Donnellywilkinson1700
In recent decades, eye plaques of brachytherapy have been extensively used as primary treatment as well as a complementary treatment for ocular cancer. The purpose of this study is the development of the eye plaque brachytherapy throughout a new design of eye plaque by combining the COMS plaque and the CCB BEBIG plaque loaded by IRA1-103Pd and 106Ru, respectively. A new dual-core plaque with a diameter of 20 mm was designed in the way that the BEBIG plaque with a diameter of 20 mm loaded by 106Ru plate is attached to the COMS plaque with a diameter of 20 mm loaded by 24 of IRA1-103Pd seeds. Dose calculations for the new plaque were performed by using the MCNP5 code. Dose calculations of dual-core plaque including 103Pd seeds (gamma) and 106Ru plate (beta) were separately done for the sake of MCNP constraints in gamma and beta particle transfer simultaneously. The new dual-core plaque delivers a much higher dose rate to the tumor compared with every single plaque, while the dose rate reached to healthy tissues is slightly higher than each plaque separately. Of course, this is acceptable because the treatment time reduces and subsequently the error in radiation therapy reduces.Predictive models of tumor response based on heterogeneity metrics in medical images, such as textural features, are highly suggestive. Selleck ETC-159 However, the demonstrated sensitivity of these features to noise does affect the model being developed. An in-depth analysis of the noise influence on the extraction of texture features was performed based on the assumption that an improvement in information quality can also enhance the predictive model. A heuristic approach was used that recognizes from the beginning that the noise has its own texture and it was analysed how it affects the quantitative signal data. A simple procedure to obtain noise image estimation is shown; one which makes it possible to extract the noise-texture features at each observation. The distance measured between the textural features in signal and estimated noise images allows us to determine the features affected in each observation by the noise and, for example, to exclude some of them from the model. A demonstration was carried out using synthetic images applying realistic noise models found in medical images. Drawn conclusions were applied to a public cohort of clinical images obtained using FDG-PET to show how the predictive model could be improved. A gain in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between 10 and 20% when noise texture information is used was shown. An improvement between 20 and 30% can be appreciated in the estimated model quality.
To increase the superficial dose and reduce the brain dose for radiotherapy of scalp angiosarcoma, we propose a novel irradiation technique of tangential irradiation volumetric modulated arc therapy (TI-VMAT).
TI-VMAT and the conventional VMAT treatment plans for thirteen scalp angiosarcoma patients were created with a prescribed dose of 70Gy. Each treatment was normalized to cover 95% of the planning target volume (PTV) with its prescribed dose. To realize TI-VMAT, an avoidance structure (AS) function was applied. AS was defined as a contour subtracted PTV by a certain space from the brain contour. TI-VMAT treatment plans for six different spaces between PTV and AS were developed and compared with the conventional VMAT treatment plan with respect to the following dosimetric parameters homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) of the PTV, mean brain dose, and brain volume irradiated with 20% (V
[cc]), 40% (V
[cc]), 60% (V
[cc]), 80% (V
[cc]), and 100% (V
[cc]) of the prescribed dose.
HI and CI were comparable between TI-VMAT and the conventional VMAT, the mean brain dose for TI-VMAT with AS defined by a space of 2.0cm and jaw tracking was 14.27Gy, which was significantly lower than that for the conventional VMAT (21.20Gy). In addition, dosimetric parameters such as V
[cc] were significantly suppressed compared to those for high doses.
Our proposed irradiation technique TI-VMAT shows the potential to reduce radiation doses in the brain with maintaining higher dose coverage on the PTV.
Our proposed irradiation technique TI-VMAT shows the potential to reduce radiation doses in the brain with maintaining higher dose coverage on the PTV.
As a traditional Chinese mind-body exercise, Baduanjin has been documented to have a positive effect on cognitive and physical function in a wide range of populations, but it is unclear whether it helps improve motor function in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). The aim of this two-arm, randomized, parallel controlled study was to explore the rehabilitation effect of Baduanjin exercise on motor function in patients with PSCI.
Forty-eight patients with PSCI were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. The control group received health education sessions on stroke prevention and rehabilitation. The intervention group received Baduanjin training in addition to the health education intervention. Before and after the 24-week intervention, both groups completed the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Manual Muscle Test (MMT), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and Three-Dimensional Gait Analysis (3DGA).
After the 24-week intervention, both groups showed significant improvements in the FMA, BBS, MMT and MAS test results, but the Baduanjin group exhibited significantly better FMA, BBS and MMT test results than the control group (all P<0.05). Furthermore, the Baduanjin exercise group showed significant improvements in spatial gait parameters, including the step length, walking speed and cadence, which were significantly better than the control group (all P<0.05). No adverse events were reported during the study period.
The 24-week Baduanjin exercise training may improve the limb motor function, balance, muscle strength and gait function of individuals with PSCI.
