Guiding nanoparticle enhanced photothermal therapy for cancer with photoacoustic thermal imaging and diffuse optical tomography

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Diffuse optical tomography to monitor the photocoagulation front during interstitial photothermal therapy: Numerical simulations and measurements in tissue-simulating phantoms

Near-infrared interstitial photothermal therapy (PTT) is currently undergoing clinical trials as an alternative to watchful waiting or radical treatments in patients with low/intermediate-risk focal prostate cancer. Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based thermography is used to monitor thermal energy delivery and determine indirectly the completeness of the target tumor destruction while avoiding damage to adjacent normal tissues, particularly the rectal wall. As an alternative, transrectal diffuse optical tomography (TRDOT) is being developed to image directly the photocoagulation boundary based on the changes in tissue optical properties, particularly scattering. An established diffusion-theory finite-element software platform was used to perform forward simulations to determine the sensitivity of changes in the optical signal resulting from a growing coagulated lesion with optical scattering contrast, for varying light source-detector separations in both longitudinal and transverse imaging geometries. The simulations were validated experimentally in tissue-simulating phantoms using an existing continuous-wave TRDOT system, in a configuration that is representative of one potential intended clinical use. This provides critical guidance for the optimum design of the transrectal applicator probe, in terms of achieving maximum sensitivity to the presence of the coagulation boundary and, consequently, the highest accuracy in determining the boundary location relative to the rectal wall.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

Prevention of severe infectious complications after colorectal surgery using oral non-absorbable antimicrobial prophylaxis:results of a multicenter randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common complications after colorectal surgery. Oral non-absorbable antibiotic prophylaxis (OAP) can be administered preoperatively to reduce the risk of SSIs. Its efficacy without simultaneous mechanical cleaning is unknown. METHODS: The Precaution trial was a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial conducted in six Dutch hospitals. Adult patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery were randomized to receive either a three-day course of preoperative OAP with tobramycin and colistin or placebo. The primary composite endpoint was the incidence of deep SSI or mortality within 30 days after surgery. Secondary endpoints included both infectious and non-infectious complications at 30 days and six months after surgery. RESULTS: The study was prematurely ended due to the loss of clinical equipoise. At that time, 39 patients had been randomized to active OAP and 39 to placebo, which reflected 8.1% of the initially pursued sample size. Nine (11.5%) patients developed the primary outcome, of whom four had been randomized to OAP (4/39; 10.3%) and five to placebo (5/39; 12.8%). This corresponds to a risk ratio in the intention-to-treat analysis of 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23-2.78). In the per-protocol analysis, the relative risk was 0.64 (95% CI 0.12-3.46). CONCLUSIONS: Observational data emerging during the study provided new evidence for the effectiveness of OAP that changed both the clinical and medical ethical landscape for infection prevention in colorectal surgery. We therefore consider it unethical to continue randomizing patients to placebo. We recommend the implementation of OAP in clinical practice and continuing monitoring of infection rates and antibiotic susceptibilities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The PreCaution trial is registered in the Netherlands Trial Register under NL5932 (previously: NTR6113) as well as in the EudraCT register under 2015-005736-17

Forskolin-induced Organoid Swelling is Associated with Long-term CF Disease Progression

RATIONALE: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a monogenic life-shortening disease associated with highly variable individual disease progression which is difficult to predict. Here we assessed the association of forskolin-induced swelling (FIS) of patient-derived organoids (PDO) with long-term CF disease progression in multiple organs and compared FIS with the golden standard biomarker sweat chloride concentration (SCC). METHODS: We retrieved 9-year longitudinal clinical data from the Dutch CF Registry of 173 people with mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Individual CFTR function was defined by FIS, measured as the relative size increase of intestinal organoids after stimulation with 0.8 µM forskolin, quantified as area under the curve (AUC). We used linear mixed effect models and multivariable logistic regression to estimate the association of FIS with long-term FEV1pp decline and development of pancreatic insufficiency, CF-related liver disease and diabetes. Within these models, FIS was compared with SCC. RESULTS: FIS was strongly associated with longitudinal changes of lung function, with an estimated difference in annual FEV1pp decline of 0.32% (95%CI: 0.11%-0.54%; p=0.004) per 1000-points change in AUC. Moreover, increasing FIS levels were associated with lower odds of developing pancreatic insufficiency (adjusted OR: 0.18, 95%CI: 0.07-0.46, p<0.001), CF-related liver disease (adjusted OR: 0.18, 95%CI: 0.06-0.54, p=0.002) and diabetes (adjusted OR: 0.34, 95%CI: 0.12-0.97, p=0.044). These associations were absent for SCC. CONCLUSION: This study exemplifies the prognostic value of a PDO-based biomarker within a clinical setting, which is especially important for people carrying rare CFTR mutations with unclear clinical consequences

Assessment of thermal coagulation in ex-vivo tissues using Raman spectroscopy

abstract: Raman spectroscopy is used to study the effects of heating on specific molecular bonds present in albumen-based coagulation phantoms and ex-vivo tissues. Thermal coagulation is induced by submerging albumen-based phantoms in a 75°C water bath to achieve target temperatures of 45, 55, 65, and 75°C. Laser photocoagulation is performed on ex-vivo bovine muscle samples, yielding induced temperatures between 46 and 90°C, as reported by implanted microthermocouples. All phantoms and tissue samples are cooled to room temperature, and Raman spectra are acquired at the microthermocouple locations. Shifts in major Raman bands are observed with laser heating in bovine muscle, specifically from the amide-1 α-helix group (∼1655 cm(-1)), the CH(2)/CH(3) group (∼1446 cm(-1)), the Cα-H stretch group (∼1312 cm(-1)), and the CN stretch group (∼1121cm(-1)). Raman bands at 1334 cm(-1) (tryptophan), 1317 cm(-1) [ν(Cα-H)], and 1655 cm(-1) (amide-1 α-helix) also show a decrease in intensity following heating. The results suggest that Raman band locations and relative intensities are affected by thermal denaturation of proteins, and hence, may be a useful tool for monitoring the onset and progression of coagulation during thermal therapies

