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The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset – with data collected between 2020 and 2022 – to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research.

Background The limited availability of proton beam therapy (PBT) requires individual treatment selection strategies that can be based on normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models. We developed and externally validated NTCP models for common late side-effects following PBT in brain tumour patients to optimise patients’ quality of life. Methods Cohorts from three PBT centres (216 patients) were investigated for several physician-rated endpoints at 12 and 24 months after PBT: alopecia, dry eye syndrome, fatigue, headache, hearing and memory impairment, and optic neuropathy. Dose-volume parameters of associated normal tissues and clinical factors were used for logistic regression modelling in a development cohort. Statistically significant parameters showing high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values in internal cross-validation were externally validated. In addition, analyses of the pooled cohorts and of time-dependent generalised estimating equations including all patient data were performed. Results In the validation study, mild alopecia was related to high dose parameters to the skin [e.g. the dose to 2% of the volume (D2%)] at 12 and 24 months after PBT. Mild hearing impairment at 24 months after PBT was associated with the mean dose to the ipsilateral cochlea. Additionally, the pooled analyses revealed dose-response relations between memory impairment and intermediate to high doses to the remaining brain as well as D2% of the hippocampi. Mild fatigue at 24 months after PBT was associated with D2% to the brainstem as well as with concurrent chemotherapy. Moreover, in generalised estimating equations analysis, dry eye syndrome was associated with the mean dose to the ipsilateral lacrimal gland. Conclusion We developed and in part validated NTCP models for several common late side-effects following PBT in brain tumour patients. Validation studies are required for further confirmation.

Purpose: To investigate late physician-rated side effects and their association with dosimetric parameters of various organs at risk (OARs) as well as clinical cofactors in adult brain tumour patients following proton beam therapy (PBT). Material and methods: Adult patients with brain tumours who underwent PBT at three different institutes were included in this study (N1=57, N2=47, N3=63). The radiation-induced side effects alopecia, fatigue, headache, memory impairment, hearing impairment, optic nerve disorder, dry eye and seizure (CTCAE v4.0) at 12 and 24 months after PBT were investigated. Side effects with sufficiently high incidence were dichotomised and correlated to different dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of associated OARs, such as skin, remaining brain, brainstem, cerebellum, hippocampi and cochlea. Clinical parameters comprised age, gender, tumour volume, prescribed dose, concomitant chemotherapy, resection of the tumour, diagnosis and WHO grading. Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models were developed on a combined cohort from two institutes (N=104) using logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the prognostic ability in external validation on the remaining cohort. Results: In all cohorts, low toxicity rates were observed at 12 and 24 months after PBT. Most common side effects were fatigue (grade≥1: 32%/27%, grade≥2: 14%/6% at 12/24 months), alopecia (grade≥1: 30%/22%) and mild memory impairment (grade≥1: 23% at 24 months). Mild headache and hearing impairment (grade≥1) occurred in 20%/19% and 8%/9% of all patients at 12/24 months, respectively. Logistic regression revealed significant correlations between the incidence of alopecia grade≥1 at both times and high dose regions of the skin (D2%, p<0.001, figure A). Hearing impairment grade≥1 at 24 months after PBT was associated with the median dose to the ipsilateral cochlea. For both endpoints, the developed NTCP models w

Interacting electrons confined to their lowest Landau level in a high magnetic field can form a variety of correlated states, some of which manifest themselves in a Hall effect. Although such states have been predicted to occur in three-dimensional semimetals, a corresponding Hall response has not yet been experimentally observed. Here, we report the observation of an unconventional Hall response in the quantum limit of the bulk semimetal HfTe5, adjacent to the three-dimensional quantum Hall effect of a single electron band at low magnetic fields. The additional plateau-like feature in the Hall conductivity of the lowest Landau level is accompanied by a Shubnikov-de Haas minimum in the longitudinal electrical resistivity and its magnitude relates as 3/5 to the height of the last plateau of the three-dimensional quantum Hall effect. Our findings are consistent with strong electron-electron interactions, stabilizing an unconventional variant of the Hall effect in a three-dimensional material in the quantum limit.

