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Objective: Radiotherapy is a crucial treatment modality for pelvic cancers, but uncertainties persist in defining the clinical target volume (CTV) for the inguinal lymphatic drainage region. Suboptimal CTV delineation may compromise treatment efficacy and result in subpar disease control. This study aimed to investigate and map the distribution of lymph node metastases (LNM) in the groin area to facilitate an improved and detailed CTV definition using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). Methods: Inguinal LNM in patients with biopsy-proven pelvic malignancies were identified using 18F-FDG PET/CT scan. The longitudinally nearest axial plane was determined based on six typical bony landmarks, and the axial direction relative to the femoral artery of LNM was recorded. The distances from the LNM to the nearest edge of the femoral artery were measured on the axial plane. An optimal margin to cover 95% of LNM was estimated to develop contouring recommendations. Results: In this study, 500 positive LNM were identified by 18F-FDG PET/CT among 185 patients with primary pelvic malignancies. Relative to the femoral artery, lymph nodes were distributed laterally (10:00–11:00, n = 35), anteriorly (12:00–1:00, n = 213), and medially (2:00–4: 00, n = 252). For CTV delineation, the recommended distances from the femoral artery on the SFH were lateral 19 mm, anterior 19 mm, and medial 25 mm; on the SGT were lateral 26 mm, anterior 20 mm, and medial 25 mm; on the SPS were lateral 28 mm, anterior 29 mm, and medial 26 mm; on the IPS were anterior 29 mm and medial 28 mm; on the IIT were anterior 27 mm and medial 27 mm; on the ILT were anterior 25 mm and medial 23 mm. Use interpolation to contour the area between six axial slices, including any radiographically suspicious LNM. Conclusions: Using 18F-FDG PET/CT, we investigated the distribution pattern of inguinal LNM and propose a more comprehensive guideline for inguinal CTV delineation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Radiological heart damage (RIHD) is damage caused by unavoidable irradiation of the heart during chest radiotherapy, with a long latency period and a progressively increasing proportion of delayed cardiac damage due to conventional doses of chest radiotherapy. There is a risk of inducing diseases such as acute/chronic pericarditis, myocarditis, delayed myocardial fibrosis and damage to the cardiac conduction system in humans, which can lead to myocardial infarction or even death in severe cases. This paper details the pathogenesis of RIHD and gives potential targets for treatment at the molecular and cellular level, avoiding the drawbacks of high invasiveness and immune rejection due to drug therapy, medical device implantation and heart transplantation. Injectable hydrogel therapy has emerged as a minimally invasive tissue engineering therapy to provide necessary mechanical support to the infarcted myocardium and to act as a carrier for various bioactive factors and cells to improve the cellular microenvironment in the infarcted area and induce myocardial tissue regeneration. Therefore, this paper combines bioactive factors and cellular therapeutic mechanisms with injectable hydrogels, presents recent advances in the treatment of cardiac injury after RIHD with different injectable gels, and summarizes the therapeutic potential of various types of injectable hydrogels as a potential solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since there are no corresponding specification limits for some new daily quality assurance (QA) items in the TG-142, it is a compromise that the specification limits used in the monthly or annual QA procedures are used for the daily QA procedure in work. But there is no basis for whether this is feasible. The purpose of this article is to analyze QA results using SPC to determine the tolerance limits at our institution, and to present the usefulness of the analysis method using SPC. The data of three groups daily QA processes performed with Daily QA3 in three years were analyzed using statistical process control (SPC). For calculating capability indices (C p, C pk, C pm and C pmk) of processes, the appropriate number of calculation points was analyzed firstly. Then, in calculating the capability indices for output, limits ±3% of the daily QA in the TG-142 were used as the specification limit, while for flatness and symmetry, an annual QA limits of ±1% was used. For putting forward measures to solve the problem, customized tolerance and action limits were established for each process. And the process control charts calculated using data measured by the five therapists and a medical physicist were compared. At least six to eight weeks of control daily check data points (i.e. 30–40 points) should be used for calculating the individuals and moving range (I-MR) control chart to ensure the stability of control lines. Process capability indices of output were all ≥1, some were up to 3–4. While for symmetry, some processes failed to meet the requirements that capability indices were < 1. For different processes of the same daily QA items, the calculated customized limits were quite different. The range of upper control line (UCL) and lower control line (LCL) was smaller for output and the CL was closer to the target value of 0 for flatness and symmetry in the I-MR control chart calculated using data measured by one