An ultrasonographic monitoring of skin condition in patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancers

Radiodermatitis is one of the commonest side effects of radiotherapy. They are usually assessed by semi‐quantitative clinical scores, which are not validated and may be subject to inter‐observer variability. A few previous studies suggested that high‐frequency ultrasonography (HF‐USG) is useful in the assessment of the acute phase of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients. (a) To monitor skin changes by HF‐USG during the course of radiotherapy due to head and neck cancers, and (b) to determine whether there is any connection between skin sonograms and the skin scoring criteria. This prospective, observational study includes patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers, treated with radiotherapy or concomitant chemoradiation. The final analysis includes six patients. In every patient, the HF‐USG as well as dermatological assessment (target lesion score—TLS and CACE v. 4.0) were performed 4×: before, in the middle, day after, and 3 months after radiotherapy. There were significant differences between non‐irradiated skin thickness and thickness of skin with clinically obvious radiodermatitis (TLS grade 1‐4; P < .0001), as well as between irradiated, unchanged skin thickness (TLS grade 0) and thickness of skin with clinically obvious radiodermatitis (TLS grade 1‐4; P = .0002). There was no significant difference between non‐irradiated and irradiated, unchanged skin thickness (TLS grade 0; P = .9318). In four patients, we demonstrated subepidermal low echogenic band (SLEB). HF‐USG can be useful tool to noninvasive and objective assessment of skin changes during radiotherapy.     

TMB-8 (8-(N,N-diethylamino) octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate) inhibits the ATP-sensitive K+ channel.

Whole-cell current clamp, single-channel recordings and 86Rb+ flux techniques have been used to show that 8-(N,N-diethyl-amino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8) inhibits ATP-sensitive K+ channels in HIT-T15 beta-cells. TMB-8 inhibition is observed when KATP channels are activated by ATP depletion or by the K+ channel opener, diazoxide.     

Advanced systemic sclerosis complicated by pulmonary hypertension and complete atrioventricular block: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disorder of unknown etiology characterized by fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs, in which the heart is frequently (40-70% of patients) and severely involved. Pulmonary hypertension affects 10-15% of patients with SSc and is one of the most important complications adversely influencing their survival. CASE REPORT: The case report presents a 59-year-old male patient with advanced systemic sclerosis whose initial examination revealed pulmonary hypertension, rhythm and atrioventricular conduction disturbances, and elevated level of NT-proBNP. After six months the patient deteriorated; an increase in NT-proBNP level and progression of pulmonary hypertension were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The described case is followed by a discussion of cardiovascular involvement in systemic sclerosis and emphasizes that heart involvement in SSc may have very serious clinical implications.     

Locally secreted histamine may regulate the development of ovarian follicles by apoptosis

Inflammation Research -     

Liposomal Bupivacaine Versus Bupivacaine/Epinephrine Intercostal Nerve Block as Part of an Enhanced Recovery After Thoracic Surgery (ERATS) Care Pathway for Robotic Thoracic Surgery

ObjectivesTo examine how postoperative pain control after robotic thoracoscopic surgery varies with liposomal bupivacaine (LipoB) versus 0.5% bupivacaine/1:200,000 epinephrine (Bupi/Epi) intercostal nerve blocks within the context of an enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery (ERATS) protocol.DesignA retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing robotic thoracoscopic procedures between September 1, 2018 and October 31, 2019 was conducted.SettingUniversity of Miami, single-institutional.ParticipantsPatients.InterventionsTwo hundred fifty-two patients had either LipoB intercostal nerve blocks (n = 129) or Bupi/Epi intercostal nerve blocks (n = 123) when undergoing robotic thoracic surgery.Measurements and Main ResultsComparative analysis of patient-reported pain levels, in-hospital and post-discharge opioid requirements, 90-day operative complications, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs was performed. Data were stratified to either anatomic lung resection or pulmonary wedge resection/mediastinal-pleural procedures. Bupi/Epi patients reported significantly more acute postoperative pain than LipoB patients, which correlated with higher in-hospital and post-discharge opioid requirements. There were no differences in postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, or hospital costs between the two groups.ConclusionsAs part of an ERATS protocol, infiltration of intercostal spaces and surgical wounds with LipoB for robotic thoracoscopic procedures afforded better postoperative subjective pain control and decreased opioid requirements without an increase in hospital costs as compared with use of Bupi/Epi.     

