Recent Design Development in Molecular Imaging for Breast Cancer Detection Using Nanometer CMOS Based Sensors

As one of the key clinical imaging methods, the computed X-ray tomography can be further improved using new nanometer CMOS sensors. This will enhance the current technique's ability in terms of cancer detection size, position, and detection accuracy on the anatomical structures. The current paper reviewed designs of SOI-based CMOS sensors and their architectural design in mammography systems. Based on the existing experimental results, using the SOI technology can provide a low-noise (SNR around 87.8 db) and high-gain (30 v/v) CMOS imager. It is also expected that, together with the fast data acquisition designs, the new type of imagers may play important roles in the near-future high-dimensional images in additional to today's 2D imagers

Marine Plastic Drift from the Mekong River to Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is the world’s most polluted area in terms of marine plastics. The Mekong River is one of the largest rivers in the area, and ranked as somewhere between the 8th- and 11th-biggest contributor to plastics in the world’s oceans. Here, we investigate how microplastics drift from the Mekong river to Southeast Asia, and which coastlines are most exposed. We identify potential factors (wind drift, rivers, vertical mixing and sinking rates) that affect plastic drift in the region using the OpenDrift model with realistic wind and ocean currents for simulations between three months (summer and winter) and 15 months. We find that the seasonal drift is influenced by the monsoon systems and that most of the plastics strand in the Philippines and Indonesia. In addition, the role of wind drift is significant in strong winds. Vertical mixing and sinking rates are unknowns that affect the relative importance of wind drift (near the surface) and ocean currents. Simulations with different terminal velocities show that, unsurprisingly, the higher the terminal velocities are, the closer they deposit to the source. In light of the large uncertainties in sinking rates, we find that the plastic distribution has large uncertainties, but is clearly seasonal and influenced by wind, vertical mixing, river discharge and sinking rates. The Philippines and Indonesia are found to have the coastlines that are most exposed to plastic pollution from the Mekong river. This study shows that simulations of marine plastic drift are very variable, depending on many factors and assumptions. However, it provides more detailed information on marine plastic pollution in Southeast Asia, and hopefully helps authorities take more practical actions.publishedVersio

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity for Toluene Removal of CDs/TiO2 - Zeolite Y

Hydrothermally synthesized carbon nanodots (CDs) were impregnated on TiO2. The product (CDs/TiO2) was mechanically mixed with zeolite Y for application in toluene photocatalytic oxidation reaction under UV radiation. Material properties of the samples were investigated by different methods. Toluene vapor was chosen as a typical volatile organic compound to investigate the performance of CDs/TiO2 – zeolite Y photocatalyst when these technological parameters were changed: toluene concentration, gas flow rate, humidity and UV light intensity. In each reaction, only one parameter was changed and the remaining conditions were fixed. The toluene concentrations at the beginning and the end of each reaction were analyzed with the use of gas chromatography (GC). The results of different reaction conditions show the trends for toluene treatment of the CDs/TiO2 – zeolite Y catalyst, thereby providing specific explanations for these trends. The experiments also show that toluene removal is highest when the toluene concentration in the inlet gas is 314 ppmv, the flow rate is 3 L/h, the humidity is 60%, and the catalyst (CDs/TiO2 – zeolite Y composite with 70% zeolite in weight) is illuminated by 4 UV lamps. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Drug-Related Problems in Prescribing for Pediatric Outpatients in Vietnam

