Obesity and prostate cancer-specific mortality after radical prostatectomy: results from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database.

BackgroundAt the population level, obesity is associated with prostate cancer (PC) mortality. However, few studies analyzed the associations between obesity and long-term PC-specific outcomes after initial treatment.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of 4268 radical prostatectomy patients within the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database. Cox models accounting for known risk factors were used to examine the associations between body mass index (BMI) and PC-specific mortality (PCSM; primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included biochemical recurrence (BCR) and castration-resistant PC (CRPC). BMI was used as a continuous and categorical variable (normal <25 kg/m2, overweight 25-29.9 kg/m2 and obese ⩾30 kg/m2). Median follow-up among all men who were alive at last follow-up was 6.8 years (interquartile range=3.5-11.0). During this time, 1384 men developed BCR, 117 developed CRPC and 84 died from PC. Hazard ratios were analyzed using competing-risks regression analysis accounting for non-PC death as a competing risk.ResultsOn crude analysis, higher BMI was not associated with risk of PCSM (P=0.112), BCR (0.259) and CRPC (P=0.277). However, when BMI was categorized, overweight (hazard ratio (HR) 1.99, P=0.034) and obesity (HR 1.97, P=0.048) were significantly associated with PCSM. Obesity and overweight were not associated with BCR or CRPC (all P⩾0.189). On multivariable analysis adjusting for both clinical and pathological features, results were little changed in that obesity (HR=2.05, P=0.039) and overweight (HR=1.88, P=0.061) were associated with higher risk of PCSM, but not with BCR or CRPC (all P⩾0.114) with the exception that the association for overweight was no longer statistical significant.ConclusionsOverweight and obesity were associated with increased risk of PCSM after radical prostatectomy. If validated in larger studies with longer follow-up, obesity may be established as a potentially modifiable risk factor for PCSM

Variations micrométriques des tiges de jeunes plants de Acacia senegal (L.) Wildd dans différents régimes hydriques

L’influence des régimes d’alimentation hydrique sur les variations du diamètre des tiges et la réponse de jeunes plants de Acacia senegal (L.) Wildd après une réhydratation a été appréciée par la méthode des capteurs. 1-En condition d’alimentation hydrique optimale, Acacia senegal (L.) Wildd subit des variations nycthémérales: déshydratation au cours de la journée et double récupération hydrique pendant la nuit et en début de matinée. 2-L’état hydrique du sol détermine les variations d’amplitude des diamètres des jeunes plants qui sont d’autant plus importantes que la contrainte est sévère. 3-Les micro-variations des diamètres déterminent la croissance des jeunes plants qui est d’autant plus importante que le traitement est humide. 4-La réhydratation dans les traitements hydriques modéré et sévère se traduit par une reprise de la croissance avec des récupérations nocturnes en condition modérée.Mots clés: Acacia senegal, capteurs, traitements hydriques, variations de diamètre des tige

Exploring a Place-Based Approach to Materials Design: Harakeke Nonwovens in Aotearoa New Zealand

As the interdisciplinary field of materials design expands, pressing environmental, social and economic crises mean that the impacts of materials are more clearly perceived (Drazin 2015). This presents a challenge to activate materials towards positive change. Design practices that are relational, place based and deeply attuned to justice and the Earth are needed (Escobar 2017). What might such practices look like within the field of materials design? And how might they be informed by textiles practice? To address these questions, this paper presents and reflects upon a recent study into the development of harakeke (Phormium Tenax/New Zealand Flax) based nonwovens. The aim of the study was to support the re-establishment of harakeke based industry in Aotearoa New Zealand, which recent research suggests could address a range of environmental, social and economic problems specific to the region (McGruddy 2006). The approach taken drew on notions of place-based design and textile thinking, and was underpinned by a collaboration between university based design researchers, an agricultural and a forestry/ biomaterials research institute, an independent designer and an expert in traditional harakeke weaving. An initial review of materials design, research and developments that are predicated on regionally specific resources and knowledge was undertaken. Processing trials were conducted that brought together knowledge from indigenous harakeke weaving practice, fine art practices, industrially based fibre processing techniques and biopolymer processing. The resulting new materials were qualitatively evaluated using emergent models of experiential characterization (Camere and Karana 2018), which showed potential for the materials to be developed towards applications including architectural surfaces and packaging

