277 research outputs found
Preliminary estimates of the abundance and fidelity of dolphins associating with a demersal trawl fishery
The incidental capture of wildlife in fishing gear presents a global conservation challenge. As a baseline to inform assessments of the impact of bycatch on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) interacting with an Australian trawl fishery, we conducted an aerial survey to estimate dolphin abundance across the fishery. Concurrently, we carried out boat-based dolphin photo-identification to assess short-term fidelity to foraging around trawlers, and used photographic and genetic data to infer longer-term fidelity to the fishery. We estimated abundance at â 2,300 dolphins (95% CIâ=â1,247-4,214) over the â 25,880-km2 fishery. Mark-recapture estimates yielded 226 (SEâ=â38.5) dolphins associating with one trawler and some individuals photographed up to seven times over 12 capture periods. Moreover, photographic and genetic re-sampling over three years confirmed that some individuals show long-term fidelity to trawler-associated foraging. Our study presents the first abundance estimate for any Australian pelagic dolphin community and documents individuals associating with trawlers over days, months and years. Without trend data or correction factors for dolphin availability, the impact of bycatch on this dolphin population's conservation status remains unknown. These results should be taken into account by management agencies assessing the impact of fisheries-related mortality on this protected species
High-precision determination of transition amplitudes of principal transitions in Cs from van der Waals coefficient C_6
A method for determination of atomic dipole matrix elements of principal
transitions from the value of dispersion coefficient C_6 of molecular
potentials correlating to two ground-state atoms is proposed. The method is
illustrated on atomic Cs using C_6 deduced from high-resolution Feshbach
spectroscopy. The following reduced matrix elements are determined < 6S_{1/2}
|| D || 6P_{1/2} > =4.5028(60) |e| a0 and
=6.3373(84) |e| a0 (a0= 0.529177 \times 10^{-8} cm.) These matrix elements are
consistent with the results of the most accurate direct lifetime measurements
and have a similar uncertainty. It is argued that the uncertainty can be
considerably reduced as the coefficient C_6 is constrained further.Comment: 4 pages; 3 fig
Multi-layered Ruthenium-modified Bond Coats for Thermal Barrier Coatings
Diffusional approaches for fabrication of multi-layered Ru-modified bond coats for thermal
barrier coatings have been developed via low activity chemical vapor deposition and high activity
pack aluminization. Both processes yield bond coats comprising two distinct B2 layers, based on
NiAl and RuAl, however, the position of these layers relative to the bond coat surface is reversed
when switching processes. The structural evolution of each coating at various stages of the
fabrication process has been and subsequent cyclic oxidation is presented, and the relevant
interdiffusion and phase equilibria issues in are discussed. Evaluation of the oxidation behavior of
these Ru-modified bond coat structures reveals that each B2 interlayer arrangement leads to the
formation of α-Al 2 O 3 TGO at 1100°C, but the durability of the TGO is somewhat different and in
need of further improvement in both cases
Natural Orbitals and BEC in traps, a diffusion Monte Carlo analysis
We investigate the properties of hard core Bosons in harmonic traps over a
wide range of densities. Bose-Einstein condensation is formulated using the
one-body Density Matrix (OBDM) which is equally valid at low and high
densities. The OBDM is calculated using diffusion Monte Carlo methods and it is
diagonalized to obtain the "natural" single particle orbitals and their
occupation, including the condensate fraction. At low Boson density, , where and is the hard core diameter, the condensate is
localized at the center of the trap. As increases, the condensate moves
to the edges of the trap. At high density it is localized at the edges of the
trap. At the Gross-Pitaevskii theory of the condensate
describes the whole system within 1%. At corrections are
3% to the GP energy but 30% to the Bogoliubov prediction of the condensate
depletion. At , mean field theory fails. At , the Bosons behave more like a liquid He droplet than a trapped Boson
gas.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, submitted Phys. Rev.
