The association between UGT1A1 polymorphisms and treatment toxicities of liposomal irinotecan.

BACKGROUND: Initial dose adjustment is recommended for patients with known UGT1A1∗28 homozygosity for both conventional irinotecan and liposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI). A recent population pharmacokinetic (PK) study showed that Asian patients had a lower prevalence of UGT1A1∗28 homozygosity but a significantly higher maximum blood concentration of SN-38 (SN-38 Cmax) and a higher incidence of grade ≥3 neutropenia after nal-IRI administration than Caucasian patients. The current study investigated the association of UGT1A1 polymorphisms, including the Asian prevalent UGT1A1∗6, PK and toxicities of nal-IRI-based therapy in the Asian population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 162 patients with nal-IRI-based therapy and available UGT1A1∗6 and UGT1A1∗28 genotyping were included, with 82 Asian patients from six previous phase I or II studies of nal-IRI (cohort 1) and another 80 patients with nal-IRI + 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin every 2 weeks as real-world practice in a single institute in Taiwan (cohort 2). RESULTS: The frequency of UGT1A1∗6 or UGT1A1∗28 homozygosity/compound heterozygosity was 9.3%, with UGT1A1∗6/∗6 in 2.5%, UGT1A1∗28/∗28 in 1.9% and UGT1A1∗6/∗28 in 4.9%. Among the 53 patients in cohort 1 with available PK data, all 7 patients with homozygosity/compound heterozygosity harbored UGT1A1∗6 and had a significantly higher level of median dose-normalized area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and Cmax of SN-38 than those with single heterozygosity/wild type. Of the entire study population, the incidence of grade ≥3 neutropenia and diarrhea was significantly higher in patients with homozygosity/compound heterozygosity than in those with single heterozygosity/wild type, 73.3% versus 38.1% (P = 0.012, Fisher's exact test) and 33.3% versus 9.5% (P = 0.018, Fisher's exact test), respectively. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the recommendation of a lower starting dose of nal-IRI for patients with UGT1A1∗28 homozygosity should be extended to include patients with UGT1A1∗6 homozygosity/compound heterozygosity.

Tumor immune-gene expression profiles and peripheral immune phenotypes associated with clinical outcomes of locally advanced pancreatic cancer following FOLFIRINOX.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive analysis of peripheral immune cell phenotypes and tumor immune-gene expression profiles in locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a phase II clinical trial was carried out. METHODS: Patients were treated with neoadjuvant modified folinic acid, fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, oxaliplatin (mFOLFIRINOX) followed by surgery and adjuvant gemcitabine at the Asan Medical Center. Correlations between survival outcomes and baseline peripheral immune cells and their changes during preoperative chemotherapy were analyzed. Patients who had surgery were divided into two groups according to achievement of disease-free survival >10 months (achieved versus failed). Differential expression and pathway analysis of immune-related genes were carried out using the Nanostring platform, and immune cells within the tumor microenvironment were compared by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were treated in the phase II clinical trial. Higher baseline CD14+CD11c+HLA-DR+ monocytes (P = 0.044) and lower Foxp3+CD4+ T cells (P = 0.02) were associated with poor progression-free survival of neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX. During the preoperative chemotherapy, PD-1 T cells significantly decreased (P = 0.0110). Differential expression and pathway analysis of immune-genes from the resected tumor after neoadjuvant treatment revealed transforming growth factor-ß pathway enrichment and higher expression of MARCO (adjusted P < 0.05) associated with early recurrence. Enrichment of the Th1 pathway and higher peritumoral CD8+ T cells (P = 0.0103) were associated with durable disease-free survival from surgery (>10 months) following neoadjuvant mFOLFIRINOX. CONCLUSIONS: Our results identify potential immune biomarkers for locally advanced pancreatic cancer and provide insights into pancreatic cancer immunity.

A follow-up on quantitative and qualitative olfactory dysfunction and other symptoms in patients recovering from COVID-19 smell loss.

