Separabelized Skyrme Interactions and Quasiparticle RPA

A finite rank separable approximation for the quasiparticle RPA with Skyrme interactions is applied to study the low lying quadrupole and octupole states in some S isotopes and giant resonances in some spherical nuclei. It is shown that characteristics calculated within the suggested approach are in a good agreement with available experimental data.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, proceedings of the Seventh School-Seminar on Heavy Ion Physics, Dubna, Russia, May 27-June 1, 2002; to appear in Physics of Atomic Nucle

Submaximal physical strain and peak performance in handcycling versus handrim wheelchair propulsion

Study design: Experimental study in subjects with paraplegia and nondisabled subjects. Objective: To compare submaximal physical strain and peak performance in handcycling and handrim wheelchair propulsion in wheelchair-dependent and nondisabled control subjects Setting: Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Methods: Nine male subjects with paraplegia and 10 nondisabled male subjects performed two exercise tests on a motor-driven treadmill using a handrim wheelchair and attach-unit handcycle system. The exercise protocol consisted of two 4-min submaximal exercise bouts at 25 and 35 W, followed by 1-min exercise bouts with increasing power output until exhaustion. Results: Analysis of variance for repeated measures showed a significantly lower oxygen uptake (VO2), ventilation (Ve), heart rate (HR), rate of perceived exertion and a higher gross efficiency for handcycling at 35 W in both subject groups, while no significant differences were found at 25 W. Peak power output and peak V

Stokes flow in a rectangular cavity by rotlet forcing

The Stokes flow inside a two-dimensional rectangular cavity |x|a, |y|b is analyzed for a highly viscous, incompressible fluid flow, driven by a single rotlet placed at position (0,c). Specifically, a rigorous solution of the governing two-dimensional biharmonic equation for the stream function is constructed analytically by means of the superposition principle. With this solution, multicellular flow patterns can be described for narrow cavities, in which the number of flow cells is directly related to the value of the aspect ratio A=b/a. The solution also shows that for a certain rotlet position (0,c0), which depends on a and b, the flow has a stagnation point (0,-c0) symmetrically placed inside the rectangle. As the flow would not be affected by placing a second (inactive) rotlet in this stagnation point, this allows us to construct a blinking rotlet model for the rectangular cavity, with the inactive rotlet in the stagnation point of the flow induced by the active rotlet. For rectangular cavities, it holds that more than one of these special rotlet positions can be found for cavities that are elongated to sufficiently large aspect ratios. The blinking rotlet model is applied to illustrate several aspects of stirring in a Stokes flow in a rectangular domain

Validity of the self-administered comorbidity questionnaire in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement has selected the self-administered comorbidity questionnaire (SCQ) to adjust case-mix when comparing outcomes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment between healthcare providers. However, the SCQ has not been validated for use in IBD patients. Objectives: We assessed the validity of the SCQ for measuring comorbidities in IBD patients. Design: Cohort study. Methods: We assessed the criterion validity of the SCQ for IBD patients by comparing patient-reported and clinician-reported comorbidities (as noted in the electronic health record) of the 13 diseases of the SCQ using Cohen’s kappa. Construct validity was assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient between the SCQ and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), clinician-reported SCQ, quality of life, IBD-related healthcare and productivity costs, prevalence of disability, and IBD disease activity. We assessed responsiveness by correlating changes in the SCQ with changes in healthcare costs, productivity costs, quality of life, and disease activity after 15 months. Results: We included 613 patients. At least fair agreement (κ &gt; 0.20) was found for most comorbidities, but the agreement was slight (κ &lt; 0.20) for stomach disease [κ = 0.19, 95% CI (−0.03; 0.41)], blood disease [κ = 0.02, 95% CI (−0.06; 0.11)], and back pain [κ = 0.18, 95% CI (0.11; 0.25)]. Correlations were found between the SCQ and the clinician-reported SCQ [ρ = 0.60, 95% CI (0.55; 0.66)], CCI [ρ = 0.39, 95% CI (0.31; 0.45)], the prevalence of disability [ρ = 0.23, 95% CI (0.15; 0.32)], and quality of life [ρ = −0.30, 95% CI (−0.37; −0.22)], but not between the SCQ and healthcare or productivity costs or disease activity (|ρ| ⩽ 0.2). A change in the SCQ after 15 months was not correlated with a change in any of the outcomes.Conclusion: The SCQ is a valid tool for measuring comorbidity in IBD patients, but face and content validity should be improved before being used to correct case-mix differences.</p

Photonuclear Reactions of Three-Nucleon Systems

We discuss the available data for the differential and the total cross section for the photodisintegration of $^3$He and $^3$H and the corresponding inverse reactions below $E_\gamma = 100$ MeV by comparing with our calculations using realistic $NN$ interactions. The theoretical results agree within the errorbars with the data for the total cross sections. Excellent agreement is achieved for the angular distribution in case of $^3$He, whereas for $^3$H a discrepancy between theory and experiment is found.Comment: 11 pages (twocolumn), 12 postscript figures included, uses psfig, RevTe

Handcycling: training effects of a specific dose of upper body endurance training in females

