Potential Indication Research Articles

Interests and concerns regarding medical marijuana among chronic pain patients in Ohio: an online survey

BackgroundSince the legalization of medical marijuana (MMJ) in Ohio in 2018, many chronic pain (CP) patients have become interested in it as an alternative or adjunct to prescription opioids. This has not only created a need for pain management specialists to learn about this potential indication for MMJ but also for them to have more detailed knowledge of patient attitudes and willingness to comply with providers’ recommendations regarding its safe use with other pain medications. For this purpose, we surveyed CP patients in a region severely affected by the opioid crisis in order to provide better education, formulate treatment plans, and develop clinical policies.MethodsWe designed and administered the Medical Marijuana Interest Questionnaire (MMIQ) online to patients of the Western Reserve Hospital Center for Pain Medicine (CPM) with a diagnosis of CP who were not yet using MMJ. Questions addressed demographic and clinical characteristics, willingness to consider MMJ, and compliance with treatment plans and concerns. We then carried out a statistical analysis including Pearson chi-square, Spearman’s rho and Kendall’s tau tests to measure associations between variables to identify factors that may influence willingness to use MMJ.ResultsAfter sending 1047 email invitations to complete the MMIQ, 242 (23.1%) completed questionnaires were returned. The average age range of all respondents was 51-60 years, 171 (70.7%) were female and 147 (60.7%) were current opioid users. The 204 (84.3%) respondents who were willing to consider using MMJ were given access to the entire questionnaire. Of these, 138 (67.6%) reported wanting to use less opioids after starting MMJ and 191 (93.6%) were amenable to following their pain specialists’ recommendations about using MMJ concurrently with opioids. Their greatest concern on a 0-5 scale was affordability (2.98) and there was a statistically significant negative correlation between older age and preference for inhaled forms (p = 0.023).ConclusionThe MMIQ was successful in eliciting important data regarding patients’ attitudes about MMJ for opioid titration and potential compliance. Our study was limited by being administered online rather than in-person, which skewed the demographic makeup of the sample. The MMIQ can be used to study similar populations or adapted to patients already using MMJ. Similar surveys of MMJ-experienced patients could be combined with chart reviews to study the success of these products for pain control and opioid substitution.

Local Pterional Advancement Flap: A Minimally Invasive Option to Reconstruct Spheno-Temporal Extracranial Soft Tissues Dehiscences in Fragile Patients.

Late-onset, extracranial soft tissues dehiscence in the spheno-temporal region after major neurosurgical procedures might represent a potentially life-threatening complication.Due to surgery-related galeal/pericranial and myofascial temporal atrophy, classical regional flaps are often unavailable, enforcing potential indication for free vascularized flaps.Nevertheless, in elderly multioperated patients, who are not eligible for major surgery, it becomes mandatory to consider less invasive options for reconstruction.Authors describe the application of a reconstructive option for late-onset, pterional soft tissues dehiscence in fragile patients, using a local pterional advancement flap. Technique is stepwise described and illustrated in its clinical application. Local pterional advancement flap provides an excellent coverage, being extremely pliable, and flexible in contents and design. Vascular pedicle is independent from distal branches of the superficial temporal artery and provides adequate blood flow. Pedicle length enables a good arc of rotation, which facilitates its transposition. Flap preparation is very easy and minimally time consuming, due to its immediate regional availability and the easy harvesting technique. Local pterional advancement flap represents an effective option as regional flap for the reconstruction of late-onset, pterional soft tissues dehiscence in fragile patients.

