Advances in Sonodynamic Therapy (SDT) Offer a Promising Non-invasive Approach in Cancer Treatment

We are all well known of the fact that cancer has become the first killer of human health, and anticancer therapy has attracted more attention of researchers from all over the world. Currently, four main methods are clinically applied in cancer treatments but every kind of treatment has its own limitations which are the major challenges for cancer treatment.

Being developed as a novel promising noninvasive approach, Sonodynamic Therapy (SDT) is derived from photodynamic therapy (PDT). The major difference between Sonodynamic Therapy and Photodynamic Therapy is the energy source used to activate the sensitizers. Photodynamic therapy is not effective for the treatment of deep-seated tumors due to its short penetration depth of light. However, the significant advantage of Sonodynamic Therapy over Photodynamic Therapy is that ultrasound can be tightly focused with penetration in soft tissue up to several tens of centimeters.

Anticancer effect of Sonodynamic Therapy

With an evolving methodology, sonodynamic therapy offers the possibility of non-invasively eradicating solid tumors in a site-directed manner. A high therapeutic efficacy of sonodynamic therapy in cancers is resulting from the comprehensive functions. According to several investigations, it is confirmed that the production of a large amount of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) induced by sonodynamic therapy can produce direct cytotoxicity in cancer cells. The sonodynamic therapy can also possess the modulation effects on cancer microenvironment, e.g., the suppression effect on tumor vasculature and the stimulation effect on the tumor immunity, which inhibit the growth of cancers.

Role of sonosensitizers

Sonosensitizer is considered as an important element in sonodynamic therapy, which can maximize the effects of ultrasonic irradiation. Sonosensitizers have achieved rapid development in the past decades, based on the known mechanisms of cell apoptosis or cell death induced SDT. Moreover, the selection of a suitable sonosensitizer in carrying out SDT on cancers has become an important issue in current investigations.

Modulation effects of SDT on Cancer microenviroment

Cancer microenvironment describes cellular environments in which the tumor exists. It includes surrounding blood vessels, fibroblasts, immune cells, bone marrow-derived inflammatory cells, signaling molecules, lymphocytes, and the extracellular matrix. The surrounding microenvironment and the tumor are intimately related and interact constantly. While the tumor microenvironment provide the support for the growth and metastasis of cancer cells, the tumors can influence the microenvironment by releasing extracellular signals, promoting tumor angiogenesis and inducing peripheral immune tolerance,. Recently, several investigations have showed that sonodynamic therapy can efficiently modulate the tumor microenvironment.

A significant body of data has demonstrated therapeutic effectiveness of sonodynamic therapy in cancer treatment. In view of the significant depth that ultrasound penetrates tissue, sonodynamic therapy provides an advantage over photodynamic therapy, in which less penetrating light is employed. More work needs to be done before sonodynamic therapy is accepted as an adjuvant or replacement method for traditional cancer treatment. More data necessary to ascertain the actual anticancer activities of sonodynamic therapy will be acquired in the near future.

Innovations & Future Opportunities in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology

Radio frequency identification (RFID) has made remarkable progress since it was generated. With a huge potential, today, RFID technology has become one of the most blooming technology with numerous applications. When RFID technology is mixed with printing technology, new and better opportunities are created. While printing an entire RFID chip and antenna has become possible to print, still RFID technology is considered impractical for real world application.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a method of communicating data between an electronic tag and a reader with radio waves, and this technology is generally used for tracking and identification purposes. Currently some of the major areas for RFID are in public inventory tracking, transportation, animal identification, logistics, and asset management. RFID technology is so competent and beneficial that a few companies are initiating measures to make a requirement for its suppliers in order to participate in an RFID system. Adding of the printing technology is believed to be the key method for future innovation in RFID technology.

New Opportunities in RFID Technology

When electronic tag is directly put onto a product, it gives way to ideas such as smart cards, smart labels, and smart packaging and these ideas rely on RFID technology to create a system to replace barcodes. Printing the antenna that extends the radio waves transmitted and reduces cost by eliminating the previous method of etched antenna is currently the actual printing portion of RFID technology. The electronic tag or chip is attached once the antenna is printed.

If we talk about the market for RFID printing, it is small due to the expense of the process and materials. Even with the reduction in cost with a printed antenna, the process is currently is a bit expensive, but necessary majors are been taken to make it cheaper. What poses a great challenge for printing technology is to make possible that the chip could be printed as well as the antenna. Once the necessary technology for RFID printing exists, there will be an outburst of opportunities in new markets.

