For other analysed end points, the clinical benefit of PBT mainly depends on tumour location in relation to organs at risk as well as prescription doses. NTCP models can be useful tools for treatment plan comparison. However, most published toxicity data were derived from XRT cohorts; this review has highlighted the need for further studies relating dose-volume parameters to observed toxicity in PBT-treated patients. Specifically, there is a need for PBT-specific NTCP models that can be implemented in the clinical practice. NTCP models built on robust clinical data for the most common radiotherapy toxicities in the brain would potentially redefine the current indications for PBT.

The crosstalk between tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancer cells plays a critical role in the occurrence and development of ovarian cancer. Imprinted gene MEST is a tumor-promoting factor that modulates several carcinogenic signaling pathways. This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of MEST and its association with immune cell infiltration.

The transcriptome data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was utilized, and the expression and immune characteristics of MEST were verified by immunohistochemistry of ovarian cancer specimens. Kaplan-Meier Plotter was used to assess the prognostic value in patients with ovarian cancer.

We found that high expression of MEST was associated with diminished immune cell infiltration and worse prognosis of ovarian cancer patients in independent cohorts. There was a positive correlation between MEST and BRCA1 expression. The MEST

BRCA1

ovarian cancer group was correlated with lower infiltration of CD4

cells, CD57

cells, CD68

cells and MPO

cells, had worse overall survival (OS) in TCGA (HR=1.57, p=0.0004) and GSE27651 (HR=4.27, p=0.0002) cohorts, and predicted poor progress free survival (PFS) in GSE9891 (HR=1.76, p=0.0098) and GSE15622 (HR=4.80, p=0.0121) cohorts. Moreover, the expression of PD-L1 predicted unfavorable OS (HR=2.48, p=0.0415) and PFS (HR=2.36, p=0.0215) in MEST

BRCA1

ovarian cancer group in GSE9891 cohort.

These findings suggest that the co-expression of MEST and BRCA1 may be an ideal combination for predicting the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer.

These findings suggest that the co-expression of MEST and BRCA1 may be an ideal combination for predicting the prognosis and response to immunotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer.

The aim was to study the psycho-social experiences and quality of life (QOL) of pacemaker patients at the National Teaching Hospital Hubert Koutoukou Maga in Cotonou.

A descriptive cross-sectional observational study was performed in 2017 and included over a three-month period all pacemaker patients admitted on an ambulatory basis. The psychological impact of wearing a pacemaker was studied, as well as the limits and constraints of daily life and the quality of life appreciated by the SF-36 score.

Fifty-five (55) patients were included with an average age of 67 ± 11.3 years. In terms of psychological impact, 98.2% (n=54) had a good overall perception of their health status. However, 60.6% (n=33) perceived pacemaker use as a handicap and 52.5% (n=29) wanted psychological support in post-implantation. Limitations and constraints mainly concerned lateral decubitus on the side of the pacemaker (54.5%, n=30), travel (27.3%, n=15) and sexual relations (21.8%, n=12). The average quality of life was rated good in 6 out of 8 dimensions. The level of quality of life was independent of gender.

This study has highlighted misperceptions of daily life that may hinder the expected improvement in post-implantation patient performance. Psychological support and enhanced communication with these patients are needed.

This study has highlighted misperceptions of daily life that may hinder the expected improvement in post-implantation patient performance. Psychological support and enhanced communication with these patients are needed.The route planning problem for rotary-wing UAV formation is studied in discrete urban environments. First, a discrete-space consensus algorithm (DSCA) integrating asynchronous planning and grouping mechanism is developed to make the rotary-wing UAVs converge to the desired formation. Then the DSCA is combined with the improved rapidly-exploring random tree (IRRT) algorithm to enable the rotary-wing UAV formation to avoid the obstacles. Finally, the time information of waypoints is complemented by resolving the conflicts among multiple rotary-wing UAVs, thus reducing the rotary-wing UAVs’ time gap of reaching the destinations. The proposed method extends the original consensus theory in the discrete space and for the obstacle avoidance issue. Also, it is valid in the route planning problem for rotary-wing UAV formation considering the real urban environments.In this paper, stability analysis is studied for hybrid time-delay systems (HTDSs) with homogeneity. Using Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional method, a novel and relaxed condition is derived to analyze pre-asymptotic stability of the considered systems with homogeneity. Then, the connections of solutions are established between the systems with different sizes. Based on the established connections, some homogeneous properties are introduced to analyze stability of the HTDSs with different sizes or degrees, and then some necessary and sufficient stability conditions are obtained. Finally, numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the results obtained in this paper.RNA-based therapeutics commonly use exogenous components to shuttle their cargo, leading to nonselectivity or immunogenicity. Segel et al. have elucidated an endogenous modular retroviral-like delivery system capable of encapsulating mRNA, which elicits effective transport inside cells, priming the development of endogenous vectors for gene delivery for amelioration of disease.

