21st Century Oncology (United States)

<strong class="journal-contentHeaderColor">Abstract.</strong> Moisture is the fundamental basis for precipitation, and understanding the sources of moisture is crucial for comprehending changes in precipitation patterns. Lagrangian models have been employed for moisture tracking in both extreme weather events and climatological studies as a means to gain insight into driving physical processes. Lagrangian moisture tracking models follow independent air parcels based on a set of defined assumptions. Despite the existence of many Lagrangian models and studies applying them for moisture tracking, these assumptions are seldom thoroughly tested. In this study, we use the Lagrangian model BTrIMS to demonstrate the impact of these assumptions on the results of moisture source identification. In particular, we test the method&rsquo;s dependence on the number of air parcels released; the height that parcels are released; the vertical movement of air parcels; the vertical well-mixed assumptions that lead to different moisture identification methods along trajectories, the within-grid interpolation method and the back-trajectory time step. We find that releasing approximately 200 air parcels per day from each grid point is necessary to obtain accurate results for a region of 10 grid points or more (an area of ~9,000 km² in this case). Additionally, the vertical movement of air parcels, their release height, and along-trajectory identification method of moisture substantially affect the identified moisture sources, whereas within-grid interpolation and back-trajectory time step within a reasonable range has a relatively minor role on the results. The mechanisms behind these assumptions involve heat exchange, precipitation formation height, vertical mixing of surface evapotranspiration, and numerical noise, all of which must be carefully considered for realistic results. Based on the results of sensitivity tests and analysis of underlying mechanisms behind the assumptions, we improve the Lagrangian model BTrIMS1.0 to a new version (BTrIMS1.1) for broader applicability. The findings of this study provide critical information for improving Lagrangian moisture source identification methods in general and will benefit future research in this field, including studies examining changes in moisture sources due to climate change.

This article examines gift-giving during Ottoman Sultan Abdul Aziz’s State visit to Britain in July 1867. An exceptional occasion in itself – for an Ottoman Sultan had never left his Empire in peacetime or ever would again –, the visit offers an interesting case for nuancing the generally accepted idea that gifts between equals (here rulers) are “free gifts”. The article makes a case for gift-giving in that particular context being a long and vexed process resulting from negotiations, as Queen Victoria did not originally want to entertain the Sultan, nor did she originally want to invest him with the Order of the Garter, or accept his counter-gift in the form of Arabian horses. Examining relevant diplomatic and private sources reveals the final arrangements to avoid a series of diplomatic faux-pas and show how they reflect a transcultural understanding that would help both sides refine their gift-giving protocols.

International audience

Abstract This chapter presents an overview of current toxicokinetic modeling approaches for describing the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of toxic chemicals in the body, and provides several examples of the application of toxicokinetic modeling in various aspects of chemical risk assessments. The concepts described in this chapter are important elements for understanding the determinants of chemical disposition, for determining the mode of action for the toxicity of a chemical, and for supporting more accurate extrapolations across dose and species for estimating the risks associated with exposures to the chemical.

Background: The introduction of daratumumab into the treatment of multiple myeloma has improved outcomes in patients;however, community oncologists often dose more frequently than the US FDA-approved label. Materials and methods: Integra analyzed its database to elucidate daratumumab treatment patterns and the impact of increased utilization on the cost of care for multiple myeloma. Results: Following week 24, 671 (65%) of 1037 patients remained on daratumumab-containing regimens, with 330 patients continuing more frequent treatments than the expected once-every-4-weeks dosing described in the standard dosing schedule. Patients received an average of 14% more daratumumab doses than the FDA-approved label indicates, increasing the 1-year daratumumab costs by an estimated US$31,353. Conclusion:Daratumumab is utilized more frequently than the FDA-recommended dosing, leading to higher multiple myeloma treatment costs.