1,043 research outputs found
Chemoradiotherapy for elderly patients with rectal cancer: A single‑institution study
Introduction: The incidence of cancer, particularly rectal cancer (RC), in older adults is gradually increasing. The aim of the present
study was to evaluate radiotherapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) results, clinicopathological features, and survival factors in
older patients with RC.
Methods: We evaluated patients aged ≥65 years with RC treated at a radiation oncology clinic. The demographic, clinical, and
histopathological data of the patients were obtained by reviewing their medical records. The toxicity criteria of the Radiation Therapy
Oncology Group were applied.
Results: Among 401 patients with RC, 183 (45.6%) were older adults (65–92 years). Furthermore, 122 (66.7%) patients had
clinically stage 3 and above RC, and 183 and 91 patients received RT and neoadjuvant CRT, respectively. Surgical treatment was
performed for 116 (63.4%) patients, 41 (34.4%) and 76 (65.6%) of whom underwent postoperative CRT and preoperative RT,
respectively. Grade 3 or higher toxicity was observed in 22 (18.9%) patients during CRT. RT was performed in 64 patients(35%) at a
1–15‑day interval. The mean follow‑up duration was 34.7 (range, 1.4–149.0) months. The 2‑ and 5‑year overall survival (OS) rates
were 71.4 and 37.4%, respectively, and the 2‑ and 5‑year disease‑free survival (DFS) rates were 65.7 and 35.3%, respectively.
OS was 49.4 and 34.9 months for patients aged 65–74 and ≥75 years, respectively. Survival was shorter in patients with the
advanced geriatric disease (p = 0.013). In the multivariate analysis, factors affecting overall and DFS were age, distance from the
tumor to the anal canal, and metastasis (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that the selection of treatment modalities for older patients with RC should be
based on performance status and not age. RT and CRT were safe treatment modalities for older patients with RC, particularly for
those who could not undergo surger
Interrelationship between the variability of Northern Hemispheric total ozone, temperature and eddy heat flux
Toplam ozonun en yoğun olarak bulunduğu 15km ile 55 km arasındaki orta atmosfer, dinamik etkilerin de en fazla görüldüğü bölgedir. Brewer-Dobson sirkülasyonu, orta atmosferdeki ozon taşınımını etkileyen temel çevrimdir. Girdap ısı akısı, Brewer-Dobson sirkülasyonu olarak da bilinen, kalan sirkülasyonun, düşey bileşenidir ve dinamik bir bakış için kullanılan rezidüel ortalama teorinin temelini oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, toplam ozon değişiminin orta atmosferdeki sıcaklık ve girdap ısı akısı ile etkileşimi dinamik olarak incelenmiştir. Brewer-Dobson sirkülasyonunun matematiksel olarak modellenmesinde, dönüştürülmüş Eulerian ortalama akış denklemlerinden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışmada sirkulasyonun hesaplanmasında 1998-2007 yılları arasındaki ECMWF-ERA- Interim re-analiz verilerinden, toplam ozon değerleri için ise TOMS, OMI uydu verileri ile ECMWF ozon karışma oranı verilerinden yararlanılmıştır. 1998-2007 yılları arasında Kuzey yarıküre ozon değişimleri incelendiğinde, yukarı orta enlemlerde ve kutup bölgesinde ozon miktarının tropiklerden daha fazla olduğu görülmüştür. Orta ve yukarı enlemlerdeki toplam ozonun değişmini de etkileyen birincil mekanizma olan sirkülasyonun, yıl içinde en kuvvetli olduğu dönem Ocak ayı, etkilerinin en az görüldüğü dönem ise Temmuz ayıdır. Gözönüne alınan periyotta toplam ozon değeri ortalama olarak tropiklerde 240DU değerinden kutup bölgelerinde 420 DU değerine kadar değişmektedir. Orta enlemlerde ise 260-360DU arasında değişmektedir. Planeter aktivitenin değişiminin en fazla görüldüğü 100mb seviyesi için orta enlemlerdeki toplam ozonla, sıcaklıklar arasında yakın bir ilişki elde edilmiştir. Benzer şekilde, tropiklerdeki girdap ısı akısının orta enlemlerdeki sıcaklıkları, orta enlemlerdeki girdap ısı akısının da kutuplardaki sıcaklıları kontrol ettiği görülmüştür. Anahtar Kelimeler: Stratosferik ozon, Brewer-Dobson sirkülasyonu, ozon azalması.Ozone levels in the atmosphere have significantly decreased over the last three decades not only over Polar Regions but also over mid-latitudes. This finding led to an intense debate on the characteristics of the stratospheric dynamics and atmospheric transport. Since most of the atmospheric ozone is found in the stratosphere and the vertical motion in the stratosphere is quite slow so the dynamics in this layer becomes of great significance to our climate. Evidently dynamical changes in the circulation contribute to observe ozone trends at northern mid-latitudes. Total ozone trends have been directly connected to changes in various dynamical parameters such as temperature, so thus eddy heat flux. The eddy heat flux is the product of meridional wind departures and temperature departures. Dynamically eddy heat flux is the vertical component of Brewer-Dobson circulation. Brewer-Dobson circulation which is also known as residual circulation has a strong influence on stratospheric ozone variability and transport processes. Brewer-Dobson circulation is very strong during winter (January) and it increases the total ozone over high latitudes. In summer (July) the circulation is weak. The global distribution of atmospheric heat transport is supported by zonally averaged parameters namely eddy heat flux and temperature. Since eddy heat flux transports heat, it has been obtained that dynamical temperature change is highly affected by the eddy heat flux. Physically