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Background: Incidental gallbladder cancer is a rare event, and its prognosis is largely affected by the tumour stage and treatment. The aim of this study was to analyse the management, treatment and survival of patients with incidental gallbladder cancer in a national cohort over a decade. Methods: Patients were identified through the Swedish Registry of Gallstone Surgery (GallRiks). Data were cross‐linked to the national registry for liver surgery (SweLiv) and the Cancer Registry. Medical records were collected if registry data were missing. Survival was measured as disease‐specific survival. The study was divided into two intervals (2007–2011 and 2012–2016) to evaluate changes over time. Results: In total, 249 patients were identified with incidental gallbladder cancer, of whom 92 (36·9 per cent) underwent re‐resection with curative intent. For patients with pT2 and pT3 disease, median disease‐specific survival improved after re‐resection (12·4 versus 44·1 months for pT2, and 9·7 versus 23·0 months for pT3). Residual disease was present in 53 per cent of patients with pT2 tumours who underwent re‐resection; these patients had a median disease‐specific survival of 32·2 months, whereas the median was not reached in patients without residual disease. Median survival increased by 11 months for all patients between the early and late periods (P = 0·030). Conclusion: Re‐resection of pT2 and pT3 incidental gallbladder cancer was associated with improved survival, but survival was impaired when residual disease was present. A higher re‐resection rate and more R0 resections in the later time period may have been associated with improved survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that compared the output performance of two thermionic energy converters. Information on emitter barrier with ion reflections; Details on the plasma theory with ion reflections at the emitter; Calculation of the output performance of the converters.

Reviews the nonequilibrium features of the magnetic susceptibility of spin glasses. Discussion on the equilibrium effects of the magnetic susceptibility caused by aging of the zero-field spin-glass state; Investigation of the aging process of the zero-field state by low-field alternating current susceptibility and zero-field-cooled susceptibility measurements; Discussion on the characteristic time variation of the field-cooled susceptibility.

