1,018 research outputs found
Analysis of pulmonary metastasis as an indication for operation: an evidence-based approach
Pulmonary metastasectomy is analysed in this paper according to the rules of evidence-based medicine (EBM). Our knowledge of metastasectomy lacks several crucial factors necessary for the tenets of EBM: survival without surgery in this special group of patients; knowledge of the denominator from which the cases are selected; and the biological nature of the individual tumour. If metastasectomy were introduced today as a new treatment, it would not be accepted.
Our analysis provides an alternative interpretation of 5-year survival rates of 40% after metastasectomy as being a result of selection of the patients at the benign end of the continuous spectrum of malignancies. It is therefore a statistical illusion. Given the many variables and the long-time course in many patients with or without metastasectomy, the effect of surgery can only be resolved by a randomized control two-armed trial, where the outcomes between an unoperated group (the natural history) and an operated group (the natural history modified by treatment) are compared.
Absence of knowledge is readily accepted by many patients if candidly and respectfully explained and so a randomized trial is possible, appropriate and acceptable to a sufficient number of patients. To shed light on whether there is truly a survival benefit from metastasectomy, a randomized trial has been started. Pulmonary Metastasectomy in Colorectal Cancer (PulMiCC) has so far recruited 86 randomized patients and is open internationally. It is funded for a further 5 years. Interested groups are invited to join the trial
Shake-Modified Resonant Autoionization In Magnesium
Anomalous features in the resonantly excited 2p autoionization spectrum of Mg are attributed to overlapping shake transitions of the excited bound (spectator) electron. Universal features of the shake spectrum are displayed and related to the post-collision interaction
Energy averages and fluctuations in the decay out of superdeformed bands
We derive analytic formulae for the energy average (including the energy
average of the fluctuation contribution) and variance of the intraband decay
intensity of a superdeformed band. Our results may be expressed in terms of
three dimensionless variables: , ,
and . Here is
the spreading width for the mixing of a superdeformed (SD) state with the
normally deformed (ND) states whose spin is the same as 's. The
have mean level spacing and mean electromagnetic decay width
whilst has electromagnetic decay width .
The average decay intensity may be expressed solely in terms of the variables
and or, analogously to statistical
nuclear reaction theory, in terms of the transmission coefficients and
describing transmission from the to the SD band via and
to lower ND states.
The variance of the decay intensity, in analogy with Ericson's theory of
cross section fluctuations depends on an additional variable, the correlation
length
\Gamma_N/(\Gamma_S+\Gamma^{\downarrow})=\frac{d}{2\pi}T_N/(\Gamma_S+\Gamma^{\d
ownarrow}). This suggests that analysis of an experimentally obtained variance
could yield the mean level spacing as does analysis of the cross section
autocorrelation function in compound nuclear reactions.
We compare our results with those of Gu and Weidenm\"uller.Comment: revtex4, 14 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Physical Review
Tests and applications of self-consistent cranking in the interacting boson model
The self-consistent cranking method is tested by comparing the cranking
calculations in the interacting boson model with the exact results obtained
from the SU(3) and O(6) dynamical symmetries and from numerical
diagonalization. The method is used to study the spin dependence of shape
variables in the and boson models. When realistic sets of parameters
are used, both models lead to similar results: axial shape is retained with
increasing cranking frequency while fluctuations in the shape variable
are slightly reduced.Comment: 9 pages, 3 ps figures, Revte
Description of superdeformed nuclei in the interacting boson model
The interacting boson model is extended to describe the spectroscopy of
superdeformed bands. Microscopic structure of the model in the second minimum
is discussed and superdeformed bosons are introduced as the new building
blocks. Solutions of a quadrupole Hamiltonian are implemented through the
expansion method. Effects of the quadrupole parameters on dynamic moment of
inertia and electric quadrupole transition rates are discussed and the results
are used in a description of superdeformed bands in the Hg-Pb and Gd-Dy
regions.Comment: 18 pages revtex, 9 figures available upon reques
Calculation of the photoionization with de-excitation cross sections of He and helium-like ions
We discuss the results of the calculation of the photoionization with
de-excitation of excited He and helium-like ions Li and B at high
but non-relativistic photon energies . Several lower and
states are considered. We present and analyze the ratios
of the cross sections of photoionization with de-excitation,
, and of the photo-ionization with excitation,
. The dependence of on the excitation
of the target object and the charge of its nucleus is presented. Apart to
theoretical interest, results obtained can be verified using such long living
excited state as of He.Comment: 10 pages, 6 table
Clinical reports of pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer: a citation network analysis
INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer is a commonly performed and well-established practice of similar to 50 years standing. However, there have been no controlled studies, randomised or otherwise. We sought to investigate the evidence base that has been used in establishing its status as a standard of care.METHODS: Among 51 papers used in a recent systematic review and quantitative synthesis, a citation network analysis was performed. A total of 344 publications (the 51 index papers and a further 293 cited in them) constitute the citation network.RESULTS: The pattern of citation is that of a citation cascade. Specific analyses show the frequent use of historical or landmark papers, which add authority. Papers expressing an opposing viewpoint are rarely cited.CONCLUSIONS: The citation network for this common and well-established practice provides an example of selective citation. This pattern of citation tends to escalate belief in a clinical practice even when it lacks a high-quality evidence base and may create an impression of more authority than is warranted.British Journal of Cancer (2011) 104, 1085-1097. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6606060 www.bjcancer.comPublished online 8 March 2011 (c) 2011 Cancer Research U
Quasiclassical double photoionization from the 2^{1,3}S excited states of helium including shakeoff
We account for the different symmetries of the 2^{1,3}S helium excited states
in a quasiclassical description of the knockout mechanism augmented by a
quantum shakeoff contribution. We are thus able to formulate the separate
contribution of the knockout and shakeoff mechanisms for double photoionization
for any excess energy from the 2^{1,3}S states. Photoionization ratios and
singly differential cross sections calculated for the 2^{1,3}S excited states
of helium are found to be in very good agreement with recent theoretical
results.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure
Suggestive Linkage Detected for Blood Pressure Related Traits on 2q and 22q in the Population on the Samoan Islands
Background
High blood pressure or hypertension is a major risk factor involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases. We conducted genome-wide variance component linkage analyses to search for loci influencing five blood pressure related traits including the quantitative traits systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP), the dichotomous trait hypertension (HT) and the bivariate quantitative trait SBP-DBP in families residing in American Samoa and Samoa, as well as in the combined sample from the two polities. We adjusted the traits for a number of environmental covariates such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity and material life style. Results
We found suggestive univariate linkage for SBP on chromosome 2q35-q37 (LOD 2.4) and for PP on chromosome 22q13 (LOD 2.2), two chromosomal regions that recently have been associated with SBP and PP, respectively. Conclusion
We have detected additional evidence for a recently reported locus associated with SBP on chromosome 2q and a susceptibility locus for PP on chromosome 22q. However, differences observed between the results from our three partly overlapping genetically homogenous study samples from the Samoan islands suggest that additional studies should be performed in order to verify these results
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