Shell-by-Shell functionalized nanoparticles as radiosensitizers and radioprotectors in radiation therapy of cancer cells and tumor spheroids.

Shell-by-Shell (SbS)-functionalized NPs can be tailor-made by combining a metal oxide NP core of choice with any desired phosphonic acids and amphiphiles as 1st or 2nd ligand shell building blocks. The complementary composition of such highly hierarchical structures makes them interesting candidates for various biomedical applications, as certain active ingredients can be incorporated into the structure. Here, we used TiO and CoFeO NPs as drug delivery tools and coated them with a hexadecylphosphonic acid and with hexadecyl ammonium phenolates (caffeate, p-coumarate, ferulate), that possess anticancer as well as antioxidant properties.

Conversational presentation mode increases credibility judgements during information search with ChatGPT.

People increasingly use large language model (LLM)-based conversational agents to obtain information. However, the information these models provide is not always factually accurate. Thus, it is critical to understand what helps users adequately assess the credibility of the provided information.

Digital clinical empathy in a live chat: multiple findings from a formative qualitative study and usability tests.

Background: Clinical empathy is considered a crucial element in patient-centered care. The advent of digital technology in healthcare has introduced new dynamics to empathy which needs to be explored in the context of the technology, particularly within the context of written live chats. Given the growing prevalence of written live chats, this study aimed to explore and evaluate techniques of digital clinical empathy within a familial cancer-focused live chat, focusing on how health professionals can (a) understand, (b) communicate, and (c) act upon users' perspectives and emotional states.

Acriflavine-Functionalized Silica@Manganese Ferrite Nanostructures for Synergistic Radiation and Hypoxia Therapies.

Mesoporous and nonmesoporous SiO@MnFeO nanostructures were loaded with the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 inhibitor acriflavine for combined radiation and hypoxia therapies. The X-ray irradiation of the drug-loaded nanostructures not only triggered the release of the acriflavine inside the cells but also initiated an energy transfer from the nanostructures to surface-adsorbed oxygen to generate singlet oxygen. While the drug-loaded mesoporous nanostructures showed an initial drug release before the irradiation, the drug was primarily released upon X-ray radiation in the case of the nonmesoporous nanostructures.

[Nursing experts in primary care of chronically ill persons: Insights into an ongoing project].

Nursing experts in primary care of chronically ill persons: Insights into an ongoing project The project HandinHand develops and tries out a new interprofessional form of care for chronically ill persons. On referral by the attending doctors, nursing experts visit chronically ill persons older than 60 years on a regular basis. In this framework a clinical supervision takes place and is complemented by a promotion of health and self-management competencies of the patients.

X-ray Dose-Enhancing Impact of Functionalized Au-FeO Nanoheterodimers on MCF-7 and A549 Multicellular Tumor Spheroids.

The efficiency of nanoparticle-enhanced radiotherapy was studied by loading MCF-7 and A549 multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs) with caffeic acid- and nitrosonium-functionalized Au-FeO nanoheterodimers (Au-FeO NHDs). Transmission electron microscope images of MCTS cross-sectional sections visualized the invasion and distribution of the nitrosonium- and caffeic acid-functionalized Au-FeO NHDs (NO- and CA-NHDs) in the A549 and MCF-7 MCTSs, whereas the iron content of the MCTSs were quantified using the ferrozine assay. The synergistic impact of intracellular NO- and CA-NHDs and X-ray irradiation on the growth dynamics of the A549 and MCF-7 MCTSs was surveyed by monitoring their temporal evolution under a light microscope over a period of 14 days.

Pt-FeO, Pd-FeO, and Au-FeO Nanoheterodimers and Their Efficacy as Radiosensitizers in Cancer Therapy.

The X-radiation enhancing effect of caffeic acid-functionalized Au-FeO, Pt-FeO, and Pd-FeO nanoheterodimers (NHDs) on 2D and 3D breast tumor (MCF-7) and healthy breast epithelial (MCF-10A) cells was comprehensively examined by performing cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, enzyme activity, and clonogenic assays. Intracellular NHDs were observed to cause DNA fragmentation and to enhance superoxide and hydroxyl radical formation in MCF-7 cells when exposed to a single dose of 1 Gy. MCF-7-derived multicellular tumor spheroids (MCF-7 MCTS) and MCF-10A-derived multicellular spheroids (MCF-10A MCS) were incubated with the NHDs and irradiated with five daily doses of 2 Gy.

