bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Serum PSA Measurement a Good Test for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer? Results of a Pilot Study and Cost Analysis
Authors: De biasi F. , Londero D. , Vanuzzo D. , Pilotto L. , Praturlon S. , Guerra U.P.
Published: April 2018

Over the last years - late 1970s to early 1990s - the incidence of prostate carcinoma has nearly doubled, even though many more patients die suffering from prostate cancer than because of it. This finding, together with the slow growth of this tumor and the absence of a controlled trial that would suggest a benefit from screening, makes early diagnosis of this disease quite questionable. On the other hand, it is well known that prostatic carcinoma is curable as long as it is intracapsular, and that there is an ever increasing encouragement to early detection in all diseases. The costs of screening and the difficulty in balancing the benefits of screening against its negative effects, such as psychological impact and overtreatment, must be taken into account as well. In our opinion, one of the advantages of early diagnosis should be that the patients’ quality of life improves, because the stage at diagnosis and, as a result, the number of patients suffering from bone metastasis decrease, and unknown benign pathologies can be cured. These observations are not at all negligible. Our study aims to demonstrate that by using PSA as an initial test, the screening costs are reasonable and the disease incidence is just as expected.
Comparison of One First-Generation and Three Second-Generation Methods for the Determination of CA 125
Authors: Martin M. J. , Blockx P. P.
Published: April 2018

The monoclonal antibody OC125 (Centocor, Inc, Malvern, PA) was the basis for the first generation of one-step immunoradiometric assays (IRMA), used to detect the glycoprotein CA 125. Recently two-step IRMAs were developed: the CA 125 second-generation assays. In these new assays the CA 125 capture antibody is the M11 monoclonal antibody coated on a solid phase and the OC125 monoclonal antibody is used as tracer. We compared one first-generation radioassay and three second-generation assays (two radioassays and one ELISA) both analytically and clinically. The ELISA method showed the best within-assay precision and the best curve fitting characteristics. In the clinical comparison, none of the correlations between the first-generation and second-generation methods were really satisfactory; however, the cutoff level of 35 U/ml was confirmed. The four CA 125 assays do not yield equal results. As a consequence, the evolution of CA 125 serum concentrations during disease monitoring is not reliable when different determination methods are used consecutively.
Multicentre Clinical Evaluation of the COBAS CORE CEA, CA 125 II and PSA Tumor Marker Assays
Authors: Filella X. , Ballesta A.M. , Fox M. , Mitchell H. , Molina R. , Pürstner P. , Thome H.
Published: April 2018

The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of the tumor markers CEA, CA 125 and PSA using the COBAS CORE system from Roche Diagnostic Systems. Our results demonstrate that determination of these markers on the COBAS CORE immunoassasy analyser provides the performance required for routine use in clinical practice. The results obtained in this clinical trial validate the correlation with disease extension, a characteristic that defines and determines the clinical utility of the tumor markers. We also conclude that learning to operate the COBAS CORE system is simple, as is management of the system through the user-friendly software.
Potential Biological Markers for the Staging of Tumor Progression in Oral Mucosa: A Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Kannan S. , Chandran G. Jagadeesh , Balaram P. , Chidambaram S. , Nair M. Krishnan
Published: April 2018

A recent trend in cancer control programmes is the development of early detection strategies and chemoprevention of premalignant lesions. The present study evaluates the potential of selected markers in the biological staging of tumor progression in oral mucosa for better management of the disease. The expression patterns of various cytokeratin protein types such as 10/11, 13 & 16, 19, 18, 14 and pancytokeratin, involucrin, ras p21, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) were assessed immunohistochemically in various stages of tumor progression in oral mucosa. Statistical analyses such as the Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA, Spearman's rank correlation and multiple regression analysis were carried out to see which proteins have a significant association with tumor progression in oral mucosa. Statistical analysis showed that the expression patterns of cytokeratin types 10/11, 14 and 19, involucrin and epidermal growth factor were significantly correlated with tumor progression in oral mucosa in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Thus the biological stage of a lesion can be calculated from the multiple regression equation derived for these proteins, which could be more useful in assessing the stage of tumor progression in oral mucosa than histopathological grading.
The Importance of Cytochemical Analysis of Alveolar Macrophages in the Evaluation of Their Biological Properties
Authors: Zunic S.S. , Sekulic S. , Djordjevic-Denic G.V. , Bankovic D. , Cvetkovic P. M. , Zunic S.S. , Mandaric D. , Obradovic V. B.
Published: April 2018

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in 48 subjects: 22 healthy controls, 13 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis Stage I and 13 patients with lung cancer. All diagnoses were pathologically and clinically confirmed. Cytocentrifuge preparations were made, air-dried and stained for cytochemical examination of alveolar macrophages (AM) using indexing and scoring methods for the evaluation of esterase activity, intracellular amounts of glycogen, lipids and iron. Significant differences were found in the cytochemical examination of enzyme activity of AM and intracellular metabolic and ionic state, depending on pathological processes and smoking habits. There was a linear correlation between alpha naphthyl esterase activity and iron content in AM in patients with squamous cell lung carcinoma and in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, which makes it possible to assign individual patients to one of the groups. Cytochemical examination of BAL specimens might be of great significance for the prevention and early diagnosis of various malignant and non-malignant lung diseases.
Purification of a Tumoral Marker Recognized by Monoclonal Antibody Po66 and Associated with Human Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Brichory F. , Collet B. , Pineau C. , Desrues B. , Toujas L. , Le Pennec J.P. , Dazord L.
Published: April 2018

