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The paper depicts design and prototypic implementation of household automation switching system for electrical appliances using web based interface technology. The proposed system consists of two parts, the first part is the hardware module, which provides appropriate interface to switches of home appliances. Second part is the software component that comprises the user control interface which monitors and controls energy consuming units in the household. Users and system administrator can locally (LAN) or remotely (WAN) control system code to activate or deactivate a desired appliance. The outcome of the study revealed that the smart household switch engendered substantial reduction in energy consumption on all kinds of appliance and it poses no threat to security of lives and properties. The device is desirable for conservation and efficient use of energy. Keyword: smart switch, remote control, energy efficiency, household appliances

This study provides detailed scientific information on the physicochemical properties of drinking water from groundwater in a Nigerian university sub-urban community. Water samples from boreholes (BHs) and handdrawn wells (HDWs) in the community were collected and analyzed for their biological and physicochemical parameters, and the metals from July 2016 to January 2017 for wet and dry seasons. Results obtained, showed that the physicochemical factors complied with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, except for pH being lower in some locations. In the wet and dry seasons, pH varied from 4.4 to 6.2 and from 4.8 to 6.7 respectively. While the mean value for wet season was 5.7, dry season was 5.9; to give a seasonal mean difference of 0.2.Cd and Pb, in both wells, for many locations, were slightly higher than the prescribed limits. The slight elevated concentrations of Pb and Cd could be attributed to oil exploration activities in the study area. The study recommends the provision of improved drinking water in the community. Keywords: Groundwater, quality monitoring, contamination, Niger-Delta

This research is aimed at the early detection of breast cancer. Breast cancer is a form of cancer that is found in the breast tissue. Though mostly common in women, research has shown that it can also be diagnosed in men. The increasing trend in the mortality rate attributable to breast cancer can be traced to inefficient methods of detecting the cancer in its early stage. Current methods involve invasion, exposure of the patient to radiation, and/or compressing the breast. These may cause pain or even invest patient with other forms of ailments. In this work, infrared (IR) thermography has been deployed to detect breast cancer in its early stage. IR thermography uses IR radiation to measure heat patterns of human skin. It is passive in nature and it neither emit harmful radiation nor subject the patient to further risks. The thermograms captured by infrared camera are analysed by a software in stages, viz: extraction of region of interest, detection and masking of warm region among others. The resulting image in grayscale is sampled by comparing the white pixels (warm region) to the dark pixels (cool region). The software subsequently compares the outcome with a predefined threshold to predict the chances of occurrence of cancer and displays result for further diagnosis by medical expert. Our proposed modality is cost effective, safe and user friendly.

Diabetes is a disease of genetic and environmental origin. It affects the glucose-insulin endocrine metabolic regulatory system due to the malfunction of the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. The purpose of this study is to carry out a comparative analysis of the potencies of hunteria umbellata and metformin on Type 1 diabetes mellitus using bio-statistical analysis. The period of attaining normal blood glucose level across times was taken into consideration as a basis for comparing the efficacy of the oral antidiabetic herbal drug to that of the orthodox antidiabetic drug. The biometric analysis of data from five diabetic patients that were placed on herbal treatment were taken daily for a period of 3 weeks during which they attained normal fasting blood glucose level of between 70mg and 100mg as compared with a recovery period of 8 weeks for the 15 patients treated with metformin 500mg. These results showed that hunteria umbellata is more efficacious in the treatment of diabetes mellitus than metformin 500mg.

The objectives of this paper are to identify possible gaps in identification, evaluation, analysis, implementation and effectiveness of risk management approaches among home-based consulting Engineers in Nigeria vis-à-vis the implementation of such practices. Structured Questionnaire method was adopted as the survey instrument to collect data centred on issues on the subject matters. Out of 80 questionnaires distributed, 61 were returned and 6 of the returned responses rendered invalid leaving 55 valid questionnaires. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Correlation methods were adopted for statistical analysis with respect to which four hypotheses based on the subject matter were formulated and evaluated using the F-and Correlation statistics. The first premised on risk identification resulted in comparative F-statistics of Fcat = 0.057592 < Fcrit = 2.866081, the second on risk evaluation yielded Fcat = 0.194683 < Fcrit = 2.866081 while the third based on risk management implementation resulted in Fcat = 0.093474 < Fcrit = 2.866081. The results of the first three hypothesis indicted the home-based Consulting Engineers of not identifying, analysing/evaluating and implementing risk management approaches in project execution respectively. The fourth hypothesis premised on correlation between management approach and policy implementation yielded a correlation statistics of 0.501642 establishing a positive correlation between the two among the home-based Consulting Engineers. The study thus establishes risk management practices as key to successful project management and its neglect as major causal factor for project failures in Nigeria.

