Advantageous Options Research Articles

Microenvironment Can Induce Development of Auditory Progenitor Cells from Human Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Sensorineural hearing loss in mammals occurs due to irreversible damage to the sensory epithelia of the inner ear and has very limited treatment options. The ability to regenerate the auditory progenitor cells is a promising approach for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss; therefore, finding an appropriate and easily accessible stem cell source for restoring the sense of hearing would be of great interest. Here, we proposed a novel easy-to-access source of cells with the ability to recover auditory progenitor cells. In this study, gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) were utilized, as these cells have high self-renewal and multipotent differentiation capacity and can be obtained easily from the oral cavity or discarded tissue samples at dental clinics. To manipulate the biophysical properties of the cellular microenvironment for promoting GMSC differentiation toward the target cells, we also tried to propose a candidate biomaterial. GMSCs in combination with an appropriate scaffold material can, therefore, present advantageous therapeutic options for a number of conditions. Here, we report the potential of GMSCs to differentiate into auditory progenitor cells while supporting them with an optimized three-dimensional scaffold and certain growth factors. A hybrid hydrogel scaffold based on peptide modified alginate and Matrigel was used here in addition to the presence of fibroblast growth factor-basic (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Our in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed the auditory differentiation potential of GMSCs within the engineered microenvironment.

Decisions from experience: Competitive search and choice in kind and wicked environments

AbstractInformation search is key to making decision from experience: exploration permits people to learn about the statistical properties of choice options and thus to become aware of rare but potentially momentous decision consequences. This registered report investigates whether and how people differ when making decisions from experiencein isolationversusunder competitive pressure, which may have important implications for choice performance in different types of choice environments: in “kind” environments without any rare and extreme events, frugal search is sufficient to identify advantageous options. Conversely, in “wicked” environments with skewed outcome distributions, rare but important events will tend to be missed in frugal search. One theoretical view is that competitive pressure encourages efficiency and may thereby boost adaptive search in different environments. An alternative and more pessimistic view is that competitive pressure triggers agency-related concerns, leading to minimal search irrespective of the choice environment, and hence to inferior choice performance. Using a sampling game, the present study (N= 277) found that solitary search was not adaptive to different choice environments (M= 14 samples), leading to a high choice performance in a kind and in a moderately wicked environment, but somewhat lower performance in an extremely wicked environment. Competitive pressure substantially reduced search irrespective of the choice environment (M= 4 samples), thus negatively affecting overall choice performance. Yet, from the perspective of a cost-benefit framework, frugal search may beefficientunder competitive pressure. In sum, this report extends research on decisions from experience by adopting an ecological perspective (i.e., systematically varying different choice environments) and by introducing a cost-benefit framework to evaluatesolitaryandcompetitivesearch — with the latter constituting a challenging problem for people in an increasingly connected world.

Basolateral amygdala – nucleus accumbens circuitry regulates optimal cue-guided risk/reward decision making

Maladaptive decision making is a characteristic feature of substance use disorder and pathological gambling. Studies in humans and animals have implicated neural circuits that include the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) in facilitating risk/reward decision making. However, the preclinical literature has focussed primarily on situations where animals use internally-generated information to adapt to changes in reward likelihood, whereas many real-life situations require the use of external stimuli to facilitate context-appropriate behavior. We recently developed the “Blackjack” task, to measure cued risk/reward decision making requiring rats to chose between Small/Certain and Large/Risky rewards, with auditory cues at the start of each trial explicitly informing that the probability of obtaining a large reward was either good (50%) or poor (12.5%). Here we investigated the contribution of the BLA and its interaction with the NAc in guiding these types of decisions. In well-trained male rats, bilateral inactivation of the BLA induced suboptimal decision making, primarily by reducing risky choice on good-odds trials. In comparison, pharmacological disconnection of the BLA and NAc-shell also induced suboptimal decision making, diverting choice from more preferred option by reducing or increasing risky choice on good vs. poor odds trials respectively. Together, these results suggest that the BLA-NAc circuitry plays a crucial role in integrating information provided by discriminative stimuli. Furthermore, this circuitry may aid in guiding action selection of advantageous options in situations to maximize rewards. Finally, they suggest that perturbations in optimal decision making observed in substance abuse and gambling disorders may be driven in part by dysfunction within this circuitry.

