Integrated, bright broadband, two-colour parametric down-conversion source.

Broadband quantum light is a vital resource for quantum metrology and spectroscopy applications such as quantum optical coherence tomography or entangled two photon absorption. For entangled two photon absorption in particular, very high photon flux combined with high time-frequency entanglement is crucial for observing a signal. So far these conditions could be met by using high power lasers driving degenerate, type 0 bulk-crystal spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) sources.

The private market for antimicrobials: an exploration of two selected mining and frontier areas of Guyana.

Objective: To identify challenges that may raise pathogens' resistance to antimicrobial drugs by exploring the private market for antimicrobials in two selected mining and frontier areas of Guyana.

Methods: The private sector supply was mapped by approaching all authorized pharmacies and informal outlets, e.g.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in patients with hepatocellular cancer-a narrative review and expert opinion.

Background And Objective: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a highly conformal technique of external beam radiotherapy precisely delivering high total (ablative) doses in a small number of fractions to clearly defined target volumes. Its development enabled efficient and safe radiation treatments in patients with localized hepatocellular cancer (HCC) unsuitable for other local treatment options. Moreover, it can be easily combined with several other therapy approaches.

Low-volume ventilation of preinjured lungs degrades lung function via stress concentration and progressive alveolar collapse.

Mechanical ventilation can cause ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI). The concept of stress concentrations suggests that surfactant dysfunction-induced microatelectases might impose injurious stresses on adjacent, open alveoli and function as germinal centers for injury propagation. The aim of the present study was to quantify the histopathological pattern of VILI progression and to test the hypothesis that injury progresses at the interface between microatelectases and ventilated lung parenchyma during low-positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) ventilation.

Exploring alveolar recruitability using positive end-expiratory pressure in mice overexpressing TGF-β1: a structure-function analysis.

Pre-injured lungs are prone to injury progression in response to mechanical ventilation. Heterogeneous ventilation due to (micro)atelectases imparts injurious strains on open alveoli (known as volutrauma). Hence, recruitment of (micro)atelectases by positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is necessary to interrupt this vicious circle of injury but needs to be balanced against acinar overdistension.

Primary and adjuvant intensity-modulated radiotherapy in oropharyngeal carcinoma patients from a single institution.

Background: To retrospectively access outcome, adverse events and prognostic factors in oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Methods: Ninety-eight OPC patients were treated between 2000 and 2015. Thirty-three patients received definitive and 65 adjuvant radiotherapy.

The expression of the surfactant proteins SP-A and SP-B during postnatal alveolarization of the rat lung.

Objective: Surfactant-specific proteins (SP) are responsible for the functional and structural integrity as well as for the stabilization of the intra-alveolar surfactant. Morphological lung maturation starts in rat lungs after birth. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the expression of the hydrophilic SP-A and the hydrophobic SP-B is associated with characteristic postnatal changes characterizing morphological lung maturation.

Patterns of Temporal Lobe Reaction and Radiation Necrosis after Particle Radiotherapy in Patients with Skull Base Chordoma and Chondrosarcoma-A Single-Center Experience.

Background: The current study aims to evaluate the occurrence of temporal lobe reactions and identify possible risk factors for patients who underwent particle therapy of the skull base.

Methods: 244 patients treated for skull base chordoma ( = 144) or chondrosarcoma ( = 100) at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) using a raster scan technique, were analyzed. Follow-up MRI-scans were matched with the initial planning images.

First clinical application of image-guided intraoperative electron radiation therapy with real time intraoperative dose calculation in recurrent rectal cancer: technical procedure.

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is a radiation technique applying a single fraction with a high dose during surgery. We report the first abdomino-pelvic application of an image-guided intraoperative electron radiation therapy with intraoperative real time dose calculation based on the individual intraoperative patient anatomy. A patient suffering from locoregionally recurrent rectal cancer after treatment with neoadjuvant re-chemoradiation was chosen for this approach.

Management of metastatic colorectal cancer in patients ≥70 years - a single center experience.

Background: Age-standardized mortality rates for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are highest among elderly patients. In current clinical guidelines, treatment recommendations for this patient population are based on a limited number of clinical trials.

Patients And Methods: In this monocentric, retrospective analysis we characterized patients aged ≥70 years undergoing systemic therapy for mCRC and overall survival (OS) was investigated.

Geriatric Radiation Oncology: What We Know and What Can We Do Better?

Elderly patients represent a growing subgroup of cancer patients for whom the role of radiation therapy is poorly defined. Older patients are still clearly underrepresented in clinical trials, resulting in very limited high-level evidence. Moreover, elderly patients are less likely to receive radiation therapy in similar clinical scenarios compared to younger patients.

How We Treat Localized Rectal Cancer-An Institutional Paradigm for Total Neoadjuvant Therapy.

Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT)-the neoadjuvant employment of radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiation (CRT) as well as chemotherapy (CHT) before surgery-may lead to increased pathological complete response (pCR) rates as well as a reduction in the risk of distant metastases in locally advanced rectal cancer. Furthermore, increased response rates may allow organ-sparing strategies in a growing number of patients with low rectal cancer and upfront immunotherapy has shown very promising early results in patients with microsatellite instability (MSI)-high/mismatch-repair-deficient (dMMR) tumors. Despite the lack of a generally accepted treatment standard, we strongly believe that existing data is sufficient to adopt the concept of TNT and immunotherapy in clinical practice.

From properties to toxicity: Comparing microplastics to other airborne microparticles.

Microplastic (MP) debris is considered as a potentially hazardous material. It is omnipresent in our environment, and evidence that MP is also abundant in the atmosphere is increasing. Consequently, the inhalation of these particles is a significant exposure route to humans.

Practice of radiation therapy for anal cancer in Austria-a survey on behalf of the Austrian radiation oncology society gastrointestinal tumor group (ÖGRO-GIT).

Purpose: We conducted a patterns-of-care survey on chemoradiation for locoregionally confined anal cancer in Austria to evaluate areas of disagreement and to identify possible targets for further standardization.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire comprising 38 questions was sent to all Austrian radiation oncology departments. Results were analyzed descriptively and compared to two international guidelines.

ESTRO ACROP guidelines for the delineation of lymph nodal areas in upper gastrointestinal malignancies.

The European SocieTy for Radiation and Oncology -Advisory Committee on Radiation Oncology Practice (ESTRO-ACROP) endorsed a project to provide guidelines (GL) for the identification and delineation of clinically negative lymph-nodal stations (LNs) involved in upper gastrointestinal clinical scenarios. The presented GL is focused on preoperative (or definitive) setting. The project aim is to improve the consistency of clinical target volume (CTV) delineation by providing: a description of the anatomical boundaries of the LNs; a radiological computed tomography-based atlas depicting the LNs areas; a free, web-based, interactive example case for independent training of radiation oncologists on LNs delineation according to the presented GL, by both qualitative and quantitative analysis (through the FALCON EduCase platform).

Technique and results after immediate orthotopic replantation of extracorporeally irradiated tumor bone autografts with and without fibular augmentation in extremity tumors.

Background: Reconstruction of the skeletal defects resulting from the resection of bone tumors remains a considerable challenge and one of the possibilities is the orthotopic replantation of the irradiated bone autograft. One technical option with this technique is the addition of a vital autologous fibular graft, with or without microvascular anastomosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical results of the treatment of our patient cohort with a specific view to the role of fibular augmentation.

Functional results after oncological scapula resections.

Introduction: Tumors of the scapula are rare representing only 1.6%-2.8% of all skeletal tumor localizations.

High rate of complete histopathological response in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after combined transarterial chemoembolization and stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Background: Liver transplantation (LT) presents a curative treatment option in patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are not eligible for resection or ablation therapy. Due to a risk of up 30% for waitlist drop-out upon tumor progression, bridging therapies are used to halt tumor growth. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and less commonly stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) or a combination of TACE and SBRT, are used as bridging therapies in LT.

Metastasis directed stereotactic radiotherapy in NSCLC patients progressing under targeted- or immunotherapy: efficacy and safety reporting from the 'TOaSTT' database.

Background: Metastasis directed treatment (MDT) is increasingly performed with the attempt to improve outcome in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving targeted- or immunotherapy (TT/IT). This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of metastasis directed stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) concurrent to TT/IT in NSCLC patients.

Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort of stage IV NSCLC patients treated with TT/IT and concurrent (≤ 30 days) MDT was established.

THz generation by optical rectification of intense near-infrared pulses in organic crystal BNA.

Generation of terahertz radiation by optical rectification of intense near-infrared laser pulses in N-benzyl-2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (BNA) is investigated in detail by carrying out a complete characterization of the terahertz radiation. We studied the scaling of THz yield with pump pulse repetition rate and fluence which enabled us to predict the optimal operating conditions for BNA crystals at room temperature for 800 nm pump wavelength. Furthermore, recording the transmitted laser spectrum allowed us to calculate the nonlinear refractive index of BNA at 800 nm.

Desmoid Tumors of the Foot: A Retrospective Study of Four Patients.

Background: Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF) is an aggressive (myo)fibroblastic neoplasm with an infiltrative growth pattern and a tendency for local recurrence. It is rarely seen at the foot. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze clinical presentation, therapy, and outcomes in a consecutive series of four patients with DF at the foot.

Recent advances in (chemo-)radiation therapy for rectal cancer: a comprehensive review.

The role of radiation therapy in the treatment of (colo)-rectal cancer has changed dramatically over the past decades. Introduced with the aim of reducing the high rates of local recurrences after conventional surgery, major developments in imaging, surgical technique, systemic therapy and radiation delivery have now created a much more complex environment leading to a more personalized approach. Functional aspects including reduction of acute or late treatment-related side effects, sphincter or even organ-preservation and the unsolved problem of still high distant failure rates have become more important while local recurrence rates can be kept low in the vast majority of patients.