Incidence of complex ventricular arrhythmias in asymptomatic patients with recent myocardial infarction.

The incidence of ventricular extrasystoles (VES) was documented in 50 patients with recent uncomplicated myocardial infarction, with a 72-h two-channel ambulatory electrocardiogram. All patients were free of symptoms of arrhythmias; unstable angina pectoris and heart failure were absent. A total of 82% of the patients had VES: 23/50 patients had multiform or complex VES, 8/50 patients had ventricular tachycardia. VES were independent of heart rate and stable angina pectoris. Thus, frequent and complex VES are common in asymptomatic patients with uncomplicated recent myocardial infarction. Even in the absence of symptoms, ambulatory electrocardiography is useful. The prognostic significance of asymptomatic complex VES in these patients remains unsettled

Use of Sawing Waste from Zeolitic Tuffs in the Manufacture of Ceramics

This paper investigates the thermal transformation of powders of volcanic tuffs that are used as building stones and aims at thermally transforming them into ceramics. The following positive indications concerning this thermal transformation were found: (1) the structural evolution which brings products similar to traditional ceramics, (2) the good ability to give rise to dense and compact final products, and (3) the good mechanical properties and the lovely appearance of the final products. Nevertheless, the high values of linear shrinkages recorded in this work seem to strongly hinder the thermal transformation of this powder-like waste into ceramics. However, mixing this by-product with other powder-like waste exhibiting higher-dimensional stability, such as those deriving from sawing of granites, appears proper

VERO (R) radiotherapy for low burden cancer: 789 patients with 957 lesions

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate patient profile, feasibility, and acute toxicity of RadioTherapy (RT) delivered by VERO\uae in the first 20 months of clinical activity. Methods: Inclusion criteria: 1) adult patients; 2) limited volume cancer (M0 or oligometastatic); 3) small extracranial lesions; 4) treatment between April 2012 and December 2013 and 5) written informed consent. Two techniques were employed: intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Toxicity was evaluated using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (RTOG/EORTC) criteria. Results: Between April 2012 and December 2013, 789 consecutive patients (957 lesions) were treated. In 84% of them one lesion was treated and in 16% more than one lesion were treated synchronously/metachronously; first radiotherapy course in 85%, re-irradiation in 13%, and boost in 2% of cases. The treated region included pelvis 46%, thorax 38%, upper abdomen 15%, and neck 1%. Radiotherapy schedules included <5 and >5 fractions in 75% and 25% respectively. All patients completed the planned treatment and an acceptable acute toxicity was observed. Conclusions: RT delivered by VERO\uae was administrated predominantly to thoracic and pelvic lesions (lung and urologic tumours) using hypofractionation. It is a feasible approach for limited burden cancer offering short and well accepted treatment with favourable acute toxicity profile. Further investigation including dose escalation and other available VERO\uae functionalities such as real-time dynamic tumour tracking is warranted in order to fully evaluate this innovative radiotherapy system

The CD4/CD8 ratio of infused CD19-CAR-T is a prognostic factor for efficacy and toxicity

CD4+ and CD8+ chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) play different roles in the in vivo anti-tumour response, but the role of the CD4+/CD8+ ratio among infused CAR-T has not been clearly defined yet. We analysed leftovers from infused anti-CD19 CAR-T bags of 31 patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas. The median ratio was 1.44, lower for brexu-cel compared to tisa-cel and axi-cel. The CAR+CD4+/CD8+ ratio was influenced by lactate dehydrogenase levels at apheresis, not by age, previous treatments or the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood. Patients with a response at 3 months after CAR-T (M3) had a lower CAR+CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the infused products compared to non-responders (ratio 0.74 vs. 2.47, p = 0.011). A CAR+CD4+/CD8+ ratio higher than the cut point of 1.12 was associated with an increased risk of treatment failure at M3 (OR 23.3, p = 0.012) and M6 (OR 10, p = 0.028). The median 6-month PFS was 76% for patients with a ratio lower than 1.12% vs. 31% for the others. The prognostic role of the CAR+CD4+/CD8+ ratio was independent of the costimulatory domain (CD28 vs. 4-1BB) of the product (OR 16.41, p = 0.041). Our data indicate a crucial role for CD8+ CAR-T and the CAR+CD4+/CD8+ ratio in predicting CAR-T efficacy

