Real time contrast enhanced ultrasonography in detection of liver metastases from gastrointestinal cancer

Background: Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is an imaging technique which appeared on the market around the year 2000 and proposed for the detection of liver metastases in gastrointestinal cancer patients, a setting in which accurate staging plays a significant role in the choice of treatment. Methods: A total of 109 patients with colorectal (n = 92)or gastric cancer prospectively underwent computed tomography (CT) scan and conventional US evaluation followed by real time CEUS. A diagnosis of metastases was made by CT or, for lesions not visibile at CT, the diagnosis was achieved by histopathology or by a malignant behavior during follow-up. Results: Of 109 patients, 65 were found to have metastases at presentation. CEUS improved sensitivity in metastatic livers from 76.9% of patients (US) to 95.4% (p < 0.01), while CT scan reached 90.8% (p = n.s. vs CEUS, p < 0.01 vs US). CEUS and CT were more sensitive than US also for detection of single lesions (87 with US, 122 with CEUS, 113 with CT). In 15 patients (13.8%), CEUS revealed more metastases than CT, while CT revealed more metastases than CEUS in 9 patients (8.2%) (p = n.s.). Conclusion: CEUS is more sensitive than conventional US in the detection of liver metastases and could be usefully employed in the staging of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Findings at CEUS and CT appear to be complementary in achieving maximum sensitivity. © 2007 Piscaglia et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Exome sequencing of 20,979 individuals with epilepsy reveals shared and distinct ultra-rare genetic risk across disorder subtypes

Identifying genetic risk factors for highly heterogeneous disorders like epilepsy remains challenging. Here, we present the largest whole-exome sequencing study of epilepsy to date, with >54,000 human exomes, comprising 20,979 deeply phenotyped patients from multiple genetic ancestry groups with diverse epilepsy subtypes and 33,444 controls, to investigate rare variants that confer disease risk. These analyses implicate seven individual genes, three gene sets, and four copy number variants at exome-wide significance. Genes encoding ion channels show strong association with multiple epilepsy subtypes, including epileptic encephalopathies, generalized and focal epilepsies, while most other gene discoveries are subtype-specific, highlighting distinct genetic contributions to different epilepsies. Combining results from rare single nucleotide/short indel-, copy number-, and common variants, we offer an expanded view of the genetic architecture of epilepsy, with growing evidence of convergence among different genetic risk loci on the same genes. Top candidate genes are enriched for roles in synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability, particularly postnatally and in the neocortex. We also identify shared rare variant risk between epilepsy and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Our data can be accessed via an interactive browser, hopefully facilitating diagnostic efforts and accelerating the development of follow-up studies

GWAS meta-analysis of over 29,000 people with epilepsy identifies 26 risk loci and subtype-specific genetic architecture

Epilepsy is a highly heritable disorder affecting over 50 million people worldwide, of which about one-third are resistant to current treatments. Here we report a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study including 29,944 cases, stratified into three broad categories and seven subtypes of epilepsy, and 52,538 controls. We identify 26 genome-wide significant loci, 19 of which are specific to genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE). We implicate 29 likely causal genes underlying these 26 loci. SNP-based heritability analyses show that common variants explain between 39.6% and 90% of genetic risk for GGE and its subtypes. Subtype analysis revealed markedly different genetic architectures between focal and generalized epilepsies. Gene-set analyses of GGE signals implicate synaptic processes in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the brain. Prioritized candidate genes overlap with monogenic epilepsy genes and with targets of current antiseizure medications. Finally, we leverage our results to identify alternate drugs with predicted efficacy if repurposed for epilepsy treatment

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) for Echographic Detection of Hepato Cellular Carcinoma in Cirrhotic Patients Previously Treated with Multiple Techniques: Comparison of Conventional US, Spiral CT and 3-Dimensional CEUS with Navigator Technique (3DNav CEUS)

A commercially available technique named “NAVIGATOR” (Esaote, Italy) easily enables a 3-D reconstruction of a single 2-D acquisition of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) imaging of the whole liver (with a volumetric correction thanks to the electromagnetic device of NAVIGATOR). Aim of the study was to evaluate this “panoramic” technique in comparison with conventional US and spiral CT in the detection of new hepatic lesions. 144 cirrhotic patients (previously treated for hepato cellular carcinoma (HCC)) in follow-up with detection of 98 new nodules (N), 28 multinodular (Nmulti), 14 loco-regional regrowth (LR) 94 efficaciously treated without new nodules (neg) and four multinodular without new nodules, were submitted to 200 examinations with this new technique from November 2008 to November 2009. 3DNavCEUS was performed using SonoVue (Bracco), as contrast agent, and a machine (Technos MPX, Esaote). Spiral CT and 3DNav CEUS were performed in the same month during follow up. Sens.,Spec.,diagn.-Acc.,PPV and NPV were evaluated; comparison and differences between the techniques were obtained with chi-square (SPSS release-15). Final diagnosis was: 98 new lesions (N) (one to three), 28 multinodular HCC (Nmulti) and 14 loco-regional regrowth (LR); in 94 no more lesions were observed during follow-up; conventional US obtained: 58 N (+18 multinodularN and 8 LR), 40 false negative (+10 Nmulti and 6 LR) (sens:59.2, spec:100%, Diagn Accur:73.6, PPV:100; NPV:70.1); spiral CT obtained: 84N (+26-multinodularN and 14-LR), 14 false-negative (+2-Nmulti), and one false-positive (sens:85.7, spec:97.9%, Diagn Accur:90.9, PPV:97.7; NPV:86.8); 3DNAV obtained: 92N (+28 multinodularN and 14LR), 6 false-negative, and two false-positives (sens:93.9, spec:97.9%, Diagn Accur:95.6, PPV:97.9; NPV:93.9). 3-DNav CEUS is significantly better than US and almost similar to spiral CT for detection of new HCC. This technique, in particular, showed the presence of lesions even in the cases not detected with spiral CT

