T1 Samples Research Articles

Tracking changes in circulating stromal cells and circulating tumor cells predicts responsiveness of new line induction in metastatic breast cancer after 1 cycle of therapy.

3056 Background: In metastatic Breast Cancer (mBC), Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are established prognostic indicators of patients (pts) not responding to new lines of therapy and who have poor clinical outcomes. However, CTCs are typically found in < 20% of mBC pts and many pts without CTCs will also progress. Recently an inflammatory pro-tumorigenic macrophage emanating from tumor stroma (i.e. Cancer associated macrophage-like cell [CAML]) was found in > 90% of mBC pts and were also indicative of poor clinical outcomes. As CTCs & CAMLs are isolated in conjunction from a single blood sample, and both are prognostic for therapy response, we evaluated CTCs & CAMLs before and after initiation of new therapies in mBC to determine their combined prognostic/predictive values. Methods: An observational prospective 2-year multi-institutional study was undertaken to evaluate CTCs & CAMLs before, and after, induction of any new line of therapy in pts with diagnosed mBC (n = 101). Anonymized and blinded blood samples were taken at baseline (BL), prior to starting a new systemic therapy, and a 2nd sample (T1) taken after therapy initiation (̃30 days). Blood was filtered by CellSieve filtration. The quantities and subtypes of CTCs & CAMLs were analyzed based on RECIST v1.1 for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) hazard ratios (HRs) by censored univariate & multivariate analysis at 2 years. Results: CTCs were identified in 35% (n = 35/101) of pts at BL & 24% (n = 24/101) at T1, with a single CTC at T1 being highly prognostic for worse PFS HR = 6.2 95%CI 3.0-13.2, p < 0.001 & OS (HR = 5.1 95%CI 2.0-13.4, p = 0.002. In parallel, CAMLs were found in 93% of BL and 86% of T1 samples, and whose decreases were significantly prognostic for improved PFS (HR = 2.7, 95%CI 1.4-5.1, p = 0.006) and OS (HR = 4.4 95%CI 1.5-13.2, p = 0.018) when CTCs were absent. Overall ≥1 CTC at T1 (n = 24) had median PFS = 2.4 & mOS = 4.8 months (mos), however, in pts without CTCs plus an increase in CAMLs (n = 36) had mPFS = 5.9 & mOS = 14.1 mos, while in pts without CTCs plus a decrease in CAMLs (n = 41) had mPFS = 14.8 & mOS = 18.8 mos. Conclusions: Our data confirms that pts with persistent CTCs have the worst clinical outcomes. Further, simultaneous CAML quantification provided a new dynamic predictive blood based biomarker in pts without detectable CTCs which may be useful to better individualize therapy and improve outcomes, though future studies are need to validate these findings.

Diagnostic Accuracy of High-Resolution 3D T2-SPACE in Detecting Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis.

Assessment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis on MR imaging can be challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of high-resolution 3D T2 sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (SPACE) in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and to compare its performance with contrast-enhanced 3D T1-MPRAGE. We performed a blinded retrospective analysis of T2-SPACE and contrast-enhanced MPRAGE sequences from patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and a control group. The results were compared with a reference standard, which was based on all available sequences and clinical history. Subanalyses were performed according to the venous segment involved and the clinical stage of the thrombus. Sixty-three MR imaging examinations from 35 patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and 51 examinations from 40 control subjects were included. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity calculated from the initial MR imaging examination for each patient were 100% each for T2-SPACE and 95%, 91%, and 98%, respectively, for contrast-enhanced MPRAGE. The interrater reliability was high for both sequences. In the subanalysis, the accuracy for each venous segment involved and if subdivided according to the clinical stage of thrombus was ≥95% and ≥85% for T2-SPACE and contrast-enhanced MPRAGE, respectively. Both T2-SPACE and contrast-enhanced MPRAGE offer high accuracy for the detection and exclusion of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis; however, T2-SPACE showed a better overall performance and thus could be a useful tool if included in a multiparametric MR imaging protocol for the diagnosis of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, especially in scenarios where gadolinium administration is contraindicated.

