Environmental Geophysics at Kings Creek Disposal Site and 30th Street Landfill, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

Geophysical studies on the Bush River Peninsula in the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, delineate landfill areas and provide diagnostic signatures of the hydrogeologic framework and possible contaminant pathways. These studies indicate that, during the Pleistocene Epoch, alternating stands of high and low seal levels resulted in a complex pattern of shallow channel-fill deposits in the Kings Creek area. Ground-penetrating radar studies reveal a paleochannel greater than 50 ft deep, with a thalweg trending offshore in a southwest direction into Kings Creek. Onshore, the ground-penetrating radar data indicate a 35-ft-deep branch to the main channel, trending to the north-northwest directly beneath the 30th Street Landfill. Other branches are suspected to meet the offshore paleochannel in the wetlands south and east of the 30th Street Landfill. This paleochannel depositional system is environmentally significant because it may control the shallow groundwater flow regime beneath the site. Electromagnetic surveys have delineated the pre-fill lowland area currently occupied by the 30th Street Landfill. Magnetic and conductive anomalies outline surficial and buried debris throughout the study area. On the basis of geophysical data, large-scale dumping has not occurred north of the Kings Creek Disposal Site or east of the 30th Street Landfill

Development of the Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Score (GIDS) for critically ill patients – A prospective multicenter observational study (iSOFA study)

Background & aims: To develop a five grade score (0–4 points) for the assessment of gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction in adult critically ill patients. Methods: This prospective multicenter observational study enrolled consecutive adult patients admitted to 11 intensive care units in nine countries. At all sites, daily clinical data with emphasis on GI clinical symptoms were collected and intra-abdominal pressure measured. In five out of 11 sites, the biomarkers citrulline and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) were measured additionally. Cox models with time-dependent scores were used to analyze associations with 28- and 90-day mortality. The models were estimated with stratification for study center. Results: We included 540 patients (224 with biomarker measurements) with median age of 65 years (range 18–94), the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II score of 38 (interquartile range 26–53) points, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score of 6 (interquartile range 3–9) points at admission. Median ICU length of stay was 3 (interquartile range 1–6) days and 90-day mortality 18.9%. A new five grade Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Score (GIDS) was developed based on the rationale of the previously developed Acute GI Injury (AGI) grading. Citrulline and I-FABP did not prove their potential for scoring of GI dysfunction in critically ill. GIDS was independently associated with 28- and 90-day mortality when added to SOFA total score (HR 1.40; 95%CI 1.07–1.84 and HR 1.40; 95%CI 1.02–1.79, respectively) or to a model containing all SOFA subscores (HR 1.48; 95%CI 1.13–1.92 and HR 1.47; 95%CI 1.15–1.87, respectively), improving predictive power of SOFA score in all analyses. Conclusions: The newly developed GIDS is additive to SOFA score in prediction of 28- and 90-day mortality. The clinical usefulness of this score should be validated prospectively. Trial registration: NCT02613000, retrospectively registered 24 November 2015.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Establishment of a new human osteosarcoma cell line, UTOS-1: cytogenetic characterization by array comparative genomic hybridization

The cytogenetic characteristics of osteosarcoma (OS) remain controversial. The establishment of a new human OS cell line may improve the characterization. We report the establishment of a new human osteosarcoma cell line, UTOS-1, from a typical osteoblastic OS of an 18-year-old man. Cultured UTOS-1 cells are spindle-shaped, and have been maintained in vitro for over 50 passages in more than 2 years. Xenografted UTOS-1 cells exhibit features typical of OS, such as production of osteoid or immature bone matrix, and proliferation potency in vivo. UTOS-1 also exhibit morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics typical of osteoblastic OS. Chromosomal analysis by G-band show 73~85 chromosomes with complicated translocations. Array CGH show frequent gains at locus DAB2 at chromosome 5q13, CCND2 at 12p13, MDM2 at 12q14.3-q15, FLI and TOP3A at 17p11.2-p12 and OCRL1 at Xq25, and show frequent losses at HTR1B at 6q13, D6S268 at 6q16.3-q21, SHGC17327 at 18ptel, and STK6 at 20q13.2-q13.3. The UTOS-1 cell line may prove useful for biologic and molecular pathogenetic investigations of human OS

Does true Gleason pattern 3 merit its cancer descriptor?

