The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on head and neck cancer patients' care

The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on head and neck cancer patients' care

Moddicom: a Complete and Easily Accessible Library for Prognostic Evaluations Relying on Image Features

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) are increasingly exploited in the area of prognostic evaluations. For predicting the effect of therapies on patients, the trend is now to use image features, i.e. information that can be automatically computed by considering images resulting by analysis. The DSSs application as predictive tools is particularly suitable for cancer treatment, given the peculiarities of the disease –which is highly localised and lead to significant social costs– and the large number of images that are available for each patient. At the state of the art, there exists tools that allow to handle image features for prognostic evaluations, but they are not designed for medical experts. They require either a strong engineering or computer science background since they do not integrate all the required functions, such as image retrieval and storage. In this paper we fill this gap by proposing Moddicom, a user-friendly complete library specifically designed to be exploited by physicians. A preliminary experimental analysis, performed by a medical expert that used the tool, demonstrates the efficiency and the effectiveness of Moddicom

Recommendations on how to establish evidence from auto-segmentation software in radiotherapy

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Eicosapentaenoic acid induces DNA demethylation in carcinoma cells through a TET1-dependent mechanism

In cancer cells, global genomic hypomethylation is found together with localized hypermethylation of CpG islands within the promoters and regulatory regions of silenced tumor suppressor genes. Demethylating agents may reverse hypermethylation, thus promoting gene re-expression. Unfortunately, demethylating strategies are not efficient in solid tumor cells. DNA demethylation is mediated by ten-eleven translocation enzymes (TETs). They sequentially convert 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), which is associated with active transcription; 5-formylcytosine; and finally, 5-carboxylcytosine. Although α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid, the major n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have anti-cancer effects, their action, as DNA-demethylating agents, has never been investigated in solid tumor cells. Here, we report that EPA demethylates DNA in hepatocarcinoma cells. EPA rapidly increases 5hmC on DNA, inducing p21Waf1/Cip1 gene expression, which slows cancer cell-cycle progression. We show that the underlying molecular mechanism involves TET1. EPA simultaneously binds peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα), thus promoting their heterodimer and inducing a PPARγ-TET1 interaction. They generate a TET1-PPARγ-RXRα protein complex, which binds to a hypermethylated CpG island on the p21 gene, where TET1 converts 5mC to 5hmC. In an apparent shuttling motion, PPARγ and RXRα leave the DNA, whereas TET1 associates stably. Overall, EPA directly regulates DNA methylation levels, permitting TET1 to exert its anti-tumoral function.-Ceccarelli, V., Valentini, V., Ronchetti, S., Cannarile, L., Billi, M., Riccardi, C., Ottini, L., Talesa, V. N., Grignani, F., Vecchini, A., Eicosapentaenoic acid induces DNA demethylation in carcinoma cells through a TET1-dependent mechanism

Electron beams produced by innovative photocathodes based on nanodiamond layers

The investigation of two different photocathodes (PCs) based on nanodiamond (ND) layers, irradiated by a KrF nanosecond excimer laser (wavelength, \ensuremath{\lambda}=248\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{nm}; photon energy, ${E}_{\mathrm{Ph}}=5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$) is reported. The ND layers were deposited by means of a pulsed spray technique. Specifically, the active layer of each PC consisted of untreated (as-received) and hydrogenated ND particles, 250 nm in size, sprayed on a $p$-doped silicon substrate. The ND-based photocathodes were tested in a vacuum chamber at {10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{mbar} and compared to a Cu-based one, used as reference. All the photocathodes were irradiated at normal incidence. The quantum efficiency (QE) of the photocathodes was assessed. QE values of the ND-based photocathodes were higher than that of the reference one. In particular, the hydrogenated ND-based PC exhibited the highest QE due to the negative electron affinity that results from the surface terminated by hydrogen. Additionally, the photocathode surface/local temperature and the multiphoton process contribution to the electron emission were studied

Development and validation of a machine learning-based predictive model to improve the prediction of inguinal status of anal cancer patients: A preliminary report

Introduction: The role of prophylactic inguinal irradiation (PII) in the treatment of anal cancer patients is controversial. We developped an innovative algorithm based on the Machine Learning (ML) allowing the tailoring of the prescription of PII. Results: Once verified on the independent testing set, J48 showed the better performances, with specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy rates in predicting relapsing patients of 86.4%, 50.0% and 83.1% respectively (vs 36.5%, 90.4% and 80.25%, respectively, for LR). Methods: We classified 194 anal cancer patients with Logistic Regression (LR) and other 3 ML techniques based on decision trees (J48, Random Tree and Random Forest), using a large set of clinical and therapeutic variables. We tested obtained ML algorithms on an independent testing set of 65 anal cancer patients. TRIPOD (Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis) methodology was used for the development, the Quality Assurance and the description of the experimental procedures. Conclusion: In an internationally approved quality assurance framework, ML seems promising in predicting the outcome of patients that would benefit or not of the PII. Once confirmed in larger and/or multi-centric databases, ML could support the physician in tailoring the treatment and in deciding if deliver or not the PII

Relative echogenicity of tendons and ligaments of the palmar metacarpal region in foals from birth to 4 months of age: A longitudinal study

The objective of this study was to evaluate relative echogenicity of superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, the accessory ligament of the deep digital flexor tendon and interosseous muscle of the metacarpal region in foals ages 1 week to 4 months; and assess the association between echogenicity and sex or side/laterality. Seven Standardbred trotter foals were examined. Right and left metacarpal regions (palmar surface) were ultrasonographically investigated, and four regions of interest were assessed. A significant increase in echogenicity was seen in superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, accessory ligament of deep digital flexor tendon, and interosseous muscle during growth from 1 week to 4 months of age. Echogenicity of examined tendons and ligaments was not influenced by gender nor laterality. Reference values for tendon and ligament echogenicity could function as a tool to discriminate between physiological and abnormal conditions such as congenital contractural conditions

Antibacterial and antioxidant properties of humic substances from composted agricultural biomasses

Background: Bioactive components isolated from composted agricultural biomasses have been receiving progressive attention, because they may improve the antibiotic susceptibility of drug resistant bacterial strains. Here, three different humic substances (HS) were isolated from composted artichoke (HS-CYN) and pepper (HS-PEP) wastes, and from coffee grounds (HS-COF), and characterized by infrared spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, thermochemolysis–GC/MS, and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. The antibacterial activity of HS was evaluated against some pathogenic bacterial strains, while their bioactivity was determined by a germination assay on basil (Red–Violet variety) seeds. Results: HS-CYN and HS-PEP exhibited the largest antioxidant activity and most significant antimicrobial capacity against some gram-positive bacterial strains, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The same HS determined a significant increase of both root and epicotyls in seed germination experiments. The bioactivity of HS was related not only to their specific molecular composition but also to the conformational stability of their suprastructures. Specifically, the greatest bioactive and antimicrobial properties were related to the largest abundance of hydrophobic aromatic and phenolic components and to a more rigid conformational arrangement, that, in turn, appeared to be related to a small fragmentation degree of lignin structures. Conclusions: Our results showed that extraction of bioactive HS from green composts may be a sustainable and eco-compatible way to valorise agricultural byproducts. HS may be indeed exploited as substrates to produce novel materials not only to improve plant productivity but also for medical applications. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Disc Regeneration Using MSC Transplanted via the Endplate Route

IntroductionStem cell based intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration is quickly moving toward clinical applications.1 However, many aspects need to be investigated to routinely translate this therapy..