Monoclonal antibody (MAb) Po66, a murine IgG1, was raised by immunization against human lung squamous cell carcinoma. When injected intravenously, Po66 showed prolonged retention in the tumor. It recognized an intracellular antigen. The human lung squamous carcinoma cell line SK-MES-1 expresses the antigen recognized by MAb Po66 and was used as a source of biological material for its purification. The SK-MES-1 cell line was labeled in culture with [35S]methionine and its lysate was immunoprecipitated with Po66 immobilized on Protein G-Sepharose. The precipitate contained three proteins (47, 50 and 69 kDa) absent in the controls. The 69 kDa polypeptide was further purified by anion exchange and immunoaffinity chromatographies. To date, no other tumor marker expressed in non-small cell lung cancer with these characteristics has been described and as such this marker is interesting for future use in immunotherapy and in diagnosis.
Hepatoid Gastric Carcinoma. A Case Report
Authors: Lorenzi M. , Vindigni C. , Tripodi S.A. , Megha T. , Mancini St. , Francini G.
Published: April 2018

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is normally produced by primary hepatic neoplasms and germ cell tumors. There have, however, been reports of its production in cases of gastrointestinal tract adenocarcinoma. Gastric hepatoid carcinomas constitute a clinicopathological entity of recent acquisition and have certain common characteristics, which include the presence of hepatoid foci and frequent liver metastases, even in cases of early gastric cancer, and increasing serum AFP levels. In this study the case of one patient who underwent gastric resection and presented clinical, humoral, histological and immunohistochemical characteristics typical of hepatoid gastric carcinoma is reported. More biological studies, as well as precise criteria for pathological definition and therapy, are still necessary for a better understanding of this pathology.
Immunoassay of Neuron-Specific Enolase (Nse) and Serum Fragments of Cytokeratin 19 (Cyfra 21.1) as Tumor Markers in Small Cell Lung Cancer: Clinical Evaluation and Biological Hypothesis
Authors: Giovanella L. , Piantanida R. , Ceriani L. , Bandera M. , Novario R. , Bianchi L. , Roncari G.
Published: April 2018

NSE is a biochemical marker for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) diagnosis and management. CYFRA 21.1 is a newly developed immunoassay to detect the serum fragments of cytokeratin 19 which are also expressed in SCLC with or without neurofilaments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance and prognostic role of the two markers in SCLC and their contribution to chemotherapy monitoring and patient follow-up. We studied 62 patients with pathologically proven SCLC: 28 with limited disease (LD) and 34 with extensive disease (ED), and 100 patients with non-malignant pulmonary disease. Immunoradiometric assays (IRMA) were employed to test NSE and CYFRA 21.1 in patients and control subjects. For each patient subset results were expressed as median and interquartile distribution range. NSE and CYFRA 21.1 sensitivity was 0.52 (33/62) and 0.56 (35/62), respectively. In the group of patients with LD, NSE and CYFRA 21.1 sensitivity was 0.42 (12/28) and 0.54 (15/28) and in patients with ED, NSE and CYFRA 21.1 were positive in 0.62 (21/34) and 0.59 (20/34) of cases, respectively. Combining the two markers, a sensitivity of 0.78 (22/28) in LD, 0.82 (28/34) in ED and a global sensitivity of 0.80 (50/62) was obtained. Only NSE was significantly linked to the extension of disease (Mann-Whitney U test p = 0.002) while CYFRA 21.1 did not correlate. The analysis of survival and the evaluation of the two markers at diagnosis showed CYFRA 21.1 to be strongly linked to the patients’ outcome, independently of both clinical prognostic factors and NSE levels (log rank and Cox's model). The markers’ performance during chemotherapy was tested in a group of 33 patients with at least one marker above cut-off. NSE can be considered a reliable marker of tumor mass modifications under chemotherapy, while CYFRA 21.1 expression seems to be relatively independent of tumor volume modifications. An applicable model of biomarkers in SCLC could be the concurrent assay of NSE and CYFRA 21.1 in pre-therapeutic assessment and therapy planning. CYFRA 21.1 does not play an important role during therapy monitoring and follow-up; in these phases NSE alone may be employed.
Evaluation of Western Blot in Routine Diagnosis of Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Tsopanomichalou M. , Ergazaki M. , Spandidos D.A.
Published: April 2018

