Two-in-one nanoparticle platform induces a strong therapeutic effect of targeted therapies in P-selectin-expressing cancers.

Combined therapies in cancer treatment aim to enhance antitumor activity. However, delivering multiple small molecules imposes challenges, as different drugs have distinct pharmacokinetic profiles and tumor penetration abilities, affecting their therapeutic efficacy. To circumvent this, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based nanoparticles were developed as a platform for the codelivery of synergistic drug ratios, improving therapeutic efficacy by increasing the percentage of injected dose reaching the tumor.

A Computational Approach for Internal Tendon Routing Channels in a Tendon-Driven Continuum Joint.

Tendon-driven continuum soft robots are currently applied in research and are given a promising perspective for future applications. For the routing of the tendons from the actuator to the point where the loading is demanded, two routing possibilities exist in the literature: internal routing of the tendons with the help of structurally embedded Bowden sheaths and external tendon routing where the tendon is not in contact with the soft structure. The application of the latter is a clear disadvantage for applications due to the high risk of interference with the tendon, for example, causing the tendon to break.

A multi-aperture encoding scheme for increased SNR in photoacoustic Imaging.

Photoacoustic imaging creates light-induced ultrasonic signals to provide valuable information on internal body structures and tissue morphology non-invasively. A multi-aperture photoacoustic imaging (MP-PAI) system is an improvement over conventional photoacoustic imaging (PAI) systems in terms of resolution, contrast, and field of view. Previously, a prototype MP-PAI system was introduced based on multiple capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers (CMUTs) with shared channels, such that each element in a CMUT shares its channel with its counterpart in other CMUTs.

Structure-property relationships to direct the dynamic properties of acylsemicarbazide-based materials.

Secondary interactions, such as hydrogen bonding or phase separation, can enhance the stability of dynamic covalent materials without compromising on desired dynamic properties. Here, we investigate the combination of multiple secondary interactions in dynamic covalent materials based on acylsemicarbazides (ASCs), with the aim of achieving tunable material properties. The effects of different ASC substituents on the dynamic covalent and hydrogen bonding capabilities were investigated in a small molecule study using a combined experimental and theoretical approach, and revealed the presence of cooperative hydrogen-bonding interactions in 2 directions in one of the derivatives.

Geometry and local wall thickness of abdominal aortic aneurysms using intravascular ultrasound.

Currently, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are treated based on the diameter of the aorta, however, a more robust patient-specific marker is needed. The mean thickness of the wall is a potential indicator for AAA rupture risk, which varies significantly within and between patients. So far, regional thickness has not been used in previous rupture risk analysis studies, since it is challenging to measure in CT, MRI, and non-invasive ultrasound (US).

Qualitative American Heart Association plot of late gadolinium enhancement with mortality and ventricular arrhythmia prediction using artificial intelligence.

Background: The prognostic value of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is well-established. However, the direct relationship between image pixels and outcomes remains poorly understood. We hypothesised that leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse qualitative LGE images based on American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines could elucidate this relationship.

3-D motion tracking and vascular strain imaging using bistatic dual aperture ultrasound acquisitions.

This study demonstrates high volume rate bistatic 3-D vascular strain imaging, to overcome well-known challenges caused by the anisotropic resolution and contrast inherent to ultrasound imaging. Approach. Using two synchronized 32x32 element matrix arrays (3.

Bone microarchitecture and strength in men and women with PLS3 gene variants assessed with HR-pQCT.

X-linked osteoporosis, caused by PLS3 genetic variants, is a rare bone disease, clinically affecting mainly men. Limited data are available on bone microarchitecture and genotype-phenotype correlations in this disease. Our aims were to assess bone microarchitecture and strength in adults with PLS3 variants using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) and to explore differences in the phenotype from HR-pQCT between PLS3 variants.

Ultrasound-triggered drug release in vivo from antibubble-loaded macrophages.

Nanoparticles have proven to be attractive carriers in therapeutic drug delivery since they can encapsulate, protect and stabilize a plethora of different drugs, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects. However, specific targeting of drug-loaded nanoparticles to the tissue of interest and a timely and spatially controlled release of drugs on demand still represent a challenge. Recently, gas-filled microparticles, so-called antibubbles, have been developed which can efficiently encapsulate liquid drug droplets.

Adaptive multilevel thresholding for SVD-based clutter filtering in ultrafast transthoracic coronary flow imaging.

Background And Objective: The integration of ultrafast Doppler imaging with singular value decomposition clutter filtering has demonstrated notable enhancements in flow measurement and Doppler sensitivity, surpassing conventional Doppler techniques. However, in the context of transthoracic coronary flow imaging, additional challenges arise due to factors such as the utilization of unfocused diverging waves, constraints in spatial and temporal resolution for achieving deep penetration, and rapid tissue motion. These challenges pose difficulties for ultrafast Doppler imaging and singular value decomposition in determining optimal tissue-blood (TB) and blood-noise (BN) thresholds, thereby limiting their ability to deliver high-contrast Doppler images.

Computing with oscillators from theoretical underpinnings to applications and demonstrators.

Networks of coupled oscillators have far-reaching implications across various fields, providing insights into a plethora of dynamics. This review offers an in-depth overview of computing with oscillators covering computational capability, synchronization occurrence and mathematical formalism. We discuss numerous circuit design implementations, technology choices and applications from pattern retrieval, combinatorial optimization problems to machine learning algorithms.

