Hippocampal sparing radiation therapy for brain metastases: treatment techniques and clinical implementation.

High doses of radiation to the hippocampus have been correlated with increased cognitive decline following radiation therapy for brain metastases. To mitigate these effects, a variety of hippocampal sparing techniques have been implemented for both whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The goal of this review article is to provide a practical resource for the clinical implementation of hippocampal-sparing radiation therapy, starting with a brief background on the function and delineation of the hippocampal structure, as well as radiation effects on the hippocampus and the most widely recommended dose constraints.

A repository of grade 1 and 2 meningioma MRIs in a public dataset for radiomics reproducibility tests.

Purpose: Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults with management varying widely based on World Health Organization (WHO) grade. However, there are limited datasets available for researchers to develop and validate radiomic models. The purpose of our manuscript is to report on the first dataset of meningiomas in The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA).

Radiation therapy practice changes in the COVID-19 pandemic era: A pilot study in California.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate practice changes among Southern and Northern California's radiation oncology centers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: On the online survey platform SurveyMonkey, we designed 10 survey questions to measure changes in various aspects of medical physics practice. The questions covered patient load and travel rules; scopes to work from home; new protocols to reduce corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection risk; availability of telemedicine; and changes in fractionation schedules and/or type of treatment plans.

Automatic segmentation of high-risk clinical target volume for tandem-and-ovoids brachytherapy patients using an asymmetric dual-path convolutional neural network.

Purposes: Preimplant diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard for image-guided tandem-and-ovoids (T&O) brachytherapy for cervical cancer. However, high dose rate brachytherapy planning is typically done on postimplant CT-based high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV ) because the transfer of preimplant Magnetic resonance (MR)-based HR-CTV (HR-CTV ) to the postimplant planning CT is difficult due to anatomical changes caused by applicator insertion, vaginal packing, and the filling status of the bladder and rectum. This study aims to train a dual-path convolutional neural network (CNN) for automatic segmentation of HR-CTV on postimplant planning CT with guidance from preimplant diagnostic MR.

Surviving Over a Decade With Glioblastoma: A Clinical Course Characterized by Multiple Recurrences, Numerous Salvage Treatments, and Novel Use of Cesium-131 Tiles.

The prognosis for patients diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) remains poor, with no clear standard of care regarding salvage therapy. Common approaches include chemotherapy, re-resection, tumor treating fields, and reirradiation. However, most studies have shown these to have limited benefits.

Automatic detection and segmentation of multiple brain metastases on magnetic resonance image using asymmetric UNet architecture.

Detection of brain metastases is a paramount task in cancer management due both to the number of high-risk patients and the difficulty of achieving consistent detection. In this study, we aim to improve the accuracy of automated brain metastasis (BM) detection methods using a novel asymmetric UNet (asym-UNet) architecture. An end-to-end asymmetric 3D-UNet architecture, with two down-sampling arms and one up-sampling arm, was constructed to capture the imaging features.

GPR39 protects against corticosterone-induced neuronal injury in hippocampal cells through the CREB-BDNF signaling pathway.

Background: The release of zinc from glutamatergic terminals in the hippocampal CA3 region can activate postsynaptic GPR39 receptors and regulate cognition and depression. However, the role and mechanism of GPR39 in the stress-induced depression is still poorly understood.

Methods: In this study, hippocampal cells (HT-22) were treated with corticosterone (CORT).

Technical Note: Characterization of x-ray beam profiles for a fluoroscopic system incorporating copper filtration.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to investigate x-ray beam profiles at various water depths to characterize the two-dimensional x-ray dose distribution, allowing for off-axis and out-of-field radiation dose estimation for a wide range of x-ray beam spectra commonly encountered in fluoroscopically guided interventional procedures.

Methods: A Siemens Artis interventional fluoroscope was operated in a service mode to generate a continuous x-ray beam at fixed x-ray beam spectra, defined by their kVp and the thickness of additional copper filtration. A PTW scanning water tank with a diode detector was used to measure the x-ray beam profiles at several depths in water at various fields of view and x-ray beam spectra, both parallel and perpendicular to the anode-cathode axis direction.

Zinc inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory responses by upregulating A20 expression in microglia BV2 cells.

Background: Our previous studies have proved that zinc supplement effectively alleviate depression symptoms in mice, but the mechanisms are still uncertain. Neuroinflammation is considered as an important aspect in pathogenesis of depression. To elucidate the role of zinc on neuroinflammation, in this study, we investigated effects of zinc on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in BV2 microglia cells, a kind of innate immune cells in central nervous system.

Volumetric-based image guidance is superior to marker-based alignments for stereotactic body radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Purposes: The aim of this study was to evaluate a dual marker-based and soft-tissue based image guidance for inter-fractional corrections in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of prostate cancer.

Methods/materials: We reviewed 18 patients treated with SBRT for prostate cancer. An endorectal balloon was inserted at simulation and each treatment.

miR-212 mediates counter-regulation on CRH expression and HPA axis activity in male mice.