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is among the major causes of parenterally transmitted hepatitis. Detection of infected persons would greatly diminish transmission rates and is therefore a significant parameter for prevention. Current assays are not able to resolve all cases and sometimes the results are controversial. The present study outlines problems that arise during routine testing. Two ELISA tests and three confirmatory tests were used and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) data were available for some of the samples. The results of this study show that only 77.4% of samples positive for both ELISAs were confirmed as being positive. Controversial ELISA results remained controversial, depending on the confirmatory test used. PCR results, though not complete, point to the major problem of Western blot (WB) negative sera that prove positive for the viral genome and have to be excluded from screening for blood and organ donation. Since PCR cannot be used as a routine screening procedure, improvement of the routine assays is needed to minimize ambiguous results.
Role of Sialic Acid and Alkaline Dnase in Breast Cancer
Authors: Raval G.N. , Parekh L.J. , Patel M.M. , Patel P.S. , Rawal R.M. , Balar D.B. , Patel D.D.
Published: April 2018

Serum levels of sialic acid and alkaline DNase (ADA) were analysed in 495 blood samples collected from 170 breast cancer patients before and during/after anticancer treatment. Fifty-six healthy females were included in the study to define the cutoff values. The markers were analysed by highly sensitive spectrophotometric methods. Statistical evaluation of the data was done using Student's ‘t’ test, paired ‘t’ test and ROC curve analysis. The total sialic acid (TSA), lipid bound sialic acid (LSA) and ADA in sera of untreated breast cancer patients were significantly higher than in controls. ROC curve analysis revealed TSA and LSA to be useful markers for diagnosis of breast cancer. Serum levels of TSA and LSA were significantly decreased in complete responders as compared to their pretreatment values. The pretreatment ADA values showed much individual variation. However, responders showed higher levels of ADA than untreated patients. In nonresponders the values of the biomarkers were comparable with pretreatment levels. The study suggested that TSA and LSA can be helpful in the diagnosis of breast cancer. All three markers can be used for assessment of response to anticancer treatment in breast cancer patients.
Correlation Analysis of Alveolar Macrophage Cytochemical Parameters in Smoking and Pulmonary Oncology
Authors: Zunic S.S. , Sekulic S. , Djordjevic-Denic G.V. , Vukcevic M. , Cvetkovic P.M. , Zunic Sn. S. , Mandaric D. , Obradovic V.B.
Published: April 2018

Cytochemical examination of alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in healthy volunteers (11 non-smokers and 11 smokers) and in 9 patients with squamous lung carcinoma (all of them smokers or ex-smokers) in order to analyze its peculiarities related to the smoking habit and to lung malignancy. Assessment of non-specific esterases: α-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) and butyrate esterase (BUT), chloroacetate esterase (CHL), acid phosphatase (AcP), intracellular glycogen (PAS reaction), lipids (Sudan black B reaction - SBB) and iron (Perl's reaction) was performed by a semiquantitative cytochemical method (1). A significant correlation was obtained between BUT and stage of squamous lung carcinoma (varying between I and IV) (r=0.52, p<0.05). There was a correlation between BUT and Perl's in healthy controls (r=0.76, p<0.05). The same type of correlation was observed in control smokers (r=0.64, p<0.05), in addition to a correlation between CHL and AcP (r=0.69, p<0.05). There was no significant BUTIPerl's correlation in patients with squamous cell lung carcinoma (r=0.23, p>0.05), but significant AcP/CHL correlation as was observed in control smokers (r=0.73, p<0.05), and a “new” type of correlation was shown to exist between ANAE and SBB (r=0.77, p<0.05). In spite of the unresolved nature of lung cancer, correlation analysis of cytochemical parameters in AM might have an important part in the analysis of their relative contribution to the development of smoking-related disorders and lung malignancies.
The Role of Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) and Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE) Evaluation in Pericardial Fluid for the Recognition of Malignant Pericarditis
Authors: Szturmowicz M. , Tomkowski W. , Fijalkowska A. , Burakowski J. , Sakowicz A. , Filipecki S.
Published: April 2018

This study was designed to assess the value of tumor marker evaluation in pericardial fluid for the recognition of malignant pericarditis. Thirty-six patients with signs and symptoms of large pericardial effusion entered the study. Pericardiocentesis with pericardial fluid drainage was performed in all of them. CEA and NSE levels were evaluated in the pericardial fluid and compared to pericardial fluid cytology. The median CEA value in malignant effusions was 80 ng/ml (range 0-305 ng/ml) and in non-malignant ones 1.26 ng/ml (range 0.2-18.4 ng/ml), p<0.01. The sensitivity of CEA elevation above 5 ng/ml for the recognition of malignant pericarditis was 73% and the specificity was 90%.

