A new species, Xestophrys bengalensis sp. nov., from the West Bengal state of India is described in this paper. The new species is superficially similar to the Indonesian species Xestophrys javanicus ...lombockensis Carl, 1908, but differs from the latter in the smaller size, anterior femur unarmed on the external margin, and hind femur with two spines on the internal margin. A key to the species of Xestophrys Redtenbacher, 1891 is also provided.
A new species, Euconocephalus narayanpurensis Kumar & Chand sp. nov., from India is described in this paper. The new species is similar to the African species Euconocephalus lineatipes (Bolívar, ...1890), but differs from the latter in the smaller size, more acute humeral sinus, the narrowly rounded apex of elytra and convex male last abdominal tergite. A key to the Indian species of Euconocephalus Karny, 1907 is also provided.
Estimating the aerosol contribution to the global or regional radiative forcing can take advantage of the relationship between the spectral aerosol optical properties and the size and chemical ...composition of aerosol. Long term global optical measurements from observational networks or satellites can be used in such studies. Using in-situ chemical mixing state measurements can help us to constrain the limitations of such estimates. In this study, the Absorption Ångström Exponent (AAE) and the Scattering Ångström Exponent (SAE) derived from 10 operational AERONET sites in California are combined for deducing chemical speciation based on wavelength dependence of the optical properties. In addition, in-situ optical properties and single particle chemical composition measured during three aircraft field campaigns in California between 2010 and 2011 are combined in order to validate the methodology used for the estimates of aerosol chemistry using spectral optical properties. Results from this study indicate a dominance of mixed types in the classification leading to an underestimation of the primary sources, however secondary sources are better classified. The distinction between carbonaceous aerosols from fossil fuel and biomass burning origins is not clear, since their optical properties are similar. On the other hand, knowledge of the aerosol sources in California from chemical studies help to identify other misclassification such as the dust contribution.
Recently, germline and somatic heterozygous mutations in the platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRB) have been associated with familial infantile myofibromatosis (IM), which is ...characterized by soft tissue tumors, and overgrowth syndrome, a disease that predisposes to cancer. These mutations have not been functionally characterized. In the present study, the activity of three PDGFRB mutants associated with familial IM (R561C, P660T and N666K) and one PDGFRB mutant found in patients with overgrowth syndrome (P584R) was tested in various models. The P660T mutant showed no difference with the wild-type receptor, suggesting that it might represent a polymorphic variant unrelated to the disease. By contrast, the three other mutants were constitutively active and able to transform NIH3T3 and Ba/F3 cells to different extents. In particular, the germline mutant identified in overgrowth syndrome, P584R, was a stronger oncogene than the germline R561C mutant associated with myofibromatosis. The distinct phenotypes associated with these two mutations could be related to this difference of potency. Importantly, all activated mutants were sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as imatinib, nilotinib and ponatinib. In conclusion, the PDGFRB mutations previously identified in familial IM and overgrowth syndrome activate the receptor in the absence of ligand, supporting the hypothesis that these mutations cause the diseases. Moreover, imatinib seems to be a promising treatment for patients carrying these mutations. To our knowledge, these are the first confirmed gain-of-function point mutations of PDGFRB in human cancer.
Size-resolved cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) spectra measured for various aerosol types at a non-urban site in Germany showed that CCN concentrations are mainly determined by the aerosol number size ...distribution. Distinct variations of CCN activation with particle chemical composition were observed but played a secondary role. When the temporal variation of chemical effects on CCN activation is neglected, variation in the size distribution alone explains 84 to 96% of the variation in CCN concentrations. Understanding that particles' ability to act as CCN is largely controlled by aerosol size rather than composition greatly facilitates the treatment of aerosol effects on cloud physics in regional and global models.
The first-in-class inhibitor of ALK, c-MET and ROS1, crizotinib (Xalkori), has shown remarkable clinical efficacy in treatment of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. However, in neuroblastoma, ...activating mutations in the ALK kinase domain are typically refractory to crizotinib treatment, highlighting the need for more potent inhibitors. The next-generation ALK inhibitor PF-06463922 is predicted to exhibit increased affinity for ALK mutants prevalent in neuroblastoma. We examined PF-06463922 activity in ALK-driven neuroblastoma models in vitro and in vivo In vitro kinase assays and cell-based experiments examining ALK mutations of increasing potency show that PF-06463922 is an effective inhibitor of ALK with greater activity towards ALK neuroblastoma mutants. In contrast to crizotinib, single agent administration of PF-06463922 caused dramatic tumor inhibition in both subcutaneous and orthotopic xenografts as well as a mouse model of high-risk neuroblastoma driven by Th-ALK(F1174L)/MYCN Taken together, our results suggest PF-06463922 is a potent inhibitor of crizotinib-resistant ALK mutations, and highlights an important new treatment option for neuroblastoma patients.