A Descriptive Analysis of the Characteristics and Financial Performance of Dairy Farms in Michigan, New York, ontario, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

R.B. 96-08In 1989, The Cornell Program on Dairy Markets and Policy collaborated with the Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center to form a National Institute for Livestock and Dairy Policy (NILDP). The Institute is a focal point for a neutral and objective analyses of the consequences of alternative government policies on the livestock, dairy, and poultry industries and the broader economics of livestock and dairy markets. Based on their respective strengths and emphases, Texas A&M is the lead institution on livestock and poultry sector analysis, and Cornell is the lead institution on dairy sector analysis. The Institute has been supported by a special research grant through the U. S. Department of Agriculture since 1989. The Dairy Farm Analysis Project (DFAP) is one particular effort in a larger set of objectives and core projects. In 1992, under the umbrella of the Dairy Farm Analysis Project, researchers from New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario met to discuss the possibility of creating a pooled data set from the represented states. Raw data would not be collected under this project, but rather would be merged from individual state efforts already in place. From the four states and one province, a single data set was created which contains 2,200 individual farm level records with 92 basic and 15 calculated variables for the 1992 calendar year. This publication: describes the sources of the pooled data; discusses the representitiveness of the sample; provides a description of the definitions of variables; and summarizes the data with descriptive statistics. With this proj ect, we have shown that variables from different states I dairy farm record systems can be defined such that common variables can be obtained. We have developed a rich data set containing 1,818 farm records from four states and Ontario. While there are differences in dairy farm performance and profitability between states, the differences are more related to herd size differences than to other factors. In other words, farms of similar herd sizes are more like farms in other states of the same size, than to different size farms within the state. The pooled data set has shown that rates of production and profitabiltiy are higher on larger farms, even though operating cost of producing milk is higher. Labor efficiency on larger farms is significantly higher than on smaller farms. Larger farms have higher net worth, but also have higher debt to asset ratios and debt per cow. The most common herd size category in the data set is 40 -79 cows. This herd size is confronting high investments per cow, no advantage in debt per cow, and modest labor efficiencies in comparison to larger herd sizes. Their advantage is low operating costs, .primarily due to most of the labor being provided by the operator and family. However, the return to labor and management per operator is negative, as is return on equity with appreciation. This herd size, perhaps more than any other, will be struggling with high feed costs and the decision to expand in the future

A DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY FARMS IN MICHIGAN, NEW YORK, ONTARIO, PENNSYLVANIA AND WISCONSIN

In 1989, The Cornell Program on Dairy Markets and Policy collaborated with the Texas A&M Agricultural and Food Policy Center to form a National Institute for Livestock and Dairy Policy (NILDP). The Institute is a focal point for a neutral and objective analyses of the consequences of alternative government policies on the livestock, dairy, and poultry industries and the broader economics of livestock and dairy markets. Based on their respective strengths and emphases, Texas A&M is the lead institution on livestock and poultry sector analysis, and Cornell is the lead institution on dairy sector analysis. The Institute has been supported by a special research grant through the U. S. Department of Agriculture since 1989. The Dairy Farm Analysis Project (DFAP) is one particular effort in a larger set of objectives and core projects. In 1992, under the umbrella of the Dairy Farm Analysis Project, researchers from New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario met to discuss the possibility of creating a pooled data set from the represented states. Raw data would not be collected under this project, but rather would be merged from individual state efforts already in place. From the four states and one province, a single data set was created which contains 2,200 individual farm level records with 92 basic and 15 calculated variables for the 1992 calendar year. This publication: describes the sources of the pooled data; discusses the representitiveness of the sample; provides a description of the definitions of variables; and summarizes the data with descriptive statistics. With this proj ect, we have shown that variables from different states I dairy farm record systems can be defined such that common variables can be obtained. We have developed a rich data set containing 1,818 farm records from four states and Ontario. While there are differences in dairy farm performance and profitability between states, the differences are more related to herd size differences than to other factors. In other words, farms of similar herd sizes are more like farms in other states of the same size, than to different size farms within the state. The pooled data set has shown that rates of production and profitabiltiy are higher on larger farms, even though operating cost of producing milk is higher. Labor efficiency on larger farms is significantly higher than on smaller farms. Larger farms have higher net worth, but also have higher debt to asset ratios and debt per cow. The most common herd size category in the data set is 40 -79 cows. This herd size is confronting high investments per cow, no advantage in debt per cow, and modest labor efficiencies in comparison to larger herd sizes. Their advantage is low operating costs, .primarily due to most of the labor being provided by the operator and family. However, the return to labor and management per operator is negative, as is return on equity with appreciation. This herd size, perhaps more than any other, will be struggling with high feed costs and the decision to expand in the future

FARE Share Newsletter, Sandy Warley Tribute Issue

This FARE Share Special Issue is a dedication to the late Dr. Thorald Keith (T.K.) Warley (1930-2018). Known to most as Sandy, his contribution to the University of Guelph spanned decades, including the roles of professor and chair of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE). Praise for Sandy could fill volumes; we’ve included just a sampling of remembrances and reflections from colleagues and friends, including past and present faculty and students. You’ll read about Sandy’s many contributions to their lives, to the University and his extraordinary commitment to the entire agricultural economist community