The Tumor Fraction Estimated by Rapid On-Site Evaluation Is Useful for Assessing the Suitability of Biopsy Specimens for Multiplex Genetic Testing.

Introduction: Multiplex genetic testing (MGT) has become the mainstream method for genetic mutation testing in the field of lung cancer treatment, but the suitability criteria for MGT biopsy specimens are stringent. Although rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) is considered a useful method for obtaining the suitable biopsy specimens for MGT, no direct comparisons of ROSE and MGT are available. In this study, we first evaluated the accuracy of MGT and ROSE in our hospital.

Non-invasive hERG channel screening based on electrical impedance tomography and extracellular voltage activation (EIT-EVA).

hERG channel screening has been achieved based on electrical impedance tomography and extracellular voltage activation (EIT-EVA) to improve the non-invasive aspect of drug discovery. EIT-EVA screens hERG channels by considering the change in extracellular ion concentration which modifies the extracellular resistance in cell suspension. The rate of ion passing in cell suspension is calculated from the extracellular resistance , which is obtained from the EIT measurement at a frequency of 500 kHz.

A noise-controlling method by hybrid current-stimulation and voltage-measurement for electrical impedance tomography (HCSVM-EIT).

Image reconstruction in electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a typical ill-posed inverse problem, from which the stability of conductivity reconstruction affects the reliability of physiological parameters evaluation. In order to improve the stability, the effect of boundary voltage noise on conductivity reconstruction should be controlled. A noise-controlling method based on hybrid current-stimulation and voltage-measurement for EIT (HCSVM-EIT) is proposed for stable conductivity reconstruction.

"I Want My Loved One Back Virtually": Exploring the Desire of Bereaved People to Create and Maintain Digital Bonds With Their Deceased Loved Ones.

With the rapid development of digital technology in recent years, virtual funerals and the reproduction of deceased persons in digital spaces have become possible. However, few empirical studies have been conducted on this topic. This study assessed the attitudes of bereaved people toward digital bonds with their deceased relatives, and explored related factors.

A High Accuracy Voltage Approximation Model Based on Object-oriented Sensitivity Matrix Estimation (OO-SME Model) in Electrical Impedance Tomography.

The image reconstruction in electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has low accuracy due to the approximation error between the measured voltage change and the approximated voltage change, from which the object cannot be accurately reconstructed and quantitatively evaluated. A voltage approximation model based on object-oriented sensitivity matrix estimation (OO-SME model) is proposed to reconstruct the image with high accuracy. In the OO-SME model, a sensitivity matrix of the object-field is estimated, and the sensitivity matrix change from the background-field to the object-field is estimated to optimize the approximated voltage change, from which the approximation error is eliminated to improve the reconstruction accuracy.

Non-invasive imaging of ion concentration distribution around cell spheroids by electrical impedance tomographic sensor printed on circuit board under temporal compensation by ion transport impedance model.

A non-invasive imaging called as PCB-EIT imaging has been proposed in order to image spatio-temporal ion concentration distribution around cell spheroids in 0.1 s of temporal resolution by a newly developed electrical impedance tomographic sensor printed on circuit board (PCB-EIT sensor). To realize the high temporal resolution in PCB-EIT imaging, the temporal compensation by the ion transport impedance model interpolating the extracted resistance of extracellular solution R obtained from the Cole-Cole equation is employed.

Study of transmembrane ion transport under tonicity imbalance using a combination of low frequency-electrical impedance spectroscopy (LF-EIS) and improved ion transport model.

Transmembrane ion transport under tonicity imbalance has been investigated using a combination of low frequency-electrical impedance spectroscopy (LF-EIS) and improved ion transport model, by considering the cell diameter[m] and the initial intracellular ion concentration[mM] as a function of tonicity expressed by sucrose concentration[mM]. The transmembrane ion transport is influenced by extracellular tonicity conditions, leading to a facilitation/inhibition of ion passage through the cell membrane. The transmembrane transport coefficient[m s], which represents the ability of transmembrane ion transport, is calculated by the extracellular ion concentrations obtained by improved ion transport model and LF-EIS measurement.

Simultaneous electrical online estimation of changes in blood hematocrit and temperature in cardiopulmonary bypass.

Two equations have been developed from multi-frequency measurements of blood impedance Z for a simultaneous electrical online estimation of changes in blood hematocrit ΔH [%] and temperatures ΔT [K] in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Z of fixed blood volumes at varying H and T were measured by an impedance analyzer and changes in blood conductivity σ and relative permittivity ε computed. Correlation analysis were based on changes in σ with H or T at f = 1 MHz while H and T equations were developed by correlating changes in ε with H and T at dual frequencies of f = 1 MHz and f = 10 MHz which best capture blood plasma Z and red blood cell cytoplasm Z impedances respectively.

viscoelastic properties estimation in subcutaneous adipose tissue by integration of poroviscoelastic-mass transport model (pve-MTM) into wearable electrical impedance tomography (w-EIT).

viscoelastic properties have been estimated in human subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) by integration of poroviscoelastic-mass transport model (-MTM) into wearable electrical impedance tomography (-EIT) under the influence of external compressive pressure-P.The-MTM predicts the ion concentration distributioncmod(t)by coupling the poroviscoelastic and mass transport model to describe the hydrodynamics, rheology, and transport phenomena inside SAT. The-EIT measures the time-difference conductivity distribution∆γ(t)in SAT resulted from the ion transport.