The mechanisms of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation have been studied persistently but still are not elucidated. Considering the emerging roles of microRNA in stress response, we conducted a microRNA microarray in mice hypothalamus to identify the potential role of microRNAs in regulating the HPA axis. In total, 41 microRNAs changed during heat stress in which we found that miR-212 contains a binding sequence with corticotropin-releasing hormone () 3'UTR according to a sequence analysis.

Percent depth doses and X-ray beam characterizations of a fluoroscopic system incorporating copper filtration.

Purpose: In this investigation, we sought to characterize X-ray beam qualities and quantitate percent depth dose (PDD) curves for fluoroscopic X-ray beams incorporating added copper (Cu) filtration, such as those commonly used in fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGI). The intended application of this research is for dosimetry in soft tissue from FGI procedures using these data.

Methods: All measurements in this study were acquired on a Siemens (Erlangen, Germany) Artis zeego fluoroscope.

Dosimetric impact of orthopedic metal artifact reduction (O-MAR) on Spine SBRT patients.

The dosimetric impact of orthopedic metal artifact reduction (O-MAR) on spine SBRT patients has not been comprehensively studied, particularly with spinal prostheses in high-dose gradient regions. Using both phantom and patient datasets, we investigated dosimetric effects of O-MAR in combination of various metal locations and dose calculation algorithms. A physical phantom, with and without a titanium insert, was scanned.

Corticosterone increases intracellular Zn(2+) release in hippocampal HT-22 cells.

The previous studies suggested that the hippocampal zinc dyshomeostasis and high glucocorticoid level might hurt hippocampal function. However, the effect of corticosterone (CORT) on hippocampus zinc homeostasis is not fully characterized. In this study, we investigated the intracellular Zn(2+) concentration in hippocampal HT-22 cells after CORT treatment.

Hyperinsulinemia induces hepatic iron overload by increasing liver TFR1 via the PI3K/IRP2 pathway.

Dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome (DIOS) is frequently observed, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We propose the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemia, a common characteristic of DIOS, may stimulate liver transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) expression via the PI3K/iron regulatory protein 2 (IRP2) pathway, leading to the occurrence of DIOS. The hepatic iron content, serum iron parameters, and expressions of TFRs and IRPs in the liver were determined in rats with temporary or long-lasting hyperinsulinemia induced by acute or chronic administration of insulin.

Effects of different doses and duration of iron supplementation on curing iron deficiency anemia: an experimental study.

Many controversies persist with respect to the dosage and therapeutic duration concerning iron deficiency anemia (IDA) treatment. To identify the most suitable cure, this study evaluated the effect of iron supplementation with different doses and for different time periods in rats with iron deficiency anemia. The rats were randomly divided into five groups [normal control (NC), low- iron diet control (LC), normal doses of iron group (NI), middle dose of iron group (MI), and high dose of iron group (HI)].

Psychological stress induced hippocampus zinc dyshomeostasis and depression-like behavior in rats.

There are strong evidences showed that psychological stress (PS) could result in depression. Recently, many attentions were paid to the roles of corticosterone (CORT) and zinc dyshomeostasis in the development of depression. In this study, we investigated the zinc level in rat hippocampus after exposure to PS and accompanied behavior change.

Psychological stress induced zinc accumulation and up-regulation of ZIP14 and metallothionein in rat liver.

Background: Zinc is necessary for normal liver function; and vice versa, the liver plays a central role in zinc homeostasis. The aim of present study is to assess the effects of repeated psychological stress (PS) on the zinc metabolism and related mechanism involved in zinc homeostasis in rat liver.

Methods: In present study, we used communication box to create PS model and investigated the serum corticosterone (CORT), zinc level in serum and liver, liver metallothionein (MT) content and ZRT/IRT-like Protein 14 (ZIP14) mRNA expression.

Hepcidin is directly regulated by insulin and plays an important role in iron overload in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Iron overload is frequently observed in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that hepcidin may be directly regulated by insulin and play an important role in iron overload in DM2. We therefore examined the hepatic iron content, serum iron parameters, intestinal iron absorption, and liver hepcidin expression in rats treated with streptozotocin (STZ), which was given alone or after insulin resistance induced by a high-fat diet.

Psychological stress-induced lower serum zinc and zinc redistribution in rats.

In humans, long-term exposure to uncontrollable and unpredictable life stressors is a major precipitant in the development of depressive disorders. There are strong evidences that depression is accompanied by lower serum zinc. The aim of present study is to assess the effects of repeated psychological stress (PS) on the zinc metabolism in rat.

In vivo study of transverse carpal ligament stiffness using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging.

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) forms the volar boundary of the carpal tunnel and may provide mechanical constraint to the median nerve, leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the TCL are essential to better understand the etiology of carpal tunnel syndrome. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo TCL stiffness using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging.

Biomechanical interaction between the transverse carpal ligament and the thenar muscles.

The transverse carpal ligament (TCL) serves as the origin of the thenar muscles and is integral to thenar muscle contraction anatomically and biomechanically. TCL hypertrophy has been observed in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and is potentially caused by repetitive hand use. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanical interaction between the TCL and the thenar muscles.