Quantifying methane vibrational and rotational temperature with Raman scattering

This work describes the theoretical basis and implementation of the measurement of vibrational (T vib) and rotational (T rot) temperatures in CH4 by fitting spontaneous Raman scattering spectra in the Pentad region. This method could be applied for thermal equilibrium temperature measurements applications, e.g. in combustion, or vibrational-rotational non-equilibrium applications, such as in plasma chemistry. The method of calculating these temperatures is validated against known temperature thermal equilibrium spectra up to 860 K from published data, giving an estimated relative error of 10%. This demonstrates that both the calculated stick spectrum and the algorithm to determine T vib and T rot for CH4 is robust to 860 K, but we expect it is valid to 1500 K. Additionally, a number of non-equilibrium spectra generated with a pulsed microwave plasma are fitted to find T vib and T rot, further demonstrating the applicability of this method in fitting non-equilibrium spectra.</p

Nondense mammographic area and risk of breast cancer

Introduction The mechanisms underlying the strong association between percentage dense area on a mammogram and the risk of breast cancer are unknown. We investigated separately the absolute dense area and the absolute nondense area on mammograms in relation to breast cancer risk. Methods We conducted a nested case-control study on prediagnostic mammographic density measurements and risk of breast cancer in the Nurses\u27 Health Study and the Nurses\u27 Health Study II. Premenopausal mammograms were available from 464 cases and 998 controls, and postmenopausal mammograms were available from 960 cases and 1,662 controls. We used a computer-assisted thresholding technique to measure mammographic density, and we used unconditional logistic regression to calculate OR and 95% CI data. Results Higher absolute dense area was associated with a greater risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women (ORtertile 3 vs 1 = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.45 to 2.77) and among postmenopausal women (ORquintile 5 vs 1 = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.65 to 2.89). However, increasing absolute nondense area was associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women (ORtertile 3 vs 1 = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.36 to 0.72) and among postmenopausal women (ORquintile 5 vs 1 = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.62). These associations changed minimally when we included both absolute dense area and absolute nondense area in the same statistical model. As expected, the percentage dense area was the strongest risk factor for breast cancer in both groups. Conclusions Our results indicate that absolute dense area is independently and positively associated with breast cancer risk, whereas absolute nondense area is independently and inversely associated with breast cancer risk. Since adipose tissue is radiographically nondense, these results suggest that adipose breast tissue may have a protective role in breast carcinogenesis

Effect of a low fat versus a low carbohydrate weight loss dietary intervention on biomarkers of long term survival in breast cancer patients ('CHOICE'): study protocol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Weight loss in overweight or obese breast cancer patients is associated with an improved prognosis for long term survival. However, it is not clear whether the macronutrient composition of the chosen weight loss dietary plan imparts further prognostic benefit. A study protocol is presented for a dietary intervention to investigate the effects of weight loss dietary patterns that vary markedly in fat and carbohydrate contents on biomarkers of exposure to metabolic processes that may promote tumorigenesis and that are predictive of long term survival. The study will also determine how much weight must be lost for biomarkers to change in a favorable direction.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Approximately 370 overweight or obese postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (body mass index: 25.0 to 34.9 kg/m²) will be accrued and assigned to one of two weight loss intervention programs or a non-intervention control group. The dietary intervention is implemented in a free living population to test the two extremes of popular weight loss dietary patterns: a high carbohydrate, low fat diet versus a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. The effects of these dietary patterns on biomarkers for glucose homeostasis, chronic inflammation, cellular oxidation, and steroid sex hormone metabolism will be measured. Participants will attend 3 screening and dietary education visits, and 7 monthly one-on-one dietary counseling and clinical data measurement visits in addition to 5 group visits in the intervention arms. Participants in the control arm will attend two clinical data measurement visits at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome is high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Secondary outcomes include interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF), IGF binding protein-3, 8-isoprostane-F2-alpha, estrone, estradiol, progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, adiponectin, and leptin.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>While clinical data indicate that excess weight for height is associated with poor prognosis for long term survival, little attention is paid to weight control in the clinical management of breast cancer. This study will provide information that can be used to answer important patient questions about the effects of dietary pattern and magnitude of weight loss on long term survival following breast cancer treatment.</p> <p>Clinical Trial Registration</p> <p>CA125243</p

