Characterization of a Syngeneic Orthotopic Model of Cholangiocarcinoma by [F]FDG-PET/MRI.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a type of primary liver cancer originating from the biliary tract epithelium, characterized by limited treatment options for advanced cases and low survival rates. This study aimed to establish an orthotopic mouse model for CCA and monitor tumor growth using PET/MR imaging. Murine CCA cells were implanted into the liver lobe of male C57BL/6J mice.

Defeatist performance beliefs in individuals with recent-onset schizophrenia: Relationships with cognition and negative symptoms.

Background: The cognitive model of negative symptoms of schizophrenia suggests that defeatist performance beliefs (DPB), or overgeneralized negative beliefs about one's performance, are an intermediary variable along the pathway from impaired neurocognitive performance to negative symptoms and functioning in daily life. Although reliable associations between these variables have been established in chronic schizophrenia, less is known about the nature of these relationships in recent-onset schizophrenia (ROSz). This current study tested the associations between DPB and variables in the cognitive model (neurocognitive performance, negative symptoms, functioning) as well as mediation by DPB of the association between neurocognitive performance and negative symptoms in ROSz.

Concepts of Cardiac Dyssynchrony and Dynamic Approach.

Cardiac conduction involves electrical activity from one myocyte to another, creating coordinated contractions in each. Disruptions in the conducting system, such as left bundle branch block (LBBB), can result in premature activation of specific regions of the heart, leading to heart failure and increased morbidity and mortality. Structural alterations in T-tubules and the sarcoplasmic reticulum can lead to dyssynchrony, a condition that can be treated by cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), which stands as a cornerstone in this pathology.

Functionalization of Ga-Radiolabeled Nanodiamonds with Octreotide Does Not Improve Tumor-Targeting Capabilities.

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are emerging as a novel nanoparticle class with growing interest in medical applications. The surface coating of NDs can be modified by attaching binding ligands or imaging probes, turning them into multi-modal targeting agents. In this investigation, we assessed the targeting efficacy of octreotide-functionalized Ga-radiolabelled NDs for cancer imaging and compared it with the tumor uptake using [Ga]Ga-DOTA-TOC.

Screen-printed interdigitated microelectrodes employment in dielectrophoretic manipulation of MWCNTs.

As key enablers of Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things, sensors are among the first devices which are to encounter fast physical transformation (from rigid to flexible) as of large-scale utilization of printing technologies. In order to step-up this process, adaptation of conventional fabrication technologies (based on metallization) employed in sensors' development should be tested and demonstrated.

Neutrophil extracellular traps induce persistent lung tissue damage via thromboinflammation without altering virus resolution in a mouse coronavirus model.

Background: During infection, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are associated with severity of pulmonary diseases such as acute respiratory disease syndrome. NETs induce subsequent immune responses, are directly cytotoxic to pulmonary cells, and are highly procoagulant. Anticoagulation treatment was shown to reduce in-hospital mortality, indicating thromboinflammatory complications.

[C]metoclopramide is a sensitive radiotracer to measure moderate decreases in P-glycoprotein function at the blood-brain barrier.

The efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) at the blood-brain barrier limits the cerebral uptake of various xenobiotics. To assess the sensitivity of [C]metoclopramide to measure decreased cerebral P-gp function, we performed [C]metoclopramide PET scans without (baseline) and with partial P-gp inhibition by tariquidar in wild-type, heterozygous and homozygous mice as models with controlled levels of cerebral P-gp expression. Brains were collected to quantify P-gp expression with immunohistochemistry.

Improving Printability of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with the Help of Plasma Pre-Treatment.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a potential candidate for the fabrication of flexible electronics devices and electronics with applications in various extreme environments, mainly due to its outstanding chemical and physical properties. However, to date, the utilization of PTFE in printing trials has been limited due to the material's low surface tension and wettability, which do not ensure good adhesion of the printing ink at the level of the substrate. Within this paper, successful printing of PTFE is realized after pre-treating the surface of the substrate with the help of dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma.

Effect of budesonide on pulmonary activity of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 assessed with PET imaging in rats.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) is a highly abundant efflux transporter in the lungs, which protects cells from toxins and oxidative stress and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis. There is evidence from in vitro studies that the inhaled glucocorticoid budesonide can inhibit MRP1 activity. We used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with 6-bromo-7-[C]methylpurine ([C]BMP), which is transformed in vivo into a radiolabeled MRP1 substrate, to assess whether intratracheally (i.

Positron Emission Tomography-Based Pharmacokinetic Analysis To Assess Renal Transporter-Mediated Drug-Drug Interactions of Antimicrobial Drugs.

Transporter-mediated drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are of concern in antimicrobial drug development, as they can have serious safety consequences. We used positron emission tomography (PET) imaging-based pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis to assess the effect of different drugs, which may cause transporter-mediated DDIs, on the tissue distribution and excretion of [F]ciprofloxacin as a radiolabeled model antimicrobial drug. Mice underwent PET scans after intravenous injection of [F]ciprofloxacin, without and with pretreatment with either probenecid (150 mg/kg), cimetidine (50 mg/kg), or pyrimethamine (5 mg/kg).

