Existence and Uniqueness Theorems for the Neutron Transport Equation

In an attempt to understand the conditions under which the neutron transport equation has solutions, and the properties of those solutions, a number of existence and uniqueness theorems are proved. One finds that the properties of the solution are closely related to the boundedness of the source as well as to certain velocity‐space integrals of the scattering kernel. Both time‐dependent and time‐independent equations are considered as are also the time‐dependent and time‐independent adjoint equations. Although only a very few of all possible existence and uniqueness theorems for these equations are considered here, the work may serve as a guide to the treatment of similar problems.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70329/2/JMAPAQ-4-11-1376-1.pd

Facial Pain Associated with CPAP Use: Intra-Sinusal Third Molar

Objective. This paper describes a patient with left hemifacial pain elicited by the use of a CPAP mask. Case Report. A 74-year-old man was referred with a history of pain in the left maxillary sinus related to the use of his CPAP interface, thereby prohibiting the use of the latter. Computed tomography revealed an intra-sinusal ectopic third molar in the left maxillary sinus floor corresponding to the painful area. After removal of the ectopic tooth under local anesthesia by a Caldwell-Luc approach, the patient was relieved of his symptoms. Conclusion. Although an ectopic tooth in the maxillary sinus is rare, this case points out the importance of actively looking for a regional problem if patients cannot tolerate the CPAP interface since this can lead to issues of incompliance and medical complications due to the untreated obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome

Wirksamkeit der selektiven Lasertrabekuloplastik bei Patienten mit unzureichender Augendrucksenkung unter maximaler Therapie

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Hauptziel der Glaukomtherapie ist die Senkung des Intraokulardruckes (IOD). Ziel dieser prospektiven Studie war es, die IOD-senkende Wirkung der selektiven Lasertrabekuloplastik (SLT) bei Patienten unter maximaler medikamentöser Therapie (MMT) zu untersuchen. Spezielles Augenmerk wurde auf eine mögliche Wechselwirkung mit Pseudophakie oder Prostaglandintherapie (PGT) gelegt. Material und Methoden: Bei 30Patienten mit primärem Offenwinkelglaukom, Normaldruckglaukom und Pseudoexfoliationsglaukom mit unzureichender IOD-Senkung unter MMT wurde eine SLT über 360° Zirkumferenz durchgeführt. Verlaufskontrollen fanden nach 1Tag sowie nach 1, 3, 6, 9 und 12Monaten statt. Die IOD-senkende Therapie wurde über 3Monate unverändert weitergeführt. Ergebnisse: Die mittlere Verlaufsbeobachtungszeit betrug 11,97 ± 3,1Monate. Der mittlere IOD vor SLT war 19,60 ± 4,69mmHg. Die mittlere IOD-Senkung war −19,95 ± 17,14% nach 1Monat (p<0,001) sowie −14,07 ± 23,57% nach 12Monaten (p=0,003). Patienten mit einem höheren präoperativen IOD hatten eine stärker ausgeprägte Drucksenkung (R2=0,482; p<0,001). Phake Patienten hatten eine signifikant ausgeprägtere IOD-Senkung im Vergleich zu pseudophaken Patienten (-4,55±4,45mmHg bzw. +2,75±6,75mmHg; p=0,010). Patienten ohne PGT hatten eine statistisch knapp nicht signifikant ausgeprägtere IOD-Senkung im Vergleich zu Patienten mit PGT (-7,40±4,72mmHg bzw. -2,48±5,22mmHg; p=0,066). Vier Patienten benötigten einen weiteren IOD-senkenden Eingriff. Schlussfolgerung: Bei Patienten unter MMT kann durch eine SLT der IOD bis zu 1Jahr noch signifikant gesenkt werden. Die IOD-senkende Wirkung ist bei phaken Patienten mit hohem Ausgangsdruck am stärksten ausgepräg

Intra-annual radial growth and water relations of trees: implications towards a growth mechanism

There is a missing link between tree physiological and wood-anatomical knowledge which makes it impossible mechanistically to explain and predict the radial growth of individual trees from climate data. Empirical data of microclimatic factors, intra-annual growth rates, and tree-specific ratios between actual and potential transpiration (T PET−1) of trees of three species (Quercus pubescens, Pinus sylvestris, and Picea abies) at two dry sites in the central Wallis, Switzerland, were recorded from 2002 to 2004 at a 10 min resolution. This included the exceptionally hot and dry summer of 2003. These data were analysed in terms of direct (current conditions) and indirect impacts (predispositions of the past year) on growth. Rain was found to be the only factor which, to a large extent, consistently explained the radial increment for all three tree species at both sites and in the short term as well. Other factors had some explanatory power on the seasonal time-scale only. Quercus pubescens built up much of its tree ring before bud break. Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies started radial growth 1-2 weeks after Quercus pubescens and this was despite the fact that they had a high T PET−1 before budburst and radial growth started. A high T PET−1 was assumed to be related to open stomata, a very high net CO2 assimilation rate, and thus a potential carbon (C)-income for the tree. The main period of radial growth covered about 30-70% of the productive days of a year. In terms of C-allocation, these results mean that Quercus pubescens depended entirely on internal C-stores in the early phase of radial growth and that for all three species there was a long time period of C-assimilation which was not used for radial growth in above-ground wood. The results further suggest a strong dependence of radial growth on the current tree water relations and only secondarily on the C-balance. A concept is discussed which links radial growth over a feedback loop to actual tree water-relations and long-term affected C-storage to microclimat

