SIOP CNS GCT 96: final report of outcome of a prospective, multinational nonrandomized trial for children and adults with intracranial germinoma, comparing craniospinal irradiation alone with chemotherapy followed by focal primary site irradiation for patients with localized disease.

We conducted a nonrandomized international study for intracranial germinoma that compared chemotherapy followed by local radiotherapy with reduced-dose craniospinal irradiation (CSI) alone, to determine whether the combined treatment regimen produced equivalent outcome and avoided irradiation beyond the primary tumor site(s). Patients with localized germinoma received either CSI or 2 courses of carboplatin and etoposide alternating with etoposide and ifosfamide, followed by local radiotherapy. Metastatic patients received CSI with focal boosts to primary tumor and metastatic sites, with the option to be preceded with chemotherapy. Patients with localized germinoma (n 190) received either CSI alone (n 125) or combined therapy (n 65), demonstrating no differences in 5-year event-free or overall survival, but a difference in progression-free survival (0.97 0.02 vs 0.88 0.04; P .04). Seven of 65 patients receiving combined treatment experienced relapse (6 with ventricular recurrence outside the primary radiotherapy field), and only 4 of 125 patients treated with CSI alone experienced relapse (all at the primary tumor site). Metastatic patients (n 45) had 0.98 0.023 event-free and overall survival. Localized germinoma can be treated with reduced dose CSI alone or with chemotherapy and reduced-field radiotherapy. The pattern of relapse suggests inclusion of ventricles in the radiation field. Reduced-dose craniospinal radiation alone is effective in metastatic disease

Etude préliminaire d’un virus hémadsorbant-hémagglutinant isolé d’une lésion de pneumonie du veau

Charton André, Faye P., Lecoanet Jean, Le Layec Cl., Patte F. Etude préliminaire d’un virus hémadsorbant-hémagglutinant, isolé d’une lésion de pneumonie du veau. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 118 n°5, 1965. pp. 195-199

Analysis of lysine recognition and specificity of the Bacillus subtilis L box riboswitch

The ever-changing environment of a bacterial cell requires sophisticated mechanisms to adjust gene expression in response to changes in nutrient availability. L box riboswitch RNAs regulate gene expression in response to cellular lysine (lys) concentrations in the absence of additional regulatory factors. In Bacillus subtilis, binding of lysine (lys) to the L box RNA causes premature transcription termination in the leader region upstream of the lysC coding sequence. To date, little is known about the specific RNA–lys interactions required for transcription termination. In this study, we characterize features of the B. subtilis lysC leader RNA responsible for lys specificity, and structural elements of the lys molecule required for recognition. The wild-type lysC leader RNA can recognize and discriminate between lys and lys analogs. We identified leader RNA variants with mutations in the lys-binding pocket that exhibit changes in the specificity of ligand recognition. These data demonstrate that lysC leader RNA specificity is the result of recognition of ligand features through a series of distinct interactions between lys and nucleotides that comprise the lys-binding pocket, and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms employed by L box riboswitch RNAs to bind and recognize lys

Coracoid impingement syndrome: a literature review

Coracoid impingement syndrome is a less common cause of shoulder pain. Symptoms are presumed to occur when the subscapularis tendon impinges between the coracoid and lesser tuberosity of the humerus. Coracoid impingement should be included in the differential diagnosis when evaluating a patient with activity-related anterior shoulder pain. It is not thought to be as common as subacromial impingement, and the possibility of the coexistence of the two conditions must be taken into consideration before treatment of either as an isolated process. If nonoperative treatment fails to relieve symptoms, surgical decompression can be offered as an option

A new bivalve fauna from the Permian-Triassic boundary section of southwestern China

A new marine bivalve fauna from the continuous Upper Permian Longtan Formation to Lower Triassic Yelang Formation of the Zhongzai section in southwestern China is documented. Four bivalve assemblages spanning the Permian–Triassic boundary are recognized and regionally correlated in South China. The bivalve assemblages changed from elements dominated by Palaeozoic types to those dominated by Mesozoic types. Three new species, Claraia zhongzaiensis sp. nov., Claraia sp. nov. 1 and Claraia sp. nov. 2, are described

Dynamic thoracohumeral kinematics are dependent upon the etiology of the shoulder injury

