Rapid determination of chemical losses in a microplate bioassay using fluorescence spectroscopy.

The increase in production and innovation of chemicals that humans interface with has enhanced the need for rapid toxicity testing of new and existing chemicals. This need, along with efforts to reduce animal testing, has led to the development of high-throughput bioassays typically conducted in microplates. These bioassays offer time and resource advantages over traditional animal models; however, significant chemical losses can occur in microplates.

PAH bioremediation with Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC 21198: Impact of cell immobilization and surfactant use on PAH treatment and post-remediation toxicity.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are prevalent environmental contaminants that are harmful to ecological and human health. Bioremediation is a promising technique for remediating PAHs in the environment, however bioremediation often results in the accumulation of toxic PAH metabolites. The objectives of this research were to demonstrate the cometabolic treatment of a mixture of PAHs by a pure bacterial culture, Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC 21198, and investigate PAH metabolites and toxicity.

What matters most: Exploring the everyday lives of people with dementia.

Objectives: Research on what matters most to people with dementia is crucial for developing tailored interventions and support. This study explored how people with dementia experience their everyday lives, providing insight into what is important to them to live the best they can at home.

Methods: Inspired by a phenomenological approach, open interviews were conducted with 15 people with dementia, supplemented by home tours and walking interviews.

Influence of growth substrate and contaminant mixtures on the degradation of BTEX and MTBE by Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC strain 21198.

The degradation of the prevalent environmental contaminants benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) along with a common co-contaminant methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) by Rhodococcus rhodochrous ATCC Strain 21198 was investigated. The ability of 21198 to degrade these contaminants individually and in mixtures was evaluated with resting cells grown on isobutane, 1-butanol, and 2-butanol. Growth of 21198 in the presence of BTEX and MTBE was also studied to determine the growth substrate that best supports simultaneous microbial growth and contaminants degradation.

Fluorescent spectroscopy paired with parallel factor analysis for quantitative monitoring of phenanthrene biodegradation and metabolite formation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of environmental contaminants released into the environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources that are associated with carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic health effects. Many remediation strategies for the treatment of PAH contaminated material, including bioremediation, can lead to the formation of toxic transformation products. Analytical techniques for PAHs and PAH transformation products often require extensive sample preparation including solvent extraction and concentration, chromatographic separation, and mass spectrometry to identify and quantify compounds of interest.

Everyday Experiences of People Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Scoping Review.

Increasing attention has been paid to the 'voice' of people living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia, but there is a lack of clarity about how everyday life is perceived from this insider's perspective. This study aimed to explore the everyday life experiences, challenges and facilitators of individuals with MCI and dementia living at home. A scoping review of qualitative studies, guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers Manual, was conducted.

The chemistry and toxicology of vaping.

Vaping is the process of inhaling and exhaling an aerosol produced by an e-cigarette, vape pen, or personal aerosolizer. When the device contains nicotine, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the product as an electronic nicotine delivery system or ENDS device. Similar electronic devices can be used to vape cannabis extracts.

Characterization of a multi-pinhole molecular breast tomosynthesis scanner.

In recent years, breast imaging using radiolabelled molecules has attracted significant interest. Our group has proposed a multi-pinhole molecular breast tomosynthesis (MP-MBT) scanner to obtain 3D functional molecular breast images at high resolutions. After conducting extensive optimisation studies using simulations, we here present a first prototype of MP-MBT and evaluate its performance using physical phantoms.

Time-resolved imaging of prompt-gamma rays for proton range verification using a knife-edge slit camera based on digital photon counters.

Proton range monitoring may facilitate online adaptive proton therapy and improve treatment outcomes. Imaging of proton-induced prompt gamma (PG) rays using a knife-edge slit collimator is currently under investigation as a potential tool for real-time proton range monitoring. A major challenge in collimated PG imaging is the suppression of neutron-induced background counts.

Improved EMCCD gamma camera performance by SiPM pre-localization.

High spatial resolution γ-imaging can be achieved with scintillator readout by low-noise, fast, electron-multiplying charge-coupled devices (EMCCDs). Previously we have shown that false-positive events due to EMCCD noise can be rejected by using the sum signal from silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) mounted on the sides of the scintillator. Here we launch a next generation hybrid CCD-SiPM camera that utilizes the individual SiPM signals and maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) pre-localization of events to discriminate between true and false events in CCD frames.

Monolithic LaBr₃:Ce crystals on silicon photomultiplier arrays for time-of-flight positron emission tomography.

Positron emission tomography detectors based on monolithic scintillation crystals exhibit good spatial and energy resolution, intrinsically provide depth-of-interaction information, have high γ-photon capture efficiency, and may reduce the manufacturing costs compared to pixelated crystal arrays. Here, we present the characterization of a detector consisting of a 18.0 mm×16.