Abstract Deep learning-based CT image reconstruction (DLR) is a state-of-the-art method for obtaining CT images. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of DLR in radiotherapy. Data were acquired using a large-bore CT system and an electron density phantom for radiotherapy. We compared the CT values, image noise, and CT value-to-electron density conversion table of DLR and hybrid iterative reconstruction (H-IR) for various doses. Further, we evaluated three DLR reconstruction strength patterns (Mild, Standard, and Strong). The variations of CT values of DLR and H-IR were large at low doses, and the difference in average CT values was insignificant with less than 10 HU at doses of 100 mAs and above. DLR showed less change in CT values and smaller image noise relative to H-IR. The noise-reduction effect was particularly large in the low-dose region. The difference in image noise between DLR Mild and Standard/Strong was large, suggesting the usefulness of reconstruction intensities higher than Mild. DLR showed stable CT values and low image noise for various materials, even at low doses; particularly for Standard or Strong, the reduction in image noise was significant. These findings indicate the usefulness of DLR in treatment planning using large-bore CT systems.

Abstract Background Primary angiosarcoma of the breast is very rare, accounting for 0.05% of all malignant breast tumors. It has very high malignant potential and poor prognosis, though due to the rarity of the disease, there is no established treatment. We report this case along with a literature review. Case presentation We report the case of a 30-year-old Asian woman who was diagnosed with bilateral primary angiosarcoma of the breast while breastfeeding. After surgery, she underwent radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for local recurrence of liver metastases, but these were ineffective, and she required several arterial embolization procedures for intratumoral bleeding and rupture of liver metastases. Conclusions Angiosarcoma has a poor prognosis due to a high rate of local recurrence and distant metastasis. Although there is no established evidence for radiotherapy or chemotherapy, multimodality treatment may be necessary because of the high malignancy and rapid progression of the disease.

Photocatalytic systems consisting of 2-substituted benzimidazoliums (BI+–R, R = polycyclic aryl, triarylamine or phenyl-sulfate) and stoichiometric hydride donor reagents were developed. Light emitting diode irradiation of these photocatalysts in the presence of NaBH4 or picoline borane promotes desulfonylation reactions of an N-sulfonyl indole, N-sulfonyl amide and α-sulfonyl ketone. Absorption spectroscopic and redox potential measurements as well as density functional theory calculations were carried out to gain mechanistic information. Benzimidazolines (BIH–R), generated in situ by hydride reduction of BI+–R, serve as both an electron and hydrogen atom donor photocatalysts in these reductive desulfonylation reactions, which contrasts to ordinary reducing photocatalysts that simply donate electrons.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents limited therapeutic options and is associated with poor prognosis. Early detection and the development of novel therapeutic agents are therefore imperative. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a membrane protein expressed on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) that plays an essential role in TNBC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Consequently, it is hypothesized that the Astatine (211At)-labeled FAP inhibitor (FAPI) selectively exerts anti-tumor effects through alpha-particle emission. In this study, we aimed to assess its theranostic capabilities by integrating [18F]FAPI-74 PET imaging with targeted alpha therapy using [211At]FAPI1 in TNBC models. Mice xenografts were established by transplanting MDA-MB-231 and HT1080 cells (control). As a parallel diagnostic method, [18F]FAPI-74 was administered for PET imaging to validate FAP expression. A single dose of [211At]FAPI1 (1.04 ± 0.10 MBq) was administered to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy. [18F]FAPI-74 exhibited high accumulation in MDA-MB-231 xenografts, and FAP expression was pathologically confirmed via immunostaining. The group that received [211At]FAPI1 (n = 11) demonstrated a significantly enhanced anti-tumor effect compared with the control group (n = 7) (p = 0.002). In conclusion, [18F]FAPI-74 PET imaging was successfully used to diagnose FAP expression, and as [211At]FAPI1 showed promising therapeutic efficacy in TNBC models, it is expected to be a viable therapeutic option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract For radiological diagnosis and radionuclide therapy, X-ray and gamma-ray imaging technologies are essential. Single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) play essential roles in radiological diagnosis, such as the early detection of tumors. Radionuclide therapy is also rapidly developing with the use of these modalities. Nevertheless, a limited number of radioactive tracers are imaged owing to the limitations of the imaging devices. In a previous study, we developed a hybrid Compton camera that conducts simultaneous Compton and pinhole imaging within a single system. In this study, we developed a system that simultaneously realizes three modalities: Compton, pinhole, and PET imaging in 3D space using multiple hybrid Compton cameras. We achieved the simultaneous imaging of Cs-137 (Compton mode targeting 662 keV), Na-22 (PET mode targeting 511 keV), and Am-241 (pinhole mode targeting 60 keV) within the same field of view. In addition, the imaging of Ga-67 and In-111, which are used in various diagnostic scenarios, was conducted. We also verified that the 3D distribution of the At-211 tracer inside a mouse could be imaged using the pinhole mode.

