Open data from the third observing run of LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO

The global network of gravitational-wave observatories now includes five detectors, namely LIGO Hanford, LIGO Livingston, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO 600. These detectors collected data during their third observing run, O3, composed of three phases: O3a starting in 2019 April and lasting six months, O3b starting in 2019 November and lasting five months, and O3GK starting in 2020 April and lasting two weeks. In this paper we describe these data and various other science products that can be freely accessed through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center at https://gwosc.org. The main data set, consisting of the gravitational-wave strain time series that contains the astrophysical signals, is released together with supporting data useful for their analysis and documentation, tutorials, as well as analysis software packages

Monomeric plasmatic calcitonin and hypercalcemia in lung cancer patients

BACKGROUND. Calcitonin (CT) is a peptidic hormone produced by the thyroid C cells and related to calcium metabolism. High plasmatic levels of this hormone are found in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma, what makes it an excellent tumor marker for this disease. However, there are reports that showed an increase of plasmatic CT levels in patients with other tumors, mainly in lung cancer. PURPOSE. These data prompt us to investigate the validity of the CT level determinations as a potential tumor marker in different histologic lung cancer, and its correlation with hypercalcemia, a very common complication in these tumors. METHOD. Blood were sampled from 56 patients with malignant lung disease for the CT and ionized calcium determinations. Calcitonin was measured using a specific radioimmunoassay for the monomeric form of the molecule, in a previous silica extracted serum probe. RESULTS. We did not find elevated levels of monomeric CT in lung cancer. Only 3 patients had mild elevated levels, while in the others CT was normal or undetectable. Hypercalcemia was found in 21.4% of these patients, but only one with supranormal CT levels. CONCLUSION. Monomeric CT serum levels are normal in lung cancer, what makes the latter use an unreliable tumor marker.A calcitonina (CT) é um hormônio peptídico relacionado ao metabolismo de cálcio produzido pelas células C da tiróide. Encontra-se com níveis plasmáticos bastante elevados no carcinoma medular de tiróide e mostra-se como excelente marcador dessa doença. No entanto, existem relatos na literatura que demonstraram níveis elevados deste peptídio em pacientes portadores de outras neoplasias, principalmente no carcinoma de pulmão. OBJETIVO. Avaliar a validade da dosagem da CT sérica como possível marcador tumoral em pacientes portadores de tumor de pulmão de diferentes tipos histológicos. MÉTODOS. Foram dosados CT plasmática e cálcio ionizado sanguíneo em 56 pacientes portadores de tumores malignos de pulmão. Para as dosagens de CT os autores utilizaram um método de radioimunoensaio específico, realizado após extração prévia do soro em coluna de sílica. RESULTADOS. Observou-se prevalência de hipercalcemia de 21,4%; apenas três (5,4%) dos 56 pacientes investigados apresentaram níveis pouco elevados de calcitonina, e o restante manteve níveis normais ou indetectáveis do peptídio. CONCLUSÃO. Os resultados demonstram que, com a utilização de um método bastante específico para dosagem da calcitonina em sua forma monomérica, não se encontram níveis elevados deste hormônio em pacientes portadores de neoplasia pulmonar, desestimulando sua utilização como marcador tumoral nesta patologia.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Disciplina de EndocrinologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Disciplina de EndocrinologiaSciEL