Prostate motion in magnetic resonance imaging-guided radiotherapy and its impact on margins.

Purpose: This study focused on reducing the margin for prostate cancer treatment using magnetic resonance imaging-guided radiotherapy by investigating the intrafractional motion of the prostate and different motion-mitigation strategies.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed intrafractional prostate motion in 77 patients with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer treated with five fractions of 7.25 Gy on a 1.

Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance.

The plastic waste crisis is among humanity's most urgent challenges. However, widespread adoption of sustainable plastics is hindered by their often inadequate processing characteristics and performance. Here, we introduce a bio-inspired strategy for the modification of a representative high molar mass, biodegradable aliphatic polyester that helps overcome these limitations and remains effective at molar masses far greater than the entanglement molar mass.

Methods for Tomographic Segmentation in Pseudo-Cylindrical Coordinates for Bobbin-Type Batteries.

High-resolution X-ray computed tomography (CT) has become an invaluable tool in battery research for its ability to probe phase distributions in sealed samples. The Cartesian coordinates used in describing the CT image stack are not appropriate for understanding radial dependencies, like that seen in bobbin-type batteries. The most prominent of these bobbin-type batteries is alkaline Zn-MnO, which dominates the primary battery market.

Occlusal Loading Effect on Stress Distribution of Endodontically Treated Teeth: Finite Element Analysis Study.

Aim: Evaluate the influence of occlusal loading on the stress distribution of endodontically treated teeth after root canal preparation with different file's sizes and tapers by means of finite element analysis.

Methodology: Seven three-dimensional models of a single-rooted, single-canal lower second premolar were established, one healthy control and six endodontically treated and restored models. The shape of root canal preparations followed file configurations 30/.

Diaphragm and abdominal organ motion during radiotherapy: a comprehensive multicenter study in 189 children.

Background: For accurate thoracic and abdominal radiotherapy, inter- and intrafractional geometrical uncertainties need to be considered to enable accurate margin sizes. We aim to quantify interfractional diaphragm and abdominal organ position variations, and intrafractional diaphragm motion in a large multicenter cohort of pediatric cancer patients (< 18 years). We investigated the correlation of interfractional position variations and intrafractional motion with age, and with general anesthesia (GA).

Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Pregnant Woman and Long-Term Sequelae.

We report a case of severe tick-borne encephalitis in a pregnant woman, leading to a prolonged stay in the intensive care unit. She showed minor clinical improvement >6 months after her presumed infection. The patient was not vaccinated, although an effective vaccine is available and not contraindicated during pregnancy.

Adverse late health outcomes among children treated with 3D radiotherapy techniques: Study design of the Dutch pediatric 3D-RT study.

Background: Adverse late health outcomes after multimodal treatment for pediatric cancer are diverse and of prime interest. Currently available evidence and survivorship care guidelines are largely based on studies addressing side-effects of two dimensional planned radiotherapy.

Aims: The Dutch pediatric 3D-planned radiotherapy (3D-RT) study aims to gain insight in the long-term health outcomes among children who had radiotherapy in the 3D era.

Tick-borne encephalitis in pediatrics: An often overlooked diagnosis.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a vector-borne disease caused by a flavivirus, the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes ricinus ticks. The European subtype (TBEV-Eu) is endemic in 27 European countries. During the last decade, increased TBE incidence was observed in many countries, including some of those believed to be of low endemicity/devoid of TBEV circulation.

COVID-19 exposure in SARS-CoV-2-seropositive hospital staff members during the first pandemic wave at Strasbourg University Hospital, France.

Objectives: Strasbourg University Hospital faced an important COVID-19 first wave from early March 2020. We performed a longitudinal prospective cohort study to describe clinical and virological data, exposure history to COVID-19, and adherence to strict hygiene standards during the first pandemic wave in 1497 workers undergoing a SARS-CoV-2 serological test at our hospital, with a follow up of serology result three months later.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1497 patients were enrolled from April 6 to May 7, 2020.

Hip Pain in a Child Caused by Coxal Bone Infection.

