PURPOSE This study investigates a large-area plane-parallel ionization chamber (LAC) for measurements of dose-area product in water (DAPw ) in megavoltage (MV) photon fields. METHODS Uniformity of electrode separation of the LAC (PTW34070 Bragg Peak Chamber, sensitive volume diameter: 8.16 cm) was measured using high-resolution microCT. Signal dependence on angle α of beam incidence for squar...

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are increasingly common chemicals in the environment. Bisphenol A (BPA), used to manufacture polycarbonate plastics, is an ED recognized for its estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and anti-androgenic effects. Behavior is considered a vital characteristic for an animal's life cycle. This study evaluated the effect of exposure to low doses of BPA during pregnancy and/or lacta...

Lupus anticoagulant (LA), an antibody against anionic phospholipid with anticoagulant laboratory manifestations, is paradoxically associated with a high incidence of thrombosis. In the present study we analyzed the phospholipid- and platelet-dependent degradation of factor Va following clotting in plasma from 15 consecutive patients with LA to provide evidence for a distinct procoagulant effect...

The paradoxical correlation between thrombosis and the lupus anticoagulant (LAC) effect is an enigmatic feature of the antiphospholipid (aPL) syndrome. The Dutch authors previously reported that thrombosis-related anti– 2-glycoprotein I ( 2GPI) antibodies recognize domain I and cause LAC. The American authors reported that aPLs disrupt an anticoagulant annexin A5 (AnxA5) crystal shield. We inve...

References 1. Mitsias P, Levine SR. Large cerebral vessel occlusive disease in systemic lupus erythematosus. Neurology. In press. 2. Dungan DD, Jay MS. Stroke in an early adolescent with systemic lupus erythematosus and coexistent antiphospholipid antibodies. Pediatrics. 1992;90:96-99. 3. Tsokos GC, Tsokos M, le Riche NGH, Klippel JH. A clinical and pathological study of cerebrovascular disease...