Chemically functionalized Eggs capsules of Sea Snail (ess) banded dye-murex for bioremediation applications

among materials proposed in literature to remediate the environment, biohybrid composites at the interface between material science, chemistry and biology are the most promising. In this paper, we first contemplate the use of porous capsules, released by marine murex snails after eggs hatching, as a natural matrix capable of adsorbing organic pollutants. This study starts to investigate chemical and morphological features of this envisaging, unexplored protein material. Then, the chemical topography of egg capsules has been potentiated via a surface decoration with the polyphenol gallic acid, leading to enhance the bioremediation potential of the final biohybrid material. This moiety helped to give a huge activation of the adsorption towards a specific organic pollutant: the drug Tetracycline. The bioorganic methodology begins with bioconjugation via direct targeting of the exposed Lysine residues with polyphenol moieties. The material was morphologically investigated via high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography (HR X-ray μ-CT), and characterized using Raman spectroscopy, Fourier Transformed Infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), micro-IR, elemental, and BET analysis, after the bioorganic decoration. For the in vitro environmental remediation test, Tetracycline was chosen as a model drug molecule, and the specific adsorption was tested concerning the mass of the investigated material, different pH conditions (considering limit values), till evaluating the recycle of the material. The functionalization efficiently sparked the properties of the starting material, leading to an increase in the biosorption of the model urban pharmaceutical pollutant Tetracycline. Compared to the natural material, the functionalized matrix showed a sorbing capacity 12.5 times higher, leading to the sorption of about 25 mmol of Tetracycline per g of sorbent. In addition, the functionalized material remained active up to 5 sorption cycles. This outcome represents an achievement made from the combination of natural materials and Nature inspired molecular moieties to act as efficient platforms for self-cleaning, leading to environmental remediation

Interplay between solid-state organization and optical properties of thin films of poly-arylene-vinylene and -difluorinated vinylene: Fullerene blends

Nowadays considerable efforts are devoted to the synthesis of low bandgap conjugated polymers for application in organic polymer solar cells. A large variety of low bandgap polymers are prepared by alternating copolymerization of electron-donating donor and electron-withdrawing acceptor units. The interaction between these two units can reduce the polymer bandgap, increasing the sunlight absorption. Benzothiadiazole is commonly used as acceptor block unit in low bandgap polymers. In this contribution we investigate the supramolecular organization and optical properties of thin films of conjugated polymers consisting of benzothiadiazole and thiophene with electron-withdrawing difluorovinylene, and electron-donating vinylene substituents. Atomic force microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry are exploited for the analysis of the morphology and optical transitions, respectively. It is found that F-atoms in the vinylene unit yield a blue-shift of the absorption peaks of 0.2 eV respect to the hydrogenated polymer and an increase in the absorption coefficient of fluorinated polymers, which indicates their potential application as photovoltaic material. The morphology evolution of the conjugated polymers blended with a fullerene derivate ([6,6]-phenyl C 61-butyric acid methyl ester, PCBM) is also investigated by atomic force microscopy. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Tailoring Optical Properties of Blue-Gap Poly(p-phenylene Vinylene)s for LEDs Applications

There has been growing interest in developing new semiconducting polymers for applications in optoelectronics (OLEDs) due to their exceptional processability and appealing characteristic of manipulating electronic and optical properties by tuning of molecular structure and self-assembling. This study is an investigation on the interplay among supermolecular organization and optical properties of thin films of the poly[2-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-5-methoxy]-1, 4-phenylenedifluorovinylene (MEH-PPDFV) conjugated polymer, which has fluorinated vinylene units. This interplay is elucidated exploiting atomic force microscopy, spectroscopy ellipsometry, photoluminescence and electroluminescence. Thin films of MEH-PPDFV have been deposited by drop casting on indium-tin-oxide (ITO), quartz and glass substrates. The dependence of polymer chains self-organization and morphology on substrate surface is presented. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the presence of F-atoms in the vinylene units of the MEH-PPDFV yields a blue optical band gap with the maximum of the fundamental HOMO-LUMO transition at 331 nm and photoluminescence at 458 nm. The OLED built with the above polymer shows a very stable blue-greenish electroluminescence that is also achieved at 504 nm. </jats:p

Interplay between solid-state organization and optical properties of thin films of poly-arylene-vinylene and -difluorinated vinylene: Fullerene blends

application in organic polymer solar cells. A large variety of low bandgap polymers are prepared by alternating copolymerization of electron-donating donor and electron-withdrawing acceptor units. The interaction between these two units can reduce the polymer bandgap, increasing the sunlight absorption. Benzothiadiazole is commonly used as acceptor block unit in low bandgap polymers. In this contribution we investigate the supramolecular organization and optical properties of thin films of conjugated polymers consisting of benzothiadiazole and thiophene with electron-withdrawing difluorovinylene, and electron-donating vinylene substituents. Atomic force microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry are exploited for the analysis of the morphology and optical transitions, respectively. It is found that F-atoms in the vinylene unit yield a blue-shift of the absorption peaks of 0.2 eV respect to the hydrogenated polymer and an increase in the absorption coefficient of fluorinated polymers, which indicates their potential application as photovoltaic material. The morphology evolution of the conjugated polymers blended with a fullerene derivate ([6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester, PCBM) is also investigated by atomic force microscopy.??