Prediction of left lobe hypertrophy after right lobe radioembolization of the liver using a clinical data model with external validation

In cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), right-sided radioembolization (RE) with Yttrium-90-loaded microspheres is an established palliative therapy and can be considered a “curative intention” treatment when aiming for sequential tumor resection. To become surgical candidate, hypertrophy of the left liver lobe to > 40% (future liver remnant, FLR) is mandatory, which can develop after RE. The amount of radiation-induced shrinkage of the right lobe and compensatory hypertrophy of the left lobe is difficult for clinicians to predict. This study aimed to utilize machine learning to predict left lobe liver hypertrophy in patients with HCC and cirrhosis scheduled for right lobe RE, with external validation. The results revealed that machine learning can accurately predict relative and absolute volume changes of the left liver lobe after right lobe RE. This prediction algorithm could help to estimate the chances of conversion from palliative RE to curative major hepatectomy following significant FLR hypertrophy

Rare earth metal tris(borohydride) complexes as initiators for epsilon-caprolactone polymerization: General features and IR investigations of the process

Trivalent rare earth metal borohydride complexes Ln(BH4)(3)(THF)(3)(Ln = La, Nd, Sm) initiate the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone (epsilon-CL) to give, in quantitative yields and in a few minutes, (x,(o-dihydroxytelechelic poly(epsilon-caprolactone) displaying a relatively narrow molar mass distribution (<= 1.3). The polymer features depend on both the metal and the solvent. A good agreement between (M) over bar (n(theo)) and (M) over bar (n(exp)) is observed for low [monomer](0/)[initiator](0) values whereas a deviation ((M) over bar (n(exp)), < (M) over bar (n(theo)) is obtained at higher ratios; this behavior has been rationalized by the occurrence of some transfer reactions. The gel formed during the polymerization arises from the involvement of the -(OBH2) end groups of the active polymer chains in several inter- and intramolecular van der Waals interactions, as revealed by in-depth infrared investigations of the various intermediates implicated in the whole polymerization mechanism. Finally, the polymers synthesized display only traces of residual nontoxic rare earth metals, thus making them suitable for biomedical applications

Irradiation induced growth of CoSi2_2 precipitates in Si at 650 degrees C: an in situ study

Crystalline Si samples were implanted at 350°C with 50 keV Co+ ions to a fluence of 1015 Co cm−2. Small CoSi2 precipitates were formed. We studied the precipitate growth, via in situ transmission electron microscopy, under irradiation with 100 keV Si ions at 650°C. We deduce the precipitate growth processes involved. Irradiation-induced (or enhanced) Ostwald ripening is the main growth mechanism. We also find an instability of the B-type precipitates, which leads to their transformation into A-type precipitates above a critical size. These preliminary results show that direct comparisons with kinetic Monte Carlo modelling of the precipitate growth is at hand