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Journal of Materials Chemistry. C Jun 2024Pyroelectricity in a recently developed all-organic composite electret with a polar polynorbornene-based filler and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix has been studied...
Pyroelectricity in a recently developed all-organic composite electret with a polar polynorbornene-based filler and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix has been studied with the help of thermal and dielectric techniques. Measurement of the pyroelectric coefficient using a quasi-static periodic temperature variation at RT shows a non-linear dependence with the applied poling field, which is uncharacteristic of amorphous materials. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS) and the thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) technique reveal that this behaviour can be attributed to Maxwell-Wagner interface (MWI) polarization that occurs at the filler-matrix interface. These charges released during the onset of dipolar and relaxations of the filler particles contribute majorly to the observed pyroelectricity at RT. The saturation of both MWI TSDC shoulders and spontaneous polarization at higher electric fields correlates with the coefficient value reaching a plateau at these applied fields. A maximum coefficient of 0.54 μC m K is calculated for a poling field of 30 V μm.
PubMed: 38882549
DOI: 10.1039/d4tc00791c -
Digital Health 2024Pain is a common adverse event in survivors of breast cancer (sBCs). As there is no gold standard to assess pain experience predominantly related to central...
INTRODUCTION
Pain is a common adverse event in survivors of breast cancer (sBCs). As there is no gold standard to assess pain experience predominantly related to central sensitization (CS) symptoms, we designed the , which includes an algorithm to report whether patients are under predominant CS pain mechanisms.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to assess the reliability of the to estimate whether sBC pain experience is predominantly related to CS symptoms.
METHODS
An observational, descriptive reliability design was employed to assess the inter- and intrarater reliability of the This app includes an algorithm that considers the number of painful body parts and some questionnaires related to pain, such as the Numeric Pain-Rating Scale the Brief Pain Inventory, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI).
RESULTS
A total of 21 sBCs with persistent pain were recruited. We observe a general trend of close agreement between the paper-based and app-based formats (ICCs ranged between 0.802 and 0.972; Cronbach's alpha ranged between 0.797 and 0.971). Test-retest reliabilities were moderate to excellent (ICCs ranged between 0.510 and 0.941; Cronbach's alpha ranged between 0.499 and 0.938). The agreement between the categorization of the CS algorithm and the CSI (cut-off point ≥ 40 for CS symptoms) was 95.24%.
CONCLUSION
The emerges as a robust tool for evaluating pain experience predominantly related to CS and pain-related symptoms in sBCs. Its demonstrated reliability not only bolsters its utility but also signifies its potential as a valuable asset for healthcare professionals engaged in pain education programs.
PubMed: 38882256
DOI: 10.1177/20552076241260150 -
Translational Cancer Research May 2024Despite the promise of concurrent radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy in head and neck cancer (HNC), multiple randomized trials of this combination have had...
Despite the promise of concurrent radiotherapy (RT) and immunotherapy in head and neck cancer (HNC), multiple randomized trials of this combination have had disappointing results. To evaluate potential immunologic mechanisms of RT resistance, we compared pre-treatment HNCs that developed RT resistance to a matched cohort that achieved curative status. Gene set enrichment analysis demonstrated that a pre-treatment pro-immunogenic tumor microenvironment (TME), including type II interferon [interferon gamma (IFNγ)] and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) signaling, predicted cure while type I interferon [interferon alpha (IFNα)] enrichment was associated with an immunosuppressive TME found in tumors that went on to recur. We then used immune deconvolution of RNA sequencing datasets to evaluate immunologic cell subset enrichment. This identified M2 macrophage signaling associated with type I IFN pathway expression in RT-recurrent disease. To further dissect mechanism, we then evaluated differential gene expression between pre-treatment and RT-resistant HNCs from sampled from the same patients at the same anatomical location in the oral cavity. Here, recurrent samples exhibited upregulation of type I IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) including members of the IFN-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats (IFIT) and IFN-induced transmembrane (IFITM) gene families. While several ISGs were upregulated in each recurrent cancer, IFIT2 was significantly upregulated in all recurrent tumors when compared with the matched pre-RT specimens. Based on these observations, we hypothesized sustained type I IFN signaling through ISGs, such as IFIT2, may suppress the intra-tumoral immune response thereby promoting radiation resistance.