Humoral immunity to streptococcal antigen in acute and chronic glomerulonephritis

A study was carried out to verify the clinical usefulness of the elaborated method for the measurement of antistreptococcal antibody in revealing the streptococcal etiology of glomerulonephritis.In 158 patients with glomerulonephritis antistreptococcal antibody (ASA), circulating immune complexes (CIC) and haemolytic activity of the complement were measured.On the basis of immune complex formation it has been concluded that streptococcal infection may cause glomerulonephritis. Serial determinations of ASA and CIC are helpful in establishing the streptococcal etiology of glomerulonephritis and in monitoring the course of the disease.     

Validation of the Anhysteretic Magnetization Model for Soft Magnetic Materials with Perpendicular Anisotropy

The paper presents results of validation of the anhysteretic magnetization model for a soft amorphous alloy with significant perpendicular anisotropy. The validation was carried out for the Jiles-Atherton model with Ramesh extension considering anisotropy. Due to the fact that it is difficult to measure anhysteretic magnetization directly, the soft magnetic core with negligible hysteresis was used. The results of validation indicate that the Jiles-Atherton model with Ramesh extension should be corrected to allow accurate modeling of the anhysteretic magnetization. The corrected model may be applied for modeling the cores of current transformers operating in a wide range of measured currents.     

Parallel-opposed fields versus four fields, and two- versus three-dimensional radiotherapy planning in thin patients with gynecological malignancies

Conformal radiotherapy constitutes the standard management of pelvic malignancies, yet its role in thin patients remains debatable. This study compares dose distribution for 2D and 3D treatment techniques for cobalt (60Co) and high energy photons from linear accelerator (LA) in cervical and endometrial cancer patients with antero-posterior diameter of less than 20 cm. CT-based 3D treatment planning and 2D simulation were performed in 10 patients. Particular techniques were compared in terms of treatment portal areas, coverage of planning target volume (PTV) and sparing of critical organs. For 60Co beams, PTV was not covered adequately with 2D fields in nine patients and with conformal fields in seven. For LA, PTV was not adequately covered with 2D two-field and 2D four-field ("box") technique in three and one patients, respectively. Mean bladder dose was comparable for all plans. Both 2D "box" and 3D "box" technique spared additional portion of the rectum volume included in 95% isodose, compared to two-field plan. 3D treatment planning better protected the small intestine. Use of multiple field techniques and 3D planning allows for some improvement of PTV coverage and normal tissue sparing, although the magnitude of this benefit must be weighted against savings of time and labour related to use of simpler treatment techniques.     

Hydrophilic nanofibers in fog collectors for increased water harvesting efficiency

The water crisis is a big social problem and one of the solutions are the Fog Water Collectors (FWCs) that are placed in areas, where the use of conventional methods to collect water is impossible or inadequate. The most common fog collecting medium in FWC is Raschel mesh, which in our study is modified with electrospun polyamide 6 (PA6) nanofibers. The hydrophilic PA6 nanofibers were directly deposited on Raschel meshes to create the hierarchical structure that increases the effective surface area which enhances the ability to catch water droplets from fog. The meshes and the wetting behavior were investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and environmental SEM (ESEM). We performed the fog water collection experiments on various configurations of Raschel meshes with hydrophilic PA6 nanofibers. The addition of hydrophilic nanofibers allowed us to obtain 3 times higher water collection rate of collecting water from fog. Within this study, we show the innovative and straightforward way to modify the existing technology that improves water collection by changing the mechanisms of droplet formation on the mesh.

Modification of Raschel meshes used for fog water collectors with PA6 nanofibers allow to obtain 300% higher water collection rate in collecting water from fog.