Evolution of the spin of the nucleon
We compare momentum sum rules from unpolarized electroproduction and the spin
sum rule for in polarized electroproduction, and their evolution in
the framework of the operator product expansion. Second order effects in
are included. We show that in comparing the evolution of the spin
sum rule with the momentum sum rule one is not overly sensitive to using first
or second order, even when going to the extreme low limit in which gluons
carry no momentum. Our results show that in that limit there is no need to
include any contribution of strange quarks.Comment: 17 pages RevTeX, 4 uuencoded figure
Safety and immunogenicity of novel 5T4 viral vectored vaccination regimens in early stage prostate cancer: a phase I clinical trial.
Prostate cancer (PCa) has been under investigation as a target for antigen-specific immunotherapies in metastatic disease settings for the last two decades leading to a licensure of the first therapeutic cancer vaccine, Sipuleucel-T, in 2010. However, neither Sipuleucel-T nor other experimental PCa vaccines that emerged later induce strong T-cell immunity.
In this first-in-man study, VANCE, we evaluated a novel vaccination platform based on two replication-deficient viruses, chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAd) and MVA (Modified Vaccinia Ankara), targeting the oncofetal self-antigen 5T4 in early stage PCa. Forty patients, either newly diagnosed with early-stage PCa and scheduled for radical prostatectomy or patients with stable disease on an active surveillance protocol, were recruited to the study to assess the vaccine safety and T-cell immunogenicity. Secondary and exploratory endpoints included immune infiltration into the prostate, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) change, and assessment of phenotype and functionality of antigen-specific T cells.
The vaccine had an excellent safety profile. Vaccination-induced 5T4-specific T-cell responses were measured in blood by ex vivo IFN-Îł ELISpot and were detected in the majority of patients with a mean level in responders of 198 spot-forming cells per million peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated the presence of both CD8+ and CD4+ polyfunctional 5T4-specific T cells in the circulation. 5T4-reactive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were isolated from post-treatment prostate tissue. Some of the patients had a transient PSA rise 2-8 weeks following vaccination, possibly indicating an inflammatory response in the target organ.
An excellent safety profile and T-cell responses elicited in the circulation and also detected in the prostate gland support the evaluation of the ChAdOx1-MVA 5T4 vaccine in efficacy trials. It remains to be seen if this vaccination strategy generates immune responses of sufficient magnitude to mediate clinical efficacy and whether it can be effective in late-stage PCa settings, as a monotherapy in advanced disease or as part of multi-modality PCa therapy. To address these questions, the phase I/II trial, ADVANCE, is currently recruiting patients with intermediate-risk PCa, and patients with advanced metastatic castration-resistant PCa, to receive this vaccine in combination with nivolumab.
The trial was registered with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02390063)
Computer modeling of diabetes and Its transparency: a report on the Eighth Mount Hood Challenge
Objectives
The Eighth Mount Hood Challenge (held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in September 2016) evaluated the transparency of model input documentation from two published health economics studies and developed guidelines for improving transparency in the reporting of input data underlying model-based economic analyses in diabetes.
Methods
Participating modeling groups were asked to reproduce the results of two published studies using the input data described in those articles. Gaps in input data were filled with assumptions reported by the modeling groups. Goodness of fit between the results reported in the target studies and the groupsâ replicated outputs was evaluated using the slope of linear regression line and the coefficient of determination (R2). After a general discussion of the results, a diabetes-specific checklist for the transparency of model input was developed.
Results
Seven groups participated in the transparency challenge. The reporting of key model input parameters in the two studies, including the baseline characteristics of simulated patients, treatment effect and treatment intensification threshold assumptions, treatment effect evolution, prediction of complications and costs data, was inadequately transparent (and often missing altogether). Not surprisingly, goodness of fit was better for the study that reported its input data with more transparency. To improve the transparency in diabetes modeling, the Diabetes Modeling Input Checklist listing the minimal input data required for reproducibility in most diabetes modeling applications was developed.
