Ultra-strong Adhesion of Graphene Membranes

As mechanical structures enter the nanoscale regime, the influence of van der Waals forces increases. Graphene is attractive for nanomechanical systems because its Young's modulus and strength are both intrinsically high, but the mechanical behavior of graphene is also strongly influenced by the van der Waals force. For example, this force clamps graphene samples to substrates, and also holds together the individual graphene sheets in multilayer samples. Here we use a pressurized blister test to directly measure the adhesion energy of graphene sheets with a silicon oxide substrate. We find an adhesion energy of 0.45 \pm 0.02 J/m2 for monolayer graphene and 0.31 \pm 0.03 J/m2 for samples containing 2-5 graphene sheets. These values are larger than the adhesion energies measured in typical micromechanical structures and are comparable to solid/liquid adhesion energies. We attribute this to the extreme flexibility of graphene, which allows it to conform to the topography of even the smoothest substrates, thus making its interaction with the substrate more liquid-like than solid-like.Comment: to appear in Nature Nanotechnolog

Global Study: Participation in One Health Networks and Involvement in COVID-19 Response Activities

PURPOSE: This global study examined whether being part of a One Health Network (OHN) was associated with being involved in COVID-19 response activities at the early stages of the pandemic. Barriers to workforce involvement in the pandemic response and the perceived value of OHN activities were studied to inform future targeted evidence-based strategies for workforce capacity-building. METHODS & MATERIALS: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study, using an online questionnaire that was globally distributed in July-August 2020. With a snowball sampling approach via OHN listservs, social media, and further sharing, we aimed to reach individuals in the global health workforce across locations, organizations, and sectors to survey their participation in OHN activities and involvement in COVID-19 response. RESULTS: The sample included 1050 respondents from various types of organizations and work sectors, from 94 countries across all WHO regions. Being part of an OHN was positively associated with involvement in the COVID-19 response (odds ratio: 1.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.3 - 2.4). The OHN activities most indicated as useful during COVID-19 pandemic by the survey respondents included 'increased public awareness of One Health' and 'networking with professionals across sectors with common interests'. Overall, 44% of survey respondents who were part of an OHN found OHN activities very or extremely helpful to their COVID-19 response. Lack of opportunities was a commonly reported barrier to involvement in COVID-19 response globally, and lack of funding was a barrier particularly in the WHO Africa region. CONCLUSION: This study provides a snapshot of the multisectoral response to COVID-19 and an assessment of the contribution of OHNs. The lessons learned during this pandemic can be used to identify measures to improve global health capacity, including OHN activities to build and strengthen workforce response to future global health challenges

Use of aequorin-based indicators for monitoring Ca2+ in acidic organelles

Over the last years, there is accumulating evidence that acidic organelles can accumulate and release Ca2+ upon cell activation. Hence, reliable recording of Ca2+ dynamics in these compartments is essential for understanding the physiopathological aspects of acidic organelles. Genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs) are valuable tools to monitor Ca2+ in specific locations, although their use in acidic compartments is challenging due to the pH sensitivity of most available fluorescent GECIs. By contrast, bioluminescent GECIs have a combination of features (marginal pH sensitivity, low background, no phototoxicity, no photobleaching, high dynamic range and tunable affinity) that render them advantageous to achieve an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio in acidic compartments. This article reviews the use of bioluminescent aequorin-based GECIs targeted to acidic compartments. A need for more measurements in highly acidic compartments is identified

