Clinical characteristic and survival outcomes of patients with advanced NSCLC according to KRAS mutational status in the French real-life ESME cohort.

PURPOSE: The RAS/MEK signaling pathway is essential in carcinogenesis and frequently altered in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), notably by KRAS mutations (KRASm) that affect 25%-30% of non-squamous NSCLC. This study aims to explore the impact of KRASm subtypes on disease phenotype and survival outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the French Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics database for advanced or metastatic lung cancer from 2011 to 2021. Patient demographics, histology, KRASm status, treatment strategies, and outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Of 10 177 assessable patients for KRAS status, 17.6% had KRAS p.G12C mutation, 22.6% had KRAS non-p.G12C mutation, and 59.8% were KRASwt. KRASm patients were more often smokers (96.3%) compared with KRASwt (85.8%). A higher proportion of programmed death-ligand 1 ≥50% was found for KRASm patients: 43.5% versus 38.0% (P < 0.01). KRASm correlated with poorer outcomes. First-line median progression-free survival was shorter in the KRASm than the KRASwt cohort: 4.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.7-4.3 months] versus 5.1 months (95% CI 4.8-5.3 months), P < 0.001. First-line overall survival was shorter for KRASm than KRASwt patients: 12.6 months (95% CI 11.6-13.6 months) versus 15.4 months (95% CI 14.6-16.2 months), P = 0.012. First-line chemoimmunotherapy offered better overall survival in KRAS p.G12C (48.8 months) compared with KRAS non-p.G12C (24.0 months) and KRASwt (22.5 months) patients. Second-line overall survival with immunotherapy was superior in the KRAS p.G12C subgroup: 12.6 months (95% CI 8.1-18.6 months) compared with 9.4 months (95% CI 8.0-11.4 months) for KRAS non-p.G12C and 9.6 months (8.4-11.0 months) for KRASwt patients. CONCLUSION: We highlighted distinct clinical profiles and survival outcomes according to KRASm subtypes. Notably KRAS p.G12C mutations may provide increased sensitivity to immunotherapy, suggesting potential therapeutic implications for sequencing or combination of therapies. Further research on the impact of emerging KRAS specific inhibitors are warranted in real-world cohorts.

Dental flat panel conebeam CT in the evaluation of patients with inflammatory sinonasal disease: Diagnostic efficacy and radiation dose savings.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CT is the imaging modality of choice to study the paranasal sinuses; unfortunately, it involves significant radiation dose. Our aim was to assess the diagnostic validity, image quality, and radiation-dose savings of dental conebeam CT in the evaluation of patients with suspected inflammatory disorders of the paranasal sinuses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 40 patients with suspected inflammatory disorders of the sinuses with dental conebeam CT and standard CT. Two radiologists analyzed the images independently, blinded to clinical information. The image quality of both techniques and the diagnostic validity of dental conebeam CT compared with the reference standard CT were assessed by using 3 different scoring systems. Image noise, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast-to-noise ratio were calculated for both techniques. The absorbed radiation dose to the lenses and thyroid and parotid glands was measured by using a phantom and dosimeter chips. The effective radiation dose for CT was calculated. RESULTS: All dental conebeam CT scans were judged of diagnostic quality. Compared with CT, the conebeam CT image noise was 37.3% higher (P < .001) and the SNR of the bone was 75% lower (P < .001). The effective dose of our conebeam CT protocol was 23 µSv. Compared with CT, the absorbed radiation dose to the lenses and parotid and thyroid glands with conebeam CT was 4%, 7.8%, and 7.3% of the dose delivered to the same organs by conventional CT (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Dental conebeam CT is a valid imaging procedure for the evaluation of patients with inflammatory sinonasal disorders.

Los elementos decorativos ambientales en el Área de Imagen Médica mejoran la percepción de agradabilidad del paciente / Decorative elements in the medical imaging area improve patients’ perception of pleasantness

Objetivos: Valorar la sensación de agradabilidad percibida por los pacientes que acuden al servicio de radiología asociada a la instalación de elementos decorativos ambientales. Material y métodos: Los recursos materiales consistieron en la implantación de obras de arte en los techos en forma de «ventanas mágicas» y paneles en las paredes de las salas de espera y pasillos del Área de Imagen, respectivamente, que representan elementos ambientales de la naturaleza. Posteriormente, a los pacientes se les dio un breve cuestionario con datos generales y preguntas (tristeza-alegría, frialdad-calidez, oscuridad-luminosidad y pesimismo-optimismo) sobre la percepción que le transmiten los elementos decorativos instalados. Resultados: De 150 cuestionarios recogidos, 142 pacientes rellenaron completa y adecuadamente el cuestionario. El estado de salud general de estos pacientes era bueno en 84 (56%), regular en 58 (39%) y malo en 8 (5%). La idea les pareció muy buena a 70 pacientes (47%), buena a 58 (39%), regular a 8 (5%), indiferente a 11 (7%), mala a 1 (1%) y muy mala a 2 pacientes (1%). La movilidad del paciente al realizar la consulta se distribuyó entre aquellos que venían andando (119 pacientes, 79%), estaban encamados (18 pacientes, 12%) y necesitaban silla de ruedas (13 pacientes, 9%). Conclusiones: Se ha constatado un alto nivel de satisfacción por parte de los pacientes cuando se valora la sensación percibida asociada a la instalación de elementos decorativos ambientales en las paredes y techos de las salas de espera y pasillos del Área de Imagen (AU)

