Barium alginate capsules for 3D immobilisation of living cells: morphology, membrane properties and permeability

Encapsulation in a barium alginate membrane is a promising strategy to obtain a three dimensional culture of living cells: membrane properties are crucial for a realistic clinical application. A one-step encapsulation technique, recently developed for controlled release of boar semen, was employed to prepare barium alginate and protamine-alginate membranes: permeability to two model molecules (haemoglobin and glucose) was evaluated. Capsules were evaluated for technological properties and scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the external morphology of the capsules and the 3D distribution of the cells within the core. The results indicate that 3D arrangement and cell shape are maintained, capsule dimensions and mechanical properties can be modulated, as well as their permeability to model molecules such as haemoglobin and glucose

The effect of RU486 administered during the proliferative and secretory phase of the cycle on the bleeding pattern, hormonal parameters and the endometrium

Seventeen healthy women aged 24-45 years with regular menstrual periods, proven fertility and not using steroidal contraceptives or IUD were recruited for the study. The volunteers were followed during one control, one treatment and one follow-up cycle. Daily morning urine samples were obtained during the control and the treatment cycle. The samples were analysed with regard to pregnanediol glucuronide (P2-G), oestrone glucuronide (E1-G), oestradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), LH and creatinine. During the entire 3-month study the subjects kept a record of uterine bleeding and side effects. The subjects received 50 mg RU486 daily either on cycle days 7-10 (n = 7) or on cycle days 20-23 (n = 10). An endometrial biopsy was taken on cycle day 10 in the first group and on cycle days 21-28 in the second group of patients. Treatment during the proliferative phase caused significant prolongation of the cycle length due to a delay of the oestrogen and LH surge. However, once the oestrogen concentration started to increase, the remaining part of the cycle was normal. The length of the follow-up cycle was similar to that of the control cycle. The morphology of the endometrium did not differ from control samples taken from untreated women at the same time of the cycle. All ovulating women (n = 9) treated in the mid-luteal phase started to bleed on the 3rd to 4th day of the treatment. In four of these women the bleeding was scanty and followed by a menstrual-like bleeding at expected time, while in the remaining five volunteers the treatment bleeding was heavier and not followed by a new bleeding until a month later. The duration of the secretory phase was 16.5 ± 1.3 days in women with two bleeding episodes and 11.8 ± 1.9 days in women with one bleeding episode (P < 0.05). The hormonal parameters were similar in both groups up to the start of the treatment. In the patients with one bleeding episode, the treatment was associated with a reduction in progesterone concentration, while in the patients with two bleeding episodes the progesterone concentration remained elevated until the second bleeding episode. Light microscopic examination of the endometrium revealed unique changes in the endometrial morphology. The results indicate that RU486 acts mainly on the endometrium but a direct or indirect effect on the corpus luteum cannot be excluded. The age of the corpus luteum may be of importance for its susceptibility to RU486 treatmen

Non-linear instability of Kerr-type Cauchy horizons

Using the general solution to the Einstein equations on intersecting null surfaces developed by Hayward, we investigate the non-linear instability of the Cauchy horizon inside a realistic black hole. Making a minimal assumption about the free gravitational data allows us to solve the field equations along a null surface crossing the Cauchy Horizon. As in the spherical case, the results indicate that a diverging influx of gravitational energy, in concert with an outflux across the CH, is responsible for the singularity. The spacetime is asymptotically Petrov type N, the same algebraic type as a gravitational shock wave. Implications for the continuation of spacetime through the singularity are briefly discussed.Comment: 11 pages RevTeX, two postscript figures included using epsf.st

Thromboelastographic profiles as a tool for thrombotic risk in digestive tract cancer