Calf performance when fed with cheese whey associated with discarded powdered milk

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of calves (Holstein × No Defined Breed Standard) fed powdered cheese whey associated with discarded powdered milk up to 60 days of age. Forty calves (35 kg initial average weight) were used, distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and ten repetitions per treatment: whole milk (control), 100% milk powder, 80% milk powder + 20% cheese whey powder, 60% milk powder + 40% cheese whey powder. Consumption, performance, and economic analysis were evaluated. Data were analyzed for variance and comparison of orthogonal contrasts (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the treatments tested regarding the evaluated variables. The animals from all treatments had a final average weight of 50.28 kg as the result of an average weight gain of 0.255 ± 0.03 kg/day and a total dry matter intake of 34.28 ± 1.47 kg/day per calf. The examined diets offered the lowest cost compared to the control treatment, generating an average additional profit of 113.19 R$/animal. Diets containing whey cheese powder are the most economically advantageous options, as replacing 100% of milk with these by-products did not impair animal performance. The use of discarded industrial milk powder combined with whey powder in a ratio of up to 80:20 is a viable option for feeding male calves in dairy farms.

Transformation of Criteria for the Efficiency of Economic Activities of Countries in the Context of the Modern Model of Globalization

Although macroeconomics as an independent economic science emerged only in the twen­tieth century, the first steps in developing the macroeconomic aspect of efficiency were taken several centuries earlier — beginning from the 16th — 17th centuries — at the pre-industrial stage of development of society. Due to the underdevelopment of the production sphere, the search for sources of growth in the efficiency of national economies at that time was mainly carried out from the most general economic positions — as an integral part of solving the main task of the economics of those eras — searching for ways and means of increasing the wealth of nations. At the same time, naturally, among the first were the climatic and foreign economic factors of increasing the efficiency of national economies. For example, factors related to identifying the advantages of various countries in a geographic location and the ability to solve their economic problems by using the most advantageous options for organizing and conducting foreign economic and trade relations. The transition of developed countries to new stages of development — industrial and postindustrial, as well as the selection by John M. Keynes of the new direction of economic research — macroeconomics, historically leads both to a deepening of the meaning of the very category of “macroeconomic efficiency” and to more detailed studies of factors affecting it.

Job satisfaction at older ages : Acomparative analysis of Hungarian and German data.

BackgroundAs a response to population aging, reforms to increase the statutory retirement age and closing options for early retirement have been introduced in many European countries. This study analyzed the job satisfaction of employees in two countries with markedly different speeds of pension reforms. The German reform started in 1992 and abolished almost all options of early retirement. The Hungarian reforms started later and were completed only by 2011. Therefore, it is expected that older Hungarian workers were initially more satisfied with their jobs than similarly aged German workers.ObjectiveThe hypothesis was tested that older workers in a regulatory environment with accessible pathways to early retirement are on average relatively more satisfied with their job than older workers in a country with few and financially less advantageous options for early retirement.Material and methodsThis study used data from the European Working Conditions Surveys. Waves 2005 and 2010 represent years when early retirement pathways were abolished in Germany, while the Hungarian system offered a variety of pathways for early retirement. This is not the case in 2015 having tight regulations in both countries. Logit regressions were estimated using job satisfaction as an dependent variable and a variety of control variables were introduced step by step.ResultsThe results from 2005 and 2010 indicate that older Hungarian employees are relatively more content with their job than similarly aged German workers. In 2015 this trend was reversed.ConclusionIt would be crucial to provide the opportunity and appropriate working conditions for older employees to work if they voluntarily opt for working longer. They seem to be an especially motivated pool of employees, and could productively contribute to decreasing the financial burdens caused by the demographic changes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00391-019-01547-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Unpacking decision difficulty: Testing action dynamics in Intertemporal, gamble, and consumer choices

The study examined the two-factor structure of decision difficulty proposed by Cheng and González-Vallejo (2017) in new domains, and the role of numeracy in relation to these factors. Using the measurement methodology of ‘mouse’ (cursor) movements, participants' temporal and spatial measures were recorded when making decisions in the domains of intertemporal, gamble, and consumer choices. Task manipulations designed to affect difficulty included the sign of the payoffs (gains vs. losses), the similarity of the attribute values being compared, and attribute importance. A psychometric analysis of the measures revealed three orthogonal components, two of which, conflict and wavering, described decision difficulty. The conflict component was most affected by changes in the sign of the payoffs of intertemporal and gamble choices, with greater means observed in the loss than in the gain context. By contrast, the wavering component was most affected by changes of the similarity between the options' attributes, with greater means when the options were more similar. The study also found that choosing the long-term advantageous options in an intertemporal choice task; choosing the riskier gain and safer loss in a gamble choice task; and choosing the more expensive/better-quality hotel in a consumer choice task demonstrated greater conflict and/or wavering. The study further found that numeracy, or the degree to which individuals are able to use and interpret numbers, was negatively related to the conflict component. Taken together, the study demonstrated that decision difficulty varied with contextual changes, and action-dynamic measures reflected different facets of decision difficulty.

