Ultrasound-Stimulated Microbubble Radiation Enhancement of Tumors: Single-Dose and Fractionated Treatment Evaluation

The use of ultrasound-stimulated microbubble therapy has successfully been used to target tumor vasculature and enhance the effects of radiation therapy in tumor xenografts in mice. Here, we further investigate this treatment using larger, more clinically relevant tumor mod- els. New Zealand white rabbits bearing prostate tumor (PC3) xenografts received a single treatment of either ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles (USMB), ionizing radiation (XRT; 8Gy), or a combination of both treatments (USMB+XRT). Treatment outcome was evalu- ated 24 hours after treatment using histopathology, immunolabeling, 3D Doppler ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging. A second cohort of rabbits received multiple treatments over a period of three weeks, where USMB treatments were delivered twice weekly with daily XRT treatments to deliver a fractionated 2Gy dose five days per week. A significant decrease in vascular function, observed through immunolabeling of vascular endothelial cells, was observed in tumors receiving the combined treatment (USMB+XRT) compared to control and single treatment groups. This was associated with an increase in cell death as observed through in situ end labeling (ISEL), a decrease in vascular index measured by Power Dopp- ler imaging, and a decrease in oxygen saturation. In rabbits undergoing the long-term fractionated combined treatment, a significant growth delay was observed after 1 week and a significant reduction in tumor size was observed after 3 weeks with combined therapy. Results demonstrated an enhancement of radiation effect and superior anti-tumor effect of the combination of USMB+XRT compared to the single treatments alone. Tumor growth was maximally inhibited with fractionated radiotherapy combined with the ultrasound-stimulated microbubble-based therapy

Enhancing Oil Removal from Water using Ferric Oxide Nanoparticles Doped Carbon Nanotubes Adsorbents

Oil contaminated water is one of the challenges in water resources management. It is crucial to remove the oil droplets from water in order to meet the discharge regulations set by the environmental authorities. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have generated a lot of attention as a new type of adsorbent due to their exceptionally high adsorption capacity for oil–water separation. The high hydrophobicity of CNTs makes them good candidates to enhance the de-oiling process from wastewater. In this study, we have reported the synthesis and evaluation of novel iron-oxide/CNTs nanocomposites for oil–water separation. The CNTs were doped with different loadings of iron oxide nanoparticles using a wet impregnation technique. The synthesized nanocomposite nanomaterials were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) technique, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of adsorption parameters, including, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and agitation speed on the oil removal efficiency were optimized using batch experiments. The sorption capacities of doped CNTs were found to be greater than 7 g/g for gasoline oil. The doped CNTs reached maximum sorption capacity after only 15 min providing one of the fastest minimum contact times reported of all oil sorbent materials. The loading of Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the negative surface of CNT decreases the negative sign and magnitude of the zeta potential by overcoming the repulsive effects of the electrical double layers to allow the finely sized oil droplets to form larger droplets through coalescence. Therefore increasing percentage of the Fe2O3 on the surface of CNT increased the removal of the emulsified oil from the water

Preventing an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 on campus using wastewater surveillance

Background: SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, is an enveloped virus that targets the respiratory tract and is shed in the feces of infected individuals. Quantification of viral material excreted into the sewershed and collected at municipal wastewater treatment plants can act as an accurate measure of community infection rates and provide a warning of an increase in community spread before clinical testing. However, wastewater surveillance is more effective when samples are collected “upstream” of wastewater treatment facilities where action can be taken to mitigate transmission. Wastewater surveillance at University of Windsor residence halls has prevented SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks. Methods: Moore swabs (passive sampling devices that collect wastewater through filtration or absorption) were deployed in sewer laterals originating from residence halls for 24-hours on a twice weekly basis. Wastewater extruded from passive samplers was processed through a 0.22µm cartridge filter to concentrate particle-associated virus and RNA was extracted from the filters. Reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to measure the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA within wastewater. Purpose: This project aimed to identify SARS-CoV-2 infections within the residence halls at the University of Windsor and prevent outbreak escalation by mitigating community spread. Another goal is to estimate of fecal shedding rates of the Delta Variant of Concern of SARS-CoV-2 in a non-clinical setting. Results: A positive result in a routine twice weekly sample at a campus residence hall triggered higher frequency monitoring and the isolation of signal to a single wing of a residence hall. Persistent positive results within the wastewater led to a request for voluntary rapid antigen testing and the isolation of infected individuals preventing further transmission. Conclusion: Wastewater surveillance remains a useful early indicator of infection in congregate living settings. Detections can trigger enhanced public health measures including messaging to encourage testing, masking, and distancing

