90 research outputs found
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The Reluctant Partisan: Nathanael Greene's Southern Campaigns, 1780-1783
Nathanael Greene spent the first five years of the American Revolution serving as a line and field officer in the Continental Army and developed a nuanced revolutionary strategy based on preserving the Continental Army and a belief that all forces should be long-service national troops. He carried these views with him to his command in the southern theater but developed a partisan approach due to problems he faced in the region. Greene effectively kept his army supplied to such an extent that it remained in the field to oppose the British with very little outside assistance. He reluctantly utilized a partisan strategy while simultaneously arguing for the creation of a permanent Continental force for the region
Cotton: From Farm to Market - Bringing Ag into Elementary
As a rural Elementary School striving for STEM certification in South Georgia, we bring real-life and real-world experiences into our instruction. Being from Colquitt County, where farming is the largest industry and home of the Ag EXPO, we decided to incorporate Agriculture into our classrooms in all subject areas. Our students attend Ag as one of their connection times each week. Each grade has some form of continual agricultural project contributing to our long term STEM project of providing food to our local senior center. In this session, we plan to share how we bring Agriculture to Elementary school and engage our audience by giving them a small glimpse of an Agricultural STEM activity called “Cotton: From Farm to Market.
Isolated neutropenia as a rare but serious adverse event secondary to immune checkpoint inhibition
Background
Compared to conventional chemotherapy, Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are known to have a distinct toxicity profile commonly identified as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). These irAEs that are believed to be related to immune dysregulations triggered by ICI can be serious and lead to treatment interruptions and in severe cases, precipitate permanent discontinuation. Isolated neutropenia secondary to ICI has been rarely documented in the literature and needs further description.
We report a case of pembrolizumab related severe isolated neutropenia in a patient with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. We were also able to obtain serial blood and plasma-based biomarkers for this patient during treatment and during neutropenia to understand trends that may correlate with the irAE. In addition we summarize important findings from other studies reporting on ICI related neutropenia.
Case presentation
A 74 years old Caucasian male treated with single-agent pembrolizumab for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer presented with fevers, chills, and an isolated neutrophil count (ANC) of 0 2 weeks after the fourth dose. In addition to antibiotics, due to the strong suspicion of this neutropenia being immune-mediated, he was started on 1 mg/kg of steroids and also received filgrastim to accelerate neutrophil recovery. Serial trends in C-reactive protein and certain other inflammatory cytokines demonstrated a corresponding rise at the time of neutropenia. Post recovery, his pembrolizumab was kept on hold. Eight weeks later he had a second episode of neutropenia which was again managed similar to the first episode. Despite permanent discontinuation of ICI after the first neutropenia, his disease showed an ongoing complete metabolic response on imaging. Our literature review reveals that hematological toxicities constitute < 1% irAEs with isolated neutropenia roughly accounting for one-fourth of the hematological irAEs. Based on the handful of ICI related neutropenia cases reported to date, we identified nivolumab to be the most common offender. The median number of ICI cycles administered before presenting with neutropenia was three, and the median time to recovery was approximately two weeks. All of these neutropenic episodes were ≥ grade 3 and led to permanent ICI discontinuation. Using immunosuppressive therapies in conjunction with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was the most common strategy described to have favorable results.
