Mendelian randomization of individual sleep traits associated with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have shown that individual sleep traits habits are potential risk factors for major depression. However, it is not known whether there is a causal relationship between individual sleep traits habits such as continuous sleep duration, short sleep duration, short sleep duration, insomnia, nap during the day, snoring, and major depression. In this study, Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to predict major depressive disorder (MDD) in individuals sleep traits habits. METHODS: Data were obtained from the genome-wide association study (GWAS). Nine MR analysis methods were used: Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) [fixed effects/multiplicative random effects], simple mode, simple mode, weighted mode, simple median, weighted median, penalised weighted median, and MR-Egger, MR Egger (bootstrap). IVW was used as the main analysis method for the MR analysis of two samples, and the other methods were used as supplements. RESULTS: The results obtained through the IVW method supported a causal relationship between sleep duration and decreased risk of MDD (odds ratio, ORivw: 0.998; 95 % CI: 0.996-0.999, P<0.001). Two-Sample MR, results showed that short sleep duration has a causal effect on the increased risk of MDD (odds ratio, ORivw: 1.179; 95 % CI: 1.108-1.255, P<0.001). However, there were no sufficient evidence supported that long sleep duration has a causal effect on the decreased risk of MDD (odds ratio, ORivw: 0.991; 95 % CI: 0.924-1.062, P = 0.793). A significant causal relationship between insomnia and increased risk of MDD was observed (OR: 1.233; 95 % CI: 1.214-1.253, P<0.001). Interestingly, our study also found that daytime napping has a causal effect on the increased risk of MDD (odds ratio, ORivw: 1.519; 95 % CI: 1.376-1.678, P<0.001). The present results did not show a significant causal relationship between snoring and the risk of MDD (ORivw: 1.000; 95 % CI: 0.998-1.002, P = 0.906). Obstructive sleep apnea (odds ratio, ORivw: 1.021; 95 % CI: 0.972-1.072, P = 0.407) and morning person (odds ratio, ORivw: 1.021; 95 % CI: 0.972-1.072, P = 0.407) have no causal effect on the increased risk of MDD. LIMITATIONS: The study could not ascertain whether there were genetic differences among different ethnicities, nations, and regions, as it only included participants of European ancestry. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our research provides genetic evidence for the relationship between individual sleep traits (short sleep duration, insomnia, daytime napping) and the increased risk of MDD. Interventions targeting lifestyle factors may reduce the risk of MDD.

Differential Diagnosis of Pathological Type of Peripheral Lung Cancer with Multimodal Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the work described here was to investigate the role of multimodal contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer. METHODS: From April 2017 to July 2021, 109 patients with confirmed pulmonary malignant lesions who underwent CEUS examination were involved in our study. Seven patients were excluded because of the short duration of CEUS video or unsatisfactory imaging. Finally,102 patients with peripheral lung cancer were enrolled in this study. The maximum diameter of the lesions ranged from 1.6 to 13.0 cm (mean 6.2 ± 2.3 cm). On the basis of the pathological results, the patients were divided into the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) group and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) group (including adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma). A Logiq E9 ultrasonic machine equipped with a 3.5 to 5.0 MHz C5-1 probe was used. Patient clinical information, CEUS features, CPI patterns and TIC parameters were analyzed and compared between different groups. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software and MedCalc software. The receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted. RESULTS: In the differential diagnosis of SCLC and NSCLC, color parametric imaging indicated great performance. NSCLC exhibited a centripetal enhancement pattern more frequently (72.7%), while SCLC exhibited an eccentric enhancement pattern more frequently (92.9%) (p < 0.001). In the differential diagnosis of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, logistic regression analysis revealed that patient age of onset ≤60 y, difference in arrival time between lung and tumor ≤3.8 s, drop time of the time-intensity curve >23.2 s and absence of internal necrosis on CEUS were independent predictors for adenocarcinoma (area under the curve = 0.861). CONCLUSION: In our study, multimodal contrast-enhanced ultrasound provided useful information in the differential diagnosis between small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, especially between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

