An Evidence-Based Review of Total Body Irradiation

The purpose of this literature review is to investigate clinical treatment methods of total body irradiation within the context of a clinical department adopting a paediatric cohort with no existing technique. An extensive review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Clinicians Knowledge Network. Articles were limited to nonhelical tomotherapy, nonparticle therapies, and those using hyperfractionated regimes. Total marrow irradiation was excluded because of national treatment and trial limitations. Of the numerous patient positioning methods present within the literature, the most comfortable and reproducible positioning methods for total body irradiation include both supine and the supine and/or prone combination. These positions increased stability and patient comfort during treatment, while also facilitating computed tomography data acquisition at the simulation stage. Ideally, dose calculations should be performed using a three-dimensional treatment planning system and quality assurance procedures that include in vivo dosimetry measurements. The available literature also suggests inhomogeneity correction factors and intensity modulation are superior to conventional open field techniques and should be implemented within developing protocols. Dynamic machine dose modulation is suggested to reduce department impact, removing the need for tissue compensators and accessory shielding devices, while providing significant improvements to treatment time and dose accuracy. Further long-term survival and intensity modulation studies are warranted, including direct comparisons of both dose modulation and treatment efficiency.     

The Myelodepletive Phenotype in Myelofibrosis: Clinical Relevance and Therapeutic Implication

Myelofibrosis (MF) is a BCR-ABL1⁻ myeloproliferative neoplasm that arises from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells frequently harboring a somatic driver mutation in 1 of 3 genes: JAK2, CALR, or MPL. The pathologic features of this hematologic malignancy include myeloproliferation, diffuse bone marrow fibrosis, and overactivation of the JAK-STAT pathway, resulting in enhanced inflammatory cytokine release. The common clinical manifestations of MF include systemic symptoms, abnormal peripheral blood count levels, and splenomegaly. However, it has become increasingly appreciated that significant clinical heterogeneity exists among patients with MF. Two distinct MF clinical phenotypes include the myeloproliferative and myelodepletive phenotype, with peripheral blood counts being the main discerning feature. Patients with the myeloproliferative phenotype will present with elevated peripheral blood counts and often experience significant constitutional symptoms and progressive splenomegaly. In contrast, patients with the myelodepletive phenotype will have low peripheral blood counts and will frequently require transfusion support. Current frontline therapies for MF, include ruxolitinib and fedratinib, which can exacerbate cytopenias and thereby pose an impediment to effective treatment of the myelodepletive patient. The present review discusses the clinical and prognostic implications of the myelodepletive phenotype and the therapeutic options and limitations for this subset of patients, representing an unmet clinical need.     

Elevated serum levels of Interleukin‐37 are associated with inflammatory cytokines and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Interleukin‐37 (IL‐37) is closely associated with several inflammatory diseases. However, the role of IL‐37 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between serum levels of IL‐37 and disease activity, inflammatory cytokines, and bone loss in patients with RA. Serum cytokines levels were examined by Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Radiographic bone erosion was assessed using the van der Heijde‐modified Sharp score and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using DXA. Serum IL‐37 levels in RA patients were significantly higher than those in HCs (p < 0.001), and were significantly positively correlated with clinical parameters of disease activity and serum levels of IL‐17 and IL‐23. In addition, serum IL‐37 levels were significantly higher in patients with stage IV of radiographic bone erosion than those with stage III and stage I–II, and they were significantly higher in those with osteopenia and osteoporosis than in those with normal BMD. Our results suggest that serum IL‐37 levels were increased in patients with RA and were positively associated with disease activity, IL‐17/IL‐23 and bone loss in RA, suggesting that IL‐37 may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of RA.     

Optimization of immunohistochemical detection of collagen type II in osteochondral sections by comparing decalcification and antigen retrieval agent combinations

Bone containing tissues such as osteochondral joint are resistant to routine tissue processing, therefore require decalcification. This technique causes removal of mineral salts, but in the process may macerate the organic tissue, hence the need for tissue fixation. Such severe processing demands careful antigen retrieval to necessitate optimal staining. The aim of our study was to compare five different antigen retrieval protocols (heat retrieval and protein digestion) following decalcification of rabbit knee joints using two different techniques (20% formic acid and 10% ethylenediamine-tetra acetic acid: EDTA). Osteochondral sections were compared based on time required for decalcification, ease of sectioning, morphological integrity using HE staining and antigen preservation (Collagen type II) using immunohistochemistry. The two decalcification solutions did not impair the tissue morphology and ease of sectioning. Joints processed with formic acid decalcified four times faster than EDTA. Among the five antigen retrieval approaches, maximal collagen II uptake with minimal nonspecific staining was found with protein digestion (pronase and hyaluronidase) in both formic acid and EDTA sections. For osteo-chondral sections, we recommend using 10% EDTA for decalcification and pronase plus hyaluronidase for antigen retrieval if maintaining tissue morphology is crucial, whereas if time is of the essence, 20% FA with pronase plus hyaluronidase is the faster option while still preserving structural integrity. Clin. Anat. 33:343–349, 2020. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