Heterogeneity and Penumbra of White Matter Hyperintensities in Small Vessel Diseases Determined by Quantitative MRI.

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are established structural imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease. The pathophysiologic condition of brain tissue varies over the core, the vicinity, and the subtypes of WMH and cannot be interpreted from conventional magnetic resonance imaging. We aim to improve our pathophysiologic understanding of WMHs and the adjacently injured normal-appearing white matter in terms of microstructural and microvascular alterations using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in patients with sporadic and genetic cerebral small vessel disease.

Interpretation of intra-operative strain differences in ascending thoracic aortic repair patients.

Local biaxial deformation plays a pivotal role in evaluating the tissue state of the ascending aorta and in driving intramural cell-mediated tissue remodeling. Unfortunately, the absence of anatomical markers on the ascending aorta presents challenges in capturing deformation. Utilizing our established intra-operative biaxial strain measurement method, we delineated local biaxial deformation characteristics in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft surgery recipients (n = 20), and Aortic Repair surgery patients (n = 47).

Examining the Meaning of "Violence" Through Machine Learning Techniques.

This paper examines the meaning of violence in contemporary Western societies. Scholars have argued that in contemporary Western societies, the concept is expanding toward a broader understanding of violence, beyond its "traditional" usage in the context of crime and war. The current paper aims to generate empirical evidence that speaks to this question.

Mathematical model of the inflammatory response to acute and prolonged lipopolysaccharide exposure in humans.

One in five deaths worldwide is associated with sepsis, which is defined as organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. An increased understanding of the pathophysiology of sepsis could provide improved approaches for early detection and treatment. Here we describe the development and validation of a mechanistic mathematical model of the inflammatory response, making use of a combination of in vitro and human in vivo data obtained from experiments where bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce an inflammatory response.

Computational modeling of vascular tissue damage for the development of safe interventional devices.

During intravascular procedures, medical devices interact mechanically with vascular tissue. The device design faces a trade-off: although a high bending stiffness improves its maneuvrability and deliverability, it may also trigger excessive supra-physiological loading that may result in tissue damage. In particular, the collagen fibers in vascular walls are load-bearing but may rupture on a microscopic scale due to mechanical interaction.

Guiding light with surface exciton-polaritons in atomically thin superlattices.

Two-dimensional materials give access to the ultimate physical limits of photonics with appealing properties for ultracompact optical components such as waveguides and modulators. Specifically, in monolayer semiconductors, a strong excitonic resonance leads to a sharp oscillation in permittivity from positive to even negative values. This extreme optical response enables surface exciton-polaritons to guide visible light bound to an atomically thin layer.

The role of loading-induced convection versus diffusion on the transport of small molecules into the intervertebral disc.

Purpose: Limited nutrient transport is hypothesized to be involved in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. It is widely recognized that the dominant mode of transport of small molecules such as glucose is via diffusion, rather than convection. However, recent findings suggest a role for convection-induced by fast (motion-related) and slow (diurnal) dynamic loading in molecular transport of even such small solutes.

Automated Segmentation of Fetal Intracranial Volume in Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Using Deep Learning: Identifying Sex Differences in Prenatal Brain Development.

The human brain undergoes major developmental changes during pregnancy. Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound images allow for the opportunity to investigate typical prenatal brain development on a large scale. Transabdominal ultrasound can be challenging due to the small fetal brain and its movement, as well as multiple sweeps that may not yield high-quality images, especially when brain structures are unclear.

A Multiscale Mathematical Model for Fetal Gas Transport and Regulatory Systems During Second Half of Pregnancy.

Fetal asphyxia, a condition resulting from the combined effects of hypoxia and hypercapnia, leads to approximately 900,000 annual deaths worldwide. One cause is umbilical cord compression during labor-induced uterine contractions, disrupting the transport of metabolites to and from the placenta, and resulting in asphyxia. Current fetal well-being assessment relies on monitoring fetal heart rate and uterine contractions as indicators of oxygen delivery to the brain.

Digital behavioral dietary interventions to promote a healthy diet among children and adolescents: a scoping review of technologies, design, behavioral theory, and assessed outcomes.

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity prevalence steeply increased during recent decades, prompting the development of many digital behavioral dietary interventions (DBDIs). However, a coherent overview is lacking, which is crucial for delineating research in this field.

Objective: This scoping review outlines the landscape of DBDIs for improving dietary behaviors in children and adolescents, including delivery modes, design and development approaches, behavioral theory, and outcomes assessed.

Immune Shielding of Human Heart Valves: A Proof-of-Concept Study of HLA-Targeting Therapy for Transplantations.

Children born with defective heart valves require multiple donor valve replacements throughout life, because these cannot grow and can cause early failure through immune degeneration. This study tests the lentiviral delivery of viral immune evasion genes US2 and human serpin 9 to shield human heart valves from immune rejection. The results show we can efficiently down-regulate human leukocyte antigen expression in heart valve cells and in intact heart valve tissue resulting in decreased activity of a human leukocyte antigen-reactive CD8+ T-cell clone without inducing cytotoxicity.

MICCAI-CDMRI 2023 QuantConn Challenge Findings on Achieving Robust Quantitative Connectivity through Harmonized Preprocessing of Diffusion MRI.

White matter alterations are increasingly implicated in neurological diseases and their progression. International-scale studies use diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to qualitatively identify changes in white matter microstructure and connectivity. Yet, quantitative analysis of DW-MRI data is hindered by inconsistencies stemming from varying acquisition protocols.