150 research outputs found
Synthesis and pre-clinical evaluation of a [18F] fluoromethyl-tanaproget derivative for imaging of progesterone receptor expression
The estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) are over-expressed in ∼50% of breast cancer lesions, and used as biomarkers to stratify patients for endocrine therapy. Currently, immunohistochemical (IHC) assessment of these lesions from a core-needle biopsy in deep-sited metastases has limitations associated with sampling error and lack of standardization. An alternative solution is positron emission tomography (PET)-based probes, which are inherently quantitative and capable of imaging the entire tumor, including metastases. This work features the synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel fluorinated derivative of tanaproget, a high affinity non-steroidal PR ligand, as a candidate for imaging PR expression in vivo. Radiolabeling of the candidate was achieved in a 15% ± 4 radiochemical yield (non-decay corrected) in one step from [18F]fluoromethyltosylate in 30 min. Cell uptake studies showed a significant difference between the radioligand uptake in PR+ and PR- cell lines; however, in vivo imaging was confounded by defluorination hypothesized to occur via iminium salt formation. Investigation into high affinity, metabolically stable non-steroidal PR ligands is currently ongoing
Acral necrosis by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Keywords:necrosis;skin and soft tissue infection;Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Abstract
Background
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SM) has been considered a nosocomial pathogen. Nevertheless, community acquired infection may occur more frequently than usually recognized.
Case
We describe distal necrosis of the fingers by SM in a farmer, contracted in the community and successfully treated with a combination of cotrimoxazole and ciprofloxacin. The patient was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia 6 months later.
Conclusions
This unusual presentation shows that infection with SM should be included in the differential diagnosis of the skin and soft tissue infection, even in apparently healthy patients
Phenomenological theory of the 3 Kelvin phase in Sr2RuO4
We model the 3K-phase of Sr2RuO4 with Ru-metal inclusion as interface state
with locally enhanced transition temperatures. The resulting 3K-phase must have
a different pairing symmetry than the bulk phase of Sr2RuO4, because the
symmetry at the interface is lower than in the bulk. It is invariant under time
reversal and a second transition, in general, above the onset of bulk
superconductivity is expected where time reversal symmetry is broken. The
nucleation of the 3K-phase exhibits a ``capillary effect'' which can lead to
frustration phenomena for the superconducting states on different
Ru-inclusions. Furthermore, the phase structure of the pair wave function gives
rise to zero-energy quasiparticle states which would be visible in
quasiparticle tunneling spectra. Additional characteristic properties are
associated with the upper critical field Hc2. The 3K-phase has a weaker
anisotropy of Hc2 between the inplane and z-axis orientation than the bulk
superconducting phase. This is connected with the more isotropic nature
Ru-metal which yields a stronger orbital depairing effect for the inplane
magnetic field than in the strongly layered Sr$_2RuO4. An anomalous temperature
dependence for the z-axis critical field is found due to the coupling of the
magnetic field to the order parameter texture at the interface. Various other
experiments are discussed and new measurements are suggested.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Flux-Line Lattice Structures in Untwinned YBa2Cu3O
A small angle neutron scattering study of the flux-line lattice in a large
single crystal of untwinned YBa2Cu3O is presented. In fields parallel to the
c-axis, diffraction spots are observed corresponding to four orientations of a
hexagonal lattice, distorted by the a-b anisotropy. A value for the anisotropy,
the penetration depth ratio, of 1.18(2) was obtained. The high quality of the
data is such that second order diffraction is observed, indicating a well
ordered FLL. With the field at 33 degrees to c a field dependent re-orientation
of the lattice is observed around 3T.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Ground State Vortex Lattice Structures in d-wave Superconductors
We show in a realistic symmetry gap model for a cuprate
superconductor that the clean vortex lattice has discontinuous structural
transitions (at and near T=0), as a function of the magnetic field along
the c-axis. The transitions arise from the singular nonlocal and anisotropic
susceptibility of the superconductor to the perturbation
caused by supercurrents associated with vortices. The susceptibility, due to
virtual Dirac quasiparticle-hole excitation, is calculated carefully, and leads
to a ground state transition for the triangular lattice from an orientation
along one of the crystal axis to one at 45 to them, i.e, along the gap zero
direction. The field scale is seen to be 5 Tesla , where is the gap maximum, is the
nearest neighbour hopping, is the lattice constant, and is the
flux quantum. At much higher fields () there is a discontinuous
transition to a centred square structure. The source of the differences from
existing calculations, and experimental observability are discussed, the latter
especially in view of the very small (a few degrees per vortex) differences
in the ground state energy.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev.
Investigating Children’s Spiritual Experiences through the Health and Physical Education (HPE) Learning Area in Australian Schools
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