Stereotactic body radiation therapy for primary liver tumors: An effective liver-directed therapy in the toolbox

The use of radiation for primary liver cancers has historically been limited because of the risk of radiation-induced liver disease. Treatment fields have become more conformal because of several technical advances, and this has allowed for dose escalation. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), also known as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, is now able to safely treat liver tumors to ablative doses while sparing functional liver parenchyma by using highly conformal therapy. Several retrospective and small prospective studies have examined the use of SBRT for liver cancers; however, there is a lack of well-powered randomized studies to definitively guide management in these settings. Recent advances in systemic therapy for primary liver cancers have improved outcomes; however, the optimal selection criteria for SBRT as a local therapy remain unclear among other liver-directed options such as radiofrequency ablation, transarterial chemoembolization, and radioembolization.     

The Duration of the correction loss after removing cheneau brace in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Objective

The aim of the study was to evaluate the loss of truncal rotation over 54 hours after removing Chêneau brace.

Does Quantitative Ultrasound at the Calcaneus Predict an Osteoporosis Diagnosis in Postmenopausal Women from the Silesia Osteo Active Study?

The aims of the study were to assess the clinical conformity between quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and densitometry with use of the standard World Health Organization T-score thresholds to determine optimal diagnostic cutoff values for QUS T-scores in different age groups. Three hundred sixty-five postmenopausal Caucasian women were enrolled into the study and divided into two age groups (<65 y and ≥65 y). Skeletal status was assessed using QUS measurements at the calcaneus and bone densitometry at the spine and proximal femur (Hologic Explorer, Bedford, MA, USA). QUS measurement results expressed as the stiffness index (SI) correlated significantly with both femoral neck bone mineral density (r = 0.51, p < 0.0001) and lumbar spine bone mineral density (r = 0.52, p < 0.0001). On the basis of receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, the thresholds for correspondence between QUS T-score values and T-score –2.5SD in dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) were established. They ranged between –1.63SD and –1.70SD in relation to femoral neck DXA and between –1.22SD and –1.51SD in relation to lumbar spine DXA, depending on age category. In conclusion, the study described here confirmed that QUS measurements at the calcaneus may provide information comparable to DXA examinations at the femoral neck and lumbar spine in postmenopausal women.     

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies Evaluating Point-of-Care Tests of Coagulopathy in Cardiac Surgery

Treatment guidelines recommend the routine use of point-of-care diagnostic tests for coagulopathy in the management of cardiac surgery patients at risk of severe bleeding despite uncertainty as to their diagnostic accuracy. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of viscoelastometry, platelet function tests, and modified thromboelastography (TEG) tests, for coagulopathy in cardiac surgery patients. The reference standard included resternotomy for bleeding, transfusion of non-red cell components, or massive transfusion. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Clinical Trials.gov, from inception to June 2019. Study quality was assessed using QUADAS-2. Bivariate models were used to estimate summary sensitivity and specificity with (95% confidence intervals). All 29 studies (7440 participants) included in the data synthesis evaluated the tests as predictors of bleeding. No study evaluated their role in the management of bleeding. None was at low risk of bias. Four were judged as low concern regarding applicability. Pooled estimates of diagnostic accuracy were; Viscoelastic tests, 12 studies, sensitivity 0.61 (0.44, 0.76), specificity 0.83 (0.70, 0.91) with significant heterogeneity. Platelet function tests, 12 studies, sensitivity 0.63 (0.53, 0.72), specificity 0.75 (0.64, 0.84) with significant heterogeneity. TEG modification tests, 3 studies, sensitivity 0.80 (0.67, 0.89), specificity 0.76 (0.69, 0.82) with no evidence of heterogeneity. Studies reporting the highest values for sensitivity and specificity had important methodological limitations. In conclusion, we did not demonstrate predictive accuracy for commonly used point-of-care devices for coagulopathic bleeding in cardiac surgery. However, the certainty of the evidence was low.     

Bending Strength of Wood Treated with Propolis Extract and Silicon Compounds

The modification of wood and its treatment with various preservatives may affect its mechanical properties, hence the knowledge of the character changes in wood caused by impregnation is of great importance. Therefore, the aim of the research was to determine the effect of impregnation, with the propolis-silane preparation (EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS) consisting of the propolis extract (EEP) and silicon compounds: 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPTMOS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), on the bending strength of treated wood. Moreover, in the study wood treated with components of the propolis-silane formulation was used, namely 70% ethanol, the propolis extract, and silanes (MPTMOS/TEOS). In order to determine whether the impregnation of wood affects its long-term bending, creep tests were performed depending on the humidity. The impregnation of wood with the propolis extract and the propolis-silane preparation (EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS) contributed to the increase in modulus of rapture and work to maximum load values compared to the untreated wood. In dry wood condition, the wood treated with EEP and EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS was characterized by lower modulus of elasticity values than the control samples. In turn, in wet wood condition, wood treated with the propolis-silane preparation showed an increase in the MOE value. Moreover, the impregnation of wood had an influence on the wood creep process under bending loads. The treated wood was characterized by higher relative creep compliance than the untreated wood. The exception was the wood impregnated with EEP-MPTMOS/TEOS, which showed comparable relative creep compliance to the control samples. The presented results indicate that wood treated with a bio-friendly preparation based on propolis and silicon compounds can be used in various application and also in variable humidity conditions.     

New Insight into the Fluorescence Quenching of Nitrogen-Containing Carbonaceous Quantum Dots—From Surface Chemistry to Biomedical Applications

Carbon-based quantum dots are widely suggested as fluorescent carriers of drugs, genes or other bioactive molecules. In this work, we thoroughly examine the easy-to-obtain, biocompatible, nitrogen-containing carbonaceous quantum dots (N-CQDs) with stable fluorescent properties that are resistant to wide-range pH changes. Moreover, we explain the mechanism of fluorescence quenching at extreme pH conditions. Our in vitro results indicate that N-CQDs penetrate the cell membrane; however, fluorescence intensity measured inside the cells was lower than expected from carbonaceous dots extracellular concentration decrease. We studied the mechanism of quenching and identified reduced form of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as one of the intracellular quenchers. We proved it experimentally that the elucidated redox process triggers the efficient reduction of amide functionalities to non-fluorescent amines on carbonaceous dots surface. We determined the 5 nm–wide reactive redox zone around the N-CQD surface. The better understanding of fluorescence quenching will help to accurately quantify and dose the internalized carbonaceous quantum dots for biomedical applications.     

Kynurenic acid and zaprinast diminished CXCL17-evoked pain-related behaviour and enhanced morphine analgesia in a mouse neuropathic pain model

Background

The G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35), is considered important for nociceptive transmission, as suggested by accumulating evidence. This receptor was discovered in 1998; however, a lack of pharmacological tools prevented a complete understanding of its function and how to exploit it therapeutically. We studied the influence of CXCL17, kynurenic acid and zaprinast on nociceptive transmission in naïve and neuropathic mice. Additionally, we investigated the influence of kynurenic acid and zaprinast on morphine effectiveness in neuropathic pain.