• Title/Summary/Keyword: local control

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An analysis of the waning effect of COVID-19 vaccinations

  • Bogyeom Lee;Hanbyul Song;Catherine Apio;Kyulhee Han;Jiwon Park;Zhe Liu;Hu Xuwen;Taesung Park
    • Genomics & Informatics
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.50.1-50.9
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    • 2023
  • Vaccine development is one of the key efforts to control the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it has become apparent that the immunity acquired through vaccination is not permanent, known as the waning effect. Therefore, monitoring the proportion of the population with immunity is essential to improve the forecasting of future waves of the pandemic. Despite this, the impact of the waning effect on forecasting accuracies has not been extensively studied. We proposed a method for the estimation of the effective immunity (EI) rate which represents the waning effect by integrating the second and booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The EI rate, with different periods to the onset of the waning effect, was incorporated into three statistical models and two machine learning models. Stringency Index, omicron variant BA.5 rate (BA.5 rate), booster shot rate (BSR), and the EI rate were used as covariates and the best covariate combination was selected using prediction error. Among the prediction results, Generalized Additive Model showed the best improvement (decreasing 86% test error) with the EI rate. Furthermore, we confirmed that South Korea's decision to recommend booster shots after 90 days is reasonable since the waning effect onsets 90 days after the last dose of vaccine which improves the prediction of confirmed cases and deaths. Substituting BSR with EI rate in statistical models not only results in better predictions but also makes it possible to forecast a potential wave and help the local community react proactively to a rapid increase in confirmed cases.

Exploring preventive factors against insufficient antibody positivity rate for foot-and-mouth disease in pig farms in South Korea: a preliminary ecological study

  • Dongwoon Han;Byeongwoo Ahn;Kyung-Duk Min
    • Journal of Veterinary Science
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.13.1-13.9
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    • 2024
  • Background: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease in livestock that has tremendous economic impact nationally. After multiple FMD outbreaks, the South Korean government implemented a vaccination policy for efficient disease control. However, during active surveillance by quarantine authorities, pig farms have reported an insufficient antibody positivity rate to FMD. Objective: In this study, the spatial and temporal trends of insufficiency among pig farms were analyzed, and the effect of the number of government veterinary officers was explored as a potential preventive factor. Methods: Various data were acquired, including national-level surveillance data for antibody insufficiency from the Korea Animal Health Integrated System, the number of veterinary officers, and the number of local pig farms. Temporal and geographical descriptive analyses were conducted to overview spatial and temporal trends. Additionally, logistic regression models were employed to investigate the association between the number of officers per pig farm with antibody insufficiency. Spatial cluster analysis was conducted to detect spatial clusters. Results: The results showed that the incidence of insufficiency tended to decrease in recent years (odds ratio [OR], 0.803; 95% confidence interval [95% CIs], 0.721-0.893), and regions with a higher density of governmental veterinary officers (OR, 0.942; 95% CIs, 0.918-0.965) were associated with a lower incidence. Conclusions: This study implies that previously conducted national interventions would be effective, and the quality of government-provided veterinary care could play an important role in addressing the insufficient positivity rate of antibodies.

A study on the promotion of Gangwon State barrier-free tourism (강원특별자치도 무장애 관광 활성화 방안 연구: FGI를 중심으로)

  • Ye-jin Kim;Bo-Mi Ban;Yeong-Gug Kim
    • Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.289-304
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    • 2024
  • Purpose - Focusing on the FGI research method, the current status and issues of barrier-free tourism in Gangwon State were identified, and specific activation plans were derived Design/methodology/approach - This study conducted in-depth interviews with 20 experts related to the tourism industry. The issues, current status, and activation plan of barrier-free tourism in Gangwon State recognized by experts in tourism policy, tourism administration, tourism management, and tourism service industry were derived. Findings - First, the tendency of businesses to be promoted based on the non-disabled by not recognizing the weak as the main tourism demand group, second, confusion caused by the unification of terms related to barrier-free tourism, third, lack of finding tourism constraints subdivided according to the type and degree of disability, fourth, tourism information and evaluation indicators provided by prioritizing the convenience of suppliers rather than consumers, and fifth, the nature of the project focused on improving access to physical infrastructure. Subsequently, the results of the analysis of the plan to revitalize the barrier-free tourism industry in Gangwon State were as follows. First, education and programs to improve disability awareness appropriate to local conditions were activated, second, related information was unified and project sustainability was improved by creating a control tower for the barrier-free tourism industry at the provincial level, third, to overcome the employment crisis based on finding locally tailored jobs related to tourism care professionals, and fourth, to continuously secure quantitative and qualitative data and establish utilization plans. Research implications or Originality - First, it presents theoretical implications for related fields by providing issues and activation measures related to barrier-free tourism from the perspective of experts who are still lacking in research in academia. The practical implications are that based on the opinions of experts working in the tourism field, more specific issues of the barrier-free tourism industry in the province were presented, and policy and practical solutions were presented accordingly, suggesting realistic alternatives that can be carried out in the actual field.

