Regional deep hyperthermia in combination with whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in poor prognosis patients with brain metastases.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess for the first time, the role of regional deep hyperthermia in combination with radiotherapy and systemic therapy in patients with poor prognosis of brain metastases (GPI ≤ 2.5). METHODS: Patients with confirmed cerebral metastases and classified as GPI score ≤ 2.5 were included in this prospective study. Pretreatment stratification was defined as patients with 0-1 GPI score (Group A) and patients with 1.5-2.5 GPI score (Group B). HT was applied twice a week, 60 min per session, during RT by regional capacitive device (HY-DEEP 600WM system) at 13.56 MHz radiofrequency. RESULTS: Between June 2015 and June 2017, 15 patients and a total of 49 brain metastases were included in the protocol. All patients received all HT sessions as planned. RT and systemic therapy were also completed as prescribed. Tolerance to treatment was excellent and no toxicity was registered. Patients with HT effective treatment time longer than the median (W90time > 88%) showed better actuarial PFS at 6 and 12 months (100% and 66.7%, respectively) compared to those with less HT effective treatment time (50% and 0%, respectively) (p < 0.031). Median OS was 6 months (range 1-36 months). Stratification by GPI score showed a median OS of 3 months (CI 95% 2.49-3.51) in Group A and 8.0 months (CI 95% 5.15-10.41) in Group B (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Regional hyperthermia is a feasible and safe technique to be used in combination with RT in brain metastases patients, improving PFS and survival in poor prognostic brain metastasis patients.

The influence of non-specific anti-pruritus treatment with cyclosporine A on transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in natural atopic dermatitis in dogs.

Atopic dermatitis is a common allergic skin disease in dogs. Monitoring the progress of treatment and the assessment of the severity of disease symptoms are crucial elements of the treatment procedure. One of the common means of assessing the severity of the clinical signs of the disease is the CADESI 03. Research studies have pointed to a possibility of assessing the severity of skin lesions by means of measuring biophysical skin parameters such as TEWL, skin hydration and erythema intensity. The aim of the study was the assessment of changes in TEWL and CADESI values measured in ten different body regions during non-specific anti-pruritus treatment. The examination was performed on ten dogs with atopic dermatitis (age from 2.5 years to 7 years, mean age 3.8 years). The measurements were performed in the following body regions: the lumbar region, the right axillary fossa, the right inguinal region, the ventral abdominal region, the right lateral thorax region, the internal surface of the auricle, interdigital region of the right forelimb, cheek, bridge of nose and the lateral site of antebrachum. A statistically significant decrease in CADESI values was reported starting from the second week of treatment. In the case of the mean TEWL values, a fall was observed after one week of treatment in the ventral abdominal region and the interdigital region, after two weeks of treatment in the axillary fossa and the inguinal region, and after three weeks in the cheek and the lateral thorax region. There was no statistically significant decrease in TEWL values in the course of treatment in four other regions.

Bovine herpes virus gD protein produced in plants using a recombinant tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) vector possesses authentic antigenicity.

A tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-based vector was utilized for expression of a cytosolic form of the bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) protein glycoprotein D (gDc). Nicotiana benthamiana plants were harvested 7 days after inoculation with RNA transcripts derived from the TMV-gDc recombinant virus. Recombinant gDc protein of expected electrophoretic mobility accumulated in inoculated leaves to a concentration of about 20 micrograms/g of fresh leaf tissue. Oil-based vaccines were formulated with crude foliar extracts to immunize mice parentally. After a single injection, animals developed a sustained and specific response to both the isolated gD and native virus particles. Cattle vaccinated with the same gDc containing extracts developed specific humoral and cellular immune responses directed against both the viral gD and BHV-1 particles. Most importantly, animals vaccinated with the plant-produced gDc showed good levels of protection after challenge with the virulent BHV-1. Virus excretion was drastically reduced in these animals, reaching levels comparable to animals vaccinated with a commercial BHV-1 vaccine. The positive immunological characterization obtained for the gDc, indicated that an important part of the natural conformation was retained in the plant recombinant protein.