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Abstract This work presents the development of a refractive index sensing methodology for measuring carbon dioxide concentrations, considering the effect of temperature environment. We propose and demonstrate, using simulations, the use of tapered and coated Long Period Gratings as a way to enhance the refractive index sensitivity. In addition, artificial neural networks were used to improve the estimation of carbon dioxide concentration, considering the crosssensitivity effect with temperature.

ABSTRACTProspective cohort study to investigate the potential exposure to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) following Hajj pilgrims is still very limited. Here, we report the antibody seroconversion study results obtained from successive three years cohort studies (2016–2018) involving the Malaysian Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. A cohort study of Hajj pilgrims from Malaysia enrolled 2,863 participants from 2016–2018, all of whom consented to provide paired blood samples for both pre- and post-Hajj travel to the Middle East. ELISAs and micro-neutralization assays were performed to detect the presence of MERS-CoV IgG antibodies. Sociodemographic data, symptoms experienced during Hajj, and history of exposure to camels or camel products were recorded using structured pre- and post-Hajj questionnaires. A 4-fold increase in anti-MERS-CoV IgG between paired pre-Hajj and post-Hajj serum samples in twelve participants was observed. None of the twelve ELISA-positive sera had detectable levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies. All reportedly had mild symptoms of respiratory symptoms at a certain point during the pilgrimage, implying mild or asymptomatic infections. No association between post-Hajj serum positivity and a history of exposure to camels or camel products was obtained. Findings from the study suggest that serologic conversion to MERS-CoV occurred in at least 0.6% of the Hajj pilgrims returning from the Middle East. Since all the seroconvertants had mild to no symptoms during the sampling period, it highlights the likelihood of occurrence of only low infectivity spillover infections among the Hajj pilgrims.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) requires a complete staging at diagnosis that may have prognostic and therapeutic implications. The role of bone marrow (BM) biopsy (BMB) is controversial in the era of nuclear imaging techniques. We performed a comparative review of 25 studies focused on BM evaluation at DLBCL diagnosis, including at least two of the following techniques: BMB, flow cytometry, and positron emission tomography (PET-FDG). The report about BM involvement (BMi), diagnostic accuracy, and prognostic significance was collected and compared among techniques. A concordance analysis between BMB, FCM, and PET was also performed, and we deeply evaluated the implications of the different types of BMi: concordant by LBCL or discordant by low-grade B-cell lymphoma for both BMB and FCM, and focal or diffuse uptake pattern for PET. As a main conclusion, BMB, FCM, and PET are complementary tools that provide different and clinically relevant information in the assessment of BMi in newly diagnosed DLBCL.

Abstract Background In 2020, the Kingdom of Cambodia experienced a nationwide outbreak of chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Despite an increase in the frequency of outbreaks and expanding geographic range of CHIKV, diagnostic challenges remain, and limited surveillance data of sufficient granularity are available to characterize epidemiological profiles and disease dynamics of the virus. Methods An ongoing and long-standing cross-sectional study of acute undifferentiated febrile illness (AUFI) in Cambodia was leveraged to describe the disease epidemiology and characterize the clinical presentation of patients diagnosed with CHIKV during the 2020 outbreak. Participants presenting with AUFI symptoms at ten study locations provided acute and convalescent blood samples and were tested for CHIKV using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and serological diagnostic methods including IgM and IgG. Acute and follow-up clinical data were also collected. Results From 1194 participant blood samples tested, 331 (27.7%) positive CHIKV cases were detected. Most CHIKV positive individuals (280, 84.6%) reported having a fever 3 to 4 days prior to visiting a health facility. Symptoms including chills, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, and lesions were all statistically significant among CHIKV positive participants compared to CHIKV negative AUFI participants. Cough was negatively associated with CHIKV positive participants. Positivity proportions were significantly higher among adults compared to children. No significant difference was found in positivity proportion between rainy and dry seasons during the outbreak. Positive CHIKV cases were detected in all study site provinces, with the highest test positivity proportion recorded in the rural northeast province of Kratie. Conclusions Surveillance data captured in this study provided a clinical and epidemiological characterization of positive CHIKV patients presenting at selected health facilities in Cambodia in 2020, and highlighted the widespread distribution of the outbreak, impacting both urban and rural locations. Findings also illustrated the importance of utilizing both RT-PCR and serological testing for effective CHIKV surveillance.

