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Immunofluorescence microscopy is extensively used in characterization of trophoblast differentiation in vitro. However, such data is primarily used to confirm the presence of protein markers or qualitatively compare levels of protein markers across experimental conditions. Imaging data, when processed and analyzed appropriately can provide quantitative and spatial information, and provide biological insight. Towards this end, here we present MATroph, an open-source MATLAB-based computational tool to process images generated by immunofluorescent microscopy. MATroph automatically executes a series of image processing operations, including the classification of red, blue, and green channels from images, background extraction, morphological operations, and image filtering. From the isolated blue channels corresponding to nuclear staining, this tool generates numerical values for cell number. Additionally, relative levels and spatial location of proteins are obtained by mapping red and green channel pixels to blue pixels by assigning minimum pixel distance between the blue and other color objects. Thus, this tool provides information about intracellular protein accumulation areas. Additionally, this tool can also classify cells as single cells or part of colonies, and extract information on protein levels for each; this is particularly useful for quantitative studies on extravillous trophoblast maturation. We provide a user-guide to analyze the relative levels of markers relevant to human trophoblast stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Importantly, MATroph is composed of a simple MATLAB algorithm, and its implementation requires minimal expertise in programming., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The global shortage of donor hearts available for transplantation is a major problem for the treatment of end-stage heart failure. The ischemic time for donor hearts using traditional preservation by standard static cold storage (SCS) is limited to approximately 4 hours, beyond which the risk for primary graft dysfunction (PGD) significantly increases. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) of donor hearts has been proposed to safely extend ischemic time without increasing the risk of PGD., Methods: Using our sheep model of 24 hours brain death (BD) followed by orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx), we examined post-transplant outcomes in recipients following donor heart preservation by HMP for 8 hours, compared to donor heart preservation for 2 hours by either SCS or HMP., Results: Following HTx, all HMP recipients (both 2 hours and 8 hours groups) survived to the end of the study (6 hours after transplantation and successful weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass), required less vasoactive support for hemodynamic stability, and exhibited superior metabolic, fluid status and inflammatory profiles compared to SCS recipients. Contractile function and cardiac damage (troponin I release and histological assessment) was comparable between groups., Conclusions: Overall, compared to current clinical SCS, recipient outcomes following transplantation are not adversely impacted by extending HMP to 8 hours. These results have important implications for clinical transplantation where longer ischemic times may be required (e.g., complex surgical cases, transport across long distances). Additionally, HMP may allow safe preservation of "marginal" donor hearts that are more susceptible to myocardial injury and facilitate increased utilization of these hearts for transplantation., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The impact of the first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wave on cancer patient management was measured within the nationwide network of the Unicancer comprehensive cancer centers in France., Patients and Methods: The number of patients diagnosed and treated within 17 of the 18 Unicancer centers was collected in 2020 and compared with that during the same periods between 2016 and 2019. Unicancer centers treat close to 20% of cancer patients in France yearly. The reduction in the number of patients attending the Unicancer centers was analyzed per regions and cancer types. The impact of delayed care on cancer-related deaths was calculated based on different hypotheses., Results: A 6.8% decrease in patients managed within Unicancer in the first 7 months of 2020 versus 2019 was observed. This reduction reached 21% during April and May, and was not compensated in June and July, nor later until November 2020. This reduction was observed only for newly diagnosed patients, while the clinical activity for previously diagnosed patients increased by 4% similar to previous years. The reduction was more pronounced in women, in breast and prostate cancers, and for patients without metastasis. Using an estimated hazard ratio of 1.06 per month of delay in diagnosis and treatment of new patients, we calculated that the delays observed in the 5-month