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate a handcycling training protocol based on ACSM guidelines in a well-controlled laboratory setting. Training responses of a specific dose of handcycling training were quantified in a homogeneous female subject population to obtain a more in depth understanding of physiological mechanisms underlying adaptations in upper body training. Methods: 22 female able-bodied participants were randomly divided in a training (T) and control group (C). T received 7-weeks of handcycling training, 3 × 30 min/week at 65 % heart rate reserve (HRR). An incremental handcycling test was used to determine local, exercise-specific adaptations. An incremental cycling test was performed to determine non-exercise-specific central/cardiovascular adaptations. Peak oxygen uptake (peakVO2), heart rate (peakHR) and power output (peakPO) were compared between T and C before and after training. Results: T completed the training sessions at 65 ± 3 % HRR, at increasing power output (59.4 ± 8.2 to 69.5 ± 8.9 W) over the training program. T improved on handcycling peakVO2 (+18.1 %), peakPO (+31.9 %), and peakHR (+4.0 %). No improvements were found in cycling parameters. Conclusion: Handcycling training led to local, exercise-specific improvements in upper body parameters. Results could provide input for the design of effective evidence-based training programs specifically aimed at upper body endurance exercise in females

Phenotypic Variation and Bistable Switching in Bacteria

Microbial research generally focuses on clonal populations. However, bacterial cells with identical genotypes frequently display different phenotypes under identical conditions. This microbial cell individuality is receiving increasing attention in the literature because of its impact on cellular differentiation, survival under selective conditions, and the interaction of pathogens with their hosts. It is becoming clear that stochasticity in gene expression in conjunction with the architecture of the gene network that underlies the cellular processes can generate phenotypic variation. An important regulatory mechanism is the so-called positive feedback, in which a system reinforces its own response, for instance by stimulating the production of an activator. Bistability is an interesting and relevant phenomenon, in which two distinct subpopulations of cells showing discrete levels of gene expression coexist in a single culture. In this chapter, we address techniques and approaches used to establish phenotypic variation, and relate three well-characterized examples of bistability to the molecular mechanisms that govern these processes, with a focus on positive feedback.

Association between AIRE gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is a transcription factor that functions as a novel player in immunological investigations. In the thymus, it has a pivotal role in the negative selection of naive T-cells during central tolerance. Experimental studies have shown that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) alters transcription of the AIRE gene. SNPs thereby provide a less efficient negative selection, propagate higher survival of autoimmune T-cells, and elevate susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. To date, only rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been analysed by epidemiological investigations in relation to SNPs in AIRE. In our meta-analysis, we sought to encompass case-control studies and confirm that the association between SNP occurrence and RA. After robust searches of Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases, we found 19 articles that included five independent studies. Out of 11 polymorphisms, two (rs2075876, rs760426) were common in the five case-control studies. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis for rs2075876 (7145 cases and 8579 controls) and rs760426 (6696 cases and 8164 controls). Our results prove that rs2075876 and rs760426 are significantly associated with an increased risk of RA in allelic, dominant, recessive, codominant heterozygous, and codominant homozygous genetic models. These findings are primarily based on data from Asian populations

Phase II Feasibility and Biomarker Study of Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab With Chemoradiotherapy for Resectable Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Esophageal Adenocarcinoma:TRAP Study

PURPOSE: Approximately 15% to 43% of esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive. Because dual-agent HER2 blockade demonstrated a survival benefit in breast cancer, we conducted a phase II feasibility study of trastuzumab and pertuzumab added to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in patients with EAC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with resectable HER2-positive EAC received standard nCRT with carboplatin and paclitaxel and 41.4 Gy of radiotherapy, with 4 mg/kg of trastuzumab on day 1, 2 mg/kg per week during weeks 2 to 6, and 6 mg/kg per week during weeks 7, 10, and 13 and 840 mg of pertuzumab every 3 weeks. The primary end point was feasibility, defined as ≥ 80% completion of treatment with both trastuzumab and pertuzumab. An exploratory comparison of survival with a propensity score-matched cohort receiving standard nCRT was performed, as were exploratory pharmacokinetic and biomarker analyses. RESULTS: Of the 40 enrolled patients (78% men; median age, 63 years), 33 (83%) completed treatment with trastuzumab and pertuzumab. No unexpected safety events were observed. R0 resection was achieved in all patients undergoing surgery, with pathologic complete response in 13 patients (34%). Three-year progression-free and overall survival (OS) were 57% and 71%, respectively (median follow-up, 32.1 months). Compared with the propensity score-matched cohort, a significantly longer OS was observed with HER2 blockade (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.34 to 0.97). Results of pharmacokinetic analysis and activity on [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans did not correlate with survival or pathologic response. Patients with HER2 3+ overexpression or growth factor receptor-bound protein 7 (Grb7) -positive tumors at baseline demonstrated significantly better survival (P = .007) or treatment response (P = .016), respectively. CONCLUSION: Addition of trastuzumab and pertuzumab to nCRT in patients with HER2-positive EAC is feasible and demonstrates potentially promising activity compared with historical controls. HER2 3+ overexpression and Grb7 positivity are potentially predictive for survival and treatment response, respectively