Nearly five decades following its conception, the Gleason grading system remains a cornerstone in the prognostication and management of patients with prostate cancer. In the past few years, a debate has been growing whether Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 prostate cancer is a clinically significant disease. Clinical, molecular and genetic research is addressing the question whether well characterized Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 disease has the ability to affect the morbidity and quality of life of an individual in whom it is diagnosed. The consequences of treatment of Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 disease are considerable; few men get through their treatments without sustaining some harm. Further modification of the classification of prostate cancer and dropping the label cancer for Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 disease might be warranted

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Influence of superparamagnetic regions on the giant magnetoresistance of electrodeposited Co–Cu/Cu multilayers

The room-temperature magnetoresistance (MR) of electrodeposited Co-Cu/Cu multilayers was investigated. Samples were prepared on either a polycrystalline Ti foil or on a silicon wafer covered with a Ta buffer and a Cu-seed layer. The field dependence of the magnetoresistance was analyzed by decomposing the GMR into ferromagnetic (FM) and superparamagnetic (SPM) contributions, whereby the field dependence of the latter could be described by a Langevin function. In order to better understand the influence of the deposition conditions on the GMR in electrodeposited multilayers, the evolution of the relative importance of the two GMR contributions is discussed in terms of the Co dissolution process during the Cu deposition pulse. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Enteral nutrition and dynamics of citrulline and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein in adult ICU patients.

Plasma citrulline and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) are biomarkers reflecting enterocyte function and intestinal mucosal injury. The aim was to describe daily dynamics of citrulline and I-FABP concentrations in association with enteral nutrition (EN) in adult ICU patients. We hypothesized that success or failure of EN is reflected by differences in citrulline and I-FABP levels at admission, as well as in daily dynamics over the first week. The present study was a planned sub-study of the iSOFA study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02613000). With delayed informed consent we included adult (18 years or older) patients admitted for unlimited care to 5 ICUs in Europe. Citrulline and I-FABP were assessed and nutritional data recorded daily during the first week of the patients' ICU stay. The study included 224 patients with 693 plasma samples analyzed for citrulline and 695 for I-FABP. The median ICU stay was 2 (IQR 1-4) days and 35 patients (15.6 %) stayed in the ICU for ≥ 7 days. The majority of patients (184/224; 82.1 %) received EN or oral nutrition (ON) during their ICU stay, in 164 patients (73.2 %) nutrition was started within 48 h of admission (early enteral or oral nutrition, EEN/ON). Median biomarker concentrations on admission were: citrulline 24.5 (IQR 18.1-31.7) μmol/L and I-FABP 2763 (1326-4805) pg/mL. Reference range for citrulline was 17-46 μmol/L and for I-FABP 377-2049 pg/mL. Patients with EEN/ON demonstrated an increase in citrulline concentrations over the first week in ICU unlike those not receiving EEN/ON (P = 0.049 for the mean log-citrulline values over time between groups) as well as higher average citrulline concentrations. Success of EEN/ON (80 % of caloric target achieved by day 4) was associated with citrulline values increasing from day 4, whereas a slight decrease was observed with unsuccessful EEN/ON. However, these dynamics over time were not statistically significantly different (P = 0.654). Patients with EEN/ON unexpectedly had I-FABP values higher than those without (average values for all days P = 0.004). Median I-FABP values on day 3 were higher with successful EEN/ON (646 (IQR 313-1116) vs 278 (IQR 190-701) pg/mL, P = 0.022). EEN/ON was associated with higher values and different dynamics of citrulline over the first week in ICU. No clear difference of measured biomarkers was seen when patients were compared according to success of EEN/ON. Our study does not allow suggesting certain thresholds of citrulline nor I-FABP that could be used for bedside decision-making with regard to EN. This study was a planned sub-study of the iSOFA study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02613000)

Environmental geophysics: Building E3640 Decommissioning, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Interim progress report

Building E3640 is a potentially contaminated site in the Edgewood area of Aberdeen Proving Ground. Noninvasive geophysical survey techniques, including magnetics, EM-31, EM-61, and ground-penetrating radar, were used as part of a sampling and monitoring program prior to decommissioning and dismantling of the building. Complex and large-amplitude anomalies caused by aboveground metal in this area obscure many smaller features produced by subsurface sources. No underground storage tanks were found in the areas surveyed. Major anomalies produced by subsurface sources include the following: EM-61 and EM-31 lineaments caused by a water line extending north from the south fence; a broad positive magnetic anomaly caused by magnetic fill north of the material and drum storage area and northeast of E3640; a 30-ft-wide band of EM-31 anomalies extending from the front gate to the southeast comer of E3640 and a coincident EM-61 anomaly produced by buried utilities; ground-penetrating radar images along three lines extending from a sump at the northeast comer of E3640 to the eastern fence; and EM-61, EM-31, and magnetic anomalies caused by overhead and underground pipes extending south from the north fence. Smaller, unidentified, localized anomalies observed throughout the survey area are also described in this report