bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of sarcopenia in the development of early complications in patients with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery
Authors: Coşkun Gökhan , Karabacak Ufuk , Türkan Halil , Mollaoğlu Murat Can , Bostancı Meriç Emre , Karadayı Kürşat
Published: August 2024

Purpose
Sarcopenia has been identified as a prognostic factor in various cancers. The aim of the study is to investigate the role of sarcopenia in the development of early complications following Primary Cytoreductive Surgery in advanced stage ovarian cancer patients.
Methods
A total of 57 patients who underwent Cytoreductive Surgery due to advanced stage ovarian cancer at the Surgical Oncology Clinic of ………….. University Hospital between January 2013 and June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Routine preoperative Computed Tomography(CT) images were used to measure the cross-sectional areas of the paraspinal muscles, abdominal wall muscles at the L3 level in cm2. The Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) and Psoas Muscle Index (PMI) values were calculated. Postoperative early complications were classified as Clavien-Dindo grade 3 and above major complications.
Results
Based on SMI measurements, 23 patients with SMI < 38.5 were classified as sarcopenic, while 34 patients with SMI ≥ 38.5 were classified as nonsarcopenic; based on PMI measurements, 19 patients with PMI < 4.3 were classified as sarcopenic, while 38 patients with PMI ≥ 4.3 were classified as nonsarcopenic. Major complications occurring in the early postoperative period were significantly more common in the sarcopenic group. High Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index (PCI) score and FIGO 3C stage were associated with a significantly higher incidence of early complications. High PCI score and SMI < 38.5 value were identified as risk factors for postoperative early complications.
Conclusions
The quantitative measurements of sarcopenia using routine CT imaging for preoperative staging are a useful and cost-effective method. Determining the sarcopenic status of patients before treatment offers an advantage in predicting treatment complications.
Junctional adhesion molecular 3 (JAM3) is a novel tumor suppressor and improves the prognosis in breast cancer brain metastasis via the TGF-β/Smad signal pathway
Authors: Zhu Kaitao , Li Shiwei , Yao Hongru , Hei Jilong , Martin Tracey , Zhang Shanyi
Published: August 2024

Purpose
The incidence of breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is a deadly clinical problem, and exact mechanisms remain elusive. Junction adhesion molecule (JAM), a tight junction protein, is a key negative regulator of cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
Methods
Junction adhesion molecular 3 (JAM3) expression in breast cancer was analyzed by bioinformatics method and confirmed by PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence (IF) in cell lines. The effect of exogenous expression of JAM3 through lentivirus vectors on invasion, adhesion, and apoptosis was verified using transwell assay and flow cytometer. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by RNA sequence and verified by q-PCR and Western bot. The effect of silencing JAM3 using siRNA was assessed by adhesion assay. Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to calculate the impact of JAM3 expression and classic clinicopathologic characteristics on survival.
Results
Bioinformatics analysis revealed that JAM3 expression was reduced in BCBM. Exogenous expression of JAM3 minimizes the ability to invade, adhesion and promotes apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Silencing JAM3 results in morphology-changing and recovering invasion and adhesion to ECMs and the TGF-β/Smad signal pathway may be involved. JAM3 predicts less metastasis and good survival in patients with BCBM. Statistical analysis examined the correlation between JAM3 expression in BCBM samples detected by IHC and the clinicopathological characteristics. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that a high expression level of JAM3 was associated with longer survival time.
Conclusion
JAM3 can serve as a key negative regulator of breast cancer cell invasion, apoptosis, and brain metastasis, which may be linked to the TGF/Smad signal pathway. JAM3 has been anticipated to be a promising biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.
Based on pN-stage to Identify Gastric Carcinoma Patients with Overall Survival Benefit from Postoperative Radiotherapy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis and Subgroup Analysis
Authors: Wan Guangmin , Wang Gang , Yang Lu , Xu Gang
Published: August 2024

Background: It is currently controversial whether regional lymph node status is related to the benefit of postoperative radiotherapy for gastric cancer.
Methods: All surgically treated patients with more than 15 lymph nodes examined diagnosed by positive histology between January 2007–December 2019 were included from the SEER database. All the patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were subsequently compared by propensity score matching (PSM), with overall survival (OS) as the endpoint, adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) as the only variable. Results of subgroup analyses are presented in a forest plot.
Results: There are 1882 patients included in this study, 1301(69.1%) patients in the ART group and 581(30.9%) patients in the no-ART group. After PSM, each group included 573 patients. Overall, ART did not significantly improve 3-year overall survival (OS; 55.5% vs 51.1%, p = 0.07). However, in the subgroup of patients with pathologic lymph node metastasis (pN3-stage), 55-70 years old, tumor size > 89mm and T3-stage benefited from postoperative radiotherapy (p < 0.05). We further performed PSM and survival analysis on total patients with different pathological lymph node stages to validate the role of ART. We statistically observed survival benefits in pN+ (positive pathologic lymph node) and pN3 groups, but no similar effects were observed in pN1 and pN2 groups. For pN0 groups, although the results showed no statistical significance, we believe that ART should not be performed.
Conclusion: ART significantly improved prognosis in the patients with pN3-stage. More researches are needed to further validate the role of ART for gastric cancer.
Prognostic value of prostate volume and nomograms for predicting recurrence in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a multi-institutional study.
Authors: Hu Dichao , Liu He , Li Mingyang , Wu Wenbo , Ma Chenxu , Chen Lujie , Lin Yunqiao , Li Peng , Du Yiheng , Shao Zhiqiang , Qiao Liang , Wang Yongchuan , Liu HaiTao
Published: August 2024

