Testing EGFR with Idylla on Cytological Specimens of Lung Cancer: A Review

The current standard of care for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer is based on detecting actionable mutations that can benefit from targeted therapy. Comprehensive genetic tests can have long turn-around times, and because EGFR mutations are the most prevalent actionable mutation, a quick detection would enable a prompt initiation of targeted therapy. Furthermore, the scarcity of diagnostic material means that sometimes only cytologic material is available. The Idylla™ EGFR assay is a real-time PCR–based method able to detect 51 EGFR mutations in 2.5 h. Idylla is validated for use only on FFPE sections, but some researchers described their experiences with cytological material. We reviewed the relevant literature, finding four articles describing 471 cases and many types of cytological input material: smears, cell-block sections, suspensions, and extracted DNA. The sensitivity, specificity, and limit of detection appear comparable to those obtained with histological input material, with one exception: the usage of scraped stained smears as input may reduce the accuracy of the test. In conclusion, usage of cytological material as input to the Idylla EGFR test is possible. A workflow where common mutations are tested first and fast, leaving rarer mutations for subsequent comprehensive profiling, seems the most effective approach.     

Personalized technology-enhanced training for people with cognitive impairment

Universal Access in the Information Society - Today, ICT technology offers mobile, customized user-friendly environments to support learning and stimulate an individual’s potential. However,...     

Residual stress measurement on Titanium Grade 5 and Inconel 625 thin dissimilar welded joints by contour method

Journal of Materials Science - Residual stress assessment is a key factor in engineering design owing to its impact on engineering properties of materials, structural components and welded joints....     

Cephalopod-Inspired Stretchable Self-Morphing Skin Via Embedded Printing and Twisted Spiral Artificial Muscles

Cutaneous muscles drive the texture-modulation behavior of cephalopods by protruding several millimeters out of the skin. Inspired by cephalopods, a self-morphing, stretchable smart skin containing embedded-printed electrodes and actuated by Twisted Spiral Artificial Muscles (TSAMs) is proposed. Electrothermally actuated TSAMs are manufactured from inexpensive polymer fibers to mimic the papillae muscles of cephalopods. These spirals can produce strains of nearly 2000% using a voltage of only 0.02 V mm⁻¹. Stretchable and low-resistance liquid metal electrodes are embedded-printed inside the self-morphing skin to facilitate the electrothermal actuation of TSAMs. Theoretical and numerical models are proposed to describe the embedded printing of low-viscosity Newtonian liquid metals as conductive electrodes in a soft elastomeric substrate. Experimental mechanical tests are performed to demonstrate the robustness and electrical stability of the electrodes. Two smart skin prototypes are fabricated to highlight the capabilities of the proposed self-morphing system, including a texture-modulating wearable soft glove and a waterproof skin that emulates the texture-modulation behavior of octopi underwater. The proposed self-morphing stretchable smart skin can find use in a wide range of applications, such as refreshable Braille displays, haptic feedback devices, turbulence tripping, and antifouling devices for underwater vehicles.     

Adaptive WENO Methods Based on Radial Basis Function Reconstruction

We explore the use of radial basis functions (RBF) in the weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) reconstruction process used to solve hyperbolic conservation laws, resulting in a numerical method of arbitrarily high order to solve problems with discontinuous solutions. Thanks to the mesh-less property of the RBFs, the method is suitable for non-uniform grids and mesh adaptation. We focus on multiquadric radial basis functions and propose a simple strategy to choose the shape parameter to control the balance between achievable accuracy and the numerical stability. We also develop an original smoothness indicator which is independent of the RBF for the WENO reconstruction step. Moreover, we introduce type I and type II RBF-WENO methods by computing specific linear weights. The RBF-WENO method is used to solve linear and nonlinear problems for both scalar and systems of conservation laws, including Burgers equation, the Buckley–Leverett equation, and the Euler equations. Numerical results confirm the performance of the proposed method. We finally consider an effective conservative adaptive algorithm that captures moving shocks and rapidly varying solutions well. Numerical results on moving grids are presented for both Burgers equation and the more complex Euler equations.     

Manipulation and tracking of superparamagnetic nanoparticles using MRI

The use of magnetic fields in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the tracking and delivery of chemotherapeutics bound to superparamagnetic nanoparticles offers a promising method for the non-invasive treatment of inoperable tumours. Here we demonstrate that superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles fabricated by an easily scalable method can be driven and tracked in real time at high velocities in vitro using MRI hardware. Force balance calculations are consistent with the magnetic properties of individual 10 nm diameter particles that move collectively as micron sized agglomerates with hydrodynamic diameter similar to that inferred from zero-magnetic-field dynamic light scattering measurements.     

Extraction and quantification of phytoestrogens in foods using automated solid-phase extraction and LC/MS/MS

Phytoestrogens are a group of polyphenolic plant metabolites that can induce biological responses. Their bioactivity is based on their similarity to 17beta-estradiol and their ability to bind to the beta-estrogen receptor. Although epidemiological data are inconclusive, phytoestrogens are considered to be beneficial for a variety of conditions, for example, hormone-related cancers like breast and prostate cancer. To investigate the biological effects of these compounds and to assess the exposure of larger cohorts or the general public, reliable data on the phytoestrogen content of food is necessary. Previously, food analysis for phytoestrogens was performed using either HPLC-UV or GC/MS. Here, we describe the development of the first generic method for the analysis of phytoestrogens in food, using automated solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The presented method shows a good reproducibility and can be easily adapted to other phytoestrogens if required.     

In situ observations of catalyst dynamics during surface-bound carbon nanotube nucleation

We present atomic-scale, video-rate environmental transmission electron microscopy and in situ time-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of surface-bound catalytic chemical vapor deposition of single-walled carbon nanotubes and nanofibers. We observe that transition metal catalyst nanoparticles on SiOx support show crystalline lattice fringe contrast and high deformability before and during nanotube formation. A single-walled carbon nanotube nucleates by lift-off of a carbon cap. Cap stabilization and nanotube growth involve the dynamic reshaping of the catalyst nanocrystal itself. For a carbon nanofiber, the graphene layer stacking is determined by the successive elongation and contraction of the catalyst nanoparticle at its tip.