Monopolelike probes for quantitative magnetic force microscopy: calibration and application

A local magnetization measurement was performed with a Magnetic Force Microscope (MFM) to determine magnetization in domains of an exchange coupled [Co/Pt]/Co/Ru multilayer with predominant perpendicular anisotropy. The quantitative MFM measurements were conducted with an iron filled carbon nanotube tip, which is shown to behave like a monopole. As a result we determined an additional in-plane magnetization component of the multilayer, which is explained by estimating the effective permeability of the sample within the \mu*-method.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Harris lines of the tibia across centuries: a comparison of two populations, medieval and contemporary in Central Europe

Objective: To determine the incidence of Harris lines in two medieval populations which inhabited the Canton of Berne, in Central Switzerland, and to compare the results with those of a contemporary population living in the same geographical area. A simplified method is described for measuring the age of the individual at the time of formation of Harris lines, with possible future applications. Design and patients: Radiographs of 112 well-preserved tibiae of skeletons of two medieval populations from the eighth to fifteenth centuries were reviewed for the incidence of Harris lines. The results were compared with those of 138 current patients living in the same geographic location in Central Switzerland. Age and gender of the medieval individual were determined using known anthropological methods. Age of bone at the time of formation of Harris lines was estimated according to the method of Maat. Results: Harris lines were found in 88 of 112 (80%) of the examined medieval skeletons and in 28 of 138 (20%) of the living individuals. Higher incidences of Harris lines were found at the age of 2years and at ages between 8 and 12years in both populations. No gender difference was found regarding the incidence of Harris lines. In both populations the occurrence of Harris lines was associated with certain diseases such as degenerative bone disease, trauma, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, peripheral vascular diseases, rickets and bony deformities. Conclusion: A high incidence of Harris lines was found in the medieval population, perhaps reflecting difficult living and hygienic conditions, but also the poor care and neglect of the children population. Measuring the age of the individual at the time of formation of Harris lines is simple and may have future clinical applications in the paediatric population for medico-legal purposes. The application of Harris lines as a marker in follow-up of osteoporosis may need further evaluatio

Protective Embolization of the Gastroduodenal Artery with a One-HydroCoil Technique in Radioembolization Procedures

Purpose: Protective occlusion of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) is required to avoid severe adverse effects and complications in radioembolization procedures. Because of the expandable features of HydroCoils, our goal was to occlude the GDA with only one HydroCoil to provide particle reflux protection. Methods: Twenty-three subjects with unresectable liver tumors, who were scheduled for protective occlusion of the GDA before radioembolization therapy, were included. The primary end point was to achieve a proximal occlusion of the GDA with only one detachable HydroCoil. Evaluated parameters were duration of deployment, and early (during the intervention) and late (7-21days) occlusion rates of GDA. Secondary end points included complete duration of the intervention, amount of contrast medium used, fluoroscopy rates, and adverse effects. Results: In all cases, the GDA was successfully occluded with only one HydroCoil. The selected diameter/length range was 4/10mm in 2 patients, 4/15mm in 6 patients, and 4/20mm in 15 patients. HydroCoils were implanted, on average, 3.75mm from the origin of the GDA (range 1.5-6.8mm), with an average deployment time of 2:47 (median 2:42, range 2:30-3:07) min. In 21 (91%) of 23 patients, a complete occlusion of the GDA was achieved during the first 30min after the coil implantation; however, in all patients, a late occlusion of the GDA was present after 6 to 29days. No clinical or technical complications were reported. Conclusion: We demonstrated that occlusion of the GDA with a single HydroCoil is a safe procedure and successfully prevents extrahepatic embolization before radioembolizatio

Virtopsy: Zukunftsträchtige Forschung in der Rechtsmedizin

Computed tomography techniques have been developed over the last 10 years and have found various applications in the forensic field. The most recent development is multislice computed tomography combined with photogrammetry-based surface optical scanning and image rendering techniques. This combination of techniques can be used to produce 3-dimensional images of injury patterns for comparison with suspect weapons and also to screen for pathological conditions in the living or deceased. This technology provides a minimally invasive procedure for capturing forensically relevant images which can be produced in the courtroom. The rapid developments in imaging techniques could provide an alternative to conventional autopsy procedures in the futur