Purpose
We conducted an assessment to investigate the impact of prostate volume on the recurrence of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Subsequently, we developed and validated nomograms to accurately evaluate recurrence in NMIBC patients. Additionally, we examined the potential improvement in predictive capability achieved by introducing prostate volume as a variable in the model.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective analysis, enrolling 555 eligible patients from seven independent medical institutions across China. We first evaluate recurrence-free survival outcomes in patients with varying prostate volumes. Subsequently, we divided patients into a training cohort and an external validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted within the training cohort. Accordingly, two nomogram models with and without prostate volumes were developed. Their performance was compared by concordance index, calibration curves, receiver operating characteristics curves, and decision curve analysis. Furthermore, a risk classification model utilizing the nomogram incorporating prostate volume was developed.
Results
The 3-year recurrence-free survival was markedly lower in patients with large prostate volumes (> 30 ml) compared to those with relatively small prostate volumes (< 30 ml) (p < 0.001). The AUC for the model incorporating prostate volume at 3 years in the training cohort and external validation cohort was 0.803 and 0.776, surpassing the AUC for the model excluding prostate volume at the corresponding intervals, which was 0.787 and 0.767. The 1- and 2-year AUC for the two models also exhibited similar differences. The decision curve analysis results demonstrated the significant superiority of the nomogram incorporating prostate volume over the one without it.
Conclusion
Our investigation revealed that prostate volume significantly influences recurrence in patients with NMIBC. We successfully developed a more accurate nomogram by introducing prostate volume as a variable and provided new insights to further guide clinical management and individualized treatment of NMIBC patients.
Comparision of Intravaginal with Interstitial Brachytherapy in Cervical Cancer after Inadvertent Hysterectomy: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Choudhary Sunil , Pandey Ankita , Singh Ankita , Mourya Ankur , Gupta Neha , Shajid Syed Mohamed , Venkatachalam Gogul Priean , Rai Sangita , Agarwal Sakshi , Venkatraman Pitchaikannu , Aggarwal Lalit Mohan
Published: August 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to compare intravaginal (IVBT) with interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) in patients presenting with residual or recurrent disease after inadvertent hysterectomy for cervical cancer.
Methods
Records of consecutive patients with cervical cancer, registered in the Radiotherapy Outpatient Department (RTOPD) between March 2018 and March 2021, who had inadvertent hysterectomy followed by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and IVBT (n = 15) or ISBT (n = 15) were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients received a dose of 45Gy-50Gy/25 fractions in 5 weeks by EBRT with concurrent cisplatin. A dose of 6Gy/fraction/week for two consecutive weeks was prescribed at 5mm from the surface of the vaginal cylinder in the IVBT arm. Patients in the ISBT arm were treated with 6Gy/fraction for four fractions over two days with Martinez Interstitial Perineal Template (MUPIT). Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were the primary endpoints. Acute and late toxicities were the secondary endpoints.
Results
Median follow-up (FU) was 24.3 months and 32.8 months in the IVBT and ISBT arms respectively. The 3-year OS and DFS for IVBT and ISBT arms were 54% and 93% (p = 0.011) and 42% and 93% (p = 0.023), respectively. Both the arms had similar acute & late toxicities.
Conclusion
ISBT had significantly better survival outcomes in terms of OS, and DFS with similar toxicity as compared to IVBT in patients with residual or recurrent disease after inadvertent hysterectomy for cervical cancer.
Raman and autofluorescence spectroscopy for in situ identification of neoplastic tissue during surgical treatment of brain tumors
Authors: Uckermann Ortrud , Ziegler Jonathan , Meinhardt Matthias , Richter Sven , Schackert Gabriele , Eyüpoglu Ilker Y. , Hijazi Mido M. , Krex Dietmar , Juratli Tareq A. , Sobottka Stephan B. , Galli Roberta
Published: August 2024

