Target Coverage and Normal Organ Sparing in Dose-Escalated Total Marrow and Lymphatic Irradiation: A Single-Institution Experience

Purpose/ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to report historical treatment planning experience at our institution for patients receiving total marrow and lymphatic irradiation (TMLI) as part of the conditioning regimen prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplant.Materials/MethodsBased on a review of all historical clinical TMLI treatments plans, we retrieved a 12-Gy cohort of 108 patients with a prescription dose of 12 Gy to the skeletal bones, lymph nodes, spleen, and spinal canal, and retrieved a 20-Gy cohort of 120 patients with an escalated prescription dose of 20 Gy to the skeletal bones, lymph nodes, spleen, and spinal cord, and 12 Gy to the brain and liver. Representative dosimetric parameters including mean and median dose, D80, and D10 (dose covering 80% and 10% of the structure volume, respectively) for targets and normal organs were extracted and compared between the two groups of patients.ResultsFor the 12-Gy cohort, the average mean dose for normal organs ranged from 18.3% to 78.3% of 12 Gy, and the average median dose ranged from 18.3% to 77.5% of 12 Gy. For the 20-Gy cohort, the average mean dose for normal organs ranged from 13.0% to 76.0% of 20 Gy, and the average median dose ranged from 12.5% to 75.0% of 20 Gy. Compared to the mean dose to normal organs in the 12-Gy cohort, the average mean dose to normal organs increased from 0.0% to 73.1%, with only four normal organs showing a >50% increase. Normal organ dose in TMLI plans using volumetric modulated arc therapy fields fell within the dose range in historical TMLI plans.ConclusionDosimetric data in historical TMLI plans at our institution are summarized at prescription dose levels of 12 Gy and 20 Gy, respectively. Compared to the normal organ dose with a prescription dose of 12 Gy, the mean and median dose to most normal organs at an escalated prescription dose of 20 Gy had an increase less than prescription dose scaling. Dosimetric results from this study can be used as reference data to facilitate clinical implementation of TMLI at other institutions

A characterization of Schauder frames which are near-Schauder bases

A basic problem of interest in connection with the study of Schauder frames in Banach spaces is that of characterizing those Schauder frames which can essentially be regarded as Schauder bases. In this paper, we give a solution to this problem using the notion of the minimal-associated sequence spaces and the minimal-associated reconstruction operators for Schauder frames. We prove that a Schauder frame is a near-Schauder basis if and only if the kernel of the minimal-associated reconstruction operator contains no copy of $c_0$. In particular, a Schauder frame of a Banach space with no copy of $c_0$ is a near-Schauder basis if and only if the minimal-associated sequence space contains no copy of $c_0$. In these cases, the minimal-associated reconstruction operator has a finite dimensional kernel and the dimension of the kernel is exactly the excess of the near-Schauder basis. Using these results, we make related applications on Besselian frames and near-Riesz bases.Comment: 12 page

Efficacy and Safety of Brigatinib Compared With Crizotinib in Asian vs. Non-Asian Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic ALK–Inhibitor-Naive ALK+ Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Final Results From the Phase III ALTA-1L Study

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase; First line; Tyrosine kinase inhibitorCinasa del linfoma anaplásico; Primera línea; Inhibidor de la tirosina quinasaQuinasa del limfoma anaplàsic; Primera línia; Inhibidor de la tirosina quinasaBackground Brigatinib is a next-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor with demonstrated efficacy in locally advanced and metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in crizotinib-refractory and ALK inhibitor-naive settings. This analysis assessed brigatinib in Asian vs. non-Asian patients from the first-line ALTA-1L trial. Patients and Methods This was a subgroup analysis from the phase III ALTA-1L trial of brigatinib vs. crizotinib in ALK inhibitor–naive ALK+ NSCLC. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by blinded independent review committee (BIRC). Secondary endpoints included confirmed objective response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) in the overall population and BIRC-assessed intracranial ORR and PFS in patients with brain metastases. Results Of the 275 randomized patients, 108 were Asian. Brigatinib showed consistent superiority in BIRC-assessed PFS vs. crizotinib in Asian (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.35 [95% CI: 0.20-0.59]; log-rank P = .0001; median 24.0 vs. 11.1 months) and non-Asian (HR: 0.56 [95% CI: 0.38-0.84]; log-rank P = .0041; median 24.7 vs. 9.4 months) patients. Results were consistent with investigator-assessed PFS and BIRC-assessed intracranial PFS. Brigatinib was well tolerated. Toxicity profiles and dose modification rates were similar between Asian and non-Asian patients. Conclusion Efficacy with brigatinib was consistently better than with crizotinib in Asian and non-Asian patients with locally advanced or metastatic ALK inhibitor-naive ALK-+ NSCLC. There were no clinically notable differences in overall safety in Asian vs. non-Asian patients.This study was supported by ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. The sponsor designed and conducted the study and collected the data together with the authors. The sponsor managed and analyzed the data. Data were interpreted by the authors and the sponsor. The sponsor together with the authors prepared, reviewed, and approved the manuscript and made the decision to submit the manuscript for publication

