Comprehensive geriatric assessment predicts radiation-induced acute toxicity in prostate cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present prospective study was to evaluate the significance of geriatric conditions measured by a comprehensive geriatric assessment (GA) for the prediction of the risk of high-grade acute radiation-induced toxicity. METHODS: A total of 314 prostate cancer patients (age ≥ 65 years) undergoing definitive radiotherapy at a tertiary academic center were included. Prior to treatment, patients underwent a GA. High-grade toxicity was defined as acute toxicity grade ≥ 2 according to standard RTOG/EORTC criteria. To analyze the predictive value of the GA, univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were applied. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients (12.7%) developed acute toxicity grade ≥ 2; high grade genitourinary was found in 37 patients (11.8%) and rectal toxicity in 8 patients (2.5%), respectively. Multivariable analysis revealed a significant association of comorbidities with overall toxicity grade ≥ 2 (odds ratio [OR] 2.633, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.260-5.502; p = 0.010) as well as with high-grade genitourinary and rectal toxicity (OR 2.169, 95%CI1.017-4.625; p = 0.045 and OR 7.220, 95%CI 1.227-42.473; p = 0.029, respectively). Furthermore, the Activities of Daily Living score (OR 0.054, 95%CI 0.004-0.651; p = 0.022), social status (OR 0.159, 95%CI 0.028-0.891; p = 0.036), and polypharmacy (OR 4.618, 95%CI 1.045-20.405; p = 0.044) were identified as independent predictors of rectal toxicity grade ≥ 2. CONCLUSION: Geriatric conditions seem to be predictive of the development of high-grade radiation-induced toxicity in prostate cancer patients treated with definitive radiotherapy.

LRH-1/NR5A2 interacts with the glucocorticoid receptor to regulate glucocorticoid resistance.

Nuclear receptors are transcription factors with important functions in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Targeting glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity using glucocorticoids is a cornerstone in the treatment of patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), and resistance to GC-induced cell death is associated with poor outcome and a high risk for relapse. Next to ligand-binding, heterodimerization with other transcription factors presents an important mechanism for the regulation of GR activity. Here, we describe a GC-induced direct association of the Liver Receptor Homolog-1 (LRH-1) with the GR in the nucleus, which results in reciprocal inhibition of transcriptional activity. Pharmacological and molecular interference with LRH-1 impairs proliferation and survival in T-ALL and causes a profound sensitization to GC-induced cell death, even in GC-resistant T-ALL. Our data illustrate that direct interaction between GR and LRH-1 critically regulates glucocorticoid sensitivity in T-ALL opening up new perspectives for developing innovative therapeutic approaches to treat GC-resistant T-ALL.

Human lung carcinomas synthesize immunoregulatory glucocorticoids.

The need for new options in lung cancer treatment inevitably leads back to basic research. The tumor itself and the tumor environment especially the interaction with the immune system need to be better understood to develop targeted therapies. In the context of lung cancer glucocorticoids (GC) are mainly known as a combination drug to attenuate side-effects of chemotherapies. However, endogenous extra-adrenal GC have been shown to substantially regulate local immune responses within various tissues, including the lung. In this study we investigated whether primary lung tumors have maintained the capacity to synthesize GC and may thereby regulate anti-tumor immune responses. We show that several non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cell lines express key steroidogenic enzymes and synthesize bioactive GC under steady state conditions. We also show that tumor-derived GC can inhibit splenic T cell activation, thus demonstrating their immunoregulatory potential. Moreover, steroidogenic enzymes were detected by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in tissue sections of different human lung tumors, further strengthening the idea that human lung carcinomas regulate their microenvironment by releasing immunoregulatory GC, which potentially contributes to immune evasion and treatment resistance.

A patterns of care analysis of hyperthermia in combination with radio(chemo)therapy or chemotherapy in European clinical centers.