Pericardial fluid cytology was positive in 22 of 26 patients with malignant pericarditis (85%). CEA exceeding 5 ng/ml or positive cytology were seen in 96% of the patients with malignant pericarditis. The median NSE value in malignant pericardial effusions was 41.8 μg/l (range 2-172 μg/l) and in non-malignant ones 5.85 μg/l (range 1-83.9 μg/l), p<0.3. For the differential diagnosis of large pericardial effusions we would recommend simultaneous cytologic examination of pericardial fluid and CEA assessment. NSE measurement in hemorrhagic pericardial fluid is of limited value.
Development of a Rapid and Ultrasensitive RIA Method for Estrogen (E2, E1, E1-S) Determination with Selective Solid Phase Extraction
Authors: Martinetti A. , Seregni E. , Bajetta E. , Bolelli G.F. , Ferrari L. , Massaron S. , Botti C. , Bombardieri E.
Published: April 2018

The inhibition of the proliferative stimulation exercised by estrogens on neoplastic cells is the goal of all endocrine therapies in breast cancer. Under various circumstances, e.g. with the use of aromatase inhibitors, this result can be obtained by blocking the synthetic pathway and, consequently, by lowering the circulating levels of estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and estrone sulfate (E1-S). The evaluation of these hormones in plasma could therefore represent a useful indicator of the biological efficacy of the therapy. However, the measurement of circulating steroids in a large series of patients is often a complicated procedure. Indirect methods of extraction are time consuming and expensive while the analytical sensitivity of direct methods is not sufficient to measure the residual levels of E2, E1, and E1-S. In this paper we describe a novel extraction method for the evaluation of plasma levels of E2, E1, and E1-S. This new method consists of solid phase extraction followed by a highly specific radioimmunoassay. The sensitivity of the assay is 0.6 pg/ml, 2.0 pg/ml and 7.0 pg/ml for E2, E1, and E1-S, respectively.
CA 15-3 and Bone Scintigraphy in the follow-up of Breast Cancer
Authors: Younsi N. , Montravers F. , Philippe C. , Seddiki M. , Uzan S. , Izrael V. , Talbot J.-N.
Published: April 2018

By means of the retrospective study of the clinical records of 158 women followed for breast cancer, we aimed to evaluate the consequences of a non-systematic indication for bone scan (BS) based either on CA 15-3 levels alone or a combination of tumor marker levels and clinical criteria. With the first option, the negative predictive value was 95% and 82% of the BS would have been avoided. With the second option, the negative predictive value was 97% and 59% of the BS would have been avoided. Furthermore, the preliminary results of a longitudinal study showed that those patients with normal CA 15-3 levels and positive bone scans showed a subsequent rise in CA 15-3 levels which frequently became elevated with an average delay of 15 months. Omission of systematic bone scans in the follow-up of breast cancer patients is likely to lead to a delay in the diagnosis of bone metastasis in 3% to 5%, the consequences of which have to be examined carefully.
Erythrina Cristagalli Lectin-reactive α-fetoprotein-E2: A Marker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Other Malignancies
Authors: Kamei M. , Misawa A. , Arai J. , Kamakura K. , Taketa K.
Published: April 2018

A newly isolated lectin Erythrina cristagalli (ECL) was tested for separation of human α-fetoprotein (AFP) glycoforms by affinity electrophoresis at 0.5 mg/ml and separated AFP bands were detected by antibody-affinity blotting. Three AFP bands, AFP-E1, AFP-E2 and AFP-E3 in order of increasing affinity, were obtained. Sera from control patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis gave a major band of AFP-E1 and a minor or trace band of AFP-E2 (3.4±2.3%), while those from patients with mostly advanced hepatocellular carcinomas had increased proportions of AFP-E2 band (16.6±10.2%). With a cutoff level of 8% (mean+2SD of AFP-E2 for controls), the sensitivity for hepatocellular carcinoma was 72% at a specificity of 100%. Gastrointestinal tumors had much higher percentages of AFP-E2 and occasionally positive AFP-E3. Most of the yolk sac tumors examined showed AFP-E3 in addition to AFP-E2, although AFP-E3 was a minor band. Thus, AFP-E2 is potentially a clinically useful marker for differentiation of increased AFP in hepatocellular carcinoma and other malignancies from that in precancerous chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Research on the visual/inertial integrated carrier landing guidance algorithm
Authors: Meng Yue , Wang Wei , Ding Zhenxing
Published: April 2018

In this article, we describe a visual/inertial integrated carrier landing guidance algorithm for aircraft carrier landing operations. The airborne vision system and the inertial navigation system are employed as sensors to obtain feature points of carrier runway as well as the aircraft inertial measurements. In this algorithm, visual and inertial information are integrated, and the Pose from Orthographic Projection and Scaling with Iterations algorithm is utilized to estimate aircraft position and carrier motion. A simulation was constructed validating this algorithm, and the results of this simulation show satisfactory accuracy as well as high efficiency in carrier landing guidance.
The Great Barrier Reef: News media, policy and the politics of protection
Authors: Foxwell-Norton Kerrie , Konkes Claire
Published: April 2018

Since the 1970s, the Reef has been a site where Australian environmental policy has flourished, mirroring global environmental policy seeking to ‘balance’ human activity through ‘ecologically sustainable development’. The article examines the parallel and intersecting processes of modern environmental policy and news media practice in the context of the Reef to unveil how Australia's news media are communicating critical moments in the protection of the Reef. Through two key conservation moments – the 1981 World Heritage Listing and the 2012 threat to place the Reef on the List of World Heritage in Danger – the article examines the role of news media in different geographic contexts, highlighting the complex politics of protection from early conservation campaigns to the contemporary era of protecting the Reef in the context of global environmental crisis. We identify how ecologically sustainable development discourses can be used to communicate positions that challenge and discredit policy initiatives aimed at protecting natural environments.
The Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC): Unlocking Access to Nursing Care Across the Nation
Authors: Kappel Dawn M.
Published: April 2018