temperature and eddy heat flux are strongly related to each other. Evidently the strong correlation between eddy heat flux and temperature interprets a relationship between total ozone and pronounced parameters. Dynamical features of Northern Hemispheric ozone transport, temperature and eddy heat flux and their relationships for the specified time interval (1998-2007) makes up the basics of the study. The dynamical processes produced by eddies or wave motion in the stratosphere and mesosphere give rise to the meridional circulation in the middle atmosphere that closely balances the force caused by the temperature deviation from the radiative equilibrium. Dynamic features affecting ozone include especially the atmospheric transport temperature variability and changes in eddy heat flux. Ozone transport and variability of eddy heat flux and temperature are defined by zonally averaged parameters. It is easier to examine atmospheric variability through zonal mean fields which is also mathematically less complicated than using 3 dimensional flow equations.. In order to view the residual atmospheric circulation and describe zonally averaged structure of the atmosphere, a mathematical formalism is used for the eddy-mean flow cancellation which provides a separation between eddies and the mean meridional circulation. The formulation defines the transformed Eulerian mean (TEM) or residual circulation. Residual circulation calculation is given by the sum of the Eulerian mean circulation components and the eddy terms. In the study eddy heat flux and temperature are separately processed to be linked with total ozone transport. In the present research total ozone data from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) (1998-2004), Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) (2005-2007) and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA-Interim Re-Analysis data (1998-2207) have been used. The selected period for Northern Hemisphere and 180°W- 180°E is compiled for the middle atmosphere which includes the region from 100mb in the lower stratosphere and up to 10mb in the stratosphere. Middle atmosphere is a dynamically driven region compared to the troposphere, which is more sensitive to thermal driven heat engine. Relationship between mid-latitudinal ozone, eddy heat flux and temperature is chosen as the starting point to create an emphasis on the area around this region. It is confirmed that tropical eddy heat flux highly controls the mid-latitudinal total ozone and mid-latitudinal lower stratospheric temperature. Additionally polar ozone is strongly affected by polar eddy heat flux. Eddy heat flux at the mid-latitudes is highly correlated with the polar temperatures. Keywords: Stratospheric ozone, Brewer-Dobson circulation, ozone depletion
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Small-molecule targeting of translation initiation for cancer therapy
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3,3-Dimethyl-2-benzofuran-1(3H)-one
In the title compound, C10H10O2, all the non-H atoms except the methyl C atoms lie on a crystallographic mirror plane. In the crystal, C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into zigzag chains running parallel to [100]. Weak π–π stacking interactions between the benzene rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.9817 (5) Å] link the chains in the [010] direction
(2E)-2-[(3E)-4-Phenylbut-3-en-2-ylidene]hydrazinecarboxamide
In the title compound, C11H13N3O, the phenyl ring is disordered over two sites, with occupancy factors in a 0.520 (17):0.480 (17) ratio. The dihedral angle between the ring planes of the major and minor components of the disordered ring is 12.9 (2)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming R
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A Distinct Gene Module for Dysfunction Uncoupled from Activation in Tumor-Infiltrating T Cells
Reversing the dysfunctional T cell state that arises in cancer and chronic viral infections is the focus of therapeutic interventions; however, current therapies are effective in only some patients and some tumor types. To gain a deeper molecular understanding of the dysfunctional T cell state, we analyzed population and single-cell RNA profiles of CD8+tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and used genetic perturbations to identify a distinct gene module for T cell dysfunction that can be uncoupled from T cell activation. This distinct dysfunction module is downstream of intracellular metallothioneins that regulate zinc metabolism and can be identified at single-cell resolution. We further identify Gata-3, a zinc-finger transcription factor in the dysfunctional module, as a regulator of dysfunction, and we use CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to show that it drives a dysfunctional phenotype in CD8+TILs. Our results open novel avenues for targeting dysfunctional T cell states while leaving activation programs intact
“COMING TOGETHER” (Batanai): Learning from Zimbabwe’s experiences with community biodiversity conservation, participatory crop improvement and climate change adaptation
This brief presents the findings and lessons learned of a study tour by a team from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of South Africa to neighbouring Zimbabwe, to learn about the roles of Farmer Field Schools, functions and operations of community seedbanks and various forms of participatory crop improvement, promoted by the Community Technology Development Organisation of Zimbabwe
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