Radiofrequency Ablation and Microwave Ablation in Liver Tumors: An Update

This article provides an overview of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) for treatment of primary liver tumors and hepatic metastasis. Only studies reporting RFA and MWA safety and efficacy on liver were retained. We found 40 clinical studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria. RFA has become an established treatment modality because of its efficacy, reproducibility, low complication rates, and availability. MWA has several advantages over RFA, which may make it more attractive to treat hepatic tumors. According to the literature, the overall survival, local recurrence, complication rates, disease-free survival, and mortality in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with RFA vary between 53.2 \ub1 3.0 months and 66 months, between 59.8% and 63.1%, between 2% and 10.5%, between 22.0 \ub1 2.6 months and 39 months, and between 0% and 1.2%, respectively. According to the literature, overall survival, local recurrence, complication rates, disease-free survival, and mortality in patients with HCC treated with MWA (compared with RFA) vary between 22 months for focal lesion >3 cm (vs. 21 months) and 50 months for focal lesion 643 cm (vs. 27 months), between 5% (vs. 46.6%) and 17.8% (vs. 18.2%), between 2.2% (vs. 0%) and 61.5% (vs. 45.4%), between 14 months (vs. 10.5 months) and 22 months (vs. no data reported), and between 0% (vs. 0%) and 15% (vs. 36%), respectively. According to the literature, the overall survival, local recurrence, complication rates, and mortality in liver metastases patients treated with RFA (vs. MWA) are not statistically different for both the survival times from primary tumor diagnosis and survival times from ablation, between 10% (vs. 6%) and 35.7% (vs. 39.6), between 1.1% (vs. 3.1%) and 24% (vs. 27%), and between 0% (vs. 0%) and 2% (vs. 0.3%). MWA should be considered the technique of choice in selected patients, when the tumor is 653 cm in diameter or is close to large vessels, independent of its size. Implications for Practice: Although technical features of the radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are similar, the differences arise from the physical phenomenon used to generate heat. RFA has become an established treatment modality because of its efficacy, reproducibility, low complication rates, and availability. MWA has several advantages over RFA, which may make it more attractive than RFA to treat hepatic tumors. The benefits of MWA are an improved convection profile, higher constant intratumoral temperatures, faster ablation times, and the ability to use multiple probes to treat multiple lesions simultaneously. MWA should be considered the technique of choice when the tumor is 653 cm in diameter or is close to large vessels, independent of its size

A predictive index of axillary nodal involvement in operable breast cancer.

We investigated the association between pathological characteristics of primary breast cancer and degree of axillary nodal involvement and obtained a predictive index of the latter from the former. In 2076 cases, 17 histological features, including primary tumour and local invasion variables, were recorded. The whole sample was randomly split in a training (75% of cases) and a test sample. Simple and multiple correspondence analysis were used to select the variables to enter in a multinomial logit model to build an index predictive of the degree of nodal involvement. The response variable was axillary nodal status coded in four classes (N0, N1-3, N4-9, N > or = 10). The predictive index was then evaluated by testing goodness-of-fit and classification accuracy. Covariates significantly associated with nodal status were tumour size (P < 0.0001), tumour type (P < 0.0001), type of border (P = 0.048), multicentricity (P = 0.003), invasion of lymphatic and blood vessels (P < 0.0001) and nipple invasion (P = 0.006). Goodness-of-fit was validated by high concordance between observed and expected number of cases in each decile of predicted probability in both training and test samples. Classification accuracy analysis showed that true node-positive cases were well recognised (84.5%), but there was no clear distinction among the classes of node-positive cases. However, 10 year survival analysis showed a superimposible prognostic behaviour between predicted and observed nodal classes. Moreover, misclassified node-negative patients (i.e. those who are predicted positive) showed an outcome closer to patients with 1-3 metastatic nodes than to node-negative ones. In conclusion, the index cannot completely substitute for axillary node information, but it is a predictor of prognosis as accurate as nodal involvement and identifies a subgroup of node-negative patients with unfavourable prognosis

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

Colorectal Cancer with Peritoneal Metastases: The Impact of the Results of PROPHYLOCHIP, COLOPEC, and PRODIGE 7 Trials on Peritoneal Disease Management

HIPEC is a potentially useful locoregional treatment combined with cytoreduction in patients with peritoneal colorectal metastases. Despite being widely used in several cancer centers around the world, its role had never been investigated before the results of three important RCTs appeared on this topic. The PRODIGE 7 trial clarified the role of oxaliplatin-based HIPEC in patients treated with radical surgery. Conversely, the PROPHYLOCHIP and the COLOPEC were designed to chair the role of HIPEC in patients at high risk of developing peritoneal metastases. Although all three trials demonstrated the relative ineffectiveness of HIPEC for treating or preventing peritoneal metastases, these results are not sufficient to abandon this technique. In addition to some criticisms relating to the design of the trials and their statistical value, the oxaliplatin-based HIPEC was found to be ineffective in preventing or treating peritoneal colorectal metastases, especially in patients already treated with systemic platinum-based chemotherapy. Several studies are ongoing investigating further HIPEC drugs and regimens. The review deeply discussed all the aspects and relapses of this new evidence