Assessment of Occupational Health Risks for Maintenance Work in Fabrication Facilities: Brief Review and Recommendations

  • Dong-Uk Park;Kyung Ehi Zoh;Eun Kyo Jeong;Dong-Hee Koh;Kyong-Hui Lee;Naroo Lee;Kwonchul Ha
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.87-95
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    • 2024
  • Background: This study focuses on assessing occupational risk for the health hazards encountered during maintenance works (MW) in semiconductor fabrication (FAB) facilities. Objectives: The objectives of this study include: 1) identifying the primary health hazards during MW in semiconductor FAB facilities; 2) reviewing the methods used in evaluating the likelihood and severity of health hazards through occupational health risk assessment (OHRA); and 3) suggesting variables for the categorization of likelihood of exposures to health hazards and the severity of health effects associated with MW in FAB facilities. Methods: A literature review was undertaken on OHRA methodology and health hazards resulting from MW in FAB facilities. Based on this review, approaches for categorizing the exposure to health hazards and the severity of health effects related to MW were recommended. Results: Maintenance workers in FAB facilities face exposure to hazards such as debris, machinery entanglement, and airborne particles laden with various chemical components. The level of engineering and administrative control measures is suggested to assess the likelihood of simultaneous chemical and dust exposure. Qualitative key factors for mixed exposure estimation during MW include the presence of safe operational protocols, the use of air-jet machines, the presence and effectiveness of local exhaust ventilation system, chamber post-purge and cooling, and proper respirator use. Using the risk (R) and hazard (H) codes of the Globally Harmonized System alongside carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reprotoxic classifications aid in categorizing health effect severity for OHRA. Conclusion: Further research is needed to apply our proposed variables in OHRA for MW in FAB facilities and subsequently validate the findings.

Functional Outcome after Reimplantation in Patients Treated with and without an Antibiotic-Loaded Cement Spacers for Hip Prosthetic Joint Infections

  • Michele Fiore;Claudia Rondinella;Azzurra Paolucci;Lorenzo Morante;Massimiliano De Paolis;Andrea Sambri
    • Hip & pelvis
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    • v.35 no.1
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    • pp.32-39
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: A staged revision with placement of a temporary antibiotic-loaded cement spacer after removal of the implant is the "gold standard" for treatment of chronic prosthetic joint infection (PJI). It enables local delivery of antibiotics, maintenance of limb-length and mobility, easier reimplantation. However, bacterial colonization of spacers and mechanical complications can also occur. The aim of this study is to evaluate functional results and infection control in two-stage treatment of total hip arthroplasty (THA) PJI with and without a spacer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 64 consecutive patients was conducted: 34 underwent two-stage revision using a cement spacer (group A), 30 underwent two-stage revision without a spacer (group B). At the final follow-up, functional evaluation of patients with a THA in site, without PJI recurrence, was performed using the Harris hip score (HHS). Measurement of limb-length and off-set discrepancies was performed using anteroposterior pelvic X-rays. Results: Most patients in group B were older with more comorbidities preoperatively. Thirty-three patients (97.1%) in group A underwent THA reimplantation versus 22 patients (73.3%) in group B (P<0.001). No significant differences in limb-length and off-set were observed. The results of functional evaluation performed during the final follow-up (mean, 41 months) showed better function in patients in group A (mean HHS, 76.3 vs. 55.9; P<0.001). Conclusion: The use of antibiotic-loaded cement spacer seems superior in terms of functional outcomes and reimplantation rate. Resection arthroplasty might be reserved as a first-stage procedure in patients who are unfit, who might benefit from a definitive procedure.

