Radiomics nomogram for predicting axillary lymph node metastasis-a potential method to address the limitation of axilla coverage in cone-beam breast CT: a bi-center retrospective study.

Purpose: Cone-beam breast CT (CBBCT) has an inherent limitation that the axilla cannot be imaged in its entirety. We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram based on clinical factors and contrast-enhanced (CE) CBBCT radiomics features to predict axillary lymph node (ALN) metastasis and complement limited axilla coverage.

Material And Methods: This retrospective study included 312 patients with breast cancer from two hospitals who underwent CE-CBBCT examination in a clinical trial (NCT01792999) during 2012-2020.

Promoting the Recruitment, Engagement, and Reinvigoration of Effector T Cells via an Injectable Hydrogel with a Supramolecular Binding Capability for Cancer Immunotherapy.

T cells play a basic and key role in immunotherapy against solid tumors, and efficiently recruiting them into neoplastic foci and sustaining long-term effector function are consistent goals that remain a critical challenge. Here, an injectable alginate-based hydrogel with abundant β-cyclodextrin (ALG-βCD) sites is developed and intratumorally injected to recruit CCR9 CD8 T cells (a subset of T cells with robust antitumor activity) via the trapped chemokine CCL25. In the meantime, an intravenously injected adamantane-decorated anti-PD1 antibody (Ad-aPD1) would hitchhike on recruited CCR9 CD8 T cells to achieve the improved intratumoral accumulation of Ad-aPD1.

Radiomics in cone-beam breast CT for the prediction of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer: a multi-center multi-device study.

Objectives: To develop a radiomics model in contrast-enhanced cone-beam breast CT (CE-CBBCT) for preoperative prediction of axillary lymph node (ALN) status and metastatic burden of breast cancer.

Methods: Two hundred and seventy-four patients who underwent CE-CBBCT examination with two scanners between 2012 and 2021 from two institutions were enrolled. The primary tumor was annotated in each patient image, from which 1781 radiomics features were extracted with PyRadiomics.

Inhibiting zero-order light of a spatial light modulator with voltage optimization.

The crucial zero-order light due to the pixelation effect of spatial light modulator (SLM) has been a serious issue in the field of light modulation, especially in applications with a high numerical aperture optical system. In this investigation, we report that by properly adjusting the high-level and low-level pixel voltages of an SLM, the zero-order light caused by the pixelation effect of an SLM can be significantly eliminated. The method is further validated under an inverted fluorescence microscope.

Multi-Focal Laser Direct Writing through Spatial Light Modulation Guided by Scalable Vector Graphics.

Multi-focal laser direct writing (LDW) based on phase-only spatial light modulation (SLM) can realize flexible and parallel nanofabrication with high-throughput potential. In this investigation, a novel approach of combining two-photon absorption, SLM, and vector path-guided by scalable vector graphics (SVGs), termed SVG-guided SLM LDW, was developed and preliminarily tested for fast, flexible, and parallel nanofabrication. Three laser focuses were independently controlled with different paths, which were optimized according to the SVG to improve fabrication and promote time efficiency.

Biomimetic Nanoparticle with Glutathione Depletion and Amplified ROS Generation Capabilities for Synergistic Chemo-Sonodynamic Therapy in Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

Nanomedicines for combining chemotherapy and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) have enormous potential in squamous cell carcinoma treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of noninvasive SDT is severely limited because the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by sonosensitizers is highly dependent on the levels of intracellular excess glutathione (GSH) in the tumor cells. To overcome this barrier, a red blood cell (RBC) membrane-camouflaged nanomedicine consisting of GSH-sensitive polyphosphoester (SS-PPE) and ROS-sensitive polyphosphoester (S-PPE) was designed for the simultaneous delivery of the sonosensitizer hematoporphyrin (HMME) and chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel (DTXL) for effectively enhanced antitumor efficacy.

Flow Cytometry with Anti-Diffraction Light Sheet (ADLS) by Spatial Light Modulation.

Flow cytometry is a widespread and powerful technique whose resolution is determined by its capacity to accurately distinguish fluorescently positive populations from negative ones. However, most informative results are discarded while performing the measurements of conventional flow cytometry, e.g.

