Facile Design of Superparamagnetic Core-Shell EDC-Ascorbate-Fe3O4 Nanocomposites for Targeted Delivery of Doxorubicin to Triple Negative Breast Tumor by Fenton Reaction

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) phenotype accounts for its significant resistance to chemotherapy and other therapeutic procedures. So, the establishment of better and effective therapeutic procedures has become a challenge during recent years. Doxorubicin is a potent chemotherapeutic candidate but its prominent side effects can be subsided via its combination with nanocarriers. So, the present study was aimed to design ascorbic acid modified biopolymeric EDC/NHS-modified magnetic nanoparticles (MNP@MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX for doxorubicin drug delivery to the triple negative breast cancers cell lines of MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and HCC1937. Monodisperse Fe3O4 MNPs were prepared by chemical co-precipitation method. According to the SEM and DLS results, MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX, MNPs@AA, MNP@AA-MNP@AA-EDC/NHS and MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX had average particle diameter of 53, 79 and 95 nm, respectively. While, XRD analysis showed that the MNP material had the strongest Fe crystal peak, while surface modified MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX did not alter the characteristic properties of MNPs. VSM magnetization analysis revealed that MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX exhibited sufficient paramagnetic potential in the presence of external magnetic field. The TG analysis showed that thermal decomposition capacity of present nanocomposites was: MNPs > MNP@AA-EDC/NHS > AA-MNPs > MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX. AA-modified MNPs did not completely lose their thermal stability as compared to other modifications. Alamar blue analysis revealed that the bare MNPs did have non-significant cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and HCC1937 cell lines (p > 0.001). While, MNP@AA-EDC/NHS-DOX at 0.1, 1.0 and 10 μg/mL DOX concentrations showed significantly lowered cell survival percentages as compared to the free DOX regimens after 24 and 72h. While, HCC1937 cell line had the most accumulation of free (1.42 > 0.93 > 0.9 pg DOX/cell) and conjugated DOX (2.64 > 2.2 > 1.91 pg DOX/cell) after 6 h of incubation period as compared to MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231, respectively (* p < 0.05). Present results provide a new insight into the design of paramagnetic targeted drug delivery nanocomposite system to overcome the obstacles and side effects of conventional chemotherapeutic agents

Evaluating the Catalytic Performance of La1-xCexNi1-yZnyO3 Nanostructure Perovskites in the Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane

AbstractIn this research nanostructure perovskites La1-xCexNi1-yZnyO3 were prepared by sol-gel auto-combustion method and their application were evaluated for methane reforming with carbon dioxide and syngas production. Catalysts were designed by Response Surface Method (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) with three factors of catalyst characteristics, x, y and Tc. The prepared catalysts were examined in methane reforming process at 750 ˚C temperature and atmospheric pressure. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that parameters don’t have any linear effect on catalytic activity and their effect is proportional to square form. Among this investigated parameters, Ni content effect is considerable and calcination temperature (Tc) has a partial effect. In this research R2 value was 94.88%. The optimum catalyst which determined by RSM was La0.60Ce0.40Ni0.81Zn0.19O3 in 747 ˚C calcination temperature that corresponds to empirical result. The XRD characterization of optimum catalyst showed that perovskite catalyst was formed in rhombohedra phase with nanostructure crystals and the SEM of optimum catalyst confirmed the nano scale of prepared particles

Structured team-oriented program to follow patients after vena cava filter placement: a step forward in improving quality for filter retrieval.

To reduce inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) related complications, retrieval is recommended whenever possible. Nevertheless, IVCF retrieval rates remain lower than expected, likely due to insufficient follow-up after placement. We evaluated the value of a structured program designed to follow patients by the interventional radiology team up to 5 months after IVCF placement. We prospectively enrolled 366 consecutive patients (mean age 64 ± 17 years; 201 men and 165 women) who benefited from IVCF between March 2015 and February 2020. The program consisted of advising the patient and clinicians to consider IVCF retrieval as soon as possible (standard workflow) and systematically planning an additional follow-up visit at 5-month. Clinical and technical eligibility, as well as technical success for retrieval (TSR) were evaluated. At 5-months, 38 (10.4%) patients were lost to follow-up, and 47 (12.8%) had died. Among survivors, the overall retrieval rate was 58%. The retrieval rates were 83% and 97% for the clinically eligible and technically eligible patients for retrieval, respectively. The 5-month visit enabled 89 additional retrievals (47.8%) compared to the standard workflow. No significant difference was seen in TSR before and after 5 months (p = 0.95). Improved patient tracking with a dedicated IVCF program results in an effective process to identify suitable patients for retrieval and drastically improves retrieval rates in eligible patients. Involving interventionalists in the process improved IVCF patient management

