Aged lipid-laden microglia display impaired responses to stroke

Microglial cells of the aged brain manifest signs of dysfunction that could contribute to the worse neurological outcome of stroke in the elderly. Treatment with colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor antagonists enables transient microglia depletion that is followed by microglia repopulation after treatment interruption, causing no known harm to mice. We tested whether this strategy restored microglia function and ameliorated stroke outcome in old mice. Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion induced innate immune responses in microglia highlighted by type I interferon and metabolic changes involving lipid droplet biogenesis. Old microglia accumulated lipids under steady state and displayed exacerbated innate immune responses to stroke. Microglia repopulation in old mice reduced lipid-laden microglia, and the cells exhibited reduced inflammatory responses to ischemia. Moreover, old mice with renewed microglia showed improved motor function 2 weeks after stroke. We conclude that lipid deposits in aged microglia impair the cellular responses to ischemia and worsen functional recovery in old mice.© 2022 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license

Prevención de la mucositis bucal inducida por la radioterapia de cabeza y cuello

La mucositis es una importante complicación de la radioterapia de cabeza y cuello que tiene un notable impacto en la calidad de vida del paciente, puede condicionar la nutrición y forzar la interrupción de la radioterapia, comprometiendo el pronóstico de la enfermedad neoplásica. Este artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio retrospectivo que recoge la experiencia de un año aplicando un protocolo de prevención y tratamiento de mucositis inducida por radioterapia, que incluye colutorios con clorhexidina, bencidamina y sucralfato. Aparecen diferencias significativas en las semanas 3' y 5' de tratamiento a favor de los pacientes que siguieron el protocolo

The Representation of Women’s Roles in Television Series in Spain. Analysis of the Basque and Catalan Cases

The comparison of six Spanish television dramas has enabled us to analyse the role of women in these fictional products. In the series analysed there is a persistence of males playing the leading roles, as well as a reiteration of female stereotypes. In the case of the Catalan television dramas on TVC (El cor de la ciutat, Ventdelplà and Infidels) a more positive treatment of femininity could be observed in the series dealing with social customs. In the Basque productions on EITB (Goenkale, Martin and Mi querido Klikowsky) there is a perpetuation of the cliché of the Basque woman as being strong and capable of managing her home and family, as well as of her feelings. ----------------------------------------------------- La comparación de seis dramas televisivos españoles nos ha permitido analizar la imagen de la mujer en estos productos de ficción. En las series analizadas se observa una persistencia de la imagen del hombre en los papeles principales, así como un mantenimiento de los estereotipos femeninos. En el caso de los programas catalanes de TVC (El cor de la ciutat, Ventdelplà e Infidels) constatamos un mejor tratamiento de la imagen de la mujer en los productos costumbristas. En los programas vascos de la EITB (Goenkale, Martin y Mi querido Klikowsky) observamos una perpetuación del cliché de la mujer vasca fuerte y capaz de gestionar su casa, su familia y sus sentimientos

EROS 2.0 study: evaluation of two interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy) schedules for endometrial cancer: a comparison of late vaginal toxicity rates

Background To compare the late toxicity rates after two different high dose rate (HDR) adjuvant intravaginal interventional radiotherapy (IRT-brachytherapy) dose schedules in stage I-II endometrial cancer. Methods Stage I-II patients with endometrial cancer treated with surgery (with or without lymphadenectomy) and adjuvant HDR-IRT between 2014 and 2020 were included in this analysis. Patients were treated with two schedules. In the first cohort (C1), 21 Gy were delivered in three weekly fractions (7 Gy) prescribed 0.5 cm from the applicator surface. In the second cohort (C2), 24 Gy were delivered in four weekly fractions (6 Gy). The clinical target volume was the upper third of the vagina for C1 and the upper 3 cm for C2. HDR-IRT technique and point prescription (5 mm depth from the applicator surface) were the same for all patients. Vaginal toxicity was scored according to the CTCAE 5.0 scale in terms of the presence versus absence of any toxicity grade. The correlation among toxicity and clinical covariates (age, lymphadenectomy, fractionation, stage) was tested by Pearson correlation test (univariate) and by logistic regression (multivariable). Results 114 stage I and three stage II patients, median age 62 (range: 32-85) years, were included in this analysis. The mean follow-up was 56.3 months in C1 (40-76) and 20 months in C2 (8-42). Vaginal late toxicity was recorded in 40 and 15 patients in C1 and 2, respectively. Age, lymphadenectomy, and fractionation were significantly correlated with toxicity at univariate analysis (p value = 0.029, 0.006, and 0.002, respectively), while stepwise logistic regression confirmed only age and fractionation as significantly correlated parameters (p value = 0.02 and 0.001, respectively). Three-year local relapse-free, distant metastasis-free and cause-specific survival rates were 96.6%, 94.8%, and 99.1%, respectively. Conclusions This analysis showed lower vaginal late toxicity rate in C2 compared to C1