Nurses, including school nurses, may reside in a state with compact licensing. On July 20, 2017, an enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) was enacted with implementation beginning on January 19, 2018. Nurses must be knowledgeable about the status of their state’s participation in the compact licensure, both their state of residence and their state of practice. Nurses must also be knowledgeable about what is entailed in compact licensure. This brief article provides basic information about compact licensing, along with considerations about nursing delegation, for the practicing school nurse.
Suicide Prevention for School Communities: An Educational Initiative for Student Safety
Authors: Roberts Diane Cody , Taylor Mary Ellen , Pyle Audrey D’Ann
Published: April 2018

A knowledge gap exists in school communities regarding suicide prevention and means reduction education. The article highlights two core interrelated topics: school nurse engagement in dialogue with students’ families and the implementation of an innovative, community-based suicide prevention educational program at a suburban public school district. The authors provide an overview of the public health problem of suicide for students, current student challenges, role of the school nurse in suicide prevention, and a key gap in current school nursing practice. At the request of the school counselors and principal, an innovative suicide prevention educational program was initiated as a community-based project at a large suburban public school district in Texas. The two overarching goals for this community-based collaboration are the following: school nurses will engage in frank, productive conversations with students’ parents and families about suicidality concerns and increase the school community’s knowledge about suicide prevention. This school community knowledge includes effective risk mitigation and means reduction strategies to better manage suicidality in students. Ultimately, this ongoing family and school community collaboration aims to prevent student deaths by suicide.
When It Comes to Task Assignment, Sometimes You Gotta “LEGO”®: Teaching Delegation Principles With Mega Bloks®
Authors: Bolinger Alexander R. , Burch Tyler C.
Published: April 2018

We describe an exercise for introducing undergraduate students to the practice of assigning tasks to followers and illustrating that proper task assignment is contingent on context. Students are assigned the roles of “manager” or “employee,” and managers instruct employees how to create a penholder out of Mega Bloks® using only words (i.e., no drawings or physically helping arrange the materials). This exercise is scalable to large classes but also works well for small groups. We discuss learning objectives, provide instructions for preparing the necessary materials and debriefing the activity, and include suggestions for variations to customize the exercise, as well as issues to consider and mistakes to avoid.
miR-148b-3p functions as a tumor suppressor in GISTs by directly targeting KIT
Authors: Wang Yu , Li Jun , Kuang Dong , Wang Xiaoyan , Zhu Yuanli , Xu Sanpeng , Chen Yaobing , Cheng Henghui , Zhao Qiu , Duan Yaqi , Wang Guoping
Published: April 2018

Background

Gain-of-function mutations and overexpression of KIT are characteristic features of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Dysregulation in miRNA expression may lead to KIT overexpression and tumorigenesis.

Methods

miRNA microarray analysis and real-time PCR were used to determine the miRNA expression profiles in a cohort of 69 clinical samples including 50 CD117IHC+/KITmutation GISTs and 19 CD117IHC−/wild-type GISTs. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses were performed to reveal the predicted targets of the dysregulated miRNAs. Of the dysregulated miRNAs whose expression was inversely correlated with that of KIT miRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics analysis and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry were used to measure the cell proliferation, cycle arrest and apoptosis. Wound healing and transwell assays were used to evaluate migration and invasion. A xenograft BALB/c nude mouse model was applied to investigate the tumorigenesis in vivo. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to investigate the protein and mRNA levels of KIT and its downstream effectors including ERK, AKT and STAT3.

Results

Of the six miRNAs whose expression was inversely correlated with that of KIT, we found that miR-148b-3p was significantly downregulated in the CD117IHC+/KITmutation GIST cohort. This miRNA was subsequently found to inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of GIST882 cells. Mechanistically, miR-148b-3p was shown to regulate KIT expression through directly binding to the 3’-UTR of the KIT mRNA. Restoration of miR-148b-3p expression in GIST882 cells led to reduced expression of KIT and the downstream effectors proteins ERK, AKT and STAT3. However, overexpression of KIT reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-148b-3p on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, we found that reduced miR-148b-3p expression correlated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in GIST patients.

Conclusion

miR-148b-3p functions as an important regulator of KIT expression and a potential prognostic biomarker for GISTs.
How to adapt numerical simulation of wave propagation and ultrasonic laboratory experiments to be comparable — A case study for a complex topographic model
Authors: Solymosi Bence , Favretto-Cristini Nathalie , Monteiller Vadim , Komatitsch Dimitri , Cristini Paul , Arntsen Børge , Ursin Bjørn
Published: April 2018