PubMed: 38881922
DOI: 10.21037/tcr-23-2104 -
Thoracic Cancer Jun 2024Limited literature exists on the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) techniques with hyperfractionated regimens for...
BACKGROUND
Limited literature exists on the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) techniques with hyperfractionated regimens for patients with lung cancer. This study aims to assess whether the SABR technique with hyperfractionation can potentially reduce lung toxicity.
METHODS
We utilized the linear-quadratic model to find the optimal fraction to maximize the tumor biological equivalent dose (BED) to normal-tissue BED ratio. Validation was performed by comparing the SABR plans with 50 Gy/5 fractions and hyperfractionationed plans with 88.8 Gy/74 fractions with the same tumor BED and planning criteria for 10 patients with early-stage lung cancer. Mean lung BED, Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) normal tissue complication probability (NTCP), critical volume (CV) criteria (volume below BED of 22.92 and 25.65 Gy, and mean BED for lowest 1000 and 1500 cc) and the percentage of the lung receiving 20Gy or more (V20) were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
RESULTS
The transition point occurs when the tumor-to-normal tissue ratio (TNR) of the physical dose equals the TNR of α/β in the BED dose-volume histogram of the lung. Compared with the hypofractionated regimen, the hyperfractionated regimen is superior in the dose range above but inferior below the transition point. The hyperfractionated regimen showed a lower mean lung BED (6.40 Gy vs. 7.73 Gy) and NTCP (3.50% vs. 4.21%), with inferior results concerning CV criteria and higher V20 (7.37% vs. 7.03%) in comparison with the hypofractionated regimen (p < 0.01 for all).
CONCLUSIONS
The hyperfractionated regimen has an advantage in the high-dose region of the lung but a disadvantage in the low-dose region. Further research is needed to determine the superiority between hypo- and hyperfractionation.
PubMed: 38881388
DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.15335 -
Food Chemistry Jun 2024The effect of inhibiting retrogradation and changes in chain length distribution by AG and BE, which are texture-modifying enzymes, has been clarified. To ascertain in...
The effect of inhibiting retrogradation and changes in chain length distribution by AG and BE, which are texture-modifying enzymes, has been clarified. To ascertain in which part of the rice grain retrogradation occurs and which enzymes is most effective, the degree of retrogradation in each part of the rice grain was measured from the surface to the core of the same rice grain using a synchrotron radiation X-ray beam with a beam size of 100 μm. Retrogradation was effectively suppressed at all measurement sites by enzyme addition, although the effect of enzymes was greater at the surface. Rice grain sections were stained with iodine and eosin. A starch layer that does not easily form a complex with iodine was observed inside the protein layer at the surface of cooked rice. A starch layer with a long molecular chain that forms complexes with iodine was observed inside the rice grain.
PubMed: 38878545
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140049 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2024We tried to establish the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model of temporal lobe injury of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients after two...
PURPOSE
We tried to establish the normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model of temporal lobe injury of recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients after two courses of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) to provide more reliable dose-volume data reference to set the temporal lobe tolerance dose for recurrent NPC patients in the future.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Recurrent NPC patients were randomly divided into training data set and validation data set in a ratio of 2:1, All the temporal lobes (TLs) were re-contoured as R/L structures and named separately in the MIM system. The dose distribution of the initial IMRT plan was deformed into the second course planning CT via MIM software to get the deformed dose. Equivalent dose of TLs in 2Gy fractions was calculated via linear quadratic model, using an α/β=3 for temporal lobes. NTCP model that correlated the irradiated volume of the temporal lobe and? the clinical variables were evaluated in a multivariate prediction model using AUC analysis.
RESULTS
From Jan. 2010 to Dec. 2020, 78 patients were enrolled into our study. Among which 26 (33.3%) developed TLI. The most important factors affecting TLI was the sum-dose d1.5cc of TL, while the possible clinical factors did not reach statistically significant differences in multivariate analysis. According to NTCP model, the TD5 and TD50 EQD2 dose of sum-dose d1.5cc were 65.26Gy (46.72-80.69Gy) and 125.25Gy (89.51-152.18Gy), respectively. For the accumulated EQD2 dose, the area under ROC shadow was 0.8702 (0.7577-0.9828) in model validation, p<0.001.