The Clinical Characteristics and Manifestation of Anxious Depression Among Patients With Major Depressive Disorders-Results From a Taiwan Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: Anxious depression is a prevalent characteristic observed in Asian psychiatric patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aims to investigate the prevalence and clinical presentation of anxious depression in Taiwanese individuals diagnosed with MDD. METHODS: We recruited psychiatric outpatients aged over 18 who had been diagnosed with MDD through clinical interviews. This recruitment took place at five hospitals located in northern Taiwan. We gathered baseline clinical and demographic information from the participants. Anxious depression was identified using a threshold of an anxiety/somatization factor score ≥7 on the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). RESULTS: In our study of 399 patients (84.21% female), 64.16% met the criteria for anxious depression. They tended to be older, married, less educated, with more children, and an older age of onset. Anxious depression patients had higher HAM-D and Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale score, more panic disorder (without agoraphobia), and exhibited symptoms like agitation, irritability, concentration difficulties, psychological and somatic anxiety, somatic complaints, hypochondriasis, weight loss, and increased insight. Surprisingly, their suicide rates did not significantly differ from non-anxious depression patients. This highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing these unique characteristics. CONCLUSION: Our study findings unveiled that the prevalence of anxious depression among Taiwanese outpatients diagnosed with MDD was lower compared to inpatients but substantially higher than the reported rates in European countries and the United States. Furthermore, patients with anxious depression exhibited a greater occurrence of somatic symptoms.

Olfactory Impairment and Frailty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Olfactory impairment (OI) and frailty are prevalent conditions associated with aging, but studies investigating their association with each other have been discordant. Objective: To summarize current evidence surrounding the association between OI and frailty. Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and CINAHL from inception to November 28, 2023. Study Selection: This study included observational studies investigating the association between objectively or subjectively assessed OI and objectively evaluated frailty among adults. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two independent authors extracted data into a structured template. Maximally adjusted estimates were pooled using a random-effects model, and statistical heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 values. Additional prespecified subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed. This study used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for bias assessment and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework for overall evidence quality evaluation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the cross-sectional association between OI and frailty, for which the odds of frailty were compared between participants with and without OI. The secondary outcome was the cross-sectional association between frailty and OI, for which the odds of OI were compared between participants with and without frailty. Results: This study included 10 studies with 10 624 patients (52.9% female; mean [SD] age, 62.9 [9.6] years). The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score of studies ranged from low to moderate. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation scores ranged from low to moderate. OI was associated with a 2.32-fold (odds ratio [OR], 2.32; 95% CI, 1.63-3.31; I2 = 0%) greater odds of frailty compared with individuals with healthy olfactory function. The odds of OI was progressively greater with categorical frailty status, with a 1.55-fold (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.32-1.82; I2 = 0%), 2.28-fold (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.96-2.65; I2 = 0%), and 4.67-fold (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 2.77-7.86; I2 = 0%) increase in odds for individuals with prefrailty, frailty, and the most frailty, respectively, compared with robust individuals. The results demonstrated stability in subgroup analyses (geographical continent of study, objective vs subjective olfactory assessment) and sensitivity tests. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that there is an association between OI and frailty, with an increase in the odds of OI with worsening categorical frailty status among individuals with prefrailty, frailty, and the most frailty. OI may be a potential biomarker for frailty. Future studies could delve into whether OI may be a modifiable risk factor for frailty.

Exploring keratin composition variability for sustainable thermal insulator design.

In pursuing sustainable thermal insulation solutions, this study explores the integration of human hair and feather keratin with alginate. The aim is to assess its potential in thermal insulation materials, focusing on the resultant composites' thermal and mechanical characteristics. The investigation uncovers that the type and proportion of keratin significantly influence the composites' porosity and thermal conductivity. Specifically, higher feather keratin content is associated with lesser sulfur and reduced crosslinking due to shorter amino acids, leading to increased porosity and pore sizes. This, in turn, results in a decrease in ß-structured hydrogen bond networks, raising non-ordered protein structures and diminishing thermal conductivity from 0.044 W/(m·K) for pure alginate matrices to between 0.033 and 0.038 W/(m·K) for keratin-alginate composites, contingent upon the specific ratio of feather to hair keratin used. Mechanical evaluations further indicate that composites with a higher ratio of hair keratin exhibit an enhanced compressive modulus, ranging from 60 to 77 kPa, demonstrating the potential for tailored mechanical properties to suit various applications. The research underscores the critical role of sulfur content and the crosslinking index within keratin's structures, significantly impacting the thermal and mechanical properties of the matrices. The findings position keratin-based composites as environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional insulation materials.

Analysis of optical properties and response mechanism of H2S fluorescent probe based on rhodamine derivatives.