Objectives: To evaluate the sensation of pleasantness perceived by patients attended in the radiology department in response to decorative elements hung on the walls in the waiting rooms and in the hallways of the imaging area. Material and methods: The material resources comprised works of art in the form of "magic windows" representing scenes from nature installed on the ceilings and walls of the waiting area and hallways of the imaging area. Patients were given a brief questionnaire with general data and questions (sadness-cheerfulness, coldness-warmth, darkness-light, and pessimism-optimism) about their perception of the decorative elements. Results: Of the 150 questionnaires collected, 142 were filled out correctly. The overall health of these patients was good in 84 (56%), not bad in 58 (39%), and poor in 8 (5%). The idea seemed very good to 70 patients (47%), good to 58 (39%), not bad to 8 (5%), indifferent to 11 (7%), bad to 1 (1%), and very bad to 2 (1%). As far a patients’ mobility, 119 patients (79%) walked into the department, 18 (12%) were wheeled in on beds, and 13 (9%) needed wheelchairs. Conclusions: We found a high level of satisfaction with the decorative elements (AU)

[Decorative elements in the medical imaging area improve patients' perception of pleasantness]. / Los elementos decorativos ambientales en el Área de Imagen Médica mejoran la percepción de agradabilidad del paciente.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sensation of pleasantness perceived by patients attended in the radiology department in response to decorative elements hung on the walls in the waiting rooms and in the hallways of the imaging area. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The material resources comprised works of art in the form of "magic windows" representing scenes from nature installed on the ceilings and walls of the waiting area and hallways of the imaging area. Patients were given a brief questionnaire with general data and questions (sadness-cheerfulness, coldness-warmth, darkness-light, and pessimism-optimism) about their perception of the decorative elements. RESULTS: Of the 150 questionnaires collected, 142 were filled out correctly. The overall health of these patients was good in 84 (56%), not bad in 58 (39%), and poor in 8 (5%). The idea seemed very good to 70 patients (47%), good to 58 (39%), not bad to 8 (5%), indifferent to 11 (7%), bad to 1 (1%), and very bad to 2 (1%). As far a patients' mobility, 119 patients (79%) walked into the department, 18 (12%) were wheeled in on beds, and 13 (9%) needed wheelchairs. CONCLUSIONS: We found a high level of satisfaction with the decorative elements.

Collaborative annotation of genes and proteins between UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot and dictyBase.

UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot, a curated protein database, and dictyBase, the Model Organism Database for Dictyostelium discoideum, have established a collaboration to improve data sharing. One of the major steps in this effort was the 'Dicty annotation marathon', a week-long exercise with 30 annotators aimed at achieving a major increase in the number of D. discoideum proteins represented in UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot. The marathon led to the annotation of over 1000 D. discoideum proteins in UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot. Concomitantly, there were a large number of updates in dictyBase concerning gene symbols, protein names and gene models. This exercise demonstrates how UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot can work in very close cooperation with model organism databases and how the annotation of proteins can be accelerated through those collaborations.

Efficacy of eprinomectin pour-on against gastrointestinal nematodes and the nasal bot fly (Oestrus ovis) in sheep.

The efficacy of the pour-on formulation of eprinomectin, at a dose rate of 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight, was assessed in sheep against three main species of gastrointestinal nematodes and against the nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis, and some pharmacokinetic parameters were determined for 21 days after the treatment. By comparison with untreated control sheep, infected experimentally with Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis, eprinomectin was 100 per cent effective against the two abomasal species and 99.5 per cent effective against T. colubriformis. In ewes naturally infected with the nasal bot fly, the efficacy of the drug against O. ovis was 97.7 per cent. The mean (se) systemic area under the curve (AUC) was 56.0 (26.2) ng/day/ml and the mean residence time was 5.3 (1.0) days, but there were wide variations between individual sheep.

The noncoding and surface envelope coding sequences of myeloblastosis-associated virus are respectively responsible for nephroblastoma development and renal hyperplasia.

The use of chimeric viruses allowed us to establish that myeloblastosis-associated virus long terminal repeat sequences are necessary and sufficient for induction of nephroblastoma in chickens and that the blastemal hyperplasia induced by env SU is not a prerequisite for tumor development but rather constitutes a predisposing stage.