant and adjuvant cycles of capecitabine with oxaliplatin (CAPOX), six 2-weekly neoadjuvant and adjuvant cycles of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin with oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), or six 2-weekly neoadjuvant cycles of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin with irinotecan (FOLFIRI) followed by four 3-weekly (capecitabine) or six 2-weekly (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin) adjuvant cycles of fluoropyrimidine monotherapy. Bevacizumab is added to the first three (CAPOX) or four (FOLFOX/FOLFIRI) neoadjuvant cycles. The first 80 patients are enrolled in a phase II study to explore the feasibility of accrual and the feasibility, safety, and tolerance of perioperative systemic therapy. If predefined criteria of feasibility and safety are met, the study continues as a phase III study with 3-year overall survival as primary endpoint. A total of 358 patients is needed to detect the hypothesised 15% increase in 3-year overall survival (control arm 50%; experimental arm 65%). Secondary endpoints are surgical characteristics, major postoperative morbidity, progression-free survival, disease-free survival, health-related quality of life, costs, major systemic therapy related toxicity, and objective radiological and histopathological response rates. DISCUSSION: This is the first randomised study that prospectively compares oncological outcomes of perioperative systemic therapy and CRS-HIPEC with upfront CRS-HIPEC alone for isolated resectable colorectal PM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov/ NCT02758951 , NTR/ NTR6301 , ISRCTN/ ISRCTN15977568 , EudraCT/ 2016-001865-99