Expanding the Spectral Responsivity of Photodetectors via the Integration of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots and MEH-PPV Polymer Composite.

This study investigates the energy transfer mechanism between the organic polymer poly(2-methoxy-5(2'-ethyl)heroxyphenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) and CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots (CdSe/ZnS CSQDs). Additionally, a hybrid ZnO-based photodetector (PD) is fabricated using the composite of MEH-PPV and CdSe/ZnS CSQDs, aiming to gain deeper insights. The combination of MEH-PPV and CdSe/ZnS CSQDs facilitates a broad spectral response in PDs, spanning from the ultraviolet (UV) to the visible range.

Comprehensive assessment of proton plans with three different beam delivery systems for multiple brain metastases.

Purpose: To compare plan quality among photon volumetric arc therapy (VMAT), Gamma Knife, and three different proton beam modalities.

Methods: Fifty-five brain lesions from 20 patients were planned with three different proton spot size ranges of cyclotron-generated proton beams, CPBs (spot size σ: 2.7-7.

CAR T cell infiltration and cytotoxic killing within the core of 3D breast cancer spheroids under the control of antigen sensing in microwell arrays.

The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in blood cancers has intensified efforts to develop CAR T therapies for solid cancers. In the solid tumor microenvironment, CAR T cell trafficking and suppression of cytotoxic killing represent limiting factors for therapeutic efficacy. Here, we present a microwell platform to study CAR T cell interactions with 3D breast tumor spheroids and determine predictors of anti-tumor CAR T cell function.

Enhancing PKA-dependent mesothelial barrier integrity reduces ovarian cancer transmesothelial migration via inhibition of contractility.

Cancer-mesothelial cell interactions are critical for multiple solid tumors to colonize the surface of peritoneal organs. Understanding mechanisms of mesothelial barrier dysfunction that impair its protective function is critical for discovering mesothelial-targeted therapies to combat metastatic spread. Here, we utilized a live cell imaging-based assay to elucidate the dynamics of ovarian cancer spheroid transmesothelial migration and mesothelial-generated mechanical forces.

CAR T cell infiltration and cytotoxic killing within the core of 3D breast cancer spheroids under control of antigen sensing in microwell arrays.

The success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in blood cancers has intensified efforts to develop CAR T therapies for solid cancers. In the solid tumor microenvironment, CAR T cell trafficking and suppression of cytotoxic killing represent limiting factors for therapeutic efficacy. Here, we present a microwell platform to study CAR T cell interactions with 3D tumor spheroids and determine predictors of anti-tumor CAR T cell function.

Cancer-cell derived S100A11 promotes macrophage recruitment in ER+ breast cancer.

Macrophages are pivotal in driving breast tumor development, progression, and resistance to treatment, particularly in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) tumors, where they infiltrate the tumor microenvironment (TME) influenced by cancer cell-secreted factors. By analyzing single-cell RNA-sequencing data from 25 ER+ tumors, we elucidated interactions between cancer cells and macrophages, correlating macrophage density with epithelial cancer cell density. We identified that S100A11, a previously unexplored factor in macrophage-cancer crosstalk, predicts high macrophage density and poor outcomes in ER+ tumors.

A total inverse planning paradigm: Prospective clinical trial evaluating the performance of a novel MR-based 3D-printed head immobilization device.

Background And Purpose: Brain radiotherapy (cnsRT) requires reproducible positioning and immobilization, attained through redundant dedicated imaging studies and a bespoke moulding session to create a thermoplastic mask (T-mask). Innovative approaches may improve the value of care. We prospectively deployed and assessed the performance of a patient-specific 3D-printed mask (3Dp-mask), generated solely from MR imaging, to replicate a reproducible positioning and tolerable immobilization for patients undergoing cnsRT.

The dosimetric impact of titanium implants in spinal SBRT using four commercial treatment planning algorithms.

To evaluate the dosimetric impact of titanium implants in spine SBRT using four dose calculation algorithms. Twenty patients with titanium implants in the spine treated with SBRT without density override (DO) were selected. The clinical plan for each patient was created in Pinnacle and subsequently imported into Eclipse (AAA and AcurosXB) and Raystation (CC) for dose evaluation with and without DO to the titanium implant.

Radio-immune response modelling for spatially fractionated radiotherapy.

Radiation-induced cell death is a complex process influenced by physical, chemical and biological phenomena. Although consensus on the nature and the mechanism of the bystander effect were not yet made, the immune process presumably plays an important role in many aspects of the radiotherapy including the bystander effect. A mathematical model of immune response during and after radiation therapy is presented.

Implementing failure mode and effect analysis to improve the safety of volumetric modulated arc therapy for total body irradiation.

Purpose: Volumetric-modulated arc therapy for total body irradiation (VMAT-TBI) is a novel radiotherapy technique that has been implemented at our institution. The purpose of this work is to investigate possible failure modes (FMs) in the treatment process and to develop a quality control (QC) program for VMAT-TBI following TG-100 guidelines.

Methods: We formed a multidisciplinary team to map out the complete treatment process of VMAT-TBI following the AAPM TG-100 guidelines.

Radio-Immune Response Modelling for Spatially Fractionated Radiotherapy.

Radiation-induced cell death is a complex process influenced by physical, chemical and biological phenomena. Strong dose gradient may intensify the complexity and reportedly creates significantly more cell death known as bystander effect. Although consensus on the nature and the mechanism of the bystander effect were not yet made, the immune process presumably plays an important role in many aspects of the radiotherapy including the bystander effect.

ECM Architecture-Mediated Regulation of β-Cell Differentiation from hESCs via Hippo-Independent YAP Activation.

Changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) influence stem cell fate. When hESCs were differentiated on a thin layer of Matrigel coated onto PDMS (Matrigel_), they exhibited a substantial increase in focal adhesion and focal adhesion-associated proteins compared with those cultured on Matrigel coated onto TCPS (Matrigel_), resulting in YAP/TEF1 activation and ultimately promoting the transcriptional activities of pancreatic endoderm (PE)-associated genes. Interestingly, YAP activation in PE cells was mediated through integrin α3-FAK-CDC42-PP1A signaling rather than the typical Hippo signaling pathway.

Fibrous Matrix Architecture-Dependent Activation of Fibroblasts with a Cancer-Associated Fibroblast-like Phenotype.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the most prevalent cell types within the tumor microenvironment (TME). While several physicochemical cues from the TME, including growth factors, cytokines, and ECM specificity, have been identified as essential factors for CAF activation, the precise mechanism of how the ECM architecture regulates CAF initiation remains elusive. Using a gelatin-based electrospun fiber mesh, we examined the effect of matrix fiber density on CAF activation induced by MCF-7 conditioned media (CM).

Dosimetric evaluation of adult and paediatric brain tumours planned using mask-based cobalt-60 fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy compared to linear accelerator-based volumetric modulated arc therapy.

Introduction: We conducted a study to evaluate the dosimetric feasibility of mask-based cobalt-60 fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (mcfSRT) with the Leksell Gamma Knife® Icon™ device.

Methods: Eleven patients with intracranial tumours were selected for this dosimetry study. These patients, previously treated with volumetric arc therapy (VMAT), were re-planned using mcfSRT.

A new conformity and dose gradient distance measure for stereotactic radiosurgery of brain metastasis.

Purpose: Competing radiosurgery plans are compared based on their conformity and gradient of dose distribution to the target volume (TV). Most widely used quality metrics such as new conformity index (NCI) and gradient index (GI) are known to have strong volume dependency on the TV of interest. A simple quality measure without the volume dependency is presented for evaluating stereotactic radiosurgery plans, expressed in distance dimension compared to the unit-less volume ratio used in NCI and GI.

Pillar-Based Mechanical Induction of an Aggressive Tumorigenic Lung Cancer Cell Model.

Tissue microarchitecture imposes physical constraints to the migration of individual cells. Especially in cancer metastasis, three-dimensional structural barriers within the extracellular matrix are known to affect the migratory behavior of cells, regulating the pathological state of the cells. Here, we employed a culture platform with micropillar arrays of 2 μm diameter and 16 μm pitch (2.

Is there a volume threshold of brain metastases for Linac-based stereotactic radiotherapy?

Purpose: To investigate whether there is a volume threshold in target volume of brain metastases below which a small cone size and sharp penumbra in Gamma Knife (GK) may provide improved plan quality when compared to Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).

Methods: For patients treated on GK SRS for brain metastases in 2018-2019 in our institution, 121 patients with two and three targets were identified. Twenty-six patients with two or three brain metastases (total of 76 lesions) were selected for this study.

Image-guided volumetric-modulated arc therapy of total body irradiation: An efficient workflow from simulation to delivery.

Introduction: Using multi-isocenter volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for total body irradiation (TBI) may improve dose uniformity and vulnerable tissue protection compared with classical whole-body field technique. Two drawbacks limit its application: (1) VMAT-TBI planning is time consuming; (2) VMAT-TBI plans are sensitive to patient positioning uncertainties due to beam matching. This study presents a robust planning technique with image-guided delivery to improve dose delivery accuracy.

Engineering 3D Cortical Spheroids for an Ischemic Stroke Model.

Three-dimensional (3D) spheroids composed of brain cells have shown great potential to mimic the pathophysiology of the brain. However, a 3D spheroidal brain-disease model for cerebral ischemia has not been reported. This study investigated an ultralow attachment (ULA) surface-mediated formation of 3D cortical spheroids using primary rat cortical cells to recapitulate the cerebral ischemic responses in stroke by oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygenation (OGD-R) treatment.

Physical analysis reveals distinct responses of human bronchial epithelial cells to guanidine and isothiazolinone biocides.

Changes in the physical state of the cells can serve as important indicators of stress responses because they are closely linked with the changes in the pathophysiological functions of the cells. Physical traits can be conveniently assessed by analyzing the morphological features and the stresses at the cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesions in both single-cell and monolayer model systems in 2D. In this study, we investigated the mechano-stress responses of human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B, to two functionally distinct groups of biocides identified during the humidifier disinfectant accident, namely, guanidine (PHMG) and isothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT).

Remodeling of Adhesion Network within Cancer Spheroids via Cell-Polymer Interaction.

3D spheroids are considered as the improved model to mimic the distinct arrangements of the cells . To date, low-attachment surfaces have been most widely used to induce the spontaneous aggregation of cells in suspension by simply tuning the relative strength of the cell-cell adhesion over cell-substrate adhesion. However, aggregating cancer cells into 3D clusters should mean more than just adjoining the cells in the physical proximity.

Super-Resolution Three-Dimensional Imaging of Actin Filaments in Cultured Cells and the Brain Expansion Microscopy.

Actin is an essential protein in almost all life forms. It mediates diverse biological functions, ranging from controlling the shape of cells and cell movements to cargo transport and the formation of synaptic connections. Multiple diseases are closely related to the dysfunction of actin or actin-related proteins.

Neurological Death is Common in Patients With EGFR Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Diagnosed With Brain Metastases.

Purpose: Brain metastases (BrM) are common in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRm) mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We sought to determine the rate of neurologic death (ND) in this population.

Methods And Materials: We analyzed data from 198 patients who received a diagnosis of BrM from EGFRm NSCLC between 2004 and 2016, comparing patients whose initial treatment for BrM was stereotactic radiosurgery with or without tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) with or without TKI, or TKI alone.