A series of monoclonal antibodies with therapeutic potential against cancer have been generated and developed. Ninety-one are currently used in the clinics, either alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic agents or other antibodies, including immune checkpoint antibodies. These advances helped to coin the term personalized medicine or precision medicine. However, it seems evident that in addition to the current work on the analysis of mechanisms to overcome drug resistance, the use of different classes of antibodies (IgA, IgE, or IgM) instead of IgG, the engineering of the Ig molecules to increase their half-life, the acquisition of additional effector functions, or the advantages associated with the use of agonistic antibodies, to allow a broad prospective usage of precision medicine successfully, a strategy change is required. Here, we discuss our view on how these strategic changes should be implemented and consider their pros and cons using therapeutic antibodies against cancer as a model. The same strategy can be applied to therapeutic antibodies against other diseases, such as infectious or autoimmune diseases.

Abstract With the advent of highly sensitive real-time PCR, multiple pathogens have been identified from nasopharyngeal swabs of patients with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). However, the detection of microorganisms in the upper respiratory tract does not necessarily indicate disease causation. We conducted a matched case–control study, nested within a broader fever aetiology project, to facilitate determination of the aetiology of ARIs in hospitalised patients in Northeastern Laos. Consenting febrile patients of any age admitted to Xiengkhuang Provincial Hospital were included if they met the inclusion criteria for ARI presentation (at least one of the following: cough, rhinorrhoea, nasal congestion, sore throat, difficulty breathing, and/or abnormal chest auscultation). One healthy control for each patient, matched by sex, age, and village of residence, was recruited for the study. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from participants and tested for 33 pathogens by probe-based multiplex real-time RT-PCR (FastTrack Diagnostics Respiratory pathogen 33 kit). Attributable fraction of illness for a given microorganism was calculated by comparing results between patients and controls (= 100 * [OR − 1]/OR) (OR = odds ratio). Between 24th June 2019 and 24th June 2020, 205 consenting ARI patients and 205 matching controls were recruited. After excluding eight pairs due to age mismatch, 197 pairs were included in the analysis. Males were predominant with sex ratio 1.2:1 and children

The gold standard for the diagnosis of pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) is venography (VG), although transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) might be a noninvasive, nonionizing alternative. Our aim is to determine whether TVU is an accurate and comparable diagnostic tool for PCS. An observational prospective study including 67 patients was carried out. A TVU was performed on patients, measuring pelvic venous vessels parameters. Subsequentially, a VG was performed, and results were compared for the test calibration of TVU. Out of the 67 patients included, only 51 completed the study and were distributed in two groups according to VG results: 39 patients belonging to the PCS group and 12 to the normal group. PCS patients had a larger venous plexus diameter (15.1 mm vs. 12 mm; p = 0.009) and higher rates of crossing veins in the myometrium (74.35% vs. 33.3%; p = 0.009), reverse or altered flow during Valsalva (58.9% vs. 25%; p = 0.04), and largest pelvic vein ≥ 8 mm (92.3% vs. 25%). The sensitivity and specificity of TVU were 92.3% (95% CI: 78.03–97.99%) and 75% (95% CI: 42.84–93.31%), respectively. In conclusion, transvaginal ultrasonography, with the described methodology, appears to be a promising tool for the diagnosis of PCS, with acceptable sensitivity and specificity.

