The performance of a light sharing and recirculation mechanism that allows the extraction of depth of interaction (DOI) are investigated in this paper, with a particular focus on timing. In parallel, ...a method to optimize the coincidence time resolution (CTR) of PET detectors by use of the DOI information is proposed and tested. For these purposes, a dedicated 64-channels readout setup has been developed with intrinsic timing resolution of 16 ps FWHM. Several PET modules have been produced, based on LYSO:Ce scintillators and commercial silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays, with mm2 individual SiPM size. The results show the possibility to achieve a timing resolution of 157 ps FWHM, combined with the already demonstrated spatial resolution of 1.5 mm FWHM, DOI resolution of 3 mm FWHM, and energy resolution of 9% FWHM at 511 keV, with 15 mm long crystals of section mm2 and mm2. At the same time, the extraction of the DOI coordinate has been demonstrated not to deteriorate the timing performance of the PET module.
A new method for obtaining depth of interaction (DOI) information in PET detectors is presented in this study, based on sharing and redirection of scintillation light among multiple detectors, ...together with attenuation of light over the length of the crystals. The aim is to obtain continuous DOI encoding with single side readout, and at the same time without the need for one-to-one coupling between scintillators and detectors, allowing the development of a PET scanner with good spatial, energy and timing resolutions while keeping the complexity of the system low. A prototype module has been produced and characterized to test the proposed method, coupling a LYSO scintillator matrix to a commercial SiPMs array. Excellent crystal separation is obtained for all the scintillators in the array, light loss due to depolishing is found to be negligible, energy resolution is shown to be on average 12.7% FWHM. The mean DOI resolution achieved is 4.1 mm FWHM on a 15 mm long crystal and preliminary coincidence time resolution was estimated in 353 ps FWHM.
Hyperinflammatory syndromes are life-threatening disorders caused by overzealous immune cell activation and cytokine release, often resulting from defects in negative feedback mechanisms. In the ...quintessential hyperinflammatory syndrome familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), inborn errors of cytotoxicity result in effector cell accumulation, immune dysregulation and, if untreated, tissue damage and death. Here, we describe a human case with a homozygous nonsense R688* RC3H1 mutation suffering from hyperinflammation, presenting as relapsing HLH. RC3H1 encodes Roquin-1, a posttranscriptional repressor of immune-regulatory proteins such as ICOS, OX40 and TNF. Comparing the R688* variant with the murine M199R variant reveals a phenotypic resemblance, both in immune cell activation, hypercytokinemia and disease development. Mechanistically, R688* Roquin-1 fails to localize to P-bodies and interact with the CCR4-NOT deadenylation complex, impeding mRNA decay and dysregulating cytokine production. The results from this unique case suggest that impaired Roquin-1 function provokes hyperinflammation by a failure to quench immune activation.
Since the determination of the fermentation kinetics is one of the main challenges in solid state fermentation, the quantitative measurement of biomass growth during microbial pretreatment by FTIR ...spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance mode was evaluated.
Peaks at wave numbers of 1651 cm−1 and 1593 cm−1 showed to be affected during pretreatment of poplar wood particles by Phanerochaete chrysosporium MUCL 19343. Samples with different microbial biomass fractions were obtained from two different experiments, i.e., shake flask and fixed-bed reactor experiments. The glucosamine concentration was compared to the normalized absorbance ratio of the 1651 cm−1 to 1593 cm−1 peak, measured by FTIR-ATR, and resulted in a linear relationship. The application of a normalized absorbance ratio in function of time provided a graph that was similar to the microbial growth curve.
Application of FTIR in ATR mode to follow-up kinetics during solid state fermentation seems to be a fast and easy alternative to laborious measurement techniques, such as glucosamine determination.
•Microbial growth during solid state fermentation can be easily measured by FTIR-ATR.•Ratio 1651 cm−1/1593 cm−1 shows a good correlation with the glucosamine measurement.•FTIR-ATR is an accurate quantitative method for follow-up of the growth kinetics.
B cell depletion by the anti-CD20 antibody ocrelizumab is effective in relapsing-remitting (RR) and primary progressive (PP) multiple sclerosis (MS). We investigated immunological changes in ...peripheral blood of a real-world MS cohort after 6 and 12 months of ocrelizumab. All RRMS and most PPMS patients (15/20) showed treatment response. Ocrelizumab not only reduced CD20
B cells, but also numbers of CD20
T cells. Absolute numbers of monocytes, dendritic cells and CD8
T cells were increased, while CD56
natural killer cells were reduced after ocrelizumab. The residual B cell population shifted towards transitional and activated, IgA
switched memory B cells, double negative B cells, and antibody-secreting cells. Delaying the treatment interval by 2-3 months increased mean B cell frequencies and enhanced naive B cell repopulation. Ocrelizumab reduced plasma levels of interleukin(IL)-12p70 and interferon(IFN)-α2. These findings will contribute to understanding ineffective treatment responses, dealing with life-threatening infections and further unravelling MS pathogenesis.
The study is a first investigation of the feasibility to preserve recycled fillers (e.g. calcium carbonate, kaolin) from deinking paper sludge for newspaper production using an alternative approach ...respect to the actual methods. Deinking paper sludge was incinerated at 575 °C. The thermal stability of the incinerated sludge (ash) was evaluated by infrared analysis. Subsequently, the resulting ash was bleached by sodium dithionite. The particle size of the ashes was analysed by laser diffraction. The effect of recycled fillers on recycled paper pulp, after blending, was evaluated by the analysis of the physical and optical properties of the obtained paper sheets. Analysis showed the conservation of the calcium carbonate and other fillers’ molecular structure, both after incineration of the sludge and after bleaching. The dithionite treatment of the ashes resulted in ISO brightness levels of more than 70. The brightness was stable over one month. Paper sheets made by blending the bleached ashes with recycled paper showed an improvement of brightness and opacity but a decrease in terms of porosity and breaking length compared to paper sheets made without any filler. The proposed method still requires further studies to evaluate the economical application but offers an opportunity for the recycling of inorganic materials and valorisation of the sludge.
Graphic Abstract
The needs of refugees in the United States can often optimally be met through home based primary care (HBPC). Until recently, however, there has been little research into the methods of best practice ...and challenges of providing home based care to refugee groups. The model for the HBPC of refugees proposed here is the result of a comprehensive review of the literature combined with professional practice. Emphasis is placed on the elements of care identified as most affecting health and quality of life outcomes for refugees receiving HBPC. The key inputs for positive health and quality of life outcomes identified are: (1) Linguistic communication; (2) Cultural safety; and (3) Interprofessional team.
PDF