The effect of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in the elderly on health service utilisation and costs: a claims data-based cohort study

BackgroundTo date, cost-effectiveness of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations was assumed in several health economic modelling studies, but confirmation by real-world data is sparse. The aim of this study is to assess the effects on health care utilisation and costs in the elderly using real-world data on both, outpatient and inpatient care.MethodsRetrospective community-based cohort study with 138,877 individuals aged ≥ 60 years, insured in a large health insurance fund in Thuringia (Germany). We assessed health care utilisation and costs due to influenza- or pneumococcal-associated diseases, respiratory infections, and sepsis in 2015 and 2016. Individuals were classified into four groups according to their vaccination status from 2008 to 2016 (none, both, or either only influenza or pneumococcal vaccination). Inverse probability weighting based on 236 pre-treatment covariates was used to adjust for potential indication and healthy vaccinee bias.ResultsInfluenza vaccination appeared as cost-saving in 2016, with lower disease-related health care costs of − €178.87 [95% CI − €240.03;− €117.17] per individual (2015: − €50.02 [95% CI − €115.48;€15.44]). Cost-savings mainly resulted from hospital inpatient care, whereas higher costs occurred for outpatient care. Overall cost savings of pneumococcal vaccination were not statistically significant in both years, but disease-related outpatient care costs were lower in pneumococci-vaccinated individuals in 2015 [− €9.43; 95% CI − €17.56;− €1.30] and 2016 [− €12.93; 95% CI − €25.37;− €0.48]. Although we used complex adjustment, residual bias cannot be completely ruled out.ConclusionInfluenza and pneumococcal vaccination in the elderly can be cost-saving in selective seasons and health care divisions. As cost effects vary, interpretation of findings is partly challenging.

Effect of SAcubitril/Valsartan on left vEntricular ejection fraction and on the potential indication for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in primary prevention: the SAVE-ICD study.

Sacubitril/valsartan has been associated with a positive reverse left ventricular remodelling in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). These patients may also benefit from an ICD implant. We aimed to assess EF improvement after 6months of treatment with sacubitril/valsartan, evaluating when ICD as primary prevention was no longer indicated. Multicentre, observational, prospective study enrolling all consecutive patients with HFrEF and EF ≤ 35% with an ICD as primary prevention and starting treatment with sacubitril/valsartan (NCT03935087). Resynchronization therapy and patients experiencing appropriate ICD therapies before sacubitril/valsartan were excluded. Two-hundred-and-thirty patients were enrolled (73.9% males, mean age 64.3 ± 12.1years) After 6months of treatment, a reduction in left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes was noted and LVEF increased from 28.3 ± 5.6% to 32.2 ± 6.5% (p < 0.001). At 6months, a non-ischemic aetiology of cardiomyopathy and a final dose of sacubitril/valsartan > 24/26mg twice daily were associated with a higher probability of an absolute increase of > 5% in LVEF. A total of 5.3% of primary prevention patients still had an arrhythmic event in the first 6months after treatment with sacubitril/valsartan started. Sacubitril/valsartan improves systolic function in HFrEF, mainly due to reverse left ventricular remodelling. Improvement in EF after 6months of treatment could help prevent ICD implantation in nearly one out of four patients, with important clinical and economic implications. However, the risk of sudden cardiac death in this recovered HFrEF population has not been thoroughly studied, and the present data should be interpreted only as hypothesis-generating.

Abstract 950: Targeting B7-H3 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Preclinical proof-of-concept with the investigational anti-B7-H3 antibody-drug conjugate, MGC018

