Structures of the promoter-bound respiratory syncytial virus polymerase.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) polymerase is a multifunctional RNA-dependent RNA polymerase composed of the large (L) protein and the phosphoprotein (P). It transcribes the RNA genome into ten viral mRNAs and replicates full-length viral genomic and antigenomic RNAs. The RSV polymerase initiates RNA synthesis by binding to the conserved 3'-terminal RNA promoters of the genome or antigenome.

Addition of Postoperative Radiation Therapy After Preoperative Chemotherapy and Surgery in Patients With Locally Advanced Endometrial Cancer Is Associated With Improved Outcomes.

Purpose: Our purpose was to examine outcomes of patients with locally advanced endometrial cancer who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (PreCT) with/without postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy. A secondary analysis of down staging and margin clearance was made with reference to those receiving upfront surgery and then adjuvant chemotherapy (PostCT).

Methods And Materials: The National Cancer Database was queried for FIGO (The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage III/IV locally advanced endometrial cancer cases who underwent definitive surgery from 2010 to 2016 and received chemotherapy as part of their treatment.

Change in image-guided planning strategies over time impacts oncologic and survival outcomes for intracavitary cervical cancer brachytherapy.

Purpose: Intracavitary cervical brachytherapy (BT) has transitioned from a two-dimensional nonvolumetric (NV) dosimetry system to three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based planning techniques. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the relative improvements in image-guided planning strategies over time with regards to dosimetry, survival, and toxicity.

Methods And Materials: A single site retrospective review of 95 locally advanced cervical cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation and high dose rate BT from 2009 to 2016 were divided into three BT planning groups: point-A based NV dosimetry using CT imaging (n = 37), CT-based volumetric dosimetry (n = 33), and MRI-based volumetric dosimetry (n = 25).

Correlating Quantitative Para-Aortic Lymph Node Computed Tomography Parameters With Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography for Cervical Cancer Staging: Possible Solution for Resource Constrained Countries.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the most accurate quantitative morphological parameters on computed tomography (CT) that correlate with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid para-aortic nodes (PANs) in patients with cervical cancer.

Methods: A single-institution retrospective evaluation was performed of women with cervical cancer who underwent pretreatment positron emission tomography (PET)/CT and radiotherapy therapy planning CT between 2009 and 2020. A node-by-node correlation between pretreatment CT and PET/CT was performed for the reference standard of FDG avidity for short- and long-axis diameters, volume, and long-/short-axis ratio (L/S).

Updating and Optimizing Anatomic Atlases for Elective Radiation of Para-Aortic Lymph Nodes in Cervical Cancer.

Purpose: Previous studies have proposed 2 different contouring guidelines for the prophylactic radiation of para-aortic lymph nodes (PANs) for locally advanced cervical cancer. Because PAN-mapping atlases in current literature are limited to small patient samples and nodal populations, we updated the PAN atlas with a large data set of positron emission tomography (PET)-positive PANs on PET/computed tomography (CT) from patients with cervical cancer.

Methods And Materials: We identified 176 PET-positive PANs on pretreatment PET/CT of 47 patients with diagnosed International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB to IVA cervical cancer.

Primer-Based RNA Elongation and Promoter Fine Mapping of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a nonsegmented negative-sense (NNS) RNA virus and shares a similar RNA synthesis strategy with other members of NNS RNA viruses, such as measles, rabies virus, and Ebola virus. RSV RNA synthesis is catalyzed by a multifunctional RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), which is composed of a large (L) protein that catalyzes three distinct enzymatic functions and an essential coenzyme phosphoprotein (P). Here, we successfully prepared highly pure, full-length, wild-type and mutant RSV polymerase (L-P) complexes.

Cryo-EM structure of the respiratory syncytial virus RNA polymerase.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) RNA polymerase, constituted of a 250 kDa large (L) protein and tetrameric phosphoprotein (P), catalyzes three distinct enzymatic activities - nucleotide polymerization, cap addition, and cap methylation. How RSV L and P coordinate these activities is poorly understood. Here, we present a 3.