Effect of lymphoid volume irradiation on radiation-induced lymphopenia in head and neck cancers.

PURPOSE: Radiotherapy induces significant and prolonged lymphopenia in head and neck cancer patients with poorer outcomes and reduced survival. Irradiated volumes may be correlated with lymphopenia with a potential impact on immunotherapy efficacy. We assessed associations between volumes treated with radiotherapy and the nadir of the lymphocyte count in patients with head and neck cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a monocentric retrospective study in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiation. Univariate analysis used regression analysis to model nadir lymphocyte count and radiotherapy volumes; multivariate analysis then modelled factors associated with nadir lymphocyte count. RESULTS: Of the 77 included patients, 97% presented lymphopenia during radiotherapy with an average nadir of 431 cells/mm3 at a median of 40 days after the beginning of treatment. The volume of high-risk radiotherapy and gross tumour volume were correlated with nadir lymphocyte count with a Spearman coefficient of -0.267 (P=0.019) and -0.387 (P=0.001), respectively. After multivariate linear regression, high-risk radiotherapy was significantly associated with nadir lymphocyte count with a regression coefficient of -0.32 (per cubic centimetre) [95% CI=-0.60; -0.03] (P=0.028). CONCLUSION: High-risk radiotherapy was significantly associated with nadir lymphocyte count in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiation. Sparing lymphoid volumes from irradiation by elective nodal irradiation or proton therapy may limit lymphopenia and needs to be investigated in combination with immunotherapy.

Ab-initioinvestigation on the electronic and thermoelectric properties of new half-Heusler compounds KBiX(X= Ba and Sr).

Electronic structures and thermoelectric (TE) properties of KBiBa and KBiSr half-Heusler compounds are investigated by using the combined framework of first-principles and semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory. Elastic and phonon properties calculations reveal that these compounds are mechanically and dynamically stable. Band structures calculations, using the Tran and Blaha modified Becke-Johnson potential including spin-orbit coupling, show that KBiBa and KBiSr compounds are semiconductors with an indirect bandgap of 0.88 and 0.95 eV respectively. Performing calculations on lattice thermal conductivity, deformation potential, effective mass of charge carriers and their relaxation times allow us to deduce the dependence of the figure of merit ZT on doping concentration and temperature. At 1200 K, KBiBa and KBiSr compounds exhibit a ZT peak value of 2.68 and 1.56 at optimizedn-doping values of 2.2 × 1019and 1.7 × 1019 cm-3, respectively. Considering high ZT values, KBiBa and KBiSr are considered to be ideal TE candidates at high temperature.

Detection of latent infections caused by Colletotrichum sp. in olive fruit.

AIMS: To set up a practical method to detect latent infections of Colletotrichum sp., the causal agent of olive anthracnose, on olives before the onset of disease symptoms. METHODS AND RESULTS: Freezing, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), ethanol and ethylene treatments were evaluated to detect latent infections on inoculated and naturally infected olive fruit by Colletotrichum sp. as non-hazardous alternatives to paraquat. Treatments were conducted using fruit of cultivars Arbequina and Hojiblanca. The disease incidence and T50 were calculated. Dipping in NaOH 0·05% solution and the paraquat method were the most effective treatments on both inoculated and naturally infected fruit, although the value of T50 was lower for the NaOH method than for the paraquat method in one of the experiments. Subsequently, the dipping time in NaOH 0·05% was evaluated. Longer dipping times in NaOH 0·05% were better than shorter ones in cultivar Arbequina, with 72 h being the most effective in cultivar Hojiblanca. CONCLUSIONS: NaOH solution is a practical method to detect latent infections of Colletotrichum sp. on immature olive fruit. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study is relevant because we set up a viable, non-hazardous alternative to paraquat to detect latent infections of Colletotrichum sp. using NaOH. The use of NaOH is a simple and eco-friendly tool that allows the determination of the level of latent infections by Colletotrichum in olives. Therefore, our method will be useful in decision-making processes for disease management before the appearance of the first visible symptoms.

[Echocardiographic-Doppler study of a case of subacute and incomplete parietal rupture after myocardial infarction]. / Etude échocardiographique-doppler d'un cas de rupture pariétale incomplète et subaiguë après infarctus du myocarde.

The authors report the case of a 55 year old man who suffered a silent, laterobasal myocardial infarction which was complicated by a subacute pseudo-false aneurysm of the lateral wall of the left ventricle. They underline: The importance of two-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis of a neo-para left ventricular cavity showing systolic expansion and communicating with the left ventricle by a narrow neck indicating rupture of the free ventricular wall; The value of two-dimensional color coded Doppler which enables the operator to distinguish the active nature of the neo-left ventricular cavity before surgery and its inactivity after surgery. The surgical indication for emergency resection of the pseudo aneurysm was based on these preoperative non-invasive observations. This case confirms the value of cardiac two-dimensional echo-Doppler studies in the investigation of ischaemic heart disease.