Effects of Various Wavelength Ranges of Vacuum Ultraviolet Radiation on Teflon FEP Film Investigated

Teflon Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FTP) films (DuPont) have been widely used for spacecraft thermal control and have been observed to become embrittled and cracked upon exposure to the space environment. This degradation has been attributed to a synergistic combination of radiation and thermal effects. A research study was undertaken at the NASA Glenn Research Center to examine the effects of different wavelength ranges of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation on the degradation of the mechanical properties of FEP. This will contribute to an overall understanding of space radiation effects on Teflon FEP, and will provide information necessary to determine appropriate techniques for using laboratory tests to estimate space VUV degradation. Research was conducted using inhouse facilities at Glenn and was carried out, in part, through a grant with the Cleveland State University. Samples of Teflon FEP film of 50.8 microns thickness were exposed to radiation from a VUV lamp from beneath different cover windows to provide different exposure wavelength ranges: MgF2 (115 to 400 nm), crystalline quartz (140 to 400 nm), and fused silica (FS, 155 to 400 nm). Following exposure, FEP film specimens were tensile tested to determine the ultimate tensile strength and elongation at failure as a function of the exposure duration for each wavelength range. The graphs show the effect of ultraviolet exposure on the mechanical properties of the FEP samples

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The VVDS-VLA Deep Field - IV: Radio-optical properties

(abridged) We use the 1.4 GHz VIMOS-VLA Deep Survey and the optical VVDS and the CFHT-LS to compare the properties of radio loud galaxies with respect to the whole population of optical galaxies. The availability of multiband photometry and high quality photometric redshifts allows to derive rest frame colors and radio luminosity functions down to a limit of a B rest-frame magnitude of M=-20. Galaxy properties and luminosity functions (LFs) are estimated up to z~1 for radio loud and radio quiet early and late type galaxies. Radio loud late type galaxies are redder than radio quiet objects of the same class and this is an effect related to the presence of more dust in stronger star forming galaxies. Moreover, we estimate optical LFs, stellar masses and star formation rate distributions for radio sources and compare them with those derived for a well defined control sample, finding that the probability for a galaxy to be a radio emitter significantly increases at high values of these parameters. Radio loud early type galaxies show luminosity evolution of their bivariate radio-optical LF, due to an evolution in the radio-optical ratio. The lack of evolution of the mass function of radio loud early type galaxies means that no new AGN are formed at z<1. On the contrary, radio loud late type objects show a strong evolution, both in luminosity and in density, of the radio LF for z>0.7. This evolution is the direct effect of the strong optical evolution of this class and no significant change with redshift of the radio-optical ratio is required. With the knowledge of the radio-optical ratio and the optical and radio LFs for late type galaxies, we estimated the star formation history of the Universe up to z~1.5, using optical galaxies as tracers of the global radio emission.Comment: 17 pages, A&A in pres

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy plus usual care for improving quality of life in people with motor neuron disease (COMMEND): a multicentre, parallel, randomised controlled trial in the UK

BACKGROUND: Motor neuron disease is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a psychological therapy incorporating acceptance, mindfulness, and behaviour change techniques. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ACT plus usual care, compared with usual care alone, for improving quality of life in people with motor neuron disease. METHODS: We conducted a parallel, multicentre, two-arm randomised controlled trial in 16 UK motor neuron disease care centres or clinics. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of definite or laboratory-supported probable, clinically probable, or possible familial or sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; progressive muscular atrophy; or primary lateral sclerosis; which met the World Federation of Neurology's El Escorial diagnostic criteria. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive up to eight sessions of ACT adapted for people with motor neuron disease plus usual care or usual care alone by a web-based system, stratified by site. Participants were followed up at 6 months and 9 months post-randomisation. Outcome assessors and trial statisticians were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was quality of life using the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Revised (MQOL-R) at 6 months post-randomisation. Primary analyses were multi-level modelling and modified intention to treat among participants with available data. This trial was pre-registered with the ISRCTN Registry (ISRCTN12655391). FINDINGS: Between Sept 18, 2019, and Aug 31, 2022, 435 people with motor neuron disease were approached for the study, of whom 206 (47%) were assessed for eligibility, and 191 were recruited. 97 (51%) participants were randomly assigned to ACT plus usual care and 94 (49%) were assigned to usual care alone. 80 (42%) of 191 participants were female and 111 (58%) were male, and the mean age was 63·1 years (SD 11·0). 155 (81%) participants had primary outcome data at 6 months post-randomisation. After controlling for baseline scores, age, sex, and therapist clustering, ACT plus usual care was superior to usual care alone for quality of life at 6 months (adjusted mean difference on the MQOL-R of 0·66 [95% CI 0·22–1·10]; d=0·46 [0·16–0·77]; p=0·0031). Moderate effect sizes were clinically meaningful. 75 adverse events were reported, 38 of which were serious, but no adverse events were deemed to be associated with the intervention. INTERPRETATION: ACT plus usual care is clinically effective for maintaining or improving quality of life in people with motor neuron disease. As further evidence emerges confirming these findings, health-care providers should consider how access to ACT, adapted for the specific needs of people with motor neuron disease, could be provided within motor neuron disease clinical services. FUNDING: National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Technology Assessment and Motor Neurone Disease Association

Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trial

Background Previous evidence supports androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with primary radiotherapy as initial treatment for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the use and optimal duration of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy remains uncertain. Methods RADICALS-HD was a randomised controlled trial of ADT duration within the RADICALS protocol. Here, we report on the comparison of short-course versus long-course ADT. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after previous radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to add 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT) or 24 months of ADT (long-course ADT) to radiotherapy, using subcutaneous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (monthly in the short-course ADT group and 3-monthly in the long-course ADT group), daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. The comparison had more than 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 75% to 81% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·72). Standard time-to-event analyses were used. Analyses followed intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00541047 . Findings Between Jan 30, 2008, and July 7, 2015, 1523 patients (median age 65 years, IQR 60–69) were randomly assigned to receive short-course ADT (n=761) or long-course ADT (n=762) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 138 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 8·9 years (7·0–10·0), 313 metastasis-free survival events were reported overall (174 in the short-course ADT group and 139 in the long-course ADT group; HR 0·773 [95% CI 0·612–0·975]; p=0·029). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 71·9% (95% CI 67·6–75·7) in the short-course ADT group and 78·1% (74·2–81·5) in the long-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 105 (14%) of 753 participants in the short-course ADT group and 142 (19%) of 757 participants in the long-course ADT group (p=0·025), with no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Compared with adding 6 months of ADT, adding 24 months of ADT improved metastasis-free survival in people receiving postoperative radiotherapy. For individuals who can accept the additional duration of adverse effects, long-course ADT should be offered with postoperative radiotherapy. Funding Cancer Research UK, UK Research and Innovation (formerly Medical Research Council), and Canadian Cancer Society

Adding 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy to postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of short-course versus no androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised controlled trial

Background Previous evidence indicates that adjuvant, short-course androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) improves metastasis-free survival when given with primary radiotherapy for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the value of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy is unclear. Methods RADICALS-HD was an international randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of ADT used in combination with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to radiotherapy alone (no ADT) or radiotherapy with 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT), using monthly subcutaneous gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue injections, daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as distant metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. Standard survival analysis methods were used, accounting for randomisation stratification factors. The trial had 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 80% to 86% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·67). Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00541047. Findings Between Nov 22, 2007, and June 29, 2015, 1480 patients (median age 66 years [IQR 61–69]) were randomly assigned to receive no ADT (n=737) or short-course ADT (n=743) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 121 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 9·0 years (IQR 7·1–10·1), metastasis-free survival events were reported for 268 participants (142 in the no ADT group and 126 in the short-course ADT group; HR 0·886 [95% CI 0·688–1·140], p=0·35). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 79·2% (95% CI 75·4–82·5) in the no ADT group and 80·4% (76·6–83·6) in the short-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 121 (17%) of 737 participants in the no ADT group and 100 (14%) of 743 in the short-course ADT group (p=0·15), with no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Metastatic disease is uncommon following postoperative bed radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy. Adding 6 months of ADT to this radiotherapy did not improve metastasis-free survival compared with no ADT. These findings do not support the use of short-course ADT with postoperative radiotherapy in this patient population

Predicting Anxiety Diagnoses and Severity with the CBCL-A: Improvement Relative to Other CBCL Scales?

