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Background:The BRCA1/2 proteins are involved in regulation of cellular proliferation by DNA damage repair via homologous recombination. Therefore, BRCA1/2 mutation carriers with pancreatic cancer may have distinct biologic outcomes.Methods:Patients with BRCA1/2-associated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) diagnosed between January 1994 and December 2012 were identified from databases at three participating institutions. Clinical data were collected. Disease-free survival and overall survival (OS) were analysed.Results:Overall, 71 patients with PDAC and BRCA1 (n=21), BRCA2 (n=49) or both (n=1) mutations were identified. Mean age at diagnosis was 60.3 years (range 33-83), 81.7% (n=58) had any family history of malignancy; 30% (n=21) underwent primary resection. Out of 71 participants, 12 received experimental therapy; one patient had missing data, these 13 cases were excluded from OS analysis. Median OS for 58 patients was 14 months (95% CI 10-23 months). Median OS for patients with stage 1/2 disease has not been reached with 52% still alive at 60 months. Median OS for stage 3/4 was 12 months (95% CI 6-15). Superior OS was observed for patients with stage 3/4 treated with platinum vs those treated with non-platinum chemotherapies (22 vs 9 months; P=0.039).Conclusion:Superior OS was observed for advanced-disease BRCA-associated PDAC with platinum exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience enables individuals to survive the horrors of war and other such tragedies. This article draws on personal reflections of living in the post-Taliban period in Afghanistan and a review of the literature to explore resilience processes that may be present in the Afghan population. Adverse factors that Afghan children and families face include: destruction of infrastructure, danger, traumatic experiences, post traumatic stress disorder, political and ideological commitment. The protective factors that may have enabled them to survive, and subsequently rebuild in the face of multiple challenges are absolute faith in Allah (God), family support and community support. Understanding more about the kinds of adversities they face and the nature of their protective processes gives healthcare professionals a basis for working with them to improve their health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of the global average. This warming is influenced by clouds, which modulate the solar and terrestrial radiative fluxes and, thus, determine the surface energy budget. However, the interactions among clouds, aerosols, and radiative fluxes in the Arctic are still poorly understood. To address these uncertainties, the Ny-Ålesund Aerosol Cloud Experiment (NASCENT) study was conducted from September 2019 to August 2020 in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard. The campaign's primary goal was to elucidate the life cycle of aerosols in the Arctic and to determine how they modulate cloud properties throughout the year. In situ and remote sensing observations were taken on the ground at sea level, at a mountaintop station, and with a tethered balloon system. An overview of the meteorological and the main aerosol seasonality encountered during the NASCENT year is introduced, followed by a presentation of first scientific highlights. In particular, we present new findings on aerosol physicochemical and molecular properties. Further, the role of cloud droplet activation and ice crystal nucleation in the formation and persistence of mixed-phase clouds, and the occurrence of secondary ice processes, are discussed and compared to the representation of cloud processes within the regional Weather Research and Forecasting Model. The paper concludes with research questions that are to be addressed in upcoming NASCENT publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory measurements support a cirrus cloud formation pathway involving heterogeneous ice nucleation by solid ammonium sulfate aerosols. Ice formation occurs at low ice-saturation ratios consistent with the formation of continental cirrus and an interhemispheric asymmetry observed for cloud onset. In a climate model, this mechanism provides a widespread source of ice nuclei and leads to fewer but larger ice crystals as compared with a homogeneous freezing scenario. This reduces both the cloud albedo and the longwave heating by cirrus. With the global ammonia budget dominated by agricultural practices, this pathway might further couple anthropogenic activity to the climate system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]