Purpose: To investigate late physician-rated side effects and their association with dosimetric parameters of various organs at risk (OARs) as well as clinical cofactors in adult brain tumour patients following proton beam therapy (PBT). Material and methods: Adult patients with brain tumours who underwent PBT at three different institutes were included in this study (N1=57, N2=47, N3=63). The radiation-induced side effects alopecia, fatigue, headache, memory impairment, hearing impairment, optic nerve disorder, dry eye and seizure (CTCAE v4.0) at 12 and 24 months after PBT were investigated. Side effects with sufficiently high incidence were dichotomised and correlated to different dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of associated OARs, such as skin, remaining brain, brainstem, cerebellum, hippocampi and cochlea. Clinical parameters comprised age, gender, tumour volume, prescribed dose, concomitant chemotherapy, resection of the tumour, diagnosis and WHO grading. Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models were developed on a combined cohort from two institutes (N=104) using logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to assess the prognostic ability in external validation on the remaining cohort. Results: In all cohorts, low toxicity rates were observed at 12 and 24 months after PBT. Most common side effects were fatigue (grade≥1: 32%/27%, grade≥2: 14%/6% at 12/24 months), alopecia (grade≥1: 30%/22%) and mild memory impairment (grade≥1: 23% at 24 months). Mild headache and hearing impairment (grade≥1) occurred in 20%/19% and 8%/9% of all patients at 12/24 months, respectively. Logistic regression revealed significant correlations between the incidence of alopecia grade≥1 at both times and high dose regions of the skin (D2%, p<0.001, figure A). Hearing impairment grade≥1 at 24 months after PBT was associated with the median dose to the ipsilateral cochlea. For both endpoints, the developed NTCP models w

Contains fulltext : 204282.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas. Once metastasized, prognosis is poor despite regular treatment with conventional cytotoxic drugs. This study reviews the preclinical and clinical results of non-cytotoxic systemic therapy in MPNST. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Search terms related to 'MPNST', 'targeted therapy', 'immunotherapy', and 'viral therapy' were used. Only in vivo studies and clinical trials were included. Clinicaltrials.gov was also searched for any ongoing trials including MPNST patients. Qualitative synthesis was performed on all studies stratifying per target: membrane, cytoplasmic, nuclear, immunotherapy and oncolytic viruses, and other. In vivo studies were assessed for treatment effect on tumor growth (low/intermediate/high), survival, and metastases. Clinical trials were assessed on response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival. RESULTS: After full-text screening, 60 in vivo studies and 19 clinical trials were included. A total of 13 trials are ongoing and unpublished. The included trials displayed relatively poor response rates thus far, with patients achieving stable disease at best. Inhibiting cytoplasmic targets most commonly yielded high treatment effect, predominantly after mTOR inhibition. Oncolytic viruses and angiogenesis inhibition also demonstrate intermediate to high effect. Therapies including a combination of drugs were most effective in controlling tumor growth. Several ongoing trials investigate potentially promising pathways, while others have yet to be established. CONCLUSION: Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway seems most promising in the treatment of MPNSTs. Oncolytic viruses and angiogenesis inhibition represent emerging therapies that require further study. Combinations of targeted therapies are most likely key to maximize treatment effect.

Background: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas. Once metastasized, prognosis is poor despite regular treatment with conventional cytotoxic drugs. This study reviews the preclinical and clinical results of non-cytotoxic systemic therapy in MPNST. Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Search terms related to ‘MPNST’, ‘targeted therapy’, ‘immunotherapy’, and ‘viral therapy’ were used. Only in vivo studies and clinical trials were included. Clinicaltrials.gov was also searched for any ongoing trials including MPNST patients. Qualitative synthesis was performed on all studies stratifying per target: membrane, cytoplasmic, nuclear, immunotherapy and oncolytic viruses, and other. In vivo studies were assessed for treatment effect on tumor growth (low/intermediate/high), survival, and metastases. Clinical trials were assessed on