Purpose
Raman spectroscopy (RS) is a promising method for brain tumor detection. Near-infrared autofluorescence (AF) acquired during RS provides additional information useful for tumor identification and was investigated in comparison with RS for delineating brain tumors in situ.
Methods
Raman spectra together with AF were acquired in situ within the solid tumor and at the tumor border during routine brain tumor surgeries (218 spectra; glioma WHO II-III n = 6, GBM n = 10, metastases n = 10, meningioma n = 3). Tissue classification for tumor identification in situ was trained on data acquired ex vivo (375 spectra; glioma/GBM patients n = 20, metastases n = 11, meningioma n = 13, epileptic hippocampi n = 4).
Results
Both in situ and ex vivo data showed that AF intensity in brain tumors is lower compared to border regions and normal brain tissue. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between the AF intensity and the intensity of the Raman band of lipids at 1437 cm− 1, while a negative correlation was found with the intensity of the protein band at 1260 cm− 1. The classification of in situ AF and RS datasets matched the surgeon’s evaluation of tissue type with a correct rate of 0.83 and 0.84, respectively. Similar correct rates were achieved in comparison to histopathology of tissue biopsies resected in selected measurement positons (AF: 0.80, RS: 0.83).
Conclusions
Spectroscopy was successfully integrated into existing neurosurgical workflows and in situ spectroscopic data could be classified based on ex vivo data. RS confirmed its ability in detecting brain tumors, while AF emerged as a competitive method for intraoperative tumor delineation.
Epidemiological survey on pet dog ticks (Rhipicephalus turanicus sensu stricto) and their blood samples in Korla, northwestern China
Authors: Chen Jianhui , Shi Shen , Cui Nannan , Su Lixin , Wang Ziqi , Li Fang , Zhan Shang , Zhao Guoyu , Wang Yuanzhi , Wang Xijiang
Published: August 2024

Background
Pet dogs pose a potential risk to transmitting zoonotic pathogens by ticks. however information about the prevalence status in pet dog of Tick-borne diseases is currently limited.
Result
In the study, 196 blood samples and 223 parasitic ticks were collected from pet dogs in Korla, northwestern China. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics, all ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus turanicus sensu stricto.We used primers targeting the 16S ribosomal(16S rRNA) for detection of Anaplasma bovis species, targeting the small subunit 18S ribosomal RNA gene (18S rRNA) for detection of Hepatozoon canis species and targeting htpAB-associated repetitive element gene (IS111) for detection of Coxiella burnetii species The nPCR-positive products were sequenced, aligned, and phylogenetically analyzed. Three tick-borne pathogenic bacteria were detected in the samples. Coxiella burnetii were detected both in parasitic ticks and in blood samples with a detection rate of 17.93% (40/233) in ticks and 79.1% (155/196) in blood samples, followed by 21.52% Hepatozoon canis (48/233) in tick, 2.5% Anaplasma bovis (5/196) in blood samples.
Conclusion
This study provided molecular evidence for the occurrence of A. bovis, H. canis and C. burnetii circulating in pet dogs and their parasitic ticks in northwestern China. Understanding the prevalence of Tick-borne diseases in pet dog is essential for developing effective strategies for disease control and management.
Ileal Signet Ring Adenocarcinoma in Crohn’s Disease: Unanticipated Diagnosis After Surgical Resection of a Symptomatic Stricture
Authors: Clarke Lindsay M. , Riascos Maria Christina , Redston Mark S. , Hamilton Matthew J. , Kelly Colleen R.
Published: August 2024

We describe a rare case of small bowel signet ring adenocarcinoma that developed in the context of ileal Crohn’s disease. The patient had medically refractory, stricturing disease for several years, leading to obstructive symptoms necessitating resection, which ultimately led to the diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of considering malignancy in the differential and surgical referral earlier in the treatment paradigm for obstructive symptoms that do not respond to IBD-directed therapies. Since there currently are no screening guidelines for small bowel malignancy in CD, close clinical monitoring is recommended in an effort to reduce complications.
Risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke after bridging therapy
Authors: wei wan , Qiu Kefan , Nie Tian , Feng Danyu , Liu Fei , Zhu Jiahui , Huang Chao , Hong Xiaoqin , Zhang Liuhai
Published: August 2024

Background: The poor prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after bridging therapy (BT) imposes a heavy burden on their families. This study decided to investigate the risk factors for poor prognosis and establish a predictive model.Objective: To explore the risk factors of poor prognosis in patients with AIS after BT.Methods: The study included AIS patients treated with BT (intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase prior to endovascular thrombectomy) from January 2020 to December 2023 in the Hangzhou First People's Hospital. Modified Rankin scale (mRS)was used to assess the patient’s prognosis after 3 months, and these patients were divided into the poor prognosis group (mRS > 2) and good prognosis group (mRS ≤ 2) according to the mRS.The patients' history of chronic diseases and the laboratory testing data were recorded. SPSS 25 was used for statistical analysis.Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and logistic regression analysis were used to explore associated factors of AIS treated with BT.Results: We studied 120 AIS patients treated with BT.The poor prognosis group included 65 cases and good prognosis group included 55 cases.In the poor prognosis group, the patients with higher proportion of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP), Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage(sICH) and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and with higher NIHSS score at admission were older, concomitantly, the fasting plasma glucose (FBG) was significantly higher than those of the good prognosis group (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed SAP and NIHSS score were independent risk factors for poor prognosis of patients with AIS after BT (P < 0.05).The ROC analysis showed that the area under curve (AUC) of SAP was 0.717 (95% CI = 0.622–0.811), for the NIHSS score, the AUC was 0.716 (95% CI = 0.624–0.807), and the optimal cutoff threshold, sensitivity, and specificity were 15.4, 0.754, 0.564 respectively.When SAP combined with NIHSS score,we created a 2-item prediction model.In this model, the AUC increased to 0.809 (95% CI = 0.732–0.886), and the optimal cut-off, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.522,0.831, 0.691 respectively.Conclusion: Age, FBG, SAP, sICH ,ICH, and NIHSS score at admission were associated with poor prognosis of AIS patients after BT, while SAP and NIHSS score were independent risk factors for poor prognosis. The NIHSS score plus the SAP had a high diagnostic performance and predictive value for poor prognosis in patients with AIS treated with BT.
Epidemiological Characteristics of Imported Malaria Related to International Travel in the Republic of Korea (2009-2018)
Authors: Jeon Byoung Hak , Lee Jung Ah , Lee Shin Young , Lee Sang Eun , Yeom Joon Sup
Published: August 2024

