Real-World Implementation of Simulation-Free Radiation Therapy (SFRT-1000): A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis of 1000 Consecutive Palliative Courses Delivered in Routine Care.

Purpose: The feasibility of simulation-free radiation therapy (SFRT) has been demonstrated but information regarding its routine care impact and scalability is lacking.

Methods And Materials: In this single-institution, retrospective cohort study, all patients receiving palliative radiation therapy at an Australian tertiary cancer center were eligible for consideration of SFRT unless mask immobilization, a stereotactic technique, or a definitive dose was indicated. Coprimary endpoints were SFRT utilization, impact on consultation-to-RT time, and on-couch treatment duration.

Prospective Randomized Trial Comparing 2 Devices for Deep Inspiration Breath Hold Management in Breast Radiation Therapy: Results of the BRAVEHeart Trial.

Purpose: The Breast Radiotherapy Audio Visual Enhancement for sparing the Heart (BRAVEHeart) trial prospectively randomized patients with left-sided breast cancer to 1 of 2 deep inspiration breath hold biofeedback devices: a novel chest surface tracking system and an abdominal block tracking system. The primary hypothesis was that the accuracy of chest tracking would be higher than that of abdominal tracking as the chest is a more direct surrogate of the breast target.

Methods And Materials: Patients with left-sided breast cancer were treated in deep inspiration breath hold with intensity modulated radiation therapy delivery.

Measures of mental imagery in emotional disorders: A COSMIN systematic review of psychometric properties.

Background: Dysfunctional imagery processes characterise a range of emotional disorders. Valid, reliable, and responsive mental imagery measures may support the clinical assessment of imagery and advance research to develop theory and imagery-based interventions. We sought to review the psychometric properties of mental imagery measures relevant to emotional disorders.

Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni bacterial holocytochrome c synthase structure-function analysis reveals conservation of heme binding.

Heme trafficking is essential for cellular function, yet mechanisms of transport and/or heme interaction are not well defined. The System I and System II bacterial cytochrome c biogenesis pathways are developing into model systems for heme trafficking due to their functions in heme transport, heme stereospecific positioning, and mediation of heme attachment to apocytochrome c. Here we focus on the System II pathway, CcsBA, that is proposed to be a bi-functional heme transporter and holocytochrome c synthase.

Cardiac substructure delineation in radiation therapy - A state-of-the-art review.

Delineation of cardiac substructures is crucial for a better understanding of radiation-related cardiotoxicities and to facilitate accurate and precise cardiac dose calculation for developing and applying risk models. This review examines recent advancements in cardiac substructure delineation in the radiation therapy (RT) context, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the current level of knowledge, challenges and future directions in this evolving field. Imaging used for RT planning presents challenges in reliably visualising cardiac anatomy.

Exploring gender differences in the relationship between gut microbiome and depression - a scoping review.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibits gender disparities, and emerging evidence suggests the involvement of the gut microbiome, necessitating exploration of sex-specific differences.

Methods: A review was conducted, encompassing a thorough examination of relevant studies available in Medline via Ovid, Embase via OvidSP, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases from their inception to June 2023. The search strategy employed specific keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms tailored to major depressive disorder in women, encompassing unipolar depression, depressive symptoms, and dysbiosis.

Omission of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery for biologically favourable tumours in younger patients: The wrong answer to the right question.

In this perspective paper, the findings of the recently published LUMINA study are critically evaluated, with an emphasis on the need for careful interpretation and a thoughtful approach in clinical practice. The LUMINA trial, which investigates the role of adjuvant endocrine therapy in low-risk breast cancer patients, is assessed for its limitations, including a highly selective patient cohort and an insufficient follow-up period. The importance of long-term data and further trials to inform clinical decisions effectively is emphasized.

Structure-function analysis of the heme-binding WWD domain in the bacterial holocytochrome synthase, CcmFH.

Heme is an essential co-factor for proteins involved with critical cellular functions, such as energy production and oxygen transport. Thus, understanding how heme interacts with proteins and is moved through cells is a fundamental biological question. This work studies the System I cytochrome biogenesis pathway, which in some species (including ) is composed of eight integral membrane or membrane-associated proteins called CcmA-H that are proposed to function in two steps to transport and attach heme to apocytochrome .

