The Formation of IRIS Diagnostics. IX. The Formation of the C I 135.58 Line in the Solar Atmosphere

The C I 135.58 line is located in the wavelength range of NASA's Interface Region Imagin Spectrograph (IRIS) small explorer mission. We here study the formation and diagnostic potential of this line by means of non local-thermodynamic-equilibrium modeling, employing both 1D and 3D radiation-magnetohydrodynamic models. The C I/C II ionization balance is strongly influenced by photoionization by Ly-alpha emission. The emission in the C I 135.58 line is dominated by a recombination cascade and the line forming region is optically thick. The Doppler shift of the line correlates strongly with the vertical velocity in its line forming region, which is typically located at 1.5 Mm height. With IRIS the C I 135.58 line is usually observed together with the O I 135.56 line, and from the Doppler shift of both lines, we obtain the velocity difference between the line forming regions of the two lines. From the ratio of the C I/O I line core intensity, we can determine the distance between the C I and the O I forming layers. Combined with the velocity difference, the velocity gradient at mid-chromospheric heights can be derived. The C I/O I total intensity line ratio is correlated with the inverse of the electron density in the mid-chromosphere. We conclude that the C I 135.58 line is an excellent probe of the middle chromosphere by itself, and together with the O I 135.56 line the two lines provide even more information, which complements other powerful chromospheric diagnostics of IRIS such as the Mg II h and k lines and the C II lines around 133.5 nm

Comparison and Identification of Estrogen-Receptor Related Gene Expression Profiles in Breast Cancer of Different Ethnic Origins

The interactions between genetic variants in estrogen receptor (ER) have been identified to be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Available evidence indicates that genetic variance within a population plays a crucial role in the occurrence of breast cancer. Thus, the comparison and identification of ER-related gene expression profiles in breast cancer of different ethnic origins could be useful for the development of genetic variant cancer therapy. In this study, we performed microarray experiment to measure the gene expression profiles of 59 Taiwanese breast cancer patients; and through comparative bioinformatics analysis against published U.K. datasets, we revealed estrogen-receptor (ER) related gene expression between Taiwanese and British patients. In addition, SNP databases and statistical analysis were used to elucidate the SNPs associated with ER status. Our microarray results indicate that the expression pattern of the 65 genes in ER+ patients was dissimilar from that of the ER- patients. Seventeen mutually exclusive genes in ER-related breast cancer of the two populations with more than one statistically significant SNP in genotype and allele frequency were identified. These 17 genes and their related SNPs may be important in population-specific ER regulation of breast cancer. This study provides a global and feasible approach to study population-unique SNPs in breast cancer of different ethnic origins

Experimental and Numerical Study of Tsunami Wave Propagation and Run-Up on Sloping Beaches

Source: ICHE Conference Archive - https://mdi-de.baw.de/icheArchiv

Headache in the Pediatric Emergency Service: A Medical Center Experience

BackgroundHeadache is a common complaint in children and is one of the most common reasons for presentation at a pediatric emergency department (PED). This study described the etiologies of patients with headache seen in the PED and determined predictors of intracranial pathology (ICP) requiring urgent intervention. A secondary objective was to develop rapid, practical tools for screening headache in the PED.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of children who presented with a chief complaint of headache at the PED during 2008. First, we identified possible red flags in the patients' history or physical examination and neurological examination findings. Then, we recorded the brain computed tomography results.ResultsDuring the study period, 43,913 visits were made to the PED; in 409 (0.9%) patients, the chief complaint was headache. Acute viral, respiratory, and febrile illnesses comprised the most frequent cause of headache (59.9%). Six children (1.5%) had life-threatening ICP findings. In comparison with the group without ICP, the group with ICP had a significantly higher percentage of blurred vision (p = 0.008) and ataxia (p = 0.002).ConclusionBlurred vision and ataxia are the best clinical parameters to predict ICP findings

Clinical application of tumor volume in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma to predict outcome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current staging systems have limited ability to adjust optimal therapy in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study aimed to delineate the correlation between tumor volume, treatment outcome and chemotherapy cycles in advanced NPC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective review of 110 patients with stage III-IV NPC was performed. All patients were treated first with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, then concurrent chemoradiation, and followed by adjuvant chemotherapy as being the definitive therapy. Gross tumor volume of primary tumor plus retropharyngeal nodes (GTVprn) was calculated to be an index of treatment outcome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>GTVprn had a close relationship with survival and recurrence in advanced NPC. Large GTVprn (≧13 ml) was associated with a significantly poorer local control, lower distant metastasis-free rate, and poorer survival. In patients with GTVprn ≧ 13 ml, overall survival was better after ≧4 cycles of chemotherapy than after less than 4 cycles.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The incorporation of GTVprn can provide more information to adjust treatment strategy.</p

Survival rate in nasopharyngeal carcinoma improved by high caseload volume: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Positive correlation between caseload and outcome has previously been validated for several procedures and cancer treatments. However, there is no information linking caseload and outcome of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treatment. We used nationwide population-based data to examine the association between physician case volume and survival rates of patients with NPC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Between 1998 and 2000, a total of 1225 patients were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Survival analysis, the Cox proportional hazards model, and propensity score were used to assess the relationship between 10-year survival rates and physician caseloads.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As the caseload of individual physicians increased, unadjusted 10-year survival rates increased (<it>p </it>< 0.001). Using a Cox proportional hazard model, patients with NPC treated by high-volume physicians (caseload ≥ 35) had better survival rates (<it>p </it>= 0.001) after adjusting for comorbidities, hospital, and treatment modality. When analyzed by propensity score, the adjusted 10-year survival rate differed significantly between patients treated by high-volume physicians and patients treated by low/medium-volume physicians (75% <it>vs</it>. 61%; <it>p </it>< 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data confirm a positive volume-outcome relationship for NPC. After adjusting for differences in the case mix, our analysis found treatment of NPC by high-volume physicians improved 10-year survival rate.</p