Tailored point-of-care biosensors for liquid biopsy in the field of oncology

In the field of cancer detection, technologies to analyze tumors using biomarkers circulating in fluids such as blood have developed rapidly based on liquid biopsy. A proactive approach to early cancer detection can lead to more effective treatments with minimal side effects and better long-term patient survival. However, early detection of cancer is hindered by the existing limitations of conventional cancer diagnostic methods. To enable early diagnosis and regular monitoring and improve automation, the development of integrated point-of-care (POC) and biosensors is needed. This is expected to fundamentally change the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of response to treatment of cancer. POC-based techniques will provide a way to avoid complications that occur after invasive tissue biopsy, such as bleeding, infection, and pain. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive view of biosensors and their clinical relevance in oncology for the detection of biomarkers with liquid biopsies of proteins, miRNA, ctDNA, exosomes, and cancer cells. The preceding discussion also illustrates the changing landscape of liquid biopsy-based cancer diagnosis through nanomaterials, machine learning, artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and sensors, many of which apply POC design principles. With the advent of sensitive, selective, and timely detection of cancer, we see the field of POC technology for cancer detection and treatment undergoing a positive paradigm shift in the foreseeable future

Preparation and Evaluation of Sodium Alginate Microparticles using Pepsin

Aim: The main aim of this article is to prepare and evaluate sodium alginate microparticles and evaluate on the basis of their characterization. The drug is dissolved, encapsulated or attached to a microparticles matrix. Depending upon method of preparation microparticles were obtained. Microparticles were developed as a carrier for vaccines and other disease like rheumatoid arthritis, cancer etc. Microparticles were developed to increase the efficacy of active pharmaceutical ingredient to a specific targeted site. Material and Method: Microparticles of Sodium Alginate, Pepsin and Calcium Chloride were prepared in six batches (A-F) with different ratio of sodium alginate and calcium chloride respectively i.e. (0.25:2.5), (0.25:5), (0.25:7.5), (0.5:2.5), (0.5:5), (0.5:7.5) by using a homogenizing method. Microparticles were evaluated for particle size distribution, zeta potential and morphology. Result and Discussion:  The normal particle size of each of the six batches were analyzed by Zeta Sizer (Delsa C Particle Analyzer) and it was found that the Batch B (0.25:5) delivered the best microparticles with size distribution of 1.2731 (µm). All batches were seen under Motic magnifying microscope by using the Sulforhodamine B (M.W. 479.02) color as staining dye. Microparticles was found to be semi spherical in shape. Conclusion: Results of all the six batches was contrasted based on particle size investigation, zeta potential and morphology. Batch B (0.25:5) was considered as the best formulation. Key words:  Micro Particle, Pepsin, Sodium Alginate and Calcium Chloride, Sulforhodamine B, Zeta Sizer

Radio detection of cosmic ray air showers with LOPES

In the last few years, radio detection of cosmic ray air showers has experienced a true renaissance, becoming manifest in a number of new experiments and simulation efforts. In particular, the LOPES project has successfully implemented modern interferometric methods to measure the radio emission from extensive air showers. LOPES has confirmed that the emission is coherent and of geomagnetic origin, as expected by the geosynchrotron mechanism, and has demonstrated that a large scale application of the radio technique has great potential to complement current measurements of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. We describe the current status, most recent results and open questions regarding radio detection of cosmic rays and give an overview of ongoing research and development for an application of the radio technique in the framework of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: 8 pages; Proceedings of the CRIS2006 conference, Catania, Italy; to be published in Nuclear Physics B, Proceedings Supplement

Radio Emission in Atmospheric Air Showers: First Measurements with LOPES-30

When Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays interact with particles in the Earth's atmosphere, they produce a shower of secondary particles propagating toward the ground. LOPES-30 is an absolutely calibrated array of 30 dipole antennas investigating the radio emission from these showers in detail and clarifying if the technique is useful for largescale applications. LOPES-30 is co-located and measures in coincidence with the air shower experiment KASCADE-Grande. Status of LOPES-30 and first measurements are presented.Comment: Proceedings of ARENA 06, June 2006, University of Northumbria, U