Abstract Introduction: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, accounting for ~ 4% of all cancers in the United States. Although PD-1-directed therapy has efficacy in SCCHN, 85-95% of patients progress following initial response. B7-H3 is a member of the B7 family of immunomodulatory molecules, is overexpressed in SCCHN, and correlates with disease severity and poor clinical outcome. Furthermore, consistent with its putative coinhibitory function, B7-H3 expression in SCCHN is inversely correlated with the number of tumor infiltrating CD8+ T-cells. We are developing therapeutics targeting B7-H3, including enoblituzumab, an Fc-engineered anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody, and MGC018, a duocarmycin-based B7-H3 ADC, both of which are currently being evaluated in clinical studies. Here the potential of MGC018 was explored in preclinical models as a proof of concept for targeting B7-H3 in SCCHN. Methods: Immunohistochemistry studies were performed to define the expression of B7-H3 in SCCHN tissue microarrays (TMA). Single and repeat-dose in vivo efficacy studies were conducted in CD-1 nude mice with cell line-derived SCCHN human tumor xenografts to explore the relationship between Cmax, exposure and antitumor activity, and to define the minimal efficacious dose in these models. Based on results in these cell-derived xenograft (CDX) studies, in vivo efficacy studies were extended to a panel of SCCHN patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, which more closely mimic the biological characteristics of the patient tumor and exhibit heterogenous expression of B7-H3. Results: Analysis of B7-H3 expression on a SCCHN TMA confirmed and extended previously reported expression of B7-H3 in SCCHN. Of the SCCHN samples evaluated, 90% (36/40) of the tumor samples were positive for B7-H3: 35% (14/40) had H-scores greater than 200, with the remaining 22 samples equally distributed between the H-score range of 101-200 and 1-100 (~ 28% each). MGC018 demonstrated specific, dose-dependent in vitro cytotoxicity toward SCCHN human tumor cell lines. The in vitro cytotoxicity translated to potent antitumor activity in vivo against SCCHN CDX models, with a single administration of 3 mg/kg resulting in complete responses in 7/7 mice in the FaDu model. In the PDX setting (H-scores 120-283), repeat dose administration every week or two weeks with MGC018 at 3 mg/kg/dose, led to regressions and/or stable disease in 10/18 models, and a delay in tumor growth in 5 additional models. Conclusion: B7-H3 is frequently overexpressed in SCCHN. At clinically relevant dose levels, MGC018 demonstrated potent antitumor activity in vivo toward SCCHN CDX mouse models and the majority of SCCHN PDX mouse models examined. These results support SCCHN as a potential indication that may be responsive to ADC-based treatments directed toward B7-H3. Citation Format: Juniper A. Scribner, Francine Z. Chen, Ying Li, Michael Chiechi, Thomas Son, Jeff Hooley, Scott Koenig, Paul A. Moore, Ezio Bonvini, Chet Bohac, Deryk Loo. Targeting B7-H3 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Preclinical proof-of-concept with the investigational anti-B7-H3 antibody-drug conjugate, MGC018 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 950.

The Core Mass Function across Galactic Environments. III. Massive Protoclusters

Abstract The stellar initial mass function (IMF) is fundamental for many areas of astrophysics, but its origin remains poorly understood. It may be inherited from the core mass function (CMF) or arise as a result of more chaotic, competitive accretion. Dense, gravitationally bound cores are seen in molecular clouds and some observations have suggested that the CMF is similar in shape to the IMF, though translated to higher masses by a factor of ∼3. Here we measure the CMF in 28 dense clumps within 3.5 kpc that are likely to be central regions of massive protoclusters, observed via 1.3 mm dust continuum emission by the ALMAGAL project. We identify 222 cores using the dendrogram algorithm with masses ranging from 0.04 to 252 M ⊙. We apply completeness corrections for flux and number recovery, estimated from core insertion and recovery experiments. At higher masses, the final derived CMF is well described by a single power law of the form dN / d log M ∝ M − α with α ≃ 0.94 ± 0.08. However, we find evidence of a break in this power-law behavior between ∼5 and 15 M ⊙, which is, to our knowledge, the first time such a break has been found in distant (≳1 kpc) regions by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. We compare this massive protocluster CMF with those derived using the same methods in the G286 protocluster and a sample of infrared dark clouds. The massive protocluster CMF is significantly different, i.e., containing more massive cores, which is a potential indication of the role of environment on the CMF and IMF.

Cardiac Biomarkers in Pediatrics: An Undervalued Resource.