The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is a widely used parent-report of child and adolescent behavior. We examined the ability of the CBCL-A scale, a previously published subset of CBCL items, to predict the presence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), separation anxiety disorder (SAD), and social phobia (SoP), as well as anxiety severity, among 488 youth randomized in the Child Anxiety Multimodal Study (CAMS). We predicted that the CBCL-A\u27s unique inclusion of items related to somatic symptoms would better identify anxiety disorder and severity than other CBCL scales, given that somatic complaints are often key features of anxiety among youth. Results support the use of the anxiety-based CBCL subscales as first-line screeners for generally elevated symptoms of anxiety, rather than tools to identify specific anxiety disorders. Although somatic symptoms are often reported and included in diagnostic criteria for certain anxiety disorders (e.g., SAD, GAD), the unique combination of somatic and non-somatic symptoms for the CBCL-A subscale did not increase its ability to consistently predict the presence of specific anxiety disorders. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in intensive care units in Canada: Results of the Canadian National Intensive Care Unit (CAN-ICU) study (2005–2006)

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are important hospital pathogens in Canada and worldwide

Prevalence of Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens in Canadian Hospitals: Results of the Canadian Ward Surveillance Study (CANWARD 2007)

BACKGROUND: Canadian hospitals as well as hospitals worldwideare increasingly faced with antibiotic-resistant pathogens, includingmultidrug-resistant (MDR) strains.OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of pathogens, including theresistance genotypes of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and extendedspectrumbeta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli in Canadianhospitals, as well as their antimicrobial resistance patterns.MEtHODS: Bacterial isolates were obtained between January 1,2007, and December 31, 2007, inclusive, from patients in 12 hospitalsacross Canada as part of the Canadian Ward Surveillance Study(CANWARD 2007). Isolates were obtained from bacteremic, urinary,respiratory and wound specimens and underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Susceptibility testing was assessed using the Clinicaland Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method.RESULTS: In total, 7881 isolates were recovered from clinical specimensof patients attending Canadian hospitals. The 7881 isolates werecollected from respiratory (n=2306; 29.3%), blood (n=3631; 46.1%),wounds/tissue (n=617; 7.8%) and urinary (n=1327; 16.8%) specimens.The 10 most common organisms isolated from 76.5% of allclinical specimens were E coli (21.6%), methicillin-susceptible S aureus(13.9%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (8.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(8.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.8%), MRSA (4.9%), Haemophilusinfluenzae (4.3%), coagulase-negative staphylococci/taphylococcusepidermidisS (4.0%), Enterococcus species (3.0%) and Enterobacter cloacae(2.1%). MRSA made up 26.0% (385 of 1480) of all S aureus (genotypically,79.2% of MRSA were health care-associated MRSA and19.5% were community-associated MRSA), and VRE made up 1.8%of all enterococci (62.5% of VRE had the vanA genotype). ESBLproducing E coli occurred in 3.4% of E coli isolates. The CTX-M typewas the predominant ESBL, with CTX-M-15 as the predominantgenotype. With MRSA, no resistance was observed to daptomycin,linezolid, tigecycline and vancomycin, while resistance rates to otheragents were: clarithromycin 91.4%, clindamycin 61.8%, fluoroquinolones88.6% to 89.6%, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 12.2%.With E coli, no resistance was observed to ertapenem, meropenem andtigecycline, while resistance rates to other agents were: amikacin0.1%, cefazolin 14.2%, cefepime 2.0%, ceftriaxone 8.9%, gentamicin10.6%, fluoroquinolones 23.6% to 24.5%, piperacillin-tazobactam1.3% and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 26.6%. Resistance rateswith P aeruginosa were: amikacin 7.6%, cefepime 11.7%, gentamicin20.8%, fluoroquinolones 23.4% to 25.1%, meropenem 8.1% and piperacillin-tazobactam 7.3%. A MDR phenotype (resistance to three ormore of cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, meropenem, amikacin orgentamicin, and ciprofloxacin) occurred frequently in P aeruginosa(10.6%) but uncommonly in E coli (1.2%), K pneumoniae (1.5%),E cloacae (0%) or H influenzae (0%).CONCLUSIONS: E coli, S aureus (methicillin-susceptible and MRSA),S pneumoniae, P aeruginosa, K pneumoniae, H influenzae and Enterococcusspecies are the most common isolates recovered from clinical specimens inCanadian hospitals. The prevalence of MRSA was 26.0% (of which genotypically,19.5% was community-associated MRSA), while VRE andESBL-producing E coli occurred in 1.8% and 3.4% of isolates, respectively.A MDR phenotype is common with P aeruginosa in Canadian hospitals.Peer Reviewe