Spectral aerosol light absorption is an important parameter for the assessment of the radiation budget of the atmosphere. Although on-line measurement techniques for aerosol light absorption, such as ...the Aethalometer and the Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), have been available for two decades, they are limited in accuracy and spectral resolution because of the need to deposit the aerosol on a filter substrate before measurement. Recently, a 7-wavelength (λ) Aethalometer became commercially available, which covers the visible (VIS) to near-infrared (NIR) spectral range (λ=450–950 nm), and laboratory calibration studies improved the degree of confidence in these measurement techniques. However, the applicability of the laboratory calibration factors to ambient conditions has not been investigated thoroughly yet. As part of the LBA-SMOCC (Large scale Biosphere atmosphere experiment in Amazonia – SMOke aerosols, Clouds, rainfall and Climate) campaign from September to November 2002 in the Amazon basin we performed an extensive field calibration of a 1-λ PSAP and a 7-λ Aethalometer utilizing a photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS, 532 nm) as reference device. Especially during the dry period of the campaign, the aerosol population was dominated by pyrogenic emissions. The most pronounced artifact of integrating-plate type attenuation techniques (e.g. Aethalometer, PSAP) is due to multiple scattering effects within the filter matrix. For the PSAP, we essentially confirmed the laboratory calibration factor by Bond et al. (1999). On the other hand, for the Aethalometer we found a multiple scattering enhancement of 5.23 (or 4.55, if corrected for aerosol scattering), which is significantly larger than the factors previously reported (~2) for laboratory calibrations. While the exact reason for this discrepancy is unknown, the available data from the present and previous studies suggest aerosol mixing (internal versus external) as a likely cause. For Amazonian aerosol, we found no absorption enhancement due to hygroscopic particle growth in the relative humidity (RH) range between 40% and 80%. However, a substantial bias in PSAP sensitivity that correlated with both RH and temperature (T) was observed for 20%<RH<30% and 24°C<T<26°C, respectively. In addition, both PSAP and Aethalometer demonstrated no sensitivity to gaseous adsorption. Although very similar in measurement principle, the PSAP and Aethalometer require markedly different correction factors, which is probably due to the different filter media used. Although on-site calibration of the PSAP and Aethalometer is advisable for best data quality, we recommend a set of "best practice" correction factors for ambient sampling based on the data from the present and previous studies. For this study, the estimated accuracies of the absorption coefficients determined by the PAS, PSAP and Aethalometer were 10, 15 and 20% (95% confidence level), respectively.
Estimates of global mean direct climate forcing by absorbing aerosols located above boundary layer clouds are large, uncertain, and almost entirely unconstrained by observations. Spaceborne lidar ...offers a new opportunity for global constraints. Here we examine techniques for using liquid water clouds as lidar targets, allowing aerosol optical depth and Ångström exponent to be deduced directly from aerosol effects on light transmission. Two such techniques are examined using data from the Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO). The first is a previously reported method based on measurements of cloud depolarization ratio (DR) at 532‐nm wavelength. The second is a new method using measurements of cloud color ratio (CR), which is the ratio of the signal from the cloud at 1064 nm to that at 532 nm. Optical depth retrievals from these two methods compare favorably over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean during August 2006, when biomass burning aerosols are frequently advected over marine stratiform clouds. The CR technique is mainly sensitive to fine‐mode aerosols and essentially insensitive to clouds and coarse‐mode dust. Because anthropogenic aerosol is predominantly found in the fine mode, the CR technique can be used to help identify situations where anthropogenic cloudy‐sky direct radiative forcing is occurring. We demonstrate this capability using 6 months data over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean.
Several studies have implicated oxidative stress as one of the important mechanisms of toxic effects of lead (Pb). In the present study we tested the beneficial effects of calcium (Ca2+) and zinc ...(Zn2+) in protecting the Pb‐induced oxidative stress in the brains of developing and adult mice. Mice were lactationally exposed to 0.2% Pb and supplemented with either calcium (Ca2+) or zinc (Zn2+) and the mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), xanthine oxidase (XO) and catalase (CAT) and lipid peroxidation (LP) were analyzed in cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum and medulla of brains excised on postnatal day (PND) 14, 21, 28 and 3 months. The levels of free radicals were measured using direct Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Exposure to Pb resulted a significant decrease in the activities of SOD, XO and CAT while the LP levels were significantly increased in different brain regions. Evaluation of EPR signals and g‐values showed abundant accumulation of free radicals in different regions of the brain following Pb exposure. Interestingly the supplementation with Ca2+ or Zn2+ reversed the Pb‐induced effects on antioxidant enzymes, LP and free radical formation; however Zn2+ supplementation appeared to be more protective. These findings strongly support that zinc and calcium supplementation significantly protect the Pb‐induced oxidative stress, a major contributing factor to neurotoxicity.
BACKGROUND:Oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery (OBCS) avoids mastectomy for larger tumors, but patient-reported outcomes are unknown.
METHODS:The BREAST-Q questionnaire was distributed to 333 women ...following therapeutic mammaplasty or latissimus dorsi (LD) miniflap since 1991 tumor diameter, 32.5 (5–100) mm). QScore software generated scores/100 for breast appearance, physical, emotional, and sexual wellbeing. Outcomes following therapeutic mammaplasty and LD miniflap were compared and qualitative data analyzed to identify common themes relating to satisfaction.
RESULTS:One hundred fifty (45%) women responded mammaplasty versus LD miniflap, 52% versus 42%; age, 52 (30–83) years; follow-up, 84 (4–281) months). Eighty-nine percent rated OBCS better than mastectomy, > 80% recommending it to others. Mean outcome scores for breast appearance, physical, and emotional wellbeing were high and persisted beyond 15 years. Therapeutic mammaplasty patients were significantly more satisfied than those undergoing LD miniflap with the shape (P < 0.05), the size (P < 0.005), and the natural feel of the treated breast (P = 0.01). They demonstrated similar scores for physical and emotional wellbeing and a lower score for sexual wellbeing than LD miniflap patients. More LD miniflap patients reported back/shoulder symptoms and were more likely to report upper back pain (P < 0.05), but very few (< 5%) were concerned about donor-site appearance. Overall satisfaction with surgical outcomes was high in both OBCS groups (82% “excellent/very good”) but greatest after therapeutic mammaplasty (P < 0.005).
CONCLUSIONS:Patients report long-lasting satisfaction after OBCS and outcomes that compare very favorably with those reported following mastectomy and immediate autologous reconstruction.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.
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