The intact intervertebral disc is a six-freedom degree elastic deformation structure with shock absorption. “Ball-and-socket” TDR do not reproduce these properties inducing zygapophyseal joint overload. Elastomeric TDRs reproduce better normal disc kinematics, but repeated core deformation causes its degeneration. We aimed to create a new TDR (ADDISC) reproducing healthy disc features. We designed TDR, analyzed (Finite Element Analysis), and measured every 500,000 cycles for 10 million cycles of the flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation cyclic compression bench-testing. In the inlay case, we weighted it and measured its deformation.ADDISC has two semi-spherical articular surfaces, one rotation centre for flexion, another for extension, the third for lateral bending, and a polycarbonate urethane inlay providing shock absorption. The first contact is between PCU and metal surfaces. There is no metal-metal contact up to 2000 N, and CoCr28Mo6 absorbs the load. After 10 million cycles at 1.2–2.0 kN loads, wear 140.96 mg (35.50 mm3), but no implant failures. Our TDR has a physiological motion range due to its articular surfaces' shape and the PCU inlay bumpers, minimizing the facet joint overload. ADDISC mimics healthy disc biomechanics and Instantaneous Rotation Center, absorbs shock, reduces wear, and has excellent long-term endurance.

Relapsed or refractory T acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) still carries poor prognosis. Aiming to improve outcomes, the therapeutic potential of an anti-CCR9 monoclonal antibody (mAb 92R), targeting the human chemokine-receptor CCR9 is analyzed on orthotopic xenotransplants. 92R mAb treatment of mice carrying human CCR9+ T-ALL cell lines or primary T cell leukemias inhibits tumor growth and increases survival. The therapeutic effects of 92R are specific and synergize with chemotherapeutic agents increasing survival. Furthermore, 92R decreases size of non-hematopoietic tumors with a forced CCR9 expression and of solid tumors generated by the pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line AsPC-1. In addition, a humanized version of 92R mAb (Srb1) is also able to inhibit growth of CCR9+ T-ALL tumor cells in vivo, increasing survival 2.66-fold. Finally, 92R mAb prevents liver accumulation of infiltrates and reduces tumor cell numbers in already formed infiltrates. Thus, the humanized version of 92R mAb (Srb1), displays therapeutic potential for CCR9+ tumor treatment and might represent one of the first therapeutic antibodies for precision medicine on T-ALL patients.

Contribution: This study explores industry members' perceptions about the ABET-based accreditation in a developing country, using the case study of a program in a publicly funded polytechnic university in Ecuador. Background: Engineering programs often seek international accreditations to enhance the education quality, align with the global standards or gain academic reputation. ABET-based accreditation originates in United States, and thus presents some challenges for institutions in developing countries. Intended Outcomes: This study aimed to investigate the significance of international academic accreditation, as seen through the perspective of industry members. It focused on identifying fundamental competencies valued by employers and aimed to provide insights for institutions in similar contexts. Application Design: The research employed an approach informed by a qualitative methodology, involving in-depth interviews with five industry members who had served on the advisory committee board of an engineering program from a higher education institution in Ecuador. Findings: The findings identified three main areas of competencies that the industry members value: communication skills for teamwork, a problem-solving orientation, and an ability for effective task planning. The study also showed that these industry members value international accreditation as a means for enhancing education quality and ensuring graduates develop the necessary skills and competencies, yet the overall awareness with their peers remains relatively low.

The automotive industry has undergone significant advancements and changes over time, resulting in the use of more complex parts in modern vehicles. As a consequence, the parts used in the manufacturing process are subject to higher stress levels, which reduce their service life. To mitigate this issue, surface treatments can be applied to improve the mechanical properties of the tools. In this study, we examined the impact of surface treatments on reducing tool stress during a cold forming process. The process involved reducing the thickness of a sheet from 6 mm to 2.5 mm, which generated high stresses in the tooling. We used finite element stress calculations to analyze the process and found that by reducing the friction coefficient to 0.1, tool stresses can be reduced by 20%, leading to an increase in tool life. Moreover, the press force and tool wear were also reduced by 18%. To validate the theoretical calculations, we performed field tests in a real manufacturing process.

