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Journal of Chemical Information and... Jan 2023Glass fragments found in crime scenes may constitute important forensic evidence when properly analyzed, for example, to determine their origin. This analysis could be...
Glass fragments found in crime scenes may constitute important forensic evidence when properly analyzed, for example, to determine their origin. This analysis could be greatly helped by having a large and diverse database of glass fragments and by using it for constructing reliable machine learning (ML)-based glass classification models. Ideally, the samples that make up this database should be analyzed by a single accurate and standardized analytical technique. However, due to differences in equipment across laboratories, this is not feasible. With this in mind, in this work, we investigated if and how measurement performed at different laboratories on the same set of glass fragments could be combined in the context of ML. First, we demonstrated that elemental analysis methods such as particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS), particle-induced Gamma-ray emission (PIGE), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and prompt Gamma-ray neutron activation analysis (PGAA) could each produce lab-specific ML-based classification models. Next, we determined rules for the successful combinations of data from different laboratories and techniques and demonstrated that when followed, they give rise to improved models, and conversely, poor combinations will lead to poor-performing models. Thus, the combination of PIXE and LA-ICP-MS improves the performances by ∼10-15%, while combining PGAA with other techniques provides poorer performances in comparison with the lab-specific models. Finally, we demonstrated that the poor performances of the SEM-EDS technique, still in use by law enforcement agencies, could be greatly improved by replacing SEM-EDS measurements for Fe and Ca by PIXE measurements for these elements. These findings suggest a process whereby forensic laboratories using different elemental analysis techniques could upload their data into a unified database and get reliable classification based on lab-agnostic models. This in turn brings us closer to a more exhaustive extraction of information from glass fragment evidence and furthermore may form the basis for international-wide collaboration between law enforcement agencies.
Topics: Glass
PubMed: 36512692
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01362 -
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry Mar 2008The heritability of chronic hepatitis in the Labrador Retriever is studied with the aim of identifying the related gene mutation. Identification of cases and controls is...
The heritability of chronic hepatitis in the Labrador Retriever is studied with the aim of identifying the related gene mutation. Identification of cases and controls is largely based on instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) Cu determination in liver biopsies. The burden for these companion animals may be reduced if nail clippings and hair (fur) could serve as a noninvasive indicator for the hepatic Cu concentrations. No correlation was found between hepatic Cu concentrations and Cu concentrations in hair and nail samples. However, hair and nail samples were also analyzed by X-ray tube excitation, taking advantage of the X-ray Compton, Rayleigh, and Raman scattering which reflects the organic components such as the type of melanin. Principal component analysis provided first indications that some differentiation between healthy and sick dogs could indeed be obtained from hair and nail analysis.
Topics: Animals; Biopsy; Color; Copper; Dogs; Female; Genotype; Hair; Hoof and Claw; Liver; Male; Melanins; Molecular Structure; Neutrons; Spectrum Analysis, Raman; X-Rays
PubMed: 18264701
DOI: 10.1007/s00216-008-1873-7 -
Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C.... Apr 1957
Topics: Humans; Neutron Activation Analysis; Neutrons
PubMed: 13420308
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of B.U.ON. : Official Journal... 2021Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major malignancy worldwide. Ras overexpression in HNSCC is known to promote tumor cell growth; therefore, inhibition...
PURPOSE
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major malignancy worldwide. Ras overexpression in HNSCC is known to promote tumor cell growth; therefore, inhibition of Ras activation could lead to tumor growth suppression in HNSCC patients. Here, we investigated the effect of FTI-277, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, and GGTI-287, a geranyltransferase 1 inhibitor, on the Ras signaling pathway in HNSCC cell lines-HEp-2 and HSC-3.
METHODS
Cell viability was analyzed using the trypan blue staining exclusion assay. The apoptosis of cells was assessed by flow cytometry and caspase activation analysis. The expression levels of proteins were examined using western blot analysis.
RESULTS
FTI-277 and GGTI-287 induced cell death, enhanced caspase 3 activity, and increased the number of annexin V-positive cells in HEp-2 and HSC-3 cells. FTI-277 and GGTI-287 induced apoptosis in HSC-3 cells at much lower concentrations than that in HEp-2 cells. FTI-277 and GGTI-287 decreased the concentration of phosphorylated ERK1/2 and mTOR via membrane localization of Ras and enhanced Bim expression. Furthermore, FTI-277 and GGTI-287 induced cell death in v-H-Ras-transfected NIH3T3 (NW7) cells and not in empty vector-transfected NIH3T3 (NV20) cells.