Printed RFID Tags

One of the most innovative and useful labeling and product tracking RFID technology is RFID printers. The current theory on RFID printers is based on carbon nanotube technology. The carbon nanotubes are infused with ink and printed on using inkjet technology, which is a printing process where very fine ink droplets are sprayed in a controlled manner on to a substrate or printing surface. There is an ability to print thin film transistors with the help of inkjet printing process and carbon nanotube infused ink combined, which is indeed there is a key element in RFID printers. These printable transistors can be printed on paper or plastic.

With the emerging RFID technology, the future for printed RFID tags become clearer. Though there are several obstacles blocking the success of printed RFID tags, the thrilling potential of RFID technology is uncovering the advancements in printed RFID tags

Know How Facebook is Turning Tables for Businesses

There is no doubt in the fact that Facebook is one of the most popularly used social media platforms, which makes it a must have when it comes to running businesses. Having tremendous potential for growth, Facebook allows businesses to spread like wild fire amongst the billion Facebook users worldwide. So how is this social media platform impacting the success of businesses?

Being the largest social media platform, Facebook allows businesses to connect with more people and increase visibility amongst the users. According to the recent trends, social media is better and more advanced compared to traditional marketing to enhance the way businesses interact with their audiences. This approach is a clear representation of the businesses that adapt to social trends followed by their audiences to achieve complete visibility.

Facebook community plays an important role in growth of small businesses

An event held in Phoenix, threw light on the aspects of Facebook community boost that could help transform how small businesses fulfill their business goals. The process of building social connections with the prospects is a great way of branding and spreading information related to the businesses. The extensive use of platforms like Facebook could help reduce advertising costs for small businesses as they would not find the need to travel or print flyers and posters. Besides, Facebook’s altogether different and well equipped functionality for business owners, gives them the freedom to utilize the tools for greater enhancement of business.

Social media marketing has changed the way people do business, as the strings of recommendations and referrals are in the customer’s hands, which help the business grow massively. With more engagements with the customers, businesses can use Facebook for branding purposes. Facebook could also help the businesses understand and know their customers well, with the kind of products posts they like and share along with their friends. This approach helps build a good social media marketing strategy for the future.

Going beyond the traditional concept of connecting with people around, Facebook is now transforming and digitizing businesses to channelize their resources rightly. What better than connecting with the audience without physically interacting with them? Facebook is all set to turn the tables for businesses, giving them more opportunities and tools to connect better as well as helping the audiences know more about their ideal and best-loved products just by surfing their favorite social networking site.

‘Digital Humans’ to Redefine Virtual Assistance

The intervention of technology in traditional processes has given rise to several new innovations and changes being made in the way businesses operate. The digital world is often seen challenging companies to cope with the requirements of enhanced technologies. With technologies like virtual assistance, chatbots, and online query resolving systems, businesses are trying to increase the number of queries attended and improve the overall experience they deliver to customers. Virtual assistance that is digitally-enabled, is an intelligent software service that enhances the traditional capabilities of human assistance with a unique set of features. ‘Digital humans’ is the next-level innovation in the umbrella of this cutting- edge technology that takes virtual assistance to greater heights.

ANZ Bank to realize the potential of ‘Digital Human’

ANZ Bank recently announced that their new digital assistant, ‘Jamie’, developed in partnership with Soul Machines, which will be deployed this week, helping bank customers with support and general queries. The bank is all set to revolutionize the banking experience that they provide to their customers. This astonishing digital human is well programmed to resolve frequently received queries to ensure that they could provide initial support to the customers that face any banking dilemmas.
They believe that this system would be an emotionally intelligent solution making it more interactive as compared to the chatbots.
Powered by an AI engine, it is capable of responding to human emotions along with queries. This way ‘Jamie’ has the exceptional ability to provide an immersive experience that actively engage with the customers senses. Their advancements allow them to self-learn from the previous conversations, making them more equipped with the requirements of the customers.

Digital Human: Umpqua Bank’s new innovation strategy

The physical retail banking experience and digital innovation together would be termed as a ‘digital human’. These are the words of the new CEO of Umpqua Bank, Cort O’Haver, who is all set to transform the bank’s customer experience by giving it a digital face. The team is currently working on a new app that lets customers chat with the bank specialists in order to resolve any issues on the user side.

Going beyond the horizon of mere voice and typed chatbots, this technology helps businesses to be open for newer opportunities in the field of AI-driven virtual assistance. This encourages the customers to be more engaged, resulting in knowing the customers behavior and patterns in a better manner.
The evolution of virtual assistance is quick and allows users to have a more customized experience that helps their work to be done in greater speed. яндекс