CONCLUSION
In this study, a NTCP model of temporal lobe injury after a second course of IMRT for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma was established. TD5 and TD50 doses of temporal lobe injury after re-RT were obtained according to the model, and the model was verified by validation set data.
PubMed: 38873258
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1394111 -
Clinical Oral Investigations Jun 2024The purpose of this study is to evaluate the bond strength of different computer-aided design / computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) hybrid ceramic materials following...
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the bond strength of different computer-aided design / computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) hybrid ceramic materials following different pretreatments.
METHODS
A total of 306 CAD/CAM hybrid material specimens were manufactured, n = 102 for each material (VarseoSmile Crown [VSCP] by 3D-printing; Vita Enamic [VE] and Grandio Blocs [GB] by milling). Each material was randomly divided into six groups regarding different pretreatment strategies: control, silane, sandblasting (50 μm aluminum oxide particles), sandblasting + silane, etching (9% hydrofluorics acid), etching + silane. Subsequently, surface roughness (Ra) values, surface free energy (SFE) were measured. Each specimen was bonded with a dual-cured adhesive composite. Half of the specimens were subjected to thermocycling (5000 cycles, 5-55 °C). The shear bond strength (SBS) test was performed. Data were analyzed by using a two-way analysis of variance, independent t-test, and Mann-Whitney-U-test (α = 0.05).
RESULTS
Material type (p = 0.001), pretreatment strategy (p < 0.001), and the interaction (p < 0.001) all had significant effects on Ra value. However, only etching on VSCP and VE surface increased SFE value significantly. Regarding SBS value, no significant difference was found among the three materials (p = 0.937), while the pretreatment strategy significantly influenced SBS (p < 0.05). Etching on VSCP specimens showed the lowest mean value among all groups, while sandblasting and silane result in higher SBS for all test materials.
CONCLUSIONS
The bond strength of CAD/CAM hybrid ceramic materials for milling and 3D-printing was comparable. Sandblasting and silane coupling were suitable for both millable and printable materials, while hydrofluoric etching should not be recommended for CAD/CAM hybrid ceramic materials.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Since comparable evidence between 3D-printable and millable CAD/CAM dental hybrid materials is scarce, the present study gives clear guidance for pretreatment planning on different materials.
Topics: Surface Properties; Computer-Aided Design; Dental Bonding; Crowns; Materials Testing; Dental Stress Analysis; Shear Strength; Ceramics; Silanes; Dental Materials; Dental Etching; Dental Porcelain; In Vitro Techniques; Humans
PubMed: 38869697
DOI: 10.1007/s00784-024-05767-3 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024The identification and validation of radiation biomarkers is critical for assessing the radiation dose received in exposed individuals and for developing radiation...
The identification and validation of radiation biomarkers is critical for assessing the radiation dose received in exposed individuals and for developing radiation medical countermeasures that can be used to treat acute radiation syndrome (ARS). Additionally, a fundamental understanding of the effects of radiation injury could further aid in the identification and development of therapeutic targets for mitigating radiation damage. In this study, blood samples were collected from fourteen male nonhuman primates (NHPs) that were exposed to 7.2 Gy ionizing radiation at various time points (seven days prior to irradiation; 1, 13, and 25 days post-irradiation; and immediately prior to the euthanasia of moribund (preterminal) animals). Plasma was isolated from these samples and was analyzed using a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry approach in an effort to determine the effects of radiation on plasma proteomic profiles. The primary objective was to determine if the radiation-induced expression of specific proteins could serve as an early predictor for health decline leading to a preterminal phenotype. Our results suggest that radiation induced a complex temporal response in which some features exhibit upregulation while others trend downward. These statistically significantly altered features varied from pre-irradiation levels by as much as tenfold. Specifically, we found the expression of integrin alpha and thrombospondin correlated in peripheral blood with the preterminal stage. The differential expression of these proteins implicates dysregulation of biological processes such as hemostasis, inflammation, and immune response that could be leveraged for mitigating radiation-induced adverse effects.