PURPOSE: The combination of hyperthermia (HT) with radio(chemo)therapy or chemotherapy (CT) is an established treatment strategy for specific indications. Its application in routine clinical practice in Europe depends on regulatory and local conditions. We conducted a survey among European clinical centers to determine current practice of HT. METHODS: A questionnaire with 22 questions was sent to 24 European HT centers. The questions were divided into two main categories. The first category assessed how many patients are treated with HT in combination with radio(chemo)therapy or CT for specific indications per year. The second category addressed which hyperthermia parameters are recorded. Analysis was performed using descriptive methods. RESULTS: The response rate was 71% (17/24) and 16 centers were included in this evaluation. Annually, these 16 centers treat approximately 637 patients using HT in combination with radio(chemo)therapy or CT. On average, 34% (range: 3-100%) of patients are treated in clinical study protocols. Temperature readings and the time interval between HT and radio(chemo)therapy or CT are recorded in 13 (81%) and 9 (56%) centers, respectively. The thermal dose quality parameter "cumulative equivalent minutes at 43 °C" (CEM43°C) is only evaluated in five (31%) centers for each HT session. With regard to treatment sequence, 8 (50%) centers administer HT before radio(chemo)therapy and the other 8 in the reverse order. CONCLUSION: There is a significant heterogeneity among European HT centers as to the indications treated and the recording of thermometric parameters. More evidence from clinical studies is necessary to achieve standardization of HT practice.

Glucocorticoids are differentially synthesized along the murine and human respiratory tree.

BACKGROUND: Synthetic glucocorticoids (GC) are effective in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the lung. However, long-term use leads to severe side effects. Endogenous GC can be synthesized locally, either de novo from cholesterol in a 11ß-hydroxylase (Cyp11b1)-dependent manner, or by reactivation from 11-dehydrocorticosterone/cortisone by 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (Hsd11b1). We aimed to define the molecular pathways of endogenous GC synthesis along the respiratory tree to provide a basis for understanding how local GC synthesis contributes to tissue homeostasis. METHODS: Expression of steroidogenic enzymes in murine lung epithelium was analyzed by macroscopic and laser capture microdissection, followed by RT-qPCR. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to identify the cellular source of steroidogenic enzymes. Additionally, the induction of steroidogenic enzyme expression in the lung was analyzed after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. mRNA and protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes was confirmed in human lung tissue by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, GC synthesis was examined in ex vivo cultures of fresh tissue from mice and human lobectomy patients. RESULTS: We observed that the murine and human lung tissue differentially expresses synthesis pathway-determining enzymes along the respiratory tree. We detected Hsd11b1 expression in bronchial, alveolar, club and basal epithelial cells, whereas Cyp11b1 expression was detectable only in tracheal epithelial cells of mice. Accordingly, de novo synthesis of bioactive GC occurred in the large conducting airways, whereas reactivation occurred everywhere along the respiratory tree. Strikingly, Cyp11b1 but not Hsd11b1 expression was enhanced in the trachea upon LPS injection in mice. CONCLUSION: We report here the differential synthesis of bioactive GC along the murine and human respiratory tree. Thus, extra-adrenal de novo GC synthesis and reactivation may differentially contribute to the regulation of immunological and inflammatory processes in the lung.

Titin kinase ubiquitination aligns autophagy receptors with mechanical signals in the sarcomere.

Striated muscle undergoes remodelling in response to mechanical and physiological stress, but little is known about the integration of such varied signals in the myofibril. The interaction of the elastic kinase region from sarcomeric titin (A168-M1) with the autophagy receptors Nbr1/p62 and MuRF E3 ubiquitin ligases is well suited to link mechanosensing with the trophic response of the myofibril. To investigate the mechanisms of signal cross-talk at this titin node, we elucidated its 3D structure, analysed its response to stretch using steered molecular dynamics simulations and explored its functional relation to MuRF1 and Nbr1/p62 using cellular assays. We found that MuRF1-mediated ubiquitination of titin kinase promotes its scaffolding of Nbr1/p62 and that the process can be dynamically down-regulated by the mechanical unfolding of a linker sequence joining titin kinase with the MuRF1 receptor site in titin. We propose that titin ubiquitination is sensitive to the mechanical state of the sarcomere, the regulation of sarcomere targeting by Nbr1/p62 being a functional outcome. We conclude that MuRF1/Titin Kinase/Nbr1/p62 constitutes a distinct assembly that predictably promotes sarcomere breakdown in inactive muscle.