CONCLUSION
FTI-277 and GGTI-287 may be useful as potential therapeutic agents for treating HNSCC patients; moreover, farnesyl transferase and geranylgeranyltransferase 1 inhibitors can be further developed as anticancer agents.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Apoptosis; Genes, ras; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Mice; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
PubMed: 34077012
DOI: No ID Found -
Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C.... Jul 1987The cause of osteoporosis, a condition in which bone mass is decreased to a point where structural failure may occur, is unknown; many factors that contribute to the...
The cause of osteoporosis, a condition in which bone mass is decreased to a point where structural failure may occur, is unknown; many factors that contribute to the development of osteoporosis are known.Bone mass increases until the late twenties, the time when people attain peak bone mass. For a time after peak bone mass is reached, bone loss and formation are approximately equal. Soon after that, probably in the early thirties, an uncoupling of bone synthesis and bone resorption occurs, and a net loss of bone mass begins, a process that can ultimately result in osteoporosis.Bone loss occurs most rapidly in white females immediately after menopause. The bone most affected is the spongy, trabecular bone of the vertebrae and pelvis and the ends of long bones.Osteoporosis is classified into two syndromes, which are not distinct but have overlapping features and may have the same pathogenetic mechanism. Type I, or postmenopausal osteoporosis, is associated with estrogen deficiency and is characterized by loss of trabecular bone in the vertebrae and the distal radius (the wrist). Vertebral fractures and wrist fractures (also called Colles' fractures) result. Type II, or senile osteoporosis, is age-related, occurs in men as well as women, and is characterized by fractures of the hip and humerus. There is a loss of cortical as well as trabecular bone.Estrogen deficiency, increasing age, smoking, high alcohol intake, large amounts of caffeine and protein, and lean body mass favor decreased bone density, whereas estrogen replacement after menopause, adequate dietary calcium, and moderate amounts of weight-bearing exercise tend to favor increased bone density.Standard X-rays, computed tomography, single and dual photon absorptiometry, and neutron activation analysis are noninvasive techniques used in evaluating osteoporosis.Calcium, estrogen, and calcitonin are approved drug therapies for osteoporosis.
PubMed: 19313189
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Nutritional Science and... 2020Tofu is a traditional food such as curd made from soymilk with additional coagulants which is widely consumed by people in Indonesia and Asian countries. Tofu is one of...
UNLABELLED
Tofu is a traditional food such as curd made from soymilk with additional coagulants which is widely consumed by people in Indonesia and Asian countries. Tofu is one of the important sources of micronutrients, such as cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). Therefore, the content of various elements both toxic and essential need to be studied to ensure the food safety and estimating their contribution to daily intake.
METHODS
In this research, the determination of micronutrient content in tofu was carried out in the samples collected from traditional market in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, West, Central and East Java Provinces during the period 2010-2014. Determination of elemental concentration was carried out using neutron activation analysis (NAA) methods.
RESULTS
Analysis result showed that the elemental concentrations of Co, Cr, Fe, Se and Zn in tofu were in the range of 0.001-0.27; ≤0.001-0.35; ≤0.050-62.90; ≤0.0046-5.34 and 0.02-21.19 mg/kg respectively. The daily intake value of tofu is calculated by estimating their contribution based on the concentration and consumption data. The average daily intake of Co, Cr, Fe, Se and Zn contributes to 1.33-11.95; 2.10-2.93; 2.66-5.99, 13.1 and 1.95-2.69% of RDA values for adult women and men.
CONCLUSIONS
The analysis shows that there are variations in the concentration of micronutrients contained in tofu from the five provinces. Tofu has contributed RDA of Co, Cr, Fe, Se, and Zn in almost all regions observed, tofu consumption contributed only a low fraction of RDA value for an adult.
Topics: Adult; Cities; Female; Humans; Indonesia; Male; Micronutrients; Soy Foods; Trace Elements
PubMed: 33612608
DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.66.S262 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2022Motor dysfunction in the upper extremities after stroke prohibits people with stroke from being independent in daily living. The application of fNIRS to explore brain...
BACKGROUND
Motor dysfunction in the upper extremities after stroke prohibits people with stroke from being independent in daily living. The application of fNIRS to explore brain activity under rehabilitation intervention is a research focus on neurorehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore, using a grip-release ring motor task, the activated changes of regions of interest and changes in motor function utilizing fNIRS technology and test scales on persons with stroke who received unilateral task-oriented therapy with a hand orthosis in the early subacute stroke period before and after intervention. The study aimed to find a sensitive motor task and region of interest first, then to evaluate the feasibility and mechanism of this rehabilitation method by utilizing fNIRS technology in the next randomized controlled trial.