IP-10/CXCL10 induction in human pancreatic cancer stroma influences lymphocytes recruitment and correlates with poor survival

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an abundant desmoplastic reaction driven by pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) that contributes to tumor progression. Here we sought to characterize the interactions between pancreatic cancer cells (PCCs) and PSCs that affect the inflammatory and immune response in pancreatic tumors. Conditioned media from mono- and cocultures of PSCs and PCCs were assayed for expression of cytokines and growth factors. IP-10/CXCL10 was the most highly induced chemokine in coculture of PSCs and PCCs. Its expression was induced in the PSCs by PCCs. IP-10 was elevated in human PDAC specimens, and positively correlated with high stroma content. Furthermore, gene expression of IP-10 and its receptor CXCR3 were significantly associated with the intratumoral presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs). In an independent cohort of 48 patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, high IP-10 expression levels correlated with decreased median overall survival. Finally, IP-10 stimulated the ex vivo recruitment of CXCR3+ effector T cells as well as CXCR3+ Tregs derived from patients with PDAC. Our findings suggest that, in pancreatic cancer, CXCR3+ Tregs can be recruited by IP-10 expressed by PSCs in the tumor stroma, leading to immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting effects

A comparative life cycle assessment of fiber-reinforced polymers as a sustainable reinforcement option in concrete beams

Environmental awareness and the need for sustainable construction inspired researchers and practitioners to explore innovative alternatives that might reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use related to excessive structural work. One such alternative is the utilization of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars as a reinforcement in reinforced concrete members. FRP bars possess favorable characteristics like high tensile strength, lightweight and corrosion resistance compared to steel. This feature makes FRP bars a potential solution for utilizing seawater instead of fresh water in concrete mixtures, especially in areas facing a harsh climate and water shortage like the Arabian Peninsula. This paper aims to assess and evaluate the environmental impacts through life cycle assessment of glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, and steel glass fiber reinforced polymer bars compared to steel bars. Moreover, another LCA was conducted comparing steel-reinforced beams made with desalinated fresh water to GFRP/CFRP reinforced beams made with seawater for the concrete mixture. The results indicate that the GFRP bar performed better than the steel bar in 10 out of 14 categories, while the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer bar performed worse than the steel bar in 10 out of 14 categories. The SGFRP bar had a result between the steel and GFRP bar, outperforming the steel bar in 10 categories. Furthermore, the GFRP beam exhibited better environmental performance than the steel beam in 9 out of 14 categories, while the CFRP beam performed better than the steel beam in 8 categories, attributed to the reduction in reinforcement ratio due to the high tensile strength of CFRP and GFRP bars compared to steel bars. Overall, this study sheds light on the possible environmental advantages of using FRP bars in construction and highlights the importance of sustainable construction practices in minimizing environmental impacts

Optimizing the utilization of biochar from waste: an energy–water–food nexus assessment approach considering water treatment and soil application scenarios

Introduction: As a result of the rapid increase in population and depletion of natural resources, particularly energy and water, approximately 200 million people are expected to face hunger by 2030. Going forward, the sustainability of energy, water, and food (EWF) resources can be enhanced by considering a nexus approach, which supports effective resource management by identifying synergies and trade-offs. Furthermore, the regeneration of biomass into value-added products, such as biochar (BC), can reduce cross-sectoral environmental impacts and support the EWF nexus.Methodology: This research investigates the optimum options for utilizing BC within the context of the EWF nexus for both wastewater treatment and soil applications whilst considering the optimal blending ratio of various biomass (camel manure, date pits, sewage sludge, and coffee waste) for both single-end use and multi-end use stages to fulfill various objectives within defined scenarios based on maximum savings in energy, water, cost, and emissions.Results and discussion: The single-end use stage considered using BC for wastewater treatment (WWT) and as a soil amendment (SA) individually, and 18 optimal solutions were collected for this stage. The optimization of the multi-end use stage resulted in 70 optimal solutions, where BC was applied for both WWT and SA. The solutions that leaned toward SA application suggested that BC should consist of 97%–99% of date pits with relatively smaller proportions of the other biomass. On the other hand, the other solutions that leaned toward the WWT pathway suggested that the optimum biomass mix should consist of relatively equal proportions of camel manure, sewage sludge, and coffee waste of 29%—33% and smaller amounts of date pits of approximately 2%–5%

Can HRCT be used as a marker of airway remodelling in children with difficult asthma?