To assess the predictive value of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by T2-mapping texture analysis (TA) of the myocardial remote zone.

Data from 155 patients, who were diagnosed with AMI and were treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), and 32 healthy controls who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) were analysed retrospectively. T2-mapping TA of the myocardial remote zone was conducted accordingly. The patients were divided into two subgroups according to the occurrence of MACEs. The primary outcome was a composite of MACEs.

Among 155 patients, 32 (20.6%) patients suffered MACEs, and the most common event was non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (84.3%). Five independent texture features on T2-mapping were selected Perc.50%, S(4,-4)AngScMom, S(1,1)InvDfMom, S(0,2)DifEntrp, and Horzl_LngREmph. Among them, the mean value of Horzl_LngREmph in the myocardial remote zone among all patients, MACEsnegative, and MACEs-positive was 21.64, 19.12, and 34.52, respectively. Horzl_LngREmph provided the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) value, which enabled two subgroups to be distinguished (AUC=0.914, p<0.05). According to the results of the univariate analysis, combined with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) extent and the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy, Horzl_LngREmph, was strongly associated with the occurrence of MACEs (p<0.05, hazard ratio 1.64, 95% confidence interval 1.10-4.51).

Together with LGE extent, Horzl_LngREmph, a texture feature obtained from T2-mapping TA of the myocardial remote zone, could predict the occurrence of MACEs in AMI patients.

Together with LGE extent, Horzl_LngREmph, a texture feature obtained from T2-mapping TA of the myocardial remote zone, could predict the occurrence of MACEs in AMI patients.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has to date resulted in more than 200 million cases and more than four million deaths. Following a few months of hiatus, as part of the initial response to the pandemic, professional sporting activities resumed throughout the world. To ensure a safe return-to-play, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infections on elite athletes were carefully monitored. Several elite professional athletes tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. A few reports of persistent and residual symptoms of infections emerged. However, peak athletic performance in elite athletes did not seem to be affected, with some athletes recording historical performances both in the weeks following as well as several months after contracting the novel coronavirus. This manuscript presents these data along with a discussion on the potential protective mechanisms in athletes. These findings raise further awareness about the importance of performing regular physical activity and maintaining a favourable body composition and overall fitness, and emphasise the need for public health initiatives and actions to promote a healthy lifestyle on a population level. Given that SARS-CoV-2, with its mutations, will be a chronic public health issue, preventive medicine measures such as advocacy and incentives to lead a healthy lifestyle are warranted as another shield, along with vaccines, in the arsenal against SARS-CoV-2.

Knowledge of the effect of a shortened dental arch on masseter muscle thickness and occlusal force is sparse but could help clinicians understand how a shortened dental arch might affect the stomatognathic system.

The purpose of this pilot clinical study was to evaluate and compare the masseter muscle thickness and occlusal force of participants rehabilitated by using a shortened dental arch with matched completely dentate individuals.

Twelve partially edentulous participants with a minimum of 1 posterior occluding pair on each side of the arch were enrolled in the study. The mandibular arch of these participants was rehabilitated by using a single posterior mandibular implant crown (group S). The maxillary arch of all participants in group S was intact. Masseter muscle thickness (cm) and occlusal force (N) were recorded before (T1) and 6 months after implant rehabilitation (T2) for each participant. Twelve participants were selected as controls (group C). They were matched for age, sex, height, and weintate arch.

There is no consensus whether circumcision performed in the first months of life has negative effects on feeding, sleep, and maternal attachment in babies. This prospective study aimed to investigate this relation in the first months of life. This study is the first to investigate the effects of circumcision on feeding, sleep, and maternal attachment simultaneously.

The study group consisted of 75 families with their babies aged 0-4 months. Surgical circumcision procedure under regional anesthesia was applied to all patients. The questionnaires were used to evaluate the babies’ feeding and sleeping habits, and the Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI) was used to assess mother-baby attachment level. All assessments were performed before and one month after the circumcision.

The mean age of the patients when circumcision was performed was 75 (74.52±37.03) (3-120) days. The mean ages of mothers were 32 (32.51±4.05) years. There was no statistically significant change in the sleep habits and feeding status of babies before and after circumcision.