The pattern of metastases in prostate cancer (PC) is evolving. Increased use of imaging, newer imaging techniques with higher sensitivity for disease detection and patients receiving multiple lines ...of novel therapies with increased life expectancy are likely to be contributory. Awareness of metastatic disease patterns improves early diagnosis, accurate staging, and initiation of appropriate therapy, and can inform prognostic information and anticipate potential disease complications. The aim of this review is to document the spectrum of metastases in PC including emerging and unusual patterns, and to highlight the role of novel imaging including prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positron-emission tomography (PET) and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) to improve diagnostic and response assessment accuracy.
A multi-crystalline silicon (Si) ingot was simulated and grown using the improved directional solidification (DS) process. Numerical simulations were performed with two different cooling paths and ...two different coolant flow rates in order to demonstrate the thermal characteristics in the improved DS furnace during the crystal growth. The temperature distributions in the furnace and locally (at the silicon ingot) were predicted as a function of time. From these result, a multi-crystalline Si ingot weighing 300
kg was grown within 40
h using the improved DS process. The Si ingot had a grain size that was larger than 5
mm, and the structure of the ingot was in the form of vertical columns. From the analysis results, the Si ingot exhibited a resistivity below 2
Ω
cm and a life time above 3
μs.
Local temperature distribution for several sections of the effective coolant pathway in the Type 1 (
t=60
min): (a) three-dimensional view point, (b) peripheral, (c) center, (d) top and (e) bottom surface of the Si ingot.
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► A multi-crystalline silicon (Si) ingot was simulated on the two different flow path and grown using the improved directional solidification (DS) process. ► The thermal characteristics was a key factor in order to control the high quality Si ingot manufacturing process. ► A 300 kg, high quality multi-crystalline Si ingot was obtained and this ingot is suitable for use as a Si wafer in solar cells.
Tm2O3 0.5 and 1mol% doped LiNbO3 single crystals with near-stoichiometric composition were grown by the micro-pulling-down method. Also, ZrO2 2, 3 and 4mol% were co-doped in the Tm doped LiNbO3 ...single crystals to improve optical damage resistance. The grown crystals were free of crack and the structural properties were confirmed by the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Electron probe micro analysis (EPMA) showed that dopants were homogeneously incorporated into the LiNbO3 single crystals. And the photoluminescence (PL) properties were measured in the visible wavelength range. In the result of PL analysis, strong emission was observed around 470nm in blue wavelength region and the PL properties were increased remarkably by the addition of ZrO2.
BackgroundDuring COVID19 pandemic, a small molecule antiviral agent PAXLOVIDTM was authorised for emergency use. The main antiviral component is nirmatrelvir, a coronavirus MPRO inhibitor, but it was ...combined with ritonavir to achieve persistent cell exposure. Respiratory virus usually infects through the nose and intranasal treatment is an attractive option for prophylactic treatment but challenging. Therefore, alternate strategies to deliver and retain nirmatrelvir within a treated cell is of great importance.AimThe aim of this project is to investigate antiviral effects of nirmatrelvir in a novel nanoemulsion formulation on coronavirus infected human primary nasal epithelium.MethodSeasonal coronavirus (HCOV-229E) was inoculated to the apical surface of air liquid interface (ALI) cultured human primary nasal epithelium. Viral load in apical wash was determined by a 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) assay and RT-PCR. Cell integrity, a marker of cell damage by virus infection, was measured as a transmembrane electrical resistance (TEER). 50 µL of nirmatrelvir (0.1 µM) prepared in water or as a nanoemulsion was applied to apical surface of ALI nasal epithelium for 10 min, and virus inoculum (0.2 MOI) was then applied to apical surface on top of the treatment for 1 hr. Apical surface wash with media was collected after treatment, then 1, 2 and 3 days post virus inoculation.ResultsHCoV viral load was maximal at Day 1 post inoculation. Analysis of the area under the curve (AUC) of viral load for 3 days post inoculation revealed that nirmatrelvir in water, nanoemulsion alone, and nirmatrelvir in nanoemulsion showed 69.5%, 89.8% and 100% inhibition of viral load vs. control, respectively. RT-PCR AUC was also inhibited by 13.5%, 52.2% and 100%, respectively, suggesting nirmatrelvir and nanoemulsion component showed synergistic effects. The nirmatrelvir in nanoemulsion also protected from virus induced reduction of TEER. The nirmatrelvir in nanoemulsion was well tolerated and not cytotoxic.ConclusionNovel nanoemulsion formulation of nirmatrelvir was found to show better antiviral effects against COV infection in human primary nasal epithelium.Please refer to page A291 for declarations of interest related to this abstract.
The present interest in small compact diode pumped lasers has supported research on new solid-state laser systems based on non-linear crystals. Rare-earth doped LiNbO3 single crystal fibers were ...grown by micro-pulling down (mu-PD) method. The grown crystals were free of cracks and homogeneous distributions of the rare-earth dopants concentration were observed by electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). The absorption bands and changes of photoluminescence properties due to the addition of the rare-earth dopants were investigated.
Undoped and 1, 2 and 3mol% ZnO-doped LiNbO3 fiber single crystals with near-stoichiometric compositions were grown by the micro-pulling down (μ-PD) method. The grown crystals were free of cracks, and ...homogeneous distributions of the ZnO concentration were observed by electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA). It was found indirectly from the optical properties of the LiNbO3 fiber single crystals that doping them with Zn2+ increases their photorefractive resistance.
Beta-Ga2O3 thin films were fabricated on the surface of GaN substrates by an oxygen plasma treatment. The thickness of the films, measured by SEM, was in the range 170 to 204 nm. The monoclinic ...structure and chemical composition of the beta-Ga2O3 crystals were confirmed by XRD and XPS. In addition, the surface morphology of the films was investigated by atomic force microscopy, the rms roughness of the GaN substrate being 2.87 nm and that of the beta Ga2O3 films being about 1.97 nm. The results obtained for the beta-Ga2O3 thin films indicated the potential use of GaN crystals. 10 refs.