Untargeted lipidomics reveals specific lipid profiles in COVID-19 patients with different severity from Campania region (Italy)

COVID-19 infection evokes various systemic alterations that push patients not only towards severe acute respiratory syndrome but causes an important metabolic dysregulation with following multi-organ alteration and potentially poor outcome. To discover novel potential biomarkers able to predict disease’s severity and patient’s outcome, in this study we applied untargeted lipidomics, by a reversed phase ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-trapped ion mobility mass spectrometry platform (RP-UHPLC-TIMS-MS), on blood samples collected at hospital admission in an Italian cohort of COVID-19 patients (45 mild, 54 severe, 21 controls). In a subset of patients, we also collected a second blood sample in correspondence of clinical phenotype modification (longitudinal population). Plasma lipid profiles revealed several lipids significantly modified in COVID-19 patients with respect to controls and able to discern between mild and severe clinical phenotype. Severe patients were characterized by a progressive decrease in the levels of LPCs, LPC-Os, PC-Os, and, on the contrary, an increase in overall TGs, PEs, and Ceramides. A machine learning model was built by using both the entire dataset and with a restricted lipid panel dataset, delivering comparable results in predicting severity (AUC= 0.777, CI: 0.639–0.904) and outcome (AUC= 0.789, CI: 0.658–0.910). Finally, re-building the model with 25 longitudinal (t1) samples, this resulted in 21 patients correctly classified. In conclusion, this study highlights specific lipid profiles that could be used monitor the possible trajectory of COVID-19 patients at hospital admission, which could be used in targeted approaches.

Effects of zinc oxide nano particle on fortified tilapia mince during refrigerated storage (4 ± 1°C).

Microbial and zinc concentration changes in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) mince, fortified with zinc oxide nano particle during storage for 18days at 4 ± 1 °C were investigated. During the present study the samples treated with ZnO nano particles T4 (60ppm) and T5 (80ppm) were recorded to have the lowest (p < 0.05) Total Plate Count (TPC) figures among all the treatments suggesting a significant antimicrobial effect of ZnO nano partials. The control sample without fortification did not meet the daily requirement of Zn for an adult. The T1 (inorganic ZnO @ 20ppm) samples meet the dietary requirements till 3days of storage where, sample T3, T4, T5 and T6 (ZnO nano particles @ 40ppm, 60ppm, 80ppm and 100ppm respectively) provides enough Zn till 6days under storage at 4 ± 1°C and in certain cases it is more than the dietary requirement of 10-15mg/day for an adult individual. In the present study Zn concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in control. Hence, the intake of tilapia mince of these treatments may be adjusted accordingly to provide dietary Zn. Fortification of tilapia mince with Zn will not only improve the shelf life of the mince but also prove to be a good food fortification strategy to eradicate Zn deficiency.

Dynamic genome-wide gene expression and immune cell composition in the developing human placenta

Despite the central role of the placenta in supporting a pregnancy, relatively little is known about transcriptomic and immune-cell changes that occur across gestation. To generate a reference gene expression map of first (T1), second (T2) and third (T3) trimester human placenta, and assess differences in transcriptome in maternal versus fetal side tissues sections of full-term placenta, we performed RNA-Seq analysis on 64 biopsy samples from 18 placentas across all three gestations. We identified 1120 differentially expressed genes in placenta tissues from T1 and T3 samples using a generalized linear model within DESeq2. In total, 411 and 709 genes were positively associated with T1 and T3 placenta, respectively. Comparison of the top 200 differentially expressed genes in the T1 placenta with T3 showed that most of the top enriched biological processes were related to cell division and proliferation. T1 and T2 tissues shared expression of fibroblast-specific COL6A2, HGF, and SPP1 genes. In T3 samples, the expression of genes relating to vasculature development and regulation were highly enriched. Monocytes and NK cell population increased in T3 compared to T1 and T2, whereas Hofbauer cell proportion expanded significantly in T2 and then decreased in T3 samples. There were no significant gene expression differences in the maternal vs. fetal side in T3 placentas. Gene expression patterns shift temporally across trimesters but not spatially across the placenta, at least at the resolution of the biopsy samples. The genes and gene set we identified here represent a valuable resource for studying pathology in pregnancy-related disorders.

Comparison of 3D constructive interference in steady state (CISS) and T2 sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolution MR imaging of the intracranial trigeminal nerve and central skull base neuroforamina.