Caffeic Acid, Quercetin and 5-Fluorocytidine-Functionalized Au-FeO Nanoheterodimers for X-ray-Triggered Drug Delivery in Breast Tumor Spheroids.

Au-FeO nanoheterodimers (NHD) were functionalized with the natural and synthetic anticancer drugs caffeic acid (CA), quercetin (Q) and 5-fluorocytidine (5FC). Their X-radiation dose-enhancing potential and chemotherapeutic efficacy for bimodal cancer therapy were investigated by designing multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS) to in vitro avascular tumor models. MCTS were grown from the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-10A.

Smart Shell-by-Shell Nanoparticles with Tunable Perylene Fluorescence in the Organic Interlayer.

A new series of shell-by-shell (SbS)-functionalized Al O nanoparticles (NPs) containing a perylene core in the organic interlayer as a fluorescence marker is introduced. Initially, the NPs were functionalized with both, a fluorescent perylene phosphonic acid derivative, together with the lipophilic hexadecylphosphonic acid or the fluorophilic (1 H,1 H,2 H,2H-perfluorodecyl)phosphonic acid. The lipophilic first-shell functionalized NPs were further implemented with amphiphiles built of aliphatic chains and polar head-groups.

Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Drugs in Shell-by-Shell Coated Nanoparticles for Radio-and Chemotherapy-An In Vitro Study.

Our research objective was to develop novel drug delivery vehicles consisting of TiO and AlO nanoparticles encapsulated by a bilayer shell that allows the reversible embedment of hydrophobic drugs. The first shell is formed by covalent binding of hydrophobic phosphonic acid at the metal oxide surface. The second shell composed of amphiphilic sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate emerges by self-aggregation driven by hydrophobic interactions between the dodecylbenzene moiety and the hydrophobic first shell.

Bifunctional Au-FeO Nanoheterodimers Acting as X-ray Protector in Healthy Cells and as X-ray Enhancer in Tumor Cells.

Bifunctional Au-FeO nanoheterodimers were synthesized by thermally decomposing Fe(III)oleate on gold nanoparticles followed by functionalizing with tiron, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, or caffeic acid. These catechol derivatives are antioxidative and thus are predicted to function as superoxide scavengers. In particular, caffeic acid lost its antioxidant capacity, although it was covalently linked through its carboxyl moiety to the FeO surface.

Understanding the Role of Surface Charge in Cellular Uptake and X-ray-Induced ROS Enhancing of Au-FeO Nanoheterodimers.

Au-FeO nanoheterodimers were obtained by thermally decomposing iron oleate on presynthesized gold nanoparticles. Water solubility as well as surface charges were achieved by encapsulating the initially hydrophobic Au-FeO nanoheterodimers in a self-assembled bilayer shell formed either by 1-octadecylpyridinium, providing positive surface charges, or by 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonate, yielding a negatively charged surface. The surface charge and surface architecture were shown to control both the cellular entry and the intracellular trafficking of the Au-FeO nanoheterodimers.

NOBF-Functionalized Au-FeO Nanoheterodimers for Radiation Therapy: Synergy Effect Due to Simultaneous Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species Formation.

Snowman-shaped Au-FeO nanoheterodimers were synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron oleate on presynthesized Au nanoparticles. Subsequently performed ligand exchange with nitrosyl tetrafluoroborate provided water solubility and enabled X-ray-induced NO release. These Au-FeO nanoheterodimers combine high- Z material with catalytically active FeO surfaces and, moreover, plasmonic properties with superparamagnetic performance.

APTES-Terminated ultrasmall and iron-doped silicon nanoparticles as X-Ray dose enhancer for radiation therapy.

Silicon nanoparticles with sizes between were synthesized through wet-chemistry procedures using diverse phase transfer reagents. On the other hand, the preparation of iron-doped silicon nanoparticles was carried out using the precursor NaSi containing 5% Fe. Biocompatibility of all silicon nanoparticle samples was achieved by surface-stabilizing with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane.

Bulbous gold-carbon nanodot hybrid nanoclusters for cancer therapy.

Assemblies of inorganic nanoparticles and carbon nanodots have emerged as promising candidates for hybrid materials in biomedical applications. In this work, the formation and properties of gold nanoparticles synthesized with the aid of carbon nanodots (CND) as reducing/stabilizing agents was investigated. Through careful modification of the reaction conditions, such as precursor concentrations and temperature, the size and shape of the particles can be controlled.

