Advanced Small Cell Lung Cancer with Cerebellar Metastases – A Case Report

Background: Small cell lung cancer is an aggressive subtype of lung cancer whereby about one-third of cases are complicated with brain metastases. However, cerebellar metastases are uncommon and contribute to less than 10% of brain metastases. Case: We report a 76-year-old Malay male, an active smoker who presented with dyspnea and occasional cough with hemoptysis for one week. He also presented with headache and constitutional symptoms of malignancy. Clinical examination suggested the presence of right upper chest pathology and positive left cerebellar signs. His condition deteriorated two days later and he passed away after failed attempts at resuscitation. Chest radiograph showed right upper lobe collapse, and brain magnetic resonance imaging showed metastatic lesion in the left cerebellum extending to the right cerebellum. Post-mortem findings revealed small cell lung cancer with cerebellar metastases. Conclusion: Small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases deteriorate very rapidly, and the management is mainly supportive. Primary prevention through education is the best way to reduce the incidence of lung cancer. In addition, secondary prevention and screening should be undertaken at earlier stages of the disease, as some studies have shown that combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy improve prognosis of malignancies detected at early stag

Prediction of sugarcane quality from juice samples using portable spectroscopy

Rapid determination of sugarcane quality using low-cost and portable equipment is more practical for field use. Thus, this study explored the potential application of a portable visible and shortwave near infrared spectroradiometer (VNIRS) to predict pol and brix from sugarcane juice samples. A total of 100 sugarcane juice samples for each clear and raw juice samples were assessed. The spectral data were collected by scanning the juice samples in a cuvette with 10 mm path length using transmittance mode. Partial least squares (PLS) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to interpret the spectra and develop both calibration and prediction models. The prediction performances for the clear juice samples were good with coefficient of determination (R2) values of pol and brix were 0.85 and 0.84, respectively. For the raw juice samples, the prediction performances were acceptable with R2 values for pol and brix were 0.73 and 0.74, respectively. Based on these results, it was concluded that the VNIRS combined with PLS models could be applied to predict sugarcane quality from both clear and raw sugarcane juices

THE EFFECTS OF A NOVEL EXERCISE TRAINING SUIT ON CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS, BODY COMPOSITION AND LEG STRENGTH

ABSTRACT The Effects of a Novel Exercise Training Suit on Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Body Composition and Leg Strength Trevor Michael Curry The physiological responses to physical activity or exercise using external load carriage systems (LCS) in the form of weighted personal protective equipment, backpacks, or vests have biomechanical and human performance implications. It remains unclear whether a new unique LCS in the form of a weighted (5.45 kg) full-bodied exercise suit can induce greater improvements in performance and body composition. Twenty-one healthy males (20±3 years; 24.9±3.6 body mass index (BMI); 25.1±6.4% total percentage body fat ( % fat); 120.1±17.3 kg lean mass; 146.2±35.4 kg leg press 1-repetition max; 1.25±0.14 g·cm-2 bone mineral density; 49.5±8.53 mLO2·kg-1·min-1 maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)) were matched for VO2max and physical characteristics before being randomly allocated into an aerobic exercise intervention with or without the exercise suit using a treadmill at the Cal Poly Recreation Center. Participants jogged at 60%-70% of their maximum heart rate for 30 min three times a week on nonconsecutive days for six weeks. Weight was recorded before and after each session while heart rates, blood pressures, and tympanic membrane temperatures were recorded incrementally during each session. Thereafter, VO2max and the same physical characteristics were measured and used to analyze the changes before and after the 6-week program. The results indicate that there was no difference for the change in any of the variables measured during and between the exercise intervention. Future studies examining the effect of the exercise suit on these variables should strongly consider larger sample sizes and other subpopulations to gain the statistical power to measure the effects of the exercise suit