Due to surgical advancements, the accurate detection of perineural disease spread has become increasingly important in the management and prognostication of head and neck cancers, though MR evaluation has thus far been limited by technical and logistic challenges. The purpose of this study was to specifically evaluate the relative capability of 3D CISS and 3D T2-SPACE imaging to delineate the proximal intracranial divisions of the normal trigeminal nerve, an area important in determining the resectability of intracranial perineural disease. A single center HIPAA-compliant, IRB approved retrospective review of 40 patients with clinical temporal bone/internal auditory canal MR imaging was conducted. 20 patients with 3D CISS images and 20 patients with 3D T2-SPACE images met inclusion criteria. Two radiologists scored the sequences on a 3-point scale based on ability to visualize anatomic structures surrounding the trigeminal nerve in Meckel's cave, intracranial trigeminal divisions, skull base neuroforamina, and proximal extracranial mandibular division. The following anatomic locations scored significantly better in the T2-SPACE sequence compared to the CISS sequence for both raters: intracranial V3 (p < .05), foramen ovale (p < .05), and extracranial V3 (p < .01). The average scores for the anterior Meckel's cave and foramen rotundum were higher for the T2-SPACE sequence, although not significantly. Percent interobserver agreement ranged from 50 to 90% and 65-100% for the different anatomic locations on the CISS and T2-SPACE sequences, respectively. 3D T2-SPACE was found to be superior to 3D CISS in the evaluation of the distal intracranial and extracranial portions of the normal trigeminal nerve.

Impacts of the psychological stress response on nonsuicidal self-injury behavior in students during the COVID-19 epidemic in China: the mediating role of sleep disorders

BackgroundThe sudden outbreak of COVID-19 had a great impact on the physical and mental health of people all over the world, especially for students whose physical and mental development was not yet mature. In order to understand the physical and mental conditions of students during the epidemic period and provide a theoretical basis for coping with psychological problems in public health emergencies, this study explored the mediating role of sleep disorders in the effect of the psychological stress response (PSR) on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), along with the moderating role of emotional management ability (EMA).MethodsThe SRQ-20, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, NSSI Behavior Questionnaire, and Emotional Management Questionnaire were used to investigate the mental health of Chinese students in April 10–20 (Time point 1, T1) and May 20–30 (Time point 2, T2), 2020. A total of 1,955 students (Mage = 19.64 years, 51.4% male) were examined at T1 and 342 students (Mage = 20.06 years, 48.2% male) were reassessed at T2.ResultsOverall, the detection rate of PSR and NSSI were 17.60% (n = 344) and 24.90% (n = 486) respectively in the T1 sample, and were 16.37% (n = 56) and 25.44% (n = 87), in the T2 sample. We also found that sleep disorders played a mediating role in the effect of PSR on NSSI in the T1 and T2 samples. In addition, EMA was shown to regulate the effect of PSR on sleep disorders and the effect of sleep disorders on NSSI in the T1 samples.ConclusionWe found that PSR resulting from public health emergency might lead to NSSI behaviors in individuals. PSR may also cause sleep disorders, which can bring about NSSI. However, these effects were also moderated by the EMA. This research expands our understanding of PSR and NSSI in students during the pandemic.

Development and Quality Assessment of Probiotic Shrikhand Incorporated with Kiwi (Actinidia Deliciosa) Fruit Pulp

Milk preservation by fermentation is an old age technique. Shrikhand is a semi solid, sweetish-sour, whole milk product, prepared from lactic fermented curd. It is nutritionally dense fermented milk product. Its nutritional and therapeutic value can further be enhanced by incorporating filled milk, fruit pulp or probiotics. They are highly nutritious product because of increased vitamin content as selective cultures are being used in preparation of curd. The basic aim of the study was “Development of Probiotic Shrikhand incorporated with kiwi pulp.” Shrikhand was prepared using as per the standard method using 2% activated culture of L.helvetics and S.thermophilus and different levels of kiwi pulp 10%(T1), 20%(T2), 30%(T3), while Control sample T0 was prepared without addition of kiwi pulp and stored for 30 days at 4ºc. Proximate composition of raw materials, Sensory attributes, Physico-chemical constituents and Microbiological analysis was analysed from prepared product and data collected from that were tabulated. Storage study of probiotic shrikhand (absence of coliforms) had good storage stability during 30 days of storage at refrigeration temperature (4ºc). T1 (10%) supplementation of kiwi pulp to shrikhand was much preferred. Probiotic shrikhand could thus serve as good carrier of probiotic bacteria to improve our gut health. It also help in individuals having lactose intolerant. Hence, Shrikhand can provide therapeutic benefits to the consumer with longer shelf life.