G × E interactions as a basis for toxicological uncertainty.

To transfer toxicological findings from model systems, e.g. animals, to humans, standardized safety factors are applied to account for intra-species and inter-species variabilities. An alternative approach would be to measure and model the actual compound-specific uncertainties. This biological concept assumes that all observed toxicities depend not only on the exposure situation (environment = E), but also on the genetic (G) background of the model (G × E). As a quantitative discipline, toxicology needs to move beyond merely qualitative G × E concepts. Research programs are required that determine the major biological variabilities affecting toxicity and categorize their relative weights and contributions. In a complementary approach, detailed case studies need to explore the role of genetic backgrounds in the adverse effects of defined chemicals. In addition, current understanding of the selection and propagation of adverse outcome pathways (AOP) in different biological environments is very limited. To improve understanding, a particular focus is required on modulatory and counter-regulatory steps. For quantitative approaches to address uncertainties, the concept of "genetic" influence needs a more precise definition. What is usually meant by this term in the context of G × E are the protein functions encoded by the genes. Besides the gene sequence, the regulation of the gene expression and function should also be accounted for. The widened concept of past and present "gene expression" influences is summarized here as Ge. Also, the concept of "environment" needs some re-consideration in situations where exposure timing (Et) is pivotal: prolonged or repeated exposure to the insult (chemical, physical, life style) affects Ge. This implies that it changes the model system. The interaction of Ge with Et might be denoted as Ge × Et. We provide here general explanations and specific examples for this concept and show how it could be applied in the context of New Approach Methodologies (NAM).

Stereotactic body radiotherapy of adrenal metastases-A dose-finding study.

Optimal doses for the treatment of adrenal metastases with stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) are unknown. We aimed to identify dose-volume cut-points associated with decreased local recurrence rates (LRR). A multicenter database of patients with adrenal metastases of any histology treated with SBRT (biologically effective dose, BED10 ≥50 Gy, ≤12 fractions) was analyzed. Details on dose-volume parameters were required (planning target volume: PTV-D98%, PTV-D50%, PTV-D2%; gross tumor volume: GTV-D50%, GTV-mean). Cut-points for LRR were optimized using the R maxstat package. One hundred and ninety-six patients with 218 lesions were included, the largest histopathological subgroup was adenocarcinoma (n = 101). Cut-point optimization resulted in significant cut-points for PTV-D50% (BED10: 73.2 Gy; P = .003), GTV-D50% (BED10: 74.2 Gy; P = .006), GTV-mean (BED10: 73.0 Gy; P = .007), and PTV-D2% (BED10: 78.0 Gy; P = .02) but not for the PTV-D98% (P = .06). Differences in LRR were clinically relevant (LRR ≥ doubled for cut-points that were not achieved). Further dose-escalation was not associated with further improved LRR. PTV-D50%, GTV-D50%, and GTV-mean cut-points were also associated with significantly improved LRR in the adenocarcinoma subgroup. Separate dose optimizations indicated a lower cut-point for the PTV-D50% (BED10: 69.1 Gy) in adenocarcinoma lesions, other values were similar (<2% difference). Associations of cut-points with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were not significant but durable freedom from local recurrence was associated with OS in a landmark model (P < .001). To achieve a significant improvement of LRR for adrenal SBRT, a moderate escalation of PTV-D50% BED10 >73.2 Gy (adenocarcinoma: 69.1 Gy) should be considered.

125 years of head and neck radiotherapy: could organ-sparing radiotherapy of larynx cancer have prevented World War I?