ultra-wideband (UWB) technology enables centimeter-level localization systems based on the accurate estimation of the actual distance between transmitter and receiver, by means of the precise estimation of the signal time-of-flight. However, this is only possible when correctly detecting the first path of the incoming signal instead of a bounce or a reflection, which becomes challenging in non line-of-sight (NLOS) situations. There are many different approaches in the literature to alleviate the wrong detection of the first incoming UWB signal path. One of them considers machine learning techniques to design classifiers capable of distinguishing between line-of-sight (LOS) and NLOS propagation from available signal features. However, the performance and complexity of the obtained classifiers depend largely on the size of the input data associated to such features. Thus, features such as the channel impulse response (CIR) produce large amounts of data, yielding very complex classifiers. In this paper, we propose using a downsampled power delay profile (PDP) as an alternative feature consisting of input data much smaller than the CIR, although sufficiently representative, hence resulting in a lower computational cost while exhibiting a similar classification performance. Furthermore, another of the tasks addressed in this work is the study of the impact on the classification results of using a dataset for training where the samples of each class are not balanced from the point of view of energy. Finally, this work also studies how the classifiers based on the CIR or the PDP improve their performance when considering additional signal features such as the estimated range value or its energy level.

The design of efficient time-modulated arrays (TMAs) for multi-beam steering purposes must be based on both a type of periodical sequences that guarantees an adequate windowing of exploited harmonics, and a feeding network capable of providing low hardware insertion losses. Compliance with these two requirements is not simple and is aggravated by the fact that, as the number of exploited harmonic beams increases, not only drastically decreases the antenna efficiency, but also the beam steering flexibility. In this work, we propose three different single sideband (SSB) feeding networks for multibeam TMAs constructed considering different combinations of single-pole multiple-throw (SPMT) basic modules. The proposed feeding networks simultaneously accomplish excellent levels of modulation efficiency, reasonable hardware insertion losses, and beam scanning flexibility. In addition, a comparison with standard phased arrays in terms of performance, phase sensitivity, complexity, and cost-effectiveness is carried out.

The earliest metazoans probably evolved from single-celled organisms which found the colonial system to be a beneficial organization. Over the course of their evolution, these primary colonial organisms increased in size, and division of labour among the cells became a remarkable feature, leading to a higher level of organization: the biological organs. Primitive metazoans were the first organisms in evolution to show organ-type structures, which set the grounds for complex organs to evolve. Throughout evolution, and concomitant with organogenesis, is the appearance of tissue-specific stem cells. Tissue-specific stem cells gave rise to multicellular living systems with distinct organs which perform specific physiological functions. This setting is a constructive role of evolution; however, rebel cells can take over the molecular mechanisms for other purposes: nowadays we know that cancer stem cells, which generate aberrant organ-like structures, are at the top of a hierarchy. Furthermore, cancer stem cells are the root of metastasis, therapy resistance, and relapse. At present, most therapeutic drugs are unable to target cancer stem cells and therefore, treatment becomes a challenging issue. We expect that future research will uncover the mechanistic “forces” driving organ growth, paving the way to the implementation of new strategies to impair human tumorigenesis.

The signalling pathways regulating how the mammary gland stroma interacts with the epithelia to then regulate gland development are unclear. Here, the authors identify Sfrp3 as regulating stroma communication via Wnts, on deletion, this increases ductal invasion and initiates an early pregnancy state.

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) transmission over the unlicensed 60-GHz spectrum is a potential solution to realize high-speed internet access, even inside mass transit vehicles. The solution involves communication between users and a mmWave-band on-board unit that aggregates/disseminates data streams from/to commuters and maintains the connection with the nearest terrestrial network infrastructure node. In this paper, we provide a measurement-based channel model for the 60-GHz mmWave propagation inside a typical inter-city bus. The model characterizes power delay profile (PDP) of the wireless intra-vehicular channel, and it is derived from about 1000 data sets measured within the bus. The proposed analytical model is further translated into a simple simulation algorithm that generates in-vehicle channel PDPs. Different goodness-of-fit tests confirm that the simulated PDPs are in good agreement with the measured data. Finally, a tapped-delay-line (TDL) channel model is formulated from the proposed PDP model, and the TDL model is used to study the bit error rate (BER) performance of the mmWave link inside bus under varying data rates and link lengths.

