Starkmolloy7466

Vacuum cushion immobilization is commonly used during stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to reduce intrafraction motion. We investigated target and bony anatomy intrafraction motion (translations and rotations) during online adaptive SBRT on an MR-linac for pelvic/para-aortic lymph node metastases with and without vacuum cushion.

Thirty-nine patients underwent 5x7 Gy SBRT on a 1.5T MR-linac, 19 patients were treated with vacuum cushion, 19 without and 1 patient sequentially with and without. Intrafraction motion was calculated for target lymph nodes (GTVs) and nearby bony anatomy, for three time intervals (pre-position verification (PV), pre-post, PV-post, relating to the online MRI scans) per treatment fraction.

Vacuum cushion immobilization significantly reduced anterior-posterior translations for the pre-PV and pre-post intervals, for bony anatomy and pre-post interval for GTV (p<0.05). Mean GTV intrafraction motion reduction in posterior direction was 0.7mm (95% confidence interval 0.3-1.1mm) n. For single targets this motion can be corrected for directly with an MR-linac. Intrafraction motion was not reduced during the second half of the session, the period of radiotherapy delivery on an MR-linac. Vacuum cushion immobilization may not be necessary for patients with single lymph node oligometastases undergoing SBRT on an MR-linac.

The risk of radiation-induced cardiac injury remains a challenging problem in the treatment of breast cancer. Certain cardiac structures receive higher doses than others, which results in variable frequencies of radiation-induced injuries across these structures. Radiation dose can be reduced using the deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique. We aimed to investigate the dose reductions from DIBH in individual cardiac segments.

A dosimetric analysis was performed on left-sided breast cancer patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery and whole breast irradiation. Radiation doses to the cardiac structures were compared between the DIBH and free-breathing (FB) techniques and the dose reductions with DIBH were correlated to the lung expansion.