period from March to July 2020 may result in an excess mortality due to cancer of 1000-6000 patients in coming years., Conclusions: In this study, the delays in cancer patient management were observed only for newly diagnosed patients, more frequently in women, for breast cancer, prostate cancer, and nonmetastatic cancers. These delays may result is an excess risk of cancer-related deaths in the coming years., Competing Interests: Disclosure JYB reports research support and honoraria from Troche, BMS, MSD, PharmaMar, Bayer, Deciphera, GSK, Novartis, and AstraZeneca. JPD reports institutional fees for advisory or speaker roles for Genentech, Roche, BMS, MSD, and Novartis, and institutional grants for research projects with Genentech, Roche, BMS, MSD, Debiopharm, and Astra Zeneca. JCS reports shares from AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Gritstone, and is also a full-time employee of AstraZeneca from September 2017 to December 2019. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Herein, we were synthesized fluorescent carbon quantum dots via facile one-step hydrothermal treatment of mustard seeds (M-CQDs). It showed excellent optical property with fluorescent quantum yield 4.6%. The as-prepared M-CQDs exhibited peroxidase-like mimetic activity and catalyzed the oxidation of chromogenic substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H 2 O 2 to produce a blue color reaction mixture with the prominent peak at 652 nm. Furthermore, the peroxidase-like catalytic performance of M-CQDs followed the steady-state kinetics behavior and exhibited similar catalytic activity as that of natural enzyme Horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In addition to this, the double reciprocal plot showed a parallel line which suggested the occurrence of Ping-Pong type of mechanism. The H 2 O 2 dependent oxidation of TMB was helpful for the colorimetric detection of H 2 O 2 in the linear range of 0.02-0.20 mM with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.015 mM. Interestingly, the oxidized TMB (ox-TMB) was further reduced to native TMB by the reducing agent ascorbic acid. Hence M-CQDs showed its potential towards the selective and sensitive detection of ascorbic acid in the linear range of 10-70 μM having a correlation coefficient of 0.998 with LOD of 3.26 μM. The practical feasibility of the proposed detection method of AA was also investigated in common fresh fruits., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Brain metastases (BMs) are associated with a poor prognosis. Standard treatment comprises whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). As neo-angiogenesis is crucial in BM growth, combining angiogenesis inhibitors such as bevacizumab with radiotherapy is of interest. We aimed to identify the optimal regimen of bevacizumab combined with WBRT for BM for phase II evaluation and provide preliminary efficacy data., Patients and Methods: In this multicentre single-arm phase I study with a 3 + 3 dose-escalation design, patients with unresectable BM from solid tumours received three cycles of bevacizumab at escalating doses [5, 10 and 15 mg/kg every 2 weeks at dose levels (DL) 0, 1 and 2, respectively] and WBRT (30 Gy/15 fractions/3 weeks) administered from day 15. DL3 consisted of bevacizumab 15 mg/kg with WBRT from day 15 in 30 Gy/10 fractions/2 weeks. Safety was evaluated using NCI-CTCAE version 3. BM response (RECIST 1.1) was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging at 6 weeks and 3 months after WBRT., Results: Nineteen patients were treated, of whom 13 had breast cancer. There were no DLTs. Grade 1-2 in-field and out-field toxicities occurred for five and nine patients across all DLs, respectively, including three and six patients (including one patient with both, so eight patients overall) of nine patients in DL3. One patient experienced BM progression during treatment (DL0). At the 3-month post-treatment assessment, 10 patients showed a BM response: one of three treated at DL0, one of three at DL1, two of three at DL2 and six of seven at DL3, including one complete response. BM progression occurred in five patients, resulting in two deaths. The remaining patient died from extracranial disease progression., Conclusion: Bevacizumab combined with WBRT appears to be a tolerable treatment of BM. DL3 warrants further efficacy evaluation based on the favourable safety/efficacy balance. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01332929., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The authors describe the recent organization of the pediatric radiation oncology in France. Since 2008, some criteria have been published by the National Cancer Institute and are mandatory to obtain a pediatric radiation therapy agreement. These criteria include clinical activity, on site involvement of the physician in the pediatric staff. Twice a month, a Web conferencing allows a clinical data discussion among the French pediatric RT community. A regular update of criteria is asked in order to adapt them to the new challenge.

