Clinical evaluation of ultra-high-field MRI for three-dimensional visualisation of tumour size in uveal melanoma patients,with direct relevance to treatment planning

Objectives

To assess the tumour dimensions in uveal melanoma patients using 7-T ocular MRI and compare these values with conventional ultrasound imaging to provide improved information for treatment options.

Materials and methods

Ten uveal melanoma patients were examined on a 7-T MRI system using a custom-built eye coil and dedicated 3D scan sequences to minimise eye-motion-induced image artefacts. The maximum tumour prominence was estimated from the three-dimensional images and compared with the standard clinical evaluation from 2D ultrasound images.

Results

The MRI protocols resulted in high-resolution motion-free images of the eye in which the tumour and surrounding tissues could clearly be discriminated. For eight of the ten patients the MR images showed a slightly different value of tumour prominence (average 1.0 mm difference) compared to the ultrasound measurements, which can be attributed to the oblique cuts through the tumour made by the ultrasound. For two of these patients the more accurate results from the MR images changed the treatment plan, with the smaller tumour dimensions making them eligible for eye-preserving therapy.

Conclusion

High-field ocular MRI can yield a more accurate measurement of the tumour dimensions than conventional ultrasound, which can result in significant changes in the prescribed treatment.

     

Microencapsulation of Propolis in Protein Matrix Using Spray Drying for Application in Food Systems

Propolis presents several health benefits due to the presence of bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic compounds; however, its application in food is limited due to undesirable odor and low water solubility. The bioactive compounds are usually susceptible to degradation by exposure to light, heat, or oxygen or by interaction with other compounds, which may limit its biological activity. The study aimed the propolis extract microencapsulation using rice, pea, soybean, and ovoalbumin proteins as wall material by spray drying and to analyze their in vitro digestion. The propolis extract presented a high concentration of apigenin. Encapsulation efficiency was greater than 70%, and it was maintained the antioxidant activity of propolis (88% inhibition of DPPH for propolis extract and >?73% for the microparticles). The DSC, ATR-FTIR, and X-ray diffraction techniques confirmed the encapsulation. The microparticles showed different shapes, sizes, and physical characteristics. The microparticles encapsulated with pea protein could be used in formulations of Minas Frescal cheese due to the controlled released, whereas the other microparticles could be used in pudding formulations.     

Assessment of noise attenuating powertrain components

Forschung im Ingenieurwesen - Wind turbine noise used to be dominated by aerodynamic blade noise, effectively masking mechanical noise, originating from the drivetrain. Successful blade noise...     

Review and selection of EPCM as TES materials for building applications

In order to improve the thermal efficiency of building thermal energy storage (TES) systems, the feasibility of using encapsulated phase change materials (EPCMs) as heat storage media is analysed in this work. Specifically, the finite element method is used to perform thermal behaviour analyses of several EPCMs. These analyses include technical and economic assessments in order to identify the best combination of PCM and shell material, using as main parameters: thermal energy storage, heat transfer rate, materials cost, among others. The results show that EPCMs composed by Na₂SO₄·6H₂O as PCM and covered by stainless steel highlight as TES materials.     

Zwitterionic‐Coated “Stealth” Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications: Recent Advances in Countering Biomolecular Corona Formation and Uptake by the Mononuclear Phagocyte System

Nanoparticles represent highly promising platforms for the development of imaging and therapeutic agents, including those that can either be detected via more than one imaging technique (multi‐modal imaging agents) or used for both diagnosis and therapy (theranostics). A major obstacle to their medical application and translation to the clinic, however, is the fact that many accumulate in the liver and spleen as a result of opsonization and scavenging by the mononuclear phagocyte system. This focused review summarizes recent efforts to develop zwitterionic‐coatings to counter this issue and render nanoparticles more biocompatible. Such coatings have been found to greatly reduce the rate and/or extent of non‐specific adsorption of proteins and lipids to the nanoparticle surface, thereby inhibiting production of the “biomolecular corona” that is proposed to be a universal feature of nanoparticles within a biological environment. Additionally, in vivo studies have demonstrated that larger‐sized nanoparticles with a zwitterionic coating have extended circulatory lifetimes, while those with hydrodynamic diameters of ≤5 nm exhibit small‐molecule‐like pharmacokinetics, remaining sufficiently small to pass through the fenestrae and slit pores during glomerular filtration within the kidneys, and enabling efficient excretion via the urine. The larger particles represent ideal candidates for use as blood pool imaging agents, whilst the small ones provide a highly promising platform for the future development of theranostics with reduced side effect profiles and superior dose delivery and image contrast capabilities.     

Torrefied biomass‐polypropylene composites

Torrefied almond shells and wood chips were incorporated into polypropylene as fillers to produce torrefied biomass‐polymer composites. The composites were prepared by extrusion and injection molding. Response surface methodology was used to examine the effects of filler concentration, filler size, and lignin factor (relative lignin to cellulose concentration) on the material properties of the composites. The heat distortion temperatures, thermal properties, and tensile properties of the composites were characterized by thermomechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile tests, respectively. The torrefied biomass composites had heat distortion temperatures of 8–24°C higher than that of neat polypropylene. This was due to the torrefied biomass restricting mobility of polypropylene chains, leading to higher temperatures for deformation. The incorporation of torrefied biomass generally resulted in an increase in glass transition temperature, but did not affect melting temperature. Also, the composites had lower tensile strength and elongation at break values than those of neat polypropylene, indicating weak adhesion between torrefied biomass and polypropylene. However, scanning electron microscopy results did indicate some adhesion between torrefied biomass and polypropylene. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41582.     

Second interlude: on the house from all sorts of angles

The planning and design of environments for healthcare is complex and at times contradictory. Research and critical discourse have been fragmented and have not provided the degree of support required by the architectural profession. This dilemma is compounded by the enormous capital investment countries around the globe expend annually to promote the health status of their citizens. To help rectify this situation, landmark international developments in the relationship between architecture and health are outlined within a dualistic conceptual framework that is part historical and part futurist. Prognostications for the year 2050 are offered on issues concerning the rise of alternative care settings to the traditional acute care hospital. This portion of the discussion examines the rising importance of home- and community-based care, the functions of nature as a therapeutic modality, patient empowerment, the critical need for socially equitable and sustainable environments for healthcare, and the need for new paradigms in the planning and design of therapeutically supportive care and treatment settings. Two developments in particular, functional deconstruction and residentialism, are described in some detail as is the critical role of interdisciplinary approaches in meeting the global research and practice challenges which lie ahead in this century.