3D Cadastres Best Practices, Chapter 5: Visualization and New Opportunities

This paper proposes a discussion on opportunities offered by 3D visualization to improve the understanding and the analysis of cadastre data. It first introduce the rationale of having 3D visualization functionalities in the context of cadastre applications. Second the publication outline some basic concepts in 3D visualization. This section specially addresses the visualization pipeline as a driven classification schema to understand the steps leading to 3D visualization. In this section is also presented a brief review of current 3D standards and technologies. Next is proposed a summary of progress made in the last years in 3D cadastral visualization. For instance, user’s requirement, data and semiotics, and platforms are highlighted as main actions performed in the development of 3D cadastre visualization. This review could be perceived as an attempt to structure and emphasise the best practices in the domain of 3D cadastre visualization and as an inventory of issues that still need to be tackled. Finally, by providing a review on advances and trends in 3D visualization, the paper initiates a discussion and a critical analysis on the benefit of applying these new developments to cadastre domain. This final section discusses about enhancing 3D techniques as dynamic transparency and cutaway, 3D generalization, 3D visibility model, 3D annotation, 3D data and web platform, augmented reality, immersive virtual environment, 3D gaming, interaction techniques and time

Optimized energy window configuration for201Tl imaging

A poor signal-to-noise ratio attributable to a low injected dose of thallium and the presence of scattered photons are the major impediments in the use of thallium as an imaging agent. Thallium decays in a complicated way and emits photons in a wide range of energies (68-82 keV). To increase the ratios of primary photons to scatter photons (primary-to-scatter ratios) and possibly increase system sensitivity, a new energy window for thallium was investigated. Methods: The NCAT phantom was used to simulate the distribution of activity and the attenuation coefficient in a typical patient torso. The phantom was imaged with a SPECT simulator in different energy window configurations. The energy spectra for primary photons and scatter photons were generated, and the most suitable energy windows were investigated. To evaluate the results of the simulation study, a physical phantom was imaged in different energy windows with a SPECT system. The images of the physical phantom were analyzed for the best-quality image and the corresponding window setting. To evaluate the windows determined in the simulation and phantom studies, SPECT images of 7 patients who had angiographically confirmed myocardial defects were acquired in different energy windows. The images were quantitatively compared on the basis of the calculated contrast, scatter-to-noise ratio, and sensitivity. The images were also qualitatively evaluated independently by 4 nuclear medicine specialists. Results: The simulation study showed that the conventional window setting (68 ± 10 keV) is not the most suitable window configuration for 201Tl imaging and that the optimum energy window is 77 ± 15 keV. The images acquired in the latter window configuration yielded higher primary-to-scatter ratios, higher sensitivity (total counts), and better contrast than the images acquired in the conventional window configuration. The phantom study confirmed the results of the simulation study. In the clinical study, the images acquired in the suggested window showed a considerable increase in myocardium-to-defect contrast (1.541 ± 0.368) and myocardium-to-cavity contrast (1.171 ± 0.099) than those acquired in the conventional window configuration. Conclusion: The energy window configuration of 77 ± 15 keV yields higher-quality images than the conventional window configuration. COPYRIGHT © 2008 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Inc

Effect of Cyperus rotundus on ischemia-induced brain damage and memory dysfunction in rats

Objective(s): Global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury causes loss of pyramidal cells in CA1 region of hippocampus. In this study, we investigated the possible neuroprotective effects of the ethanol extract of Cyperus rotundus (EECR) on a model of global transient ischemia in rat, by evaluating the pathophysiology of the hippocampal tissue and spatial memory. Materials and Methods: Treatment group (EECR, 100 mg/kg/day) was gavaged from 4 days before, to 3 days after ischemia. Morris water maze test was performed 1 week after ischemia for 4 days. Brain tissue was prepared for Nissl staining. Results: Our data showed no statistical difference between the treatment and ischemia groups in water maze task. So, treatment of ischemia with EECR cannot improve spatial learning and memory. On the contrary EECR ameliorated the CA1 pyramidal cell loss due to transient global ischemia/ reperfusion injury. Conclusion: These results suggest that EECR cannot reduce the ischemia-induced, cognitive impairments seen after transient, global cerebral ischemia but can prevent pyramidal cell loss in CA1 region of hippocampus. © 2015, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