H2S plays a crucial role in numerous physiological and pathological processes. In this project, a new fluorescent probe, SG-H2S, for the detection of H2S, was developed by introducing the recognition group 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether. The combination of rhodamine derivatives can produce both colorimetric reactions and fluorescence reactions. Compared with the current H2S probes, the main advantages of SG-H2S are its wide pH range (5-9), fast response (30 min), and high selectivity in competitive species (including biological mercaptan). The probe SG-H2S has low cytotoxicity and has been successfully applied to imaging in MCF-7 cells, HeLa cells, and BALB/c nude mice. We hope that SG-H2S will provide a vital method for the field of biology.

Modulating Neuromorphic Behavior of Organic Synaptic Electrolyte-Gated Transistors Through Microstructure Engineering and Potential Applications.

Organic synaptic transistors are a promising technology for advanced electronic devices with simultaneous computing and memory functions and for the application of artificial neural networks. In this study, the neuromorphic electrical characteristics of organic synaptic electrolyte-gated transistors are correlated with the microstructural and interfacial properties of the active layers. This is accomplished by utilizing a semiconducting/insulating polyblend-based pseudobilayer with embedded source and drain electrodes, referred to as PB-ESD architecture. Three variations of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) PB-ESD-based organic synaptic transistors are fabricated, each exhibiting distinct microstructures and electrical characteristics, thus serving excellent samples for exploring the critical factors influencing neuro-electrical properties. Poor microstructures of P3HT within the active layer and a flat active layer/ion-gel interface correspond to typical neuromorphic behaviors such as potentiated excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and short-term potentiation (STP). Conversely, superior microstructures of P3HT and a rough active layer/ion-gel interface correspond to significantly higher channel conductance and enhanced EPSC and PPF characteristics as well as long-term potentiation behavior. Such devices were further applied to the simulation of neural networks, which produced a good recognition accuracy. However, excessive PMMA penetration into the P3HT conducting channel leads to features of a depressed EPSC and paired-pulse depression, which are uncommon in organic synaptic transistors. The inclusion of a second gate electrode enables the as-prepared organic synaptic transistors to function as two-input synaptic logic gates, performing various logical operations and effectively mimicking neural modulation functions. Microstructure and interface engineering is an effective method to modulate the neuromorphic behavior of organic synaptic transistors and advance the development of bionic artificial neural networks.

Theoretical insights into the reduction of Azurin metal site with unnatural amino acid substitutions.

Copper-containing proteins play crucial roles in biological systems. Azurin is a copper-containing protein which has a Type 1 copper site that facilitates electron transfer in the cytochrome chain. Previous research has highlighted the significant impact of mutations in the axial Met121 of the copper site on the reduction potential. However, the mechanism of this regulation has not been fully established. In this study, we employed theoretical modeling to investigate the reduction of the Type 1 copper site, focusing on how unnatural amino acid substitutions at Met121 influence its behavior. Our findings demonstrated a strong linear correlation between electrostatic interactions and the reduction potential of the copper site, which indicates that the perturbation of the reduction potential is primarily influenced by electrostatic interactions between the metal ion and the ligating atom. Furthermore, we found that CF/π and CF…H interactions could induce subtle changes in geometry and hence impact the electronic properties of the systems under study. In addition, our calculations suggest the coordination mode and ion-ligand distance could significantly impact the reduction potential of a copper site. Overall, this study offers valuable insights into the structural and electronic properties of the Type 1 copper site, which could potentially guide the design of future artificial catalysts.

Photocatalytic Asymmetric Acyl Radical Truce-Smiles Rearrangement for the Synthesis of Enantioenriched α-Aryl Amides.

The radical Truce-Smiles rearrangement is a straightforward strategy for incorporating aryl groups into organic molecules for which asymmetric processes remains rare. By employing a readily available and non-expensive chiral auxiliary, we developed a highly efficient asymmetric photocatalytic acyl and alkyl radical Truce-Smiles rearrangement of α-substituted acrylamides using tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (TBADT) as a hydrogen atom-transfer photocatalyst, along with aldehydes or C-H containing precursors. The rearranged products exhibited excellent diastereoselectivities (7 : 1 to >98 : 2 d.r.) and chiral auxiliary was easily removed. Mechanistic studies allowed understanding the transformation in which density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided insights into the stereochemistry-determining step.

Bacteria Contaminants Detected by Organic Inverter-Based Biosensors.