Numerical methods are widely used in seismic exploration to simulate wave propagation; however, the algorithms are based on various assumptions. The accuracy of numerical simulations is of particular interest in the case of realistic geologic setups. The direct comparison of numerical results can have limitations, and an alternative approach can be the comparison of synthetic results with experimental data, obtained for a small-scale physical model in laboratory conditions. Laboratory experiments are repeatable and provide high-quality data for a known configuration. We have developed a possible workflow to adapt the numerical simulations and the laboratory experiments to each other, such that the two can be easily compared with high accuracy. The model is immersed in a water tank, and a conventional pulse-echo technique is used to collect the reflection data in zero-offset and offset configurations. We use a spectral-element method for the numerical modeling. The model geometry is implemented using a nonstructured mesh, and the computational cost can be optimized using larger elements and higher-order basis functions. The real source transducer characteristics are implemented based on a new approach: laboratory characterization of the impulse response, followed by an inversion step to obtain a numerically equivalent source. The comparison of the zero-offset synthetic and laboratory results reveals an excellent fit in terms of arrival time, phase, and amplitude. Minor amplitude mismatches may be attributed to the noise recorded in the laboratory data and to the possible inaccuracy of the proposed source implementation. Comparison of the simulated and laboratory offset traces also exhibits a good fit in general, but with significantly less accuracy for some arrivals than in the zero-offset case. This can be mainly attributed to the inaccuracies of the transducer positions during the laboratory measurements combined with the strong topography of the model.
Improving the Accuracy of near Real-Time Seismic Loss Estimation using Post-Earthquake Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Lu Xinzheng , Zeng Xiang , Xu Zhen , Guan Hong
Published: April 2018

With the rapid development of remote sensing technology, satellite or aerial images from the disaster area become available within 24 hours after an earthquake. The collapsed buildings can be easily identified from these images. In this work, a framework for near real-time seismic loss estimation for regional buildings is proposed, which improves the accuracy of nonlinear time-history analysis (THA)-based loss estimations by taking advantage of the identified building collapse scene of the disaster area. Specifically, a series of THA are performed for the target regional buildings, thereby generating a number of simulation results. Those simulation results that bear strong similarities to the identified collapse scene are identified as the optimal solutions, which will be used to estimate the seismic loss. The simulation results of the case studies signify that the use of the identified building collapse scene leads to much closer estimations to actual economic losses.
Development of Fragility Curves for Confined Masonry Buildings in Lima, Peru
Authors: Lovon Holger , Tarque Nicola , Silva Vitor , Yepes-Estrada Catalina
Published: April 2018

This paper aims at investigating the seismic fragility of confined masonry (CM) structures in Lima, Peru, which can be used to perform earthquake scenarios at urban scale. A database describing the geometric properties (walls density, building area, height) of this type of structure was developed using data from field surveys. This information was complemented with results from experimental tests to compute a large set of capacity curves using a mechanical procedure. These models were tested against a set of ground motion records using the displacement-based earthquake loss assessment (DBELA) procedure, and the structural responses were used to derive fragility functions for four building classes. The resulting fragility curves were convoluted with seismic hazard curves to evaluate the annualized expected loss ratio and annual collapse probability.
Automated Renal Cancer Grading Using Nuclear Pleomorphic Patterns
Authors: Holdbrook Daniel Aitor , Singh Malay , Choudhury Yukti , Kalaw Emarene Mationg , Koh Valerie , Tan Hui Shan , Kanesvaran Ravindran , Tan Puay Hoon , Peng John Yuen Shyi , Tan Min-Han , Lee Hwee Kuan
Published: April 2018

Purpose

Nuclear pleomorphic patterns are essential for Fuhrman grading of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Manual observation of renal histopathologic slides may lead to subjective and inconsistent assessment between pathologists. An automated, image-based system that classifies ccRCC slides by quantifying nuclear pleomorphic patterns in an objective and consistent interpretable fashion can aid pathologists in histopathologic assessment.

Methods

In the current study, histopathologic tissue slides of 59 patients with ccRCC who underwent surgery at Singapore General Hospital were assembled retrospectively. An automated image classification pipeline detects and analyzes prominent nucleoli in ccRCC images to classify them as either low (Fuhrman grade 1 and 2) or high (Fuhrman grade 3 and 4). The pipeline uses machine learning and image pixel intensity–based feature extraction techniques for nuclear analysis. We trained classification systems that concurrently analyze different permutations of multiple prominent nucleoli image patches.

Results

Given the parameters for feature combination and extraction, we present experimental results across various configurations for the classification of a given ccRCC histopathologic image. We also demonstrate that the image score used by the pipeline, termed fraction value, is correlated ( R = 0.59) with an existing multigene assay–based scoring system that has previously been demonstrated to be a strong indicator of prognosis in patients with ccRCC.