A Magnetically Driven Amoeba-Like Nanorobot for Whole-Process Active Drug Transport.

The passive diffusion performance of nanocarriers results in inefficient drug transport across multiple biological barriers and consequently cancer therapy failure. Here, a magnetically driven amoeba-like nanorobot (amNR) is presented for whole-process active drug transport. The amNR is actively extravasated from blood vessels and penetrated into deep tumor tissue through a magnetically driven deformation effect.

Accuracy of Preoperative Contrast-enhanced Cone Beam Breast CT in Assessment of Residual Tumor after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Comparative Study with Breast MRI.

Rationale And Objectives: To compare the accuracy of preoperative contrast-enhanced cone beam breast CT (CE-CBBCT) and MRI in assessment of residual tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Materials And Methods: Residual tumor assessments in 91 female patients were performed on preoperative CE-CBBCT and MRI images after NAC. The agreements of tumor size between imaging and pathology were tested by Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC).

Self-assembling ferrimagnetic fluorescent micelles for bioimaging guided efficient magnetic hyperthermia therapy.

Multifunctional magnet-fluorescent nanocomposites are widely applied in biomedical applications. Incorporating biocompatible quantum dots with highly ferrimagnetic magnetic nanoparticles into one nanoplatform for achieving efficient magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) is very important. Herein, we reported an amphiphilic block copolymer with a flowable hydrophobic chain to encapsulate highly ferrimagnetic magnetic nanoparticles and ZnS/InP quantum dots a facile self-assembly method.

Programming of Nanovaccines for Lymph Node-Targeted Delivery and Cancer Immunotherapy.

In situ cancer vaccines consisting of antigens and adjuvants are a promising cancer treatment modality; however, the convenient manufacture of vaccines in vivo and their efficient delivery to lymph nodes (LNs) remains a major challenge. Herein, we outline a facile approach to simultaneously achieve the in situ programming of vaccines via two synergetic nanomedicines, Tu-NP and Ln-NP. Tu-NP (∼100 nm) generated a large number of antigens under an alternating magnetic field, and Ln-NP (∼35 nm) encapsulating adjuvant R848 captured a portion of generated antigens for the manufacture of nanovaccines in situ and LN-targeted delivery, which significantly promoted the uptake and maturation of dendritic cells to initiate potent anticancer immune responses.

Mixing and Flow Transition in an Optimized Electrokinetic Turbulent Micromixer.

Micromixer is a key element in a lab on a chip for broad applications in the analysis and measurement of chemistry and engineering. Previous investigations reported that electrokinetic (EK) turbulence could be realized in a "Y" type micromixer with a cross-sectional dimension of 100 μm order. Although the ultrafast turbulent mixing can be generated at a bulk flow Reynolds number on the order of unity, the micromixer has not been optimized.

Comparison of malignant calcification identification between breast cone-beam computed tomography and digital mammography.

Background: Calcifications are important abnormal findings in breast imaging and help in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Purpose: To compare breast cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) with digital mammography (DM) in terms of the ability to identify malignant calcifications.

Material And Methods: In total, 115 paired examinations were performed utilizing breast CBCT and DM; 86 pathology-proven malignant lesions with calcifications detected on DM and 29 randomly selected breasts without calcifications were reviewed by three radiologists.

Comparison of background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) on contrast-enhanced cone-beam breast CT (CE-CBBCT) and breast MRI.

Objectives: To compare the background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) levels on contrast-enhanced cone-beam breast CT (CE-CBBCT) and MRI, evaluate inter-reader reliability, and analyze the relationship between clinical factors and BPE level on CE-CBBCT.

Methods: In this retrospective study, patients who underwent both CE-CBBCT and MRI were analyzed. BPE levels on CE-CBBCT and MRI were assessed by five specialists independently in random fashion, with a wash-out period of 4 weeks.

Non-iterative multifold strip segmentation phase method for six-dimensional optical field modulation.

