Long-Term outcomes after stress echocardiography in real world practice: five-year follow-up of the UK Evarest study.

Aims: Stress echocardiography is widely used to assess patients with chest pain. The clinical value of a positive or negative test result to inform on likely longer-term outcomes when applied in real world practice across a healthcare system has not been previously reported.

Methods And Results: 5503 patients recruited across 32 UK NHS hospitals between 2018 and 2022, participating in the EVAREST/BSE-NSTEP prospective cohort study, with data on medical outcomes up to 2023 available from NHS England were included in analysis.

Clinical validation of commercial deep-learning based auto-segmentation models for organs at risk in the head and neck region: a single institution study.

Purpose: To evaluate organ at risk (OAR) auto-segmentation in the head and neck region of computed tomography images using two different commercially available deep-learning-based auto-segmentation (DLAS) tools in a single institutional clinical applications.

Methods: Twenty-two OARs were manually contoured by clinicians according to published guidelines on planning computed tomography (pCT) images for 40 clinical head and neck cancer (HNC) cases. Automatic contours were generated for each patient using two deep-learning-based auto-segmentation models-Manteia AccuContour and MIM ProtégéAI.

Advancing knowledge-based intensity modulated proton planning for adaptive treatment of high-risk prostate cancer.

To assess the performance of a knowledge-based planning (KBP) model for generating intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) treatment plans as part of an adaptive radiotherapy (ART) strategy for patients with high-risk prostate cancer. A knowledge-based planning (KBP) model for proton adaptive treatment plan generation was developed based on thirty patient treatment plans utilizing RapidPlan PT (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA). The model was subsequently validated using an additional eleven patient cases.

The Applications and Pitfalls of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography-Based Synthetic Computed Tomography for Adaptive Evaluation in Pencil-Beam Scanning Proton Therapy.

Purpose: The study evaluates the efficacy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based synthetic CTs (sCT) as a potential alternative to verification CT (vCT) for enhanced treatment monitoring and early adaptation in proton therapy.

Methods: Seven common treatment sites were studied. Two sets of sCT per case were generated: direct-deformed (DD) sCT and image-correction (IC) sCT.

PROTEUS Study: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Stress Echocardiography.

Background: Stress echocardiography (SE) is one of the most commonly used diagnostic imaging tests for coronary artery disease (CAD) but requires clinicians to visually assess scans to identify patients who may benefit from invasive investigation and treatment. EchoGo Pro provides an automated interpretation of SE based on artificial intelligence (AI) image analysis. In reader studies, use of EchoGo Pro when making clinical decisions improves diagnostic accuracy and confidence.

Using Surrogate Insects in Acid Bioassays for Development of New Controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae).

Resistance to traditional synthetic compounds by Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and shortcomings of the organic acid class of acaracides commonly used in varroa management requires continual development of new controls. V. destructor, however, are difficult to obtain for use in control bioassays because they are obligate parasites that cannot be easily reared outside of a honey bee colony.

Inhibition of P-TEFb by DRB suppresses SIRT1/CK2α pathway and enhances radiosensitivity of human cancer cells.

Background: Positive transcription elongation factor-b (P-TEFb) is a complex containing CDK9 and a cyclin (T1, T2 or K). The effect of inhibition of P-TEFb by 5,6-dichloro-l-β-D-ribofuranosyl benzimidazole (DRB) on cell radiosensitivity and the underlying mechanisms were investigated.

Materials And Methods: Six human cancer cell lines were subjected to (3)H-uridine incorporation, cell viability and clonogenic cell survival assays; cell-cycle redistribution and apoptosis assay; western blots and nuclear 53BP1 foci analysis after exposing the cells to DRB with/without γ-radiation.

Efficacy of antimicrobials extracted from organic pecan shell for inhibiting the growth of Listeria spp.

Growers and processors of USDA certified organic foods are in need of suitable organic antimicrobials. The purpose of the research reported here was to develop and test natural antimicrobials derived from an all-natural by-product, organic pecan shells. Unroasted and roasted organic pecan shells were subjected to solvent free extraction to produce antimicrobials that were tested against Listeria spp.