An enhanced high-resolution EMCCD-based gamma camera using SiPM side detection.

Electron-multiplying charge-coupled devices (EMCCDs) coupled to scintillation crystals can be used for high-resolution imaging of gamma rays in scintillation counting mode. However, the detection of false events as a result of EMCCD noise deteriorates the spatial and energy resolution of these gamma cameras and creates a detrimental background in the reconstructed image. In order to improve the performance of an EMCCD-based gamma camera with a monolithic scintillation crystal, arrays of silicon photon-multipliers (SiPMs) can be mounted on the sides of the crystal to detect escaping scintillation photons, which are otherwise neglected.

2D dosimetry in a proton beam with a scintillating GEM detector.

A two-dimensional position-sensitive dosimetry system based on a scintillating gas detector is being developed for pre-treatment verification of dose distributions in particle therapy. The dosimetry system consists of a chamber filled with an Ar/CF(4) scintillating gas mixture, inside which two gas electron multiplier (GEM) structures are mounted (Seravalli et al 2008b Med. Phys.

Characterization of a scintillating GEM detector with low energy x-rays.

A two-dimensional position-sensitive dosimetry system based on a scintillating gas detector is being developed with the aim of using it for pre-treatment verification of dose distributions in charged particle therapy. The dosimetry system consists of a chamber filled with an Ar/CF(4) scintillating gas mixture, inside which two cascaded gas electron multipliers (GEMs) are mounted. A GEM is a thin kapton foil with copper cladding structured with a regular pattern of sub-mm holes.

A scintillating gas detector for 2D dose measurements in clinical carbon beams.

A two-dimensional position sensitive dosimetry system based on a scintillating gas detector has been developed for pre-treatment verification of dose distributions in hadron therapy. The dosimetry system consists of a chamber filled with an Ar/CF4 scintillating gas mixture, inside which two cascaded gas electron multipliers (GEMs) are mounted. A GEM is a thin kapton foil with copper cladding structured with a regular pattern of sub-mm holes.

Automated classification of atherosclerotic plaque from magnetic resonance images using predictive models.

The information contained within multicontrast magnetic resonance images (MRI) promises to improve tissue classification accuracy, once appropriately analyzed. Predictive models capture relationships empirically, from known outcomes thereby combining pattern classification with experience. In this study, we examine the applicability of predictive modeling for atherosclerotic plaque component classification of multicontrast ex vivo MR images using stained, histopathological sections as ground truth.

Guidelines for the management of severe head injury: are emergency physicians following them?

Unlabelled: The Brain Trauma Foundation published "Guidelines for the Management of Severe Head Injury" in 1995. These evidence-based clinical guidelines (CGs) recommended against prophylactic hyperventilation and glucocorticoid use and advocated for aggressive blood pressure (BP) resuscitation, and the careful use of mannitol.

Objective: To survey Michigan emergency physicians (MEPs) to test their adherence to these guidelines.

The penetrance of head injury management guidelines into the practice patterns of michigan emergency physicians.

OBJECTIVE: The Brain Trauma Foundation published "Guidelines for the Management of Severe Head Injury" in 1996. These evidence based clinical guidelines (CGs) recommended against prophylactic hyperventilation and glucocorticoid use, and advocated for blood pressure (BP) resuscitation, and the careful use of mannitol in the event of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). We sought to measure the penetrance of these guidelines into the practice patterns of Michigan emergency physicians (MEPs).

Helicobacter pylori and ammonia concentrations of whole, parotid and submandibular/sublingual saliva.

The aim of this study was to determine the ammonia concentration in whole, parotid and submandibular/sublingual saliva of healthy volunteers using the indophenol direct method. It also investigated the hypothesis that higher saliva ammonia concentrations are associated with the presence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the oral cavity.

Quantification of liver iron concentration with magnetic resonance imaging by combining T1-, T2-weighted spin echo sequences and a gradient echo sequence.

Background: The aim of the study was to quantify hepatic iron by MRI for practical use.

Methods: In twenty-three patients with various degrees of iron overload, measurements were carried out with a 1.5 Tesla MR unit.

Molecular cloning, expression and physical mapping of the human methionine synthase reductase gene.

Methionine synthase reductase (EC 2.1.1.

Determination of ammonia in cerebrospinal fluid using the indophenol direct method.

We have determined ammonia in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with the indophenol direct method. The results were compared with an enzymatic method. The method is very simple, and precision (coefficient of variation 1.

Major clinical events, signs and severity assessment scores related to actual survival in patients who died from primary biliary cirrhosis. A long-term historical cohort study.

Background/aims: One of the prognostic methods for survival in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is the Mayo model, with a time-scale limited to 7 years. The aim of our study was to assess how major clinical events, signs, several severity assessment methods and Mayo survival probabilities fit in with actual patient survival, by using yearly observations until 0.5 years before patient death from PBC.