The clinical use of common cardiac biomarkers, such as brain natriuretic peptides and troponins, has traditionally been limited to adult populations in the assessment of heart failure and acute coronary syndrome, respectively. While many have discounted the value of these markers in pediatric populations, emerging evidence suggests they may be useful in the diagnosis and prognostication of many cardiac and noncardiac pathologies in neonates, children, and adolescents, and an increasing number of pediatric hospitals are routinely measuring cardiac markers in their clinical practice. This review summarizes and critically evaluates the current literature regarding the application of cardiac biomarkers for clinical decision-making in the pediatric population. Main potential clinical indications discussed herein include primary cardiac disease, immune-related conditions, and noncardiac disease. Important diagnostic and interpretative challenges are also described in relation to each potential indication. Despite a general lack of clinical awareness regarding the value of cardiac biomarkers in pediatrics, there is increasing literature to support their application in various contexts. Cardiac biomarkers should be considered an undervalued resource in the pediatric population with potential value in the diagnosis and prognosis of myocarditis, congenital heart disease, and heart failure, as well as in the assessment of severity and cardiac involvement in immune-related and other systemic conditions. While interpretation remains challenging in pediatrics due to the age- and sex-specific dynamics occurring throughout growth and development, this should not prevent their application. Future research should focus on defining evidence-based cut-offs for specific indications using the most up-to-date assays.

Early diagenesis of anthropogenic uranium in lakes receiving deep groundwater from the Kiruna mine, northern Sweden

The uranium (U) concentrations and isotopic composition of waters and sediment cores were used to investigate the transport and accumulation of U in a water system (tailings pond, two lakes, and the Kalix River) receiving mine waters from the Kiruna mine. Concentrations of dissolved U decrease two orders of magnitude between the inflow of mine waters and in the Kalix River, while the concentration of the element bound to particulate matter increases, most likely due to sorption on iron‑manganese hydroxides and organic matter. The vertical distribution of U in the water column differs between two polluted lakes with a potential indication of dissolved U supply from sediment's pore waters at anoxic conditions. Since the beginning of exposure in the 1950s, U concentrations in lake sediments have increased >20-fold, reaching concentrations above 50 μg g-1. The distribution of anthropogenic U between the lakes does not follow the distribution of other mine water contaminants, with a higher relative proportion of U accumulating in the sediments of the second lake.Concentrations of redox-sensitive elements in the sediment core as well as Fe isotopic composition were used to re-construct past redox-conditions potentially controlling early diagenesis of U in surface sediments. Two analytical techniques (ICP-SFMS and MC-ICP-MS) were used for the determination of U isotopic composition, providing an extra dimension in the understanding of processes in the system. The (234 U)/(238 U) activity ratio (AR) is rather uniform in the tailings pond but varies considerably in water and lake sediments providing a potential tracer for U transport from the Kiruna mine through the water system, and U immobilization in sediments. The U mass balance in the Rakkurijoki system as well as the amount of anthropogenic U accumulated in lake sediments were evaluated, indicating the immobilization in the two lakes of 170 kg and 285 kg U, respectively.

Mismatched Imaging Findings of Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT vs mpMRI.

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is the modality of choice for initial diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa), including biopsy-naïve patients. Nevertheless, clinicians must be aware of the possibility that up to one-fourth of clinically significant cancers might be missed by the modality. Acknowledgment of this occurrence and the increased availability of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in clinical routine, open the door to new, fascinating, indications for this functional modality in the context of PCa detection. With the case herein illustrated, we report a paradigmatic example of mismatch findings between PET/CT and mpMRI better elucidating the potential indication.

Effective Material Basis and Mechanism Analysis of Compound Banmao Capsule against Tumors Using Integrative Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.