Malaria, transmitted by mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium parasites, remains a significant health issue with global travel increasing the risk of imported malaria. This study investigates imported malaria cases in the Republic of Korea from 2009 to 2018 using data from the Korea National Infectious Disease Surveillance System. During this period, 601 imported cases were reported, with 82.4% male patients and a median age of 39.1 years. Most cases (76.5%) involved Korean residents returning from malaria-endemic areas, mainly Africa and Asia. Plasmodium falciparum (55.7%) and Plasmodium vivax (30.3%) were the predominant species. The annual percent change in incidence rate was 6.45%. Notably, 71.5% of the patients did not receive prophylactic chemotherapy, and 18% of those who did still developed malaria. Median diagnostic delays were 4 days for P. falciparum and 7 days for P. vivax. The case fatality rate was 2.3%, with all deaths occurring in residents who contracted P. falciparum in Africa. This study emphasizes the ongoing risk of imported malaria in the ROK and highlights the need for better awareness and preventive measures among travelers. Enhancing surveillance and educating travelers on prophylaxis are crucial.
Integrated single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing analyses reveal the impact of tryptophan metabolism on prognosis and immunotherapy in colon cancer
Authors: Hu Yanyan , Xu Ximo , Zhong Hao , Ding Chengshen , Qin Wei , Zhang Enkui , Shu Duohuo , Yu Mengqin , Abuduaini Naijipu , Yang Xiao , Feng Bo , Li Jianwen , zhang sen
Published: August 2024

Tryptophan metabolism is intricately associated with the progression of colon cancer. This research endeavored to meticulously analyze tryptophan metabolic characteristics in colon cancer and forecast immunotherapy responses. Patients were stratified into subtypes through consistent clustering, and a tryptophan metabolic risk score model was constructed using the random forest algorithm. Based on these risk scores, patients were delineated into high and low-risk groups, and their clinicopathologic characteristics, immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and signaling pathway disparities were examined. The Oncopredict algorithm facilitated the identification of sensitive chemotherapeutic agents, while the immune escape score was employed to evaluate the immunotherapy response across risk groups. Transcriptomic sequencing findings were corroborated by single-cell sequencing from Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. Two distinct subtypes of colon cancer patients emerged, exhibiting significant prognostic and immune cell infiltration differences. The high-risk group demonstrated a poorer prognosis (p<0.001), advanced clinical stage (p<0.001), and elevated immunosuppressive cell expression (p<0.05). Additionally, three chemotherapeutic drugs showed efficacy in the high-risk cohort, which also displayed a heightened immune escape potential (p<0.05) and diminished response to immunotherapy. Single-cell sequencing validated the overexpression of tryptophan-related genes in epithelial cells. In conclusion, tryptophan metabolism significantly influences the colon cancer immune microenvironment, with high-risk patients experiencing adverse prognoses and potentially reduced efficacy of immunotherapy.
Is ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation reliable for unifocal T1aN0M0 papillary thyroid carcinoma in the isthmus: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhou Gongli , Xu Dong , Zhang Beibei , Su Ruiqing , Xu Ke , Zhang Xuefeng , Li Feng , Zhao Wei , Cai Tingting
Published: August 2024

431 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided RFA for unifocal T1aN0M0 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were divided by location of the lesion into the PTCI group (52 females, 7 males, mean age 43.79 ± 12.04 years, range 22–74 years) and the PTCL group ((291 females, 81 males, mean age 43.42 ± 10.87 years, range 18–75 years) for comparative analysis. The efficacy of ultrasound-guided RFA was evaluated by volume reduction rate (VRR), complete disappearance rate (CDR), and disease progression, and the safety was evaluated by incidence of complications. The two groups exhibited a consistent trend of change, with the PTCI group performing slightly better in volume, VRR, and CDR at all follow-up time points expect 1 month. The mean initial volume of the PTCI group vs the PTCL group decreased significantly from 65.4 ± 69.79 vs 86.38 ± 87.09mm³ (range 10.92-427.58 vs 3.05-471.6mm³) to 0 vs 0 mm³ at a mean follow-up time of 31.12 ± 12.5 months (range 12–60 months); their VRR increased significantly from − 618.62 ± 655.61% vs -789.85 ± 1135.07%, at 1 month to 100% vs 100% at 48 months. No disease progression was found in the two groups. The PTCI group had no complications, whereas the PTCL group had 7 complications (1.88%). Ultrasound-guided RFA is reliable for unifocal T1aN0M0 PTCI in the isthmus.
Validation of IASLC 9th Edition TNM Classification for Lung Cancer: Focus on N Descriptor
Authors: Son Joung Woo , Lee Joonseok , Jeon Jae Hyun , Cho Sukki , Shih Beatrice Chia-Hui , Jung Woohyun , Kim Kwhanmien , Jheon Sanghoon
Published: August 2024