PurposePET with L-4-borono-2-[18F] fluoro-phenylalanine (FBPA) was reported to be useful to differentiate malignant tumors and inflammation. Although immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been applied to cancer treatment recently, FDG PET may not be suitable to determine the effect of ICIs because of false-positive findings caused by treatment-related inflammation. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate that FBPA PET allowed detection of the early response of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in tumor-bearing mice, comparing the results with those of FDG PET.Materials and methodsMice with B16F10 melanoma tumor xenografts were prepared. Anti-mouse PD-1 antibody or PBS was administered twice intraperitoneally to the tumor-bearing mice on Day 0 (3 days after inoculation) and Day 5 (treatment or control group ). PET/CT imaging was performed twice for each mouse on Day 0 before the anti-PD-1 antibody/PBS administration and on Day 7 using a micro-PET/CT scanner. FBPA and FDG PET/CT studies were conducted separately. SUVmax and the tumor to liver ratio (T/L ratio) were used as parameters exhibiting tumor activity. Tumor uptake volume (TUV) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) were also calculated for FBPA and FDG, respectively. Changes between pre- and posttreatment SUVmax or T/L ratio were observed using the formula as follows: [(posttreatment parameter values/pretreatment values - 1) × 100] (%).ResultsTumors in TrG were smaller than those in CoG on Day 7. SUVmax and T/L ratio represented no differences between TrG and CoG in FBPA and FDG PET before treatment. FBPA PET on Day 7 demonstrated that SUVmax, T/L ratio, and TUV in TrG were statistically smaller than those in CoG. %T/L ratio and %SUVmax exhibited the same trend in FBPA PET. However, FDG PET on Day 7 revealed no differences in all parameters between TrG and CoG. T/L ratio and %SUVmax in TrG represented larger values than those in CoG without statistical significances.ConclusionThis study demonstrated that FBPA PET allowed detection of the early response of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice. FDG PET did not detect the response. Further studies are required to determine whether FBPA PET is useful in evaluating the treatment effect of ICIs in humans.

Abstract Background 211At is a high-energy α-ray emitter with a relatively short half-life and a high cytotoxicity for cancer cells. Its dispersion can be imaged using clinical scanners, and it can be produced in cyclotrons without the use of nuclear fuel material. This study investigated the biodistribution and the antitumor effect of 211At-labeled gold nanoparticles (211At-AuNP) administered intratumorally. Results AuNP with a diameter of 5, 13, 30, or 120 nm that had been modified with poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether (mPEG) thiol and labeled with 211At (211At-AuNP-S-mPEG) were incubated with tumor cells, or intratumorally administered to C6 glioma or PANC-1 pancreatic cancers subcutaneously transplanted into rodent models. Systemic and intratumoral distributions of the particles in the rodents were then evaluated using scintigraphy and autoradiography, and the changes in tumor volumes were followed for about 40 days. 211At-AuNP-S-mPEG was cytotoxic when it was internalized by the tumor cells. After intratumoral administration, 211At-AuNP-S-mPEG became localized in the tumor and did not spread to systemic organs during a time period equivalent to 6 half-lives of 211At. Tumor growth was strongly suppressed for both C6 and PANC-1 by 211At-AuNP-S-mPEG. In the C6 glioma model, the strongest antitumor effect was observed in the group treated with 211At-AuNP-S-mPEG with a diameter of 5 nm. Conclusions The intratumoral single administration of a simple nanoparticle, 211At-AuNP-S-mPEG, was shown to suppress the growth of tumor tissue strongly in a particle size-dependent manner without radiation exposure to other organs caused by systemic spread of the radionuclide. Graphic Abstract