Characterisation of the size and swelling kinetics of copolymer nano-spheres extracted from an emulsion

Microscopic imaging and technolog

How to translate clinical trial results into gain in healthy life expectancy for individual patients

Treatment effects from randomised trials are typically expressed as numbers needed to treat to prevent one adverse disease event during a fixed time interval (eg, five or 10 years). In the actual patient, however, many diseases are chronically progressive, despite treatment. Examples are diabetic nephropathy, some types of malignancies, osteoporosis, and atherosclerosis. In these examples, the aim of treatment is not to prevent but to delay the occurrence of symptomatic disease. Thus the actual effect of treatment is gain in disease-free life expectancy

Individualised prediction of alternate-day aspirin treatment effects on the combined risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal bleeding in healthy women

Background The value of aspirin in primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify women who bene fit from alternate-day aspirin with regard to all relevant outcomes, including cancer, CVD and major gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods Long term follow-up data of 27 939 healthy women with baseline plasma samples in the Women's Health Study, a randomised trial of 100 mg alternate-day aspirin versus placebo, were used to develop competing risks models for individualised prediction of absolute risk reduction of the combination of CVD, cancer and major gastrointestinal bleeding by aspirin. Results Although aspirin was associated with a modestly decreased 15-year risk of colorectal cancer, CVD, and in some women non-colorectal cancer, aspirin treatment resulted in a negative treatment effect in the majority of women if gastrointestinal bleeding was also taken into account. The excess risk of major gastrointestinal bleeding by aspirin increased with age, but the benefits for colorectal cancer and CVD risk were also greater at higher age. Decision curves indicated that selective treatment of women ?65 years may improve net benefit compared to treating all, none and prediction-based treatment. The observed 15-year number needed to treat to prevent one event among women ?65 years was 29 (95% CI 12 to 102). Conclusions Concurrent evaluation of the absolute effects on cancer, CVD and major gastrointestinal bleeding showed that alternate-day use of low-dose aspirin is ineffective or harmful in the majority of women in primary prevention. Selective treatment of women ?65 years with aspirin may improve net benefit. Trial registration number NCT00000479

Individualised prediction of alternate-day aspirin treatment effects on the combined risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal bleeding in healthy women

Background The value of aspirin in primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify women who bene fit from alternate-day aspirin with regard to all relevant outcomes, including cancer, CVD and major gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods Long term follow-up data of 27 939 healthy women with baseline plasma samples in the Women's Health Study, a randomised trial of 100 mg alternate-day aspirin versus placebo, were used to develop competing risks models for individualised prediction of absolute risk reduction of the combination of CVD, cancer and major gastrointestinal bleeding by aspirin. Results Although aspirin was associated with a modestly decreased 15-year risk of colorectal cancer, CVD, and in some women non-colorectal cancer, aspirin treatment resulted in a negative treatment effect in the majority of women if gastrointestinal bleeding was also taken into account. The excess risk of major gastrointestinal bleeding by aspirin increased with age, but the benefits for colorectal cancer and CVD risk were also greater at higher age. Decision curves indicated that selective treatment of women ?65 years may improve net benefit compared to treating all, none and prediction-based treatment. The observed 15-year number needed to treat to prevent one event among women ?65 years was 29 (95% CI 12 to 102). Conclusions Concurrent evaluation of the absolute effects on cancer, CVD and major gastrointestinal bleeding showed that alternate-day use of low-dose aspirin is ineffective or harmful in the majority of women in primary prevention. Selective treatment of women ?65 years with aspirin may improve net benefit. Trial registration number NCT00000479

How to translate clinical trial results into gain in healthy life expectancy for individual patients

Liam Berkowitz, do Editors Weblog, escreveu ontem que a tecnologia do papel electrónico será possivelmente lançada em 2009. Trata-se, pois, de uma das mais excitantes inovações, acrescenta a notícia, citando Ryosuke Kuwata, vice-presidente da E Ink Corp. Se as empresas americanas estão a desenvolver modelos a partir da tecnologia japonesa, os jornais europeus começam a despertar para o facto.O vídeo abaixo terá cerca de dois anos e mostra uma espécie de papel electrónico, com um indivíduo com..