Outcome of intraoperative brachytherapy as a salvage treatment for locally recurrent rectal cancer.

Background: Locally advanced recurrent rectal cancer (RRC) requires a multimodal approach. Intraoperative high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) may reduce the risk of local recurrence. However, the optimal therapeutic regimen remains unclear.

Comparison of intraoperative radiotherapy as a boost vs. simultaneously integrated boosts after breast-conserving therapy for breast cancer.

Background: Currently, there are no data from randomized trials on the use of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) as a tumor bed boost in women at high risk of local recurrence. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to compare the toxicity and oncological outcome of IORT or simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) with conventional external beam radiotherapy (WBI) after breast conserving surgery (BCS).

Methods: Between 2009 and 2019, patients were treated with a single dose of 20 Gy IORT with 50 kV photons, followed by WBI 50 Gy in 25 or 40.

Dynamic impedance is correlated with static impedance and seizure quality parameters in bifrontal electroconvulsive therapy.

Background: To evoke a therapeutically effective seizure, electrical stimulation in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has to overcome the combined resistivity of scalp, skull and other tissues. Static impedances are measured prior to stimulation using high-frequency electrical alternating pulses, dynamic impedances during passage of the stimulation current. Static impedance can partially be influenced by skin preparation techniques.

Changes in Blood Biomarkers of Angiogenesis and Immune Modulation after Radiation Therapy and Their Association with Outcomes in Thoracic Malignancies.

The effects of radiotherapy on systemic immunity remain to be fully characterized in a disease-specific manner. The aim of the study was to examine potential biomarkers of systemic immunomodulation when using radiotherapy for thoracic malignancies. Serial blood samples were collected from 56 patients with thoracic malignancies prior (RTbaseline), during (RTduring) and at the end of radiotherapy (RTend), as well as at the first (FU1) and second follow-up (FU2).

Use of psychotropic substances among elite athletes - a narrative review.

Background And Aims: Elite athletes may use psychotropic substances for recreational reasons, (perceived) performance enhancement or self-medication. Causes can overlap. For athletes, substance use may be associated with various medical and social risks.

Electronic effects in profluorescent benzotriazinyl radicals: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

The synthesis, photophysical characterization, and quantum chemical calculations of a series of benzotriazinyl radicals and their styryl radical trapping products are presented. The benzotriazinyl radicals are non-luminescent but surprisingly the corresponding styryl radical trapping products exhibit high fluorescence quantum yields (up to 60% in some cases), making them highly valuable probes or labels. Additionally, the influence of the substitution pattern on the optical properties of the radical trapping products was observed experimentally and interpreted by means of quantum chemical calculations.

ROBL-II at ESRF: a synchrotron toolbox for actinide research.

ROBL-II provides four different experimental stations to investigate actinide and other alpha- and beta-emitting radionuclides at the new EBS storage ring of ESRF within an energy range of 3 to 35 keV. The XAFS station consists of a highly automatized, high sample throughput installation in a glovebox, to measure EXAFS and conventional XANES of samples routinely at temperatures down to 10 K, and with a detection limit in the sub-p.p.

Visual and tactile 3D point cloud data from real robots for shape modeling and completion.

Representing 3D geometry for different tasks, e.g. rendering and reconstruction, is an important goal in different fields, such as computer graphics, computer vision and robotics.

What Happens during Thermal Post-Treatment of Powder Aerosol Deposited Functional Ceramic Films? Explanations Based on an Experiment-Enhanced Literature Survey.

Powder aerosol deposition (PAD) is a unique ceramic spray coating method that produces dense and well-adhering thick-films directly at room temperature, without requiring any heating or sintering. After the successful film formation, mechanical film properties like hardness or plasma resistance are remarkably good. However, when it comes to electrical properties like permittivity or electrical conductivity, the nanocrystalline structure of PAD films combined with high internal strains deteriorates partly the characteristic properties.

Antiferromagnetic ordering based on intermolecular London dispersion interactions in amphiphilic TEMPO ammonium salts.

Antiferromagnetic coupling in TEMPO-based radicals can be enhanced via self-assembly through London dispersion interactions in amphiphilic solids. The synthesis, magnetic characterization, and three crystal structures of the solid radical ion salts (R-DMAT-n)X with various counterions X and alkyl chain lengths n are reported. Magnetic susceptibility and absolute EPR signal intensity measurements show singlet-triplet transitions in a number of cases, which is discussed in relation to the crystal structures.

Annealing of Gadolinium-Doped Ceria (GDC) Films Produced by the Aerosol Deposition Method.

Solid oxide fuel cells need a diffusion barrier layer to protect the zirconia-based electrolyte if a cobalt-containing cathode material like lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) is used. This protective layer must prevent the direct contact and interdiffusion of both components while still retaining the oxygen ion transport. Gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) meets these requirements.

Pulsed Polarization-Based NO Sensors of YSZ Films Produced by the Aerosol Deposition Method and by Screen-Printing.

The pulsed polarization technique on solid electrolytes is based on alternating potential pulses interrupted by self-discharge pauses. Since even small concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO) in the ppm range significantly change the polarization and discharge behavior, pulsed polarization sensors are well suited to measure low amounts of NO. In contrast to all previous investigations, planar pulsed polarization sensors were built using an electrolyte thick film and platinum interdigital electrodes on alumina substrates.

