A nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) mass screening trial using a combination of immunoglobulin A antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen and nuclear antigen-1 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent ...assay in addition to indirect mirror examination in the nasopharynx and/or lymphatic palpation (IMLP) was conducted in southern China. Cantonese aged 30-59 years residing in 2 cities randomly selected by cluster sampling, Sihui and Zhongshan, were invited to participate in this screening from May 2008 through May 2010. Participants were offered fiberoptic endoscopy examination and/or pathologic biopsy if their serologic tests reached our predefined level of high risk or if results from the physical examination indicated possible cancer (i.e., were IMLP positive). A total of 28,688 individuals were voluntarily screened in the initial round. The overall NPC detection rate was 0.14% (41/28,688) with an early diagnosis rate of 68.3% (28/41) during the first year of follow-up. Thirty-eight of 41 cases (92.7%) were detected among the high-risk group, and 7 of 41 cases (17.1%) were detected among the IMLP-positive group. The 2 Epstein-Barr virus serologic tests by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay could be a feasible alternative for NPC screening in endemic areas. Further follow-up is needed to examine whether screening has an effect on decreasing mortality from NPC in these areas.
Blue electrophosphorescence in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) is enhanced by the use of 3,6‐bis(triphenylsilyl)carbazole (see figure). This carbazole derivative with sterically bulky and ...large‐gap triphenylsilyl groups is an electrochemically and morphologically stable efficient host material for blue electrophosphorescence. When utilized in OLEDs, high efficiencies of up to 16 %, 30.6 cd A–1, and 26.7 lm W–1 are achieved.
To determine whether whole-body total lesion glycolysis (TLG), which combines volumetric and metabolic information from fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography ...(PET)/computed tomography (CT), can provide a better evaluation of the prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The institutional review board approved this retrospective study, and the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. The authors identified 105 consecutive patients with NSCLC who underwent staging FDG PET/CT before any therapy. These patients were free of brain metastasis and underwent standard treatment and subsequent clinical follow-up. Metabolic tumor volume (MTV), mean standardized uptake value (SUV), and maximum SUV of each tumor over the whole body were determined. Whole-body MTV and whole-body TLG are the summation of all the MTVs and summation of individual tumor volume multiplied by its mean SUV, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the prognostic significance of whole-body TLG and other factors, including whole-body MTV, lung TLG, lung MTV, maximum SUV, sex, age, performance status, histologic subtype, T stage, N stage, clinical stage, and treatment method.
The median follow-up time was 3.1 years. The estimated median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for the cohort was 10.8 months and 2.8 years, respectively. The 1-year PFS was 0.0% for patients with high whole-body TLG (>655) and 50.0% for those with low whole-body TLG (≤655). The 1-year OS was 58.8% for patients with high whole-body TLG and 84.1% for those with low whole-body TLG. Univariate analysis showed that whole-body TLG, whole-body MTV, lung TLG, lung MTV, maximum SUV, performance status, T stage, N stage, clinical stage, and treatment type (surgery vs other) were significant prognostic factors for PFS (P < .01 for all). With use of the forward stepwise multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, whole-body TLG (hazard ratio = 2.92; 95% confidence interval: 1.62, 5.26; P < .01) and surgical treatment (hazard ratio = 4.24; 95% confidence interval: 2.54, 7.07; P < .01) remained significant in PFS.
Whole-body TLG is of prognostic value for NSCLC. It may be a promising tool for stratifying patients with NSCLC for risk-adapted therapies.
We investigated how attention to a visual feature modulates representations of other features. The feature-similarity gain model predicts a graded modulation, whereas an alternative model asserts an ...inhibitory surround in feature space. Although evidence for both types of modulations can be found, a consensus has not emerged in the literature. Here, we aimed to reconcile these different views by systematically measuring how attention modulates color perception. Based on previous literature, we also predicted that color categories would impact attentional modulation. Our results showed that both surround suppression and feature-similarity gain modulate perception of colors but they operate on different similarity scales. Furthermore, the region of the suppressive surround coincided with the color category boundary, suggesting a categorical sharpening effect. We implemented a neural population coding model to explain the observed behavioral effects, which revealed a hitherto unknown connection between neural tuning shift and surround suppression.
Previous results from our trial showed that adding oxaliplatin to radiotherapy (RT) increased survival in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) at 2 years. Here, we ...present the data of long-term efficacy and late toxic effects.
Between January 2001 and January 2003, 115 Patients with nonkeratinizing/undifferentiated locoregionally advanced NPC were randomly to receive either RT alone (n = 56) or plus concurrent oxaliplatin 70 mg/m2 weekly for six cycles (n = 59).