BACKGROUND: Our study was conducted to determine the prevalence of drug-related problems (DRPs) in outpatient prescriptions, the impact of DRPs on treatment efficacy, safety, and cost, and the determinants of DRPs in prescribing for pediatric outpatients in Vietnam. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on pediatric outpatients at a pediatric hospital in Can Tho, Vietnam. DRPs were classified according to the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe classification (PCNE) of 2020. The study determined prevalence of DRPs and their impacts on efficacy, safety, and cost. Multivariate regression was used to identify the determinants of DRPs. RESULTS: The study included 4339 patients (mean age 4.3, 55.8% male), with a total of 3994 DRPs, averaging 0.92 DRP/prescription. The proportion of prescriptions with at least one DRP was 65.7%. DRPs included inappropriate drug selection (35.6%), wrong time of dosing relative to meals (35.6%), inappropriate dosage form (9.3%), inappropriate indication (7.1%), and drug-drug interactions (0.3%). The consensus of experts was average when evaluating each aspect of efficiency reduction, safety reduction, and treatment cost increase, with Fleiss' coefficients of 0.558, 0.511, and 0.541, respectively (p < 0.001). Regarding prescriptions, 50.1% were assessed as reducing safety. The figures for increased costs and decreased treatment effectiveness were 29.0% and 23.9%, respectively. Patients who were ≤2 years old were more likely to have DRPs than patients aged 2 to 6 years old (OR = 0.696; 95% CI = 0.599-0.809) and patients aged over 6 years old (OR = 0.801; 95% CI = 0.672-0.955). Patients who had respiratory system disease were more likely to have DRPs than patients suffering from other diseases (OR = 0.715; 95% CI = 0.607-0.843). Patients with comorbidities were less likely to have DRPs than patients with no comorbidities (OR = 1.421; 95% CI = 1.219-1.655). Patients prescribed ≥5 drugs were more likely to have DRPs than patients who took fewer drugs (OR = 3.677; 95% CI = 2.907-4.650). CONCLUSION: The proportion of prescriptions in at least one DRP was quite high. Further studies should evaluate clinical significance and appropriate interventions, such as providing drug information and consulting doctors about DRPs

The autosomal recessive juvenile Parkinson disease gene product, parkin, interacts with and ubiquitinates synaptotagmin XI.

Inactivating mutations of the gene encoding parkin are responsible for some forms of autosomal recessive juvenile Parkinson disease. Parkin is a ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinates misfolded proteins targeted for the proteasome-dependent protein degradation pathway. Using the yeast two-hybrid system and coimmunoprecipitation methods, we identified synaptotagmin XI as a protein that interacts with parkin. Parkin binds to the C2A and C2B domains of synaptotagmin XI resulting in the polyubiquitination of synaptotagmin XI. Truncated and missense mutated parkins reduce parkin-sytXI binding affinity and ubiquitination. Parkinmediated ubiquitination also enhances the turnover of sytXI. In sporadic PD brain sections, sytXI was found in the core of the Lewy bodies. Since synaptotagmin XI is a member of the synaptotagmin family that is well characterized in their importance for vesicle formation and docking, the interaction with this protein suggests a role for parkin in the regulation of the synaptic vesicle pool and in vesicle release. Loss of parkin could thus affect multiple proteins controlling vesicle pools, docking and release and explain the deficits in dopaminergic function seen in patients with parkin mutations

A Simplified Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction by the Three-Inside Technique With Two Suspension Buttons and One Interference Screw

In comparison with the single-bundle technique, double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has proven its superiority regarding biomechanical studies and clinical outcomes in both rotational knee stability and anterior translation function. However, the complexity and risk of complications remain a great concern for the orthopaedic surgeon performing double-bundle ACL reconstruction. We present a simplified double-bundle ACL reconstruction by the 3-inside technique with 2 suspension buttons and 1 interference screw. The semitendinosus tendon is tripled to be the anteromedial (AM) bundle, whereas the gracilis is doubled for the posterolateral (PL) bundle. We perform a 3-socket approach with an inside-out femoral tunnel for the AM bundle, an outside-in femoral tunnel for the PL bundle, and a retrograde tibial socket for the tibial bundle. Thus, this technique is, simply, a combination of 2 procedures: one single all-inside method (for the AM bundle) and one outside-in method (for the PL bundle), with which most arthroscopic surgeons are familiar. The AM and PL bundles are fixed at 30° and 45°, respectively, using 2 suspension buttons and 1 interference screw. Our simplified technique could reduce surgical costs and minimize complications while maintaining isometric position and appropriate graft size for each patient