Model for Humidity-Mediated Diffusion on Aluminum Surfaces and Its Role in Accelerating Atmospheric Aluminum Corrosion.

Bare aluminum metal surfaces are highly reactive, which leads to the spontaneous formation of a protective oxide surface layer. Because many subsequent corrosive processes are mediated by water, the structure and dynamics of water at the oxide interface are anticipated to influence corrosion kinetics. Using molecular dynamics simulations with a reactive force field, we model the behavior of aqueous aluminum metal ions in water adsorbed onto aluminum oxide surfaces across a range of ion concentrations and water film thicknesses corresponding to increasing relative humidity.

International Experiences with Vaginal Lengthening Treatment Among Individuals with Müllerian Agenesis: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Study Objective: To understand variations and experiences of vaginal lengthening internationally in individuals with congenital underdevelopment of the uterus, cervix, and upper vagina or Müllerian agenesis METHODS: In this study, we used a cross-sectional mixed-methods design incorporating quantitative and qualitative questionnaires. Adults with Müllerian agenesis completed questionnaires with quantitative and open-ended qualitative questions about their vaginal lengthening experiences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive thematic analysis.

Comparison of the clinical effectiveness of treatments for aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia in breast cancer patients: A systematic review with network meta-analysis.

Aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia (AIA) contributes to poor adherence of aromatase inhibitor therapies in patients with breast cancer. A systematic review using network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted to examine the clinical effectiveness of multiple therapies and rank probabilities for the management of AIA. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing treatments for AIA in postmenopausal women with stage 0-III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were searched from inception to October 2021.

An Evidence-Based Theory of Psychological Adjustment to Long-Term Physical Health Conditions: Applications in Clinical Practice.

Objective: Around 30% of people with long-term physical health conditions (LTCs) experience comorbid anxiety and depression. For many, comorbid distress is linked to difficulties adjusting to the challenges of the LTC. The aims of this article are to present a transdiagnostic theoretical model of adjustment to LTCs (TMA-LTC), demonstrate the application of this model in clinical practice, and highlight the distinguishing features of treating LTC-related distress compared with treating primary anxiety and/or depression.

Breast Radiotherapy after Oncoplastic Surgery-A Multidisciplinary Approach.

Oncoplastic breast surgery encompasses a range of techniques used to provide equitable oncological outcomes compared with standard breast surgery while, simultaneously, prioritizing aesthetic outcomes. While the outcomes of oncoplastic breast surgery are promising, it can add an extra complexity to the treatment paradigm of breast cancer and impact on decision-making surrounding adjuvant therapies, like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As such, early discussions at the multidisciplinary team meeting with surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists present, should be encouraged to facilitate best patient care.

The Gut Microbiome and Cancer Immunotherapy: Can We Use the Gut Microbiome as a Predictive Biomarker for Clinical Response in Cancer Immunotherapy?

Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota influences the clinical response to immunotherapy. This review of clinical studies examines the relationship between gut microbiota and immunotherapy outcomes. A literature search was conducted in electronic databases Medline, PubMed and ScienceDirect, with searches for "cancer" and "immunotherapy/immune checkpoint inhibitor" and "microbiome/microbiota" and/or "fecal microbiome transplant FMT".

Emerging Evidence of the Gut Microbiome in Chemotherapy: A Clinical Review.

Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is associated with both cancer chemotherapy (CTX) outcomes and adverse events (AEs). This review examines the relationship between the gut microbiome and CTX as well as the impact of CTX on the gut microbiome. A literature search was conducted in electronic databases Medline, PubMed and ScienceDirect, with searches for "cancer" and "chemotherapy" and "microbiome/microbiota".

Considering the type and timing of breast reconstruction after mastectomy: Qualitative insights into women's decision-making.

Purpose: The information women receive about the type and timing of breast reconstruction (BR) from healthcare providers is crucial to help them make an informed decision, and this is particularly important in complex cases and/or high-risk cases. This study sought to provide qualitative insights into Australian women's BR decision-making experiences.

Method: Twenty-nine women who had received a mastectomy and made decisions about BR, including the type (expander, implant and/or autologous) and timing (immediate, delayed or immediate-delayed), participated in semi-structured telephone interviews.

Comprehensive nodal breast VMAT: solving the low-dose wash dilemma using an iterative knowledge-based radiotherapy planning solution.