Conclusions
Transparency of diabetes model inputs is important to the reproducibility and credibility of simulation results. In the Eighth Mount Hood Challenge, the Diabetes Modeling Input Checklist was developed with the goal of improving the transparency of input data reporting and reproducibility of diabetes simulation model results
Effect of radiotherapy on local recurrence, distant metastasis and overall survival in 1200 extremity soft tissue sarcoma patients: retrospective analysis using IPTW-adjusted models
Background and purposeNeoadjuvant (NRTX) and adjuvant radiotherapy (ARTX) reduce local recurrence (LR) risk in extremity soft tissue sarcoma (eSTS), yet their impact on distant metastasis (DM) and overall survival (OS) is less well defined. This study aimed at analysing the influence of NRTX/ARTX on all three endpoints using a retrospective, multicentre eSTS cohort.Materials and methods1200 patients (mean age: 60.7 ± 16.8 years; 44.4 % females) were retrospectively included, treated with limb sparing surgery and curative intent for localised, high grade (G2/3) eSTS. 194 (16.2 %), 790 (65.8 %), and 216 (18.0 %) patients had received NRTX, ARTX and no RTX, respectively. For the resulting three groups (no RTX vs. NRTX, no RTX vs. ARTX, NRTX vs. ARTX) Fine&Gray models for LR and DM, and Cox-regression models for OS were calculated, with IPTW-modelling adjusting for imbalances between groups.ResultsIn the IPTW-adjusted analysis, NRTX was associated with lower LR-risk in comparison to no RTX (SHR [subhazard ratio]: 0.236; p = 0.003), whilst no impact on DM-risk (p = 0.576) or OS (p = 1.000) was found. IPTW-weighted analysis for no RTX vs. ARTX revealed a significant positive association between ARTX and lower LR-risk (SHR: 0.479, p = 0.003), but again no impact on DM-risk (p = 0.363) or OS (p = 0.534). IPTW-weighted model for NRTX vs. ARTX showed significantly lower LR-risk for NRTX (SHR for ARTX: 3.433; p = 0.003) but no difference regarding DM-risk (p = 1.000) or OS (p = 0.639).ConclusionNRTX and ARTX are associated with lower LR-risk, but do not seem to affect DM-risk or OS. NRTX may be favoured over ARTX as our results indicate better local control rates.Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Rehabilitatio
Can the dark energy equation-of-state parameter w be less than -1?
Models of dark energy are conveniently characterized by the equation-of-state
parameter w=p/\rho, where \rho is the energy density and p is the pressure.
Imposing the Dominant Energy Condition, which guarantees stability of the
theory, implies that w \geq -1. Nevertheless, it is conceivable that a
well-defined model could (perhaps temporarily) have w<-1, and indeed such
models have been proposed. We study the stability of dynamical models
exhibiting w<-1 by virtue of a negative kinetic term. Although naively
unstable, we explore the possibility that these models might be
phenomenologically viable if thought of as effective field theories valid only
up to a certain momentum cutoff. Under our most optimistic assumptions, we
argue that the instability timescale can be greater than the age of the
universe, but only if the cutoff is at or below 100 MeV. We conclude that it is
difficult, although not necessarily impossible, to construct viable models of
dark energy with w<-1; observers should keep an open mind, but the burden is on
theorists to demonstrate that any proposed new models are not ruled out by
rapid vacuum decay.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, minor corrections, reference adde
Dialysis initiation, modality choice, access, and prescription: conclusions from a Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Controversies Conference
Globally, the number of patients undergoing maintenance dialysis is increasing, yet throughout the world there is significant variability in the practice of initiating dialysis. Factors such as availability of resources, reasons for starting dialysis, timing of dialysis initiation, patient education and preparedness, dialysis modality and access, as well as varied \u201ccountry-specific\u201d factors significantly affect patient experiences and outcomes. As the burden of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has increased globally, there has also been a growing recognition of the importance of patient involvement in determining the goals of care and decisions regarding treatment. In January 2018, KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) convened a Controversies Conference focused on dialysis initiation, including modality choice, access, and prescription. Here we present a summary of the conference discussions, including identified knowledge gaps, areas of controversy, and priorities for research. A major novel theme represented during the conference was the need to move away from a \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d approach to dialysis and provide more individualized care that incorporates patient goals and preferences while still maintaining best practices for quality and safety. Identifying and including patient-centered goals that can be validated as quality indicators in the context of diverse health care systems to achieve equity of outcomes will require alignment of goals and incentives between patients, providers, regulators, and payers that will vary across health care jurisdictions
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