Dosimetric comparison of intensity modulated radiotherapy and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in patients with gynecologic malignancies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: To quantitatively evaluate the safety and related-toxicities of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) dose–volume histograms (DVHs), as compared to the conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), in gynecologic malignancy patients by systematic review of the related publications and meta-analysis. METHODS: Relevant articles were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to August 2011. Two independent reviewers assessed the included studies and extracted data. Pooled average percent irradiated volumes of adjacent non-cancerous tissues were calculated and compared between IMRT and 3D-CRT for a range of common radiation doses (5-45Gy). RESULTS: In total, 13 articles comprised of 222 IMRT-treated and 233 3D-CRT-treated patients were included. For rectum receiving doses ≥30 Gy, the IMRT pooled average irradiated volumes were less than those from 3D-CRT by 26.40% (30 Gy, p = 0.004), 27.00% (35 Gy, p = 0.040), 37.30% (40 Gy, p = 0.006), and 39.50% (45 Gy, p = 0.002). Reduction in irradiated small bowel was also observed for IMRT-delivered 40 Gy and 45 Gy (by 17.80% (p = 0.043) and 17.30% (p = 0.012), respectively), as compared with 3D-CRT. However, there were no significant differences in the IMRT and 3D-CRT pooled average percent volumes of irradiated small bowel or rectum from lower doses, or in the bladder or bone marrow from any of the doses. IMRT-treated patients did not experience more severe acute or chronic toxicities than 3D-CRT-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: IMRT-delivered high radiation dose produced significantly less average percent volumes of irradiated rectum and small bowel than 3D-CRT, but did not differentially affect the average percent volumes in the bladder and bone marrow

Intolerance of uncertainty and negative emotions among high school art students during COVID-19 pandemic: a moderated mediation analysis

ObjectivesA number of high school art students experience negative emotions during their preparation for the art college entrance examination, characterized by worries and fear of uncertainty. Therefore, how individual difference factors, such as intolerance of uncertainty, affect the negative emotions of students needs to be examined. Inspired by the integrative model of uncertainty tolerance, the current study seeks to explain the association between intolerance of uncertainty and negative emotions by testing the potential mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of family functioning.Patients and methodsA total of 919 Chinese high school art students (Mage = 18.50 years, range = 16–22) participated from November 2022 to December 2022. Convenience sampling strategies were used. The participants were asked to complete the measures of intolerance of uncertainty scale, psychological capital questionnaire, depression anxiety stress scale, and family adaptability and cohesion evaluation scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s r correlations and moderated mediation analysis.ResultsResults showed that intolerance of uncertainty was positively associated with negative emotions but negatively associated with psychological capital, which in turn, was negatively associated with negative emotions. Psychological capital mediated the indirect link of intolerance of uncertainty with negative emotions. Family functioning buffered the impact of psychological capital on negative emotions.ConclusionThis study can enhance our understanding of the intolerance of uncertainty on negative emotions and provide insights on interventions for high school art students’ negative emotions for educators. The interventions targeting intolerance of uncertainty, psychological capital and family functioning may be beneficial in reducing the effect of intolerance of uncertainty on negative emotions faced by high school art students

Decreased Triple Network Connectivity in Patients with Recent Onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a Single Prolonged Trauma Exposure

The triple network model provides a common framework for understanding affective and neurocognitive dysfunctions across multiple disorders, including central executive network (CEN), default mode network (DMN), and salience network (SN). Considering the effect of traumatic experience on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this study aims to explore the alteration of triple network connectivity in a specific PTSD induced by a single prolonged trauma exposure. With an arterial spin labeling sequence, three networks were first identified using independent component analysis among 10 PTSD patients and 10 healthy survivors, who experienced the same coal mining flood disaster. Then, the triple network connectivity was analyzed and compared between PTSD and non-PTSD groups. In PTSD patients, decreased connectivity was identified in left middle frontal gyrus of CEN, left precuneus and bilateral superior frontal gyrus of DMN, and right anterior insula of SN. The decreased connectivity in left middle frontal gyrus of CEN was associated with clinical severity. Furthermore, no significant connection of SN with CEN and DMN was found in PTSD patients. The decreased triple network connectivity was found in this study, which not only supports the triple network model, but also suggests a possible neurobiological mechanism for cognitive dysfunction of this type of PTSD

Interpreting core-level spectra of oxidizing phosphorene: Theory and experiment

We combine ab initio density functional theory calculations with the equivalent cores approximation to determine core-level binding-energy shifts at phosphorus sites caused by oxidation of phosphorene. We find that presence of oxygen increases the core-level binding energies of P atoms and expect binding-energy shifts of up to 6 eV in highly defective geometries. We have identified likely binding geometries of oxygen that help to interpret the observed core-level photoemission spectra in samples at different stages of oxidation and allow us to determine the fractions of specific local geometries

Cold-Season Surface Energy Balance on East Rongbuk Glacier, Northern Slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest)

As the highest peak on the earth, Mt. Qomolangma provides an unparalleled platform to study glacier-atmosphere interaction. Although glacier surface energy balance (SEB) on Mt. Qomolangma was examined during warm season, relevant knowledge during cold season is still unknown, which prevents a complete understanding of all-season glacier SEB on it. Based on an in-situ observation from October 2007 to January 2008, this study presents a cold-season glacier SEB result at 6,523 m above sea level on Mt. Qomolangma and identifies its atmospheric control. Our results show that the observational period experienced strong winds and deficient clouds. Near-surface wind speeds usually exceeded 10 m s−1, resulting in a substantial sensible heat transport toward glacier and thus enhancing outgoing longwave radiation, which, under the combined effect of deficient clouds, eventually caused an increase in longwave radiative loss. The large solar zenith angle and relatively high albedo of the glacier surface led to a small absorption of solar irradiance, which, in combination with the strong longwave radiation loss, resulted in a semi-permanent surface radiative loss. Uncommon over the highly reflective glacier surface, clouds decreased the incident solar radiation more than increased the longwave radiation, demonstrating that the clouds' shading effect surpassed its greenhouse effect. As a vital heat sink, the turbulent latent heat induced an average sublimation rate of 0.8 mm water equivalent per day. This study provides valuable insights into the atmospheric control on the cold-season glacier-atmosphere interaction at high altitudes on Mt. Qomolangma when meteorological variables are subject to the westerlies