: Ischiopubic synchondrosis osteomyelitis is not rare but frequently misdiagnosed. MRI has a key role for early diagnosis and detection of complications.

Reliability and validity of a new colour-changing test food with an acid-base reaction for the clinical assessment of masticatory performance.

The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a new test food for the clinical assessment of masticatory performance. The test food had two overlapping acidic/basic halves. Ten dentate subjects chewed one unit for 10-100 cycles.

Mesorectal shape variation in rectal cancer radiotherapy in prone position using a belly board.

Background And Purpose: In rectal cancer patients, radiotherapy in prone position using a belly board can reduce the dose to organs at risk. For this patient group we investigated inter-fraction shape variation of the mesorectal part of the clinical target volume (CTV) and determined planning target volume (PTV) margins.

Materials And Methods: Patients with rectal cancer receiving neoadjuvant (chemo)radiotherapy were eligible.

Sex Differences in the Evolution of Neutralizing Antibodies to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.

We measured anti-spike (S), nucleoprotein (N), and neutralizing antibodies in sera from 308 healthcare workers with a positive reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and with mild disease, collected at 2 timepoints up to 6 months after symptom onset. At month 1, anti-S and -N antibody levels were higher in male participants aged >50 years and participants with a body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m2. At months 3-6, anti-S and anti-N antibodies were detected in 99% and 59% of individuals, respectively.

Intrafamilial Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Associated with Cellular Immune Response without Seroconversion, France.

We investigated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific antibodies and T-cell responses against SARS-CoV-2 and human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E and OC43 in 11 SARS-CoV-2 serodiscordant couples in Strausbourg, France, in which 1 partner had evidence of mild coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and in 10 unexposed healthy controls. Patients with confirmed COVID-19 were considered index patients and their partners close contacts. All index patients displayed positive SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody and T-cell responses that lasted up to 102 days after symptom onset.

Evaluation of the performance of SARS-CoV-2 serological tools and their positioning in COVID-19 diagnostic strategies.

Rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for successful outbreak containment. During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the gold standard for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnosis is the detection of viral RNA. Additional diagnostic methods õenabling the detection of current or past SARS-CoV-2 infection would be highly beneficial.

In-depth virological assessment of kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread widely, causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and significant mortality. However, data on viral loads and antibody kinetics in immunocompromised populations are lacking. We aimed to determine nasopharyngeal and plasma viral loads via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and SARS-CoV-2 serology via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and study their association with severe forms of COVID-19 and death in kidney transplant recipients.

The use of ozone gas for the inactivation of Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis spores on building materials.

A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of ozone gas in inactivating spores of both Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis inoculated onto six building materials (glass, wood, carpet, laminate, galvanized metal, and wallboard paper). Testing conditions consisted of ozone gas concentrations ranging from 7,000-12,000 parts per million (ppm), contact times from 4 to 12 h, and two relative humidity (RH) levels of 75 and 85%. Results showed that increasing the ozone concentration, contact time, and RH generally increased decontamination efficacy.

A Novel Patient-oriented Tool for Evaluating Quality Measurements.

Quality measurements (QMs) have emerged as quantitative tools for measuring "quality", an elusive term that has been historically difficult to define and quantify. However, current literature has demonstrated that these measurements are flawed. The purpose of this study was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of quality measurements and provide a novel scorecard for evaluating quality measurements.

Evaluation of altered environmental conditions as a decontamination approach for nonspore-forming biological agents.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of altered environmental conditions on the persistence of Francisella tularensis bacteria and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV), on two material types.

Methods And Results: Francisella tularensis (F.t.

dosimetry with an electronic portal imaging device for prostate cancer radiotherapy with an endorectal balloon.

Electronic portal imaging device-based dosimetry with a commercial product was performed for 10 prostate cancer patients treated with an air-filled endorectal balloon. With the conventional method the verification results were outside of our clinical acceptance criteria for all patients. The method, originally developed for lung cancer treatments, proved to be a practical solution to this problem.