The importance of bacteria detection lies in its role in enabling early intervention, disease prevention, environmental protection, and effective treatment strategies. Advancements in technology continually enhance the speed, accuracy, and sensitivity of detection methods, aiding in addressing these critical issues. This study first reports the fabrication of an inverter constructed using crosslinked-poly(4-vinylphenol) (C-PVP) as the dielectric layer and an organic complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (O-CMOS) based on pentacene and N,N'-ditridecylperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI-C13) as a diagnostic biosensor to rapidly detect bacterial concentration. Bacteria including Escherichia coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25922, and Enterococcus faecalis SH-1051210 were analysed on the inverters at an ultra-low operating voltage of 2 V. The high density of negative charge on bacteria surfaces strongly modulates the accumulated negative carriers within the inverter channel, resulting in a shift of the switching voltage. The inverter-based bacteria sensor exhibits a linear-like response to bacteria concentrations ranging from 102 to 108 CFU/mL, with a sensitivity above 60%. Compared to other bacterial detectors, the advantage of using an inverter lies in its ability to directly read the switching voltage without requiring an external computing device. This facilitates rapid and accurate bacterial concentration measurement, offering significant ease of use and potential for mass production.

Perceptual Effects of Walnut Volatiles on the Codling Moth.

The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of plant hosts allow insect localization through olfactory recognition. In this study, the oviposition behavior of the codling moth was investigated and the VOCs from different walnut organs were extracted and analyzed to systematically study their composition and content differences. The electrophysiological and behavioral responses of the codling moth to walnut VOCs were measured using gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) and a four-arm olfactometer to screen the key active contents. The field investigation results indicated that 90.3% of the eggs spawned by the first generation of adult codling moths were adjacent to the walnut fruits. Walnut VOCs are mainly composed of terpenes, aromatics, and alkanes. Twelve VOCs can produce electroantennogenic (EAG) responses in the codling moths. Both adult males and females exhibit concentration dependence, with notable disparities in their EAG response levels. In the olfactory behavioral bioassay, linalool, eucalyptol, and high doses of geranyl acetate showed repellent effects on the codling moths, while myrcene, ß-ocimene, nonanal, methyl salicylate, α-farnesene, and heptaldehyde showed the opposite. The relative levels of heptaldehyde, geranyl acetate, nonanal, and methyl salicylate were high in the fruits, which is intimately related to the localization of the walnut fruit by females. These VOCs can influence the oviposition behavior of codling moths but their application in the control of this pest needs to be confirmed and improved through further field experiments.

Structurally diverse diterpenoids from the seeds of Caesalpinia minax Hance and their bioactivities.

Eight previously undescribed diterpenoids, caesamins A-H (1-8), were separated and identified from the seeds of Caesalpinia minax Hance. Their structures were characterized by extensive spectroscopic data and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Structurally, caesamin A (1) is the first cassane-type diterpenoid with a C23 carbon skeleton containing an unusual isopropyl. Caesamin F (6) represents the first example of cleistanthane diterpenoid from the genus Caesalpinia. Caesamins B (2) and F (6) exhibited inhibitory activity against LPS-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 45.67 ± 0.92 and 42.99 ± 0.24 µM, comparable to positive control 43.69 ± 2.62 µM of NG-Monomethyl-L-arginine. Furthermore, the chemotaxonomic significance of the isolates was discussed.

Validity and reliability of a wearable blood flow restriction training device for arterial occlusion pressure assessment.

Purpose: The blood flow restriction (BFR) training is an effective approach to promoting muscle strength, muscle hypertrophy, and regulating the peripheral vascular system. It is recommended to use to the percentage of individual arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) to ensure safety and effectiveness. The gold standard method for assessing arterial occlusive disease is typically measured using Doppler ultrasound. However, its high cost and limited accessibility restrict its use in clinical and practical applications. A novel wearable BFR training device (Airbands) with automatic AOP assessment provides an alternative solution. This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the wearable BFR training device. Methods: Ninety-two participants (46 female and 46 male) were recruited for this study. Participants were positioned in the supine position with the wearable BFR training device placed on the proximal portion of the right thigh. AOP was measured automatically by the software program and manually by gradually increasing the pressure until the pulse was no longer detected by color Doppler ultrasound, respectively. Validity, inter-rater reliability, and test-retest reliability were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The wearable BFR training device demonstrated good validity (ICC = 0.85, mean difference = 4.1 ± 13.8 mmHg [95% CI: -23.0 to 31.2]), excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.97, mean difference = -1.4 ± 6.7 mmHg [95% CI: -14.4 to 11.7]), and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.94, mean difference = 0.6 ± 8.6 mmHg [95% CI: -16.3 to 17.5]) for the assessment of AOP. These results were robust in both male and female subgroups. Conclusion: The wearable BFR training device can be used as a valid and reliable tool to assess the AOP of the lower limb in the supine position during BFR training.