The application of next generation sequencing techniques has allowed the characterization of the urinary tract microbiome and has led to the rejection of the pre-established concept of sterility in the urinary bladder. Not only have microbial communities in the urinary tract been implicated in the maintenance of health but alterations in their composition have also been associated with different urinary pathologies, such as urinary tract infections (UTI). Therefore, the study of the urinary microbiome in healthy individuals, as well as its involvement in disease through the proliferation of opportunistic pathogens, could open a potential field of study, leading to new insights into prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies for urinary pathologies. In this review we present an overview of the current state of knowledge about the urinary microbiome in health and disease, as well as its involvement in the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Dual-comb multiheterodyne spectroscopy is a well-established technology for the highly sensitive real-time detection and measurement of the optical spectra of samples, including gases and fiber sensors. However, a common drawback of dual-comb spectroscopy is the need for a broadband amplitude-resolved absorption or reflection measurement, which increases the complexity of the dual comb and requires the precise calibration of the optical detection. In the present study, we present an alternative dispersion-based approach applied to fiber Bragg grating sensors in which the dual comb is compacted by a single dual-drive-unit optical modulator, and the fiber sensor is part of a dispersion interferometer. The incident dual comb samples a few points in the spectrum that are sensitive to Bragg wavelength changes through the optical phase. The spectra reading is improved due to the external interferometer and is desensitized to changes in the amplitude of the comb tones. The narrow-band detection of the fiber sensor dispersion changes that we demonstrate enables the compact, cost-effective, high-resolution multiheterodyne interrogation of high-throughput interferometric fiber sensors. These characteristics open its application both to the detection of fast phenomena, such as ultrasound, and to the precise measurement at high speed of chemical-/biological-sensing samples. The results with a low-reflectivity fiber Bragg grating show the detection of dynamic strain in the range of 215 nε with a 30 dB signal to noise ratio and up to 130 kHz (ultrasonic range).

Channel characterization is essential when planning wireless communication deployments. We consider the wireless channel characterization in a modern subway station and its corresponding entrance tunnel, a topic greatly overlooked in the literature. We setup a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) Evolved NodeB (eNodeB) transmitter in the middle of the platform of a modern station in the Madrid Metro, Spain, to cyclically transmit frequency-division duplex (FDD) LTE signals at a carrier frequency of 2.6 GHz with a bandwidth of 10 MHz. Two receivers were used to investigate both the eNodeB-train and the eNodeB-mobile links. The train was moving at a constant speed of 18 km/h from the entrance tunnel until it is completely stopped at the end of the station. Using the multipath components extracted with the space-alternating generalized expectation-maximization (SAGE) algorithm, we characterized the wireless channel response for both links based on the following parameters: power delay profile, root mean square delay spread, Doppler power spectral density, small-scale fading distribution, and K-factor.

The broad-frequency response and nanometer-range displacements of ultrasound detection are essential for the characterization of small cracks, structural health monitoring and non-destructive evaluation. Those perturbations are generated at sub-nano-strain to nano-strain levels. This corresponds to the sub-nm level and, therefore, to about 0.1% of wavelength change at 1550 nm, making it difficult to detect them by conventional interferometric techniques. In this paper, we propose a demodulation system to read the random fiber grating spectrum using a self-heterodyne acousto-optic frequency comb. The system uses a self-heterodyne approach to extract phase and amplitude modulated signals to detect surface acoustic waves with sub-nanometer amplitudes in the frequency domain. The method can detect acoustic frequencies of 1 MHz and the associated displacement. The system is calibrated via phase detection with a heterodyne interferometer, which has a limited frequency response of up to 200 kHz. The goal is to achieve sub-nanometer strain detection at MHz frequency with random fiber gratings.