Background: We externally validated the proposed 9th edition of the TNM staging classification with our institution's prospectively collected data and compared it to the 8th edition for overall survival (OS) and freedom from recurrence (FFR).
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 3,711 cases of stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer that underwent surgical treatment from January 2004 to December 2020. Survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression analysis. The concordance index (C-index), Alkaike information criterion (AIC), and R2 were used to assess the discriminatory ability.
Results: In the 9th edition, the N2 category (n = 347) was subdivided into N2a (n = 252, 72.6%) and N2b (n = 95, 27.4%). The TNM stage changes were as follows: 1) IIB to IIA, 140 cases (24.9%); 2) IIIA to IIB, 51 cases (11.4%); 3) IIIB to IIIA, 57 cases (59.4%); 4) IIIA to IIIB, 55 cases (12.5%). The survival curves of the proposed 9th edition demonstrated similar patterns to those of the 8th edition, but with a greater discriminative ability for OS and FFR. Subdividing N2 into N2a and N2b refined prognosis prediction. The C-index, AIC, and R2 demonstrated improved values in the proposed 9th edition compared to the 8th edition.
Conclusions: The proposed 9th edition of the TNM staging classification for lung cancer showed favorable prognostic validity and better discrimination ability than the 8th edition.
The role of mitochondrial genes in the prognosis of ovarian cancer: new insights from bioinformatics
Authors: Liu Liu , Lei Yanhu , Chen Anji , Wan Jinlong
Published: August 2024

Background Ovarian cancer is a common gynecological malignancy leading to female mortality. Although the existing means of treatment for ovarian cancer are effective, the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian cancer need to be further explored due to its highly heterogeneous nature.Methods We screened differential genes in ovarian cancer by TCGA database and GEO database, and further screened mitochondria-related genes (MRGs) in ovarian cancer by overlapping differential genes with mitochondrial genes, and analyzed the enrichment. Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to validate the prognosis of the genes, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of risk scores. In addition, the correlation between the eight MRGs and immune status was evaluated. Finally, drug sensitivity analysis was performed by CellMiner database.Results In our study, eight MRGs in ovarian cancer were screened and a prognostic risk model was constructed. The accuracy of the prognostic model was verified by combining the ROC curve and differential protein expression. Furthermore, MRGs are widely expressed in immune cells infiltrating in the tumor microenvironment and are significantly correlated with immune processes. In addition, GSEA enrichment analysis showed that metabolism and immune signaling and other related pathways were significantly different in high- and low-risk patients. Finally, drug susceptibility testing screened out 24 drugs that may play a role in treating OC by targeting the above-mentioned risk MRGs.Conclusion These findings reveal key mitochondrial genes affecting OC, as well as interactions with the immune microenvironment. In addition, the prognostic model established based on MRGs provides a potential prognostic strategy and provides new ideas for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of OC.
β-catenin is a potential prognostic biomarker in uterine sarcoma
Authors: Cai Ying , Wang Yunjia , Yang Ling , Huang Yue , Chen Min-Jun , Zhang Chi , Jin Su-Han , Frey Benjamin , Gaipl Udo S , Ma Hu , Zhou Jian-Guo
Published: August 2024

Background: Uterine sarcoma (US) is an extremely rare and aggressive gynecologic malignancy with a poor overall survival (OS). The early screening and diagnosis of uterine sarcoma is still challenging, while efficient prognostic biomarker is currently lacking. In this study, we evaluated the expression of β-catenin in different US subtypes and the relationship between survival and clinicopathological characteristics by comparative analyses, then explored potential molecular mechanisms.
Methods: We evaluated the expression of β-catenin in different US subtypes and the relationship between survival and clinicopathological characteristics by comparative analyses. Utilizing a Sweden microarray dataset (GSE119043, n=50) and a Suining clinical cohort (n=31), we analyzed β-catenin expression profiles and corresponding clinicopathological characteristics. To assess the expression level of β-catenin in US subtypes, we conducted immunohistochemistry (IHC). Survival analysis was used to assess the relationship between β-catenin expression and prognosis in US patients. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to characterize the specific pathways involved in the β-catenin expression.
Results: Immunohistochemistry indicated that the expression level of β-catenin significantly upregulated in the uterine sarcoma (US) group compared to both the normal uterine smooth muscle (UNSM) and uterine leiomyoma (ULM) groups (P<0.05). IHC also exhibited a significant difference in β-catenin expression levels in four pathological subtypes. Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HG-ESS) suggested higher levels of β-catenin expression compared with adenosarcoma (AS) or low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS), but no statistically significant difference was found in box plot. Survival analysis showed that no significance between β-catenin expression levels and survival. Only tumor recurrence was significantly correlated with poor survival. Tumor type, lymphadenectomy, family history of malignancy and tumor recurrence remained significant predictors of overall survival (OS), while only tumor stage and tumor recurrence had prognostic significance for progression-free survival (PFS). Age, tumor size, menopausal status, CA125, adjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant radiotherapy, were not associated with survival (P>0.05). GSEA indicated that transcriptional misregulation in cancer, Wnt, AMPK, MAPK, PI3K, p53, Ras, and TNF signaling pathway were positively enriched in β-catenin high-expression group.
Conclusion: β-catenin was highly expressed in uterine sarcoma and promising as a novel potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis.
Customizing designer cellulosomes for the valorization of industrially relevant substrates
Authors: Lamote Babette , Vanderstraeten Julie , De Ridder Nette , Meert Kenan , Boerjan Wout , Briers Yves
Published: August 2024