Frequency spectra of cosmic ray air shower radio emission measured with LOPES

AIMS: We wish to study the spectral dependence of the radio emission from cosmic-ray air showers around 100 PeV (1017 eV). METHODS: We observe short radio pulses in a broad frequency band with the dipole-interferometer LOPES (LOFAR Prototype Station), which is triggered by a particle detector array named Karlsruhe Shower Core and Array Detector (KASCADE). LOFAR is the Low Frequency Array. For this analysis, 23 strong air shower events are selected using parameters from KASCADE. RESULTS: The resulting electric field spectra fall off to higher frequencies. An average electric field spectrum is fitted with an exponential, or alternatively, with a power law. The spectral slope obtained is not consistent within uncertainties and it is slightly steeper than the slope obtained from Monte Carlo simulations based on air showers simulated with CORSIKA (Cosmic Ray Simulations for KASCADE). One of the strongest events was measured during thunderstorm activity in the vicinity of LOPES and shows the longest pulse length measured of 110 ns and a spectral slope of -3.6. CONCLUSIONS: We show with two different methods that frequency spectra from air shower radio emission can be reconstructed on event-by-event basis, with only two dozen dipole antennae simultaneously over a broad range of frequencies. According to the obtained spectral slopes, the maximum power is emitted below 40 MHz. Furthermore, the decrease in power to higher frequencies indicates a loss in coherence determined by the shower disc thickness. We conclude that a broader bandwidth, larger collecting area, and longer baselines, as will be provided by LOFAR, are necessary to further investigate the relation of the coherence, pulse length, and spectral slope of cosmic ray air showers.Comment: 13 pages, 21 figures. Nigl, A. et al. (LOPES Collaboration), Frequency spectra of cosmic ray air shower radio emission measured with LOPES, accepted by A&A on 17/06/200

Air Shower Measurements with the LOPES Radio Antenna Array

LOPES is set up at the location of the KASCADE-Grande extensive air shower experiment in Karlsruhe, Germany and aims to measure and investigate radio pulses from Extensive Air Showers. Since radio waves suffer very little attenuation, radio measurements allow the detection of very distant or highly inclined showers. These waves can be recorded day and night, and provide a bolometric measure of the leptonic shower component. LOPES is designed as a digital radio interferometer using high bandwidths and fast data processing and profits from the reconstructed air shower observables of KASCADE-Grande. The LOPES antennas are absolutely amplitude calibrated allowing to reconstruct the electric field strength which can be compared with predictions from detailed Monte Carlo simulations. We report about the analysis of correlations present in the radio signals measured by the LOPES 30 antenna array. Additionally, LOPES operates antennas of a different type (LOPES-STAR) which are optimized for an application at the Pierre Auger Observatory. Status, recent results of the data analysis and further perspectives of LOPES and the possible large scale application of this new detection technique are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, Contribution to the Arena 2008 conference, Rome, June 200

Radio emission of highly inclined cosmic ray air showers measured with LOPES

LOPES (LOFAR Prototype Station) is an array of dipole antennas used for detection of radio emission from air showers. It is co-located and triggered by the KASCADE (Karlsruhe Shower Core and Array Detector) experiment, which also provides informations about air shower properties. Even though neither LOPES nor KASCADE are completely optimized for the detection of highly inclined events, a significant number of showers with zenith angle larger than 50$^o$ have been detected in the radio domain, and many with very high field strengths. Investigation of inclined showers can give deeper insight into the nature of primary particles that initiate showers and also into the possibility that some of detected showers are triggered by neutrinos. In this paper, we show the example of such an event and present some of the characteristics of highly inclined showers detected by LOPES