Marker-assisted enhancement of bacterial blight ( pv) resistance in a salt-tolerant rice variety for sustaining rice production of tropical islands.

Introduction: Bacterial blight (BB) caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is a major disease of rice, specially in the tropical regions of the world. Developing rice varieties with host resistance against the disease is the most effective and economical solution for managing the disease.

Harnessing intra-varietal variation for agro-morphological and nutritional traits in a popular rice landrace for sustainable food security in tropical islands.

Introduction: Rice crop meets the calorie and nutritional requirements of a larger segment of the global population. Here, we report the occurrence of intra-varietal variation in a popular rice landrace C14-8 traditionally grown under the geographical isolation of the Andaman Islands.

Methods: Based on grain husk color, four groups were formed, wherein the extent of intra-varietal variation was studied by employing 22 agro-morphological and biochemical traits.

Disparities in Decompressive Cranial Surgery Utilization in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Patients without a Primary Extra-Axial Hematoma: A U.S. Nationwide Study.

Objective: Decompressive craniectomy is recommended to reduce mortality in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Disparities exist in TBI treatment outcomes; however, data on disparities pertaining to decompressive craniectomy utilization is lacking. We investigated these disparities, focusing on race, insurance, sex, and age.

Venous Thromboembolism Risk and Outcomes Following Decompressive Craniectomy in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: An Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database.

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The risk of VTE after decompressive craniectomy (DC) and its effects on the outcomes are unknown. We assessed the incidence of VTE, associated risk factors, and effects on the outcomes.

Association of External Ventricular Drain Wean Strategy with Shunt Placement and Length of Stay in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Background: Survivors of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) face a protracted intensive care unit (ICU) course and are at risk for developing refractory hydrocephalus with the need for a permanent ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). Management of the external ventricular drain (EVD) used to provide temporary cerebrospinal fluid diversion may influence the need for a VPS, ICU length of stay (LOS), and drain complications, but the optimal EVD management approach is unknown. Therefore, we sought to determine the effect of EVD discontinuation strategy on VPS rate.

Short- and long-term opioid use in survivors of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objectives: Opioids are frequently used for analgesia in patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to a high prevalence of headache and neck pain. However, it is unclear if this practice may pose a risk for opioid dependence, as long-term opioid use in this population remains unknown. We sought to determine the prevalence of opioid use in SAH survivors, and to identify potential risk factors for opioid utilization.

Common biomarkers of physiologic stress and associations with delirium in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Purpose: To examine associations between physiologic stress and delirium in the setting of a direct neurologic injury.

Materials And Methods: We obtained initial neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), glucose, and troponin in consecutive non-comatose patients with non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) over 1 year, then used multivariable regression models to determine associations between each biomarker and incident delirium. Delirium diagnoses were established using DSM-5-based methods, with exploratory analyses further categorizing delirium as first occurring <24 h ("early-onset") or > 24 h after presentation ("later-onset").

The impact of delirium on withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Objective: To determine the impact of delirium on withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (WLST) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the context of established predictors of poor outcome, using data from an institutional ICH registry.

Methods: We performed a single-center cohort study on consecutive patients with ICH admitted over 12 months. ICH features were prospectively adjudicated, and WLST and corresponding hospital day were recorded retrospectively.

Characterization and clinical validation of patient-specific three-dimensional printed tissue-equivalent bolus for radiotherapy of head and neck malignancies involving skin.

Purpose: Megavoltage radiotherapy to irregular superficial targets is challenging due to the skin sparing effect. We developed a three-dimensional bolus (3DB) program to assess the clinical impact on dosimetric and patient outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Planar commercial bolus (PCB) and 3DB density, clarity, and net bolus effect were rigorously evaluated prior to clinical implementation.

Arrival blood pressure in hypertensive and non-hypertensive spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: Hypertension is a known risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but it is unclear whether blood pressure (BP) at hospital arrival can be used to distinguish hypertensive ICH from non-hypertensive etiologies.

Patients And Methods: We performed a single-center cohort study using data from consecutive ICH patients over 12 months. ICH characteristics including etiology were prospectively adjudicated by two attending neurologists.

Tantra and Modern Neurosciences: Is there any Correlation?

Background And Aims: Many studies have conclusively proven that meditative techniques derived from the Indian systems of philosophy, meditation and ritual classified as "Tantra" can bring about sustained changes in the structure and function of the nervous system of practitioners. The aim of this study is to provide neuroscientists a framework through which to interpret Tantra, and thereby provide a foundation upon which future interdisciplinary study can be built.

Methods: We juxtapose Tantric concepts such as the subtle body, nadis and mantras with relevant neuroscientific findings.

Linear Accelerator-Based Radiotherapy Simulation Using On-Board Kilovoltage Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for 3-Dimensional Volumetric Planning and Rapid Treatment in the Palliative Setting.