A rare manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis: Left ventricular cardiac tuberculoma in an HIV infected male �case report�

Cardiac tuberculosis (TB) is rare and most commonly manifests itself as tuberculous pericarditis. Involvement of other parts of the heart is unusual and descriptions in the literature are confined to case reports regarding mainly pericardial TB and very few cases of cardiac tuberculoma. Tuberculomas are space occupying lesions most commonly found in the brain of immunocompromised individuals. These space occupying lesions previously described only after autopsies are now more diagnosed with the use of advanced imaging techniques. Herein, we describe a first case of pericardial TB manifesting as left ventricular (LV) cardiac tuberculoma in a 34-year-old human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected male. Upon presentation the patient complained mainly of progressive dyspnoea over the past month. Primary investigations including chest computed tomography (CT) scan and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) suggested probable diagnosis of cardiac and pericardial TB which was later confirmed by histopathological modalities. The patient received anti-TB therapy along with surgical subtotal pericardiotomy which resulted in improvement of symptoms, complete resolution of the mass and reduction in the size of pericardial thickening. Although very rare it is crucial to bear in mind the importance of having cardiac tuberculoma as differential diagnosis in patients with a cardiac mass and implement the optimum diagnostic and therapeutic courses. doi: 10.21037/cdt-20-44

Is there any association between adenoid biofilm and upper airway infections in pediatric patients?

Aim: To evaluate the association of the presence and extent of adenoid biofilms and the frequency of upper airway infections in children with upper airway obstruction. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2014 to December 2015 on pediatric patients who were candidates for adenoidectomy due to obstructive sleep apnea. After removal of the adenoid tissue and fixation in 2.5 glutaraldehyde, the samples were sent to the electron microscopy unit. The extent of biofilm formation was examined using environmental scanning electron microscopy. These results were then confirmed using image analysis software. Results: Fifty-seven children with a mean age of 7.31 (±2.65) years were included in the study. Forty-three (75.4) were male and 14 (24.6) were female. The average number of upper airway infections during the last 12 months before adenoidectomy was 10.01 (±5.38). Biofilm structures were detected in all (100) samples. As the main outcome, the extent of biofilm grading exhibited a statistically significant correlation with the frequency of upper airway infections (p<0.001). There was no significant correlation between sex and adenoid size with the biofilm extent. Conclusion: The present study showed that the extent of adenoid biofilm had a significant relationship with the frequency of upper airway infection rate. It seems that the presence of a biofilm on the adenoid surface as a reservoir for microorganisms could cause chronic inflammation. © 2018 by Turkish Pediatric Association

Image-based versus atlas-based patient-specific S-value assessment for Samarium-153 EDTMP cancer palliative care: A short study

Introduction: Use of SPECT/CT data is the most accurate method for patient-specific internal dosimetry when isotopes emit single gamma rays. The manual or semi-automatic segmentation of organs is a major obstacle that slows down and limits the patient-specific dosimetry. Using digital phantoms that mimic patient�s anatomy can bypass the segmentation step and facilitate the dosimetry process. In this study, the results of a patient-specific dosimetry based on CT data and XCAT phantom, a flexible phantom with predefined organs, are compared. Methods: The dosimetry results (S-value and SAF) were calculated for a patient with breast cancer who received Samarium-153 ethylenediamine-N,N,N�,N�-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid (153Sm-EDTMP). Biodistribution of activity was obtained from the SPECT scan. The anatomical data and attenuation map were extracted from CT as well as the XCAT phantom with different BMIs. GATE Monte-Carlo simulator was used to calculate the dose to different organs based on the activity distribution and segmented anatomy. Results: The whole body dosimetry results are the same for both calculations based on the CT and XCAT with different BMIs; however for target organs, the differences between SAFs and S-values are high. In the spine, the clinically important target organ for Samarium therapy, the dosimetry results obtained from phantoms with unmatched BMIs between XCAT phantom and CT are substantially different. Conclusion: We showed that atlas-based dosimetry using XCAT phantom even with matched BMI may lead to considerable errors as compared to calculations based on patient�s own CT. For accurate dosimetry results, calculations should be done using CT data. © 2018 Iranian Journal of Nuclear Medicine. All Rights Reserved