Concentration profiles of ions and particles under hydrodynamic focusing in Y-shaped square microchannel.

Three-dimensional ion and particle concentrations under hydrodynamic focusing in a Y-shaped square microchannel are numerically simulated to clarify the decrease of the ion concentration along the flow direction within the focused particle stream. The simulation model is theoretically governed by the laminar flow and advection-diffusion equations. The governing equations are solved by the finite volume method.

Low-Frequency Impedance-Based Cell Discrimination Considering Ion Transport Model in Cell Suspension.

Low-frequency impedance-based (LFI) cell discrimination as a novel non-destructive and non-invasive cell discrimination is proposed. LFI cell discrimination discriminates the cell type by considering an ion transport model in cell suspension. Ion transport model in cell suspension is constructed on the basis of Fick's laws of diffusion in the extracellular region under ion permeability P which represents the characteristics of cell type.

Grief literacy: A call to action for compassionate communities.

The compassionate communities movement challenges the notion that death and dying should be housed within clinical and institutional contexts, and works to normalize conversations about death and dying by promoting death literacy and dialogue in public spaces. Community-based practices and conversations about grief remain marginal in this agenda. We aimed to theorize how grief could be better conceptualized and operationalized within the compassionate communities movement.

End-of-Life Activities Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Japan.

This study explored end-of-life (EOL) activities among community-dwelling Japanese older adults and the relationships between EOL activities and related variables. One hundred twenty-three older adults (38 men, 87 women; mean age = 72.54 years) who attended EOL seminars were surveyed regarding EOL activities, attitudes toward death, and mental health status.

Numerical Study of Enhancement of Positive Dielectrophoresis Particle Trapping in Electrode-Multilayered Microfluidic Device.

Enhancement of positive dielectrophoresis (pDEP) particle trapping by a co-occurring fluid flow under an ac electric field in an electrode-multilayered microfluidic device is investigated by three-dimensional particle-fluid flow simulations. The particle motion near one cross section of the microfluidic device is simulated under a zero flow condition by the Eulerian-Lagrangian method incorporating the ac electrothermal effect, thermal buoyancy, and dielectrophoresis. The mean trapping rate under the steady state R is evaluated from the simulated number of trapped particles N for 54 cases with four parameters: electrode excitation pattern, medium conductivity σ, applied voltage ϕ, and the real part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor Re[K(ω)].

A Herpesvirus Specific Motif of Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Polymerase Is Required for the Efficient Lytic Genome Synthesis.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with several malignancies, including Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. To overcome such disorders, understanding the molecular mechanisms of the EBV replication is important. The EBV DNA polymerase (Pol) is one of the essential factors for viral lytic DNA replication.

Contribution of myocyte enhancer factor 2 family transcription factors to BZLF1 expression in Epstein-Barr virus reactivation from latency.

Reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) from latency is dependent on expression of the viral transactivator BZLF1 protein, whose promoter (Zp) normally exhibits only low basal activity but is activated in response to chemical or biological inducers. Using a reporter assay system, we screened for factors that can activate Zp and isolated genes, including those encoding MEF2B, KLF4, and some cellular b-Zip family transcription factors. After confirming their importance and functional binding sites in reporter assays, we prepared recombinant EBV-BAC, in which the binding sites were mutated.

Interaction between basic residues of Epstein-Barr virus EBNA1 protein and cellular chromatin mediates viral plasmid maintenance.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome is episomally maintained in latently infected cells. The viral protein EBNA1 is a bridging molecule that tethers EBV episomes to host mitotic chromosomes as well as to interphase chromatin. EBNA1 localizes to cellular chromosomes (chromatin) via its chromosome binding domains (CBDs), which are rich in glycine and arginine residues.

Heat shock protein 90 inhibitors repress latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) expression and proliferation of Epstein-Barr virus-positive natural killer cell lymphoma.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) LMP1 is a major oncoprotein expressed in latent infection. It functions as a TNFR family member and constitutively activates cellular signals, such as NFκB, MAPK, JAK/STAT and AKT. We here screened small molecule inhibitors and isolated HSP90 inhibitors, Radicicol and 17-AAG, as candidates that suppress LMP1 expression and cell proliferation not only in EBV-positive SNK6 Natural Killer (NK) cell lymphoma cells, but also in B and T cells.