PURPOSE: We aim to recapitulate the rapid development of head and neck radiotherapy in the context of otorhinolaryngology (ORL) medicine starting 125 years ago. This is put into context with the unsuccessful treatment of the laryngeal cancer (LC) of the German emperor Frederick III and its historical consequences. METHODS: The three-step process consisted in the analysis of (1) historical sources of the development of ORL radiotherapy from the discovery of x­rays and radioactivity until World War I, (2) course and treatment of Frederick's III LC, (3) political context with a special focus on the escalation towards World War I. Pertinent historical illustrations of technical developments of radiotherapy were summarized in a video. RESULTS: ORL radiotherapy initiated on 03 February 1896, only 65 days after the discovery of X­rays. By 1914, organ-sparing LC radiotherapy was established with a predominance of curietherapy over roentgentherapy. Correct diagnosis of Frederick III's primarily radiocurable cT1a glottic LC was delayed by one year, which resulted in advancement to a fatal pT4 pN1 Mx tumour stage. Historically, his successor, William II, was assumed to have contributed to the causes of World War I. CONCLUSION: ORL radiotherapy came only eight years late to treat Frederick III who might have impeded World War I. This illustrates the potential impact of modern curative radiotherapy on the future course of public life beyond the personal fate of the patient himself.

Shift of radiotherapy use during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic? An analysis of German inpatient data.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the change in inpatient radiotherapy related to COVID-19 lockdown measures during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. METHODS: We included cases hospitalized between January 1 and August 31, 2018-2020, with a primary ICD-10 diagnosis of C00-C13, C32 (head and neck cancer, HNC) and C53 (cervical cancer, CC). Data collection was conducted within the Medical Informatics Initiative. Outcomes were fractions and admissions. Controlling for decreasing hospital admissions during holidays, calendar weeks of 2018/2019 were aligned to Easter 2020. A lockdown period (LP; 16/03/2020-02/08/2020) and a return-to-normal period (RNP; 04/05/2020-02/08/2020) were defined. The study sample comprised a control (admission 2018/19) and study cohort (admission 2020). We computed weekly incidence and IR ratios from generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS: We included 9365 (CC: 2040, HNC: 7325) inpatient hospital admissions from 14 German university hospitals. For CC, fractions decreased by 19.97% in 2020 compared to 2018/19 in the LP. In the RNP the reduction was 28.57% (p < 0.001 for both periods). LP fractions for HNC increased by 10.38% (RNP: 9.27%; p < 0.001 for both periods). Admissions for CC decreased in both periods (LP: 10.2%, RNP: 22.14%), whereas for HNC, admissions increased (LP: 2.25%, RNP: 1.96%) in 2020. Within LP, for CC, radiotherapy admissions without brachytherapy were reduced by 23.92%, whereas surgery-related admissions increased by 20.48%. For HNC, admissions with radiotherapy increased by 13.84%, while surgery-related admissions decreased by 11.28% in the same period. CONCLUSION: Related to the COVID-19 lockdown in an inpatient setting, radiotherapy for HNC treatment became a more frequently applied modality, while admissions of CC cases decreased.

Stereotactic or conformal radiotherapy for adrenal metastases: Patient characteristics and outcomes in a multicenter analysis.

To report outcome (freedom from local progression [FFLP], overall survival [OS] and toxicity) after stereotactic, palliative or highly conformal fractionated (>12) radiotherapy (SBRT, Pall-RT, 3DCRT/IMRT) for adrenal metastases in a retrospective multicenter cohort within the framework of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO). Adrenal metastases treated with SBRT (≤12 fractions, biologically effective dose [BED10] ≥ 50 Gy), 3DCRT/IMRT (>12 fractions, BED10 ≥ 50 Gy) or Pall-RT (BED10 < 50 Gy) were eligible for this analysis. In addition to unadjusted FFLP (Kaplan-Meier/log-rank), we calculated the competing-risk-adjusted local recurrence rate (CRA-LRR). Three hundred twenty-six patients with 366 metastases were included by 21 centers (median follow-up: 11.7 months). Treatment was SBRT, 3DCRT/IMRT and Pall-RT in 260, 27 and 79 cases, respectively. Most frequent primary tumors were non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC; 52.5%), SCLC (16.3%) and melanoma (6.7%). Unadjusted FFLP was higher after SBRT vs Pall-RT (P = .026) while numerical differences in CRA-LRR between groups did not reach statistical significance (1-year CRA-LRR: 13.8%, 17.4% and 27.7%). OS was longer after SBRT vs other groups (P < .05) and increased in patients with locally controlled metastases in a landmark analysis (P < .0001). Toxicity was mostly mild; notably, four cases of adrenal insufficiency occurred, two of which were likely caused by immunotherapy or tumor progression. Radiotherapy for adrenal metastases was associated with a mild toxicity profile in all groups and a favorable 1-year CRA-LRR after SBRT or 3DCRT/IMRT. One-year FFLP was associated with longer OS. Dose-response analyses for the dataset are underway.