Role of bioactive xenobiotics towards reproductive potential of Odontotermes longignathus through in silico study: An amalgamation of ecoinformatics and ecotechnological insights of termite mounds from a tropical forest, India

The present research study has evaluated the roles of different naturally occurring compounds in termite mounds of Odontotermes longignathus (GenBank Id: MZ542727.1) which facilitate to promote higher population growth of termites and subsequent biodegradation. The study has also monitored the change in physicochemical parameters along with the trend of biodegradation of complex organic carbon-based compounds like lignin, polysaccharides etc. and nitrogenous compounds from two different types of termite mounds such as developing (T1) and developed (T2) mounds. The GC MS profiling of mound samples have revealed the occurrence of different humic acids like organic materials in both T1 and T2 mound samples. Both the termite mounds have demonstrated a high population density as T1 (23.67 ± 1.56) individuals and T2 (43.51 ± 2.36) individuals per 0.1 kg of mound materials. Such observations have prompted to undertake molecular docking experiments which revealed that different molecules interact at low binding affinity with hormone receptors involved in moulting, spermatogenesis and oogenesis of termite like Adamantane carboxylate (EcR: −7.6 Kcal/mol; BTB-KLHL10: −6.2 Kcal/mol; USP-LBD: −7.3 Kcal/mol; VgR: −6.8 Kcal/mol), Benzene dicarboxylic acid (EcR: −5.5 Kcal/mol; BTB-KLHL10: −5.1 Kcal/mol; USP-LBD: −5.4 Kcal/mol; VgR: −5.6 Kcal/mol), Hexadecanol (EcR: −6.0 Kcal/mol; BTB-KLHL10: −4.4 Kcal/mol; USP-LBD: −6.9 Kcal/mol; VgR: −6.0 Kcal/mol), oxirane (EcR: −5.3 Kcal/mol; BTB-KLHL10: −4.9 Kcal/mol; USP-LBD: −5.2 Kcal/mol; VgR: −5.3 Kcal/mol) and tocopherol (EcR: −8.0 Kcal/mol; BTB-KLHL10: −5.4 Kcal/mol; USP-LBD: −7.6 Kcal/mol; VgR: −7.0 Kcal/mol). Such spontaneous ligand binding phenomenon coupled with high population density of termites have established the significance of different bioactive xenobiotics in achieving high reproductive potential of termites which in turn facilitate the process of biodegradation and enhance the nutrient enrichment in the soils of tropical deciduous forest.

Effect of single versus multistrain probiotic in extremely preterm infants: a randomised trial

ObjectiveEvidence indicates that multistrain probiotics benefit preterm infants more than single-strain (SS) probiotics. We assessed the effects of SS versus triple-strain (TS) probiotic supplementation (PS) in extremely preterm (EP) infants.DesignEP...

Effects of the membrane-covered technology and superphosphate on the compost quality and nitrogen-containing gas emissions during aerobic composting

A lab-scale experiment was conducted to assess effects of the membrane-covered technology and superphosphate on the compost quality and emissions of nitrogen-containing gases during aerobic composting. The results showed that the membrane-covered technology increased the temperature of the compost pile and accelerated degradation of organic matter. The membrane-covered (T1) sample attained a germination index (GI) of 50% and 80%, approximately 2 and 9 d earlier, respectively, relative to the control (CK) sample. However, the application of superphosphate might have an adverse effect on the GI value. The NH3 and N2O emissions during the aerobic composting were decreased by 25.8% and 13.1%, respectively, for the T1 sample compared to the CK sample, while these were reduced correspondingly by 21.3% and 27.2% for the superphosphate addition (T2) sample. Compared with the superphosphate addition, the membrane-covered approach reduced the NH3 emission but not the N2O emission. Thus, the membrane-covered aerobic composting is a potential technology for the adequate utilization of organic waste as a resource.