The 24-week Baduanjin exercise training may improve the limb motor function, balance, muscle strength and gait function of individuals with PSCI.Nanopore sequencing for forensic purposes has gained attention, as it yields added discriminatory power compared to capillary electrophoresis (CE), without the need for a high up-front capital investment. Besides enabling the detection of iso-alleles, Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) facilitates the analysis of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in parallel. In this research, six single-contributor samples were amplified by such a combined multiplex of 58 STR and 94 SNP loci, followed by nanopore sequencing using an R10.3 flowcell. Basecalling was performed using two state-of-the-art basecallers, Guppy and Bonito. An advanced alignment-based analysis method was developed, which lowered the noise after alignment of the STR reads to a reference library. Although STR genotyping by nanopore sequencing is more challenging, correct genotyping was obtained for all autosomal and all but two non-autosomal STR loci. Moreover, genotyping of iso-alleles proved to be very accurate. SNP genotyping yielded an accuracy of 99% for both basecallers. The use of novel basecallers, in combination with the newly developed alignment-based analysis method, yields results with a pronouncedly higher STR genotyping accuracy compared to previous studies.Over the last few years, advances in massively parallel sequencing technologies (also referred to next generation sequencing) and bioinformatics analysis tools have boosted our knowledge on the human microbiome. Such insights have brought new perspectives and possibilities to apply human microbiome analysis in many areas, particularly in medicine. In the forensic field, the use of microbial DNA obtained from human materials is still in its infancy but has been suggested as a potential alternative in situations when other human (non-microbial) approaches present limitations. More specifically, DNA analysis of a wide variety of microorganisms that live in and on the human body offers promises to answer various forensically relevant questions, such as post-mortem interval estimation, individual identification, and tissue/body fluid identification, among others. However, human microbiome analysis currently faces significant challenges that need to be considered and overcome via future forensically oriented human microbiome research to provide the necessary solutions. In this perspective article, we discuss the most relevant biological, technical and data-related issues and propose future solutions that will pave the way towards the integration of human microbiome analysis in the forensic toolkit.The formation of interfacial chemical bonding in heterostructures plays an important role in the transport of carriers. Herein, we firstly prepared ultrathin InVO4 nanosheet (Ns) with a thickness of 1.5 nm. Diethylenetriamine-modified CdSe (CdSe-DETA) nanobelts are in-situ deposited on the surface of ultrathin InVO4 Ns to build a InVO4/CdSe-DETA step-scheme (S-scheme) heterojunction photocatalysts. The protonated DETA acts as an amine-bridge to promote the formation of a tight chemical bond at the interface of InVO4/CdSe-DETA, thereby promoting the transfer of carriers at the interface. For photocatalytic CO2 reduction, the rationally designed InVO4/CdSe-DETA S-scheme photocatalyst exhibits a remarkable CO generation rate of 27.9 µmol h-1 g-1 at 420 nm, which is 3.35 and 3.39 times higher than that of CdSe-DETA and InVO4 Ns, respectively. The new method by using interfacial chemical bonding to facilitate interfacial charge transportation provide a promising strategy for improve photocatalysis.In this work, oxygen-defect-rich, three-dimensional (3D) cobalt-gallium layered double hydroxides (Co0.50-Ga0.50-LDH) assembled by porous and ultrathin nanosheets are prepared by a simple one-step strategy. Briefly, an aqueous solution containing Co2+ and Ga3+ is quickly pouring into the aqueous solution of hexamethylenetetramine, the state-of-the-art LDH was obtained followed by a mild and fast hydrothermal reaction. This mild and rapid synthesis strategy introduces a large number of pores into the ultrathin LDH nanosheets, resulting in a high concentration of oxygen vacancies in the Co0.50-Ga0.50-LDH, and the concentration of oxygen vacancies can be arbitrarily modulated, which has been corroborated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron spin resonance measurements. The synergistic effect of the oxygen vacancy and the introduced Ga ions in the LDH nanosheets enhances the adsorption of the LDH nanosheets on OH-, endowing Co0.50-Ga0.50-LDH with outstanding performance for the supercapacitor application. Co0.50-Ga0.50-LDH offers a high specific capacity (0.62C·cm-2) at 10 mV·s-1 and extraordinary cycling stability. An aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) constructed with Co0.50-Ga0.50-LDH and activated carbon (AC) materials exhibits high energy density and a long lifespan. This result encourages the wide application of porous ultrathin LDH nanosheets in energy storage, catalysis and light response.Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) into valuable chemicals, especially driven by renewable energy, presents a promising pattern to realize carbon neutrality. Site-isolated metal complexes flourish in the area of ECR as single-atom-like catalysts because of their competent and tailorable activity. In this study, salophen-based metal (Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) complexes were anchored onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to construct efficient catalysts for electrochemically converting CO2 to CO. Both experimental and theoretical results verified that CO2 activation was the rate-determining step for the catalytic performance of these hybrid molecular catalysts. The coordinate activation ability can be manipulated by varying the metal centers. The as-synthesized Fe-salophen hybrid CNT (Fe-salophen/CNT) shows the best activity and selectivity of -13.24 mA·cm-2 current density with 86.8% Faradaic efficiency for generating CO (FECO) at -0.76 V vs. RHE in aqueous solution, whereas Cu-salophen/CNT only achieved a -2.22 mA·cm-2 current density and 57.