PENGARUH SUBSTITUSI STYROFOAM PADA ASPAL TERHADAP KARAKTERISTIK ASPAL PORUS DENGAN ABU VULKANIK GUNUNG SINABUNG SEBAGAI FILLER

Aspal porus merupakan jenis aspal yang memiliki stabilitas yang rendah namun memiliki permeabilitas tinggi yang disebabkan oleh banyaknya rongga dalam campuran. Aspal porus merupakan campuran aspal dengan proporsi agregat halus yang rendah untuk mendapatkan ruang pori yang tinggi. Guna meningkatkan stabilitas pada campuran aspal porus maka dibutuhkan bahan tambah lain yaitu styrofoam. Styrofoam adalah kemasan pembungkus makanan yang termasuk salah satu kualitas yang buruk, selain itu styrofoam juga terbukti tidak ramah lingkungan, karena tidak dapat diurai sama sekali, bahkan pada proses produksinya sendiri menghasilkan limbah yang tidak sedikit, sehingga dikategorikan sebagai penghasil limbah berbahaya ke-5 terbesar di dunia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan styrofoam sebagai bahan substitusi aspal penetrasi 60/70 terhadap campuran aspal porus pada pengujian Marshall, cantabro loss dan asphalt flow down. Dalam penelitian ini dilakukan pengumpulan data antara lain adalah data primer dan data sekunder. Agregat yang digunakan adalah kerikil pecah yang diperoleh dari PT. Lhokngan Beton, sedangkan bahan pengisi (filler) menggunakan Abu Vulkanik yang di oven sehingga dapat lolos saringan No. 200. Untuk menentukan KAO menggunakan metode Australian Asphalt Pavement Association (AAPA) dengan parameter Voids In Mix (VIM), Cantabro Loss (CL) dan Asphalt Flow Down (AFD). Gradasi yang digunakan adalah gradasi terbuka dengan variasi kadar aspal 4,5%; 5%; 5,5%; 6% dan 6,5% dengan substitusi styrofoam sebesar 10%. Setelah diperoleh KAO sebesar 5,58%, dibuat benda uji dengan nilai KAO pada pengujian permeabilitas dan durabilitas. Hasil pengujian marshall pada nilai KAO menunjukkan nilai stabilitas diperoleh sebesar 417,31 kg, nilai VIM sebesar 25,07%, dan nilai permeabilitas sebesar 0,2275 cm/det. Kata kunci : Styrofoam, Aspal Porus, Metode AAPA

Doğu Anadolu’da Litosferin Topografik Yüklere Elastik Cevabına Analitik Bir Yaklaşım

Konferans Bildirisi -- Teorik ve Uygulamalı Mekanik Türk Milli Komitesi, 2008Conference Paper -- Theoretical and Applied Mechanical Turkish National Committee, 2008Bu çalışmada Doğu Anadolu’da litosferin topografik yüklemelere karşı reaksiyonunun hesaplanması için, Green fonksiyonu yaklaşımı tabanlı basit bir algoritma sunuyoruz. Bu çalışmanın sonucunda elde edilecek yer değiştirme değerleri, ileride sentetik bir gravite anomalisi veri seti oluşturmamıza yardımcı olacak. Sentetik veri setinin gerçek gravite anomalileriyle karşılaştırılmasının bize bölgenin elastik rijitliği hakkında fikir vereceğini umuyoruz. Bu çalışmada, modifiye Bessel fonksiyonları yardımıyla kurduğumuz Green fonskiyonu uygulaması paraboloid yük için oldukça hızlı çalıştı ve tatminkar sonuçlar verdi.Doğu Anadolu, bundan yaklaşık 13 milyon yıl önce kapnma evresi sona eren kıta-kıta çarpışmasının etkisiyle ortalama yüksekliği yaklaşık 1700-1800 metre civarında bir topografik yüksekliğe erişmiş durumda. Bundan yaklaşık 3-4 yıl öncesine kadar Doğu Anadolu’nun mekanik yönden Tibet gibi tipik bir çarpışma sonrası oluşmuş yüksek plato olduğuna inanılıyordu, ne var ki yeni sismolojik veriler (ref) veriler kabuk kalınlığının çok fazla olmadığını (ortalama 40 km civarında) gösteriyor. Şengör et al (2003) bu yeni verilerden yola çıkarak termal izostazi argümanlarını kullanarak Doğu Anadolu’da kabukla astenosfer (yüksek sıcaklık ve mantoya göre çok düşük viskozitede) arasındaki manto litosfer tabakasının büyük olasılıkla çok ince olduğunu (hatta bazı yerlerde hiç olmayabileceğini) ortaya koydu. Astenosferik bir dom yapısına işeret eden bu değerlendirme jeokimyayla da destekleniyor. Bu veriler ışığında Doğu Anadolu’da elastik rijiditenin (bunun için eşdeğer bir mükemmel elastik levha tanımlandığı taktirde bir eşdeğer “elastik kalınlık” tanımı da yapmak mümkün) çok yüksek olmayabileceği akla geliyor. Öte yandan Doğu Anadolu’da deviatorik gerilmelerin büyük ölçüde çarpışmanın sürüyor olmasından kaynaklandığı da bilinmektedir (Özeren et al 2003)