In this Letter, we propose a non-iterative multifold strip segmentation phase method for a spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate multifocal spots of diverse beams (Airy, spiral, perfect vortex, and Bessel-Gaussian beams) in a high-numerical-aperture system, with up to 6D controllability. The method is further validated by an inverted fluorescence microscope. By adjusting the bright and dark voltage parameters of the SLM, zero-order light caused by the pixelation effect of the SLM has been successfully eliminated.

Dedicated breast CT: state of the art-Part II. Clinical application and future outlook.

Dedicated breast CT is being increasingly used for breast imaging. This technique provides images with no compression, removal of tissue overlap, rapid acquisition, and available simultaneous assessment of microcalcifications and contrast enhancement. In this second installment in a 2-part review, the current status of clinical applications and ongoing efforts to develop new imaging systems are discussed, with particular emphasis on how to achieve optimized practice including lesion detection and characterization, response to therapy monitoring, density assessment, intervention, and implant evaluation.

Dedicated breast CT: state of the art-Part I. Historical evolution and technical aspects.

Dedicated breast CT is an emerging 3D isotropic imaging technology for breast, which overcomes the limitations of 2D compression mammography and limited angle tomosynthesis while providing some of the advantages of magnetic resonance imaging. This first installment in a 2-part review describes the evolution of dedicated breast CT beginning with a historical perspective and progressing to the present day. Moreover, it provides an overview of state-of-the-art technology.

A tumor acidity-driven transformable polymeric nanoassembly with deep tumor penetration and membrane-anchoring capability for targeted photodynamic therapy.

In recent years, directly damaging cell membrane therapeutic modalities have attracted great attention in the field of cancer therapy due to their critical role in guaranteeing essential cellular function. In this study, the transformable nanoassembly PEG-Ce6@PAEMA, consisting of the photosensitizer polyethylene glycol-chlorin-e6 (PEG-Ce6) and tumor pH-sensitive polymer poly(2-azepane ethyl methacrylate) (PAEMA), was developed for highly efficient membrane-targeted photodynamic therapy. The PAEMA core is rapidly protonated at the acidic tumor pH, resulting in the disassembly of PEG-Ce6@PAEMA and regeneration of PEG-Ce6.

Realization of flexible and parallel laser direct writing by multifocal spot modulation.

In this investigation, we propose a strip segmentation phase (SSP) method for a spatial light modulator (SLM) to generate independent multifocal spots when the beam passes through a high numerical aperture (NA) lens. With the SSP method, multifocal spots can be generated with each spot independently, flexibly and uniformly distributed. The performance of the SSP method is first validated with numerical simulation.

Aberration on excitation focal spot caused by oblique interface with refractive indices discontinuous and its correction with pure-phase compensation for laser scanning microscopy.

The interface of mediums with refractive indices discontinuous, for example air-glass and glass-water, are inevitable in microscopic imaging. In this work, the aberration of oblique interface with refractive index discontinuous on the laser scanning microscope was investigated theoretically with numerical simulations. It was found that the position, shape and FWHM of focal spots, were all significantly affected by the aberration due to oblique interface.

Contrast-enhanced cone beam breast CT features of breast cancers: correlation with immunohistochemical receptors and molecular subtypes.

Objectives: To investigate the association of contrast-enhanced cone beam breast CT (CE-CBBCT) features, immunohistochemical (IHC) receptors, and molecular subtypes in breast cancer.

Methods: In this retrospective study, patients who underwent preoperative CE-CBBCT and received complete IHC results were analyzed. CE-CBBCT features were evaluated by two radiologists.

Correction to: Cone-beam breast CT features associated with HER2/neu overexpression in patients with primary breast cancer.

The original version of this article, published on 03 January 2020, unfortunately contained two mistakes.

Cone-beam breast CT features associated with HER2/neu overexpression in patients with primary breast cancer.

Objectives: To identify the relationship between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status and cone-beam breast CT (CBBCT) characteristics in surgically resected breast cancer.

Methods: Preoperative CBBCT of patients with BI-RADS 4 or 5 lesions identified on mammography or ultrasound and dense or very dense breast tissue were retrospectively evaluated in 181 surgically resected breast cancer (triple-negative excluded) between May 2012 and November 2014. A set of CBBCT descriptors was semiquantitatively assessed by consensus double reading.