Patterns of care for brachytherapy in Europe (PC BE) in Spain and Poland: Comparative results

BackgroundCancer incidence and its mortality depend on a number of factors, including age, socio-economic status and geographic situation, and its incidence is growing around the world [1]. Cancer incidence in Europe is now about 4000 patients per million per year and due to the ageing population a yearly increase of 1–1.5% in cancer cases is estimated in the next two decades [2–4]. Most of the cancer treatments will include external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy. Brachytherapy has increased its use as a radical or palliative treatment and become more sophisticated with the spread of pulsed dose rate and high dose rate afterloading machines, and the use of new planning systems has additionally improved quality of treatment [5–14]AimThe aim of the present study was to compare two countries (Poland and Spain) and to report the differences in the use of brachytherapy in these countries. For this reason, several characteristics related to brachytherapy were compared.Materials/MethodsThe data used were collected using a website questionnaire for the year 2002 where every centre that participated in the survey could introduce, change or update the information requested. Hospitals included in the study were those that provided data on brachytherapy, because our objective was to compare the brachytherapy facilities between Poland and Spain.ResultsData were available for 22 centres in Poland and 39 centres in Spain that provided brachytherapy in 2002. Spain having more centres that applied brachytherapy (1.0 centre per 1,000,000 inhabitants in Spain vs. 0.6 centre per 1,000,000 inhabitants in Poland), the average number of brachytherapy patients per centre is lower in Spain than in Poland, 137 and 382 respectively. The 5 main tumour sites treated with brachytherapy in Poland were: gynaecological (73.7%), bronchus (13.0%), breast (2.8%), prostate (2.4%) and head and neck (1.6%). In Spain they were: gynaecological (59.7%), breast (15.4%), prostate (12.8%), head and neck (4.2%) and bronchus (1.5%). Statistically significant differences were found in the number of gynaecological, bronchial and breast brachytherapy patients between the countries.ConclusionsAlthough both countries belong to the European Union, there were observed several differences in the use of brachytherapy. We also found some differences in the brachytherapy techniques used in prostate and head and neck cancers

The Mice at play in the CALIFA survey: A case study of a gas-rich major merger between first passage and coalescence

We present optical integral field spectroscopy (IFS) observations of the Mice, a major merger between two massive (>10^11Msol) gas-rich spirals NGC4676A and B, observed between first passage and final coalescence. The spectra provide stellar and gas kinematics, ionised gas properties and stellar population diagnostics, over the full optical extent of both galaxies. The Mice provide a perfect case study highlighting the importance of IFS data for improving our understanding of local galaxies. The impact of first passage on the kinematics of the stars and gas has been significant, with strong bars likely induced in both galaxies. The barred spiral NGC4676B exhibits a strong twist in both its stellar and ionised gas disk. On the other hand, the impact of the merger on the stellar populations has been minimal thus far: star formation induced by the recent close passage has not contributed significantly to the global star formation rate or stellar mass of the galaxies. Both galaxies show bicones of high ionisation gas extending along their minor axes. In NGC4676A the high gas velocity dispersion and Seyfert-like line ratios at large scaleheight indicate a powerful outflow. Fast shocks extend to ~6.6kpc above the disk plane. The measured ram pressure and mass outflow rate (~8-20Msol/yr) are similar to superwinds from local ULIRGs, although NGC4676A has only a moderate infrared luminosity of 3x10^10Lsol. Energy beyond that provided by the mechanical energy of the starburst appears to be required to drive the outflow. We compare the observations to mock kinematic and stellar population maps from a merger simulation. The models show little enhancement in star formation during and following first passage, in agreement with the observations. We highlight areas where IFS data could help further constrain the models.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures, accepted to A&A. A version with a complete set of high resolution figures is available here: http://www-star.st-and.ac.uk/~vw8/resources/mice_v8_astroph.pd

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study

Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak. Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study. Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM. Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide

Innovating for the teaching of Communication, Culture and Memory within the framework of the University Master's Degrees in LGBTIQ+ Studies and Audiovisual Communication for the Digital Age

Proyecto de innovación en docencia centrada en trabajo basado por proyectos y trabajo colaborativo, fomento de empleabilidad y emprendimiento e internacionalización en dos másteres universitarios dentro de agenda 2030 para una UCM diversa e inclusiva.Depto. de Ciencias de la Comunicación AplicadaFac. de Ciencias de la InformaciónFALSEsubmitte

Morpho-kinematic properties of field S0 bulges in the CALIFA survey

We study a sample of 28 S0 galaxies extracted from the integral field spectroscopic (IFS) survey Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area. We combine an accurate two-dimensional (2D) multicomponent photometric decomposition with the IFS kinematic properties of their bulges to understand their formation scenario. Our final sample is representative of S0s with high stellar masses (M⋆/M⊙ > 10¹⁰). They lay mainly on the red sequence and live in relatively isolated environments similar to that of the field and loose groups. We use our 2D photometric decomposition to define the size and photometric properties of the bulges, as well as their location within the galaxies. We perform mock spectroscopic simulations mimicking our observed galaxies to quantify the impact of the underlying disc on our bulge kinematic measurements (λ and v/σ). We compare our bulge corrected kinematic measurements with the results from Schwarzschild dynamical modelling. The good agreement confirms the robustness of our results and allows us to use bulge deprojected values of λ and v/σ. We find that the photometric (n and B/T) and kinematic (v/σ and λ) properties of our field S0 bulges are not correlated. We demonstrate that this morpho-kinematic decoupling is intrinsic to the bulges and it is not due to projection effects. We conclude that photometric diagnostics to separate different types of bulges (disc-like versus classical) might not be useful for S0 galaxies. The morpho-kinematics properties of S0 bulges derived in this paper suggest that they are mainly formed by dissipational processes happening at high redshift, but dedicated high-resolution simulations are necessary to better identify their origin.ISSN:0035-8711ISSN:1365-296

First scientific observations with MEGARA at GTC

On June 25th 2017, the new intermediate-resolution optical IFU and MOS of the 10.4-m GTC had its first light. As part of the tests carried out to verify the performance of the instrument in its two modes (IFU and MOS) and 18 spectral setups (identical number of VPHs with resolutions R=6000-20000 from 0.36 to 1 micron) a number of astronomical objects were observed. These observations show that MEGARA@GTC is called to fill a niche of high-throughput, intermediateresolution IFU and MOS observations of extremely-faint narrow-lined objects. Lyman-α absorbers, star-forming dwarfs or even weak absorptions in stellar spectra in our Galaxy or in the Local Group can now be explored to a new level. Thus, the versatility of MEGARA in terms of observing modes and spectral resolution and coverage will allow GTC to go beyond current observational limits in either depth or precision for all these objects. The results to be presented in this talk clearly demonstrate the potential of MEGARA in this regard

Integrate and learn. Building a farm-to-table blockchain

DecanatoFac. de VeterinariaFALSEsubmitte

Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study (vol 46, pg 2021, 2022)

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