70. Ocena skuteczności przeciwbólowej radioterapii ostróg piętowych

Założenia i cel pracyOdokostnowy wzrost kości w miejscu przyczepu ścięgien do kości piętowej (ostrogi) często jest powodem uciążliwych bólów. Celem naszej pracy była ocena skuteczności radioterapii, jako metody leczenia tych zespołów bólowych.Materiał i metodykaRetrospektywny materiał obejmował 798 przypadków (181 M, 617 K) bolesnych ostróg kości piętowych napromienianych przy użyciu dawki frakcyjnej 1–3 Gy (średnia 1,5 Gy) do dawki całkowitej zawierającej się w przedziale od 1,5 do 22,5 Gy (średnia 8 Gy). Wiek chorych zawierał się w przedziale od 24 do 85 lat (średnia 56). Podobna liczba zmian była zlokalizowana po lewej i prawej stronie. Średnia wielkość ostrogi wynosiła 0,9 cm, a średnia wielkość napromienianego pola 57 cm2. Średni czas trwania objawów wynosił 32 miesiące. W 155 przypadkach było to powtórne napromienianie. W 768 przypadkach zastosowano promieniowanie X, w 18 wysokoenergetyczne fotony, w 9 elektrony, a w 3 promieniowanie gamma. Średni okres obserwacji wynosił 17,5 miesiąca. Oceniono stopień zmniejszenia bólu po zakończeniu leczenia oraz czas utrzymywania się efektu przeciwbólowego. Obliczono odsetek chorych nie zgłaszających bólu spoczynkowego oraz bólu w trakcie chodzenia podczas ostatniej kontroli.WynikiPo zakończeniu radioterapii całkowite ustąpienie bólu odnotowano w 44%. W pozostałej grupie zmniejszenie bólu o więcej niż 50% w stosunku do stanu z przed leczenia osiągnięto u 42%, o mniej niż 50% u 28%, a w 30% nie odnotowano efektu przeciwbólowego. Średni czas utrzymywania się efektu wyniósł 12 miesięcy. Podczas ostatniej kontroli 45% chorych nie zgłaszało bólów w spoczynku, a 29% podczas chodzenia.WniosekOtrzymane wyniki pozwa1ają na sformułowanie wniosku, że radioterapia jest skuteczną i bezpieczną metodą leczenia bolesnych ostróg kości piętowych oraz może być stosowane w przypadkach nie poddających się leczeniu konwencjonalnemu

Interleukin 21 inhibits cancer-mediated FOXP3 induction in naïve human CD4 T cells

IL-21 is known to promote anti-tumour immunity due to its ability to promote T cell responses and counteract Treg-mediated suppression. It has also been shown to limit Treg frequencies during tumour-antigen stimulations. However, whether this represents inhibition of FOXP3 induction in naïve CD4 T cells or curtailed expansion of natural Treg remains unclear. Moreover, whether this effect is maintained in an environment of tumour-derived immunosuppressive factors is not known. Here, we show that in the context of a number of cancers, naïve CD45RA+ CD4 T cells are induced to express high levels of FOXP3, and that FOXP3 expression correlates with inhibition of T cell proliferation. FOXP3 expression was most potently induced by tumours secreting higher levels of total and active TGFβ1 and this induction could be potently counteracted with IL-21, restoring T cell proliferation. We conclude that Treg induction in naïve T cells is a common phenomenon amongst a number of different cancers and that the ability of IL-21 to counteract this effect is further evidence of its promise in cancer therapy

Experimental characterization of hot-electron emission and shock dynamics in the context of the shock ignition approach to inertial confinement fusion