BACKGROUND: Sudden smell loss is a specific early symptom of COVID-19, which, prior to the emergence of Omicron, had estimated prevalence of ~40% to 75%. Chemosensory impairments affect physical and mental health, and dietary behavior. Thus, it is critical to understand the rate and time course of smell recovery. The aim of this cohort study was to characterize smell function and recovery up to 11 months post COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This longitudinal survey of individuals suffering COVID-19-related smell loss assessed disease symptoms and gustatory and olfactory function. Participants (n=12,313) who completed an initial survey (S1) about respiratory symptoms, chemosensory function and COVID-19 diagnosis between April and September 2020, were invited to complete a follow-up survey (S2). Between September 2020 and February 2021, 27.5% participants responded (n=3,386), with 1,468 being diagnosed with COVID-19 and suffering co-occurring smell and taste loss at the beginning of their illness. RESULTS: At follow-up (median time since COVID-19 onset ~200 days), ~60% of women and ~48% of men reported less than 80% of their pre-illness smell ability. Taste typically recovered faster than smell, and taste loss rarely persisted if smell recovered. Prevalence of parosmia and phantosmia was ~10% of participants in S1 and increased substantially in S2: ~47% for parosmia and ~25% for phantosmia. Persistent smell impairment was associated with more symptoms overall, suggesting it may be a key marker of long-COVID illness. The ability to smell during COVID-19 was rated slightly lower by those who did not eventually recover their pre-illness ability to smell at S2. CONCLUSIONS: While smell ability improves for many individuals who lost it during acute COVID-19, the prevalence of parosmia and phantosmia increases substantially over time. Olfactory dysfunction is associated with broader persistent symptoms of COVID-19, and may last for many months following acute COVID-19. Taste loss in the absence of smell loss is rare. Persistent qualitative smell symptoms are emerging as common long-term sequelae; more research into treatment options is strongly warranted given that even conservative estimates suggest millions of individuals may experience parosmia following COVID-19. Healthcare providers worldwide need to be prepared to treat post COVID-19 secondary effects on physical and mental health.

Effects of melatonin receptor expression on prognosis and survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Melatonin receptors can inhibit breast and prostate cancers; however, little is known regarding their effects on oral squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, we collected specimens from 81 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and analysed clinicopathological data retrospectively. In addition, the expression of the melatonin receptor was analysed immunohistochemically. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was performed based on the Cox proportional-hazards model. Further, an in vitro study was performed using YD15 cells. The cells were transfected with siRNA targeting melatonin receptor 1A and 1B for evaluating the malignancy of melatonin receptors by western blotting, trypan blue-exclusion, colony-forming, wound-healing, and invasion assays. Survival decreased as melatonin receptor expression and clinical and pathological tumour-node-metastasis stages increased. A Cox proportional-hazard model showed that melatonin receptor 1A may serve as a significant predictor of the survival rate of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma [hazard ratio = 1.423, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.019-1.988, p = 0.038]. Melatonin receptor 1A and 1B knockdown significantly suppressed proliferation, migration ability, and invasion ability of YD15 cells in vitro. Our findings reveal that inhibiting melatonin receptor expression may suppress oral squamous cell carcinoma development.

Clinical effectiveness of house dust mite immunotherapy in mono- versus poly-sensitised patients with allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Selecting an appropriate allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) regimen for polysensitised allergic rhinitis (AR) patients is challenging for clinicians. Although previous studies showed comparable effectiveness of single-allergen AIT with house dust mite (HDM) extract between monosensitised and polysensitised AR patients, there is no systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrating the comparable effectiveness of HDM AIT. In this meta-analysis, we analysed nine studies to compare the clinical effectiveness of HDM AIT. The primary outcome was nasal symptom score and secondary outcomes were medication and quality of life scores. The changes in nasal symptom score after HDM AIT did not significantly differ between monosensitised and polysensitised patients. The clinical effectiveness of HDM AIT regarding medication and quality of life score was not significantly different between monosensitised and polysensitised patients). In conclusion, single-allergen AIT with HDM extract showed comparable clinical effectiveness between polysensitised and monosensitised patients with AR.

Assessment of the efficacy of intra-articular platelet rich plasma treatment in an ACLT experimental model by dynamic contrast enhancement MRI of knee subchondral bone marrow and MRI T2∗ measurement of articular cartilage.

