Objectives: Recently, there have been important advances in the clinical application of targeted hybrid near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent-radioactive tracers. ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid, for example, is already being used by some centres for sentinel lymph node biopsy in head and neck cancer. The radioactive component allows imaging at depths which would not be possible with NIR alone and, once exposed, the NIR fluorescence reporter can be imaged at very high resolution. Gamma detection is currently carried out with a separate hand-held gamma camera or with a non-imaging probe. Visualisation of NIR fluorescence during surgery requires a dedicated NIR camera, several of which are available commercially. We describe a novel hand-held hybrid NIR-gamma small field of view camera, capable of displaying co-aligned images from both modalities, which can be fused into one image or viewed separately. This study is a preliminary investigation of the performance of the fluorescence component of this camera, including phantom studies and first images from a preclinical pilot study. Methods: The hybrid camera consists of a 1500 µm thick thallium doped caesium iodide columnar (CsI:Tl) scintillator coupled to an electron multiplying charged coupled device (EMCCD). A 1.0mm diameter tungsten pinhole collimator gives a 40mm x 40mm nominal field of view for an 8mm x 8mm CCD detection area. A fluorescence camera was aligned to provide the same field of view as the gamma camera with an LED ring as the excitation source. The performance of the fluorescence imaging was quantified in this study for the fluorophores ICG and IRDye800CW (CW800) using a range of bespoke phantom experiments. In vivo images were also obtained from a preclinical study of a targeted hybrid tracer (cRGD-CW800-TCO + TCO-DOTA-111In) in mice with HT29 colorectal cancer xenografts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The portable hybrid camera prototype has been shown to successfully image dual NIR-gamma tracers using both in vitro and in vivo experimental models. With further development, this camera could be used intraoperatively, offering the benefits of gamma imaging at depth in tissues and high resolution surface NIR fluorescence imaging in a single imaging system.
Treatment of a high strength acidic industrial wastewater was attempted by activated carbon
adsorption to evaluate the feasibility of yielding effluents of reusable qualities. The experimental
methods which were employed in this investigation included batch and column studies. The
former was used to evaluate the rate and equilibrium of carbon adsorption, while the latter was
used to determine treatment efficiencies and performance characteristics. Fixed bed and expanded
bed adsorbers were constructed in the column studies. In this study, the adsorption behavior of acetic acid onto activated carbon was examined as a function of the concentration of the adsorbate, contact time and adsorbent dosage. The adsorption data was mo
The using of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste (CDW) can preserve natural aggregate resources, reduce the demand for landfill, and contribute to a sustainable built environment. Concrete demolition waste has been proven to be an excellent source of aggregates for new concrete production. At a technical, economic, and environmental level, roller compacted concrete (RCC) applications benefit various civil construction projects. Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) is a homogenous mixture that is best described as a zero-slump concrete placed with compacting equipment, uses in storage areas, dams, and most often as a basis for rigid pavements. The mix must be sufficiently dry to support
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One and two-dimensional hydraulic models simulations are important to specify the hydraulic characteristics of unsteady flow in Al-Gharraf River in order to define the locations that facing problems and suggesting the necessary treatments. The reach in the present study is 58200m long and lies between Kut and Hai Cities. Both numerical models were simulated using HEC-RAS software, 5.0.4, with flow rates ranging from 100 to 350 m3/s. Multi-scenarios of gates openings of Hai Regulator were applied. While the openings of Al-Gharraf Head Regulator were ranged between 60cm to fully opened. The suitable manning roughness for the unsteady state was
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A compact microstrip six-port reflectometer (SPR) with extended bandwidth is proposed in this paper. The design is based on using 16-dB multi-section coupled line directional couplers and a multi-section 3-dB Wilkinson power divider operating from 1 to 6 GHz. The proposed SPR employs only two calibration standards: a matched load and an open load. As compared to other dielectric substrates, fabricating the proposed SPR involves using a low-cost (FR4) substrate. A novel algorithm is also proposed to estimate the complex reflection coefficient over the frequency ranges at which the standard performance of the circuit components is not fully satisfied. The new algorithm is based on the circles’ intersection points, which have been de
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Permeability is one of the essential petrophysical properties of rocks, reflecting the rock's ability to pass fluids. It is considered the basis for building any model to predict well deliverability. Yamama formation carbonate rocks are distinguished by sedimentary cycles that separate formation into reservoir units and insulating layers, a very complex porous system caused by secondary porosity due to substitute and dissolution processes. Those factors create permeability variables and vary significantly. Three ways used for permeability calculation, the firstly was the classical method, which only related the permeability to the porosity, resulting in a weak relationship. Secondly, the flow zone indicator (FZI) was divided reservoir into
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To determine the abilities of salivary E‐cadherin to differentiate between periodontal health and periodontitis and to discriminate grades of periodontitis.
E‐cadherin is the main protein responsible for maintaining the integrity of epithelial‐barrier function. Disintegration of this protein is one of the events associated with the destructive forms of periodontal disease leading to increase concentration of E‐cadherin in the oral biofluids.
A total of 63 patients with periodontitis (case) and 35
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The objective of this article is to delve into the intricate dynamics of marriage relationships, exploring the impact of emotions such as fear, love, financial considerations and likability. In our investigation, we adopt a perspective that acknowledges the nonlinear nature of interactions among individuals. Diverging from certain prior studies, we propose that the fear element within the context of marriage is not a singular, isolated factor but rather a manifestation resulting from the amalgamation of numerous social issues. This, in turn, contributes to the emergence of strained and unsuccessful relationships. Unlike conventional approaches, we extensively examine the conditions essential for the existence of all socially signifi
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As a result of the significance of image compression in reducing the volume of data, the requirement for this compression permanently necessary; therefore, will be transferred more quickly using the communication channels and kept in less space in memory. In this study, an efficient compression system is suggested; it depends on using transform coding (Discrete Cosine Transform or bi-orthogonal (tap-9/7) wavelet transform) and LZW compression technique. The suggested scheme was applied to color and gray models then the transform coding is applied to decompose each color and gray sub-band individually. The quantization process is performed followed by LZW coding to compress the images. The suggested system was applied on a set of seven stand
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Chromene is considered a fused pyran ring with a benzene ring, which is found in many plants and is part of many important compounds such as anthocyanidins, anthocyanins, catechins, and flavanones. These compounds are included under the headings "flavonoids" and "isoflavonoids." These compounds are well known as bioactive molecules with wide medicinal uses. According to these pharmacokinetic characteristics, many researchers are giving more attention to this type of compound and its derivatives. Many chromene derivatives have been synthesized to study their biological effects for the treatment of many diseases. Furthermore, the researcher displayed wide interest in finding new methods for synthesizing chromene derivatives. These met
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Rare earth metal oxides (REMOs) have gained considerable attention in recent years owing to their distinctive properties and potential applications in electronic devices and catalysts. Particularly, cerium dioxide (CeO2), also known as ceria, has emerged as an interesting material in a wide variety of industrial, technological, and medical applications. Ceria can be synthesized with various morphologies, including rods, cubes, wires, tubes, and spheres. This comprehensive review offers valuable perceptions into the crystal structure, fundamental properties, and reaction mechanisms that govern the well-established surface-assisted reactions over ceria. The activity, selectivity, and stability of ceria, either as a stand-alone catalyst or as
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