Effect of Stewing Time on the Small Molecular Metabolites, Free Fatty Acids, and Volatile Flavor Compounds in Chicken Broth

  • Rong Jia;Yucai Yang;Guozhou Liao;Yuan Yang;Dahai Gu;Guiying Wang
    • Food Science of Animal Resources
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    • v.44 no.3
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    • pp.651-661
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    • 2024
  • Chicken broth has a taste of umami, and the stewing time has an important effect on the quality of chicken broth, but there are fewer studies on the control of the stewing time. Based on this, the study was conducted to analyze the effects of different stewing times on the sensory, small molecular metabolites, free fatty acids, and volatile flavor compounds contents in chicken broths by liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, headspace solid-phase microextraction, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Eighty-nine small molecular metabolites, 15 free fatty acids, and 86 volatile flavor compounds were detected. Palmitic and stearic acids were the more abundant fatty acids, and aldehydes were the main volatile flavor compounds. The study found that chicken broth had the best sensory evaluation, the highest content of taste components, and the richest content of volatile flavor components when the stewing time was 2.5 h. This study investigated the effect of stewing time on the quality of chicken broth to provide scientific and theoretical guidance for developing and utilizing local chicken.

Molecular identification of fruit bats, natural host of Nipah virus in Bangladesh, based on DNA barcode

  • Md. Maharub Hossain Fahim;Walid Hassan;Afia Afsin;Md. Mahfuzur Rahman;Md. Tanvir Rahman;Sang Jin Lim;Yeonsu Oh;Yung Chul Park;Hossain Md. Faruquee;Md. Mafizur Rahman
    • Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.48 no.2
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    • pp.163-172
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    • 2024
  • Background: Fruit bats are natural carriers of Nipah virus (NiV). The primary objective of this study is to identify potential reservoir species in a selected geographic regions. It is necessary to determine an accurate species identification of the associated reservoir bat species distributed in a specific region. Results: In this study, we collected 20 different bat specimens from the NiV-prone area of the Kushtia district. Among these, 14 were tissue samples (BT-1-14) and six were fecal samples (BF-1-6). We used the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b, one of the most abundant and frequently used genetic markers, for polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing. Out of the 20 samples, 12 tissue samples and 2 fecal samples were successfully amplified and sequenced. However, two tissue samples and four fecal samples yielded chimeric sequences, rendering them unsuitable for annotation. The sequences of the successfully amplified samples were compared to those deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database using basic local alignment search tool to identify the bat specimen collected. The study identified six different bat species using both morphological and genetic data, which may carriers of the NiV. Conclusions: Our results suggest that additional research should be conducted to gather more information on fruit bats from different localities across the country. The study contributes to the establishment of appropriate measures for NiV carrying disease control and management.

Recycling and characterization of bone incorporated with concrete for gamma-radiation shielding applications

  • U. Rilwan;G.M. Aliyu;S.F. Olukotun;M.M. Idris;A.A. Mundi;S. Bello;I. Umar;A. El-Taher;K.A. Mahmoud;M.I. sayyed
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.56 no.7
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    • pp.2828-2834
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    • 2024
  • This research intends to recycle bone and incorporate it into concrete for radiation shielding application using Phy-X/PSD software. Cement, sand and granite were mixed in proportion of 0.5 kg:1 kg:1 kg to obtain sample A. Other concretes composing of cement, sand, granite and bone ash was in proportion 0.45 kg:1 kg:1 kg:0.05 kg, 0.1 kg:1 kg:1 kg:0.4 kg and 0.35 kg:1 kg:1 kg:0.15 kg to obtain samples B, C and D respectively. 0.5 water-to-cement (W/C) ratio was adopted throughout the mixes because the control mix contain the normal water quantity for normal hydration of cement. Replacing the bone ash for the cement in the fabricated concretes enhances their densities where the fabricated concretes' density decreased from 2.33 g/cm3 to 2.22 g/cm3 by raising the reinforcing bones fly ash concentration from 0 to 0.15 kg. Additionally, increasing the bones fly ash concentration within the fabricated concretes increases their linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) where the fabricated concretes' μ values at 0.662 MeV reach 0.181 cm-1, 0.178 cm-1, 0.174 cm-1, and 0.171 cm-1, respectively for concretes A, B, C, and D. The use of other local materials is recommended, as it improves waste management being the major aim of the sustainable development goal.

