Short-range charge-order in RRNiO3_{3} perovskites (RR=Pr,Nd,Eu) probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The short-range organization around Ni atoms in orthorhombic $R$NiO$_{3}$ ($R$=Pr,Nd,Eu) perovskites has been studied over a wide temperature range by Ni K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate that two different Ni sites, with different average Ni-O bond lengths, coexist in those orthorhombic compounds and that important modifications in the Ni nearest neighbors environment take place across the metal-insulator transition. We report evidences for the existence of short-range charge-order in the insulating state, as found in the monoclinic compounds. Moreover, our results suggest that the two different Ni sites coexists even in the metallic state. The coexistence of two different Ni sites, independently on the $R$ ion, provides a common ground to describe these compounds and shed new light in the understanding of the phonon-assisted conduction mechanism and unusual antiferromagnetism present in all $R$NiO$_{3}$ compounds.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted PRB - Brief Report Dec.200

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on liver cancer management (CERO-19).

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems and it may have heavily impacted patients with liver cancer (LC). Herein, we evaluated whether the schedule of LC screening or procedures has been interrupted or delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An international survey evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice and clinical trials from March 2020 to June 2020, as the first phase of a multicentre, international, and observational project. The focus was on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, cared for around the world during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. RESULTS: Ninety-one centres expressed interest to participate and 76 were included in the analysis, from Europe, South America, North America, Asia, and Africa (73.7%, 17.1%, 5.3%, 2.6%, and 1.3% per continent, respectively). Eighty-seven percent of the centres modified their clinical practice: 40.8% the diagnostic procedures, 80.9% the screening programme, 50% cancelled curative and/or palliative treatments for LC, and 41.7% modified the liver transplantation programme. Forty-five out of 69 (65.2%) centres in which clinical trials were running modified their treatments in that setting, but 58.1% were able to recruit new patients. The phone call service was modified in 51.4% of centres which had this service before the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 19/37). CONCLUSIONS: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous impact on the routine care of patients with liver cancer. Modifications in screening, diagnostic, and treatment algorithms may have significantly impaired the outcome of patients. Ongoing data collection and future analyses will report the benefits and disadvantages of the strategies implemented, aiding future decision-making. LAY SUMMARY: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems globally. Herein, we assessed the impact of the first wave pandemic on patients with liver cancer and found that routine care for these patients has been majorly disrupted, which could have a significant impact on outcomes

Population-based multicase-control study in common tumors in Spain (MCC-Spain): rationale and study design

Introduction: We present the protocol of a large population-based case-control study of 5 common tumors in Spain (MCC-Spain) that evaluates environmental exposures and genetic factors. Methods: Between 2008-2013, 10,183 persons aged 20-85 years were enrolled in 23 hospitals and primary care centres in 12 Spanish provinces including 1,115 cases of a new diagnosis of prostate cancer, 1,750 of breast cancer, 2,171 of colorectal cancer, 492 of gastro-oesophageal cancer, 554 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and 4,101 population-based controls matched by frequency to cases by age, sex and region of residence. Participation rates ranged from 57% (stomach cancer) to 87% (CLL cases) and from 30% to 77% in controls. Participants completed a face-to-face computerized interview on sociodemographic factors, environmental exposures, occupation, medication, lifestyle, and personal and family medical history. In addition, participants completed a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire and telephone interviews. Blood samples were collected from 76% of participants while saliva samples were collected in CLL cases and participants refusing blood extractions. Clinical information was recorded for cases and paraffin blocks and/or fresh tumor samples are available in most collaborating hospitals. Genotyping was done through an exome array enriched with genetic markers in specific pathways. Multiple analyses are planned to assess the association of environmental, personal and genetic risk factors for each tumor and to identify pleiotropic effects. Discussion: This study, conducted within the Spanish Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), is a unique initiative to evaluate etiological factors for common cancers and will promote cancer research and prevention in Spain.The study was partially funded by the “Accion Transversal del Cancer”, approved on the Spanish Ministry Council on the 11th October 2007, by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FEDER (PI08/1770, PI08/0533, PI08/1359, PS09/00773, PS09/01286, PS09/01903, PS09/02078, PS09/01662, PI11/01403, PI11/01889, PI11/00226, PI11/01810, PI11/02213, PI12/00488, PI12/00265, PI12/01270, PI12/00715, PI12/00150), by the Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla (API 10/09), by the ICGC International Cancer Genome Consortium CLL, by the Junta de Castilla y León (LE22A10-2), by the Consejería de Salud of the Junta de Andalucía (PI-0571), by the Conselleria de Sanitat of the Generalitat Valenciana (AP 061/10), by the Recercaixa (2010ACUP 00310), by the Regional Government of the Basque Country by European Commission grants FOOD-CT- 2006-036224-HIWATE, by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) Scientific Foundation, by the The Catalan Government DURSI grant 2009SGR1489

Structural evolution of the double perovskites Sr2B'UO6 (B' = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn) upon reduction: Magnetic behavior of the uranium cations

We describe the preparation of five perovskite oxides obtained upon reduction of Sr2B′UO6 (B′ = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn) with H2/N2 (5%/95%) at 900 °C during 8 h, and their structural characterization by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). During the reduction process there is a partial segregation of the elemental metal when B′ = Co, Ni, Fe, and the corresponding B′O oxide when B′ = Mn, Zn. Whereas the parent, oxygen stoichiometric double perovskites Sr2B′UO6 are long-range ordered concerning B′ and U cations. The crystal structures of the reduced phases, SrB′0.5−xU0.5+xO3 with 0.37 < x < 0.27, correspond to simple, disordered perovskites; they are orthorhombic, space group Pnma (No. 62), with a full cationic disorder at the B site. Magnetic measurements performed on the phase with B′ = Zn, indicate uncompensated antiferromagnetic ordering of the U5+/U4+ sublattice below 30 K.Fil: Pinacca, Ruben Miguel. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Área Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Viola, Maria del Carmen. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Área Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Pedregosa, Jose Carmelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Área Química General e Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Carbonio, Raul Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Lope, M. J.. Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Alonso, J. A.. Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Españ

Outcome of liver cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: An International, Multicentre, Cohort Study

Background &amp; aims: Information about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with liver cancer is lacking. This study characterizes the outcomes and mortality risk in this population. Methods: Multicentre retrospective, cross-sectional, international study of liver cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection registered between February and December 2020. Clinical data at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and outcomes were registered. Results: Two hundred fifty patients from 38 centres were included, 218 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 32 with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). The median age was 66.5 and 64.5 years, and 84.9% and 21.9% had cirrhosis in the HCC and iCCA cohorts respectively. Patients had advanced cancer stage at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis in 39.0% of the HCC and 71.9% of the iCCA patients. After a median follow-up of 7.20 (IQR: 1.84-11.24) months, 100 (40%) patients have died, 48% of the deaths were SARS-CoV-2-related. Forty (18.4%) HCC patients died within 30-days. The death rate increase was significantly different according to the BCLC stage (6.10% [95% CI 2.24-12.74], 11.76% [95% CI 4.73-22.30], 20.69% [95% CI 11.35-31.96] and 34.52% [95% CI 17.03-52.78] for BCLC 0/A, B, C and D, respectively; p = .0017). The hazard ratio was 1.45 (95% CI 0.49-4.31; p = .5032) in BCLC-B versus 0/A, and 3.13 (95% CI 1.29-7.62; p = .0118) in BCLC-C versus 0/A in the competing risk Cox regression model. Nineteen out of 32 iCCA (59.4%) died, and 12 deaths were related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions: This is the largest cohort of liver cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. It characterizes the 30-day mortality risk of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with HCC during this period

Outcome of liver cancer patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection

Background &amp; Aims: Information about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with liver cancer is lacking. This study characterizes the outcomes and mortality risk in this population. Methods: Multicenter retrospective, cross-sectional, international study of liver cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection registered between February-December 2020. Clinical data at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis and outcomes were registered. Results: Two-hundred-fifty patients from 38 centers were included, 218 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 32 with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Median age was 66.5 and 64.5 years, and 84.9% and 21.9% had cirrhosis in the HCC and iCCA cohorts, respectively. Patients had advanced cancer stage at SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis in 39.0% of the HCC and 71.9% of the iCCA patients. After a median follow-up of 7.20 [IQR:1.84–11.24] months, 100 (40%) patients have died,48% of the deaths were SARS-CoV-2-related. Forty (18.4%) HCC patients died within 30-days. The death rate increase was significantly different according to the BCLC stage [6.10%(95%CI 2.24–12.74), 11.76%(95%CI 4.73–22.30), 20.69%(95%CI 11.35–31.96), and 34.52%(95%CI 17.03–52.78) for BCLC 0/A, B, C and D respectively; p=0.0017]. The Hazard Ratio was 1.45 (95%CI 0.49–4.31; p=0.5032) in BCLC-B vs 0/A, and 3.13 (95%CI 1.29–7.62; p=0.0118) in BCLC-C vs 0/A in the Competing risk Cox regression model. Nineteen out of 32 iCCA (59.4%) died, 12 deaths related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions: This is the largest cohort of liver cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. It characterizes the 30-day mortality risk of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with HCC during this period