A forward genetic screen with a thalamocortical axon reporter mouse yields novel neurodevelopment mutants and a distinct emx2 mutant phenotype

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The dorsal thalamus acts as a gateway and modulator for information going to and from the cerebral cortex. This activity requires the formation of reciprocal topographic axon connections between thalamus and cortex. The axons grow along a complex multistep pathway, making sharp turns, crossing expression boundaries, and encountering intermediate targets. However, the cellular and molecular components mediating these steps remain poorly understood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To further elucidate the development of the thalamocortical system, we first created a thalamocortical axon reporter line to use as a genetic tool for sensitive analysis of mutant mouse phenotypes. The TCA-<it>tau-lacZ </it>reporter mouse shows specific, robust, and reproducible labeling of thalamocortical axons (TCAs), but not the overlapping corticothalamic axons, during development. Moreover, it readily reveals TCA pathfinding abnormalities in known cortical mutants such as <it>reeler</it>. Next, we performed an unbiased screen for genes involved in thalamocortical development using random mutagenesis with the TCA reporter. Six independent mutant lines show aberrant TCA phenotypes at different steps of the pathway. These include ventral misrouting, overfasciculation, stalling at the corticostriatal boundary, and invasion of ectopic cortical cell clusters. An outcross breeding strategy coupled with a genomic panel of single nucleotide polymorphisms facilitated genetic mapping with small numbers of mutant mice. We mapped a ventral misrouting mutant to the <it>Emx2 </it>gene, and discovered that some TCAs extend to the olfactory bulbs in this mutant. Mapping data suggest that other lines carry mutations in genes not previously known for roles in thalamocortical development.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These data demonstrate the feasibility of a forward genetic approach to understanding mammalian brain morphogenesis and wiring. A robust axonal reporter enabled sensitive analysis of a specific axon tract inside the mouse brain, identifying mutant phenotypes at multiple steps of the pathway, and revealing a new aspect of the <it>Emx2 </it>mutant. The phenotypes highlight vulnerable choice points and latent tendencies of TCAs, and will lead to a refined understanding of the elements and interactions required to form the thalamocortical system.</p> <p>See Commentary: <url>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/9/1</url></p

Feasibility of Image-Guided Radiotherapy for Elderly Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

PURPOSE: The study aims to assess the tolerance of elderly patients (70 years or older) with locally advanced rectal cancers to image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). A retrospective review of 13 elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiation using IGRT was performed. Grade 3-4 acute toxicities, survival, and long-term complications were compared to 17 younger patients (<70 years) with the same disease stage. RESULTS: Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicities occurred in 7.6% and 0% (p = 0.4) and gastrointestinal toxicities, and, in 15.2% and 5% (p = 0.5), of elderly and younger patients, respectively. Surgery was aborted in three patients, two in the elderly group and one in the younger group. One patient in the elderly group died after surgery from cardiac arrhythmia. After a median follow-up of 34 months, five patients had died, two in the elderly and three in the younger group. The 3-year survival was 90.9% and 87.5% (p = 0.7) for the elderly and younger group respectively. Two patients in the younger group developed ischemic colitis and fecal incontinence. There was no statistically significant difference in acute and late toxicities as well as survival between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancers may tolerate preoperative chemoradiation with IGRT as well as younger patients. Further prospective studies should be performed to investigate the potential of IGRT for possible cure in elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

Incidence of sexually transmitted infections and association with behavioural factors: Time-to-event analysis of a large pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) cohort.

