MRI characteristics in treatment for cerebral melanoma metastasis using stereotactic radiosurgery and concomitant checkpoint inhibitors or targeted therapeutics

Introduction Combination therapy for melanoma brain metastases (MM) using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and immune checkpoint-inhibition (ICI) or targeted therapy (TT) is currently of high interest. In this collective, time evolution and incidence of imaging findings indicative of pseudoprogression is sparsely researched. We therefore investigated time-course of MRI characteristics in these patients. Methods Data were obtained retrospectively from 27 patients (12 female, 15 male; mean 61 years, total of 169 MMs). Single lesion volumes, total MM burden and edema volumes were analyzed at baseline and follow-up MRIs in 2 months intervals after SRS up to 24 months. The occurrence of intralesional hemorrhages was recorded. Results 17 patients (80 MM) received ICI, 8 (62 MM) TT and 2 (27 MM) ICI + TT concomitantly to SRS. MM-localization was frontal (n = 89), temporal (n = 23), parietal (n = 20), occipital (n = 10), basal ganglia/thalamus/insula (n = 10) and cerebellar (n = 10). A volumetric progression of MM 2–4 months after SRS was observed in combined treatment with ICI (p = 0.028) and ICI + TT (p = 0.043), whereas MMs treated with TT showed an early volumetric regression (p = 0.004). Edema volumes moderately correlated with total MM volumes (r = 0.57; p < 0.0001). Volumetric behavior did not differ significantly over time regarding lesions’ initial sizes or localizations. No significant differences between groups were observed regarding rates of post-SRS intralesional hemorrhages. Conclusion Reversible volumetric increases in terms of pseudoprogression are observed 2–4 months after SRS in patients with MM concomitantly treated with ICI and ICI + TT, rarely after TT. Edema volumes mirror total MM volumes. Medical treatment type does not significantly affect rates of intralesional hemorrhage.

Parameterization, Modeling, and Validation in Real Conditions of an External Gear Pump

This article presents a methodology for predicting the fluid dynamic behavior of a gear pump over its operating range. Complete pump parameterization was carried out through standard tests, and these parameters were used to create a bond graph model to simulate the behavior of the unit. This model was experimentally validated under working conditions in field tests. To carry this out, the pump was used to drive the auxiliary movements of a drilling machine, and the experimental data were compared with a simulation of the volumetric behavior under the same conditions. This paper aims to describe a method for characterizing any hydrostatic pump as a “black box” model predicting its behavior in any operating condition. The novelty of this method is based on the correspondence between the variation of the parameters and the internal changes of the unit when working in real conditions, that is, outside a test bench.