Stereotactic body radiotherapy to the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes: A detailed dosimetric analysis of a phase II prospective trial.

Objective: To evaluate the dosimetric ramifications of simultaneously irradiating the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes (PLNs) with a stereotactic body radiotherapy approach based on rigid registration to intraprostatic markers (IPMs).

Methods And Materials: Nineteen patients received concurrent SBRT to the prostate and PLNs on a phase II clinical trial. The translational and rotation shifts required for rigid registration to bony anatomy and changes in bladder and rectal anatomy were compared between patients with > 90% and < 90% coverage of the nodal clinical target volume (CTV ) as drawn on fractional kilovoltage cone-beam CTs.

Modeling spatiotemporal abundance of mobile wildlife in highly variable environments using boosted GAMLSS hurdle models.

Modeling organism distributions from survey data involves numerous statistical challenges, including accounting for zero-inflation, overdispersion, and selection and incorporation of environmental covariates. In environments with high spatial and temporal variability, addressing these challenges often requires numerous assumptions regarding organism distributions and their relationships to biophysical features. These assumptions may limit the resolution or accuracy of predictions resulting from survey-based distribution models.

Neuroprotection and vasculoprotection using genetically targeted protease-ligands.

Thrombin and activated protein C (APC) are known coagulation factors that exhibit profound effects in brain by acting on the protease activated receptor (PAR). The wild type (WT) proteases appear to impact cell survival powerfully, and therapeutic forms of APC are under development. Engineered recombinant thrombin or APC were designed to separate their procoagulant or anticoagulant effects from their cytoprotective properties.

PconsFam: An Interactive Database of Structure Predictions of Pfam Families.

At present, about half of the protein domain families lack a structural representative. However, in the last decade, predicting contact maps and using these to model the tertiary structure for these protein families have become an alternative approach to gain structural insight. At present, reliable models for several hundreds of protein families have been created using this approach.

Measurement Reliability of Laryngeal Resistance and Mean Flow Rate in Pediatric Subjects.

Objective: Mean flow rate (MFR) and laryngeal resistance (R) are sensitive to changes in glottal configuration and biomechanics. There is little reported on aerodynamic parameters in children. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate MFR and R measurement reliability in a pediatric population using labial and mechanical interruption methods.

Molecular identification of hookworm isolates from stray dogs, humans and selected wildlife from South Africa.

There is a paucity of information on hookworm species in humans, domestic animals and wildlife in southern Africa. Our study aimed to identify hookworm species from stray dogs, humans, and selected wildlife from South Africa. A total of 356 faecal samples were screened for the presence of hookworm-like eggs and subsequently coproculture from the positive samples was carried out to obtain larvae.

Preservation vs. resection of the infrapatellar fat pad during total knee arthroplasty Part I: A survey of current practice in the UK.

Background: The management of the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the subject of ongoing debate. In part 1 of this two-part series, we present an overview of current practice regarding the management of the IPFP in elective TKA among surgeons in the UK.

Methods: A web-based survey was offered to 269 delegates of the BASK 2017 annual conference.

Preservation vs. resection of the infrapatellar fat pad during total knee arthroplasty part II: A systematic review of published evidence.

Background: The management of the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the subject of ongoing debate. In part 2 of this two part series the authors aimed to investigate if resection of the IPFP affects clinical outcomes.

Methods: A systematic search of CENTRAL Cochrane library, Medline, Embase and Web-of-science databases for the past 10 years was performed.

Regioselective Carbonylation of 2,2-Disubstituted Epoxides: An Alternative Route to Ketone-Based Aldol Products.

We report the regioselective carbonylation of 2,2-disubstituted epoxides to β,β-disubstituted β-lactones. Mechanistic studies revealed epoxide ring-opening as the turnover limiting step, an insight that facilitated the development of improved reaction conditions using weakly donating, ethereal solvents. A wide range of epoxides can be carbonylated to β-lactones, which are subsequently ring-opened to produce ketone-based aldol adducts, providing an alternative to the Mukaiyama aldol reaction.

A Multi-Institutional Experience of MR-Guided Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: Daily magnetic resonance (MR)-guided radiation has the potential to improve stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for tumors of the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) introduces unique variables that are untested clinically: electron return effect, MRI geometric distortion, MRI to radiation therapy isocenter uncertainty, multileaf collimator position error, and uncertainties with voxel size and tracking. All could lead to increased toxicity and/or local recurrences with SBRT.

Group 4 permethylindenyl complexes for the polymerisation of l-, d- and rac-lactide monomers.

A series of well-defined group 4 permethylindenyl complexes have been prepared and fully characterised by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Me2SB(Cp,I*)ZrCl2 ({(η5-C9Me6)Me2Si(η5-C5H4)}ZrCl2; 1), Me2SB(CpMe,I*)ZrCl2 ({(η5-C9Me6)Me2Si(η5-C5H3Me)}ZrCl2; 2), Me2SB(Cp,I*)HfCl2 (3) and Z-Me2SB(Cp,I*)ZrCl(O-2,6-Me-C6H3) (4) were investigated as initiators for the ring-opening polymerisation (ROP) of l-, d- and rac-lactide monomers in the presence of benzyl alcohol. 1-4 displayed second order dependence on monomer concentration and produced isotactic and heterotactic (Pr = 0.