For the 75 patients included in our study, DIBH effectively reduced doses to the heart, left lung, left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and left ventricle (LV), but the degree of dose reductions was variable across different structures. The absoluld potentially translate into clinical benefit of reduced cardiac toxicity, as these structures have been previously shown to receive the highest doses and are associated with radiation-induced injury.The pandemic prevalence of COVID-19 has become a very serious global health issue. Scientists all over the world have been seriously attempting in the discovery of a drug to combat SARS-CoV-2. It has been found that RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) plays a crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 replication, and thus could be a potential drug target. Here, comprehensive computational approaches including drug repurposing and molecular docking were employed to predict an effective drug candidate targeting RdRp of SARS-CoV-2. This study revealed that Rifabutin, Rifapentine, Fidaxomicin, 7-methyl-guanosine-5'-triphosphate-5'-guanosine and Ivermectin have a potential inhibitory interaction with RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 and could be effective drugs for COVID-19. In addition, virtual screening of the compounds from ZINC database also allowed the prediction of two compounds (ZINC09128258 and ZINC09883305) with pharmacophore features that interact effectively with RdRp of SARS-CoV-2, indicating their potentiality as effective inhibitors of the enzyme. Furthermore, ADME analysis along with analysis of toxicity was also undertaken to check the pharmacokinetics and drug-likeness properties of the two compounds. Comparative structural analysis of protein-inhibitor complexes revealed that the amino acids Y32, K47, Y122, Y129, H133, N138, D140, T141, S709 and N781 are crucial for drug surface hotspot in the RdRp of SARS-CoV-2.Pcal_0768 gene encoding an amylomaltase, a 4-α-glucanatransferase belonging to family 77 of glycosyl hydrolases, from Pyrobaculum calidifontis was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was produced in E. coli in soluble and active form. However, the expression level was not very high. Analysis of the mRNA of initial seven codons at the 5'-end of the gene revealed the presence of a hair pin like secondary structure. This secondary structure was removed by site directed mutagenesis, without altering the amino acids, which resulted in enhanced expression of the cloned gene. Recombinant Pcal_0768 exhibited optimal amylomaltase activity at 80 °C and pH 6.9. Under these conditions, the specific activity was 690 U/ mg. Recombinant Pcal_0768 was highly thermostable with a half-life of 6 h at 100 °C. It exhibited the highest kcat value among the characterized glucanotransferases. No metal ions were required for activity or stability of the enzyme. Recombinant Pcal_0768 was successfully employed in the synthesis of modified starch for producing thermoreversible gel. To the best of our knowledge, till now this is the most thermostable enzyme among the characterized amylomaltases. High thermostability and starch modification potential make it a novel and distinct amylomaltase.The silk fibroin (SF) prepared by Bombyx mori silkworms is one of the mainly abundant natural fiber and can be obtained simply and economically. SF as bio-material has superior bio-compatibility and bio-degradability. The current review provides an inclusive outline of up to date and novel developments on SF as bio-material based applications in tissue engineering and various drug delivery. SF as bio-materials was comprehensively reviewed, demonstrating the characteristics and applications of SF bio-materials in tissue engineering and drug delivery systems. Convenient regeneration, superb bio-compatibility, significant mechanical properties and versatile bio-degradability of SF has been investigated for the preparation of a range of articles such as films, spongy matrices, hydrogels, etc., and has been examined for use in a choice of tissue engineering utilization. Also, SF nanoparticles have been effectively designed and are competent to manage the release rate of biomolecules in a continuous approach with high stability. Therefore, the present review comprehensively covered the advancement made on SF based drug delivery, in vitro engineering and rejuvenation determines possibilities for additional progress in these areas.Starch ghost, an insoluble structure of gelatinized starch, plays an important role in the applications of starch. In this review, we summarized the preparation, morphology, structure, properties and applications of starch ghost. The preparation steps of starch ghost include gelatinization, purification and preservation, and many factors influence the yield of starch ghost. The morphology and content of starch ghost can be influenced by many factors like starch resource and amylose content. Ghosts from non-waxy starches are composed of amylopectin with long branch-chains and amylose. These molecules cross-link to each other to reinforce the structure, and tend to form B-type double helix in ghosts from high-amylose starches. Some surface proteins that bind tightly to starch granules are also present in starch ghost. Protein and lipid are thought to have limited effects on the structural stability, but they make a big difference in the morphology of starch ghost. SRI-011381 Starch ghost shows a different resistance to amylase among various starches, but it can be further digested under the high shear force. The mechanical, enzymatic hydrolysis and electrochemical properties of starch ghost make it widely used as emulsifier, stabilizer, thickener and starch-based films or gels in food and non-food processing industries.Galactomannans are naturally occurring biocompatible and biodegradable nonionic polysaccharides comprised of mannose and galactose residues. They are under investigation for the design of various drug delivery carriers such as matrix tablets, microparticles, nanoparticles/nanocomposites, polymeric micelles, hydrogels, as well as pharmaceutical excipients. Amongst galactomannans, guar gum, locust bean gum, and fenugreek gum are the biomaterials mostly investigated for their potential utility as nanocarriers for various purposes, either in their native or modified forms. The galactomannan-based nanomaterials have been fabricated by adopting various strategies. These galactomannan nanomaterials have been tested for oral vaccination, oral insulin delivery, cancer cell & macrophage targeting, controlled drug delivery, heavy metal extraction and wound dressing applications. The galactomannan has attracted the attention of researchers as reducing agents for the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles as well. These nanometals have shown improved antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activities. In vitro toxicity of the nanomaterials is also assessed in some instances. Others such as cassia gum, tara gum, Delonix, Leucaena leucocephala, Punica granatum galactomannans are amongst the least studied materials for biological applications. This review describes various strategies adopted for the synthesis of galactomannan-based nanomaterials, their properties and applications, especially in the field of drug delivery.Over the years, lignin has drawn a great deal of interest for their potential use as bio-polymers due to the presence of high amount of phenolic compounds, non-polluting feature and cost-competitiveness as compared to synthetic polymers. However, in order to fast-track their development, different attempts are made towards the usage of lignin in nano form since it exhibits some unique properties in nanoscale range. The present review article provides a detail analysis on the recent advancement in the synthesis and applications of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) derived from agro-industrial waste residues. In view of that, an in-depth morphological analysis was reviewed to assess the structural influence on the characteristics of LNPs. Further, application of LNPs is explored in different fields including bio-medical engineering, pharmaceuticals, skin-care products and food industries. Finally, the paper is concluded discussing various challenges associated with the synthesis, modification and development with an aspiration of futuristic developments. The readers of this review article will be highly benefitted after acquiring a comprehensive knowledge on LNPs and its different synthesis processes along with various applications.Chlorella, a green microalga, has been used as an important ingredient in food and medicine because of its excellent nutritive and functional properties. Polysaccharides, as major active ingredients of Chlorella, have attracted increasing attention due to their various health promotion activities, such as those associated with immunomodulation, antioxidation, anti-hyperlipidemia, antitumor, neuroprotection, and anti-asthmatic effect. The significance of polysaccharides from various species of the Chlorella genus has been extensively reported by the scientific community from the perspectives of extraction, structural features, biological activities, and potential uses, which need to be reviewed to improve the understanding, development and utilization of these species. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively summarize previous and current references regarding the extraction, purification, structural characterization and biological activities of polysaccharides from Chlorella. Moreover, this review also highlights the challenges of investigation and future considerations for holistic utilization in food and medicine.