A retrospective analysis comparing set up errors from standard versus customised headrests for head and neck radiotherapy

IntroductionIn response to advice from The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ⁽¹⁾ to reduce hospital visits during COVID-19, standard headrests were introduced for head and neck radiotherapy within Northern Centre for Cancer Care (NCCC). The standard headrest requires one mould room appointment compared to 3 appointments with customised headrests.MethodsTwo groups of 10 patients treated between December 2019 and June 2020 were retrospectively analysed by 1 observer. Groups were stratified according to age, sex and tumour site. One group had customised headrest and the other had standard headrest. Five hundred and forty seven cone beam computed tomography images were reviewed. A 6 Degree of Freedom match was performed then chin, shoulder and spine position were assessed using dosimetrist drawn structures. Structures out of the tolerance were recorded. A chi-squared test was used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe out of tolerance chin position count recorded was 21 for customised headrest and 36 for standard headrest, p-value 0.046. The shoulder position count was 13 for customised headrest and 77 for standard headrest p-value <0.001. The spine position count was 3 for CHR and 21 for standard headrest, p-value <0.001. This means the headrests compared are not equivalent in terms of set up reproducibility. Overall the standard headrest group had 10 set-up re-scans and no set up re-scans were recorded in the customised headrest group.ConclusionFewer hospital visits with SHR reduce patient exposure to COVID-19. However, CHR provided a more reliable level of immobilisation in this study.Implications for practiceThe radiotherapy service will be reviewed in line with these findings.     

Postnatal maternal deprivation and pubertal stress have additive effects on dopamine D2 receptor and CaMKII beta expression in the striatum

The goal of this study was to determine whether two stressors commonly used to model aspects of neuropsychiatric disease in rats have an additive effect on striatal dopamine type 2 receptor (D2R) expression, a key player in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disease.     

膝关节固定后髌骨腱的生物力学改变

背景：骨关节固定常作为防止受伤组织被再次损伤的方法。 目的：膝关节固定对兔髌骨腱力学特性及超微形态的影响。 方法：将20只成年兔等分为固定组和对照组。固定组兔左后肢通过石膏和2个可调铝夹板，保持膝伸直，踝关节屈曲90°，固定6周后，取髌骨腱-骨复合物，观察两组髌骨腱的生物力学性能和超微结构变化。 结果与结论：膝关节固定6周拉伸强度和切线模量分别下降至对照组的64.44%和53.08%(P < 0.01)，但两组伸长率和最大负荷差异没有显著性意义。两组材料常数及应力应变关系曲线完全不同。固定组髌骨腱的横截面积明显大于对照组(P < 0.01)，小胶原纤维占有优势。说明固定不仅会导致髌骨腱生物力学的变化，而且对髌骨腱自身也产生影响。     

Effect of Sulfonylureas Administered Centrally on the Blood Glucose Level in Immobilization Stress Model

Sulfonylureas are widely used as an antidiabetic drug. In the present study, the effects of sulfonylurea administered supraspinally on immobilization stress-induced blood glucose level were studied in ICR mice. Mice were once enforced into immobilization stress for 30 min and returned to the cage. The blood glucose level was measured 30, 60, and 120 min after immobilization stress initiation. We found that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection with 30 µg of glyburide, glipizide, glimepiride or tolazamide attenuated the increased blood glucose level induced by immobilization stress. Immobilization stress causes an elevation of the blood corticosterone and insulin levels. Sulfonylureas pretreated i.c.v. caused a further elevation of the blood corticosterone level when mice were forced into the stress. In addition, sulfonylureas pretreated i.c.v. alone caused an elevation of the plasma insulin level. Furthermore, immobilization stress-induced insulin level was reduced by i.c.v. pretreated sulfonylureas. Our results suggest that lowering effect of sulfonylureas administered supraspinally against immobilization stress-induced increase of the blood glucose level appears to be primarily mediated via elevation of the plasma insulin level.     

Laughter as a social rejection cue: Gelotophobia and transient cardiac responses to other persons' laughter and insult

Other persons' laughter, normally perceived as a signal that persons are friendly and inviting others to approach, can also be perceived as a cue of social rejection. In this study, prerecorded laughter was placed in a realistic and personally relevant context, and participants' responses were related to gelotophobia, a trait predisposing to perceiving laughter as a cue of social rejection. Individuals with gelotophobia showed marked heart rate deceleration in response to the laughter stimulus, possibly indicating a “freezing‐like” response. Moreover, cardiac responses to anger provocation by overtly insulting statements indicated heightened aggressive anger in response to cumulated social threat. The study adds to recent research showing specific cardiac responses to social rejection and to the literature on social rejection sensitivity by demonstrating the value of using well interpretable physiological measures in this research context.     