Safety-oriented design of in-house software for new techniques: A case study using a model-based 4DCT protocol.

Purpose: In-house software is commonly employed to implement new imaging and therapy techniques before commercial solutions are available. Risk analysis methods, as detailed in the TG-100 report of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, provide a framework for quality management of processes but offer little guidance on software design. In this work, we examine a novel model-based four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) protocol using the TG-100 approach and describe two additional methods for promoting safety of the associated in-house software.

Translational Medicine: Insights from Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Training.

Biomedical research faces a scarcity of scientists able to work effectively at the interface of diverse scientific disciplines; we reflect on our experience over ten years of interdisciplinary training through our Masters of Research in Translational Medicine, preparing a new generation of researchers for postgenomic interdisciplinary medical research.

Multislice motion modeling for MRI-guided radiotherapy gating.

Purpose: On-board magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) greatly enhances real-time target tracking capability during radiotherapy treatments. However, multislice and volumetric MRI techniques are frame rate limited and introduce unacceptable latency between the target moving out of position and the beam being turned off. We present a technique to estimate continuous volumetric tissue motion using motion models built from a repeated acquisition of a stack of MR slices.

A comparison of the shielding effectiveness of silicone oil vitreous substitutes when used with Palladium-103 and Iodine-125 eye plaques.

Purpose: Episcleral eye plaques provide excellent local control of ocular melanoma, but vision sparing remains a significant problem with 30% or more of patients experiencing significant visual acuity degradation. The use of silicone oil shielding with Iodine-125 plaques has previously been reported to improve critical structure sparing. We hypothesized that the use of Palladium-103 would improve the shielding effectiveness of silicone oil due to the strong energy dependence of the photoelectric effect.

Cultivar and phosphorus effects on switchgrass yield and rhizosphere microbial diversity.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a native perennial grass identified as a promising biofuel crop for production on marginal agricultural lands. As such, research into switchgrass fertility and the switchgrass rhizosphere microbiome has been ongoing in an effort to increase production sustainability.

The temporal relationship between cancer and adult onset anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 antibody-positive dermatomyositis.

Objectives: To characterize the 10 year relationship between anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 antibody (anti-TIF1-Ab) positivity and cancer onset in a large UK-based adult DM cohort.

Methods: Data from anti-TIF1-Ab-positive/-negative adults with verified diagnoses of DM from the UK Myositis Network register were analysed. Each patient was followed up until they developed cancer.

Evaluation of Exposure Assessment Tools under REACH: Part II-Higher Tier Tools.

Stoffenmanager®v4.5 and Advanced REACH Tool (ART) v1.5, two higher tier exposure assessment tools for use under REACH, were evaluated by determining accuracy and robustness.

Evaluation of Exposure Assessment Tools under REACH: Part I-Tier 1 Tools.

Tier 1 occupational exposure assessment tools recommended for use under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and restriction of CHemicals (REACH) were evaluated using newly collected measurement data. Evaluated tools included the ECETOC TRAv2 and TRAv3, MEASEv1.02.

Differential effects of hypothermia on neurovascular unit determine protective or toxic results: Toward optimized therapeutic hypothermia.

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) benefits survivors of cardiac arrest and neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injury and may benefit stroke patients. Large TH clinical trials, however, have shown mixed results. Given the substantial pre-clinical literature supporting TH, we explored possible mechanisms for clinical trial variability.

Measurement reliability of phonation threshold pressure in pediatric subjects.

Objectives/hypothesis: Phonation threshold pressure (PTP), the minimum subglottal pressure (P ) required for phonation, is sensitive to changes in laryngeal biomechanics and is often elevated with pathology. Little is reported on PTP in children; challenges with task performance and measurement reliability represent barriers to routine clinical assessment.

Study Design: Pilot study evaluating PTP and P measurement reliability in children using labial and mechanical interruption.

Nucleophilic ring opening of trans-2,3-disubstituted epoxides to β-amino alcohols with catalyst-controlled regioselectivity.

We report the nucleophilic ring opening of unsymmetrical trans-epoxides to β-amino alcohols with catalyst-controlled regioselectivity. This cationic aluminum salen catalyst, which contains bulky mesityl groups in the ortho-position of the phenoxide and a 2,2'-diamino-1,1'-binaphthalene backbone, transforms a variety of epoxides with high regioselectivity using nitrogen-containing nucleophiles. Unlike most reports, in which regioselectivity is substrate controlled, the regioselectivity in this system is catalyst controlled and allows selective nucleophilic ring opening of unbiased trans-epoxides.

Cryotherapy has antifibrotic and regenerative effects on human vocal fold fibroblasts.

Objectives/hypothesis: Vocal fold scarring remains a major treatment challenge, and scar prevention without residual lesions remains a dilemma. Cryotherapy has shown cosmetic outcomes on skin lesions with minimal scarring. The aim of this study was to clarify the beneficial effects of cryotherapy for the prevention and the treatment of vocal fold scarring.

Periprosthetic femoral fractures following total hip and total knee arthroplasty.

Total joint arthroplasties are increasing worldwide in both frequency and prevalence. When successful, they offer great improvements in quality of life. However, fractures around implants are often difficult to manage and require prolonged inpatient stays in tertiary hospitals.