[EN] Obtaining kinematic patterns that depend on the shoulder injury may be important when planning rehabilitation. The main goal of this study is to explore whether the kinematic patterns of continuous and repetitive shoulder elevation motions are different according to the type of shoulder injury in question, specifically tendinopathy or rotator cuff tear, and to analyze the influence of the load handled during its assessment. For this purpose, 19 individuals with tendinopathy and 9 with rotator cuff tear performed a repetitive scaption movement that was assessed with stereophotogrammetry. Furthermore, static range of motion (ROM) and isometric strength were evaluated with a goniometer and a dynamometer, respectively. Dynamic measurements of maximum elevation (Emax), variablility of the maximum angle (VMA), maximum angular velocity (Velmax), and time to maximum velocity (tmaxvel) were found to be significantly different between the tendinopathy group (TG) and the rotator cuff tear group (RTCG). No differences were found in the ROM assessed with goniometry and the isometric strength. The effect of increasing the load placed in the hand during the scaption movement led to significant differences in Emax, VMA, tmaxvel and repeatability. Therefore, only the dynamic variables showed sufficient capability of detecting differences in functional performance associated with structural shoulder injury. The differences observed in the kinematic variables between patients with tendinopathy and rotator cuff tear seem to be related to alterations in thoracohumeral rhythm and neuromuscular control. Kinematic analysis may contribute to a better understanding of the functional impact of shoulder injuries, which would help in the assessment and treatment of shoulder pain.This work was funded by the Spanish Government, Secretaria de Estado de Investigacion, Desarrollo e Innovacion, and co-financed by EU FEDER funds (Grant DPI2013-44227-R). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Lopez Pascual, J.; Page Del Pozo, AF.; Serra Añó, P. (2017). Dynamic thoracohumeral kinematics are dependent upon the etiology of the shoulder injury. PLoS ONE. 12(8). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183954S12

Combined treatment modality for intracranial germinomas: results of a multicentre SFOP experience

Conventional therapy for intracranial germinomas is craniospinal irradiation. In 1990, the Société Française d'Oncologie Pédiatrique initiated a study combining chemotherapy (alternating courses of etoposide–carboplatin and etoposide–ifosfamide for a recommended total of four courses) with 40 Gy local irradiation for patients with localized germinomas. Metastatic patients were allocated to receive low-dose craniospinal radiotherapy. Fifty-seven patients were enrolled between 1990 and 1996. Forty-seven had biopsy-proven germinoma. Biopsy was not performed in ten patients (four had diagnostic tumour markers and in six the neurosurgeon felt biopsy was contraindicated). Fifty-one patients had localized disease, and six leptomeningeal dissemination. Seven patients had bifocal tumour. All but one patient received at least four courses of chemotherapy. Toxicity was mainly haematological. Patients with diabetus insipidus (n = 25) commonly developed electrolyte disturbances during chemotherapy. No patient developed tumour progression during chemotherapy. Fifty patients received local radiotherapy with a median dose of 40 Gy to the initial tumour volume. Six metastatic patients, and one patient with localized disease who stopped chemotherapy due to severe toxicity, received craniospinal radiotherapy. The median follow-up for the group was 42 months. Four patients relapsed 9, 10, 38 and 57 months after diagnosis. Three achieved second complete remission following salvage treatment with chemotherapy alone or chemo-radiotherapy. The estimated 3-year survival probability is 98% (CI: 86.6–99.7%) and the estimated 3-year event-free survival is 96.4% (CI: 86.2–99.1%). This study shows that excellent survival rates can be achieved by combining chemotherapy and local radiotherapy in patients with non-metastatic intracranial germinomas. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Alterations in Epithelial and Mesenchymal Intestinal Gene Expression During Doxorubicin-Induced Mucositis in Mice

In the current study we aimed to gain insight into epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk and progenitor compartment modulation during doxorubicin (DOX)-induced mucositis in mice. Intestinal segments were collected on various days after DOX treatment. DOX-induced damage at day 1–2 was characterized by increased epithelial proliferation and apoptosis and a decrease in the expression of epithelial differentiation markers. Concurrently, T-cell factor-4 (TCF4) levels increased and the epithelial differentiation enhancing factor, bone morphogenic protein-4 (BMP4), decreased. During severe damage (day 3), BMP4 levels were significantly increased, which inversely correlated with epithelial proliferation. At the same time, the expression of the epithelial differentiation markers was increasing again. At day 7, BMP4 levels were down-regulated, while the levels of the epithelial differentiation markers and TCF4 were normalized again. These data suggest that in response to DOX-induced damage, BMP4 and TCF4 are modulated in such a way that homeostasis of the progenitor compartment is partly preserved