Parkinsonism secondary to metastatic lesions within the central nervous system: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Colorectal cancer is one of the most common human diseases worldwide, and metastases are detected in approximately 20% of patients at diagnosis. Brain metastases occur in only 4% of cases, however, and usually present with hemiparesis or other motor or sensory symptoms. There have been only a few reports of parkinsonism secondary to a brain tumor-related mass effect.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present an unusual case of parkinsonism secondary to multiple brain metastases. A 57-year-old Caucasian man had recently been diagnosed with primary carcinoma of the colon and had multiple metastases in the lungs and liver. He subsequently developed bilateral symmetrical parkinsonism, and multiple brain tumors were detected by computed tomography scanning. The condition of our patient deteriorated rapidly, and he became akinetic and dependent for all activities of daily living. He was followed up and treated at home by our palliative care unit team and died two weeks after the onset of his neurologic symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although primary and secondary brain tumors are uncommon causes of parkinsonism, their clinical presentation may resemble that of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. An awareness of this rare differential diagnosis is therefore important in ensuring early diagnosis and treatment, thus improving prognosis and quality of life. A rapid progression in neurologic symptoms was observed in our patient, and clinicians should be alert to this atypical presentation of secondary parkinsonism.</p

LDR brachytherapy offers superior tumor control to single-fraction HDR prostate brachytherapy: A prospective study

[Purpose]: To compare the clinical outcomes of single-fraction high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and single-fraction low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy as the sole treatment for primary prostate cancer. [Material and Methods]: A quasi-randomized study that allocated, from March 2008 to February 2012, 129 low and intermediate risk prostate cancer patients to one single-fraction HDR of 19 Gy (61 patients) or to a 145 Gy 125I LDR permanent implant (68 patients. Biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis. [Results]: After a median follow-up of 72 months in the HDR group, 26 patients relapsed, and after a median follow-up of 84 months in the LDR group, 7 patients relapsed (p < 0.0001). The 5-year bRFS was significantly better for the LDR group than for the HDR group (93.7% and 61.1%, respectively) (p < 0.0001). The 5-year OS also was significantly better in the LDR group (95.5% vs. 89.9%) (p = 0.0436). [Conclusions]: Permanent LDR prostate implant brachytherapy offers better clinical outcomes than single-fraction HDR for prostate cancer.Peer reviewe

Exchange biasing and electric polarization with YMnO3

We report on the growth and functional characterization of epitaxial thin films of the multiferroic YMnO3. We show that using Pt as a seed layer on SrTiO3(111) substrates, epitaxial YMnO3 films (0001) textured are obtained. An atomic force microscope has been used to polarize electric domains revealing the ferroelectric nature of the film. When a Permalloy layer is grown on top of the YMnO3(0001) film, clear indications of exchange bias and enhanced coercivity are observed at low temperature. The observation of coexisting antiferromagnetism and electrical polarization suggests that the biferroic character of YMnO3 can be exploited in novel devices.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, Applied Physics Letters (in press

Ent cobra ontology: the covariates classification system proposed by the Head & Neck and Skin GEC-ESTRO Working Group for interdisciplinary standardized data collection in head and neck patient cohorts treated with interventional radiotherapy (brachytherapy)

Purpose: Clinical data collecting is expensive in terms of time and human resources. Data can be collected in different ways; therefore, performing multicentric research based on previously stored data is often difficult. The primary objective of the ENT COBRA (COnsortium for BRachytherapy data Analysis) ontology is to define a specific terminological system to standardized data collection for head and neck (H&amp;N) cancer patients treated with interventional radiotherapy. Material and methods: ENT-COBRA is a consortium for standardized data collection for H&amp;N patients treated with interventional radiotherapy. It is linked to H&amp;N and Skin GEC-ESTRO Working Group and includes 11 centers from 6 countries. Its ontology was firstly defined by a multicentric working group, then evaluated by the consortium followed by a multi-professional technical commission involving a mathematician, an engineer, a physician with experience in data storage, a programmer, and a software expert. Results: Two hundred and forty variables were defined on 13 input forms. There are 3 levels, each offering a specific type of analysis: 1. Registry level (epidemiology analysis); 2. Procedures level (standard oncology analysis); 3. Research level (radiomics analysis). The ontology was approved by the consortium and technical commission; an ad-hoc software architecture (\u201cbroker\u201d) remaps the data present in already existing storage systems of the various centers according to the shared terminology system. The first data sharing was successfully performed using COBRA software and the ENT COBRA Ontology, automatically collecting data directly from 3 different hospital databases (L\ufcbeck, Navarra, and Rome) in November 2017. Conclusions: The COBRA Ontology is a good response to the multi-dimensional criticalities of data collection, retrieval, and usability. It allows to create a software for large multicentric databases with implementation of specific remapping functions wherever necessary. This approach is well-received by all involved parties, primarily because it does not change a single center\u2019s storing technologies, procedures, and habits