To Screen or not to Screen: Low Dose Computed Tomography in Comparison to Chest Radiography or Usual Care in Reducing Morbidity and Mortality from Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers. This paper seeks to address the question: Can the mortality of lung cancer be decreased by screening with low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) in higher risk patients compared to chest X-rays (CXR) or regular patient care? Currently, CXR screening is recommended for certain high-risk patients. Several recent trials have examined the effectiveness of LDCT versus chest radiography or usual care as a control.

DNA micelle flares for intracellular mRNA imaging and gene therapy.

Multifunctional DNA micelles: Molecular beacon micelle flares (MBMFs), based on diacyllipid-molecular beacon conjugate (L-MB) self-assembly, have been developed for combined mRNA detection and gene therapy. The advantages of these micelle flares include easy probe synthesis, efficient cellular uptake, enhanced enzymatic stability, high signal-to-background ratio, excellent target selectivity, and superior biocompatibility. In addition, these probes possess a hydrophobic cavity that can be used for additional hydrophobic agents, holding great promise for constructing an all-in-one nucleic acid probe.