TIME-RESOLVED IMMUNOFLUOROMETRY OF SERUM HTSH WITH ENHANCED SENSITIVITY

ABSTRACT

Sensitive TSH immunoassays offer a clear advance in discriminating the TSH concentrations in serum between hyperthyroid and euthyroid individuals; they have been proposed as the best single screening test for thyroid disorders. We have developed a highly sensitive serum TSH TRFIA based on DELFIA technology. Three monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) directed against different epitopes of the TSH molecule were involved in this assay, of which, one McAb was used to coat clear microwells, and the other two were biotinylated for signal generation after being bound by the europium labeled streptavidin. The europium label captured on the well surface was quantified by a routine dissociation-enhancement procedure. The fluorescence intensity was directly proportional to the serum hTSH concentration. The assay required two steps and could be completed within 5 h. The analytical sensitivity reached 0.002 mIU/L with a sample volume of 100 µL, the function sensitivity was 0.017 mIU/L. Measurements by the present method correlated well with that obtained by the ACS-180 chemi-luminescence immunoassay (CLIA). The discrimination of hyperthyroid patients from clinically euthyroid patients by the present method was much better than that by the routine IRMA.     

Drilling of bone: A comprehensive review

BackgroundBone fracture treatment usually involves restoring of the fractured parts to their initial position and immobilizing them until the healing takes place. Drilling of bone is common to produce hole for screw insertion to fix the fractured parts for immobilization. Orthopaedic drilling during surgical process causes increase in the bone temperature and forces which can cause osteonecrosis reducing the stability and strength of the fixation.MethodsA comprehensive review of all the relevant investigations carried on bone drilling is conducted. The experimental method used, results obtained and the conclusions made by the various researchers are described and compared.ResultReview suggests that the further improvement in the area of bone drilling is possible. The systematic review identified several consequential factors (drilling parameters and drill specifications) affecting bone drilling on which there no general agreement among investigators or are not adequately evaluated. These factors are highlighted and use of more advanced methods of drilling is accentuated. The use of more precise experimental set up which resembles the actual situation and the development of automated bone drilling system to minimize human error is addressed.ConclusionIn this review, an attempt has been made to systematically organize the research investigations conducted on bone drilling. Methods of treatment of bone fracture, studies on the determination of the threshold for thermal osteonecrosis, studies on the parameters influencing bone drilling and methods of the temperature measurement used are reviewed and the future work for the further improvement of bone drilling process is highlighted.     

The impact of antipsychotics as a risk factor for thromboembolism

Patients with schizophrenia are predisposed toward developing cardiovascular disease. Although neuroleptics affect the cardiovascular system, it is also important to consider the consequences of the disease itself such as lower physical activity due to living on disability pension, inadequate nutrition, and/or nicotine addiction, being more common among patients with schizophrenia versus the general population. All these factors combined lead to an increased risk of death caused by cardiovascular conditions in schizophrenic patients. Individuals receiving typical antipsychotic drugs have been reported to have elevated concentrations of antiphospholipid antibodies, including anticoagulants and anticardiolipin antibodies. The presence of both antibodies is associated with an increased risk for thromboembolism. It is also likely that mental illness is accompanied by increased procoagulant activity. Patients with acute psychosis have been shown to have a statistically significant increase in the concentrations of D-dimer, P-selectin, and in the expression of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors. Learning about causes and mechanisms of venous thromboembolism could help to reduce or neutralize the adverse effects of antipsychotic treatment and facilitate the identification of appropriate markers necessary to monitor changes and provide preventive care against hazardous and potentially fatal complications such as deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Before atypical neuroleptic treatment is administered to hospitalized patients, all possible risk factors for thromboembolism should be considered to allow the application of lower risk drugs. Also, other preventive measures should be taken into account, including hydration, compression stockings, regular exercise of lower extremities, and low-molecular-weight heparin injections.     

星点设计-效应面法优化壳聚糖微球对凝血酶的固定化作用研究

目的 考察壳聚糖微球对凝血酶的固定化作用。方法 本研究以壳聚糖微球为载体,以戊二醛为交联剂将凝血酶固定于空白微球上,以固定化凝血酶的活性回收率为指标,采用星点设计-效应面法优化固定凝血酶的条件。结果 试验结果表明,壳聚糖微球固定凝血酶的最优条件是：凝血酶浓度69.32 U·mL^-1、戊二醛浓度0.18%、固定化时间1.88 h、固定化pH 7.08,凝血酶的活性回收率为81.55 %。结论 壳聚糖微球对凝血酶的固定化效果良好。