Background: Quantification of the magnitude of thrombotic risk associated with malignancy and with anti-cancer therapy is indispensable to use anticoagulant drugs which selectively interfere with haemostatic mechanisms protecting patients from venous thromboembolism (VTE) and probably from tumor progression. However, none of activation coagulation markers has any predictive value for the occurrence of the thrombotic events in one individual patient. Current clotting methods can’t reveal the overall dynamic clot formation; in contrast thromboelastographic methods specifically assess overall coagulation kinetics and its strength in whole blood. Aim: Objective of study was to evaluate if the activation of coagulation as eventually revealed by ROTEM® thromboelastometry could assess an hypercoagulable state in surgical neoplastic patients. Patients and Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with carcinoma of the digestive tract in preoperative period (23 M, 27 F aging 61.5 (45–79 years) and 147 healthy subjects (71 M, 76 F) were studied. A recent thromboelastometric method based on thrombelastography after Hartert was employed. Measurements were performed on ROTEM Coagulation Analyzer. The continuous coagulation data from 50 min course were transformed into dynamic velocity profiles of WB clot formation. Results: Standard parameters (CT, CFT, MCF) of cancer patients were similar to controls. CT (in cancer patients): females 50 s (38.3–58.7), males 50 s (42–71.2) vs 51 s (42–59), p = 0.1210 / 53 s (42–74.8), p = 0.1975 (in controls). CFT (in cancer patients): females 72 s (32- 92.4), males 80 s (50.2- 128.7) vs 78 s (62–100), p = 0.0128 / 80 s (59–124.4), p = 0.9384 (in controls). MCF (in cancer patients): females 70 mm (59.9–82.5), males 63 mm (56–73.7) vs 69 mm (59–95.8), p = 0.9911 / 69 mm (53.6–90), p = 0.0135 (in controls). Females showed a higher MaxVel when compared to males. The MaxVel was increased in cancer patients: females 19 mm /100 s (14.3–49.5) males 18 mm / 100 s (11–27) vs 15 mm 100 s (11.8–22), p < 0.001 / 13 mm / 100 s (10–21.8), p < 0.001 in controls .The t-MaxVel was shortened in cancer patients: females 65 s (48.6–112.8), males 81 s (50.1–135.9) vs 115 s (56.8–166), p <0.001 / 115 s (59.8–180.8), p = 0.0002 in controls. The AUC was increased in cancer patients: females 6451 mm 100 (5511–8148), males 5984 mm 100 (5119-6899) vs 5778 mm 100 (4998–6655), p < 0.001 / 5662 mm 100 (4704–6385), p = 0.0105. Conclusion: Unlike other assays measuring variations in a single component during coagulation, the thrombelastographic method records a profile of real-time continuous WB clot formation, and may provide extensive informations on haemostasis in neoplastic patients before surgery.Предпосылки исследования количественная оценка риска тромбоза, связанного со злокачественными заболеваниями и противоопухолевой терапией, обязательно включает в себя применение средств-антикоагулянтов, защищающих больного от развития венозной тромбоэмболии (VTE)и возможно п рогрессии заболевания . Тем не менее ни один из маркеров ак- тивации коагуляции не имеет прогностической ценности с точки зрения возможности возникновения тромбоза у каждого отдельно взятого пациента. Современные мето ды оценки свертывания крови не отража ют образование тромба винамике ; наоборот, метод тромбо эластографии дает возможность специфически оценить кинетику свертывания крови целом . Цель: определить, в какой мере активность коагуляции, определяемой методом тромбоэ ластометрии, отражает состояние гиперсвертываемости крови у больных онкологического профиля после хирургического вмешательства. Пациенты и м ды: обследованы 50 больных раком пищ еваритель ного тракта в дооп ерационный п ериод (27 женщин, 23 му жчины, средний возраст 61,5 года (45–79 лет) и 147 здоровых доноров (71 мужчина, 76 женщин). Применяли метод тромбоэластометрии , основанный на тромбоэластографии Гартерта, с использованием анализатора коагуляциифирмыROTEM. Текущие д анные о свертывании за 50 мин измерений представили в виде динамичных профилей вязкости при образовании сгустка крови. Результаты: стандартные параметры (перио д коагуляции (CT), перио д образования сгу стка (CFT), максимал ь ная п лот- ность сгустка (MCF)) больных онкологического п рофиля близки к контроль ным . CT у больных онкологического п рофиля составлял: у женщин — 50 с (38,3–58,7), у му жчин 50 (42–71,2) vs 51 (42–59), p = 0,1210/53 ( 42–74,8 ), p = 0,1975 в контрольной группе . CFT у таких пациентов составлял : у женщин — 72 ( 32–92,4 м жчин – 80 с (50,2–128,7) vs 78 (62–100), p = 0,0128 80 (59–124,4), p = 0,9384 в контрол ьной группе . MCF у больных онкологического п составлял: у женщин — 70 мм (59,9–82,5), у мужчин — 63 мм (56–73,7) vs 69 мм (59–95,8), p = 0,9911 / 69 мм (53,6–90), p = 0,0135 в контрол ьной группе. У женщинпоказатели вязкости крови MaxVel были выше, чем у му жчин . Показатели MaxVel повышены у таких пациентов : у женщин — 19 мм/100 с (14,3–49,5) у му жчин — 18 мм/100 (11–27 ) vs 15 мм / 100 (11,8–22), p < 0,001 / 13 мм / 100 с (10–21,8), p <0,001 в контрол ьной группе. ь t-MaxVel понижен у больных онкологического профиля: у женщин – 65 с (48,6–112,8) , у мужчин – 81 с (50,1–135,9) vs 115 с (56,8–166), p < 0,001 / 115 с (59,8–180,8), p = 0,0002 в контрольной группе. Показатель AUC у повышен у женщин — 6451 мм 100 (5511–8148), у мужчин — 5984 мм 100 (5119–6899) vs 5778 мм 100 (4998–6655), p < 0,001 / 5662 мм 100 (4704–6385), p = 0.0105. Выводы в отличие от других мето дов, измеря ющих вариации отдельных комп онентов системы крови, метод тромбо эластографии отражает текущийп рофиль образования сгу сткав режиме реаль ного времени является информативным споссобом оценки состояния гемостаза у онкологических больных