METHODS
In this case series, eight right-handed, right hemiplegia subacute stroke persons (6 males,2 females from age 47 to 72) were enrolled. They received 30 min of unilateral task-oriented therapy without orthosis and 30 min of unilateral task-oriented therapy with orthosis (5 days/week) for 4 weeks. Activated channel numbers and beta values based on oxygenated hemoglobin concentration change using a grip-release ring motor task were estimated with fNIRS. Clinical outcome measures, including grip strength evaluation, action research arm test, and Fugl-Meyer assessment of the arm, were evaluated at the same time.
RESULTS
Individual activation analysis showed that, after intervention, Subjects 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8 had the maximum mean beta value located in the left premotor cortex, while Subjects 4 and 5 had the maximum mean beta value located in the left sensorimotor cortex. The activation analysis of Subject 3 showed the maximum mean beta value located in the right premotor cortex. Deactivations of left sensorimotor cortex, left premotor cortex, and bilateral prefrontal cortex were observed after intervention which were different from other cases. Group activation analysis showed that bilateral cerebral hemispheres were activated in all eight participants, with right hemisphere and right supplementary motor cortex activated dominantly. After the intervention, the activation of bilateral hemispheres decreased but in different brain regions; there was a trend that the activation intensity of left sensorimotor cortex, right premotor cortex, and right prefrontal cortex decreased while activation intensity of left premotor cortex and left prefrontal cortex increased. Each participant demonstrated improvements in all the clinical test scales after intervention.
CONCLUSIONS
Left premotor cortex, left sensorimotor cortex, and right supplementary motor cortex may be the primary regions of interest. Grasp-release ring task was not appropriate to achieve our fNIRS research objective and a more sensitive motor task or more sensitive evaluating indicator should be used in further studies.
PubMed: 36034313
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.907186 -
Social Cognitive and Affective... Mar 2009Conventional statistical analysis methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data are very successful at detecting brain regions that are activated as a... (Review)
Review
Conventional statistical analysis methods for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data are very successful at detecting brain regions that are activated as a whole during specific mental activities. The overall activation of a region is usually taken to indicate involvement of the region in the task. However, such activation analysis does not consider the multivoxel patterns of activity within a brain region. These patterns of activity, which are thought to reflect neuronal population codes, can be investigated by pattern-information analysis. In this framework, a region's multivariate pattern information is taken to indicate representational content. This tutorial introduction motivates pattern-information analysis, explains its underlying assumptions, introduces the most widespread methods in an intuitive way, and outlines the basic sequence of analysis steps.
Topics: Brain; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mental Processes; Pattern Recognition, Automated; Research Design
PubMed: 19151374
DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsn044 -
Toxics Feb 2021The influence of daily prolonged administration of silver nanoparticles on the cognitive functions of a model mammal was studied. The accumulation of silver in the whole...
The influence of daily prolonged administration of silver nanoparticles on the cognitive functions of a model mammal was studied. The accumulation of silver in the whole brain and the hippocampus, cerebellum, cortex and residual brain tissue of the mouse was investigated by highly precise and representative neutron activation analysis, and histological studies were conducted. Here, we show that long-term memory impairments were caused by the accumulation of silver nanoparticles in the brain and its subregions, such as the hippocampus, cerebellum and cortex, in a step-like manner by disturbance of hippocampal cell integrity. Three different approaches allowed us to observe this phenomenon and discover the reasons it occurred.
PubMed: 33546349
DOI: 10.3390/toxics9020030 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2021The effect of unmodified and functionalized biomass silver nanoparticles on rats during prolonged oral administration was assessed. Silver nanoparticles were...
The effect of unmodified and functionalized biomass silver nanoparticles on rats during prolonged oral administration was assessed. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by using transmission electron microscopy, while their uptake by the biomass was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive analysis. The content of silver in the different organs of rats after a period of administration (28 days) or after an additional clearance period (28 days) was ascertained by using neutron activation analysis. In animals administrated with the unmodified nanoparticles, the highest content of silver was determined in the brain and kidneys, while in animals administrated with AgNP-Spirulina, silver was mainly accumulated in the brain and testicles. After the clearance period, silver was excreted rapidly from the spleen and kidneys; however, the excretion from the brain was very low, regardless of the type of nanoparticles. Hematological and biochemical tests were performed in order to reveal the effect of nanoparticles on rats. The difference in the content of eosinophils in the experimental and control groups was statistically significant. The hematological indices of the rats did not change significantly under the action of the silver nanoparticles except for the content of reticulocytes and eosinophils, which increased significantly. Changes in the biochemical parameters did not exceed the limits of normal values. Silver nanoparticles with the sizes of 8-20 nm can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and their persistence after a period of clearance indicated the irreversibility of this process.
PubMed: 34835756
DOI: 10.3390/nano11112992