staff. For different quality control processes without management by the SPC method at our institution, calculated tolerance and action limits of the same measurement item were quite different. And in most measurement items, the specification limits used in the monthly or annual QA procedures in the TG-142 are not suitable to the daily QA procedure. So the analysis method using SPC is useful and necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is generally considered as nonaggressive lesions and mainly caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Gadd45a is a key component protecting skin against UV-induced tumors. For that, the study aims to investigate the mechanism of Gadd45a gene silencing on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and senescence in nude mice with skin SCC through the p53 signaling pathway. Healthy nude mice was collected as the normal group and 40 nude mouse models of skin SCC were successfully established as the model group, which were sub-divided into five groups. The incidence, size, and weight of SCC tumor of nude mice were observed. The mRNA expression of Gadd45a, Cyclin B1, MMP-2, Bcl-2, and Bax were determined by RT-qPCR. Cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis, cell senescence were detected by MTT assay, flow cytometry, and β-galactosidase staining, respectively. The levels of inflammatory factors and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected by using ELISA. The protein expression rate of mutant p53 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Mice transfected with siGadd45a showed increased tumor incidence, size, and weight. Cells transfected with siGadd45a showed decrease in expression of Gadd45a and Bax; and increase in expression of Cyclin B1, MMP-2, and Bcl-2, expression of mutant p53, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and VEGF. Cell apoptosis and senescence were inhibited, while cell viability and proliferation were promoted after siGadd45a treatment. The results reveal that Gadd45a silencing increases tumor cell proliferation and reduces apoptosis and senescence through the p53 signaling pathway in skin SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiological heart damage (RIHD) is damage caused by unavoidable irradiation of the heart during chest radiotherapy, with a long latency period and a progressively increasing proportion of delayed cardiac damage due to conventional doses of chest radiotherapy. There is a risk of inducing diseases such as acute/chronic pericarditis, myocarditis, delayed myocardial fibrosis and damage to the cardiac conduction system in humans, which can lead to myocardial infarction or even death in severe cases. This paper details the pathogenesis of RIHD and gives potential targets for treatment at the molecular and cellular level, avoiding the drawbacks of high invasiveness and immune rejection due to drug therapy, medical device implantation and heart transplantation. Injectable hydrogel therapy has emerged as a minimally invasive tissue engineering therapy to provide necessary mechanical support to the infarcted myocardium and to act as a carrier for various bioactive factors and cells to improve the cellular microenvironment in the infarcted area and induce myocardial tissue regeneration. Therefore, this paper combines bioactive factors and cellular therapeutic mechanisms with injectable hydrogels, presents recent advances in the treatment of cardiac injury after RIHD with different injectable gels, and summarizes the therapeutic potential of various types of injectable hydrogels as a potential solution.

Objective: To observe the effect of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) in killing Demodex in vitro and in the treatment of demodicidosis., Methods: (1) The experiment of in vitro killing Demodex with 1% and 2% SDBS was conducted. (2) A clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic effect in the treatment of demodicidosis with 2% SDBS and 2% metronidazole emulsion. Patients with demodicidosis were randomly divided into trial and control groups (31 cases each). They were treated with 2% SDBS ointment and 2% metronidazole ointment twice a day in the early morning and evening respectively for eight weeks consecutively. Inflammatory lesions of face, Demodex infestation and scores of erythema were measured to evaluate the effect before and after treatment. (3) Follow-up was carried out for two months to evaluate the effect and side effects after 8 weeks' treatment., Results: (1) 2% SDBS killed all Demodex in vitro after 5 h, there was significant difference between the 2% SDBS and 2% metronidazole (69.4%), or between SDBS and peanut oil (9.1%) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in killing Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis with 2% SDBS. (2) Clinical observation showed that there was a significant difference in facial inflammatory lesions, Demodex infestation and scores of erythema before and after treatment with 2% SDBS (P < 0.05). The effective rate was 87.1%, 65.5% in 2% SDBS group and 2% metronidazole group respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). Follow up showed same results. (3) A slight burning sensation was the only side-effect in 3 cases with 2% SDBS ointment., Conclusion: Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate has the effect of in vitro killing Demodex and is highly effective in the treatment of demodicidosis.