Quality indicators in radiation oncology: proposal of the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) for a continuous improvement of the quality of care in oncology.

Purpose Current cancer treatment options include surgical intervention, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The quality of the provision of each of them and their effective coordination determines the results in terms of benefit/risk. Regarding the radiation oncology treatments, there are not stabilised quality indicators to be used to perform control and continuous improvement processes for healthcare services. Therefore, the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology has undertaken a comprehensive project to establish quality indicators for use with the information systems available in most Spanish healthcare services. Methods A two-round Delphi study examines consensus of several possible quality indicators (n = 28) in daily practice. These indicators were defined after a bibliographic search and the assessment by radiation oncology specialists (n = 8). They included aspects regarding treatment equipment, patient preparation, treatment, and follow-up processes and were divided in structure, process, and outcome indicators. Results After the evaluation of the defined quality indicators (n = 28) by an expert panel (38 radiation oncologist), 26 indicators achieved consensus in terms of agreement with the statement. Two quality indicators did not achieve consensus. Conclusions There is a high degree of consensus in Spanish Radiation Oncology specialists on which indicators in routine clinical practice can best measure quality. These indicators can be used to classify services based on several parameters (patients, equipments, complexity of the techniques used, and scientific research). Furthermore, these indicators allow assess our current situation and set improvements’ objectives.pre-print241 K

Fast Photon Detection for Particle Identification with COMPASS RICH-1

Particle identification at high rates is an important challenge for many current and future high-energy physics experiments. The upgrade of the COMPASS RICH-1 detector requires a new technique for Cherenkov photon detection at count rates of several $10^6$ per channel in the central detector region, and a read-out system allowing for trigger rates of up to 100 kHz. To cope with these requirements, the photon detectors in the central region have been replaced with the detection system described in this paper. In the peripheral regions, the existing multi-wire proportional chambers with CsI photocathode are now read out via a new system employing APV pre-amplifiers and flash ADC chips. The new detection system consists of multi-anode photomultiplier tubes (MAPMT) and fast read-out electronics based on the MAD4 discriminator and the F1-TDC chip. The RICH-1 is in operation in its upgraded version for the 2006 CERN SPS run. We present the photon detection design, constructive aspects and the first Cherenkov light in the detector.Comment: Proceedings of the Imaging 2006 conference, Stockholm, Sweden, 27-30 June 2006, 5 pages, 6 figures, to appear in NIM A; corrected typo in caption of Fig.

Fast photon detection for the COMPASS RICH detector

The COMPASS experiment at the SPS accelerator at CERN uses a large scale Ring Imaging CHerenkov detector (RICH) to identify pions, kaons and protons in a wide momentum range. For the data taking in 2006, the COMPASS RICH has been upgraded in the central photon detection area (25% of the surface) with a new technology to detect Cherenkov photons at very high count rates of several 10^6 per second and channel and a new dead-time free read-out system, which allows trigger rates up to 100 kHz. The Cherenkov photons are detected by an array of 576 visible and ultra-violet sensitive multi-anode photomultipliers with 16 channels each. The upgraded detector showed an excellent performance during the 2006 data taking.Comment: Proceeding of the IPRD06 conference (Siena, Okt. 06

The Fast Read-out System for the MAPMTs of COMPASS RICH-1

A fast readout system for the upgrade of the COMPASS RICH detector has been developed and successfully used for data taking in 2006 and 2007. The new readout system for the multi-anode PMTs in the central part of the photon detector of the RICH is based on the high-sensitivity MAD4 preamplifier-discriminator and the dead-time free F1-TDC chip characterized by high-resolution. The readout electronics has been designed taking into account the high photon flux in the central part of the detector and the requirement to run at high trigger rates of up to 100 kHz with negligible dead-time. The system is designed as a very compact setup and is mounted directly behind the multi-anode photomultipliers. The data are digitized on the frontend boards and transferred via optical links to the readout system. The read-out electronics system is described in detail together with its measured performances.Comment: Proceeding of RICH2007 Conference, Trieste, Oct. 2007. v2: minor change