OBJECTIVE: The vascularization of subchondral bone plays a significant role in the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Treatment with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has positive effects on cartilage lesions. However, PRP's efficacy for subchondral bone marrow lesions and the relationship of these lesions to cartilage are still undiscovered. Therefore, our aims were first to longitudinally investigate the change in subchondral flow by dynamic contrast enhanced MRI and degeneration of cartilage by MRI T2∗ in an anterior cruciate transection rodent (ACLT) model, and second to examine changes in parameters after intra-articular PRP injection. DESIGN: A 32-week investigation in 18 rats allocated to sham-control, ACLT with normal saline injection (ACLT + NS), and ACLT with PRP injection groups ended with histological evaluation. Another rat was used as a donor of allogenic PRP. RESULTS: Compared to the sham-control group, the ACLT + NS group had higher subchondral blood volume A (0.051, 95% confidence interval: 0.009, 0.092) and lower venous washout kel (-0.030: -0.055, -0.005) from week 4; lower permeability kep from week 18 (-0.954: -1.339, -0.569); higher cartilage T2∗ values (1.803: 1.504, 2.102) reflecting collagen loss beginning at week 10. For the PRP treatment group, subchondral bone marrow A and cartilage T2∗ decreased from week 10. Histological results confirmed and were correlated with the MRI findings. CONCLUSION: Subchondral hyper-perfusion plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of OA and was associated with cartilage degeneration. The efficacy of PRP can be observed from reduced perfusion and MRI T2∗ values.

Improved Glioma Grading Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Accurate determination of glioma grade leads to improved treatment planning. The criterion standard for glioma grading is invasive tissue sampling. Recently, radiomic features have shown excellent potential in glioma-grade prediction. These features may not fully exploit the underlying information in MR images. The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of features learned by a convolutional neural network compared with standard radiomic features for grade prediction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 237 patients with gliomas were included in this study. All images were resampled, registered, skull-stripped, and segmented to extract the tumors. The learned features from the trained convolutional neural network were used for grade prediction. The performance of the proposed method was compared with standard machine learning approaches, support vector machine, random forests, and gradient boosting trained with radiomic features. RESULTS: The experimental results demonstrate that using learned features extracted from the convolutional neural network achieves an average accuracy of 87%, outperforming the methods considering radiomic features alone. The top-performing machine learning model is gradient boosting with an average accuracy of 64%. Thus, there is a 23% improvement in accuracy, and it is an efficient technique for grade prediction. CONCLUSIONS: Convolutional neural networks are able to learn discriminating features automatically, and these features provide added value for grading gliomas. The proposed framework may provide substantial improvement in glioma-grade prediction; however, further validation is needed.

Diagnostic patterns of non-small-cell lung cancer at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Background: Accurate classification of lung cancer subtypes has become critical in tailoring lung cancer treatment. Our study aimed to evaluate changes in diagnostic testing and pathologic subtyping of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) over time at a major cancer centre. Methods: In a review of patients diagnosed with advanced nsclc at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre between 2007-2009 and 2013-2015, diagnostic method, sample type and site, pathologic subtype, and use of immunohistochemistry (ihc) staining and molecular testing were abstracted. Results: The review identified 238 patients in 2007-2009 and 283 patients in 2013-2015. Over time, the proportion of patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma increased to 73.1% from 60.9%, and diagnoses of nsclc not otherwise specified (nos) decreased to 6.4% from 18.9%, p < 0.0001. Use of diagnostic bronchoscopy decreased (26.9% vs. 18.4%), and mediastinal sampling procedures, including endobronchial ultrasonography, increased (9.2% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.0001). Use of ihc increased over time to 76.3% from 41.6% (p < 0.0001). Larger surgical or core biopsy samples and those for which ihc was performed were more likely to undergo biomarker testing (both p < 0.01). Conclusions: Customizing treatment based on pathologic subtype and molecular genotype has become key in treating patients with advanced lung cancer. Greater accuracy of pathology diagnosis is being achieved, including through the routine use of ihc.