Practical use of geologistics in the transport industry of the Western region of Ukraine

The practical use of geologistics in the transport sector has a particular importance today. Planning logistics corridors can ensure the efficient operation of transport. The Western region of Ukraine has a high transit potential, complemented by a dense network of highways and railways. This contributes to the functioning of both regional and international logistics flows. In some cases, transport links are limited due to underdeveloped transport infrastructure, which creates problems in the formation of passenger and freight transport. For logists, it remains to determine the most advantageous options for connecting cities and other settlements. The possibility of reducing the distances of transportation of population and goods in the Western region of Ukraine, which is achieved due to the design of routes of logistics flows on the ways of transport in Lviv, Zakarpattya, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil regions, is investigated. The obtained results are shown in the form of economic expediency. In addition, own approaches to improving the quality indicators of infrastructure in the studied areas of transport routes are presented. Key words: hub, populousness, passenger traffic, cost, taxonomic method.

SOIL CHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES AND CORN PRODUCTIVITY GROWN ON LEGUME STUBBLE IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT Leguminous species can improve nutrient cycling and chemical quality of Oxisols, resulting in higher productivity of intercropped crops. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the decomposition rate and nutrient accumulation in legume stubble, as well as its contribution to soil chemical attributes, the growth of baru trees (Dipteryx alata Vogel), and yield of intercropped maize in an agroforestry system. The experiment was developed during the crop years of 2010-2011 and 2011-2012, in Goiás State, Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block with five replicates. Leguminous species consisted of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea), jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), Stylosanthes (Stylosanthes macrocephala - 20% and Stylosanthes capitata - 80%), and spontaneous vegetation (control treatment). The decomposition rates of legume and spontaneous vegetation residues remained unchanged in the agroforestry system. Sunn hemp, jack bean, and Stylosanthes plants are advantageous options for total accumulation of nutrients. However, sunn hemp grown as straw cover for next crop seasons increases the available phosphorus levels in the soil and productivity of maize cobs. With this coverage, maize productivity values were up to 24% higher than were those with maize growing on spontaneous vegetation, besides having no effect on the growth of baru trees.

Examination of the effects of cannabinoid ligands on decision making in a rat gambling task

Although exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is perceived to be relatively harmless, mounting evidence has begun to show that it is associated with a variety of cognitive deficits, including poor decision making. THC-induced impairments in decision making are thought to be the result of cannabinoid CB1 receptor activation, and although clinical literature suggests that chronic activation via THC contributes to perturbations in decision making, acute CB1 receptor modulation has yielded mixed results. Using an animal model to examine how CB1-specific ligands impact choice biases would provide significant insight as to how recruitment of the endocannabinoid system may influence decision making. Here, we used the rat gambling task (rGT), a validated analogue of the human Iowa Gambling Task, to assess baseline decision making preferences in male Wistar rats. After acquisition rGT performance was measured. Animals were challenged with the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant, the partial agonist THC, and the synthetic agonist WIN55,212-2. Animals were also treated acutely with the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 to selectively upregulate the endocannabinoid anandamide. Blockade of the CB1 receptor produced a trend improvement in decision making in animals who preferred the advantageous task options, yet left choice unaffected in risk-prone rats. Neither CB1 receptor agonist had strong effects on decision making, but a high dose THC decreased premature responses, whereas WIN55,212-2 did the opposite. URB597 did not affect task performance. These results indicate that although chronic CB1 receptor activation may be associated with impaired decision making, acute modulation has modest effects on choice and instead may play a substantive role in regulating impulsive responding.