Neoadjuvant Therapy for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: A New Standard of Care. Pooled Data From 3 Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to pool data from randomized controlled trials (RCT) limited to resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) to determine whether a neoadjuvant therapy impacts on disease-free survival (DFS) and surgical outcome. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Few underpowered studies have suggested benefits from neoadjuvant chemo (± radiation) for strictly resectable PDAC without offering conclusive recommendations. METHODS: Three RCTs were identified comparing neoadjuvant chemo (± radio) therapy vs. upfront surgery followed by adjuvant therapy in all cases. Data were pooled targeting DFS as primary endpoint, whereas overall survival (OS), postoperative morbidity, and mortality were investigated as secondary endpoints. Survival endpoints DFS and OS were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression with study-specific baseline hazards. RESULTS: A total of 130 patients were randomized (56 in the neoadjuvant and 74 in the control group). DFS was significantly longer in the neoadjuvant treatment group compared to surgery only [hazard ratio (HR) 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-0.9] (P = 0.01). Furthermore, DFS for the subgroup of R0 resections was similarly longer in the neoadjuvant treated group (HR 0.6, 95% CI 0.35-0.9, P = 0.045). Although postoperative complications (Comprehensive Complication Index, CCI®) occurred less frequently (P = 0.008), patients after neoadjuvant therapy experienced a higher toxicity, but without negative impact on oncological or surgical outcome parameters. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant therapy can be offered as an acceptable standard of care for patients with purely resectable PDAC. Future research with the advances of precision oncology should now focus on the definition of the optimal regimen.

Nuclear-mitochondrial crosstalk: On the role of the nuclear receptor liver receptor homolog-1 (NR5A2) in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism, cell survival, and cancer.

Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1, NR5A2) is an orphan nuclear receptor with widespread activities in the regulation of development, stemness, metabolism, steroidogenesis, and proliferation. Many of the LRH-1-regulated processes target the mitochondria and associated activities. While under physiological conditions, a balanced LRH-1 expression and regulation contribute to the maintenance of a physiological equilibrium, deregulation of LRH-1 has been associated with inflammation and cancer. In this review, we discuss the role and mechanism(s) of how LRH-1 regulates metabolic processes, cell survival, and cancer in a nuclear-mitochondrial crosstalk, and evaluate its potential as a pharmacological target.

FAK inhibition radiosensitizes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells in vitro.

INTRODUCTION: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase protein frequently overexpressed in cancer and has been linked to an increase in the stem cell population of tumors, resistance to therapy, and metastatic spread. Pharmacological FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer has received increased attention over the last few years, either alone or in combination with other therapeutics including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, its prognostic value and its role in radioresistance of pancreatic ducal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unknown. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Using the TCGA and GTEx databases, we investigated the genetic alterations and mRNA expression levels of PTK2 (the encoding-gene for FAK) in normal pancreatic tissue and pancreatic cancer and its impact on patient survival. Furthermore, we evaluated the expression of FAK and its tyrosine domain Ty-397 in three pancreatic cancer cell lines. We went further and evaluated the role of a commercial FAK tyrosine kinase inhibitor VS-4718 on the viability and radiosensitization of the pancreatic cell lines as well as its effect on the extracellular matrix (ECM) production from the pancreatic stellate cells. Furthermore, we tested the effect of combining radiation with VS-4718 in a three-dimensional (3D) multicellular pancreatic tumor spheroid model. RESULTS: A database analysis revealed a relevant increase in genetic alterations and mRNA expression of the PTK2 in PDAC, which were associated with lower progression-free survival. In vitro, there was only variation in the basal phosphorylation level of FAK in cell lines. VS-4718 radiosensitized pancreatic cell lines only in the presence of ECM-producing pancreatic stellate cells and markedly reduced the ECM production in the stromal cells. Finally, using a 3D multicellular tumor model, the combination of VS-4718 and radiotherapy significantly reduced the growth of tumor aggregates. CONCLUSION: Pharmacological inhibition of FAK in pancreatic cancer could be a novel therapeutic strategy as our results show a radiosensitization effect of VS-4718 in vitro in a multicellular 2D- and in a 3D-model of pancreatic cancer.