Safety of acupuncture during pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to analyse the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) cohort data to examine the safety of acupuncture therapy during pregnancy. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Korea. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: Women with confirmed pregnancy between 2003 and 2012 from the 2002-13 NHIS sample cohort (n = 20 799). METHODS: Women with confirmed pregnancy were identified and divided into acupuncture or control group for comparison of their outcomes. Differences in other factors such as age, and rate of high-risk pregnancy and multiple pregnancy were examined. In the acupuncture group, the most frequent acupuncture diagnosis codes and the timing of treatment were also investigated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of full-term delivery, preterm delivery and stillbirth by pregnancy duration and among the high-risk and multiple pregnancy groups. RESULTS: Of 20 799 pregnant women analysed, 1030 (4.95%) and 19 749 were in the acupuncture and control groups, respectively. Both overall (odds ratio [OR] 1.23; 95% CI 0.98-1.54), and in the stratified analysis of high-risk pregnancies (OR 1.09; 95% CI 0.73-1.64), there was no significant difference between acupuncture and control groups in preterm deliveries. No stillbirths occurred in the acupuncture group and 0.035% of pregnancies resulted in stillbirths in the control group. CONCLUSION: No significant difference in delivery outcomes (preterm delivery and stillbirth) was observed between confirmed pregnancies in the acupuncture and control groups. Therefore, in pregnancy, acupuncture therapy may be a safe therapeutic modality for relieving discomfort without an adverse delivery outcome. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: In pregnancy, acupuncture therapy may be a safe therapeutic modality for relieving discomfort without an adverse outcome.

FeSe quantum dots for in vivo multiphoton biomedical imaging.

An immense demand in biomedical imaging is to develop efficient photoluminescent probes with high biocompatibility and quantum yield, as well as multiphoton absorption performance to improve penetration depth and spatial resolution. Here, iron selenide (FeSe) quantum dots (QDs) are reported to meet these criteria. The synthesized QDs exhibit two- and three-photon excitation property at 800- and 1080-nm wavelengths and high quantum yield (ca. 40%), which are suitable for second-window imaging. To verify their biosuitability, poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated QDs were linked with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antibodies for in vitro/in vivo two-photon imaging in HER2-overexpressed MCF7 cells and a xenograft breast tumor model in mice. Imaging was successfully carried out at a depth of up to 500 µm from the skin using a nonlinear femtosecond laser at an excitation wavelength of 800 nm. These findings may open up a way to apply biocompatible FeSe QDs to multiphoton cancer imaging.

Management of isolated recurrence after surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence of pancreatic cancer after primary pancreatectomy occurs in the vast majority of patients. The role of surgical treatment for recurrent pancreatic cancer is not well established. METHODS: Patients who underwent primary pancreatectomy with curative intent from 2000 to 2014 at a single large-volume centre were evaluated retrospectively. CT or PET was used to select patients with an isolated recurrence. The clinicopathological features and survival outcomes were compared according to treatment modalities. RESULTS: Of the 1610 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent resection, 1346 (83·6 per cent) were diagnosed with recurrent pancreatic cancer. Recurrence was locoregional in 366 patients (27·2 per cent), distant multifocal in 251 (18·6 per cent), distant isolated in 188 (14·0 per cent), locoregional plus distant in 153 (11·4 per cent) and peritoneal seeding in 388 (28·8 per cent). Of the 1346 patients with recurrence, 197 (14·6 per cent) had isolated recurrence; of these, 48 (24·4 per cent of all isolated recurrences; 3·6 per cent of all recurrences) underwent resection. Median survival of the 197 patients after diagnosis of isolated recurrence was 14·7 months; it was longer in patients who underwent surgical resection than among those treated non-surgically (23·5 versus 12·0 months; P = 0·014). Multivariable analysis showed that chemotherapy and resection for recurrence were associated with better prognosis. Median survival after recurrence was longest in the 23 patients with isolated pulmonary recurrence (33·3 months). Survival after recurrence was better in patients who underwent resection of isolated recurrence in the remnant pancreas (median 28·0 versus 12·0 months, P = 0·010) and lung (median 36·5 versus 9·5 months; P = 0·010) than in those who did not undergo resection. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection may be considered an option for treatment of patients with isolated recurrent pancreatic cancer.

Assessment of liver cirrhosis for patients with Child's A classification before hepatectomy using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.

AIM: To determine the feasibility of semi-quantitative haemodynamic parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess liver fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five patients with Child's A classification (males/females=24/51; average age, 58 years; range, 30-80 years) received DCE-MRI 3 days prior to hepatectomy. Semi-quantitative haemodynamic parameters, including the wash-in slope, wash-out slope, and time-to-peak, were calculated from DCE-MRI data. Liver fibrosis of the resected non-tumour liver was graded pathologically from F0 (no fibrosis) to F6 (cirrhosis) in the regions corresponding to those assessed by DCE-MRI. RESULTS: The wash-out slope showed higher interobserver and intra-observer reliabilities than the wash-in slope and time-to-peak. There was a significant positive correlation between the wash-out slope and pathological grade of fibrosis (Spearman's correlation coefficient: r=0.5331, p<0.0001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.8066 when using the wash-out slope to differentiate cirrhosis (grade F6) from non-cirrhosis (grades F0-5). Using the cut-off point that maximised specificity, the sensitivity was 62.07%, specificity was 91.30%, positive predictive value was 81.81%, negative predictive value was 79.25%, and accuracy was 80%. CONCLUSIONS: The wash-out slope derived from DCE-MRI might be potentially useful in assessing liver cirrhosis in patients with Child's A classification before hepatectomy.