Purpose Compound banmao capsule (CBC), a well-known traditional Chinese medical material, is known to inhibit various tumors. However, its material basis and pharmacological mechanisms remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effective material basis and mechanisms of action of CBC against tumors. Methods Active compounds of CBC were identified using public database and reports to build a network. The corresponding targets of active compounds were retrieved from online databases, and the antitumor targets were identified by GeneCards database. The antitumor hub targets were generated via protein-protein interaction analysis using String, and key compounds and targets from the integrative network were detected by molecular docking and ADMET. Top targets in hepatocellular carcinoma were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Finally, the multivariate biological network was built to identify the integrating mechanisms of action of CBC against tumor cells. Results A total of 128 compounds and 436 targets of CBC were identified successfully. Based on the generated multivariate biological network analysis, 25 key compounds, nine hub targets, and two pathways were further explored. Effective material bases of cantharidin, baicalein, scutellarin, sesamin, and quercetin were verified by integrative network analysis. PTGS2, ESR1, and TP53 were identified as hub targets via multivariate biological network analysis and confirmed using qPCR. Furthermore, VEGF and estrogen signaling pathways seem to play a role in the antitumor activity of CBC. Thus, breast cancer may be a potential clinical indication of CBC. Conclusion This study successfully identified the material basis of CBC and its synergistic mechanisms of action against tumor cells.

Nandrolone decanoate safely combats catabolism in burned patients: A new potential indication after recall

IntroductionThe hyper-catabolic state is a devastating pathophysiological response to severe injury, infection or burns. Nandrolone decanoate (ND) is a potent anabolic steroid have many clinical indications, but not investigated in burn injuries yet. Patients and methodsA prospective randomized control study included 40 burned patients who were treated in Burn unit from burn injuries ranged from 20 to 40%. Both groups are objectively assessed, clinically and laboratory during treatment period till full recovery from burns’ injury. Recall assessment of the drug safety after many years is achieved. ResultsND showed highly significant results supporting its use in combating catabolic insults in burns patient. Both clinical findings and laboratory findings are correlated and highly support the use of ND in burns as new effective and safe long-lasting indication. ConclusionThis study results showed preservation of lean body mass and protein partition, as well as the near normal nitrogen balance in burn patients. Study proposes that nandrolone decanoate could be used in safe and effective way to combat hypercatabolic impact in burn injury.

Population dynamics of coliforms in a commercial Cheddar cheese production facility

The detection of coliforms in young cheese is a potential indication of undesirable microbial growth within the processing environment. The aim of this study was to investigate sources and conditions that lead to the intermittent detection of coliforms (1-3 log cfu/g) in young Cheddar cheese at a single commercial facility. Analysis of historical production data, in combination with iterative investigative sampling events, was performed to determine coliform levels in milk, whey, curd, and surfaces at the beginning, middle, and end of the production day. After sanitation, conveyor belt pieces from the draining and matting conveyor (DMC) were collected and evaluated for bacterial survivors using culture-based methods and scanning electron microscopy. Production data analysis indicated that cheese produced later in the production day (≥16 h) was significantly more likely to test positive for coliforms than cheese made earlier in the production day (<12 h). Enumeration of coliforms in raw and heat-treated milk demonstrated that the subpasteurization thermal treatment (67-70°C, 26-28 s) was effective at reducing, but not eliminating, coliforms. Repeated sampling identified the DMC, particularly the drain belt and belt 1, as a critical area that supported coliform growth during the production day. Coliform levels in whey entering the weir maintained a level of <1 cfu/mL throughout production; however, coliform levels in whey below the drain belt increased from <1 cfu/mL at midday (8 h) to 5.04 log cfu/mL by the end of the production day (~18 h). Routine sanitation inside the DMC resulted in undetectable coliform levels on easily accessible surfaces. However, enrichment and scanning electron microscopy of belt sections revealed pockets of viable coliforms and other bacteria in cracks and defects in conveyor belts, indicating that sanitation did not eliminate all viable bacteria. Low levels of coliforms are present in heat-treated milk and survive sanitation in the DMC and could serve as the initial seed for high levels of coliforms at the end of the production day.

Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Sarcoidosis: A Review Article.

Hepatic sarcoid, a more common extrathoracic manifestation of systemic sarcoidosis compared with luminal GI sarcoid, is most often asymptomatic. Although there are no specific serological markers to detect the presence of hepatic or GI sarcoid, we often rely on clinical suspicion, physical examination findings, laboratory derangements, and histological findings. Clinically significant disease often presents with nonspecific symptoms and, in the case of hepatic sarcoid, signs of cholestasis. Treatment is guided by clinical severity through use of UDCA followed by systemic steroids, although it is prudent to rule out infection or drug‐induced disease. In certain cases, there can be progression with development of portal hypertension, decompensated cirrhosis, and potential indication for liver transplant evaluation.