Climate geoengineering: issues of path-dependence and socio-technical lock-in

As academic and policy interest in climate geoengineering grows, the potential irreversibility of technological developments in this domain has been raised as a pressing concern. The literature on socio-technical lock-in and path dependence is illuminating in helping to situate current concerns about climate geoengineering and irreversibility in the context of academic understandings of historical socio-technical development and persistence. This literature provides a wealth of material illustrating the pervasiveness of positive feedbacks of various types (from the discursive to the material) leading to complex socio-technical entanglements which may resist change and become inflexible even in the light of evidence of negative impacts. With regard to climate geoengineering, there are concerns that geoengineering technologies might contribute so-called ‘carbon lock-in’, or become irreversibly ‘locked-in’ themselves. In particular, the scale of infrastructures that geoengineering interventions would require, and the issue of the so-called ‘termination effect’ have been discussed in these terms. Despite the emergent and somewhat ill-defined nature of the field, some authors also suggest that the extant framings of geoengineering in academic and policy literatures may already demonstrate features recognizable as forms of cognitive lock-in, likely to have profound implications for future developments in this area. While the concepts of path-dependence and lock-in are the subject of ongoing academic critique, by drawing analytical attention to these pervasive processes of positive feedback and entanglement, this literature is highly relevant to current debates around geoengineering

Comparing nuclear power trajectories in Germany and the UK: from ‘regimes' to ‘democracies’ in sociotechnical transitions and Discontinuities

This paper focuses on arguably the single most striking contrast in contemporary major energy politics in Europe (and even the developed world as a whole): the starkly differing civil nuclear policies of Germany and the UK. Germany is seeking entirely to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Yet the UK advocates a ‘nuclear renaissance’, promoting the most ambitious new nuclear construction programme in Western Europe.Here,this paper poses a simple yet quite fundamental question: what are the particular divergent conditions most strongly implicated in the contrasting developments in these two countries. With nuclear playing such an iconic role in historical discussions over technological continuity and transformation, answering this may assist in wider understandings of sociotechnical incumbency and discontinuity in the burgeoning field of‘sustainability transitions’. To this end, an ‘abductive’ approach is taken: deploying nine potentially relevant criteria for understanding the different directions pursued in Germany and the UK. Together constituted by 30 parameters spanning literatures related to socio-technical regimes in general as well as nuclear technology in particular, the criteria are divided into those that are ‘internal’ and ‘external’ to the ‘focal regime configuration’ of nuclear power and associated ‘challenger technologies’ like renewables. It is ‘internal’ criteria that are emphasised in conventional sociotechnical regime theory, with ‘external’ criteria relatively less well explored. Asking under each criterion whether attempted discontinuation of nuclear power would be more likely in Germany or the UK, a clear picture emerges. ‘Internal’ criteria suggest attempted nuclear discontinuation should be more likely in the UK than in Germany– the reverse of what is occurring. ‘External’ criteria are more aligned with observed dynamics –especially those relating to military nuclear commitments and broader ‘qualities of democracy’. Despite many differences of framing concerning exactly what constitutes ‘democracy’, a rich political science literature on this point is unanimous in characterising Germany more positively than the UK. Although based only on a single case,a potentially important question is nonetheless raised as to whether sociotechnical regime theory might usefully give greater attention to the general importance of various aspects of democracy in constituting conditions for significant technological discontinuities and transformations. If so, the policy implications are significant. A number of important areas are identified for future research, including the roles of diverse understandings and specific aspects of democracy and the particular relevance of military nuclear commitments– whose under-discussion in civil nuclear policy literatures raises its own questions of democratic accountability

Neoadjuvant FOLFIRI+bevacizumab in patients with resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer: a phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative treatment of resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) is a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and activity of bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI in this setting. METHODS: Patients aged 18-75 years, PS 0-1, with resectable liver-confined metastases from CRC were eligible. They received bevacizumab 5 mg kg(-1) followed by irinotecan 180 mg m(-)(2), leucovorin 200 mg m(-)(2), 5-fluorouracil 400 mg m(-)(2) bolus and 5-fluorouracil 2400 mg m(-)(2) 46-h infusion, biweekly, for 7 cycles. Bevacizumab was stopped at cycle 6. A single-stage, single-arm phase 2 study design was applied with 1-year progression-free rate as the primary end point, and 39 patients required. RESULTS: From October 2007 to December 2009, 39 patients were enrolled in a single institution. Objective response rate was 66.7% (95% exact CI: 49.8-80.9). Of these, 37 patients (94.9%) underwent surgery, with a R0 rate of 84.6%. Five patients had a pathological complete remission (14%). Out of 37 patients, 16 (43.2%) had at least one surgical complication (most frequently biloma). At 1 year of follow-up, 24 patients were alive and free from disease progression (61.6%, 95% CI: 44.6-76.6). Median PFS and OS were 14 (95% CI: 11-24) and 38 (95% CI: 28-NA) months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Preoperative treatment of patients with resectable liver metastases from CRC with bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI is feasible, but further studies are needed to define its clinical relevance