Conclusion
Neutropenia as an isolated irAE secondary to ICI is rare but represents a severe toxicity that needs early recognition and can often result in treatment discontinuations. Careful monitoring of these patients with the prompt initiation of immunosuppressive and supportive measures to promote rapid recovery as well as prevent and treat infectious complications should be part of the management algorithms. Serial monitoring of blood and plasma-based biomarkers from more extensive studies may help in identifying patients at risk for irAEs and thus guide patient selection for ICI
Observation of the B0 → ρ0ρ0 decay from an amplitude analysis of B0 → (π+π−)(π+π−) decays
Proton–proton collision data recorded in 2011 and 2012 by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 , are analysed to search for the charmless B0→ρ0ρ0 decay. More than 600 B0→(π+π−)(π+π−) signal decays are selected and used to perform an amplitude analysis, under the assumption of no CP violation in the decay, from which the B0→ρ0ρ0 decay is observed for the first time with 7.1 standard deviations significance. The fraction of B0→ρ0ρ0 decays yielding a longitudinally polarised final state is measured to be fL=0.745−0.058+0.048(stat)±0.034(syst) . The B0→ρ0ρ0 branching fraction, using the B0→ϕK⁎(892)0 decay as reference, is also reported as B(B0→ρ0ρ0)=(0.94±0.17(stat)±0.09(syst)±0.06(BF))×10−6
Search for the lepton flavour violating decay tau(-) -> mu(-)mu(+)mu(-)
A search for the lepton flavour violating decay is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 2.0 fb at 8 TeV. No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at 90% confidence level on the branching fraction, .A search for the lepton flavour violating decay τ → μ μ μ is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 2.0 fb at 8 TeV. No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at 90% confidence level on the branching fraction, .A search for the lepton flavour violating decay is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of and at . No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at confidence level on the branching fraction,
Angular analysis of the B-0 -> K*(0) e(+) e(-) decay in the low-q(2) region
An angular analysis of the decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 {\mbox{fb}^{-1}}, collected by the LHCb experiment in collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared () interval between 0.002 and 1.120. The angular observables and which are related to the polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be and , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables and which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this range, are found to be and . The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.An angular analysis of the B → K^{*}^{0} e e decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb, collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared (q) interval between 0.002 and 1.120 GeV /c. The angular observables F and A which are related to the K^{*}^{0} polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be F = 0.16 ± 0.06 ± 0.03 and A = 0.10 ± 0.18 ± 0.05, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables A and A which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this q range, are found to be A = − 0.23 ± 0.23 ± 0.05 and A = 0.14 ± 0.22 ± 0.05. The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.An angular analysis of the decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 {\mbox{fb}^{-1}}, collected by the LHCb experiment in collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared () interval between 0.002 and 1.120. The angular observables and which are related to the polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be and , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables and which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this range, are found to be and . The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions
A study of CP violation in B-+/- -> DK +/- and B-+/- -> D pi(+/-) decays with D -> (KSK +/-)-K-0 pi(-/+) final states
A first study of CP violation in the decay modes and , where labels a or meson and labels a or meson, is performed. The analysis uses the LHCb data set collected in collisions, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb. The analysis is sensitive to the CP-violating CKM phase through seven observables: one charge asymmetry in each of the four modes and three ratios of the charge-integrated yields. The results are consistent with measurements of using other decay modes
Study of the rare B-s(0) and B-0 decays into the pi(+) pi(-) mu(+) mu(-) final state
A search for the rare decays and is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5-1.3 GeV/ and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay and the first evidence of the decay are obtained and the branching fractions are measured to be and , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and B0→π+π−μ+μ− is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV . Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5–1.3 GeV/c2 and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and the first evidence of the decay B0→π+π−μ+μ− are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be B(Bs0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(8.6±1.5 (stat)±0.7 (syst)±0.7(norm))×10−8 and B(B0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(2.11±0.51(stat)±0.15(syst)±0.16(norm))×10−8 , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay B0→J/ψ(→μ+μ−)K⁎(892)0(→K+π−) , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and B0→π+π−μ+μ− is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV . Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5–1.3 GeV/c2 and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and the first evidence of the decay B0→π+π−μ+μ− are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be B(Bs0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(8.6±1.5 (stat)±0.7 (syst)±0.7(norm))×10−8 and B(B0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(2.11±0.51(stat)±0.15(syst)±0.16(norm))×10−8 , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay B0→J/ψ(→μ+μ−)K⁎(892)0(→K+π−) , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays and is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5-1.3 GeV/ and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay and the first evidence of the decay are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be and , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay , used as a normalisation
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