Depression promotes lung carcinoma progression by regulating the tumor microenvironment in tumor-bearing models of C57BL/6J mice

Psychological stress is a common etiology among patients with lung cancer and serves as a potential indication of poor prognosis and advanced cancer clinical stage. Evidence indicates that depression is positively correlated with the evolvement of lung carcinoma. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the effects of mental disorder on lung cancer have not been considerably and systemically explored. We hypothesized that mental disorder may affect the adjustment of the tumor microenvironment and immune cells. We used the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) procedure to induce depressed mice models and established tumor-bearing models of C57BL/6 J mice. Results revealed that the worsening of lung cancer was notably hastened in the CUMS + tumor group. Notably, the expression of PD-L1 in tumor issues increased in the tumor microenvironment, accompanied with a decline in the levels of CD8. On the basis of the date of tumor migration, our results indicated that MMPs and VEGF significantly increased after CUMS + tumor treatment. Thus, we demonstrated that modulation of the tumor microenvironment is pivotal for depression-promoted lung cancer migration.

New bioactive 5-arylcarboximidamidopyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridines: Synthesis, cytotoxic activity, mechanistic investigation and structure-activity relationships.

In this study, a series of novel substituted pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridin-5-ylamidines was synthesized and their cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, HT-1080, PC-3), as well as a human normal cell line (AG01523) was evaluated. A number of derivatives could strongly reduce cancer cells proliferation and exhibit apoptotic induction capability, while reasonable structure-activity relationships could be extracted. Certain analogues were endowed with low toxicity against normal cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed that most of the active compounds induced a G0/G1 arrest of HT-1080cells. Moreover, the potential mechanisms of the cytotoxic activity of the promising compounds were investigated in HT-1080cells, upon study of their effects on the phosphorylation of Akt, ERK and p38 MAPK. Most of the active derivatives inhibit phosphorylation of Akt and ERK and/or induce p38 MAPK phosphorylation, providing a potential indication on the mode of action of this class.

The Need for Consensus About Liver Transplantation For Patients With Neuropsychiatric Wilson's Disease.

Liver transplantation is considered an effective therapeutic option for Wilson's disease (WD) patients with hepatic phenotype, since it removes the inherited defects of copper metabolism, and is associated with excellent graft and patient outcomes. The role of liver transplantation in WD patients with mixed hepatic and neuropsychiatric phenotype has remained controversial over time, mainly because of high post-operative complications, reduced survival and a variable, unpredictable rate of neurological improvement. This article critically discusses the recently published data in this field, focussing in more detail on isolated neuropsychiatric phenotype as a potential indication for liver transplantation in WD patients.

Xenopus laevis and human type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase enzyme cross-species sensitivity to inhibition by ToxCast chemicals

Deiodinase enzymes are critical for tissue-specific and temporal control of activation or inactivation of thyroid hormones during vertebrate development, including amphibian metamorphosis. We previously screened ToxCast chemicals for inhibitory activity toward human recombinant Type 3 iodothyronine deiodinase enzyme (hDIO3) and subsequently produced Xenopus laevis recombinant dio3 enzyme (Xldio3) with the goals to identify specific chemical inhibitors of Xldio3, to evaluate cross-species sensitivity and explore whether the human assay results are predictive of the amphibian. We identified a subset of 356 chemicals screened against hDIO3 to test against Xldio3, initially at a single concentration (200 μM), and further tested 79 in concentration-response mode. Most chemicals had IC50 values lower for hDIO3 than for Xldio3 and many had steep Hill slopes (a potential indication of non-specific inhibition). However, eight of the most potent chemicals are likely specific inhibitors, with IC50 values of 14 μM or less, Hill slopes near −1 and curves not significantly different between species likely due to conservation of catalytically active amino acids. Controlling for assay conditions, human in vitro screening results can be predictive of activity in the amphibian assay. This study lays the groundwork for future studies using recombinant non-mammalian proteins to test cross-species sensitivity to chemicals. DisclaimerThe views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