Background
Designer cellulosomes (DCs) are engineered multi-enzyme complexes that exhibit high potential to be applied in the biomass-to-liquid process of biorefineries. Their architecture allows to bring a high load of enzymes with various catalytic activities in close proximity to each other and to the substrate, which may result in enhanced depolymerization efficiencies compared to freely acting enzymes. As such, DCs have often been proposed as an elegant alternative to (hemi)-cellulolytic enzyme cocktails. However, the practical use of DCs in industrial contexts remains elusive. This can partially be attributed to lacking knowledge about the reaction conditions wherein DCs may offer an added benefit. Therefore, we customized a DC for the efficient saccharification of relevant industrial substrates. These substrates are in great contrast with the conventional pure substrates frequently used in lab environments and are envisioned to provide us with a better understanding of DC behavior on complex lignocellulosic material.
Results
In this work, a DC possessing endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase, β-glucosidase and endoxylanase activity was developed. For this, multiple enzymes originating from Cellvibrio japonicus, known as a true carbohydrate-bioconversion specialist, were converted to docking enzymes. After a three-faceted selection process of optimal docking enzyme configurations, selected variants were colocalized on a common scaffoldin to finally construct a tetravalent DC. This DC successfully released glucose from agro-industrial wheat fibers and genome-edited low-lignin poplar biomass, representing two main feedstock types of a circular bioeconomy. Comparing saccharification efficiencies of the enzyme systems in their free and complexed form allowed us to outline reaction conditions wherein enzyme colocalization may boost synergism. In fact, the evaluation of DC behavior on recalcitrant lignocellulosic substrates revealed that the effect of colocalization depends on the specific substrate used and is most outspoken under conditions that mimic the natural environment of biomass degradation, deviating from typical industrial settings.
Conclusion
DCs were explored for their industrial applicability, in order to map possible processes where they could offer an added benefit. We anticipate this work to contribute to the broader insights we need to investigate the economic viability of DCs.
Inside and Outside the Film Genre: Old Age on the Way
Authors: Milosavljević Ljubica , Banić Grubišić Ana , Ilić Vladimira
Published: August 2024

This paper analyses Croatian film Night boats (2012), directed by Igor Mirković, from the anthropology of film and anthropology of age point of view. The film story is analyzed as the so-called diegetic universe, i.e. as an ethnography of the film, and is connected to the real experiences of the elderly. The plot of the film follows the meeting and emotional bonding of Helena and Jakov in one of Zagreb's nursing homes. Shortly after their brief acquaintance, these "seventy-year-old teenagers" begin a romance, run away from home and embark on a road adventure. In terms of genre, this film can be viewed as a road movie since, in addition to the fact that the main characters spend more than half of the plot on the road, the film thematically and visually follows the conventions of the aforementioned genre. Their road adventure is initiated on a metaphorical level, as an escape from illness and death, as well as an escape from loneliness and the circumstances that life in old age brings. The main characters flee from the lack of choice they are faced with which is why their journey can be interpreted as a search for lost, almost stripped identities. The journey of Helena and Jacob, two elderly individuals faced with the problems of loneliness and physical decline, represents a transformative experience for the main characters and signifies a form of quiet rebellion, a refusal to accept cultural conventions according to which active life ends with a socially constructed notion of old age. In this sense, this film story served to critically address various issues and problems concerning society’s stereotypical attitudes towards the elderly.
Gender Aspect of Media Discourse in Socialist Yugoslavia – Representation of Gender in the Women's Magazine "Bazar"
Authors: Bogdanović Bojana
Published: August 2024