OBJECTIVES Our objective was to obtain long-term data on the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their association with behavioural factors after widespread pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation. METHODS This was a time-to-event analysis of a national PrEP cohort in Switzerland (SwissPrEPared study). Participants were people without HIV interested in taking PrEP with at least two STI screening visits. Primary outcomes were incidence rate of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. The association between behavioural factors and STI diagnosis was expressed using hazard ratios. We adjusted for testing frequency and calendar year. RESULTS This analysis included 3907 participants enrolled between April 2019 and April 2022, yielding 3815.7 person-years of follow-up for gonorrhoea (15 134 screenings), 3802.5 for chlamydia (15 141 screenings), and 3858.6 for syphilis (15 001 screenings). The median age was 39 years (interquartile range [IQR] 32-47), 93.8% (n = 3664) identified as men who have sex with men (MSM). The incidence was 22.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 21.3-24.4) per 100 person-years for gonorrhoea, 26.3 (95% CI 24.7-28.0) for chlamydia, and 4.4 (95% CI 3.8-5.1) for syphilis. Yearly incidence rates decreased between 2019 (all bacterial STIs: 81.6; 95% CI 59.1-109.9) and 2022 (all bacterial STIs: 49.8; 95% CI 44.6-55.3). Participants reporting chemsex substance use were at higher risk of incident STIs, as were those reporting multiple sexual partners. Younger age was associated with a higher risk of gonorrhoea and chlamydia. CONCLUSIONS Incidence rates of bacterial STIs decreased over time. Young MSM, those with multiple partners, and those using chemsex substances were at increased risk of STIs

Incidence of sexually transmitted infections and association with behavioural factors: Time-to-event analysis of a large pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) cohort

OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to obtain long-term data on the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their association with behavioural factors after widespread pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation. METHODS: This was a time-to-event analysis of a national PrEP cohort in Switzerland (SwissPrEPared study). Participants were people without HIV interested in taking PrEP with at least two STI screening visits. Primary outcomes were incidence rate of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. The association between behavioural factors and STI diagnosis was expressed using hazard ratios. We adjusted for testing frequency and calendar year. RESULTS: This analysis included 3907 participants enrolled between April 2019 and April 2022, yielding 3815.7 person-years of follow-up for gonorrhoea (15 134 screenings), 3802.5 for chlamydia (15 141 screenings), and 3858.6 for syphilis (15 001 screenings). The median age was 39 years (interquartile range [IQR] 32-47), 93.8% (n = 3664) identified as men who have sex with men (MSM). The incidence was 22.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 21.3-24.4) per 100 person-years for gonorrhoea, 26.3 (95% CI 24.7-28.0) for chlamydia, and 4.4 (95% CI 3.8-5.1) for syphilis. Yearly incidence rates decreased between 2019 (all bacterial STIs: 81.6; 95% CI 59.1-109.9) and 2022 (all bacterial STIs: 49.8; 95% CI 44.6-55.3). Participants reporting chemsex substance use were at higher risk of incident STIs, as were those reporting multiple sexual partners. Younger age was associated with a higher risk of gonorrhoea and chlamydia. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence rates of bacterial STIs decreased over time. Young MSM, those with multiple partners, and those using chemsex substances were at increased risk of STIs

Feasibility of intensity-modulated and image-guided radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND:In this study the feasibility of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and tomotherapy-based image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for locally advanced esophageal cancer was assessed.METHODS:A retrospective study of ten patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who underwent concurrent chemotherapy with IMRT (1) and IGRT (9) was conducted. The gross tumor volume was treated to a median dose of 70Gy (62.4-75Gy).RESULTS:At a median follow-up of 14months (1-39 months), three patients developed local failures, six patients developed distant metastases, and complications occurred in two patients (1 tracheoesophageal fistula, 1 esophageal stricture requiring repeated dilatations). No patients developed grade 3-4 pneumonitis or cardiac complications.CONCLUSIONS:IMRT and IGRT may be effective for the treatment of locally advanced esophageal cancer with acceptable complications.This item is part of the UA Faculty Publications collection. For more information this item or other items in the UA Campus Repository, contact the University of Arizona Libraries at [email protected]