CCR9 is as an interesting target for the treatment of human CCR9+-T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, since its expression is limited to immature cells in the thymus, infiltrating leukocytes in the small intestine and a small fraction of mature circulating T lymphocytes. 92R, a new mouse mAb (IgG2a isotype), was raised using the A-isoform of hCCR9 as immunogen. Its initial characterization demonstrates that binds with high affinity to the CCR9 N-terminal domain, competing with the previously described 91R mAb for receptor binding. 92R inhibits human CCR9+ tumor growth in T and B-cell deficient Rag2−/− mice. In vitro assays suggested complement-dependent cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity as possible in vivo mechanisms of action. Unexpectedly, 92R strongly inhibited tumor growth also in a model with compromised NK and complement activities, suggesting that other mechanisms, including phagocytosis or apoptosis, might also be playing a role on 92R-mediated tumor elimination. Taken together, these data contribute to strengthen the hypothesis of the immune system’s opportunistic nature.

Abstract: Bull breeding soundness evaluation (BBSE) is a method applied to reduce the risk of using subfertile bulls in herds. There are currently two BBSE systems, those of the Society for Theriogenology (SFT) and the Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners (WCABP). Scrotal circumference (SC), sperm motility (SM) and normal sperm (NS) of 454 bulls aged between 12 and 15 months of a Spanish beef breed were used to compare both systems, and since there is no agreement on that BBSE system must be applied in Spain, a single one was proposed for its consideration. SC was adjusted to 15 months (SC15) and the mean of the BBSE traits was: SC15 (34.2±2.4cm), SM (76.6±14.6%) and NS (76.8±12.3%). In the PROPOSED system, the SM and NS thresholds were those defined by the WCABP system, while the SC15 thresholds were set by combining the SFT threshold and SC15±1SD in order to establish four classification categories, the three proposed by the WCABP system: unsatisfactory, questionable and satisfactory, and other category, called superior, for bulls with SM≥60%, NS≥70% and SC15≥Mean+1SD. The PROPOSED system scored fewer bulls as unsatisfactory than the SFT and the WCABP systems (8.6%, 23.6% and 22.5%, respectively; P

Neuroblasts represent the predominant migrating cell type in the adult mouse brain. There are, however, increasing evidences of migration of other neural precursors. This work aims at identifying in vivo endogenous early neural precursors, different from neuroblasts, able to migrate in response to brain injuries. The monoclonal antibody Nilo1, which unequivocally identifies type B astrocytes and embryonic radial glia, was coupled to magnetic glyconanoparticles (mGNPs). Here we show that Nilo1–mGNPs in combination with magnetic resonance imaging in living mice allowed the in vivo identification of endogenous type B astrocytes at their niche, as well as their migration to the lesion site in response to glioblastoma, demyelination, cryolesion or mechanical injuries. In addition, Nilo1+ adult radial glia-like structures were identified at the lesion site a few hours after damage. For all damage models used, type B astrocyte migration was fast and orderly. Identification of Nilo1+ cells surrounding an induced glioblastoma was also possible after intraperitoneal injection of the antibody. This opens up the possibility of an early identification of the initial damage site(s) after brain insults, by the migration of type B astrocytes.