Labdane-type diterpenoids with cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities from the aerial parts of Hypoestes purpurea (L.) R. Br.

Two new ent-labdane diterpenoids, hypoestesins A-B (1-2) and five new labdane diterpenoids, hypopurolides H-L (3-7), were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypoestes purpurea. All of the structures were fully determined based on extensive analysis of 1H, 13C, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of 1-3 was established through comparing the experimental and calculated ECD curves and the structure of 5 was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction experiment. Compounds 5-7 were unusual C23 labdane diterpenoids having a γ-acetonyl-α, ß-unsaturated γ-lactone unit and each assigned as C-15 epimeric mixture. Furthermore, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities of 3-7 were evaluated. The results showed that 3 had remarkable cytotoxic activity against HL-60, A549, SMMC-7721, MDA-MB-231, and SW480 cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 2.35 to 17.06 µM. Compound 4 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against HL-60 and SMMC-7721 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 15.12 ± 0.53 and 12.92 ± 0.60 µM, respectively. Furthermore, compound 4 was also found to exhibit inhibitory activity against NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 23.56 ± 0.99 µM, compared to the positive control L-NMMA with an IC50 value of 41.11 ± 1.34 µM.

Multifunctional fluorescence/photoacoustic bimodal imaging of γ-glutamyltranspeptidase in liver disorders under different triggering conditions.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) seriously threatens the human health. Previous investigations revealed that γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) was tightly associated with the chronic injury, hepatic fibrosis, and the development of HCC, therefore might act as a potential indicator for monitoring the HCC-related processes. Herein, with the contribution of a structurally optimized probe ETYZE-GGT, the bimodal imaging in both far red fluorescence (FL) and photoacoustic (PA) modes has been achieved in multiple HCC-related models. To our knowledge, this work covered the most comprehensive models including the fibrosis and developed HCC processes as well as the premonitory induction stages (autoimmune hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). ETYZE-GGT exhibited steady and practical monitoring performances on reporting the HCC stages via visualizing the GGT dynamics. The two modes exhibited working consistency and complementarity with high spatial resolution, precise apparatus and desirable biocompatibility. In cooperation with the existing techniques including testing serum indexes and conducting pathological staining, ETYZE-GGT basically realized the universal application for the accurate pre-clinical diagnosis of as many HCC stages as possible. By deeply exploring the mechanically correlation between GGT and the HCC process, especially during the premonitory induction stages, we may further raise the efficacy for the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Risk Factors of New Symptomatic Fractures After Vertebroplasty: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 268 Patients with Painful Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors of new osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). METHODS: From January 2016 to November 2019, patients suffering from OVCFs were retrospectively reviewed. The independent influence factors for new OVCFs after PVP were assessed, from following variables: age, sex, body mass index, bone mineral density (BMD), history of alcoholism, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, glucocorticoid use, and prior vertebral fractures, the number of initial fractures, mean cement volume, method of puncture, D-type of cement leakage, and regular antiosteoporosis treatment. RESULTS: A total of 268 patients with 347 levels met the inclusion criteria and were finally included in this study. Forty-nine levels of new OVCFs among 33 patients (12.31%) were observed during the follow-up period. It indicated that female (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 6.812, 95% confidence interval {CI}: [1.096, 42.337], P = 0.040), lower BMD (adjusted OR: 0.477, 95% CI: [0.300, 0.759], P = 0.002), prior vertebral fractures (adjusted OR: 16.145, 95% CI: [5.319, 49.005], P = 0.000), and regular antiosteoporosis treatment (adjusted OR: 0.258, 95% CI: [0.086, 0.774], P = 0.016) were independent influence factors for new OVCF. The cut-off value of BMD to reach new OVCF was -3.350, with a sensitivity of 0.660 and a specificity of 0.848. CONCLUSION: Female, lower BMD (T-score of lumbar), prior vertebral fractures, and regular antiosteoporosis treatment were independent influencing factors. BMD (T-score of lumbar) lower than -3.350 would increase risk for new OVCF, and none osteoporotic treatment has detrimental effect on new onset fractures following PVP.