Altered monetary loss processing and reinforcement-based learning in individuals with obesity

Individuals with obesity are often characterized by alterations in reward processing. This may affect how new information is used to update stimulus values during reinforcement-based learning. Here, we investigated obesity-related changes in non-food reinforcement processing, their impact on learning performance as well as the neural underpinnings of reinforcement-based learning in obesity. Nineteen individuals with obesity (BMI > = 30 kg/m2, 10 female) and 23 lean control participants (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2, 11 female) performed a probabilistic learning task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in which they learned to choose between advantageous and disadvantageous choice options in separate monetary gain, loss, and neutral conditions. During learning individuals with obesity made a significantly lower number of correct choices and accumulated a significantly lower overall monetary outcome than lean control participants. FMRI analyses revealed aberrant medial prefrontal cortex responses to monetary losses in individuals with obesity. There were no significant group differences in the regional representation of prediction errors. However, we found evidence for increased functional connectivity between the ventral striatum and insula in individuals with obesity. The present results suggest that obesity is associated with aberrant value representations for monetary losses, alterations in functional connectivity during the processing of learning outcomes, as well as a decresased reinforcement-based learning performance. This may affect how new information is incorporated to adjust dysfunctional behavior and could be a factor contributing to the maintenance of dysfunctional eating behavior in obesity.

SDN-assisted efficient LTE-WiFi aggregation in next generation IoT networks

Currently, the increasing demands of user terminals have surged drastically and pulled up the global data traffic along. According to 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), offloading is one of the most beneficial and advantageous options to handle this critical traffic bottleneck, however, both Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) are loosely coupled. To mitigate the User Equipment (UE) from latency issues during offloading and for tighter integration of LTE and WLAN radio networks, LTE–WLAN Aggregation (LWA) was introduced by 3GPP that is apparently suitable for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. However, LWA is not suitable for high mobility scenarios as UEs’ information need to be updated for every new environment because of the frequent aggregation triggers which are mostly non-optimal and demands for a high-level controller. To resolve the disadvantage of non-optimal aggregation triggers, in this paper, we proposed Software Defined Networking (SDN) based approach for LWA, named as LWA under SDN Assistance (LWA-SA). In this approach, SDN initiates aggregation appropriately between LTE and an optimal WLAN Access Point (AP) which avoids frequent reconnections and deprived services. As multiple parameters are required for selection of an optimal WLAN AP, so we use Genetic Algorithm (GA) that considers each parameter as fitness value for the selection of optimal WLAN AP. This maximizes the throughput of UE and reduces the traffic pressure over licensed spectrum. Further, a mathematical model is formulated that uses Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) to find the maximum attainable throughput of a UE. Using NS-3, we compared our approach with offloading scenarios and LWA. The simulation results clearly depict that LWA-SA outperforms existing schemes and achieves higher throughput.

Uncertainty exposure causes behavioural sensitization and increases risky decision-making in male rats: toward modelling gambling disorder.

An animal model of gambling disorder, previously known as pathological gambling, could advance our understanding of the disorder and help with treatment development. We hypothesized that repeated exposure to uncertainty during gambling induces behavioural and dopamine (DA) sensitization - similar to chronic exposure to drugs of abuse. Uncertainty exposure (UE) may also increase risky decision-making in an animal model of gambling disorder. Male Sprague Dawley rats received 56 UE sessions, during which animals responded for saccharin according to an unpredictable, variable ratio schedule of reinforcement (VR group). Control animals responded on a predictable, fixed ratio schedule (FR group). Rats yoked to receive unpredictable reward were also included (Y group). Animals were then tested on the Rat Gambling Task (rGT), an analogue of the Iowa Gambling Task, to measure decision-making. Compared with the FR group, the VR and Y groups experienced a greater locomotor response following administration of amphetamine. On the rGT, the FR and Y groups preferred the advantageous options over the risky, disadvantageous options throughout testing (40 sessions). However, rats in the VR group did not have a significant preference for the advantageous options during sessions 20-40. Amphetamine had a small, but significant, effect on decision-making only in the VR group. After rGT testing, only the VR group showed greater hyperactivity following administration of amphetamine compared with the FR group. Reward uncertainty was the only gambling feature modelled. Actively responding for uncertain reward likely sensitized the DA system and impaired the ability to make optimal decisions, modelling some aspects of gambling disorder.