The epithelial zinc transporter ZIP10 epigenetically regulates human epidermal homeostasis by modulating histone acetyltransferase activity.

BACKGROUND: The skin is the first organ that manifests changes in response to zinc deficiency. However, the molecular mechanism underlying how zinc is involved in skin homeostasis, especially its epigenetic regulation, is largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: In this study we demonstrate the importance of zinc levels and the zinc transporter ZIP10 in the epigenetic maintenance of human epidermal homeostasis. METHODS: Adult human skin, including skin appendages, were stained with anti-ZIP10 antibody. Histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity was assessed after treating human keratinocytes with ZIP10 small interfering (si)RNAs or the zinc chelator TPEN. ZIP10- or HAT-regulated genes were analysed based on limma bioinformatics analysis for keratinocytes treated with ZIP10 siRNAs or a HAT inhibitor, or using a public database for transcription factors. A reconstituted human skin model was used to validate the role of ZIP10 in epidermal differentiation and the functional association between ZIP10 and HAT. RESULTS: ZIP10 is predominantly expressed in the interfollicular epidermis, epidermal appendages and hair follicles. ZIP10 depletion resulted in epidermal malformations in a reconstituted human skin model via downregulation of the activity of the epigenetic enzyme HAT. This decreased HAT activity, resulting from either ZIP10 depletion or treatment with the zinc chelator TPEN, was readily restored by zinc supplementation. Through bioinformatics analysis for gene sets regulated by knockdown of SLC39A10 (encoding ZIP10) and HAT inhibition, we demonstrated that ZIP10 and HATs were closely linked with the regulation of genes related to epidermal homeostasis, particularly filaggrin and metallothionein. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that ZIP10-mediated zinc distribution is crucial for epidermal homeostasis via HATs. Therefore, zinc-dependent epigenetic regulation could provide alternatives to maintaining healthy skin or alleviating disorders with skin barrier defects.

Banff Lung Report: Current knowledge and future research perspectives for diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary antibody-mediated rejection (AMR).

The Lung session of the 2017 14th Banff Foundation for Allograft Pathology Conference, Barcelona focused on the multiple aspects of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) in lung transplantation. Multidimensional approaches for AMR diagnosis, including classification, histological and immunohistochemical analysis, and donor- specific antibody (DSA) characterization with their current strengths and limitations were reviewed in view of recent research. The group also discussed the role of tissue gene expression analysis in the context of unmet needs in lung transplantation. The current best practice for monitoring of AMR and the therapeutic approach are summarized and highlighted in this report. The working group reached consensus of the major gaps in current knowledge and focused on the unanswered questions regarding pulmonary AMR. An important outcome of the meeting was agreement on the need for future collaborative research projects to address these gaps in the field of lung transplantation.

Investigation of multifilament MgB2 superconducting joint technique for development of MRI magnets.

This study presents the investigation of superconducting joints fabricated using multifilament magnesium diboride (MgB2) wires for the development of persistent-current mode magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets. The critical current of the jointed samples decreased with increasing cutting angle because the smaller cutting angle allowed greater exposure of the MgB2 filament, thereby increasing the contact area for the wire-bulk-wire connection. In addition, an appropriate pressing pressure (300 MPa) was necessary to establish the multifilament MgB2 joint without significant degradation of superconducting properties. The resistance of the optimal MgB2 joint, measured using the field-decay technique, was <1.5 × 10-14 Ω. Therefore, the proposed joint technique can be employed for developing multifilament MgB2 MRI magnets operating in the persistent-current mode.