The influence of persistent pathogens on circulating levels of inflammatory markers: A cross-sectional analysis from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Background: Systemic inflammation is linked to cardiovascular risk, but the influence of persistent pathogens, which are conventionally dichotomously categorized, on circulating levels of inflammatory markers is not clear. Antibody levels of pathogens have not been examined in relation to inflammation. Methods. Using data from a subsample of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, we examined circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen in relation to five common persistent pathogens: cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus-1, Hepatitis A virus, Helicobacter pylori and Chlamydia pneumoniae. We tested the hypothesis that the number of seropositive pathogens (based on conventional cut-off points) would not be as sensitive a marker of inflammation as immune response measured by antibody levels to pathogens. Results. High antibody response to multiple pathogens showed graded and significant associations with IL-6 (p < 0.001), CRP (p = 0.04) and fibrinogen (p = 0.001), whereas seropositive pathogen burden did not. In multiple linear regression models, high antibody response to multiple pathogens maintained a positive association only with IL-6 (4.4% per pathogen exhibiting high antibody response, 95% CI 0.0-8.9). Conclusions. High antibody response to pathogens was a more consistent marker of inflammatory outcomes compared to seropositivity alone and high antibody response to multiple pathogens was a stronger marker compared to any single pathogen

Pathways from Food Insecurity to Health Outcomes among California University Students

The prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among college students is alarmingly high, yet the impact on student health has not been well investigated. The aim of the current study was to examine the simultaneous relationships between food insecurity and health-related outcomes including body mass index (BMI) and overall health in a college student population. Randomly sampled students in the University of California 10 campus system were invited to participate in an online survey in spring 2015. The analytic sample size was 8705 graduate and undergraduate students. Data were collected on FI in the past year, daily servings of fruits and vegetables (FV), number of days in the past week of enough sleep and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), height and weight, self-rated health, and student characteristics. Using path analysis, mediated pathways between FI, BMI, and poor health were examined through FV intake, number of days of MVPA and enough sleep. Analyses controlled for student characteristics. Mean BMI was 23.6 kg/m2 (SD, 5.0), and average self-rated health was good. FI was directly and indirectly related to higher BMI and poor health through three pathways. First, FI was related to fewer days of enough sleep, which in turn was related to increased BMI and poor health. Second, FI was related to fewer days of MVPA, which in turn was related to increased BMI and poor health. Third, FI was related to fewer daily servings of FV, which in turn was related to poor health. FI is associated with poor health behaviors among college students, which may contribute to higher weight status and poor health. These findings highlight the importance of food security for a healthy college experience.University of California (UC) Office of the President's Global Food InitiativeOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]