BACKGROUND: Whole airway wall thickening on high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is reported to parallel thickening of the bronchial epithelial reticular basement membrane (RBM) in adult asthmatics. A similar relationship in children with difficult asthma (DA), in whom RBM thickening is a known feature, may allow the use of HRCT as a non-invasive marker of airway remodelling. We evaluated this relationship in children with DA. METHODS: 27 children (median age 10.5 [range 4.1-16.7] years) with DA, underwent endobronchial biopsy from the right lower lobe and HRCT less than 4 months apart. HRCTs were assessed for bronchial wall thickening (BWT) of the right lower lobe using semi-quantitative and quantitative scoring techniques. The semi-quantitative score (grade 0-4) was an overall assessment of BWT of all clearly identifiable airways in HRCT scans. The quantitative score (BWT %; defined as [airway outer diameter - airway lumen diameter]/airway outer diameter x100) was the average score of all airways visible and calculated using electronic endpoint callipers. RBM thickness in endobronchial biopsies was measured using image analysis. 23/27 subjects performed spirometry and the relationships between RBM thickness and BWT with airflow obstruction evaluated. RESULTS: Median RBM thickness in endobronchial biopsies was 6.7(range 4.6-10.0) microm. Median qualitative score for BWT of the right lower lobe was 1(range 0-1.5) and quantitative score was 54.3 (range 48.2-65.6)%. There was no relationship between RBM thickness and BWT in the right lower lobe using either scoring technique. No relationship was found between FEV1 and BWT or RBM thickness. CONCLUSION: Although a relationship between RBM thickness and BWT on HRCT has been found in adults with asthma, this relationship does not appear to hold true in children with D

Assessing plastic and biomass-based biochar's potential for carbon sequestration: an energy-water-environment approach

Biochar from waste has emerged as a vital solution for multiple contemporary issues. While the organic content and porous structure of biochar have granted it multiple benefits. Where the use of biochar is proven to be beneficial for enhancing the soil structure and water and nutrients retention ability, therefore, saving water and boosting yields in arid regions. Moreover, biochar is capable to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and permanently store it within the soil. As such, this study evaluates the potential for carbon sequestration through biochar obtained from the pyrolysis of feedstock mixtures including camel manure, date pits, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and how it can enhance water and food security. Multiple energy and water supplying sources have been considered for different project scenarios to provide a broader understanding of biochar potentials. The lifecycle analysis (LCA) approach is utilized for the assessment of net emissions, while an economic study is conducted in Aspen Process Economic Analyser (APEA) to evaluate the feasibility of the different scenarios. Finally, single-objective optimization and multi-objective optimizations were carried out using excel and MATLAB genetic algorithm respectively to select optimal biomass blending and utilities options to fulfill the low cost and negative emissions targets. The assessment conducted for a Qatar case study indicates that the best waste blending scenario for maximum carbon sequestration potential was obtained at a mixing ratio of 20.4% Camel manure: 27% date pits: 26.3% LDPE: 26.4% HDPE. Furthermore, the optimum char blend for maximum carbon sequestration corresponding to the minimum cost of char mix was computed. The optimal biochar mixing percentage for highest net emission was obtained at a feedstock mixing ratio of 96.8% of date pits, 1.5% of LDPE, and 1.7% of HDPE with 0% of camel manure with an optimal cost of 313.55 $/kg biochar. Solar PV was selected as the best energy source in this pyrolysis study due to its reduced carbon emissions in comparison to other sources studied such as natural gas, coal and diesel. However, natural gas is selected to fulfill the economic objective. Moreover, the optimal water source was investigated including wastewater treatment, multi-stage flash and reverse osmosis desalination, where treated wastewater is selected as the optimal supply to fulfill both, economic and environmental objectives