Logistics Solution for Choosing Location of Production of Road Construction Enterprise

The current state of construction of highways indicates that not all the resources of the construction organization are implemented and supported by the modern approaches in logistics problems solving. This article deals with the solution of these problems and considers the features of basic road linear works organization, their large extent and different locations of enterprises. Analyzing these data, it is proposed to simulate the logistics processes and substantiate the methods of transport operations organizing by linking the technology and the organization road construction materials delivery which allows one to optimize the construction processes, to choose the most economically advantageous options, and also to monitor the quality of work.

Effects of environmental enrichment on decision-making behavior in pigs

The animal’s emotional state, potentially modulated by environmental conditions, may affect cognitive processes such as interpretation, judgement and decision making behaviour. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is a common method to examine decision making behavior in humans in terms of risk avoidance and risk taking that reflects the underlying emotional state of the subject. In the present study, we investigated the influence of environmental conditions on decision-making in pigs.The Pig Gambling task has been developed to assess decision making behavior in pigs,. In this task, the pig can choose between two alternatives. The pigs can make advantageous or disadvantageous choices, where advantageous, low risk choices deliver smaller, but more frequent rewards, whereas disadvantageous, high risk choices yield larger, but less frequent rewards. In the long run, over a series of successive trials, the advantageous choices will yield more reward and less punishment, where punishment consists of delivering reward into the central food trough, but making it inaccessible.After habituation to testing apparatus and testing methods over the course of approximately 4 weeks, all pigs learned to discriminate between the advantageous and disadvangeous alternatives (acquisition phase) by the age of 9 weeks. After a 14-week retention interval, at the age of 24 weeks, retention performance was tested (retention phase). In both phases, 20 trials per day were given to a total of 120 trials. Saliva and hair samples were collected once at the end of both phases for determining cortisol, and body mass was measured at the end of the retention phase.The pigs increased the number of advantageous choices during the course of training. In the acquisition phase, barren-housed pigs chose the advantageous options more often compared to environmentally enriched pigs. No differences werer found during the retention phase. All pigs made less advantageous choices at the start of the retention phase than at the end of the acquisition phase. The level of hair cortisol was higher in the barren-housed than in the enriched-housed pigs. This difference was more pronounced after acquisition than after retention testing. No other differences were found for cortisol in saliva and hair. The environments did not differentially affect body mass at the end of the study. Summarizing, housing in a barren environment appears to be more stressful than housing in an enriched environment, as indicated by higher hair cortisol levels in barren-housed pigs, but it also improved acquisition of the PGT.

Impaired Decision Making and Loss of Inhibitory-Control in a Rat Model of Huntington Disease.

Cognitive deficits associated with Huntington disease (HD) are generally dominated by executive function disorders often associated with disinhibition and impulsivity/compulsivity. Few studies have directly examined symptoms and consequences of behavioral disinhibition in HD and its relation with decision-making. To assess the different forms of impulsivity in a transgenic model of HD (tgHD rats), two tasks assessing cognitive/choice impulsivity were used: risky decision-making with a rat gambling task (RGT) and intertemporal choices with a delay discounting task (DD). To assess waiting or action impulsivity the differential reinforcement of low rate of responding task (DRL) was used. In parallel, the volume as well as cellular activity of the amygdala was analyzed. In contrast to WT rats, 15 months old tgHD rats exhibited a poor efficiency in the RGT task with difficulties to choose advantageous options, a steep DD curve as delays increased in the DD task and a high rate of premature and bursts responses in the DRL task. tgHD rats also demonstrated a concomitant and correlated presence of both action and cognitive/choice impulsivity in contrast to wild type (WT) animals. Moreover, a reduced volume associated with an increased basal cellular activity of the central nucleus of amygdala indicated a dysfunctional amygdala in tgHD rats, which could underlie inhibitory dyscontrol. In conclusion, tgHD rats are a good model for impulsivity disorder that could be used more widely to identify potential pharmacotherapies to treat these invasive symptoms in HD.

Identification of advantageous electricity generation options in sub-Saharan Africa integrating existing resources

Pioneering approaches are needed to accelerate universal access to electricity while simultaneously transitioning to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy systems. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the challenges lie in attracting the private sector to complement public investments. Here, we present an integrated ‘low-hanging-fruit’ approach aimed at boosting private investment and speeding up the deployment of renewable energy systems in SSA. We analyse the potential of existing energy infrastructure, where a significant upfront investment has already been made, to be exploited for electricity generation. We develop a comprehensive methodology to identify and select suitable locations in SSA and estimate their potential for exploitation. These locations have been further analysed in terms of power capacity potential, electricity output, investments needed and population to be benefited. This strategy to attract additional finance can easily be reproduced, engaging private investors while simultaneously helping to achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals on energy. Strategies to improve energy access in developing countries are urgently needed. Szabo et al. propose an approach to achieve wider access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa that depends on existing under-utilized energy infrastructure such as dams, non-hybridized gensets and biomass cofiring.