Induced Cooperation to Access a Shareable Reward Increases the Hierarchical Segregation of Wild Vervet Monkeys

Until now cooperation experiments in primates have paid little attention to how cooperation can emerge and what effects are produced on the structure of a social group in nature. I performed field experiments with three groups of wild vervet monkeys in South Africa. I induced individuals to repeatedly approach and operate food containers. At least two individuals needed to operate the containers in order to get the reward. The recurrent partner associations observed before the experiment only partly predicted the forming of cooperative partnerships during the experiment. While most of the tested subjects cooperated with other partners, they preferred to do so with specific combinations of individuals and they tended not to mix with other group members outside these preferred partnerships. Cooperation therefore caused the relatively homogeneous networks I observed before the experiment to differentiate. Similar to a matching market, the food sharing partners selected each other limiting their choice. Interestingly neither sex nor age classes explained the specific partner matching. Kinship could not explain it either. Rather, higher ranking individuals cooperated with other higher ranking individuals, and lower ranking also matched among the same rank. This study reveals the key role dominance rank plays when food resources are patchy and can only be accessed through sharing with other individuals

Whole sorghum flour processed as cookies maintained bioactive compounds at storage.

ABSTRACT ? Sorghum is a highlighted cereal due to its bioactive phenolic compounds with health-protective effects for consumers. This study aimed to evaluate the technological, sensory, and chemical features of cookies made with different proportions of sorghum flour and the effect of cookie storage on the content of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. Cookies were prepared with whole flour from sorghum genotype BRS 506 and cornstarch in proportions of 50 (50 SF), 75 (75 SF), and 100 (100 SF) g sorghum/ 100g of total flour. Cookie measurements, sensory analysis, and chemical composition were determined. Phenolic compounds were analyzed during 45 days of storage. Sorghum flour increased cookies expansion factor, especially for 75 SF and 100 SF. Except for texture and purchase intention, sorghum cookies had an acceptance index higher than 70%. The sorghum flour improved the nutritional properties and showed higher total phenolic, tannins, anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity compared to the control. They maintained the total phenolic content and increased the antioxidant capacity for 45 days, particularly those added with 50 g and 75 g of sorghum flour. These outcomes indicate that whole grain sorghum flour is an option for the food industry searching for to attempt new products with health benefits. RESUMO - O sorgo é um cereal que se destaca pela concentração de compostos fenólicos, que estão relacionados a benefícios para saúde dos consumidores. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar as características tecnológicas e sensoriais de biscoitos elaborados com diferentes proporções de sorgo assim como o efeito do armazenamento sobre os teores de compostos fenólicos e capacidade antioxidante. Os biscoitos foram elaborados com farinha integral de sorgo genótipo BRS 506 e amido de milho, nas proporções de 50 (50 SF), 75 (75 SF), e 100 (100 SF) g sorgo / 100 g do total de farinhas. Análises das medições, composição centesimal, sensorial e química foram determinadas. Os compostos fenólicos foram analisados durante 45 dias de armazenamento. A inclusão de farinha de sorgo, nas proporções de 75 SF e 100 SF, aumentou o fator de expansão dos biscoitos. Todos os biscoitos de sorgo obtiveram índice de aceitação para sabor superior a 70 %. Os biscoitos contendo sorgo apresentaram maiores teores de fenólicos totais, taninos e antocianinas em relação ao controle. Houve manutenção dos compostos fenólicos durante o armazenamento e um aumento da capacidade de antioxidante durante os 45 dias, particularmente nos biscoitos contendo 50 g e 75 g de farinha de sorgo. Esses resultados indicam que a farinha de sorgo integral é uma opção para a indústria de alimentos em busca de experimentar novos produtos com benefícios à saúde