Robust IMPT and follow-up toxicity in skull base chordoma and chondrosarcoma-a single-institution clinical experience.

Background: Chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base are rare, slowly growing malignant bone neoplasms. Despite their radioresistant properties, proton therapy has been successfully used as an adjunct to resection or as a definitive treatment. Herewith, we present our experience with robustly optimized intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) and related toxicities in skull base chordoma and chondrosarcoma patients treated at HollandPTC, Delft, the Netherlands.

Preclinical efficacy of the potent, selective menin-KMT2A inhibitor JNJ-75276617 (bleximenib) in KMT2A- and NPM1-altered leukemias.

The interaction between menin and histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2A (KMT2A) is a critical dependency for KMT2A- or nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1)-altered leukemias and an emerging opportunity for therapeutic development. JNJ-75276617 (bleximenib) is a novel, orally bioavailable, potent, and selective protein-protein interaction inhibitor of the binding between menin and KMT2A. In KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) and NPM1-mutant (NPM1c) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, JNJ-75276617 inhibited the association of the menin-KMT2A complex with chromatin at target gene promoters, resulting in reduced expression of several menin-KMT2A target genes, including MEIS1 and FLT3.

Fully Automated 3D Vestibular Schwannoma Segmentation with and without Gadolinium-based Contrast Material: A Multicenter, Multivendor Study.

Purpose: To develop automated vestibular schwannoma measurements on contrast-enhanced T1- and T2-weighted MRI scans.

Materials And Methods: MRI data from 214 patients in 37 different centers were retrospectively analyzed between 2020 and 2021. Patients with hearing loss (134 positive for vestibular schwannoma [mean age ± SD, 54 years ± 12;64 men] and 80 negative for vestibular schwannoma) were randomly assigned to a training and validation set and to an independent test set.

ZnO/γ-FeO/Bentonite: An Efficient Solar-Light Active Magnetic Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Pharmaceutical Active Compounds.

For applications related to the photocatalytic degradation of environmental contaminants, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) must demonstrate not only a high photocatalytic potential, but also a low tendency to agglomeration, along with the ability to be easily collected after use. In this manuscript, a two-step process was implemented for the synthesis of ZnO, ZnO/Bentonite and the magnetic ZnO/γ-FeO/Bentonite nanocomposite. The synthesized materials were characterized using various techniques, and their performance in the degradation of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs), including ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and carbamazepine (CBZ) was evaluated under various operating conditions, namely the type and dosage of the applied materials, pH, concentration of pollutants, and their appearance form in the medium (i.

Implementation of functional imaging using C-methionine PET-CT co-registered with MRI for advanced surgical planning and decision making in prolactinoma surgery.

Purpose: To report the first experience of our multidisciplinary team with functional imaging using C-methionine positron emission tomography-computed tomography (C-methionine PET-CT) co-registered with MRI (Met-PET/MRI) in clinical decision making and surgical planning of patients with difficult to treat prolactinoma.

Methods: In eighteen patients with prolactinoma, referred to our tertiary referral centre because of intolerance or resistance for dopamine agonists (DA), Met-PET/MRI was used to aid decision-making regarding therapy.

Results: Met-PET/MRI was positive in 94% of the patients.

Ultra-High-Resolution CT to Detect Intracochlear New Bone Formation after Cochlear Implantation.

Background Histopathologic studies reported that cochlear implantation, a well-established means to treat severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, may induce inflammation, fibrosis, and new bone formation (NBF) with possible impact on loss of residual hearing and hearing outcome. Purpose To assess NBF in vivo after cochlear implantation with ultra-high-spatial-resolution (UHSR) CT and its implication on long-term residual hearing outcome. Materials and Methods In a secondary analysis of a prospective single-center cross-sectional study, conducted between December 2016 and January 2018, patients with at least 1 year of cochlear implantation experience underwent temporal bone UHSR CT and residual hearing assessment.

Stent-grafts are the best way to treat complex in-stent restenosis lesions in the superficial femoral artery: 24-month results from a multicenter randomized trial.

Background: This clinical trial aims to evaluate the outcome (up to 24-months) of the treatment of in-stent restenotic or reoccluded lesions in the femoropopliteal arteries, by comparing the treatment of the GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with PROPATEN Bioactive Surface (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) with a standard PTA treatment.