Contains fulltext : 204282.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas. Once metastasized, prognosis is poor despite regular treatment with conventional cytotoxic drugs. This study reviews the preclinical and clinical results of non-cytotoxic systemic therapy in MPNST. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Search terms related to 'MPNST', 'targeted therapy', 'immunotherapy', and 'viral therapy' were used. Only in vivo studies and clinical trials were included. Clinicaltrials.gov was also searched for any ongoing trials including MPNST patients. Qualitative synthesis was performed on all studies stratifying per target: membrane, cytoplasmic, nuclear, immunotherapy and oncolytic viruses, and other. In vivo studies were assessed for treatment effect on tumor growth (low/intermediate/high), survival, and metastases. Clinical trials were assessed on response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival. RESULTS: After full-text screening, 60 in vivo studies and 19 clinical trials were included. A total of 13 trials are ongoing and unpublished. The included trials displayed relatively poor response rates thus far, with patients achieving stable disease at best. Inhibiting cytoplasmic targets most commonly yielded high treatment effect, predominantly after mTOR inhibition. Oncolytic viruses and angiogenesis inhibition also demonstrate intermediate to high effect. Therapies including a combination of drugs were most effective in controlling tumor growth. Several ongoing trials investigate potentially promising pathways, while others have yet to be established. CONCLUSION: Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway seems most promising in the treatment of MPNSTs. Oncolytic viruses and angiogenesis inhibition represent emerging therapies that require further study. Combinations of targeted therapies are most likely key to maximize treatment effect.

Contains fulltext : 204282.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access), BACKGROUND: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive soft tissue sarcomas. Once metastasized, prognosis is poor despite regular treatment with conventional cytotoxic drugs. This study reviews the preclinical and clinical results of non-cytotoxic systemic therapy in MPNST. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Search terms related to 'MPNST', 'targeted therapy', 'immunotherapy', and 'viral therapy' were used. Only in vivo studies and clinical trials were included. Clinicaltrials.gov was also searched for any ongoing trials including MPNST patients. Qualitative synthesis was performed on all studies stratifying per target: membrane, cytoplasmic, nuclear, immunotherapy and oncolytic viruses, and other. In vivo studies were assessed for treatment effect on tumor growth (low/intermediate/high), survival, and metastases. Clinical trials were assessed on response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival. RESULTS: After full-text screening, 60 in vivo studies and 19 clinical trials were included. A total of 13 trials are ongoing and unpublished. The included trials displayed relatively poor response rates thus far, with patients achieving stable disease at best. Inhibiting cytoplasmic targets most commonly yielded high treatment effect, predominantly after mTOR inhibition. Oncolytic viruses and angiogenesis inhibition also demonstrate intermediate to high effect. Therapies including a combination of drugs were most effective in controlling tumor growth. Several ongoing trials investigate potentially promising pathways, while others have yet to be established. CONCLUSION: Targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway seems most promising in the treatment of MPNSTs. Oncolytic viruses and angiogenesis inhibition represent emerging therapies that require further study. Combinations of targeted therapies are most likely key to maximize treatment effect.

A 29-year-old male with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome presented with a week of left eye blurriness, which then progressed to complete vision loss. On exam, the left pupil was nonreactive to light, and fundoscopy showed significant optic nerve edema. CT and MRI of the left orbit showed a mass lesion compressing the posterior aspect of the sclera with diffuse thickening and contrast enhancement of the retrobulbar portion of the left optic nerve. The lesion demonstrated low T1 and intermediate T2 intensities and heterogeneous contrast enhancement and measured 17.4 mm x 15 mm x 10.6 mm. Anterior orbitotomy with exploration and biopsy were performed. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and a workup showed no systemic involvement. Plans for treatment with chemotherapy and radiation were initiated. Even though rare, primary orbital NHL should be in the differential for relatively acute blindness without other symptoms, especially in patients with AIDS.