Bioconversion of chicken meat and bone meal by black soldier fly larvae: Effects of straw addition on the quality and microbial profile of larval frass

Meat and bone meal (MBM) is a kind of animal waste with high nutritive values. Bioconversion of MBM by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) has great potential to obtain high-quality organic fertilizers. However, limited information is available on MBM waste manipulation to enhance BSFL frass quality. In the present study, BSFL were fed with chicken MBM containing increasing levels of rice straw (CK (0%), T1 (1%), T2 (1%), and T3 (3%)). The effects of straw addition into MBM on the quality and microbial profile of BSFL frass were evaluated. Results showed that MBM amended with straw did not significantly affect the body weight of BSFL and most of the nutrients (e.g. pH, EC, TN, TP and Na) in larval frass. Compared to other treatments, T1 sample had the highest organic matter (OM) value, implying proper straw addition could increase OM contents in frass. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis showed that straw addition might enhance the decomposition of aliphatic carbons and polysaccharides during MBM digestion process. Moreover, T1 sample had the highest microbial richness and Shannon diversity indices. It was supposed that proper straw addition in MBM helped build a more balanced diet and contributed to the BSFL gut health, consequently stimulating the gut microbe-mediated substances transformation or decomposition and promoting the microbial diversity in frass. Compared to CK, straw addition had significant influence on the abundances of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria in frass. Elements including OM, TK and Na played important roles in shaping the microbial profile of BSFL frass.

Isolation and Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Traditional Fermented Milk "Dahi" Towards Developing Probiotic Dahi in Bangladesh

Objective: An attempt was made herein to isolate lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus sp. and Streptococcus thermophilus) from local Dahi to develop Dahi with isolated culture. Methods: These bacteria were identified by morphological characteristics, microscopic observation, catalase reaction, and finally examined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Five Dahi samples (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5) were prepared using the PCR culture. Dahi samples (T1, T2, and T3) were prepared using three Lactobacillus sp., T4 by Streptococcus thermophilus, and T5 by a combination of Lactobacillus sp. (T3) and Streptococcus thermophilus (T4) bacteria. Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory properties were measured to assess the quality of the developed Dahi. The shelf life of the products was assessed through the determination of pH and titrable acidity of the samples measured on day 1 and 7, respectively. Results: Ash and protein percentage of T3 sample were significantly (P&lt;0.05) better than others. The viable count was well above the minimum recommended value (106cfu/ml) in all the Dahi samples. Results of sensory properties namely taste, aroma, and overall acceptability of T3 and T4 Dahi were significantly (P&lt;0.05) found superior compared to other samples. Conclusion: The lactic acid bacteria isolated and utilized in this study demonstrate great potential in the production of probiotic Dahi in future.

Immunological Risk Assessment of Xenogeneic Dural Patch by Comparing with Raw Material via GTKO Mice.

Objective In this study, α-Gal epitope-deficient (GGTA1 knockout (GTKO)) mice were used to assess the immunological risks of xenogeneic dural patch by comparing with raw material. Methods The xenogeneic dural patch (T2) was prepared from bovine pericardium (T1, raw material) through decellularization and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) coating. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the collagen fibers and surface microstructural changes in the T1 and T2 samples. The remnant α-Gal epitopes and DNA of implants were detected by standardized method. T1 and T2 were implanted subcutaneously into GTKO mice for 4 and 12 weeks, respectively, and the negative control group (Con) was only performed sham operation. The total serum antibody, anti-Gal antibody, and splenic lymphocyte subtypes were analyzed by ELISA or flow cytometry, and histological analysis of implant-tissue was performed by H&E and Masson stain. Results TEM and Sirius red staining showed that the collagen fibers in the dural patch were closely arranged, and SEM showed that a loose three-dimensional structure was successfully constructed on the surface of the dural patch after CMCS coating. The remnant DNA in T2 was 24.64 ± 8.73 ng/mg (dry weight), and clearance of α-Gal epitope was up to 99.83% compared to T1. The significant increases in serum total IgM, anti-Gal IgG, and anti-Gal IgM at 4 weeks and the significant changes in anti-Gal IgG and spleen lymphocyte at 12 weeks were observed in the T1 group, but no significant change was observed in the T2 group, compared to the control group. Histological semiquantitative analysis showed severe cell and tissue responses at 4 weeks and a moderate response at 12 weeks in the T1 group, while a moderate response at 4 weeks and a slight response at 12 weeks in the T2 group. Conclusions The results demonstrated that the xenogeneic dural patch has a lower and acceptable immunological risk compared to the raw material and control, respectively. On the other hand, it was suggested that GTKO mice are useful experimental model for immunological risk assessment of animal tissue-derived biomaterials.

