Glucocorticoid Receptor Agonists to Improve the Productivity and Health of Early-Weaned Pigs: What is the Best Method of Delivery?

The purpose of the current study was to determine the best method of delivery for glucocorticoid receptor agonist (GRA) treatment. A total of 167 Pig Improvement Company (PIC) piglets (body weight (BW) 7.35 ± 1.

The Effects of a Glucocorticoid Receptor Agonist (GRA) on the Immune Function, Nutrient Digestibility, and Wean-to-Finish Growth Performance of Early-Weaned Pigs.

This study assessed the viability of glucocorticoid receptor agonist (GRA) treatment as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics (ANT) in wean-to-finish pigs. A total of 209 piglets were assigned to eight treatments based on a factorial arrangement, with GRA (+ vs. -; dexamethasone, 0.

Immune System Stimulation Reduces the Efficiency of Whole-Body Protein Deposition and Alters Muscle Fiber Characteristics in Growing Pigs.

The effects of immune system stimulation (ISS), induced by repeated injection of lipopolysaccharide, on the whole-body protein synthesis versus degradation rates, the efficiency of protein deposition (PD), and muscle fiber characteristics in pigs were evaluated. Twelve growing gilts were assigned to two levels of amino acid intake that was predicted based on the potential of each group's health status for PD and feed intake. Isotope tracer, nitrogen balance, and immunohistochemical staining techniques were used to determine protein turnover, PD, and muscle fiber characteristics, respectively.

Immune system stimulation induced by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus alters plasma free amino acid flux and dietary nitrogen utilization in starter pigs1.

Changes in plasma free amino acid (AA) flux reflect the modification of AA metabolism in different metabolic states. Infectious diseases repartition AA away from protein retention toward processes involved in immune defense, thus impacting AA utilization in pigs. The current study sought to evaluate the effects of disease induced by a live pathogen on plasma free AA flux and whole-body nitrogen (N) utilization.

A glucocorticoid receptor agonist improves post-weaning growth performance in segregated early-weaned pigs.

While beneficial for sow reproductive efficiency and biosecurity, segregated early weaning (SEW) leads to a systemic immune response that adversely affects the digestive physiology and post-weaning growth of pigs. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of a glucocorticoid receptor agonist (GA) on growth performance, measures of immune function and intestinal integrity of SEW pigs. In both experiments, pigs were fed corn-soybean meal-based starter diets.

Immune system stimulation increases dietary threonine requirements for protein deposition in growing pigs.

Previous studies have reported an increase in the utilization of threonine (Thr) during immune system stimulation (ISS). However, increased utilization of an AA during ISS may not reflect an increased dietary requirement, as endogenous sources may supply AA to meet the need for enhanced utilization. The current study evaluated the impact of ISS on components of dietary Thr requirements, i.

Immune system stimulation induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide alters plasma free amino acid flux and dietary nitrogen utilization in growing pigs.

Changes in plasma free AA flux reflect the modification of AA metabolism in different metabolic states. Immune system stimulation (ISS) in growing pigs may redistribute AA from protein retention towards processes involved in the immune response, thus impacting AA utilization. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of ISS on whole-body nitrogen (N) utilization and the kinetics of plasma free AA.

Submicron Aggregation of Chemically Denatured Monoclonal Antibody.

Isothermal chemical denaturation (ICD) has been widely used to evaluate the conformational stability of therapeutic proteins such as monoclonal antibodies. However, the chemical unfolding pathway and the subsequent aggregation of antibodies are not yet well-understood. In the present work, we conducted a systematic study on an ICD-induced aggregation of a pharmaceutical monoclonal antibody.

Qualitative Exploration of Cross-Sector Perspectives on the Contributions of Local Health Departments in Land-Use and Transportation Policy.

Introduction: Transportation and land-use policies can affect the physical activity of populations. Local health departments (LHDs) are encouraged to participate in built-environment policy processes, which are outside their traditional expertise. Cross-sector collaborations are needed, yet stakeholders' perceptions of LHD involvement are not well understood.