Abstract Astatine-211 (211At)-labeled phenylalanine is expected to be a promising agent for targeted alpha-particle therapy for the treatment of patients with glioma. The existing reactions to prepare the labeled compound usually require organic solvents and metals that are toxic and hazardous to the environment. In this study, we developed a novel method wherein astatination was realized via the substitution of 211At for a dihydroxyboryl group coupled to phenylalanine. [211At]4-astato-L-phenylalanine was obtained as the carrier-free product in aqueous medium in high radiochemical yields (98.1 ± 1.9%, n = 5). The crude reaction mixture was purified by solid-phase extraction, and the radiochemical purity of the product was 99.3 ± 0.7% (n = 5). The high yield and purity were attributed to the formation of [211At]AtI and AtI2 − as the reactive intermediates in the astatination reaction. The reaction did not require any organic solvents or toxic reagents, suggesting that this method is suitable for clinical applications.

Abstract We recently isolated a novel adenylyl cyclase/cAMP phosphodiesterase gene from the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha. The protein encoded by this gene has a class III adenylyl cyclase (AC) in the C-terminal domain and class I phosphodiesterase (PDE) in the N-terminal domain; therefore, we named it CAPE (COMBINED AC with PDE). CAPE protein is likely involved in spermatogenesis and sperm motility due to its tissue-specific expression pattern in M. polymorpha and the distribution of CAPE genes in streptophytes. However, little is known about the distribution of CAPE in gymnosperms that use motile sperm for fertilization, such as cycads and ginkgo. The present study aimed to isolate CAPE genes from the cycad, Cycas revoluta, the ginkgo, Ginkgo biloba, and the hornwort, Anthoceros agerestis. Sequences with high homology to CAPE were obtained from these species. Our analyses revealed that all plant taxonomic groups reproducing via motile sperm possessed CAPE, whereas those that do not produce motile sperm did not possess CAPE, with one exception in gymnosperm Cupressales. The phylogenic distribution of CAPE almost corresponds to the evolutionary history of motile sperm production and further suggests that CAPE may be involved in sexual reproduction process using motile sperm in streptophytes.

Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) has garnered significant interest as an innovative cancer therapy. Owing to their high energy and short range, achieving selective α-particle accumulation in target tumor cells is crucial for obtaining high potency without adverse effects. To meet this demand, we fabricated an innovative radiolabeled antibody, specifically designed to selectively deliver 211At (α-particle emitter) to the nuclei of cancer cells. The developed 211At-labeled antibody exhibited a superior effect compared to its conventional counterparts. This study paves the way for organelle-selective drug delivery.

Fibroblast activation proteins (FAP) are overexpressed in the tumor stroma and have received attention as target molecules for radionuclide therapy. The FAP inhibitor (FAPI) is used as a probe to deliver nuclides to cancer tissues. In this study, we designed and synthesized four novel 211At-FAPI(s) possessing polyethylene glycol (PEG) linkers between the FAP-targeting and 211At-attaching moieties. 211At-FAPI(s) and piperazine (PIP) linker FAPI exhibited distinct FAP selectivity and uptake in FAPII-overexpressing HEK293 cells and the lung cancer cell line A549. The complexity of the PEG linker did not significantly affect selectivity. The efficiencies of both linkers were almost the same. Comparing the two nuclides, 211At was superior to 131I in tumor accumulation. In the mouse model, the antitumor effects of the PEG and PIP linkers were almost the same. Most of the currently synthesized FAPI(s) contain PIP linkers; however, in our study, we found that PEG linkers exhibit equivalent performance. If the PIP linker is inconvenient, a PEG linker is expected to be an alternative.

This article discusses two cases of patients with severe forms of lupus and lupus-related complications. In the first case, a teenage female with neuropsychiatric lupus and lupus nephritis experienced bacterial pneumonia and cytomegalovirus antigenemia while being treated with rituximab. Plasma exchange (PE) was used before rituximab to manage the patient's condition, and the combination of PE and rituximab effectively controlled the lupus activity. The second case involves a patient with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) who was treated with apheresis therapy, specifically plasma exchange, to remove autoantibodies and cytokines. The PE treatment successfully bridged to rituximab therapy, although it was delayed due to infections. The document also mentions a potential link between systemic lupus erythematosus and HPV vaccination, but further research is needed. Overall, apheresis therapy, specifically plasma exchange, was found to be effective in these refractory cases of lupus. [Extracted from the article]