Prevalence of Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens in Canadian Hospitals: Results of the Canadian Ward Surveillance Study (CANWARD 2007)

BACKGROUND: Canadian hospitals as well as hospitals worldwide are increasingly faced with antibiotic-resistant pathogens, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of pathogens, including the resistance genotypes of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and extendedspectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli in Canadian hospitals, as well as their antimicrobial resistance patterns. MEtHODS: Bacterial isolates were obtained between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007, inclusive, from patients in 12 hospitals across Canada as part of the Canadian Ward Surveillance Study (CANWARD 2007). Isolates were obtained from bacteremic, urinary, respiratory and wound specimens and underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Susceptibility testing was assessed using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method. RESULTS: In total, 7881 isolates were recovered from clinical specimens of patients attending Canadian hospitals. The 7881 isolates were collected from respiratory (n=2306; 29.3%), blood (n=3631; 46.1%), wounds/tissue (n=617; 7.8%) and urinary (n=1327; 16.8%) specimens. The 10 most common organisms isolated from 76.5% of all clinical specimens were E coli (21.6%), methicillin-susceptible S aureus (13.9%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (8.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (8.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.8%), MRSA (4.9%), Haemophilus influenzae (4.3%), coagulase-negative staphylococci/taphylococcus epidermidisS (4.0%), Enterococcus species (3.0%) and Enterobacter cloacae (2.1%). MRSA made up 26.0% (385 of 1480) of all S aureus (genotypically, 79.2% of MRSA were health care-associated MRSA and 19.5% were community-associated MRSA), and VRE made up 1.8% of all enterococci (62.5% of VRE had the vanA genotype). ESBLproducing E coli occurred in 3.4% of E coli isolates. The CTX-M type was the predominant ESBL, with CTX-M-15 as the predominant genotype. With MRSA, no resistance was observed to daptomycin, linezolid, tigecycline and vancomycin, while resistance rates to other agents were: clarithromycin 91.4%, clindamycin 61.8%, fluoroquinolones 88.6% to 89.6%, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 12.2%. With E coli, no resistance was observed to ertapenem, meropenem and tigecycline, while resistance rates to other agents were: amikacin 0.1%, cefazolin 14.2%, cefepime 2.0%, ceftriaxone 8.9%, gentamicin 10.6%, fluoroquinolones 23.6% to 24.5%, piperacillin-tazobactam 1.3% and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 26.6%. Resistance rates with P aeruginosa were: amikacin 7.6%, cefepime 11.7%, gentamicin 20.8%, fluoroquinolones 23.4% to 25.1%, meropenem 8.1% and piperacillin- tazobactam 7.3%. A MDR phenotype (resistance to three or more of cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, meropenem, amikacin or gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin) occurred frequently in P aeruginosa (10.6%) but uncommonly in E coli (1.2%), K pneumoniae (1.5%), E cloacae (0%) or H influenzae (0%). CONCLUSIONS: E coli, S aureus (methicillin-susceptible and MRSA), S pneumoniae, P aeruginosa, K pneumoniae, H influenzae and Enterococcus species are the most common isolates recovered from clinical specimens in Canadian hospitals. The prevalence of MRSA was 26.0% (of which genotypically, 19.5% was community-associated MRSA), while VRE and ESBL-producing E coli occurred in 1.8% and 3.4% of isolates, respectively. A MDR phenotype is common with P aeruginosa in Canadian hospitals