Conclusion

The current method provides an objective and fully automated way by which to process pathologic slides. The correlation study with a multigene assay–based scoring system also allows us to provide quantitative interpretation for already established nuclear pleomorphic patterns in ccRCC. This method can be extended to other cancers whose corresponding grading systems use nuclear pattern information.
Conserved and divergent functions of Pax6 underlie species-specific neurogenic patterns in the developing amniote brain
Authors: Yamashita Wataru , Takahashi Masanori , Kikkawa Takako , Gotoh Hitoshi , Osumi Noriko , Ono Katsuhiko , Nomura Tadashi
Published: April 2018

The evolution of unique organ structures is associated with changes in conserved developmental programs. However, characterizing the functional conservation and variation of homologous transcription factors (TFs) that dictate species-specific cellular dynamics has remained elusive. Here, we dissect shared and divergent functions of Pax6 during amniote brain development. Comparative functional analyses revealed that the neurogenic function of Pax6 is highly conserved in the developing mouse and chick pallium, whereas stage-specific binary functions of Pax6 in neurogenesis are unique to mouse neuronal progenitors, consistent with Pax6-dependent temporal regulation of Notch signaling. Furthermore, we identified that Pax6-dependent enhancer activity of Dbx1 is extensively conserved between mammals and chick, although Dbx1 expression in the developing pallium is highly divergent in these species. Our results suggest that spatiotemporal changes in Pax6-dependent regulatory programs contributed to species-specific neurogenic patterns in mammalian and avian lineages, which underlie the morphological divergence of the amniote pallial architectures.
Distinct 3′ UTRs regulate the life-cycle-specific expression of two TCTP paralogs in Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Jojic Borka , Amodeo Simona , Bregy Irina , Ochsenreiter Torsten
Published: April 2018

The translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP; also known as TPT1 in mammals) is highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed in eukaryotes. It is involved in growth and development, cell cycle progression, protection against cellular stresses and apoptosis, indicating the multifunctional role of the protein. Here, for the first time, we characterize the expression and function of TCTP in the human and animal pathogen, Trypanosoma brucei. We identified two paralogs (TCTP1 and TCTP2) that are differentially expressed in the life cycle of the parasite. The genes have identical 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) and almost identical open-reading frames. The 3′UTRs differ substantially in sequence and length, and are sufficient for the exclusive expression of TCTP1 in procyclic- and TCTP2 in bloodstream-form parasites. Furthermore, we characterize which parts of the 3′UTR are needed for TCTP2 mRNA stability. RNAi experiments demonstrate that TCTP1 and TCTP2 expression is essential for normal cell growth in procyclic- and bloodstream-form parasites, respectively. Depletion of TCTP1 in the procyclic form cells leads to aberrant cell and mitochondrial organelle morphology, as well as enlarged, and a reduced number of, acidocalcisomes.
Scandium and terbium radionuclides for radiotheranostics: current state of development towards clinical application
Authors: Müller Cristina , Domnanich Katharina A , Umbricht Christoph A , van der Meulen Nicholas P
Published: April 2018

Currently, different radiometals are in use for imaging and therapy in nuclear medicine: 68Ga and 111In are examples of nuclides for positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), respectively, while 177Lu and 225Ac are used for β−- and α-radionuclide therapy. The application of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides of the same element (radioisotopes) would utilize chemically-identical radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and subsequent treatment, thereby enabling the radiotheranostic concept. There are two elements which are of particular interest in this regard: Scandium and Terbium. Scandium presents three radioisotopes for theranostic application. 43Sc (T1/2 = 3.9 h) and 44Sc (T1/2 = 4.0 h) can both be used for PET, while 47Sc (T1/2 = 3.35 d) is the therapeutic match—also suitable for SPECT. Currently, 44Sc is most advanced in terms of production, as well as with pre-clinical investigations, and has already been employed in proof-of-concept studies in patients. Even though the production of 43Sc may be more challenging, it would be advantageous due to the absence of high-energetic γ-ray emission. The development of 47Sc is still in its infancy, however, its therapeutic potential has been demonstrated preclinically. Terbium is unique in that it represents four medically-interesting radioisotopes. 155Tb (T1/2 = 5.32 d) and 152Tb (T1/2 = 17.5 h) can be used for SPECT and PET, respectively. Both radioisotopes were produced and tested preclinically. 152Tb has been the first Tb isotope that was tested (as 152Tb-DOTATOC) in a patient. Both radionuclides may be of interest for dosimetry purposes prior to the application of radiolanthanide therapy. The decay properties of 161Tb (T1/2 = 6.89 d) are similar to 177Lu, but the coemission of Auger electrons make it attractive for a combined β−/Auger electron therapy, which was shown to be effective in preclinical experiments. 149Tb (T1/2 = 4.1 h) has been proposed for targeted α-therapy with the possibility of PET imaging. In terms of production, 161Tb and 155Tb are most promising to be made available at the large quantities suitable for future clinical translation. This review article is dedicated to the production routes, the methods of separating the radioisotopes from the target material, preclinical investigations and clinical proof-of-concept studies of Sc and Tb radionuclides. The availability, challenges of production and first (pre)clinical application, as well as the potential of these novel radionuclides for future application in nuclear medicine, are discussed.
Customs statistics
Authors: Пожидаева Елена , Pozhidaeva Elena
Published: April 2018

The textbook is written in accordance with the work programs of the course "Customs Statistics" and is designed to prepare students towards the preparation of 38.03.01 "Economics", specialty 38.05.02 "Customs". In educational publishing investigated methodological principles of customs statistics of foreign trade of the Russian Federation, issues of organizing and conducting special customs statistics, the fundamentals of statistical methodology for assessing the statistical population structure study revealed statistical logic, showing the analytical capabilities of statistical indicators in the field of customs activities. A description of each method is accompanied by specific examples, based on the use of updated statistics.
O dyfuzji semantycznej w tekstach dziennikarskich na przykładzie wybranych polskich compositów z pierwszym obcym komponentem
Authors: Długosz Natalia
Published: April 2018