Probiotic supplementation increases obesity with no detectable effects on liver fat or gut microbiota in obese Hispanic adolescents: a 16-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have shown that there are links between obesity, liver fat and the gut microbiome. However, there are mixed results on whether probiotics could impact the gut microbiome and/or help to decrease liver fat and obesity outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether a probiotic supplement (VSL#3® ) intervention altered gut microbiota and/or gut hormones associated with appetite regulation. The secondary aim of this study was to determine whether VSL#3® altered body composition and liver fat and fibrosis. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial in 19 obese Latino adolescents. The intervention consisted of three packets per day of VSL#3® or a matched placebo for 16 weeks. Pre-intervention and post-intervention measures included gut microbial abundance, gut appetite regulating hormones, anthropometrics, body composition, liver fat and liver fibrosis. We conducted linear models to determine whether there were any significant differences in the changes in these outcomes following VSL#3® intervention. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, adolescents that received VSL#3 had significant increases in total adiposity (%) (+1.7 ± 0.6 vs. -1.3 ± 0.5, p < 0.01) and trunk adiposity (%) (+3.3 ± 0.8 vs. -1.8 ± 0.8, p < 0.01) with no significant effects on liver fat/fibrosis, insulin/glucose, gut microbial abundances or gut hormones. CONCLUSION: VSL#3 supplementation may lead to increased adiposity in obese Latino adolescents with no significant detectable changes in gut microbiota, gut appetite-regulating hormones, liver fat and fibrosis and dietary intake. However, it is important to note that recruitment efforts were terminated early and the sample size fell short of what was planned for this trial.

Highly Dispersible Buckled Nanospring Carbon Nanotubes for Polymer Nano Composites.

We propose the unique structure of highly dispersible single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in various solvents and polymers using the ZnO nano particle template. Buckled nanospring-shaped carbon nanotubes (NS-CNTs) were synthesized by a chemical reaction of ZnO nanoparticles with acid-treated SWCNTs and then dissolving ZnO through chemical etching. The unique structure of distorted hexagonal NS-CNTs encircled around ZnO nanoparticles was formed by the bending of SWCNTs caused by the agglomeration of chemically adsorbed Zn(OH)2, which is further crystallized as the polycrystalline ZnO inner core. The highly dispersible NS-CNTs could be incorporated in the poly[(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene] [P(VDF-TrFE)] copolymer, one of widely studied ferro- and piezo-electric polymer, up to the value of 15 wt% as nanofillers. The relative dielectric constant (K) of polymer nanocomposite, at 1 kHz, was greatly enhanced from 12.7 to the value of 62.5 at 11 wt% of NS-CNTs, corresponding to a 492% increase compared to that of pristine P(VDF-TrFE) with only a small dielectric loss tangent (D) of 0.1.

Note: Progress on the use of MgB2 superconducting joint technique for the development of MgB2 magnets for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

This note presents a superconducting joint technique for the development of MgB2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets. The MgB2 superconducting joint was fabricated by a powder processing method using Mg and B powders to establish a wire-bulk-wire connection. The joint resistance measured using a field-decay method was <10-14 Ω, demonstrating that the proposed joint technique could be employed for developing "next-generation" MgB2 MRI magnets operating in the persistent current mode.

Improving molecular testing and personalized medicine in non-small-cell lung cancer in Ontario.

BACKGROUND: Although molecular testing has become standard in managing advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc), most patients undergo minimally invasive procedures, and the diagnostic tumour specimens available for testing are usually limited. A knowledge translation initiative to educate diagnostic specialists about sampling techniques and laboratory processes was undertaken to improve the uptake and application of molecular testing in advanced lung cancer. METHODS: A multidisciplinary panel of physician experts including pathologists, respirologists, interventional thoracic radiologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists developed a specialty-specific education program, adapting international clinical guidelines to the local Ontario context. Expert recommendations from the program are reported here. RESULTS: Panel experts agreed that specialists procuring samples for lung cancer diagnosis should choose biopsy techniques that maximize tumour cellularity, and that conservation strategies to maximize tissue for molecular testing should be used in tissue processing. The timeliness of molecular reporting can be improved by pathologist-initiated reflex testing upon confirmation of nonsquamous nsclc and by prompt transportation of specimens to designated molecular diagnostic centres. To coordinate timely molecular testing and optimal treatment, collaboration and communication between all clinicians involved in diagnosing patients with advanced lung cancer are mandatory. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge transfer to diagnostic lung cancer specialists could potentially improve molecular testing and treatment for advanced lung cancer patients.