Effect of Apple peel as an antioxidant on the quality characteristics and oxidative stability of mayonnaise

The study was aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of apple peel extract 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 1.25% on the quality attributes, oxidative stability, sensory attributes and rheological characteristics of mayonnaise during the storage duration 60 days. Crude extract from apple peel was obtained by using solvent extraction and hexane was used as a solvent. Antioxidant activity of apple peel was determined by using Total phenolic contents, DPPH free radical scavenging activity and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Mayonnaise was prepared by using different concentrations of apple peel extract and its comparison for oxidative stability, rheological and sensory attributes was done with the T0 (control sample) and T5 (mayonnaise prepared by using BHT at concentration of 0.02%). The pH values of all T1, T2, T3 and T4 samples were significantly decreased with the progress of storage but the decrease in lower than the T0 and T5. After 60 days, the free fatty acid values, peroxide values and anisidine values of the mayonnaise samples T1, T2, T3 and T4 were significantly lower than the T0 and T5. The T1, T2, T3 and T4 did not have a significant effect on the consistency index, flow behavior index and apparent viscosity of the mayonnaise during storage. At the end of storage, the mayonnaise sample with apple peel extract got a low score for sensory attributes than T0 and T5. Apple peel extract is effective to control the lipid oxidation of mayonnaise but it negatively affects the sensory attributes.

Standardization and quality profile of sattu mix.

Wheat (T1) and maize (T2) based sattu were formulated using chick pea, barley and other food adjuncts. Results revealed that, no significant difference was observed in the protein and ash content between control (chickpea basede sattu mix) and T1. However, significant difference was observed between the control and T2 sample between moisture, fat, insoluble and total fiber, with the exception of protein, soluble fiber and ash. In case of T1 and T2, significant difference was observed in fat and total fiber content. Coming on to the mineral composition, significant difference was observed between the mineral content in control and T1, with respect to calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, manganese and copper. In case of control and T2, significant difference was observed with respect to calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron and copper, with the exception of manganese. Coming on to the mineral content of both the formulations, significant difference was observed with respect to all the minerals estimated. Significant difference was observed in the total amylose content between control and formulated samples on 0, 30 and 60days. Microstructural studies of raw and roasted sattu and its ingredients by observation under scanning electron microscope revealed that substantial structural changes occurred during processing. The raw grains were tightly packed and contained no air spaces. However, a large number of air spaces are formed in the cotyledon of the roasted grain sample. It was observed that, T1and T2 had medium GI value (56 and 58% respectively), Whereas for control it was 60%. The formulated samples were found to be shelf stable for 60days at RT, with an increase in moisture content of 4-6%. All the samples were sensorial acceptable and there was no perceptible off odor or off taste.

Predictability of Fused 3D-T2-SPACE and 3D-TOF-MRA Images in Identifying Conflict in Trigeminal Neuralgia.

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy of fused three-dimensional T2 sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions (3D-SPACE) and three-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (3D-TOF-MRA) sequences for detecting neurovascular compression (NVC) in patients presenting with trigeminal neuralgia (TN).MethodsA prospective study was carried in 33 consecutive patients (m/f: 17/16; mean age, 56.3 ± 10.4 years) with unilateral TN confirmed NVC and consensus by two experienced radiologists on fused 3D-SPACE and 3D-TOF-MRA sequences of 3-tesla (3-T) MRI. All patients underwent microvascular decompression (MVD), using photos and video in surgery as documents compared with MRI. Both the MRI and MVD were reported for three grades (contact, compression, distortion), vessel types (artery or vein), identification of offending vessel, site (juxtapontine, cisternal, and juxtapetrous), and location (cranial, caudal, medial, lateral). Agreement between preoperative MRI visualization and surgical findings was assessed using the kappa (K) statistic.ResultsThe k-values for the agreement were excellent for the grade of NVC (k=0.82), vessel types (k=0.78), and location of conflict (k=0.74), and good for identification of the offending vessel (0.65) and the site-affected vessel (k=0.69).ConclusionThe fused D3-SPACE and 3D-TOF-MRA images are highly effective tools for the evaluation and treatment planning of NVC in TN patients.