个体化假体复合组织工程技术修复兔下颌骨缺损

目的研究快速成型（RP）技术辅助下制作的个体化假体复合珊瑚羟基磷灰石（CHA）、重组人骨形成蛋白2（rhBMP-2）修复兔下颌骨缺损的成骨效果。 方法以27只新西兰大白兔为实验对象，随机数字表法平均分成3组（每组9只），全部建立下颌骨连续性缺损模型，并在兔下颌骨缺损区分别植入个体化假体+自体骨（A组）、个体化假体+CHA（B组）、个体化假体+CHA+rhBMP-2（C组）。分别于术后4、12、24周3个时间点处死动物取材，进行大体标本观察，以及骨钙素（OC）、Ⅰ型胶原（COL-1）的免疫组化观察，分别比较各组修复骨缺损的能力，并对实验数据进行重复测量设计资料的单因素方差分析。 结果术后24周各组实验兔外形均对称，通过OC及COL-1的吸光度检测，骨缺损区均有大量新骨形成，A组（0.537 ± 0.010）、C组（0.530 ± 0.010）可见大量骨小梁及编织骨结构，缺损区的新骨OC、COL-1的免疫组化观察基本一致，差异无统计学意义（t = 0.007，P>0.05）；但A组强于B组（0.415 ± 0.009，t = 0.122，P<0.001）；C组也强于B组（t = 0.121，P<0.001），差异均有统计学意义。 结论在兔下颌骨缺损修复中，通过RP技术和组织工程技术相结合，CHA复合rhBMP-2后成骨能力明显增强，成骨效能肯定，为后期的临床应用提供可靠的实验基础。     

Low bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy? A systematic review

Purpose: Non-ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy are prone to low bone mineral density. In ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy, bone mineral density deficits are expected to be small or absent, but a consensus conclusion is lacking. In this systematic review bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification Scales I–III) was studied.

Materials and methods: Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. According to international guidelines, low bone mineral density was defined as Z-score?≤??2.0. In addition, we focused on Z-score?≤??1.0 because this may indicate a tendency towards low bone mineral density.

Results: We included 16 studies, comprising 465 patients aged 1–65?years. Moderate and conflicting evidence for low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??2.0) was found for several body parts (total proximal femur, total body, distal femur, lumbar spine) in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scales II and III. We found no evidence for low bone mineral density in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I or adults, although there was a tendency towards low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??1.0) for several body parts.

Conclusions: Although more high-quality research is needed, results indicate that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with cerebral palsy.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Although more high-quality research is needed, including adults and fracture risk assessment, the current study indicates that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with CP.

• Health care professionals should be aware that optimal nutrition, supplements on indication, and an active lifestyle, preferably with weight-bearing activities, are important in ambulatory people with CP, also from a bone quality point-of-view.

• If indicated, medication and fall prevention training should be prescribed.

     

Absence of FGFR3–TACC3 rearrangement in hematological malignancies with numerical chromosomal alteration

FGFR–TACC, found in different tumor types, is characterized by the fusion of a member of fibroblast grown factor receptor (FGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) family to a member of the transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins. Because chromosome numerical alterations, hallmarks of FGFR–TACC fusions are present in many hematological disorders and there are no data on the prevalence, we studied a series of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome who presented numerical alterations using cytogenetic traditional analysis. None of the analyzed samples showed FGFR3–TACC3 gene fusion, so screening for this mutation at diagnosis is not recommended.     

去势比格犬腹部脂肪与相关血清学指标及骨密度的变化关系

目的通过建立去势比格犬模型,观察绝经早期腹部脂肪变化规律,并通过对脂肪与骨代谢相关血清学指标的测量与分析,探讨脂肪及骨代谢的关键影响因素。方法选取6只成年雌性比格犬进行去势术,分别在术前、术后4个月、6个月、10个月进行腰椎定量CT(quantatitive computed tomography,QCT)腹部脂肪面积、骨密度(bone mineral density,BMD)、MRI腰椎骨髓脂肪含量及血清学指标的检测,比较不同时间各指标的变化趋势及关系。结果比格犬腹内脂肪面积(visceral fat area,VFA)、皮下脂肪面积(subcutaneous fat area,SFA)、腹部总脂肪面积(total fat area,TFA)在术后6个月、10个月均增加(P0.05),术后10个月VFA增加百分比均值为84.39%,且为三者中最大;术后比格犬BMD并未明显降低。体重、BMD、瘦素(leptin,LP)、VFA、高密度脂蛋白(high-density lipoprotein,HDL)与SFA相关。SFA、体重、低密度脂蛋白(low-density lipoprotein,LDL)、内脏脂肪素(visfatin,VFN)与BMD相关。结论去势比格犬模型可用于研究绝经后雌激素缺乏所引起的脂肪代谢变化,但短期内BMD并未明显丢失,骨、脂肪代谢之间存在交互作用。