Dose Distribution in Semi-Field Radiotherapy Options for Upper and Middle Esophageal Cancer Radiotherapy

Objective: To explore an adequate treatment method and provide a better irradiation mode for upper, and mid, esophageal carcinoma radiotherapy by comparing the dose distributions of six different semi-field radiotherapy options.Methods: Twenty patients with upper, and mid, esophageal carcinoma were selected for six treatment options, three [Options D-F] were semi-field irradiation: Option A-conventional 5-field three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT); option B-conventional 5-field intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT); option C-conventional 3-field IMRT; option D-5-field IMRT (upper target) and 3-field conformal radiation therapy (lower target); option E-5-field IMRT (upper target) and 3- field IMRT (lower target); and, option F-5-field IMRT (upper target) and 5-field IMRT (lower target). Dose distribution in the target areas and dose distribution in normal tissue were compared for the six options.Results: Target coverage by the semi-field techniques was effective in a comparison of the six options. Lung low-dose area and mean lung dose (MLD) were lower in Options D and E. Option E conformal index in was higher than Option D.Conclusion: Options D and E appear to be two relatively advantageous options as they allow effective delivery of the prescribed dose to the target volumes while minimizing the lung tissue exposure to low doses.

Can the Pharmaceutical Drug Keppra (Levetiracetam) Be Used as a Therapeutic Agent for Patients with Butterfly Glioblastoma?

Keppra (Levetiracetam, LEV) represents a new class of antiepileptic drugs (AED) that modulates seizure-activity in epilepsy. Serving as an option for brain tumor patients suffering from seizures, LEV can be used to treat symptoms in patients with brain tumors and increase the sensitivity of Glioblastoma tumors to the chemotherapy drug, Temozolomide (TMZ). Aggressive treatments of TMZ chemotherapy present benefits toward butterfly glioblastoma (bGBM) patients. Patients diagnosed with bGBM, contain a high grade astrocytoma that crosses the midline via the corpus callosum and is considered to have a dismal prognosis that leads to no attempt of a curative resection. We predict that if LEV has the ability to sensitize glioblastoma behavior toward TMZ chemotherapy treatment, then LEV can serve as a chemotherapeutic agent in order to reach a differential diagnosis to cure bGBM patients. In this review, we discussed whether LEV can be used as a therapeutic agent for patients with bGBM, if so what are the pros and cons of this specific gene therapy and are we able to assess if there is a cross relationship between TMZ and LEV, which in turn provides potential benefits. Overall, it is evident that in connection to TMZ, LEV increases TMZ induced cytotoxicity in patients with bGBM, thus causing a sensitizing effect that provides advantageous and disadvantageous options for LEV as a therapeutic agent in bGBM patients.

Dose Distribution in Semi-Field Radiotherapy Options for Upper and Middle Esophageal Cancer Radiotherapy

Objective: To explore an adequate treatment method and provide a better irradiation mode for upper, and mid, esophageal carcinoma radiotherapy by comparing the dose distributions of six different semi-field radiotherapy options.Methods: Twenty patients with upper, and mid, esophageal carcinoma were selected for six treatment options, three [Options D-F] were semi-field irradiation: Option A-conventional 5-field three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT); option B-conventional 5-field intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT); option C-conventional 3-field IMRT; option D-5-field IMRT (upper target) and 3-field conformal radiation therapy (lower target); option E-5-field IMRT (upper target) and 3- field IMRT (lower target); and, option F-5-field IMRT (upper target) and 5-field IMRT (lower target). Dose distribution in the target areas and dose distribution in normal tissue were compared for the six options.Results: Target coverage by the semi-field techniques was effective in a comparison of the six options. Lung low-dose area and mean lung dose (MLD) were lower in Options D and E. Option E conformal index in was higher than Option D.Conclusion: Options D and E appear to be two relatively advantageous options as they allow effective delivery of the prescribed dose to the target volumes while minimizing the lung tissue exposure to low doses.