Brief Introduction of Research Progresses in Control and Biocontrol of Clubroot Disease in China

  • He, Yueqiu;Wu, Yixin;He, Pengfei;Li, Xinyu
    • 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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    • 2015.05a
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    • pp.45-46
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    • 2015
  • Clubroot disease of crucifers has occurred since 1957. It has spread to the whole China, especially in the southwest and nourtheast where it causes 30-80% loss in some fields. The disease has being expanded in the recent years as seeds are imported and the floating seedling system practices. For its effective control, the Ministry of Agriculture of China set up a program in 2010 and a research team led by Dr. Yueqiu HE, Yunnan Agricultural University. The team includes 20 main reseachers of 11 universities and 5 institutions. After 5 years, the team has made a lot of progresses in disease occurrence regulation, resources collection, resistance identification and breeding, biological agent exploration, formulation, chemicals evaluation, and control strategy. About 1200 collections of local and commercial crucifers were identified in the field and by artificiall inoculation in the laboratories, 10 resistant cultivars were breeded including 7 Chinese cabbages and 3 cabbages. More than 800 antagostic strains were isolated including bacteria, stretomyces and fungi. Around 100 chemicals were evaluated in the field and greenhouse based on its control effect, among them, 6 showed high control effect, especially fluazinam and cyazofamid could control about 80% the disease. However, fluzinam has negative effect on soil microbes. Clubroot disease could not be controlled by bioagents and chemicals once when the pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae infected its hosts and set up the parasitic relationship. We found the earlier the pathogent infected its host, the severer the disease was. Therefore, early control was the most effective. For Chinese cabbage, all controlling measures should be taken in the early 30 days because the new infection could not cause severe symptom after 30 days of seeding. For example, a biocontrol agent, Bacillus subtilis Strain XF-1 could control the disease 70%-85% averagely when it mixed with seedling substrate and was drenching 3 times after transplanting, i.e. immediately, 7 days, 14 days. XF-1 has been deeply researched in control mechanisms, its genome, and development and application of biocontrol formulate. It could produce antagonistic protein, enzyme, antibiotics and IAA, which promoted rhizogenesis and growth. Its The genome was sequenced by Illumina/Solexa Genome Analyzer to assembled into 20 scaffolds then the gaps between scaffolds were filled by long fragment PCR amplification to obtain complet genmone with 4,061,186 bp in size. The whole genome was found to have 43.8% GC, 108 tandem repeats with an average of 2.65 copies and 84 transposons. The CDSs were predicted as 3,853 in which 112 CDSs were predicted to secondary metabolite biosynthesis, transport and catabolism. Among those, five NRPS/PKS giant gene clusters being responsible for the biosynthesis of polyketide (pksABCDEFHJLMNRS in size 72.9 kb), surfactin(srfABCD, 26.148 kb, bacilysin(bacABCDE 5.903 kb), bacillibactin(dhbABCEF, 11.774 kb) and fengycin(ppsABCDE, 37.799 kb) have high homolgous to fuction confirmed biosynthesis gene in other strain. Moreover, there are many of key regulatory genes for secondary metabolites from XF-1, such as comABPQKX Z, degQ, sfp, yczE, degU, ycxABCD and ywfG. were also predicted. Therefore, XF-1 has potential of biosynthesis for secondary metabolites surfactin, fengycin, bacillibactin, bacilysin and Bacillaene. Thirty two compounds were detected from cell extracts of XF-1 by MALDI-TOF-MS, including one Macrolactin (m/z 441.06), two fusaricidin (m/z 850.493 and 968.515), one circulocin (m/z 852.509), nine surfactin (m/z 1044.656~1102.652), five iturin (m/z 1096.631~1150.57) and forty fengycin (m/z 1449.79~1543.805). The top three compositions types (contening 56.67% of total extract) are surfactin, iturin and fengycin, in which the most abundant is the surfactin type composition 30.37% of total extract and in second place is the fengycin with 23.28% content with rich diversity of chemical structure, and the smallest one is the iturin with 3.02% content. Moreover, the same main compositions were detected in Bacillus sp.355 which is also a good effects biocontol bacterial for controlling the clubroot of crucifer. Wherefore those compounds surfactin, iturin and fengycin maybe the main active compositions of XF-1 against P. brassicae. Twenty one fengycin type compounds were evaluate by LC-ESI-MS/MS with antifungal activities, including fengycin A $C_{16{\sim}C19}$, fengycin B $C_{14{\sim}C17}$, fengycin C $C_{15{\sim}C18}$, fengycin D $C_{15{\sim}C18}$ and fengycin S $C_{15{\sim}C18}$. Furthermore, one novel compound was identified as Dehydroxyfengycin $C_{17}$ according its MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral data, which molecular weight is 1488.8480 Da and formula $C_{75}H_{116}N_{12}O_{19}$. The fengycin type compounds (FTCPs $250{\mu}g/mL$) were used to treat the resting spores of P. brassicae ($10^7/mL$) by detecting leakage of the cytoplasm components and cell destruction. After 12 h treatment, the absorbencies at 260 nm (A260) and at 280 nm (A280) increased gradually to approaching the maximum of absorbance, accompanying the collapse of P. brassicae resting spores, and nearly no complete cells were observed at 24 h treatment. The results suggested that the cells could be lyzed by the FTCPs of XF-1, and the diversity of FTCPs was mainly attributed to a mechanism of clubroot disease biocontrol. In the five selected medium MOLP, PSA, LB, Landy and LD, the most suitable for growth of strain medium is MOLP, and the least for strains longevity is the Landy sucrose medium. However, the lipopeptide highest yield is in Landy sucrose medium. The lipopeptides in five medium were analyzed with HPLC, and the results showed that lipopeptides component were same, while their contents from B. subtilis XF-1 fermented in five medium were different. We found that it is the lipopeptides content but ingredients of XF-1 could be impacted by medium and lacking of nutrition seems promoting lipopeptides secretion from XF-1. The volatile components with inhibition fungal Cylindrocarpon spp. activity which were collect in sealed vesel were detected with metheds of HS-SPME-GC-MS in eight biocontrol Bacillus species and four positive mutant strains of XF-1 mutagenized with chemical mutagens, respectively. They have same main volatile components including pyrazine, aldehydes, oxazolidinone and sulfide which are composed of 91.62% in XF-1, in which, the most abundant is the pyrazine type composition with 47.03%, and in second place is the aldehydes with 23.84%, and the third place is oxazolidinone with 15.68%, and the smallest ones is the sulfide with 5.07%.