Negotiated economic grid brokering for quality of service

We demonstrate a Grid broker's job submission system and its selection process for finding the provider that is most likely to be able to complete work on time and on budget. We compare several traditional site selection mechanisms with an economic and Quality of Service (QoS) oriented approach. We show how a greater profit and QoS can be achieved if jobs are accepted by the most appropriate provider. We particularly focus upon the benefits of a negotiation process for QoS that enables our selection process to occur

Environment-friendly surface acoustic wave humidity sensor with sodium alginate sensing layer

A low-cost and environment-friendly surface acoustic wave (SAW) humidity sensor was fabricated on a quartz substrate using sol-gel/spin-coated sodium alginate (SA) sensing layer. The sensing mechanism is based on the frequency shift of the SAW sensor caused by both mass loading and electrical loading, with the former being the dominant factor. The SA film prepared in this study is an environment-friendly material with a large number of hydroxyl and carboxylate groups, which easily adsorb and react with H2O molecules to form hydrogen bonds. These adsorbed H2O molecules lead to significantly enhanced mass loading and signal responses of the SAW sensor. Electrical loading effect is also generated due to the transfer of hydrogen ions in the H2O molecules, which alters the electrical resistance and results in changes of resonant frequencies of the SAW device. When the relative humidity (RH) is increased from 35% to 85%, the responses of the SAW sensor with 1 wt% SA are significantly decreased. Whereas in a low humidity environment (e.g., RH <35%), the responses of the sensor show a linear relationship with the change of humidity. The developed humidity sensor shows good short-term/long-term stabilities and a low temperature coefficient of frequency

Partial Wave Analysis of J/ψ→γ(K+K−π+π−)J/\psi \to \gamma (K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)

BES data on $J/\psi \to \gamma (K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)$ are presented. The $K^*\bar K^*$ contribution peaks strongly near threshold. It is fitted with a broad $0^{-+}$ resonance with mass $M = 1800 \pm 100$ MeV, width $\Gamma = 500 \pm 200$ MeV. A broad $2^{++}$ resonance peaking at 2020 MeV is also required with width $\sim 500$ MeV. There is further evidence for a $2^{-+}$ component peaking at 2.55 GeV. The non-$K^*\bar K^*$ contribution is close to phase space; it peaks at 2.6 GeV and is very different from $K^{*}\bar{K^{*}}$.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, Submitted to PL

Measurements of the Mass and Full-Width of the ηc\eta_c Meson

In a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events collected with the BES II detector, the process J/$\psi\to\gamma\eta_c$ is observed in five different decay channels: $\gamma K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma K^\pm K^0_S \pi^\mp$ (with $K^0_S\to\pi^+\pi^-$), $\gamma \phi\phi$ (with $\phi\to K^+K^-$) and $\gamma p\bar{p}$. From a combined fit of all five channels, we determine the mass and full-width of $\eta_c$ to be $m_{\eta_c}=2977.5\pm1.0 ({stat.})\pm1.2 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma_{\eta_c} = 17.0\pm3.7 ({stat.})\pm7.4 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures and 4 table. Submitted to Phys. Lett.

A Measurement of Psi(2S) Resonance Parameters

Cross sections for e+e- to hadons, pi+pi- J/Psi, and mu+mu- have been measured in the vicinity of the Psi(2S) resonance using the BESII detector operated at the BEPC. The Psi(2S) total width; partial widths to hadrons, pi+pi- J/Psi, muons; and corresponding branching fractions have been determined to be Gamma(total)= (264+-27) keV; Gamma(hadron)= (258+-26) keV, Gamma(mu)= (2.44+-0.21) keV, and Gamma(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (85+-8.7) keV; and Br(hadron)= (97.79+-0.15)%, Br(pi+pi- J/Psi)= (32+-1.4)%, Br(mu)= (0.93+-0.08)%, respectively.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Global Search for New Physics with 2.0/fb at CDF

Data collected in Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron are searched for indications of new electroweak-scale physics. Rather than focusing on particular new physics scenarios, CDF data are analyzed for discrepancies with the standard model prediction. A model-independent approach (Vista) considers gross features of the data, and is sensitive to new large cross-section physics. Further sensitivity to new physics is provided by two additional algorithms: a Bump Hunter searches invariant mass distributions for "bumps" that could indicate resonant production of new particles; and the Sleuth procedure scans for data excesses at large summed transverse momentum. This combined global search for new physics in 2.0/fb of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV reveals no indication of physics beyond the standard model.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Final version which appeared in Physical Review D Rapid Communication

Observation of Orbitally Excited B_s Mesons

We report the first observation of two narrow resonances consistent with states of orbitally excited (L=1) B_s mesons using 1 fb^{-1} of ppbar collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV collected with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We use two-body decays into K^- and B^+ mesons reconstructed as B^+ \to J/\psi K^+, J/\psi \to \mu^+ \mu^- or B^+ \to \bar{D}^0 \pi^+, \bar{D}^0 \to K^+ \pi^-. We deduce the masses of the two states to be m(B_{s1}) = 5829.4 +- 0.7 MeV/c^2 and m(B_{s2}^*) = 5839.7 +- 0.7 MeV/c^2.Comment: Version accepted and published by Phys. Rev. Let