Influence of P-glycoprotein on pulmonary disposition of the model substrate [C]metoclopramide assessed by PET imaging in rats.

In the lungs, the membrane transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is expressed in the apical (i.e. lumen-facing) membrane of airway epithelial cells and in the luminal (blood-facing) membrane of pulmonary capillary endothelial cells.

Synthesis, radiolabeling, and preclinical in vivo evaluation of Ga-radiolabelled nanodiamonds.

Purpose: Nanodiamonds (NDs) represent a new class of nanoparticles and have gained increasing interest in medical applications. Modifying the surface coating by attaching binding ligands or imaging probes can transform NDs into multi-modal targeting probes. This study evaluated the biokinetics and biodistribution of Ga-radiolabelled NDs in a xenograft model.

HT-29 Colon Cancer Cell Electromanipulation and Assessment Based on Their Electrical Properties.

This study proposes a feasible approach for the rapid, sensitive, and label-free identification of cancerous cells based on dielectrophoretic (DEP) manipulation and electrical characterization. In this method, the concentration of target cells at the level of customized microelectrodes via DEP is first determined, followed by an electrical impedance evaluation. The study demonstrates the capacity of the methodology to electrically differentiate HT-29 cancer cells from healthy blood cells based on their impedance spectra.

PROSPECTS OF LASSA FEVER CANDIDATE VACCINES.

Background: Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease caused by the Lassa virus (LASV). It is endemic in West Africa and infects about 300,000 people each year, leading to approximately 5000 deaths annually. The development of the LASV vaccine has been listed as a priority by the World Health Organization since 2018.

Initial Psychometric Properties of 7 NeuroUX Remote Ecological Momentary Cognitive Tests Among People With Bipolar Disorder: Validation Study.

Background: As smartphone technology has become nearly ubiquitous, there is a growing body of literature suggesting that ecological momentary cognitive testing (EMCT) offers advantages over traditional pen-and-paper psychological assessment. We introduce a newly developed platform for the self-administration of cognitive tests in ecologically valid ways.

Objective: The aim of this study is to develop a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant EMCT smartphone-based platform for the frequent and repeated testing of cognitive abilities in everyday life.

Impact of P-gp and BCRP on pulmonary drug disposition assessed by PET imaging in rats.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) are two efflux transporters which are expressed in the apical (i.e. airway lumen-facing) membranes of lung epithelial cells.

Use of PET Imaging to Assess the Efficacy of Thiethylperazine to Stimulate Cerebral MRP1 Transport Activity in Wild-Type and APP/PS1-21 Mice.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1, encoded by the gene) may contribute to the clearance of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides from the brain into the blood and stimulation of MRP1 transport activity may be a therapeutic approach to enhance brain Aβ clearance. In this study, we assessed the effect of thiethylperazine, an antiemetic drug which was shown to stimulate MRP1 activity in vitro and to decrease Aβ load in a rapid β-amyloidosis mouse model (APP/PS1-21), on MRP1 transport activity by means of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with the MRP1 tracer 6-bromo-7-[C]methylpurine. Groups of wild-type, APP/PS1-21 and mice underwent PET scans before and after a 5-day oral treatment period with thiethylperazine (15 mg/kg, once daily).

Characterization of an APP/tau rat model of Alzheimer's disease by positron emission tomography and immunofluorescent labeling.

Background: To better understand the etiology and pathomechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, several transgenic animal models that overexpress human tau or human amyloid-beta (Aβ) have been developed. In the present study, we generated a novel transgenic rat model by cross-breeding amyloid precursor protein (APP) rats with tau rats. We characterized this model by performing positron emission tomography scans combined with immunofluorescent labeling and cerebrospinal fluid analyses.

Relationships between daily mood states and real-time cognitive performance in individuals with bipolar disorder and healthy comparators: A remote ambulatory assessment study.

Objective: Neuropsychological impairments are observed in individuals with Bipolar Disorder (BD), yet knowledge of how cognitive deficits unfold in real-time remains limited. Given intraindividual variability in mood observed in people with BD, and the potential for mood and cognition to be mutually influential, we employed ambulatory assessment technologies to examine potential contemporaneous (same survey) and lagged (next survey) relationships of congition and mood.

Methods: Outpatients with BD (n = 46) or no psychiatric disorders (heathy volunteers [HV]; n = 20) completed in-laboratory neurobehavioral assessments and 14 days of smartphone-administered mobile cognitive tests and ratings of affective variables.

Assessing the Functional Redundancy between P-gp and BCRP in Controlling the Brain Distribution and Biliary Excretion of Dual Substrates with PET Imaging in Mice.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) are co-localized at the blood-brain barrier, where they display functional redundancy to restrict the brain distribution of dual P-gp/BCRP substrate drugs. We used positron emission tomography (PET) with the metabolically stable P-gp/BCRP substrates [C]tariquidar, [C]erlotinib, and [C]elacridar to assess whether a similar functional redundancy as at the BBB exists in the liver, where both transporters mediate the biliary excretion of drugs. Wild-type, , , and mice underwent dynamic whole-body PET scans after i.