Mass Measurements of Neutron-Deficient Yb Isotopes and Nuclear Structure at the Extreme Proton-Rich Side of the N=82 Shell.

High-accuracy mass measurements of neutron-deficient Yb isotopes have been performed at TRIUMF using TITAN's multiple-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS). For the first time, an MR-TOF-MS was used on line simultaneously as an isobar separator and as a mass spectrometer, extending the measurements to two isotopes further away from stability than otherwise possible. The ground state masses of ^{150,153}Yb and the excitation energy of ^{151}Yb^{m} were measured for the first time. As a result, the persistence of the N=82 shell with almost unmodified shell gap energies is established up to the proton drip line. Furthermore, the puzzling systematics of the h_{11/2}-excited isomeric states of the N=81 isotones are unraveled using state-of-the-art mean field calculations.

Technological quality requirements for stereotactic radiotherapy : Expert review group consensus from the DGMP Working Group for Physics and Technology in Stereotactic Radiotherapy.

This review details and discusses the technological quality requirements to ensure the desired quality for stereotactic radiotherapy using photon external beam radiotherapy as defined by the DEGRO Working Group Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Radiotherapy and the DGMP Working Group for Physics and Technology in Stereotactic Radiotherapy. The covered aspects of this review are 1) imaging for target volume definition, 2) patient positioning and target volume localization, 3) motion management, 4) collimation of the irradiation and beam directions, 5) dose calculation, 6) treatment unit accuracy, and 7) dedicated quality assurance measures. For each part, an expert review for current state-of-the-art techniques and their particular technological quality requirement to reach the necessary accuracy for stereotactic radiotherapy divided into intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery in one single fraction (SRS), intracranial fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT), and extracranial stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is presented. All recommendations and suggestions for all mentioned aspects of stereotactic radiotherapy are formulated and related uncertainties and potential sources of error discussed. Additionally, further research and development needs in terms of insufficient data and unsolved problems for stereotactic radiotherapy are identified, which will serve as a basis for the future assignments of the DGMP Working Group for Physics and Technology in Stereotactic Radiotherapy. The review was group peer-reviewed, and consensus was obtained through multiple working group meetings.

MRI targeted single fraction HDR Brachytherapy for localized Prostate Carcinoma: a feasibility study of focal radiation therapy (ProFocAL).

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to establish the setup and workflow for delivering focal MRI-guided high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for prostate cancer (PCA) and to assess patient comfort and safety aspects of MRI-guided single-fraction HDR. METHODS: Patients with histologically proven focal low- to intermediate-risk PCA with a single PIRADS 4/5 lesion were treated with percutaneous interstitial HDR brachytherapy in a single fraction with a minimum dose for the gross tumor volume of 20 Gy while sparing the organ at risk (OAR). Using a 3T-MRI, brachytherapy catheters were placed transgluteal in freehand technique. No antibiotic therapy or general analgesics were administered. Patient data, procedure time, patient discomfort, and complications were recorded. Quarterly PSA controls, biannual follow-up imaging, and annual re-biopsy were planned. RESULTS: So far, 9 patients were successfully treated and followed for 6 months. Mean intervention time was 34 min. Using the VAS scale, the pain reported for the intervention ranged from 2 to 3. Short-term follow-up showed no acute genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity so far. None of the patients displayed signs of infection. PSA levels in all patients decreased significantly. On follow up no residual PCA was detected treated region so far. PSA levels in all patients decreased significantly. On follow-up, no residual PCA was detected so far. CONCLUSIONS: MR-guided single-fraction focal HDR brachytherapy for localized PCA is feasible as well as safe for the individual patient. Catheters can be placed accurately and maximum therapeutic dose distribution can be restricted to the tumor. Countersigning the minimally invasive character of the procedure, no general anesthesia or antibiosis is necessary. KEY POINTS: • MR-guided focal HDR brachytherapy allows an accurate placement of catheters with maximum therapeutic dose distribution restricted to the tumor. • No major anesthesia or antibiosis is necessary emphasizing the minimal invasive character of the procedure. • Patients with low- and intermediate-risk prostate carcinoma in particular may benefit to halt disease progression whereas treatment-related morbidity is reduced compared with radical therapy.