Facile synthesis and characterisation of novel Sn/Si mixtures for the efficient removal of methylene blue and crystal violet dyes from aqueous media

ABSTRACT In this work, novel mixtures based on silicon and tin materials were synthesised via reaction of 2.407, 5.247, 7.195, or 9.59 g of tin chloride dihydrate with 6 g of sodium metasilicate pentahydrate. The samples, which were synthesised using 2.407, 5.247, 7.195, and 9.59 g, are abbreviated as T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. XRD confirmed that these mixtures consist of amorphous Sn/Si, sodium tin silicate, tin oxide, and sodium silicate. The average crystallite size of T1, T2, T3, and T4 samples is 5.23, 8.13, 12.26, 15.72 nm, respectively. The synthesised mixtures were used as adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue and crystal violet dyes from aqueous media. 15 min, pH 6, and 298 Kelvin are regarded as the optimum conditions for the removal of studied dyes using T1, T2, T3, and T4 samples. The adsorption process of crystal violet or methylene blue dyes was fitted well with the Langmuir equilibrium isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic parameters confirmed that the removal of crystal violet and methylene blue dyes is chemical, spontaneous, and exothermic. The maximum adsorption capacity of T1, T2, T3, and T4 samples towards crystal violet dye is 34.81, 36.83, 29.46, and 11.98 mg/g, respectively. Also, the maximum adsorption capacity of T1, T2, T3, and T4 samples towards methylene blue dye is 30.13, 29.33, 17.09, and 13.43 mg/g, respectively. HCl: butanol (1:3) can efficiently desorb the dyes for three cycles of adsorption/desorption. Hence, the adsorbents can be used successfully several times for the removal of crystal violet and methylene blue dyes.

Evaluation Of Low Calories Ice Cream Properties Prepared By Using Fat Replacer And Sweetener

Producing ice cream suitable for individual people is a recent demand. Low calories or reduced fat-ice-cream has great request for avoiding obesity and heart diseases. In the present research; Etenia 457 was used as fat replacer while Sativoside was used as sweetener at different levels (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) to achieve five treatments, namely C, T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Maltodextrin and Sorbitol (1:2 W/V) as bulking agent were also added. The obtained results showed no clear variations in the total solids, protein and ash contents or acidity percent and pH values between control and treatments. However, there were great differences in fat contents and calories values. On another side; the specific gravity values were decreased as a result of using the fat replacer and sweetener. Viscosity was increased with the increase of the additives in the formulation. Large variations in the values of melting resistance degrees were noticed, and control sample had the favorite properties of melting behavior. There had little lower flavor scores in treatments and slight deterioration in body & texture properties .For all total acceptability; T1 samples (25% replacements) gained the higher scores (99 points) followed by T2 ,T3 and then T4 which gained 86 points. So, it could be prepared ice cream sample with acceptable properties by using 25% Etenia 457 and 25% Sativoside to be more suitable for individual people.

MR Imaging Differences in the Circle of Willis between Healthy Children and Adults.

Asymmetries in the circle of Willis have been associated with several conditions, including migraines and stroke, but they may also be age-dependent. This study examined the impact of age and age-dependent changes in cerebral perfusion on circle of Willis anatomy in healthy children and adults. We performed an observational, cross-sectional study of bright and black-blood imaging of the proximal cerebral vasculature using TOF-MRA and T2 sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts by using different flip angle evolution (T2-SPACE) imaging at the level of the circle of Willis in 23 healthy children and 43 healthy adults (4-74 years of age). We compared arterial diameters measured manually and cerebral perfusion via pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling between children and adults. We found that the summed cross-sectional area of the circle of Willis is larger in children than in adults, though the effect size was smaller with T2-SPACE-based measurements than with TOF-MRA. The circle of Willis is also more symmetric in children, and nonvisualized segments occur more frequently in adults than in children. Moreover, the size and symmetry of the circle of Willis correlate with cerebral perfusion. Our results demonstrate that the circle of Willis is different in size and symmetry in healthy children compared with adults, likely associated with developmental changes in cerebral perfusion. Further work is needed to understand why asymmetric vasculature develops in some but not all adults.