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Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Chest Wall Invading pT3N0 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Elective Lymphatic Irradiation May Not Be Necessary (흉벽을 침범한 pT3N0 비소세포폐암 환자에서 수술 후 방사선치료)

  • Park, Young-Je;Ahn, Yong-Chan;Lim, Do-Hoon;Park, Won;Kim, Kwan-Min;Kim, Jhingook;Shim, Young-Mog;Kim, Kyoung-Ju;Lee, Jeung-Eun;Kang, Min-Kyu;Nam, Hee-Rim;Huh, Seung-Jae
    • Radiation Oncology Journal
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.253-260
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    • 2003
  • Purpose: No general consensus has been reached regarding the necessity of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) and the optimal techniques of its application for patients with chest wall invasion (pT3cw) and node negative (NO) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively analyzed the PT3cwN0 NSCLC patients who received PORT because of presumed inadequate resection margin on surgical findings. Materials and Methods: From Aug. 1994 till June 2000, 21 pT3cwN0 NSCLC patients received PORT at Samsung Medical Center; all of whom underwent curative on-bloc resection of the primary tumor plus the chest wall and regional lymph node dissection. PORT was typically stalled 3 to 4 weeks after operation using 6 or 10 MV X-rays from a linear accelerator. The radiation target volume was confined to the tumor bed plus the immediate adjacent tissue, and no regional lymphatics were included. The planned radiation dose was 54 Gy by conventional fractionation schedule. The survival rates were calculated and the failure patterns analyzed. Results: Overall survival, disease-free survival, loco-regional recurrence-free survival, and distant metastases-free survival rates at 5 years were 38.8$\%$, 45.5$\%$, 90.2$\%$, and 48.1$\%$, respectively. Eleven patients experienced treatment failure: six with distant metastases, three with intra-thoracic failures, and two with combined distant and intra-thoracic failures. Among the five patients with intra-thoracic failures, two had pleural seeding, two had in-field local failures, and only one had regional lymphatic failure in the mediastinum. No patients suffered from acute and late radiation side effects of RTOG grade 3 or higher. Conclusion: The strategy of adding PORT to surgery to improve the probability, not only of local control but also of survival, was justified, considering that local control was the most important component in the successful treatment of pT3cw NSCLC patients, especially when the resection margin was not adequate. The incidence and the severity of the acute and late side effects of PORT were markedly reduced, which contributed to improving the patients' qualify of life both during and after PORT, without increasing the risk of regional failures by eliminating the regional lymphatics from the radiation target volume.