A segmentation of Swiss fluid milk consumers and suggestions for target product concepts.

The objective of this study was to understand the priorities and motives of Swiss consumers when choosing and buying fluid milk and to provide evidence-based recommendations for the development of target product concepts and category adaptations. Data were collected through a postal survey sent to a randomly selected sample of German-speaking Swiss residents, yielding a final sample size of n = 712 (39% response rate). Hierarchical cluster analysis disclosed the presence of 3 distinct consumer segments: the uncompromising consumers (24%), who have high and numerous expectations; the locavores (56%), who ensure that they consume primarily milk of local origin; and the indifferent consumers (20%), who have modest expectations, especially in taste, origin, and production conditions. The market review revealed that none of the 7 largest market players offered the right product mix to match the needs of its effective or targeted consumers. Overall, the current offer is too broad and untargeted. A large share of the offer lacks sufficient differentiation; furthermore, available added-value concepts often do not combine the right product attributes. Based on these results, 5 product concepts were elaborated. Two products were designed for the uncompromising consumers: a protein-enhanced, semi-skimmed (1.5%) milk and a fair milk (fair price paid to the milk producers); a twin concept was designed for the locavores: a 100% local pasteurized milk available in both conventional and organic quality; and one product was designed for the indifferent consumers: an all-purpose, long-life, part-skimmed (2.5%) milk. By including the product concepts dedicated to their targeted consumers' segments and downsizing their assortment depth, retailers could optimize their sales per square foot.

The many faces of tumor necrosis factor signaling in the intestinal epithelium.

The intestinal epithelium represents an exquisite complex combination of specialized cellular components, structural organization, as well as fine-tuned maintenance and renewal mechanisms that ensure its barrier and absorptive function. Defects in one or more of these components can lead to devastating consequences for the organisms, and when chronic, even develop into inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. In these scenarios, the cytokine TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor α) appears to be a major inflammation-promoting and tissue damage-promoting effector molecule. Besides its role in inflammation and cell death, TNF presents a wide range of pleiotropic activities with implications in various cellular processes, including proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, more recent evidences suggest an anti-inflammatory role of TNF, mostly via the induction of local glucocorticoids synthesis in the intestinal epithelium. Thus, the outcome of TNF receptor signaling largely depends on various factors, like the TNFR composition and the precise cellular context or tissue type, which will determine the cellular fate. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms and their potential crosstalk that regulate the different TNF-initiated cellular outcomes in the intestine, as well as possible applications for pharmacological interventions in the treatment of inflammatory disorders of the intestinal mucosa.

Extra-adrenal glucocorticoid synthesis at epithelial barriers.

Epithelial barriers play an important role in the exchange of nutrients, gases, and other signals between our body and the outside world. However, they protect it also from invasion by potential pathogens. Defective epithelial barriers and associated overshooting immune responses are the basis of many different inflammatory disorders of the skin, the lung, and the intestinal mucosa. The anti-inflammatory activity of glucocorticoids has been efficiently used for the treatment of these diseases. Interestingly, epithelia in these tissues are also a rich source of endogenous glucocorticoids, suggesting that local glucocorticoid synthesis is part of a tissue-specific regulatory circuit. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the extra-adrenal glucocorticoid synthesis at the epithelial barriers of the intestine, lung and the skin, and discuss their relevance in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and as therapeutic targets.