Simulated Online Adaptive Magnetic Resonance-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Oligometastatic Disease of the Abdomen and Central Thorax: Characterization of Potential Advantages.

Purpose: To characterize potential advantages of online-adaptive magnetic resonance (MR)-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to treat oligometastatic disease of the non-liver abdomen and central thorax.

Methods And Materials: Ten patients treated with RT for unresectable primary or oligometastatic disease of the non-liver abdomen (n=5) or central thorax (n=5) underwent imaging throughout treatment on a clinical MR image guided RT system. The SBRT plans were created on the basis of tumor/organ at risk (OAR) anatomy at initial computed tomography simulation (P), and simulated adaptive plans were created on the basis of observed MR image set tumor/OAR "anatomy of the day" (P).

A GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo dose calculation platform and its application toward validating an MRI-guided radiation therapy beam model.

Purpose: The clinical commissioning of IMRT subject to a magnetic field is challenging. The purpose of this work is to develop a GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo dose calculation platform based on penelope and then use the platform to validate a vendor-provided MRIdian head model toward quality assurance of clinical IMRT treatment plans subject to a 0.35 T magnetic field.

A software tool to automatically assure and report daily treatment deliveries by a cobalt-60 radiation therapy device.

The aims of this study were to develop a method for automatic and immediate verification of treatment delivery after each treatment fraction in order to detect and correct errors, and to develop a comprehensive daily report which includes delivery verification results, daily image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) review, and information for weekly physics reviews. After systematically analyzing the requirements for treatment delivery verification and understanding the available information from a commercial MRI-guided radiotherapy treatment machine, we designed a procedure to use 1) treatment plan files, 2) delivery log files, and 3) beam output information to verify the accuracy and completeness of each daily treatment delivery. The procedure verifies the correctness of delivered treatment plan parameters including beams, beam segments and, for each segment, the beam-on time and MLC leaf positions.

Methods to model and predict the ViewRay treatment deliveries to aid patient scheduling and treatment planning.

A software tool is developed, given a new treatment plan, to predict treatment delivery time for radiation therapy (RT) treatments of patients on ViewRay magnetic resonance image-guided radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) delivery system. This tool is necessary for managing patient treatment scheduling in our clinic. The predicted treatment delivery time and the assessment of plan complexities could also be useful to aid treatment planning.

Characterization of the onboard imaging unit for the first clinical magnetic resonance image guided radiation therapy system.

Purpose: To characterize the performance of the onboard imaging unit for the first clinical magnetic resonance image guided radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) system.

Methods: The imaging performance characterization included four components: ACR (the American College of Radiology) phantom test, spatial integrity, coil signal to noise ratio (SNR) and uniformity, and magnetic field homogeneity. The ACR phantom test was performed in accordance with the ACR phantom test guidance.

Quality of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Treatment Plans Using a ⁶⁰Co Magnetic Resonance Image Guidance Radiation Therapy System.

Purpose: This work describes a commercial treatment planning system, its technical features, and its capabilities for creating (60)Co intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans for a magnetic resonance image guidance radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) system.

Methods And Materials: The ViewRay treatment planning system (Oakwood Village, OH) was used to create (60)Co IMRT treatment plans for 33 cancer patients with disease in the abdominal, pelvic, thorax, and head and neck regions using physician-specified patient-specific target coverage and organ at risk (OAR) objectives. Backup plans using a third-party linear accelerator (linac)-based planning system were also created.

A framework for automated contour quality assurance in radiation therapy including adaptive techniques.

Contouring of targets and normal tissues is one of the largest sources of variability in radiation therapy treatment plans. Contours thus require a time intensive and error-prone quality assurance (QA) evaluation, limitations which also impair the facilitation of adaptive radiotherapy (ART). Here, an automated system for contour QA is developed using historical data (the 'knowledge base').

