Important revisions of the solar model ingredients have appeared recently. We first show that the updated CNO composition suppresses the anomalous position of the Sun in the known galactic enrichment. The following law, He/H = 0.075 + 44.6 O/H in number fraction, is now compatible with all the indicators. We then suggest some directions of investigation to solve the discrepancies between the standard model and solar seismic observations. We finally update our predicted neutrino fluxes using a seismic model and all the recent progress. We get 5.31 +/- 0.6 x 10(6)/cm2/s for the total 8B neutrinos, 66.5 +/- 4.4 SNU and 2.76 +/- 0.4 SNU for the gallium and chlorine detectors, all in remarkable agreement with the detected values including neutrino oscillations for the last two. So, the acoustic modes and detected neutrinos see the same Sun, but the standard model fails to reproduce them.

In the context of future space‐based asteroseismic missions, we have studied the problem of extracting the rotation speed and the rotation‐axis inclination of solar‐like stars from the expected data. We have focused on slow rotators (at most twice solar rotation speed), first, because they constitute the most difficult case and, secondly, because some of the Convection Rotation and planetary Transits (CoRoT) main targets are expected to have slow rotation rates. Our study of the likelihood function has shown a correlation between the estimates of inclination of the rotation axis i and the rotational splitting δν of the star. By using the parameters, i and δν⋆=δν sin i, we propose and discuss new fitting strategies. Monte Carlo simulations have shown that we can extract a mean splitting and the rotation‐axis inclination down to solar rotation rates. However, at the solar rotation rate we are not able to correctly recover the angle i, although we are still able to measure a correct δν⋆ with a dispersion less than 40 nHz.

In children with high-risk malignancies, MA resulted in significant increases in mean percent weight change compared to placebo. Further studies of MA should be pursued to better delineate the effect on nutritional status.

Context: Thyroid cancers represent a conglomerate of diverse histological types with equally variable prognosis. There is no reliable prognostic model to predict the risks of relapse and death for different types of thyroid cancers.Objective: The purpose of this study was to build prognostic nomograms to predict individualized risks of relapse and death of thyroid cancer within 10 years of diagnosis based on patients' prognostic factors. Design:Competing risk subhazard models were used to develop prognostic nomograms based on the information on individual patients in a population-based thyroid cancer cohort followed up for a median period of 126 months. Analyses were conducted using R version 2.13.2. The R packages cmprsk10, Design, and QHScrnomo were used for modeling, developing, and validating the nomograms for prediction of patients' individualized risks of relapse and death of thyroid cancer.Setting: This study was performed at CancerCare Manitoba, the sole comprehensive cancer center for a population of 1.2 million.Patients: Participants were a population-based cohort of 2306 consecutive thyroid cancers observed in 2296 patients in the province of Manitoba, Canada, during 1970 to 2010. Main Outcome Measures:Outcomes were discrimination (concordance index) and calibration curves of nomograms.Results: Our cohort of 570 men and 1726 women included 2155 (93.4%) differentiated thyroid cancers. On multivariable analysis, patient's age, sex, tumor histology, T, N, and M stages, and clinically or radiologically detectable posttreatment gross residual disease were independent determinants of risk of relapse and/or death. The individualized 10-year risks of relapse and death of thyroid cancer in the nomogram were predicted by the total of the weighted scores of these determinants. The concordance indices for prediction of thyroid cancer-related deaths and relapses were 0.92 and 0.76, respectively. The calibration curves were very close to the diagonals.

SummaryTimely diagnosis and care are major determinants of the outcome in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), a malignancy whose incidence may be increasing. The Canadian Cancer Registry (CCR) and health system represent valuable settings to study APL epidemiology. We analysed the CCR, which contains data on all Canadians with APL. To provide clinical information lacking in the CCR, we obtained data from five leukaemia referral centres during a similar time period. Between 1993 and 2007, there were 399 APL in Canada. Age-standardized incidence was 0Á083/100 000 and was stable over time. The early death (ED) rate was 21Á8% (10Á6% in patients <50 years old and 35Á5% for those aged >50 years), with no improvement over time. Five-year overall survival (OS) was 54Á6% (73Á3% in patients <50 years; 29Á1% older patients). In the referral cohort, 131 patients were diagnosed between 1999 and 2010. ED was 14Á6% and 2-year OS was 76Á5%. Within this cohort, ED and OS improved over time, although advanced patient age remained an adverse determinant of OS. In Canada, APL incidence is unexpectedly low and temporally stable. ED was higher than reported in clinical trials, but similar to reports from other registries. In contrast, ED was lower in referral centres and improved with time.

The objectives of this study were to examine whether self-rated health differs among older adults of different ethnic backgrounds and to explore what factors may account for potential differences. The study was based on the 1983 and 1996 waves of the Aging in Manitoba study. A self-report measure of ethnic background was used to categorize participants into four groups: British/Canadian, Northern/Central European, Eastern European, and Other. In both 1983 and 1996, older Eastern European adults had significantly reduced odds of rating their health as good or excellent relative to British/Canadian adults. Controlling for demographic variables, socioeconomic status, language spoken, and health status attenuated but did not eliminate the difference. Global, subjective ratings of health are frequently used to measure health. The ethnic differences found here suggest, however, that ratings may be influenced by cultural factors, which may warrant some caution in making comparisons across ethnic groups.

Although the majority of CDI cases were associated with exposure to a HCF, 40% of incident CDI began in the community. Populations with HCF- and community-associated CDI demonstrated significantly different age distributions. The wide variation of rates among HCFs requires explanation. The high percentage of incident cases in the community warrants increased study.

Background. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect of taxane treatment and cannot currently be prevented or adequately treated. Physical therapy is often used for neural rehabilitation following injury but has not been evaluated in this patient population. Methods. Single-blind, randomized controlled exploratory study compared standard care to a physical therapy home program (4 visits) throughout adjuvant taxane chemotherapy for stage I-III patients with breast cancer (n = 48). Patient questionnaires and quantitative sensory testing evaluated the treatment effect throughout chemotherapy to 6 months post treatment. Nonrandomized subgroup analysis observed effect of general exercise on sensory preservation comparing those reporting moderate exercise throughout chemotherapy to those that did not exercise regularly. Clinical Trial Registration. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02239601). Results. The treatment group showed strong trends toward less pain (odds ratio [OR] 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.17-1.01; P = .053) and pain decreased over time (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.76-0.94; P = .002). Pain pressure thresholds ( P = .034) and grip dynamometry ( P < .001) were improved in the treatment group. For the nonrandomized subgroup analysis, participants reporting general exercise had preservation of vibration (Left P = .001, Right P = .001) and normal heat pain thresholds (Left P = .021, Right P = .039) compared with more sedentary participants. Conclusion. Physical therapy home program may improve CIPN pain in the upper extremity for patients with breast cancer, and general exercise throughout chemotherapy treatment was observed to have correlated to preservation of sensory function. Further research is required to confirm the impact of a physical therapy home program on CIPN symptoms.