The paper revises the gender aspect of media discourse in socialist Yugoslavia on the example of one of the oldest and most popular Yugoslav women's magazine "Bazar." An analysis of the textual and visual content of the 1973 edition (issues 208–233) reaffirmed the assumption that the mass media – including The Women's Press – actively participate in the construction and reproduction of both "femininity" and "masculinity", and in the depiction of desirable/expected gender relations in a certain socio-historical moment (Yugoslav socialism). In addition to the main female character – a beautiful, young, modern and well-groomed woman who is successful in all fields (at work, at home, as a wife, mother, sister, friend, worker...) – there is also an equally caring and dedicated husband and father, a modern man, successful in his field of expertise. In other words, of all the roles that Yugoslav society has assigned to women/men, the following seem to be dominant: She is primarily 1) a wife, mother and housewife, 2) a hard worker, and 3) a woman who is clearly positioned in the new consumer society, while He is 1) Pater Familias, 2) a successful businessman, and 3) a modern man who keeps up with the times. The research has shown that these (and such) "Bazar" images of a woman / man are highly harmonized with the official representation of gender in the socialist Yugoslav society – She is the embodiment of the socialist "super-woman", while He is depicted as part of the hegemonic model of masculinity. The female-male relationship is presented in the experimental media discourse in two ways. The first (socialist) model of gender polarity – the one that is in the central media plan / easily observable / clearly legible – is placed in the official narrative framework of socialism as an ideology that follows the principle of equality as the dominant matrix in social/gender/economic/family relations. In the second narrative plan, there is a traditional model of gender polarity, which is based on binary oppositions – weak-strong, gentle-rough, subordinate-dominant, dependent-independent, right-wrong – performed by the female-male couple. By analyzing the media discourse of the experimental socialist periodical, it has also been established that the narrative of one of the most popular Yugoslav women's magazines contains all three key terms (for gender reading or in the media text) – these are power, gender (in)equality and representation of meaning. Interpreting textual and visual content as a system of representation (and not presentation) of reality, it becomes obvious that despite the change in social paradigm in the years after World War II, the policy of gender representation in the context of power relations (man over woman) continued, which Yugoslav socialism – as a doctrine of equality – clearly could not (or did not want to) eradicate in practice.
Contribution to the Study of the Scene of Abraham’s Hospitality in Eastern Christian Art – the Programmatic and Symbolic Aspect of the Scene
Authors: Gavrilović Anđela
Published: August 2024

The article deals with the selected examples of the scene of Abraham’s hospitality in Eastern Christian and Serbian Medieval art. The paper analyzes the meaning of the scene and looks at the examples in the old refectory of the Monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai (fig. 1), in the chapel of King Dragutin Nemanjić in Đurđevi Stupovi near Ras (fig. 2), in the Church of the Mother of God in Dragaljevci near Sofia (fig. 3) and in the Church of St. Dimitrius in Boboševo (fig. 4) near Ćustendil.
As it illustrates one of the key moments of the Holy history, the scene of Abraham’s hospitality has been frequently depicted in art since the earliest times. Due to its significance, its has been attracting the attention of scholars since ancient times and has been widely studied in international and Serbian historiography in terms of iconography and meaning. Therefore, the article discusses selected examples of the scene of Abraham’s hospitality in Eastern Christian and Serbian Medieval art which are characterized by certain iconographic and conceptual peculiarities. Abraham’s hospitality is an important, ancient, very often depicted and multifaceted theme, and the teaching about it represents the fundamental dogma of Orthodoxy – in this scene the image of the Holy Trinity is symbolically recognized. The article examines the position of this scene in the painted programme of the mentioned monuments and the dependence of the symbolism of this scene on the position it occupies in the painted programme of the church. Depending on the context in which this event is depicted in art, it carries a different meaning, i.e. different nuances of meaning. Selected examples of the scene of Abraham’s hospitality are placed in a specific conceptual context through examining their appropriate programmatic and conceptual analogies and by taking into account the place of their depiction in the given monuments. In this sense, the article places special emphasis on the fresco of Abraham’s Hospitality in the Chapel of King Dragutin Nemanjić in the Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery.
Wine – The Favourite Beverage of Serbian Medieval Rulers and Nobility
Authors: Štetić Marina
Published: August 2024

Wine, as the most noble and beloved drink of the Middle Ages, was primarily consumed in the courts of Serbian medieval rulers and nobility. During the early decades of the 14th century, Serbian rulers and nobles imported wine from the coastal cities of Zeta, which were under Serbian rule and where viticulture was the main agricultural production. The nobility from Serbian lands gravitating towards the Adriatic Coast (Trebinje and Hum) during the 14th and 15th centuries imported wine from the region of Dubrovnik, which represented the largest producer of this drink on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. By the first decades of the 15th century, viticulture had reached a higher level of development even in the inner Serbian regions, especially in the vicinity of urban settlements, enabling rulers and nobility to have access to larger quantities of domestic wine. During visits and stays in Dubrovnik, Serbian rulers and regional lords were often honored with generous amounts of wine. This drink was almost invariably present at rulers’ and nobility’s banquets, organized for various occasions, but also as a form of everyday socializing and entertainment, where toasts were raised with glasses of wine in hand. The military dignitaires and soldiers also consumed wine during military campaigns.