[How to Classify and Evaluate Complementary and Alternative Medicines in Oncology].

There are a vast number of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in oncology. Also patients' needs for information on these methods are growing. Helping patients to classify and evaluate CAM methods is a challenge.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as novel X-ray enhancer for low-dose radiation therapy.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with a mixed phase composition (γ-Fe2O3)(1-x)(Fe3O4)x and sizes between 9 and 20 nm were synthesized via coprecipitation and were either left uncoated or subsequently surface-stabilized with citrate or malate anions. The sizes, morphology, surface chemistry, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and superconducting quantum interference device measurements, respectively. Cellular uptake and intracellular distribution in normal tissue and tumor cells were verified by TEM images.

Oxidized silicon nanoparticles for radiosensitization of cancer and tissue cells.

The applicability of ultrasmall uncapped and aminosilanized oxidized silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs and NH2-SiNPs) as radiosensitizer was studied by internalizing these nanoparticles into human breast cancer (MCF-7) and mouse fibroblast cells (3T3) that were exposed to X-rays at a single dose of 3 Gy. While SiNPs did not increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in X-ray treated cells, the NH2-SiNPs significantly enhanced the ROS formation. This is due to the amino functionality as providing positive surface charges in aqueous environment.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as radiosensitizer via enhanced reactive oxygen species formation.

Internalization of citrate-coated and uncoated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles by human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells was verified by transmission electron microscopy imaging. Cytotoxicity studies employing metabolic and trypan blue assays manifested their excellent biocompatibility. The production of reactive oxygen species in iron oxide nanoparticle loaded MCF-7 cells was explained to originate from both, the release of iron ions and their catalytically active surfaces.

[18F]desmethoxyfallypride as a novel PET radiotracer for quantitative in vivo dopamine D2/D3 receptor imaging in rat models of neurodegenerative diseases.

Introduction: [(18)F]desmethoxyfallypride ([(18)F]DMFP) is a promising tracer for longitudinal assessment of striatal dopamine D2/D3-receptor (D2R) availability by positron emission tomography (PET) in small animal models. We explored the feasibility of [(18)F]DMFP-PET to image D2R availability in rat models of Huntington's (HD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: Animals received either unilateral intrastriatal quinolinic acid lesions or medial forebrain bundle injections of 6-OHDA to produce the loss of striatal projection neurones or deplete the striatal dopamine, corresponding to established animal models for HD and PD, respectively.

Computer-aided recording of automatic endoscope washing and disinfection processes as an integral part of medical documentation for quality assurance purposes.

Background: The reprocessing of medical endoscopes is carried out using automatic cleaning and disinfection machines. The documentation and archiving of records of properly conducted reprocessing procedures is the last and increasingly important part of the reprocessing cycle for flexible endoscopes.

Methods: This report describes a new computer program designed to monitor and document the automatic reprocessing of flexible endoscopes and accessories in fully automatic washer-disinfectors; it does not contain nor compensate the manual cleaning step.

[Contribute of functional magnetic resonance imaging to the understanding of psychiatric disorders].

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been shown to be a very useful tool to do research on psychiatric disorders, validating psychotherapeutical interventions, medication as well as disorder-specific deficits. The field of fMRI-research is examining the potential of identifying differences of activity between brains of clinical, subclinical and healthy subjects. The design of such research is drawn to evaluate the average activation to different conditions.

Adaptation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to various conditions includes tRNA-dependent formation of alanyl-phosphatidylglycerol.

The opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa synthesizes significant amounts of an additional phospholipid, identified as 2' alanyl-phosphatidylglycerol (A-PG), when exposed to acidic growth conditions. At pH 5.3 A-PG contributed up to 6% to the overall lipid content of the bacterium.

Abnormal short latency afferent inhibition in early Alzheimer's disease: a transcranial magnetic demonstration.

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) appears to involve several different mechanisms, the most consistent of which is an impairment of cholinergic neurotransmission; however, there is controversy about its relevance at the early stage of disease. A transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocol based on coupling peripheral nerve stimulation with motor cortex TMS (short latency afferent inhibition, SAI) may give direct information about the function of some cholinergic pathways in the human motor cortex. We evaluated SAI in a group of patients with early diagnosis of AD and compared the data with that from a control group.