Climate change vulnerability is disproportionately distributed between different population segments in society. This study qualitatively explores how key stakeholders in municipalities (i.e. planning and operational staff in municipalities and the vulnerable themselves) construct social vulnerability in relation to climate change with a specific focus on thermal stress (i.e. heat waves) and which adaptive responses they identify at different levels. The empirical material consists of five focus groups with actors in a large Swedish municipality where the “Vulnerability Factor Card Game” was used as stimulus material to create 10 fictional individuals. The results show that there is a substantial amount of local knowledge about vulnerability drivers and inter-relations between social factors and vulnerability. Local decision-makers also defined a wide range of possible adaptation measures at different municipal levels. Our study clearly indicates that contextualised knowledge, which could complement the quantitative approaches in research, is abundant among municipal planners, staff employed at municipal operations such as health care, and among the vulnerable themselves. This knowledge remains untapped by research to a great extent and only seems to have an insignificant influence on policy-making. In particular, how impacts vary between different social and demographic groups and how adaptation strategies that target the most vulnerable could be defined are of great interest. The present study clearly indicates that social hierarchy may produce increased inequality in the specific context of climate change, vulnerability and adaptive responses at different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined factors associated with reporting engaging in HIV/AIDS high-risk behaviours at two different time points spaced one year apart for a sample of 185 women who were active injection drug users (IDUs). The high-risk behaviours included injecting drugs in the past six months, having shared needles in the past six months and having engaged in unprotected sexual activity in the past thirty days. Through logistic regression modelling it was identified that living with a spouse at year one was significantly and positively associated with high-risk behaviours at both time points. Being prescribed medications for psychological or emotional problems as well as testing positive for the HIV/AIDS virus were significantly and negatively associated with reporting high-risk behaviours at both time points. These results suggest that spousal relationships may play an important role in HIV/AIDS high-risk behaviours of women drug users. An implication of this study is the need to focus on how spousal relationships and issues such as gender and empowerment should be incorporated into the design and implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs. The benefits of comprehensive mental health diagnosis and treatment services as well as HIV testing in reducing harm to female IDUs and their partners are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The xylem surface of seedlings, stem material and roots of Norway spruce ( Picea abies) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) were inoculated with strains of Heterobasidion annosum s. str. and H. parviporum s. str. The depth of necrosis in wounded spruce increased at a linear rate for at least seven weeks of incubation, but the rate of necrotic spread was significantly faster in infected wounds. In wounded pine the necrosis was maintained at a more superficial level for several weeks. Both spruce and pine sapwood were initially infected by hyphae of both species. In spruce, the hyphae advanced at a constant rate behind the necrotic front. On the contrary, after 1–2 weeks living H. parviporum hyphae were rare in pine rays. Heterobasidion annosum hyphae survived in pine rays, phloem and tracheids, despite a heavy accumulation of phenolics and resins and were able to penetrate into the sapwood at a linear rate although slower than infections in spruce. Histochemistry and quantitative estimates demonstrated that peroxidase activity was initially higher in spruce sapwood than in pine. Within three days of incubation, the activity in spruce sapwood disappeared concurrently with deepening necrosis. However, in pine, in both control and infected samples, there was a significant increase in peroxidase activity in the area surrounding the superficial necrosis, up to the wound surface and in the cambium and phloem around the wound. After wounding and infection, the content of soluble protein increased significantly in wood of older trees but not in seedlings. Infection resulted in an increased formation of lipophilic extractives in both spruce and pine but to a significantly greater degree in the latter, whereas the amount of hydrophilic compounds decreased in both. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses of lipophilic extracts showed that inoculation of pine with the two species of Heterobasidion increased the amounts of pinosylvin, its monomethylether and several other phenolics as also resinous compounds. The results obtained may be relevant in explaining the known higher resistance of Scots pine to H. parviporum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to infection by Heterobasidion annosum in Norway spruce bark, concentrations of the stilbene glucosides isorhapontin and astringin decreased, and small amounts of the highly toxic aglucone isorhapontigenin appeared. Concentrations of a third stilbene glucoside, piceid did not change following infection. The initial concentration of astringin was inversely correlated with the infection depth after 7 days, suggesting that the compound contributes to the resistance of the host. Concentrations of all three stilbene glucosides varied considerably between trees and between seasons, i. e. they increased during autumn and decreased during spring. The astringin content was higher in stems than in roots and increased towards the outer part of the inner bark. The content of resin acids increased in response to infection, but their concentrations were not correlated with the depth of fungal colonisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparatively simple non-linear analytical theory of the IMPATT diode has been developed which accounts for a finite thickness of the avalanche region. Single and double drift region encapsulated and non-encapsulated diodes have been investigated in reflection amplifiers where the circulator is an integral part of the broad-band matching network. It is demonstrated that large bandwidths are possible and that the IMPATT diode amplifier has some important non-linear properties in common with the TWT.
This paper deals with the avalanche transit-time diode used as the active element in a reflection amplifier. Such amplifiers are likely to become serious competitors to travelling wave tubes at power levels of the order of tens of watts CW.
In the present work we have calculated the gain and phase shift in a circulator coupled amplifier as a function of frequency at different power levels and for various diode parameters and matching networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An applicator for intracavitary hyperthermia treatment of cancer has been designed and tested. The applicator is a section of a dielectric-loaded circular ridge waveguide closed at both ends to form a transmission cavity. An aperture in the cavity wall can produce a directed heating of a tumor growing in the wall of a body cavity such as the vagina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Results: b The derivation cohort consisted of in total 36,355 patients, including 215 with IGBC, who underwent cholecystectomy. The AUROC scores for predicting IGBC were 0.80 (CI:0.77-0.83) in the derivation cohort and 0.78 (CI:0.72-0.84) in the validation cohort, with a good calibration (HL test, p=0.19). [Extracted from the article]

B Results: b The derivation cohort consisted of in total 36,355 patients, including 215 with IGBC, who underwent cholecystectomy. The AUROC scores for predicting IGBC were 0.80 (CI:0.77-0.83) in the derivation cohort and 0.78 (CI:0.72-0.84) in the validation cohort, with a good calibration (HL test, p = 0.19). [Extracted from the article]

Investigates the transient and stationary properties of the leakage power in microwave transmit-receive (TR) switches. Analysis of the plateau leakage power through the switch; Measures taken to facilitate breakdown and give rapid turn-on of the TR switch; Nonlinear interaction between the breakdown plasma and the microwave; Regions of the rising part of the pulse power variation; Influence of pulse repetition frequency on peak leakage.

Presents a study which investigated the high-frequency characteristics of bipolar resonant tunneling diodes at room temperature. Description of the layer structure of the functional light-emitting devices used in the experiments; Comparison of the high-frequency characteristics with the measurements on the resonant tunneling diodes and the resonant interband tunneling diodes; Discussion and conclusions.