We report on planar target experiments conducted on the OMEGA-EP laser facility performed in the context of the shock ignition (SI) approach to inertial confinement fusion. The experiment aimed at characterizing the propagation of strong shock in matter and the generation of hot electrons (HEs), with laser parameters relevant to SI (1-ns UV laser beams with I ∼1016 W/cm2). Time-resolved radiographs of the propagating shock front were performed in order to study the hydrodynamic evolution. The hot-electron source was characterized in terms of Maxwellian temperature, Th, and laser to hot-electron energy conversion efficiency η using data from different X-ray spectrometers. The post-processing of these data gives a range of the possible values for Th and η [i.e., T h [keV] a (20, 50) and η a (2%, 13%)]. These values are used as input in hydrodynamic simulations to reproduce the results obtained in radiographs, thus constraining the range for the HE measurements. According to this procedure, we found that the laser converts ∼10% ± 4% of energy into hot electrons with Th = 27 ± 8 keV. The paper shows how the coupling of different diagnostics and numerical tools is required to sufficiently constrain the problem, solving the large ambiguity coming from the post-processing of spectrometers data. The effect of the hot electrons on the shock dynamics is then discussed, showing an increase in the pressure around the shock front. The low temperature found in this experiment without pre-compression laser pulses could be advantageous for the SI scheme, but the high conversion efficiency may lead to an increase in the shell adiabat, with detrimental effects on the implosion

Mercury Spikes Indicate a Volcanic Trigger for the Late Ordovician Mass Extinction Event: An Example from a Deep Shelf of the Peri-Baltic Region.

The Late Ordovician mass extinction (LOME) was the second largest Phanerozoic crisis, but its cause remains elusive. Several triggering mechanisms have been proposed over the years, including bioevolutionary events, oceanographic changes, and geotectonic processes. Here, we report the presence of Hg spikes in the Zbrza PIG-1 borehole from the Upper Ordovician deep shelf sections of the peri-Baltic region. A strong positive anomaly in the lower late Katian (Hg/TOC = 2537.3 ppb/wt%) was noted. No correlation between Hg and TOC (R² = 0.07) was distinguished in the Hirnantian, although several positive anomalies were found. Because the Hg/Mo ratio showed trends very similar to those of Hg/TOC, it seems likely that TOC values reflect the redox conditions. In order to evaluate the role of anoxia in levels of Hg enrichment several redox indicators were measured. These showed that the elevated mercury values in the Hirnantian are not caused by anoxia/euxinia because euxinic biomarkers (maleimides and aryl isoprenoids) are present in very low abundance and pyrite framboids are absent. In total, positive Hg/TOC anomalies occur in the lower late Katian, at the Katian - Hirnantian boundary, and in the late Hirnantian. The lack of a strong Hg/TOC correlation, Ni enrichments, and the absence of 'anoxic indicators' (no biomarkers, no framboids, low Mo concentration) at these levels, supports the interpretation that Hg enrichment is due to enhanced environmental loading. We conclude that our Hg and Hg/TOC values were associated with volcanic pulses which triggered the massive environmental changes resulting in the Late Ordovician mass extinction

Leaky doors: private captivity as a prominent source of bird introductions in Australia

The international pet trade is a major source of emerging invasive vertebrate species. We used online resources as a novel source of information for accidental bird escapes, and we investigated the factors that influence the frequency and distribution of bird escapes at a continental scale. We collected information on over 5,000 pet birds reported to be missing on animal websites during the last 15 years in Australia. We investigated whether variables linked to pet ownership successfully predicted bird escapes, and we assessed the potential distribution of these escapes. Most of the reported birds were parrots (> 90%), thus, we analysed factors associated with the frequency of parrot escapes. We found that bird escapes in Australia are much more frequent than previously acknowledged. Bird escapes were reported more frequently within, or around, large Australian capital cities. Socio-economic factors, such as the average personal income level of the community, and the level of human modification to the environment were the best predictors of bird escapes. Cheaper parrot species, Australian natives, and parrot species regarded as peaceful or playful were the most frequently reported escapees. Accidental introductions have been overlooked as an important source of animal incursions. Information on bird escapes is available online in many higher income countries and, in Australia, this is particularly apparent for parrot species. We believe that online resources may provide useful tools for passive surveillance for non-native pet species. Online surveillance will be particularly relevant for species that are highly reported, such as parrots, and species that are either valuable or highly commensal.Miquel Vall-llosera, Phillip Casse