After a median follow-up of 114 months (range 18–139 months), the 5-year overall survival (OS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS) rates in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) group were significantly higher than those observed in the RT-alone group (OS, 73.2% versus 60.2%, P = 0.028; MFS, 74.7% versus 63.0%, P = 0.027). However, CCRT did not improve locoregional failure-free survival significantly. Subgroup analyses showed that the superiorities of CCRT mainly existed in the T3-4N0-1 stage subgroup (OS: HR = 0.394, P = 0.034). The grade 3/4 late toxic effects were similar in the two groups.
The long-term follow-up data confirms the role of CCRT as a treatment of locoregionally advanced NPC. Oxaliplatin can be considered as an alternative optional therapeutic regimen for these patients due to its high efficiency and low toxic effect.
Adaptive visual selection in feature space Liu, Taosheng; Fang, Ming W. H.; Saba-Sadiya, Sari
Psychonomic bulletin & review,
06/2023, Volume:
30, Issue:
3
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Visual perception relies on efficient selection of task-relevant information for prioritized processing. A prevalent mode of selection is feature-based selection, and a key question in the literature ...is the shape of the selection profile—that is, when a feature is selected, what is the landscape of priority for all features in that dimension? Past studies have reported conflicting findings with both monotonic and nonmonotonic profiles. We hypothesized that feature selection can be adaptively adjusted based on stimulus factors (feature competition) and task demands (selection precision). In three experiments, we manipulated these contextual factors in a central task while measuring selection profile in a peripheral task. We found a nonmonotonic, surround suppression, profile when feature competition and selection precision was high, but observed a monotonic profile when these factors were low. Furthermore, manipulation of selection precision alone can shape selection profile independent of feature competition. These findings reconcile previous conflicting results and importantly, demonstrate that feature selection is highly adaptive, allowing flexible allocation of processing resources to ensure efficient extraction of visual information.
A rechargeable hybrid aqueous battery (ReHAB) containing NASICON-type M3V2(PO4)3 (M = Li, Na) as the cathodes and Zinc metal as the anode, working in Li2SO4-ZnSO4 aqueous electrolyte, has been ...studied. Both of Li3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)3 cathodes can be reversibly charge/discharge with the initial discharge capacity of 128 mAh g(-1) and 96 mAh g(-1) at 0.2C, respectively, with high up to 84% of capacity retention ratio after 200 cycles. The electrochemical assisted ex-XRD confirm that Li3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)3 are relative stable in aqueous electrolyte, and Na3V2(PO4)3 showed more complicated electrochemical mechanism due to the co-insertion of Li(+) and Na(+). The effect of pH of aqueous electrolyte and the dendrite of Zn on the cycling performance of as designed MVP/Zn ReHABs were investigated, and weak acidic aqueous electrolyte with pH around 4.0-4.5 was optimized. The float current test confirmed that the designed batteries are stable in aqueous electrolytes. The MVP//Zn ReHABs could be a potential candidate for future rechargeable aqueous battery due to their high safety, fast dynamic speed and adaptable electrochemical window. Moreover, this hybrid battery broadens the scope of battery material research from single-ion-involving to double-ions -involving rechargeable batteries.
Hetero-deformation induced (HDI) hardening has been attributed to geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) that are needed to accommodate strain gradient near the interfaces of heterostructured ...domains. Here we report that HDI hardening does not increase linearly with increasing strain gradient in the interface-affected zone. This is because some GND pileups may be absorbed by the interface and consequently does not contribute to HDI hardening with increasing strain gradient. Higher mechanical incompatibility across interface produces higher strain gradient. The strain gradient-dependent strengthening effect of heterostructured interface mainly originates from the development of HDI stress.
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Resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs remains as the major cause of treatment failure in acute myeloid leukemia. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) are important regulators to maintain chromatin ...structure and control DNA damage; nevertheless, how each HDAC regulates genome stability remains unclear, especially under genome stress conditions. Here, we identified a mechanism by which HDAC3 regulates DNA damage repair and mediates resistance to chemotherapy drugs. In addition to inducing DNA damage, chemotherapy drugs trigger upregulation of HDAC3 expression in leukemia cells. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we show that HDAC3 contributes to chemotherapy resistance by regulating the activation of AKT, a well-documented factor in drug resistance development. HDAC3 binds to AKT and deacetylates it at the site Lys20, thereby promoting the phosphorylation of AKT. Chemotherapy drug exposure enhances the interaction between HDAC3 and AKT, resulting in decrease in AKT acetylation and increase in AKT phosphorylation. Whereas HDAC3 depletion or inhibition abrogates these responses and meanwhile sensitizes leukemia cells to chemotoxicity-induced apoptosis. Importantly, in vivo HDAC3 suppression reduces leukemia progression and sensitizes MLL-AF9
leukemia to chemotherapy. Our findings suggest that combination therapy with HDAC3 inhibitor and genotoxic agents may constitute a successful strategy for overcoming chemotherapy resistance.