Topics: Animals; Macaca mulatta; Gamma Rays; Male; Proteomics; Biomarkers; Whole-Body Irradiation; Acute Radiation Syndrome; Blood Proteins; Proteome
PubMed: 38866887
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64316-w -
Functional & Integrative Genomics Jun 2024With advances in radioactive particle implantation in clinical practice, Iodine-125 (I) seed brachytherapy has emerged as a promising treatment for cholangiocarcinoma...
With advances in radioactive particle implantation in clinical practice, Iodine-125 (I) seed brachytherapy has emerged as a promising treatment for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), showing good prognosis; however, the underlying molecular mechanism of the therapeutic effect of I seed is unclear. To study the effects of I seed on the proliferation and apoptosis of CCA cells. CCA cell lines, RBE and HCCC-9810, were treated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger acetylcysteine (NAC) or the p53 functional inhibitor, pifithrin-α hydrobromide (PFTα). Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, 5-bromo-2-deoxy-uridine (BrdU) staining, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and flow cytometry assay were performed to test the radiation-sensitivity of I seed toward CCA cells at different radiation doses (0.4 mCi and 0.8 mCi). 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and western blot analysis were performed to assess the effect of I seed on the ROS/p53 axis. A dose-dependent inhibitory effect of I seeds on the proliferation of CCA cells was observed. The I seed promoted apoptosis of CCA cells and induced the activation of the ROS/p53 pathway in a dose-dependent manner. NAC or PFTα treatment effectively reversed the stimulatory effect of I seed on the proliferation of CCA cells. NAC or PFTα suppressed apoptosis and p53 protein expression induced by the I seed. I seed can inhibit cell growth mainly through the apoptotic pathway. The mechanism may involve the activation of p53 and its downstream apoptotic pathway by up-regulating the level of ROS in cells.
Topics: Cholangiocarcinoma; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; Iodine Radioisotopes; Reactive Oxygen Species; Apoptosis; Cell Proliferation; Humans; Cell Line, Tumor; Bile Duct Neoplasms; Acetylcysteine; Benzothiazoles; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 38862667
DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01392-1 -
Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao = Journal... May 2024To evaluate the therapeutic effect of normal mouse serum on radiation pneumonitis in mice and explore the possible mechanism.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the therapeutic effect of normal mouse serum on radiation pneumonitis in mice and explore the possible mechanism.
METHODS
Mouse models of radiation pneumonitis induced by thoracic radiation exposure were given intravenous injections of 100 μL normal mouse serum or normal saline immediately after the exposure followed by injections once every other day for a total of 8 injections. On the 15th day after irradiation, histopathological changes of the lungs of the mice were examined using HE staining, the levels of TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1α and IL-6 in the lung tissue and serum were detected using ELISA, and the percentages of lymphocytes in the lung tissue were analyzed with flow cytometry. High-throughput sequencing of exosome miRNA was carried out to explore the changes in the signaling pathways. The mRNA expression levels of the immune-related genes were detected by qRT-PCR, and the protein expressions of talin-1, tensin2, FAK, vinculin, α-actinin and paxillin in the focal adhesion signaling pathway were detected with Western blotting.
RESULTS
In the mouse models of radiation pneumonitis, injections of normal mouse serum significantly decreased the lung organ coefficient, lowered the levels of TNF-α, TGF-β, IL-1α and IL-6 in the serum and lung tissues, and ameliorated infiltration of CD45, CD4 and T lymphocytes in the lung tissue (all <0.05). The expression levels of and genes at both the mRNA and protein levels and the protein expressions of talin-1, tensin2, FAK, vinculin, α‑actinin and paxillin were all significantly down-regulated in the mouse models after normal mouse serum treatment.
CONCLUSION
Normal mouse serum ameliorates radiation pneumonitis in mice by inhibiting the expressions of key proteins in the Focal adhesion signaling pathway.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Signal Transduction; Radiation Pneumonitis; Focal Adhesions; Lung; Interleukin-6; Disease Models, Animal; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Transforming Growth Factor beta; MicroRNAs; Interleukin-1alpha
PubMed: 38862437
DOI: 10.12122/j.issn.1673-4254.2024.05.01