Routine Clinical Practice Treatment Outcomes of Eplerenone in Acute and Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Purpose: To evaluate efficacy of eplerenone therapy vs. observation on resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF) in patients with acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) in routine clinical practice. Methods: Retrospective comparative case series of eyes diagnosed with CSCR treated with eplerenone or observation. Primary outcome measure was maximum height of SRF at 12 months. Secondary outcome was percentage of eyes with complete resolution of SRF, percentage of eyes with reduction of SRF ≥50%, and best corrected visual acuity (VA) at 12 months. Separate analysis was conducted for eyes with acute and chronic CSCR. Results: Sixty-eight eyes of 60 patients (82% male) were included. Eleven of the 38 eyes with acute CSCR, and seven of the 30 eyes with chronic CSCR, received eplerenone. Subretinal fluid decreased from baseline to 12 months in acute (287 ± 221 to 31 ± 63 µm) and chronic (148 ± 134 to 40 ± 42 µm) CSCR. Kaplan-Meier curves were similar for treated and observed eyes and COX regression analysis did not show a significant difference in SRF resolution in treated vs. observed eyes (p = 0.6 for acute, p = 0.2 for chronic CSCR). Conclusion: This routine clinical practice outcome study did not show evidence of efficacy of eplerenone on resolution of SRF in acute nor chronic CSCR

Long-term results of a multicenter SAKK trial on high-dose ifosfamide and doxorubicin in advanced or metastatic gynecologic sarcomas

Background: Dose intensive chemotherapy has not been tested prospectively for the treatment of gynecologic sarcomas. We investigated the antitumor activity and toxicity of high-dose ifosfamide and doxorubicin, in the context of a multidisciplinary strategy for the treatment of advanced and metastatic, not pretreated, gynecologic sarcomas. Patients and methods: Thirty-nine patients were enrolled onto a phase I-II multicenter trial of ifosfamide, 10 g/m2 as a continuous infusion over 5 days, plus doxorubicin intravenously, 25 mg/m2/day for 3 days with Mesna and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor every 21 days. Salvage therapy was allowed after chemotherapy. Results: Among the 37 evaluable patients, the tumor was locally advanced (n = 11), with concomitant distant metastases (n = 5) or with distant metastases only (n = 21). After a median of three (range 1-7) chemotherapy cycles, six patients experienced a complete response and 12 a partial response for an overall response rate of 49% (95% CI 32% to 66%). The response rate was higher in poorly differentiated tumors (62%) compared with moderately well differentiated ones (18%), but was not different according to histology subtypes. Eleven patients had salvage therapy, either immediately following chemotherapy (n = 7) or at time of progression (n = 4). With a median follow-up time of 5 years, the median overall survival was 30.5 months. Hematological toxicity was as expected neutropenia, thrombopenia and anemia ≥grade 3 at 50%, 34% and 33% of cycles respectively. No toxic death occurred. Conclusions: High-dose ifosfamide plus doxorubicin is an active regimen for all subtypes of gynecological sarcomas. Its toxicity was manageable in a multicentric setting. The prolonged survival might be due to the multidisciplinary strategy that was possible in one-third of the patient

Impact on visual acuity in neovascular age related macular degeneration (Namd) in europe due to covid-19 pandemic lockdown

This is a retrospective, multicenter study of consecutive patients with nAMD scheduled for a visit and/or a treatment with an intravitreal injection (IVI) during the 3 months before lockdown in the Ophthalmology Departments of six centers of Europe.The study was conducted on 546 patients, of which 55.13% were females, almost 100% of the patients were White/Caucasian race, and 71.53% of the patients presented a type 1 macular neovascularization (NVM). A total of 62.82% of patients (343 patients) that were on scheduled clinic visits and/or intravitreal injection treatment during the 3 months before the quarantine did not attend either to visit or for treatment during the lockdown. The mean number of injections during the lockdown was significantly reduced. This was followed by a significant reduction in the mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between the 3 months before the lockdown (mean BCVA of 60.68 ± 19.77 letters) and 6 months after lockdown (mean BCVA of 56.98 ± 22.59 letters). Patients with better BCVA before the lockdown and the ones showing neovascular activity were more likely to attend their scheduled visits and/or IVI treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have led to a decrease in the number of IVI treatments in patients with nAMD, evidencing a significant vision loss at 6 months