Portable smartphone-based RecJf exonuclease-modulated enhanced ratiometric fluorescence bioplatform for rapid visual detection of As3.

Arsenite (As3+), a highly carcinogenic heavy metal ion and widely distributed in nature, can have serious health implications even with minimal exposure. Herein, a portable smartphone device-based ratiometric fluorescence platform was established for sensitive detection of As3+. The work relied on the use of metal-organic framework-tagged cDNA (PCN-224-cDNA), with high adsorption capability and fluorescence properties, as an internal reference to quench the fluorescence of FAM-anchored aptamer (FAM-Apt) via hybridization. In the presence of As3+, FAM-Apt specifically bound to As3+ leading to conformational changes, which detached from the PCN-224-cDNA surface. Interestingly, a smartphone-based readout equipment engineered using a 3D-printed hardware device administered the portable detection of As3+. The limit of detection (LOD) for the proposed ratiometric biosensor was calculated to be 0.021 ng/mL, significantly below WHO's safety threshold. Hence, it demonstrates significant potential for large-scale screening of As3+ residues in food and the environment.

Real-time gated proton therapy with a reduced source to imager distance: Commissioning and quality assurance.

INTRODUCTION: Real-time gated proton therapy (RGPT) is a motion management technique unique to the Hitachi particle therapy system. It uses pulsed fluoroscopy to track an implanted fiducial marker. There are currently no published guidelines on how to conduct the commissioning and quality assurance. In this work we reported on our centre's commissioning workflow and our daily and monthly QA procedures. METHODS: Six commissioning measurements were designed for RGPT. The measurements include imaging qualities, fluoroscopic exposures, RGPT marker tracking accuracy, temporal gating latency, fiducial marker tracking fidelity and an end-to-end proton dosimetry measurement. Daily QA consists of one measurement on marker localization accuracy. Four months daily QA trends are presented. Monthly QA consists of three measurementson the gating latency, fluoroscopy imaging quality and dosimetry verification of gating operation with RGPT. RESULTS: The RGPT was successfully commissioned in our centre. The air kerma rates were within 15 % from specifications and the marker tracking accuracies were within 0.245 mm. The gating latencies for turning the proton beam on and off were 119.5 and 50.0 ms respectively. The 0.4x10.0 mm2 Gold AnchorTM gave the best tracking results with visibility up to 30 g/cm2. Gamma analysis showed that dose distribution of a moving and static detectors had a passing rate of more than 95 % at 3 %/3mm. The daily marker localization QA results were all less than 0.2 mm. CONCLUSION: This work could serve as a good reference for other upcoming Hitachi particle therapy centres who are interested to use RGPT as their motion management solution.

Deformable anthropomorphic pelvis phantom for dose accumulation verification.

Objective.The validation of deformable image registration (DIR) for contour propagation is often done using contour-based metrics. Meanwhile, dose accumulation requires evaluation of voxel mapping accuracy, which might not be accurately represented by contour-based metrics. By fabricating a deformable anthropomorphic pelvis phantom, we aim to (1) quantify the voxel mapping accuracy for various deformation scenarios, in high- and low-contrast regions, and (2) identify any correlation between dice similarity coefficient (DSC), a commonly used contour-based metric, and the voxel mapping accuracy for each organ.Approach. Four organs, i.e. pelvic bone, prostate, bladder and rectum (PBR), were 3D printed using PLA and a Polyjet digital material, and assembled. The latter three were implanted with glass bead and CT markers within or on their surfaces. Four deformation scenarios were simulated by varying the bladder and rectum volumes. For each scenario, nine DIRs with different parameters were performed on RayStation v10B. The voxel mapping accuracy was quantified by finding the discrepancy between true and mapped marker positions, termed the target registration error (TRE). Pearson correlation test was done between the DSC and mean TRE for each organ.Main results. For the first time, we fabricated a deformable phantom purely from 3D printing, which successfully reproduced realistic anatomical deformations. Overall, the voxel mapping accuracy dropped with increasing deformation magnitude, but improved when more organs were used to guide the DIR or limit the registration region. DSC was found to be a good indicator of voxel mapping accuracy for prostate and rectum, but a comparatively poorer one for bladder. DSC > 0.85/0.90 was established as the threshold of mean TRE ⩽ 0.3 cm for rectum/prostate. For bladder, extra metrics in addition to DSC should be considered.Significance. This work presented a 3D printed phantom, which enabled quantification of voxel mapping accuracy and evaluation of correlation between DSC and voxel mapping accuracy.