Benchmark IMRT evaluation of a Co-60 MRI-guided radiation therapy system.

A device for MRI-guided radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) that uses cobalt-60 sources to deliver intensity modulated radiation therapy is now commercially available. We investigated the performance of the treatment planning and delivery system against the benchmark recommended by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 119 for IMRT commissioning and demonstrated that the device plans and delivers IMRT treatments within recommended confidence limits and with similar accuracy as linac IMRT.

Magnetic resonance imaging-based treatment planning for prostate cancer: Use of population average tissue densities within the irradiated volume to improve plan accuracy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using population average tissue densities within the irradiated volume to improve the dosimetric accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging-based treatment plans for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Computed tomography images and radiation therapy treatment plans from 20 patients with prostate cancer were reviewed retrospectively. Patient anatomy was segmented into fat, nonfat soft tissue, and bone.

Fast-food fights: news coverage of local efforts to improve food environments through land-use regulations, 2001-2013. [corrected].

Zoning and other land-use policies are a promising but controversial strategy to improve community food environments. To understand how these policies are debated, we searched existing databases and the Internet and analyzed news coverage and legal documentation of efforts to restrict fast-food restaurants in 77 US communities in 2001 to 2013. Policies intended to improve community health were most often proposed in urban, racially diverse communities; policies proposed in small towns or majority-White communities aimed to protect community aesthetics or local businesses.

Patient-specific quality assurance for the delivery of (60)Co intensity modulated radiation therapy subject to a 0.35-T lateral magnetic field.

Purpose: This work describes a patient-specific dosimetry quality assurance (QA) program for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using ViewRay, the first commercial magnetic resonance imaging-guided RT device.

Methods And Materials: The program consisted of: (1) a 1-dimensional multipoint ionization chamber measurement using a customized 15-cm(3) cube-shaped phantom; (2) 2-dimensional (2D) radiographic film measurement using a 30- × 30- × 20-cm(3) phantom with multiple inserted ionization chambers; (3) quasi-3D diode array (ArcCHECK) measurement with a centrally inserted ionization chamber; (4) 2D fluence verification using machine delivery log files; and (5) 3D Monte Carlo (MC) dose reconstruction with machine delivery files and phantom CT.

Results: Ionization chamber measurements agreed well with treatment planning system (TPS)-computed doses in all phantom geometries where the mean ± SD difference was 0.

Automated radiation therapy treatment plan workflow using a commercial application programming interface.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to create a workflow for the automation and standardization of treatment plan generation and evaluation using an application programming interface (API) to access data from a commercial treatment planning system (Varian Medical Systems, Inc, Palo Alto, CA).

Methods And Materials: The automation workflow begins with converting electronic patient-specific physician treatment planning orders that specify demographics, simulation instructions, and dosimetric objectives for targets and organs at risk into XML files. These XML files are used to generate standard contour names, beam, and patient-specific intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) optimization templates to be executed in a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) by the user.

Helical tomotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost dose painting for the treatment of synchronous primary cancers involving the head and neck.

Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of helical tomotherapy (HT)-based intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for the treatment of synchronous primary cancers arising from the head and neck.

Methods: 14 consecutive patients with histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were determined to have a second primary cancer in the upper aerodigestive tract on further evaluation and were treated with HT using simultaneous integrated boost IMRT. Megavoltage CT scans were acquired daily as part of an image-guided registration protocol.

The use of exit detector sinograms to detect anatomical variations for patients extending beyond the TomoTherapy field of view: a feasibility study.

Purpose: This work describes an independent method to use the TomoTherapy Hi-ART megavoltage CT imaging system for daily monitoring of anatomical changes of cancer patients whose anatomy extends beyond the imaging field of view.

Methods: The imaging detector response to changes in attenuating media was measured using water-equivalent plastic. Weight loss was simulated using an anthropomorphic phantom and determining the system's ability to detect the weight loss.