Boundary Field Theory Approach to the Renormalization of SQUID Devices

We show that the quantum properties of some Josephson SQUID devices are described by a boundary sine Gordon model. Our approach naturally describes multi-junction SQUID devices and, when applied to a single junction SQUID (the rf-SQUID), it reproduces the known results of Glazman and Hekking. We provide a detailed analysis of the regimes accessible to an rf-SQUID and to a two-Josephson junction SQUID device (the dc-SQUID). We then compute the normal component of the current-response of a SQUID device to an externally applied voltage and show that the equation describing the current-voltage characteristic function reduces to well-known results when the infrared cutoff is suitably chosen. Our approach helps in establishing new and interesting connections between superconducting devices, quantum brownian motion, fermionic quantum wires and, more generally, quantum impurity problems.Comment: 54 pages, 1 figure, 1 section added, new figur

Kondo effect in a Luttinger liquid: nonuniversality of the Wilson ratio

Using a precise coset Ising-Bose representation, we show how backscattering of electrons off a magnetic impurity destabilizes the two-channel Kondo fixed point and drives the system to a new fixed point, in agreement with previous results. In addition, we verify the scaling proposed by Furusaki and Nagaosa and prove that the other possible critical fixed point, namely the local Fermi liquid class, is not completely universal when backscattering is included because the Wilson ratio is not well-defined in the spinon basis.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX; to appear in Physical Review

Pauvreté et accès à l'eau dans la vallée du Sénégal

Water poverty in the Senegal Valley Considering the flood-recession agriculture, the hydraulic history of the valley of the Senegal River is ancient, but knows a deep mutation since the introduction of the irrigation. Can one speak of water poverty, whereas two dams now control the water flow of the Senegal River and ensure a permanent abundance in water ? The answer to this questioning is proposed through the link between poverty, access to funding, access to land, and involvement in resource management.L'histoire hydraulique de la vallée du fleuve Sénégal est ancienne et remonte à la culture de décrue. Mais elle connaît une profonde mutation depuis l'introduction de l'irrigation. Peut-on parler de « pauvreté hydraulique », alors que deux barrages régulent à présent le régime du fleuve Sénégal et assurent une permanence de l'abondance en eau ? La réponse à cette question est proposée sous l'angle de l'articulation entre la pauvreté, l'accès au financement, l'accès au foncier, la participation à la gestion de la ressource

Study of CP violation in D->VV decay at BESIII

In this paper, we intend to study the problem of CP violation in $D$ meson by $D\to VV$ decay mode in which the T violating triple-product correlation is examined. That would undoubtedly be another excellent probe of New Physics beyond Standard Model. For the neutral $D$, we focus on direct CP violation without considering $D^0-\bar D^0$ oscillation. Experimentally, by a full angular analysis one may obtain such CP violating signals, and particularly it is worth mentioning that the upcoming large $D$ data samples at BES-III in Beijing will provide a great opportunity to perform it.Comment: 5 pages, 2 tables and 1 figure, version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Electron transport through a strongly correlated monoatomic chain

We study transport properties of a strongly correlated monoatomic chain coupled to metallic leads. Our system is described by tight binding Hubbard-like model in the limit of strong on-site electron-electron interactions in the wire. The equation of motion technique in the slave boson representation has been applied to obtain analytical and numerical results. Calculated linear conductance of the system shows oscillatory behavior as a function of the wire length. We have also found similar oscillations of the electron charge in the system. Moreover our results show spontaneous spin polarization in the wire. Finally, we compare our results with those for non-interacting chain and discuss their modifications due to the Coulomb interactions in the system.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Pauvreté et accès à l'eau dans la vallée du Sénégal

L'histoire hydraulique de la vallée du fleuve Sénégal est ancienne et remonte à la culture de décrue. Mais elle connaît une profonde mutation depuis l'introduction de l'irrigation. Peut-on parler de « pauvreté hydraulique », alors que deux barrages régulent à présent le régime du fleuve Sénégal et assurent une permanence de l'abondance en eau ? La réponse à cette question est proposée sous l'angle de l'articulation entre la pauvreté, l'accès au financement, l'accès au foncier, la participation à la gestion de la ressource.HYDRAULIQUE ; HISTOIRE ; AMENAGEMENT HYDROAGRICOLE ; CULTURE DE DECRUE ; CULTURE IRRIGUEE ; SORGHO ; MIL ; RIZ IRRIGUE ; ACCES A LA TERRE ; RESSOURCES EN EAU ; GESTION DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT ; ACCES AU CREDIT ; TENURE FONCIERE ; ENDETTEMENT ; EXCLUSION SOCIALE ; PAUVRETE ; REVENUS AGRICOLES ; ORGANISATION PAYSANNE ; ACCES A L'EAU ; GESTION DE L'EAU ; SENEGAL ; FLEUVE SENEGAL VALLEE