Presents a study which investigated the dynamic properties of copper spin-glass films of various thickness in a superconducting quantum-interference device magnetometer. Overview of studies on the behavior of spin glasses; Method used in the production of copper films; Analysis of the zero-field, time-dependent susceptibility; Effects of the dynamic susceptibility on the film.

Reports on the zero-field-cooled magnetization measurements on a copper (Cu) spin glass. Information on spin-glass dynamics; Data on the relaxation curves at the same temperature.

Little is known about physical activity level and knee function including jump capacity and fear of movement/reinjury more than 20 years after injury of the anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL). Seventy persons with unilateral ACL injury participated (23 ± 2 years post-injury): 33 treated with physiotherapy in combination with surgical reconstruction ( ACLR), and 37 treated with physiotherapy alone ( ACLPT). These were compared with 33 age- and gender-matched controls. Assessment included knee-specific and general physical activity level [ Tegner activity scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire ( IPAQ)], knee function [ Lysholm score, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score ( KOOS)], jump capacity (one-leg hop, vertical jump, side hops), and fear of movement/reinjury [ Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia ( TSK)]. Outcomes were related to degree of osteoarthritis ( OA). ACL-injured had lower Lysholm, KOOS, and Tegner scores than controls ( P < 0.001), while IPAQ score was similar. ACL-injured demonstrated inferior jump capacity in injured compared with noninjured leg (6-25%, P < 0.001- P = 0.010 in the different jumps), while noninjured leg had equal jump capacity as controls. ACL groups scored 33 ± 7 and 32 ± 7 of 68 on TSK. Lower scores on Lysholm and KOOS symptom were seen for persons with moderate-to-high OA than for no-or-low OA, while there were no differences for physical activity and jump capacity. Regardless of treatment, there are still negative knee-related effects of ACL injury more than 20 years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background BRAF and NRAS mutations are frequently found in melanoma tumours, and recently developed BRAF-targeted therapies demonstrate significant clinical benefit. Objectives We sought to investigate the clinical significance of BRAF and NRAS mutations in a clinic-based metastatic melanoma cohort. Methods In total, 237 tumours, mostly metastatic lesions, from 203 patients were screened for mutations in exon 15 of BRAF and exon 2 of NRAS using Sanger sequencing. BRAF and NRAS mutation status was analysed in relation to clinical and histopathological characteristics, and outcome. Results Mutation in BRAF and NRAS was present in 43% (88% V600E, 10% V600K) and 30% (48% Q61K, 40% Q61R) of metastatic melanomas, respectively. We found consistent BRAF and NRAS mutation status in all but one of 27 patients with multiple metastases. BRAF mutation was associated with younger age at primary diagnosis ( P = 0·02). Among patients with distant metastatic melanoma, patients with BRAF-mutant tumours without BRAF inhibitor treatment had inferior survival compared with patients with BRAF inhibitor treatment [hazard ratio ( HR) 2·35, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 1·10-5·01, P = 0·03]. We also observed a trend towards better prognosis for patients with wild-type and NRAS-mutant tumours compared with BRAF V600E-mutant tumours ( HR 0·64, 95% CI 0·39-1·04, P = 0·07; and HR 0·76, 95% CI 0·48-1·21, P = 0·25, respectively). Conclusions We were able to confirm the effect of BRAF inhibitor treatment in a single clinical institution. The results suggest further that BRAF mutation is a weak prognostic factor but a strong predictive factor and that BRAF-mutant melanoma might constitute one or more distinct subtypes of the disease with certain aetiology and clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This phase II study evaluated the safety and activity of ipilimumab, a fully human mAb that blocks cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, in patients with advanced melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Focuses on the applications of the Fermat's principle in analyzing trajectories of light propagation exhibiting a critical radius. Experiments on the Bose-Einstein condensation demonstrating optical light pulses; Astrophysical concepts of a black hole; Discussions on the formation of a black hole.

A simple analytical modeling is made of the main breakdown properties of high-power microwave pulses propagating in air. Particular emphasis is given to breakdown levels, breakdown times, pulse erosion, and optimal pulse energy transfer. Comparison with recent experimental results shows good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article about cancer trends in families of patients with multiple cancers including cutaneous melanoma which was published in the previous issue.