Antibodies have proven their high value in antitumor therapy over the last two decades. They are currently being used as the first-choice to treat some of the most frequent metastatic cancers, like HER2+ breast cancers or colorectal cancers, currently treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and bevacizumab (Avastin), respectively. The impressive therapeutic success of antibodies inhibiting immune checkpoints has extended the use of therapeutic antibodies to previously unanticipated tumor types. These anti-immune checkpoint antibodies allowed the cure of patients devoid of other therapeutic options, through the recovery of the patient’s own immune response against the tumor. In this review, we describe how the antibody-based therapies will evolve, including the use of antibodies in combinations, their main characteristics, advantages, and how they could contribute to significantly increase the chances of success in cancer therapy. Indeed, novel combinations will consist of mixtures of antibodies against either different epitopes of the same molecule or different targets on the same tumor cell; bispecific or multispecific antibodies able of simultaneously binding tumor cells, immune cells or extracellular molecules; immunomodulatory antibodies; antibody-based molecules, including fusion proteins between a ligand or a receptor domain and the IgG Fab or Fc fragments; autologous or heterologous cells; and different formats of vaccines. Through complementary mechanisms of action, these combinations could contribute to elude the current limitations of a single antibody which recognizes only one particular epitope. These combinations may allow the simultaneous attack of the cancer cells by using the help of the own immune cells and exerting wider therapeutic effects, based on a more specific, fast, and robust response, trying to mimic the action of the immune system.

The cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis suggests that within a tumor, there is a small subpopulation of cells with stem cell properties responsible for tumor maintenance and metastasis generation. This hypothesis also implies that new antitumor drugs, rather than targeting the bulk of the tumor mass, would be more effective if they directly targeted the CSC subpopulation. The CSCs from several types of tumors have been identified with mAbs recognizing surface antigens in these cells; however, antigens specifically or exclusively expressed in the CSC population have not yet been identified. Thus, questioning the possibility of using therapeutic antibodies directed against the CSCs. Here, we review the possibilities of using antibodies directly targeting the CSCs as therapeutic agents in the form of naked antibodies, antibodies conjugated to nanoparticles, or antibody cocktails.

A sensitive optical microphone for photoacoustic spectroscopy based on the common path topology of a fibre laser Doppler vibrometer (FLDV) using phase-generated carrier demodulation and a slim diaphragm as an acoustic wave transducer was demonstrated. A resonant gas cell was adapted to enhance gas-detection performance and simultaneously provide efficient cancellation of the window background acoustic signal. Ammonia (NH3) was selected as the target gas. The absorption line was experimentally identified using a distributed feedback laser diode emitting at 1530 nm. The linearity and sensitivity of the gas sensor were measured using wavelength modulation spectroscopy with second harmonic detection. A Teflon diaphragm was used to implement the optical microphone, along with the FLDV, showing a minimum detectable pressure of 79.5 μPa/Hz1/2. The noise-equivalent absorption sensitivity for NH3 detection at the absorption line at 1531.7 nm was 1.85 × 10−8 W cm−1 Hz−1/2, and the limit of detection was 785 ppbv.

A fiber optic interferometric sensor with an intrinsic transducer along a length of the fiber is presented for ultrasound measurements of the acoustic emission from partial discharges inside oil-filled power apparatus. The sensor is designed for high sensitivity measurements in a harsh electromagnetic field environment, with wide temperature changes and immersion in oil. It allows enough sensitivity for the application, for which the acoustic pressure is in the range of units of Pa at a frequency of 150 kHz. In addition, the accessibility to the sensing region is guaranteed by immune fiber-optic cables and the optical phase sensor output. The sensor design is a compact and rugged coil of fiber. In addition to a complete calibration, the in-situ results show that two types of partial discharges are measured through their acoustic emissions with the sensor immersed in oil.

Normalization of mRNA profiling data remains an open issue, which turns critical when comparing divergent samples or mRNA populations with different complexities. To address this question, we generated samples with different RNA amounts and complexities by subcellular fractionation of cytoplasmic RNA into the mutually exclusive ribosome-free and polysome-bound RNA pools. For each of the 563 mRNAs analyzed, the hybridization signal corresponding to the cytoplasmic sample equals the sum of signals from the ribosome-free plus the polysomebound targets (cytoplasmic mRNA = ribosome-free mRNA + polysome-bound mRNA). This intuitive equation was fulfilled only after data normalization following “spiking” of the samples with an exogenous RNA. This is the first demonstration that spiking allows one to correct not only for differences in reaction efficiencies but also to reflect the variations in amount and complexity between the initial mRNA populations.