Background: Palliation of advanced disease using radiotherapy can create difficult clinical situations where standard computed tomography simulation and immobilization techniques are not feasible. We developed a linear accelerator-based radiotherapy simulation technique using nonstandard patient positioning for head and neck palliation using on-board kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography for 3-D volumetric planning and rapid treatment. Material and Methods: We proved cone-beam computed tomography simulation feasibility for semi-upright patient positioning using an anthropomorphic phantom on a clinical Elekta-Synergy linear accelerator.

Intermittent CSF drainage and rapid EVD weaning approach after subarachnoid hemorrhage: association with fewer VP shunts and shorter length of stay.

Objective: There is variability and uncertainty about the optimal approach to the management and discontinuation of an external ventricular drain (EVD) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Evidence from single-center randomized trials suggests that intermittent CSF drainage and rapid EVD weans are safe and associated with shorter ICU length of stay (LOS) and fewer EVD complications. However, a recent survey revealed that most neurocritical care units across the United States employ continuous CSF drainage with a gradual wean strategy.

Single-dose radiotherapy disables tumor cell homologous recombination via ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Tumor cure with conventional fractionated radiotherapy is 65%, dependent on tumor cell-autonomous gradual buildup of DNA double-strand break (DSB) misrepair. Here we report that single-dose radiotherapy (SDRT), a disruptive technique that ablates more than 90% of human cancers, operates a distinct dual-target mechanism, linking acid sphingomyelinase-mediated (ASMase-mediated) microvascular perfusion defects to DNA unrepair in tumor cells to confer tumor cell lethality. ASMase-mediated microcirculatory vasoconstriction after SDRT conferred an ischemic stress response within parenchymal tumor cells, with ROS triggering the evolutionarily conserved SUMO stress response, specifically depleting chromatin-associated free SUMO3.

Modeling the Cellular Response of Lung Cancer to Radiation Therapy for a Broad Range of Fractionation Schedules.

To demonstrate that a mathematical model can be used to quantitatively understand tumor cellular dynamics during a course of radiotherapy and to predict the likelihood of local control as a function of dose and treatment fractions. We model outcomes for early-stage, localized non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), by fitting a mechanistic, cellular dynamics-based tumor control probability that assumes a constant local supply of oxygen and glucose. In addition to standard radiobiological effects such as repair of sub-lethal damage and the impact of hypoxia, we also accounted for proliferation as well as radiosensitivity variability within the cell cycle.

External beam radiotherapy with or without concurrent chemotherapy in advanced or recurrent non-anaplastic non-medullary thyroid cancer.

Background And Objectives: To review clinical outcomes and toxicities in locally advanced differentiated thyroid cancer patients treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with or without concurrent chemotherapy (CCRT).

Methods: Between 1990 and 2012, 66 patients with gross residual/unresectable non-anaplastic non-medullary thyroid cancer were treated with EBRT.

Results: The median overall survival was 42.

Irradiation for locoregionally recurrent, never-irradiated oral cavity cancers.

Background: The purpose of this study was to report the clinical outcomes and related prognostic factors of patients who underwent radiotherapy (RT) for the treatment of recurrent, never-irradiated oral cavity cancer (recurrent OCC).

Methods: The records of consecutive patients with nonmetastatic recurrent OCC who presented to and were treated with RT at our institution between 1989 and 2011 were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate overall survival (OS).

Axitinib sensitization of high Single Dose Radiotherapy.

Background And Purpose: Single Dose Radiation Therapy (SDRT) provides remarkably high rates of control even for tumors resistant to fractionated radiotherapy. SDRT tumor control depends on acute acid sphingomyelinase-mediated endothelial cell injury and monoclonal antibodies targeting Vascular Endothelial Cell Growth Factor (VEGF) signaling radiosensitized tumor endothelium when delivered immediately prior to irradiation. Here we evaluate the ability of the oral VEGF receptor inhibitor, axitinib, to sensitize tumor endothelium and increase tumor control with SDRT.

The distance discordance metric-a novel approach to quantifying spatial uncertainties in intra- and inter-patient deformable image registration.

Previous methods to estimate the inherent accuracy of deformable image registration (DIR) have typically been performed relative to a known ground truth, such as tracking of anatomic landmarks or known deformations in a physical or virtual phantom. In this study, we propose a new approach to estimate the spatial geometric uncertainty of DIR using statistical sampling techniques that can be applied to the resulting deformation vector fields (DVFs) for a given registration. The proposed DIR performance metric, the distance discordance metric (DDM), is based on the variability in the distance between corresponding voxels from different images, which are co-registered to the same voxel at location (X) in an arbitrarily chosen 'reference' image.

Constraining the brachial plexus does not compromise regional control in oropharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that brachial plexopathy following head and neck cancer radiotherapy may be underreported and that this toxicity is associated with a dose-response. Our purpose was to determine whether the dose to the brachial plexus (BP) can be constrained, without compromising regional control.

Methods: The radiation plans of 324 patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) were reviewed.