JAK/STAT pathway inhibition sensitizes CD8 T cells to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in hyperinflammation.

Cytokine storm syndromes (CSS) are severe hyperinflammatory conditions characterized by excessive immune system activation leading to organ damage and death. Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a disease often associated with inherited defects in cell-mediated cytotoxicity, serves as a prototypical CSS for which the 5-year survival is only 60%. Frontline therapy for HLH consists of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX) and the chemotherapeutic agent etoposide.

Value of Endolymphatic Hydrops and Perilymph Signal Intensity in Suspected Ménière Disease.

Background And Purpose: Ménière disease is characterized by endolymphatic hydrops, whereas perilymphatic enhancement on MR imaging has been suggested to be of additional value in diagnosing Ménière disease. This study evaluates the presence of endolymphatic hydrops and perilymphatic enhancement in patients with Ménière disease and with other vertigo-associated inner ear pathology.

Materials And Methods: A 3D-FLAIR sequence 4 hours after intravenous gadolinium injection was performed to visualize the endolymph and perilymph in 220 patients suspected of having Ménière disease.

Clinical progression and metachronous paragangliomas in a large cohort of SDHD germline variant carriers.

Although it is well established that paternally transmitted germline variants in SDHD are associated with multifocal paragangliomas and lifelong follow-up is generally advised, the risk of metachronous lesions is presently unknown. In a large Dutch cohort of SDHD variant carriers, we studied the development of new paragangliomas, and the evolution of symptoms and cranial nerve impairment. Recurrent event analysis and the Kaplan-Meier product limit estimator were used to study the risk of new lesions.

Measurement of head and neck paragangliomas: is volumetric analysis worth the effort? A method comparison study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the reproducibility of different measurement methods and define the most workable technique for measuring head and neck paragangliomas, to determine the best method for evaluating tumour growth. The evaluation of tumour growth is vital for a 'wait-and-scan' policy, a management strategy that became increasingly important.

Study Design: Method comparison study.

Characterization of coagulase-negative staphylococcus species from cows' milk and environment based on bap, icaA, and mecA genes and phenotypic susceptibility to antimicrobials and teat dips.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the main coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) species involved in bovine intramammary infections (IMI) possess specific characteristics that promote colonization of the udder. Virulence markers associated with biofilm formation, antimicrobial resistance, and biocide tolerance were compared between typically contagious CNS species (Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Staphylococcus simulans) and those rarely causing IMI (Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus equorum, and others) to find possible associations with pathogenicity. Coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates (n=366) belonging to 22 different species were analyzed by PCR for the presence of the biofilm-associated genes bap and icaA, and the methicillin resistance gene mecA.

Calcium- and polyphosphate-containing acidic granules of sea urchin eggs are similar to acidocalcisomes, but are not the targets for NAADP.

Acidocalcisomes are acidic calcium-storage compartments described from bacteria to humans and characterized by their high content in poly P (polyphosphate), a linear polymer of many tens to hundreds of Pi residues linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds. In the present paper we report that millimolar levels of short-chain poly P (in terms of Pi residues) and inorganic PPi are present in sea urchin extracts as detected using 31P-NMR, enzymatic determinations and agarose gel electrophoresis. Poly P was localized to granules randomly distributed in the sea urchin eggs, as shown by labelling with the poly-P-binding domain of Escherichia coli exopolyphosphatase.

Characterisation of exposure to total and hexavalent chromium of welders using biological monitoring.

Inhalation exposure to total and hexavalent chromium (TCr and HCr) was assessed by personal air sampling and biological monitoring in 53 welders and 20 references. Median inhalation exposure levels of TCr were 1.3, 6.

Rheumatoid arthritis: epidural enhancement as an underestimated cause of subaxial cervical spinal stenosis.

Purpose: To assess the frequency and site of subaxial spinal canal stenosis due to enhancing tissue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Materials And Methods: Data from 33 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis were evaluated; these patients had undergone 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging following gadolinium chelate administration, in combination with a frequency selective fat-suppression technique.

In vitro activity of the new ketolide telithromycin and other antibiotics against Streptococcus pneumoniae in Belgium.