Spatial transcriptome analysis reveals Notch pathway-associated prognostic markers in IDH1 wild-type glioblastoma involving the subventricular zone.

Background: The spatial relationship of glioblastoma (GBM) to the subventricular zone (SVZ) is associated with inferior patient survival. However, the underlying molecular phenotype is largely unknown. We interrogated an SVZ-dependent transcriptome and potential location-specific prognostic markers.

Influence of Oxygen Partial Pressure during Processing on the Thermoelectric Properties of Aerosol-Deposited CuFeO₂.

In the field of thermoelectric energy conversion, oxide materials show promising potential due to their good stability in oxidizing environments. Hence, the influence of oxygen partial pressure during synthesis on the thermoelectric properties of Cu-Delafossites at high temperatures was investigated in this study. For these purposes, CuFeO₂ powders were synthetized using a conventional mixed-oxide technique.

LOC283731 promoter hypermethylation prognosticates survival after radiochemotherapy in IDH1 wild-type glioblastoma patients.

MGMT promoter methylation status is currently the only established molecular prognosticator in IDH wild-type glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Therefore, we aimed to discover novel therapy-associated epigenetic biomarkers. After enrichment for hypermethylated fractions using methyl-CpG-immunoprecipitation (MCIp), we performed global DNA methylation profiling for 14 long-term (LTS; >36 months) and 15 short-term (STS; 6-10 months) surviving GBM patients.

Chemotherapy with BCNU in recurrent glioma: Analysis of clinical outcome and side effects in chemotherapy-naïve patients.

Background: To date, standardized strategies for the treatment of recurrent glioma are lacking. Chemotherapy with the alkylating agent BCNU (1,3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-1-nitroso-urea) is a therapeutic option even though its efficacy and safety, particularly the risk of pulmonary fibrosis, remains controversial. To address these issues, we performed a retrospective analysis on clinical outcome and side effects of BCNU-based chemotherapy in recurrent glioma.

Influence of Carrier Gas Composition on the Stress of Al₂O₃ Coatings Prepared by the Aerosol Deposition Method.

Al₂O₃ films were prepared by the aerosol deposition method at room temperature using different carrier gas compositions. The layers were deposited on alumina substrates and the film stress of the layer was calculated by measuring the deformation of the substrate. It was shown that the film stress can be halved by using oxygen instead of nitrogen or helium as the carrier gas.

A new U.S. adult nonpatient sample.

A project to collect an American adult nonpatient sample for the Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 2001) took place between 1999 and 2005, and this article presents data for 450 participants in the project. Inclusion criteria, demographic information, and interrater agreement statistics are described. Findings for most of the CS variables are similar to earlier Rorschach Workshops samples, but some differences emerged and their implications for modifying interpretive guidelines are discussed.

Concentration dependence in the spectra of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixtures by front-surface fluorescence analysis.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a challenge for fluorescence analysis. Inner-filter quenching effects and energy transfers of PAHs in petroleum differ with concentration, leading to characteristically different fluorescence. At high concentrations of single PAH molecules and petroleum mixtures the classic rectangular quartz cell presents a particular challenge due to inner filter effects from right-angle illumination.

Different cardiorespiratory responses to hemorrhage and hyperoxia in normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats.

Objective: To compare the cardiorespiratory responses underlying the beneficial effects of hyperoxia during blood loss between normotensive (WKY) and hypertensive (SHR) rats.

Methods: Experiments were carried out in anesthetized animals with both carotid bifurcations either innervated or denervated. The effects of breathing 60% O2 in N2 were studied either in combination with non-hypotensive hemorrhage or during hemorrhagic hypotension.

Modifying the Rorschach Human Experience Variable to create the Human Representational Variable.

The Human Experience Variable (HEV; Perry & Viglione, 1991) provided information about interpersonal perceptions not previously available within the Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 1993). Research data suggests that it was related to interpersonal functioning and as a result, psychological impairment and health. In this article, we present the rationale and empirical basis for recent psychometric refinements to the HEV, consequently renamed the Human Representational Variable (HRV).

Reduced tolerance of simulated altitude (4200 m) in young men with borderline hypertension.

Background: Primary hypertensives who are acutely exposed to hypoxic hypoxia show an enhanced reactivity of arterial chemoreceptors as well as an exaggerated response of the sympathetic nervous system. Since these phenomena could influence their ability to tolerate sustained hypoxic hypoxia, this study was performed to determine whether persons predisposed to hypertension have a normal tolerance of simulated high altitude.

Methods: Subjects were 18 young men with a family history of hypertension (sons of hypertensives, SOHT) whose BP values were in the upper normal or borderline hypertensive range.

A new nonpatient sample for the rorschach comprehensive system: a progress report.

Some concern about recently published nonpatient data, plus the fact that some records in the published sample of 600 nonpatients (Exner, 2001) were collected more than 20 years ago, prompted the initiation of a project to develop a new nonpatient sample. In this article, findings are presented for the first 175 participants tested in the new project. It is noted that the data from the new project are quite similar to those for the sample of 600.