Increased cell killing effect in neutron capture enhanced proton beam therapy.

Thermal neutrons generated in the body during proton beam therapy (PBT) can be used to cause boron neutron capture reactions and have recently been proposed as neutron capture enhanced PBT (NCEPBT). However, the cell killing effect of NCEPBT remains underexplored. Here, we show an increase in the cell killing effect of NCEPBT.

Variability in non-tumor areas of colorectal cancer patients as revealed by endoscopic intestinal step biopsies.

A comprehensive endoscopic small and large intestinal untargeted step biopsy procedure was conducted to compare gene expression between the normal intestinal mucosa of healthy individuals and that of patients with colorectal tumors. From 78 participants (healthy individuals [n = 17], patients with colorectal conventional adenomas [n = 6], patients with Tis-T1 colorectal cancer [n = 41], patients with T2-4 colorectal cancer [n = 14]), biopsies of normal mucosa of the terminal ileum, right-sided colon (cecum and ascending colon), and left-sided colorectum (descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum) were obtained using a lower gastrointestinal endoscope. RNA was extracted from all samples, and total transcriptome sequencing was performed.

Development of a localized surface plasmon-enhanced electron beam-pumped nanoscale light source for electron beam excitation-assisted optical microscopy.

We have demonstrated localized surface plasmon (LSP)-enhanced cathodoluminescence (CL) from an atomic layer deposition (ALD)-grown Al2O3/ZnO/Al2O3 heterostructure to develop a bright nanometer-scale light source for an electron beam excitation-assisted (EXA) optical microscope. Three types of metals, Ag, Al, and Au, were compared, and an 181-fold enhancement of CL emission was achieved with Ag nanoparticles (NPs), with the plasmon resonance wavelength close to the emission wavelength energy of ZnO. The enhanced emission is plausibly attributed to LSP/exciton coupling.

Treatment plan quality for stereotactic treatment of multiple cranial metastases: Comparison of C-arm and O-ring treatment platforms.

C-arm linacs have been used widely to treat multiple cranial metastases using stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). A new generation of O-ring linacs offer several workflow advantages when compared to C-arm platforms. However, O-ring linacs are not able to employ couch rotations for noncoplanar beams used in SRS treatments.