Astatine (211At) is a cyclotron-produced alpha emitter with a physical half-life of 7.2 h. In our previous study, the 211At-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) compound ([211At]PSMA-5) exhibited excellent tumor growth suppression in a xenograft model. We conducted preclinical biodistribution and toxicity studies for the first-in-human clinical trial. [211At]PSMA-5 was administered to both normal male ICR mice (n = 85) and cynomolgus monkeys (n = 2). The mice were divided into four groups for the toxicity study: 5 MBq/kg, 12 MBq/kg, 35 MBq/kg, and vehicle control, with follow-ups at 1 day (n = 10 per group) and 14 days (n = 5 per group). Monkeys were observed 24 h post-administration of [211At]PSMA-5 (9 MBq/kg). Blood tests and histopathological examinations were performed at the end of the observation period. Blood tests in mice indicated no significant myelosuppression or renal dysfunction. However, the monkeys displayed mild leukopenia 24 h post-administration. Despite the high accumulation in the kidneys and thyroid, histological analysis revealed no abnormalities. On day 1, dose-dependent single-cell necrosis/apoptosis was observed in the salivary glands of mice and intestinal tracts of both mice and monkeys. Additionally, tingible body macrophages in the spleen and lymph nodes indicated phagocytosis of apoptotic B lymphocytes. Cortical lymphopenia (2/10) in the thymus and a decrease in the bone marrow cells (9/10) were observed in the 35 MBq/kg group in mice. These changes were transient, with no irreversible toxicity observed in mice 14 days post-administration. This study identified no severe toxicities associated with [211At]PSMA-5, highlighting its potential as a next-generation targeted alpha therapy for prostate cancer. The sustainable production of 211At using a cyclotron supports its applicability for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The majority of gastrointestinal tumors are adenocarcinomas. Rarely, there are other types of tumors, such as acinar cell carcinoma, and these are often called pancreatic-type acinar cell carcinomas. Among these tumors, some are differentiated into neuroendocrine components. A few of them are MiNENs. Case presentation The patient was an 80-year-old male who was referred to our hospital for treatment of a pedunculated gastric tumor. It was 5 cm in diameter and detected in the upper gastric body with upper GI endoscopy conducted to investigate anemia. In the biopsy, although hyperplasia of gastric gland cells was noted, no tumor cells were found. Retrospectively, the diagnosis was misdiagnosed. An operation was arranged because bleeding from the tumor was suspected as a cause of anemia and because surgical resection was considered to be desirable for accurate diagnosis. Hence, laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery was performed. In the pathological examination, several types of epithelial cells that proliferated in the area between the mucosa and deep inside the submucosa were observed. These consisted of acinar-glandular/trabecular patterns and solid. A diagnosis of pancreatic-type acinar cell carcinoma of the stomach with NET G2 and G3 was made based on characteristic cellular findings and the results of immunostaining tests. Each of them consisted of more than 30% of the lesion; a diagnosis of pancreatic-type mixed acinar neuroendocrine carcinoma (pancreatic-type MiNEN) of the stomach or a type of gastric MiNEN was obtained. Anemia was resolved after the operation, and the patient was discharged from the hospital without perioperative complications. Conclusions Pancreatic-type ACC of the stomach that is differentiated into neuroendocrine tumors is very rare. Hence, we report this case along with a literature review.

Abstract Background For recurrent incarcerated and strangulated hernias, the optimal treatment strategy for each case is needed. Case presentation The study patient was a 70-year-old man. TAPP repair was performed for a left inguinal hernia (JHS Classification II-1) 7 years earlier. The patient experienced transient pain and swelling of the left inguinal region for 5 months and visited our emergency department for abdominal pain and vomiting. A CT scan showed a recurrent left inguinal hernia and small bowel incarceration, and emergency surgery was performed. Laparoscopic observation of the abdominal cavity revealed recurrent left inguinal hernia (Rec II-1) with small bowel incarceration. The small bowel was reduced after pneumoperitoneum, and no findings suggested intestinal tract necrosis. Adhesions around the herniated sac were dissected using an extraperitoneal approach and then shifted to mesh plug repair. No perioperative complications or hernia recurrence were observed in the 10 months after the surgery. Conclusions This report describes a novel, successful surgical treatment for a recurrent incarcerated hernia. In our patient, we could easily perform dissection and understand the positional relationship by hybrid surgery using the TEP method. Additionally, in patients with incarcerated hernias, we believe that performing hybrid surgery by combining the TEP method would be useful because bowel dilation caused by intestinal obstruction would not disturb the operative field.