In Belgium more than 17% of the invasive pneumococci are not susceptible to penicillin, and more than 38% not to macrolides. The most prevalent mechanism of macrolide resistance in Europe is modification of the drug target site leading to cross-resistance to lincosamides and group B streptogramines (MLSB resistance). Telithromycin is the first antibiotic of the family of ketolides, which differ from erythromycin by having a 3-keto group instead of the neutral sugar L-cladinose.

Antifungal metabolites from the marine sponge Pachastrissa sp.: new bengamide and bengazole derivatives.

This paper reports the studies of components of an undescribed sponge in the genus Pachastrissa sp., collected along the Djibouti coast. The extract showed activity against Candida albicans.

Bacteraemia with Leptotrichia buccalis: report of a case and review of the literature.

We report here on a new case of L. buccalis bacteraemia. To our knowledge 16 other cases of L.

Prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance in Europe. Study Group 'Bacterial Resistance' of the Paul-Ehrlich-Society for Chemotherapy e. V.

Since 1984, when the first fluoroquinolone, norfloxacin, was marketed in Europe, there has been a marked increase in the usage of this class of drugs. In order to evaluate the influence of this drug usage on the prevalence of resistance to fluoroquinolones in clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci and Enterococcus faecalis we reviewed the susceptibility data from four collaborative surveys conducted between 1983 and 1990 by the Study Group 'Bacterial Resistance' of the Paul-Ehrlich-Society for Chemotherapy. All participating laboratories used the same standardized methods.

Alteration of the voltage-dependence of the twitch tension in frog skeletal muscle fibres by a polyether, Bistramide A.

Bistramide A, a toxin isolated from Lissoclinum bistratum Sluiter, was applied to frog skeletal muscle fibres. Micromolar concentrations of toxin decreased the amplitude of the twitch tension. Bistramide A shifted the activation and the steady-state inactivation characteristics of the tension on the voltage axis towards more positive and negative membrane potentials respectively.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and serotype distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae from Rwanda, 1984-1990.

A total of 383 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, obtained from an equal number of patients in Kigali, Rwanda, was tested for resistance to penicillin G with a 1 microgram oxacillin disc. Of these isolates, 99 (25.8%) showed reduced zones of inhibition.

Comparative in-vitro activity of RP 59500.

The in-vitro activity of RP 59500 was compared with that of other appropriate antibiotics against 131 staphylococci, 97 streptococci, 20 enterococci, 68 Neisseria spp., 68 Haemophilus influenzae, 21 Moraxella catarrhalis and 250 Gram-negative bacilli. RP 59500 was more active than oxacillin, vancomycin and erythromycin against staphylococci (MIC 0.

New derivatives of kanamycin B obtained by modifications and substitutions in position 6". 1. Synthesis and microbiological evaluation.

The clinical use of the potent, wide-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotics is limited by oto- and nephrotoxicities. The latter is related to the binding of these polycationic drugs to negatively charged phospholipids and to the subsequent inhibition of lysosomal phospholipases. In order to explore the influence of a modification of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance at a specific site of an aminoglycoside, kanamycin B has been chemically modified in position 6" by substitution of the hydroxyl group with a halogen atom (or a pseudohalogen group), or an amino, an amido, a thioalkyl, or an alkoxy group, each series containing increasingly bulkier chains.

Phosphoinositide-protein interactions of the plasma-membrane Ca2(+)-transport ATPase as revealed by fluorescence energy transfer.

Fluorescence energy transfer has been used to study the interaction of various phospholipids with the erythrocyte (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase. The fluorescence energy transfer between tryptophan residues of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase purified from erythrocytes and pyrene-labelled analogues of phosphatidylcholine (Pyr-PC), phosphatidylinositol (Pyr-PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (Pyr-PIP), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (Pyr-PIP2), phosphatidylglycerol (Pyr-PG) and phosphatidic acid (Pyr-PA) was measured. A positive correlation was found between the number of negative charges on the phospholipids (PIP2 greater than PIP greater than PA greater than PI = PG greater than PC) and the potency of their pyrene-labelled analogues to act as quantum acceptors in fluorescence energy transfer from the tryptophan residues of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase.