528 research outputs found
FROM MOUSTACHES TO MY SPACES
Radical removal of malignant lesions may be improved using tumor-targeted dual-modality probes that contain both a radiotracer and a fluorescent label to allow for enhanced intraoperative delineation of tumor resection margins. Because pretargeting strategies yield high signal-to-background ratios, we evaluated the feasibility of a pretargeting strategy for intraoperative imaging in prostate cancer using an anti-TROP-2 x anti-HSG bispecific antibody (TF12) in conjunction with the dual-labeled diHSG peptide (RDC018) equipped with both a DOTA chelate for radiolabeling purposes and a fluorophore (IRdye800CW) to allow near-infrared optical imaging. Nude mice implanted s.c. with TROP-2-expressing PC3 human prostate tumor cells or with PC3 metastases in the scapular and suprarenal region were injected i.v. with 1 mg of TF12 and, after 16 hours of tumor accumulation and blood clearance, were subsequently injected with 10 MBq, 0.2 nmol/mouse of either (111)In-RDC018 or (111)In-IMP288 as a control. Two hours after injection, both microSPECT/CT and fluorescence images were acquired, both before and after resection of the tumor nodules. After image acquisition, the biodistribution of (111)In-RDC018 and (111)In-IMP288 was determined and tumors were analyzed immunohistochemically. The biodistribution of the dual-label RDC018 showed specific accumulation in the TROP-2-expressing PC3 tumors (12.4 +/- 3.7% ID/g at 2 hours postinjection), comparable with (111)In-IMP288 (9.1 +/- 2.8% ID/g at 2 hours postinjection). MicroSPECT/CT and near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging confirmed this TROP-2-specific uptake of the dual-label (111)In-RDC018 in both the s.c. and metastatic growing tumor model. In addition, PC3 metastases could be visualized preoperatively with SPECT/CT and could subsequently be resected by image-guided surgery using intraoperative NIRF imaging, showing the preclinical feasibility of pretargeted dual-modality imaging approach in prostate cancer
Use and experiences of galactagogues while breastfeeding among Australian women
Background: Galactagogues are substances thought to increase breast milk production, however evidence to support their efficacy and safety remain limited. We undertook a survey among Australian women to examine patterns of use of galactagogues and perceptions regarding their safety and effectiveness. Methods: An online, cross-sectional survey was distributed between September and December 2019 via national breastfeeding and preterm birth support organisations, and networks of several research institutions in Australia. Women were eligible to participate if they lived in Australia and were currently/previously breastfeeding. The survey included questions about galactagogue use (including duration and timing), side effects and perceived effectiveness (on a scale of 1 [Not at all effective] to 5 [Extremely effective]). Results: Among 1876 respondents, 1120 (60%) reported using one or more galactagogues. Women were 31.5 ± 4.8 years (mean ± standard deviation) at their most recent birth. Sixty-five percent of women were currently breastfeeding at the time of the survey. The most commonly reported galactagogues included lactation cookies (47%), brewer's yeast (32%), fenugreek (22%) and domperidone (19%). The mean duration of use for each galactagogue ranged from 2 to 20 weeks. Approximately 1 in 6 women reported commencing galactagogues within the first week postpartum. Most women reported receiving recommendations to use herbal/dietary galactagogues from the internet (38%) or friends (25%), whereas pharmaceutical galactagogues were most commonly prescribed by General Practitioners (72%). The perceived effectiveness varied greatly across galactagogues. Perceived effectiveness was highest for domperidone (mean rating of 3.3 compared with 2.0 to 3.0 among other galactagogues). Over 23% of domperidone users reported experiencing multiple side effects, compared to an average of 3% of women taking herbal galactagogues. Conclusions: This survey demonstrates that galactagogues use is common in Australia. Further research is needed to generate robust evidence about galactagogues' efficacy and safety to support evidence-based strategies and improve breastfeeding outcomes.Grace M. McBride, Robyn Stevenson, Gabriella Zizzo, Alice R. Rumbold, Lisa H. Ami, Amy K. Keir, Luke E. Grzeskowia
Fate of biosolids trace metals in a dryland wheat agroecosystem
Biosolids land application for beneficial reuse applies varying
amounts of trace metals to soils. Measuring plant-available or
total soil metals is typically performed to ensure environmental
protection, but these techniques do not quantify which
soil phases play important roles in terms of metal release or
attenuation. This study assessed the distribution of Cd, Cr,
Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn associated with soluble/exchangeable,
specifically adsorbed/carbonate-bound, amorphous Mn
hydroxyoxide-bound, amorphous Fe hydroxyoxide–bound,
organically complexed, and residual inorganic phases. Biosolids
were applied every 2 yr from 1982 to 2002 (except in 1998)
at rates of 0, 6.7, 13.4, 26.8, and 40.3 dry Mg biosolids ha?1
to 3.6- by 17.1-m plots. In 2003, 0- to 20-cm and 20- to
60-cm soil depths were collected and subjected to 4 mol L?1
HNO3 digestion and sequential extraction. Trace metals were
concentrated in the 0- to 20-cm depth, with no significant
observable downward movement using 4 mol L?1 HNO3 or
sequential extraction. The sequential extraction showed nearly
all measurable Cd present in relatively mobile forms and Cr,
Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn present in more resistant phases.
Biosolids application did not affect Cd or Cr fractionation
but did increase relatively immobile Cu, Mo, and Zn phases
and relatively mobile Cu, Ni, and Pb pools. The mobile
phases have not contributed to significant downward metal
movement. Long-term, repeated biosolids applications at rates
considered several times greater than agronomic levels should
not significantly contribute to downward metal transport and
ground water contamination for soils under similar climatic
conditions, agronomic practices, and histories
Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset
corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected
during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV.
The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the
couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and
right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary
mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b,
leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing
transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W'
boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to
the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for
masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC
data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed
coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant
improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe
Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV
A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The
analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC
from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an
integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross
section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected
exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the
standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The
analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model
Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The
largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is
observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance
of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local
significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is
estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of
this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters
Measurement of the Lambda(b) cross section and the anti-Lambda(b) to Lambda(b) ratio with Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda decays in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
The Lambda(b) differential production cross section and the cross section
ratio anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) are measured as functions of transverse momentum
pt(Lambda(b)) and rapidity abs(y(Lambda(b))) in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7
TeV using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are
based on Lambda(b) decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/Psi
Lambda, with the subsequent decays J/Psi to an opposite-sign muon pair and
Lambda to proton pion, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated
luminosity of 1.9 inverse femtobarns. The product of the cross section times
the branching ratio for Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda versus pt(Lambda(b)) falls
faster than that of b mesons. The measured value of the cross section times the
branching ratio for pt(Lambda(b)) > 10 GeV and abs(y(Lambda(b))) < 2.0 is 1.06
+/- 0.06 +/- 0.12 nb, and the integrated cross section ratio for
anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) is 1.02 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.09, where the uncertainties are
statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters
Search for new physics in events with opposite-sign leptons, jets, and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
A search is presented for physics beyond the standard model (BSM) in final
states with a pair of opposite-sign isolated leptons accompanied by jets and
missing transverse energy. The search uses LHC data recorded at a
center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the CMS detector, corresponding to
an integrated luminosity of approximately 5 inverse femtobarns. Two
complementary search strategies are employed. The first probes models with a
specific dilepton production mechanism that leads to a characteristic kinematic
edge in the dilepton mass distribution. The second strategy probes models of
dilepton production with heavy, colored objects that decay to final states
including invisible particles, leading to very large hadronic activity and
missing transverse energy. No evidence for an event yield in excess of the
standard model expectations is found. Upper limits on the BSM contributions to
the signal regions are deduced from the results, which are used to exclude a
region of the parameter space of the constrained minimal supersymmetric
extension of the standard model. Additional information related to detector
efficiencies and response is provided to allow testing specific models of BSM
physics not considered in this paper.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO
Measurement of isolated photon production in pp and PbPb collisions at sqrt(sNN) = 2.76 TeV
Isolated photon production is measured in proton-proton and lead-lead
collisions at nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energies of 2.76 TeV in the
pseudorapidity range |eta|<1.44 and transverse energies ET between 20 and 80
GeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. The measured ET spectra are found to be
in good agreement with next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD predictions. The
ratio of PbPb to pp isolated photon ET-differential yields, scaled by the
number of incoherent nucleon-nucleon collisions, is consistent with unity for
all PbPb reaction centralities.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters
Galaxy Clusters Associated with Short GRBs. II. Predictions for the Rate of Short GRBs in Field and Cluster Early-Type Galaxies
We determine the relative rates of short GRBs in cluster and field early-type
galaxies as a function of the age probability distribution of their
progenitors, P(\tau) \propto \tau^n. This analysis takes advantage of the
difference in the growth of stellar mass in clusters and in the field, which
arises from the combined effects of the galaxy stellar mass function, the
early-type fraction, and the dependence of star formation history on mass and
environment. This approach complements the use of the early- to late-type host
galaxy ratio, with the added benefit that the star formation histories of
early-type galaxies are simpler than those of late-type galaxies, and any
systematic differences between progenitors in early- and late-type galaxies are
removed. We find that the ratio varies from R(cluster)/R(field) ~ 0.5 for n =
-2 to ~ 3 for n = 2. Current observations indicate a ratio of about 2,
corresponding to n ~ 0 - 1. This is similar to the value inferred from the
ratio of short GRBs in early- and late-type hosts, but it differs from the
value of n ~ -1 for NS binaries in the Milky Way. We stress that this general
approach can be easily modified with improved knowledge of the effects of
environment and mass on the build-up of stellar mass, as well as the effect of
globular clusters on the short GRB rate. It can also be used to assess the age
distribution of Type Ia supernova progenitors.Comment: ApJ accepted versio
Search for leptophobic Z ' bosons decaying into four-lepton final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=8 TeV
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