It is assumed that various types of red wine were more commonly consumed, among which the well-known kratošija from the Budva area and tamjanika from the Dubrovnik region, the latter also being cultivated as a white variety. White wine was considered more luxurious, such as trebbiano wine from Dubrovnik, wine from the Itailian town of Ortona, as well as the particulary esteemed malvasia, which Serbian and Bosnian rulers imported from Dubrovnik and Venice in the late 14th and the first half of the 15th century. In the summer months, wine was consumed chilled with ice, while during winter, pure wine was consumed. At the ruler’s court, a servant or cupbearer was responsible for the wine, referred to during the period of the Serbian Empire (1346–1371), as enohijar, a term of Greek origin. The person overseeing the servant and other courtiers in the ruler’s court held the title of grand servant, which was granted to members of the most prestigious noble families. Large quantities of wine were stored in fortresses near the ruler’s court or in special cellars called vinice or pivnice. Rulers and nobles’ tableware for pouring and drinking wine was made from precious metals, mostly silver. For pouring wine, vessels known as bokal, bardak, imbrik, kondir, možul, and others were used, with the goblet, glass and cup being especially favored among the wine glasses.
The Context and Meaning of Živko Nikolić’s Film Beasts
Authors: Kovačević Ivan
Published: August 2024

The course of the film describes three successive states, two states at night and one state during the day. What divides the night into two parts is the arrival of the Beauty on the island. The habitual behavior during the night consists of various types of verbal and physical violence. During these events, the Beauty lands on the island. Her appearance on the island leads to the reinforcement of the usual mischief, with her being mainly the center of events, for they mostly revolve around conflicts over her. Therefore, the night, which lasts almost the entire film, is divided into two parts: 1) before the arrival of the Beauty (the usual, normal licentious and violent behavior of the islanders) and 2) after the arrival of the Beauty (extraordinary, intensified violence). The very end of the film belongs to a bright and sunny day, and the characters are portrayed quite differently in the tranquility of family life.
The key opposition in the film is the night, characterized by violence, and the day, filled with peace and harmony. The mediating function of the film itself indicates that the beasts are not some other people, but that violence and evil also reside in those who are seemingly upstanding members of the community. However, the analysis of the meaning in the film Beasts shows that there are obstacles to evil and violence found in missionary work, science and art, and even in madness.
From Black Magician to Proto-Feminist: The Reception of Cornelius Agrippa's Oeuvre Through the Centuries
Authors: Putnik Noel
Published: August 2024

The Renaissance humanist Cornelius Agrippa von Netesheim (1486–1533) left a rich body of works in philosophy, theology, biblical exegesis and occultism. The disparity and internal contradictions of this opus, as well as the ambivalent position of Agrippa on the intellectual map of the epoch, caused the reception of his work to branch out in the most diverse directions. Contemporaries from clerical and Protestant circles branded him as a heretic, whereas humanists recognized his great erudition and devotion to faith. While he considered himself a reformer of Christianity, his followers regarded him as an authority in Neoplatonic, Hermetic, and Esoteric studies. On the basis of tendentious interpretations of his writings, as well as the entire tradition of apocryphal stories that developed around his personality, the church and folk tradition of the 16th and 17th centuries constructed a representation of Agrippa as a servant of the devil. Therefore, he served as a model for the character of Faust, first to Christopher Marlowe and later to Goethe. With the strong development of science and its foundations being linked with occult teachings, in the 18th and 19th centuries the image of Agrippa as a proto-scientist appeared, e.g. in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. However, for the positivist science of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Agrippa was, at best, a representative of a barren branch of Western philosophical thought, and at worst, a mere charlatan or mentally disturbed person. Such a perception prevailed until the mid-20th century, when scholars from Warburg Institute in London developed new interpretations of Renaissance humanism, including Agrippa's role in it. Today's science views Agrippa as a representative of the vital religious component of humanism and as a link between ancient, medieval and Renaissance currents of thought. At the same time, in certain segments of New Age, his writings acquire the status of the "bible" of the occultism, and Agrippa himself the status of a kind of New Age guru. Therefore, the literary legacy of Cornelius Agrippa is of significance for the history of ideas, reception studies, imagology, and anthropology of religion as an exceptionally rich case study, and in this paper, we aim to trace the intricate paths of his reception in different epochs and cultural contexts.
Village Self-Government in the Period 1944-1955 in an Anthropological Perspective: The Example of the Village of Dobri Do
Authors: Nedeljković Saša , Anđelković Biljana
Published: August 2024

Rural self-government is an insufficiently researched topic in domestic and foreign anthropological literature. What is more, the extent to which archives of local self-government bodies can be useful as sources for anthropological research has not been sufficiently studied. For this reason, an attempt was made to provide a contribution to a better understanding of these scientific issues on the example of the village of Dobri Do in the vicinity of Pirot, and on the basis of material in the Historical Archive of Pirot that refers to the work of the Local People's Committee in this village. The period after the Second World War was chosen, due to the state of the materials in the archival collections and the fact that the period was marked by numerous processes that highlighted scientific problems more clearly. It started from the assumption that the local self-government, as a mediator between the rural community and state authorities, was primarily directed towards protecting the interests of the rural community itself.
The analysis showed that MNO archives can be very useful sources, and that they can be combined with classical anthropological research methods (participant observation, interview, biographical method). Nevertheless, a critical attitude must be taken towards this archival material, because it is incomplete, insufficiently conscientiously collected and organized. Based on the available material, it is possible to see many questions that have not been raised so far about the relationship between the local community and state institutions. Further research will show to what extent it is possible to improve the use of this material within ethnological and anthropological research.