Shape coexistence in neutron-deficient Hg188 investigated via lifetime measurements

Background: Shape coexistence in the Z≈82 region has been established in mercury, lead, and polonium isotopes. For even-even mercury isotopes with 100≤N≤106 multiple fingerprints of this phenomenon are observed, which seems to be no longer present for N≥110. According to a number of theoretical calculations, shape coexistence is predicted in the Hg188 isotope. Purpose: The aim of this work was to measure lifetimes of excited states in Hg188 to infer their collective properties, such as the deformation. Extending the investigation to higher-spin states, which are expected to be less affected by band-mixing effects, can provide additional information on the coexisting structures. Methods: The…

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage ≥3 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage ≥3 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici D…

TH-302 + Gemcitabine (G + T) vs Gemcitabine (G) in Patients with Previously Untreated advanced Pancreatic Cancer (PAC)

ABSTRACT Background TH-302 is a hypoxia targeted prodrug with a hypoxia-triggered 2-nitroimidazole component designed to release the DNA alkylator, bromo-isophosphoramide mustard (Br-IPM), when reduced in severe hypoxia. A randomized Phase 2B study (NCT01144455) was conducted to assess the benefit of G + T to standard dose G as first-line therapy of PAC. Materials and methods An open-label multi-center study of two dose levels of TH-302 (240 mg/m2 or 340 mg/m2) in combination with G versus G alone (randomized 1:1:1). G (1000 mg/m2) and T were administered IV over 30-60 minutes on Days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Patients on the G could crossover after progression and be randomized to a G…

Multinucleon transfer reactions and proton transfer channels

Transfer reactions have always been of great importance for nuclear structure and reaction mechanism studies. So far, in multinucleon transfer studies, proton pickup channels have been completely identified in atomic and mass numbers at energies close to the Coulomb barrier only in few cases. We measured the multinucleon transfer reactions in the 40Ar+208Pb system near the Coulomb barrier, by employing the PRISMA magnetic spectrometer. By using the most neutron-rich stable 40Ar beam we could populate, besidesneutron pickup and proton stripping channels, also neutron stripping and proton pickup channels. Comparison ofcross sections between different systems with the 208Pb target and with pro…

Expression of the obesity hormone leptin and its receptor correlates with hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha in human colorectal cancer.

Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction, and tissue levels of aspartic, cysteine, and serine proteases in operable gastric carcinoma

A consecutive series of 63 untreated patients undergoing surgical resection for stage I-IV gastric adenocarcinomas (GCs) has been prospectively studied. Our purpose was to analyze the predictive relevance of DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction (SPF), and tissue levels of lysosomal proteinases cathepsin D (CD), cathepsin B (CB), cathepsin L (CL), and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and that of the intracellular cysteine proteinase inhibitor stefin A on clinical outcome. All of the patients taking part in this study were followed up for a median of 73 months. DNA aneuploidy was present in 71% of the cases (45/63), whereas 9% of these (4/45) showed multiclonality. Both DNA ploidy and SPF w…

Performance of the Advanced GAmma Tracking Array at GANIL

The performance of the Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) at GANIL is discussed, on the basis of the analysis of source and in-beam data taken with up to 30 segmented crystals. Data processing is described in detail. The performance of individual detectors are shown. The efficiency of the individual detectors as well as the efficiency after $\gamma$-ray tracking are discussed. Recent developments of $\gamma$-ray tracking are also presented. The experimentally achieved peak-to-total is compared with simulations showing the impact of back-scattered $\gamma$ rays on the peak-to-total in a $\gamma$-ray tracking array. An estimate of the achieved position resolution using the Doppler broadeni…

Transfer reactions in 206Pb+118Sn: From quasielastic to deep-inelastic processes

We measured multinucleon transfer reactions for the 206Pb+118Sn system at Elab=1200 MeV by employing the large solid angle magnetic spectrometer PRISMA. Differential and total cross sections and Q-value distributions have been obtained for a variety of neutron and proton pick-up and stripping channels. The Q-value distributions show how the quasielastic and deep inelastic processes depend on the mass and charge of the transfer products. The corresponding cross sections have been compared with calculations performed with the grazing code. An overall good agreement is found for most of the few nucleon transfer channels. The underestimation of the data for channels involving a large number of …

5-Fluorouracil plus interferon α-2a compared to 5-fluorouracil alone in the treatment of advanced colon carcinoma: A multicentric randomized study

Biochemical modulation is one of the most interesting fields in cancer chemotherapy. Interferon-alpha (IFNalpha) is a cytokine that is able to influence the pharmacodynamics of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) through a number of mechanisms. With the aim of confirming some data emerging from the literature, we initiated a multicentric randomized study comparing the combination of 5FU and IFNalpha-2a with 5FU alone in the treatment of advanced or metastatic colon cancer. A group of 205 colon cancer patients (104 in the 5FU arm and 101 in the 5FU + IFNapha-2a arm) were included in the final intention-to-treat analysis. Rectal cancers were not considered eligible. All patients had measurable disease, were…