On semantic diffusion in journalistic texts, using the example of selected Polish compounds where the first element is foreign

The article focuses on the signs of semantic diffusion in word formation in the context of the indeterminate nature of many Polish compounds in which the first element is foreign, such as those with the component e-, euro-, or eco-. Derivatives are investigated in terms of their context, i.e. emphasis is put on their updated meaning in specific uses in journalistic texts. The phenomenon is analysed in connection with the pragmatic aspect of word formation in the language of the mass media.
Poszczególne wśród operatorów kwantyfikacji
Authors: Grochowski Maciej
Published: April 2018

Poszczególne ‘individual’ among quantification operators

The paper presents a syntactic and semantic analysis of a Polish lexical unit poszczególne ‘individual’. It contains a description of the limits of its use, and a proposition of representation of its meaning. Moreover, it justifies the hypothesis that the meaning of poszczególne implies the notions of multitude, ordering, and openness of the set, and that the unit is one of the operators of distributive quantification.
Z bilingwizmu pisarzy młodopolskich
Authors: Kubiszyn-Mędrala Zofia
Published: April 2018

On the bilingualism of Young Polish writers. Anthroponymy in Tadeusz Rittner’s Polish and German dramas

The present paper is devoted to the question of literary onomastics in the texts of a bilingual author. In discussing this problem, we focus on how literary characters are named in selected dramas by Tadeusz Rittner, which have both a Polish and a German version. A detailed analysis includes a comparison of names and surnames used by the author to identify his characters. We indicate differences in the choice of specific types of proper names and in their forms, which result from different customs and onomastic systems in each of Rittner’s languages, as well as from separate Polish and German linguistic etiquettes, determining the use of particular proper names. In addition, the analyses emphasize Rittner’s attention to onomastic and cultural reality that he introduced to his works, which confirms his linguistic and communicative competence in both Polish and German in this domain.
„Jak oni mówią?”, czyli próba interpretacji języka Polaków na Zaolziu
Authors: Bogocz Irena
Published: April 2018

„How do they speak?” or on commonly spoken language of the Poles in the Czech part of the Cieszyn Region

The paper consists of three parts. Having characterised the region, local population, and linguistic situation (with a detailed description of education in Polish minority schools), the author introduces fragments of transcribed audio recordings of interviews with students of a Polish grammar school, as well as examples of their communications on Facebook. The author analyses the authentic language code used by the members of the Polish minority and compares it with both Polish and Czech, arriving at the conclusion that it is a hybrid (mixed) interdialect with elements of both Polish and, predominantly, of Czech.
Ile lingwistyki w slawistyce, ile slawistyki w lingwistyce?
Authors: Głuszkowski Michał
Published: April 2018

How Much Linguistics in Slavistics, How Much Slavistics in Linguistics?The author makes an attempt to discuss the current role of linguistics among other disciplines of Slavonic studies (Slavistics), i.e. literature and cultural studies. The second part of the question in the title refers to the place of Slavonic linguistic studies within contemporary Polish linguistics. On the basis of preliminary observations and queries one may propose several hypotheses: 1) Slavonic linguistics in Poland differs significantly from the research on Polish language, both with regard to methodology and topics; 1.a) Inside Slavonic linguistics there is another division, between Russian and non-Russian Slavistics; 2) Slavonic and Polish Linguistics are also divided in the frames of Polish universities and Academy of Sciences; c) The main scientific forums, such as journals and conferences, reflect the divisions mentioned above, what results in relatively isolated communities in various fields of Slavonic linguistics, i.e. research on Polish, Russian and other Slavonic languages. To justify and illustrate the hypotheses in question, the author analyses the organizational structures of selected scientific centres, the contents of the most distinguished linguistic journals in Poland, as well as themes of conferences and the International Congress of Slavists.
Niedookreślenie, dekonkretyzacja i zmienne językowe – o quasi-tautologicznych układach typu ten i ten, to i to, tak a tak
Authors: Żabowska Magdalena
Published: April 2018

Underclarification, Substantiation and Language Variables. On Quasi-Tautological Arrangements of the ten i ten, to i to, tak a tak typeThe paper analyses the semantic-syntactic description of expressions of the ten i ten, tak a tak (‘such and such’, ‘so and so’) type. These are not units of language but rather constructions which result from the filling of slots meant for anaphoric pronouns in such arrangements as _i i _i and _i a _i. In contrast to the _i i _j arrangement, the discussed idiomatic constructions express a reference to single elements, and hence are not tautological. The paper formulates the following hypotheses: a) expressions of this kind are used in sentences which refer to a different act of speech (potential or real) but instead of designating an element in the current utterance, they recount a reference made in the adduced utterance; b) the analysed constructions act as “position markers” in a sentence, but despite that, they cannot be interpreted as logical variables because they preserve the characteristics of linguistic expressions.