Preliminary Studies of Perovskite-Loaded Plastic Scintillator Prototypes for Radioactive Strontium Detection

Functional plastic scintillators have attracted much attention for their usefulness in on-site monitoring and detection in environments. In this study, we elucidated a highly reliable and functional plastic scintillator for detection of radioactive strontium, which means a potent perovskite-loaded polymeric scintillation material based on epoxy and 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO). Moreover, Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulation was performed to optimize the thickness of a plastic scintillator for efficient strontium detection. A thickness of 2 mm was found to be the optimum thickness for strontium beta-ray detection. A newly developed plastic scintillator with 430 nm emission from perovskite loading could trigger scintillation enhancement employing potential indication of perovskite energy transfer into a photomultiplier (PMT) detector. Furthermore, the response to beta-ray emitter of 90Sr was compared to commercial scintillator of BC-400 by exhibiting detection efficiency in the energy spectrum with a fabricated perovskite-loaded plastic scintillator. We believe that this suggested functional plastic scintillator could be employed as a radiation detector for strontium detection in a wide range of applications including decommissioning sites in nuclear facilities, nuclear security and monitoring, nonproliferation, and safeguards.

A pilot study on lung cancer detection based on regional metabolic activity distribution in digital low-dose 18F-FDG PET.

To investigate the potential of automatic lung cancer detection on submillisievert dose 18F-fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) scans using different positron emission tomography (PET) parameters, as a primary step towards a potential new indication for 18F-FDG PET in lung cancer screening. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis with 83 patients referred for 18F-FDG PET/CT, including of 34 patients with histology-proven lung cancer and 49 patients without lung disease. Aside clinical standard PET images (PET100%) two additional low-dose PET reconstructions were generated, using only 15 s and 5 s of the 150 s list mode raw data of the full-dose PET, corresponding to 10% and 3.3% of the original 18F-FDG activity. The lungs were subdivided into three segments on each side, and each segment was classified as normal or containing cancer. The following standardized uptake values (SUVs) were extracted from PET per lung segment: SUVmean, SUVhot5, SUVmedian, SUVstd and SUVtotal. A multivariate linear regression model was used and cross-validated. The accuracy for lung cancer detection was tested with receiver operating characteristics analysis and T-statistics was used to calculate the weight of each parameter. The T-statistics showed that SUVstd was the most important discriminative factor for lung cancer detection. The multivariate model achieved an area under the curve of 0.97 for full-dose PET, 0.85 for PET10% with PET3.3% reconstructions resulting in a still high sensitivity the PET10% reconstruction of 80%. This pilot study indicates that segment-based, quantitative PET parameters of low-dose PET reconstructions could be used to automatically detect lung cancer with high sensitivity. Automated assessment of PET parameters in low-dose PET may aid for an early detection of lung cancer.

Consumers’ & producers’ perceptions of Wonogiri cashews, a-potential geographical indication snack

This study aims to analyze consumers’ and producers’ perceptions of Wonogiri cashew nut, a-potential geographical indication snack. The information used in this study was obtained from surveys carried out on 191 consumers and 61 producers of Wonogiri cashew nut. Descriptive research and cluster analysis were used to analyze consumers’ and producers’ perception and their characteristics. The result suggests that product differentiation was the most determined consumers’ choice, whereas consumer trust was the most determined producers’ choice to produce geographically indicated cashew nut. Two segments were observed for both consumers and producers, each with considerably different perceptions towards Wonogiri cashew nut, a potential geographical indication snack. Consumer education and monthly income enable the two segments of consumers to be differentiated. In comparison, producers’ age, years of work experience, and education level allowed the two segments to be distinguished.