Purpose: Although a recent increase in number of young radiation oncologists in training has been observed during the past decade, the general demographic evolution of radiation oncologists covers partially future needs., Material and Method: During the seven past national annual courses, which were organised and supported by the Société française des jeunes radiothérapeutes oncologues (SFJRO), the Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO), the Collège national des enseignants de cancérologie (CNEC) and the Institut national du cancer (Inca), different types of surveys were realized in order to analyse demography, quality of training and motivations of French residents in radiation oncology. The latest results were collected during the last national course, which took place in March 2008. Seventy-five young French radiation oncologists ("internes des hopitaux" or residents) out of 110 participants who attended the national course and 75 questionnaires were analysed., Results: Since 2002, the total number of residents increased regularly (50, 75, 103 and 109 residents respectively in 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2008). Men and women are presently 48.5% and 51.5% respectively. Qualitative analysis of practical and theoretical training was performed using a visual analogical scale from zero to 10. Scores of 56 and 61 were respectively observed. Other descriptions of local training in the different universities (clinical skills, clinical cases analysis, bibliography session...) are described. Finally, analysis of the motivations for choosing the radiation oncology speciality demonstrates common interests in both medical practice and technical aspects in oncology. Innovation, technology, imaging and research are also widely mentioned. Sixteen residents will finish their training by the end of 2008, 42 are expected in 2009 and 27 in 2010. Almost all residents believe that a postgraduate position is necessary to complete their training as assistant professor ("chefs de clinique-assistants des hôpitaux") in a university hospital or a cancer centre. Unfortunately, only 36 assistant professor positions are available in France, representing half of the need. Only 21 residents out of 104 already have a position as assistant professor. The availability of such a position remains undetermined for the rest of them., Conclusions: Despite the recent increase in the number of residents in radiation oncology in France, the need to create new assistant professor positions is crucial to assure quality of training for this both medical and technical speciality. Since 2002, the establishment of SFJRO has facilitated national links among residents, between residents and professors (CNEC), and between the French society (SFRO) and the European society (ESTRO).

Purpose. - To analyse outcomes after interstitial brachytherapy of facial periorificial skin carcinomas. Patients and methods. - We performed a retrospective analysis of 97 skin carcinomas (88 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), 9 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs)) of the nose, periorbital areas and ears from 40 previously untreated patients (group 1) and 57 patients who had undergone surgery (group 2). The average dose was 55 Gy [50-65] in group 1 and 52 Gy [50-60] in group 2 (mean implantation times: 79 and 74 hours respectively). We calculated survival rates and assessed functional and cosmetic results de visu. Results. - Median age was 71 years [17-97]. There were 29 T1, 8 T2, 1 T3 and 2 Tx tumors in group 1. Tumors were<2 cm in group 2. Local control was 92.5% in group 1 and 88% in group 2 (median follow-up: 55 months [6-132]). Five-year disease-free survival was better in group 1 (91% [75-97]) than in group 2 (80% [62-90]), P=0.23. Of the 34 patients whose results were re-assessed, eight presented pruritus or epiphora. One group 2 patient had an impaired eyelid aperture. Cosmetic results were better in group 1 than in group 2, with respectively 72% (8/11) vs 52% (12/23) of good results and 28 (3/11) vs. 43% (10/23) of fair results. Conclusion. - Brachytherapy provided a high level of local control and good cosmetic results for facial periorificial skin carcinomas that pose problems of surgical reconstruction. Results were better for untreated tumors than for incompletely excised tumors or tumors recurring after surgery.

The association of intraventricular or atrio-ventricular conductive disorders with a calcified aortic stenosis, is a classical notion demonstrated by the close anatomical relationships between aortic valve and conduction pathways. These conductive disorders have been, for quite some time, analyzed on standard electrocardiograms, but, since a few years, the recording of the bundle of His potential has become the technique of choice. However, studies regarding this subject are few, based on very small and sometimes heterogeneous groups of patients. Sixty six consecutive patients hospitalized for a narrow aortic stenosis have agreed to be subjected, before valve replacement, to a recording of the bundle of His potential. Thirteen of them (19.7%) show a HV interval exceeding 55 ms or a pathological H deflexion (twisted and lasting 35 ms). None of the pre-operative parameters that were analyzed (black-out, left ventricular function, ventriculo-aortic gradient, calculated valvular area, magnitude of valvular and ring calcifications), seem correlated with the increased HV interval. These results cross-check those reported in most of the literature.