On the graphical extraction of multipole mixing ratios of nuclear transitions

We propose a novel graphical method for determining the mixing ratios {\delta} and their associated uncertainties for mixed nuclear transitions. It incorporates the uncertainties both on both the measured and the theoretical conversion coefficients. The accuracy of the method has been studied by deriving the corresponding probability density function. The domains of applicability of the method are carefully defined

Staging of cutaneous melanoma

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging of cutaneous melanoma is a continuously evolving system. The identification of increasingly more accurate prognostic factors has led to major changes in melanoma staging over the years, and the current system described in this review will likely be modified in the near future. Likewise, application of new imaging techniques has also changed the staging work-up of patients with cutaneous melanoma. Chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scanning is most commonly used for evaluation of potential metastatic sites in the lungs, lymph nodes and liver, and is indicated in patients with new symptoms, anaemia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase or a chest X-ray abnormality. CT scans should be restricted to patients with high-risk melanoma (stage IIC, IIIB, IIIC and stage IIIA with a macroscopic sentinel lymph node). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is a mandatory test in patients with stage IV, optional in stage III and not used in patients with stage I and II disease. Positron emission tomography (PET)/CT is more accurate than CT or MRI alone in the diagnosis of metastases and should complement conventional CT/MRI imaging in the staging work-up of patients who have solitary or oligometastatic disease where surgical resection is most relevant

Local electronic structure of the peptide bond probed by resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering.

The local valence orbital structure of solid glycine, diglycine, and triglycine is studied using soft X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering (RIXS) maps, and spectra calculations based on density-functional theory. Using a building block approach, the contributions of the different functional groups of the peptides are separated. Cuts through the RIXS maps furthermore allow monitoring selective excitations of the amino and peptide functional units, leading to a modification of the currently established assignment of spectral contributions. The results thus paint a new-and-improved picture of the peptide bond, enhance the understanding of larger molecules with peptide bonds, and simplify the investigation of such molecules in aqueous environment

Impact of depth of response on survival in patients treated with cobimetinib ± vemurafenib: pooled analysis of BRIM-2, BRIM-3, BRIM-7 and coBRIM.

BackgroundThis pooled analysis investigated the prognostic value of depth of response in two cohorts of patients with BRAFV600-mutated metastatic melanoma treated with vemurafenib or cobimetinib plus vemurafenib.MethodsThe data were pooled from BRIM-2, BRIM-3, BRIM-7 and coBRIM. Association of depth of response with survival was estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusted for clinically relevant covariates. Depth of response was analysed in previously identified prognostic subgroups based on disease characteristics and gene signatures.ResultsGreater tumour reduction and longer time to maximal response were significantly associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) when evaluated as continuous variables. Patients with the deepest responses had long-lasting survival outcomes (median PFS: 14 months; OS: 32 months with vemurafenib; not estimable with cobimetinib plus vemurafenib). Cobimetinib plus vemurafenib improved depth of response versus vemurafenib monotherapy regardless of other prognostic factors, including gene signatures.ConclusionsGreater depth of response was associated with improved survival, supporting its utility as a measure of treatment efficacy in melanoma and further evaluation of its incorporation into existing prognostic models. Cobimetinib plus vemurafenib improved outcomes across quartiles of response regardless of prognostic factors or gene signatures and provided durable survival benefits in patients with deep responses

Optic Ataxia: From Balint’s Syndrome to the Parietal Reach Region

Optic ataxia is a high-order deficit in reaching to visual goals that occurs with posterior parietal cortex (PPC) lesions. It is a component of Balint’s syndrome that also includes attentional and gaze disorders. Aspects of optic ataxia are misreaching in the contralesional visual field, difficulty preshaping the hand for grasping, and an inability to correct reaches online. Recent research in nonhuman primates (NHPs) suggests that many aspects of Balint’s syndrome and optic ataxia are a result of damage to specific functional modules for reaching, saccades, grasp, attention, and state estimation. The deficits from large lesions in humans are probably composite effects from damage to combinations of these functional modules. Interactions between these modules, either within posterior parietal cortex or downstream within frontal cortex, may account for more complex behaviors such as hand-eye coordination and reach-to-grasp

Readout of GEM Detectors Using the Medipix2 CMOS Pixel Chip

We have operated a Medipix2 CMOS readout chip, with amplifying, shaping and charge discriminating front-end electronics integrated on the pixel-level, as a highly segmented direct charge collecting anode in a three-stage gas electron multiplier (Triple-GEM) to detect the ionization from $^{55}$Fe X-rays and electrons from $^{106}$Ru. The device allows to perform moderate energy spectroscopy measurements (20 % FWHM at 5.9 keV $X$-rays) using only digital readout and two discriminator thresholds. Being a truly 2D-detector, it allows to observe individual clusters of minimum ionizing charged particles in $Ar/CO_2$ (70:30) and $He/CO_2$ (70:30) mixtures and to achieve excellent spatial resolution for position reconstruction of primary clusters down to $\sim 50 \mu m$, based on the binary centroid determination method.Comment: 18 pages, 14 pictures. submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research