Introduction: Aimed to develop a simple and robust volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) solution for comprehensive lymph node (CLN) breast cancer without increase in low-dose wash.

Methods: Forty CLN-breast patient data sets were utilised to develop a knowledge-based planning (KBP) VMAT model, which limits low-dose wash using iterative learning and base-tangential methods as benchmark. Another twenty data sets were employed to validate the model comparing KBP-generated ipsilateral VMAT (ipsi-VMAT) plans against the benchmarked hybrid (h)-VMAT (departmental standard) and bowtie-VMAT (published best practice) methods.

An Innovative Tai Chi and Qigong Telehealth Service in Supportive Cancer Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.

Supportive cancer care services, including acupuncture and Tai Chi and Qigong (TQ), are offered to cancer patients to manage cancer symptoms and/or treatment-related adverse effects and improve quality of life during and after standard care. Normal face-to-face acupuncture and TQ group services were suspended during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to reduce the risk of transmission of infection and meet social distancing restriction guidelines. This led to a sudden shift from face-to-face sessions to telehealth sessions in the health care system.

The Gut Microbiome and Gastrointestinal Toxicities in Pelvic Radiation Therapy: A Clinical Review.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities are common adverse effects of pelvic radiotherapy (RT). Several recent studies revealed that toxicity of RT is associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiome.

Method: A literature search was conducted in electronic databases Medline, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, with search terms "microbiome and/or microbiota" and "radiotherapy (RT) and/or chemoradiation therapy (CRT)" and "cancer", and the relevant literature were selected for use in this article.

Potential gains: Comparison of a mono-isocentric three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) planning technique to hybrid intensity-modulated radiotherapy (hIMRT) to the whole breast and supraclavicular fossa (SCF) region.

Introduction: Until late 2018, standard of practice at the Northern Sydney Cancer Centre (NSCC) for breast and nodal treatment was a conformal mono-isocentric technique. A planning study comparing an existing mono-isocentric three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) planning technique to a hybrid intensity-modulated radiotherapy (hIMRT) approach for the whole breast and supraclavicular fossa (SCF) region was undertaken with the aim to improve plan quality by improving dose conformity/homogeneity across target volumes and reducing hotspots outside the target.

Methods: A cohort of 17 patients was retrospectively planned using the proposed hIMRT technique, keeping the same planning constraints as the original treated breast and SCF 3D-CRT plan and normalising the 3D-CRT plans to achieve minimum breast/SCF target coverage to compare organs at risk (OARs).

Introducing Computed Tomography Simulation-Free and Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes-Monitored Palliative Radiation Therapy into Routine Care: Clinical Outcomes and Implementation Experience.

Purpose: Our purpose was to report outcomes of a novel palliative radiation therapy protocol that omits computed tomography simulation and prospectively collects electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs).

Methods And Materials: Patients receiving extracranial, nonstereotactic, linear accelerator-based palliative radiation therapy who met inclusion criteria (no mask-based immobilization and a diagnostic computed tomography within 4 weeks) were eligible. Global pain was scored with the 11-point numerical pain rating scale (NPRS).

Evaluation of a real-time RT-PCR panel for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in bat guano.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is an ongoing global health concern. The exact source of the virus has not been identified, but it is believed that this novel coronavirus originated in animals; bats in particular have been implicated as the primary reservoir of the virus. SARS-CoV-2 can also be transmitted from humans to other animals, including tigers, cats, and mink.

Therapists' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to uptake and engagement with therapy in long-term conditions.

Objective: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services in England have established a long-term condition (LTC) pathway in recent years, meaning that LTC therapies are now delivered via varied modes and by professionals with varied experiences. To gain insight into how this new pathway is functioning in practice, this study aimed to explore therapists' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to uptake and engagement with therapy in LTCs.

Design: A qualitative design was employed using semi-structured interviews.

Psychosocial impact of paediatric demyelinating disorders: a scoping review.

Aim: To: (1) provide greater insight into the psychological and social impact of a range of demyelinating disorders, (2) explore differences between disorders, and (3) provide direction for future research.

Method: Studies were identified by searching online databases. Studies that explored the psychological, emotional, or social impact of a range of demyelinating disorders in childhood, including acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, and multiple sclerosis, were included and screened independently by three authors.