•We evaluated the potential of radiomics and machine leaning on small data samples.•Training predictive models is challenging when small data samples are available.•Small proprietary samples may be ...integrated with larger publicly available cases.•Predictive performances were evaluated on each sample and on the merged one.•Inter-sample cross validation is feasible when samples have similar composition.
Predictive models based on radiomics and machine-learning (ML) need large and annotated datasets for training, often difficult to collect. We designed an operative pipeline for model training to exploit data already available to the scientific community. The aim of this work was to explore the capability of radiomic features in predicting tumor histology and stage in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
We analyzed the radiotherapy planning thoracic CT scans of a proprietary sample of 47 subjects (L-RT) and integrated this dataset with a publicly available set of 130 patients from the MAASTRO NSCLC collection (Lung1). We implemented intra- and inter-sample cross-validation strategies (CV) for evaluating the ML predictive model performances with not so large datasets.
We carried out two classification tasks: histology classification (3 classes) and overall stage classification (two classes: stage I and II). In the first task, the best performance was obtained by a Random Forest classifier, once the analysis has been restricted to stage I and II tumors of the Lung1 and L-RT merged dataset (AUC = 0.72 ± 0.11). For the overall stage classification, the best results were obtained when training on Lung1 and testing of L-RT dataset (AUC = 0.72 ± 0.04 for Random Forest and AUC = 0.84 ± 0.03 for linear-kernel Support Vector Machine).
According to the classification task to be accomplished and to the heterogeneity of the available dataset(s), different CV strategies have to be explored and compared to make a robust assessment of the potential of a predictive model based on radiomics and ML.
The remodeling of calcium homeostasis contributes to the cancer hallmarks and the molecular mechanisms involved in calcium channel regulation in tumors remain to be characterized. Here, we report ...that SigmaR1, a stress-activated chaperone, is required to increase calcium influx by triggering the coupling between SK3, a Ca2+-activated K+ channel (KCNN3) and the voltage-independent calcium channel Orai1. We show that SigmaR1 physically binds SK3 in BC cells. Inhibition of SigmaR1 activity, either by molecular silencing or by the use of sigma ligand (igmesine), decreased SK3 current and Ca2+ entry in breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Interestingly, SigmaR1 inhibition diminished SK3 and/or Orai1 levels in lipid nanodomains isolated from BC cells. Analyses of tissue microarray from CRC patients showed higher SigmaR1 expression levels in cancer samples and a correlation with tumor grade. Moreover, the exploration of a cohort of 4937 BC patients indicated that high expression of SigmaR1 and Orai1 channels was significantly correlated to a lower overall survival. As the SK3/Orai1 tandem drives invasive process in CRC and bone metastasis progression in BC, our results may inaugurate innovative therapeutic approaches targeting SigmaR1 to control the remodeling of Ca2+ homeostasis in epithelial cancers.
•A low-power benchtop TXRF system was used for analysis of 70 wine samples.•The metal content of K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Sr, Rb, Ba, Pb, Ni, Cr and V was estimated by chemometric methods.•Mn, K, Ni, ...Sr, Rb and Ba were the main variables used to differentiate by wine type and origin.•LDA showed good detection and prediction abilities with selected elements.•Classification of origin and type of Croatian wines by chemometric tools.
The contents of selected metals (K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Sr, Rb, Ba, Pb, Ni, Cr and V) in 70 wine samples from Continental and Adriatic part of Croatia and different types of wine (red and white) were determined by TXRF. The aim of this study was to compare the elemental composition of wines from two different regions and to determine the discriminant ability of each variable and to indicate which variables discriminate between the four categories considered.
Principal component analysis and cluster analysis showed that K, Mn, Ba and Ni can be considered as the most important characteristics to distinguish between Continental red and white wines, Rb, Ni and Ba for Continental red and Adriatic red wines while Sr is the only metal that completely distinguishes the samples of each category. Finally, linear discriminant analysis showed good recognition (100%) and prediction abilities (96.43%) using these selected elements.
Caird Medal address Borgese, E. M
Marine policy,
11/2001, Letnik:
25, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The National Maritime Museum's Caird Medal was instituted to commemorate the Museum's principal founder and collector, Sir James Caird. First awarded in 1984, its aim is to honour outstanding ...scholars in fields related to the Museum's interests. Her work on oceanic environments and human interaction with the sea mirrors many of the issues covered by a suite of new galleries linked to the Museum's Planet Ocean initiative, which seeks to showcase the past, present and future of the oceans.
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can transform from a network of branching tubules into stacked membrane arrays (termed organized smooth ER OSER) in response to elevated levels of specific resident ...proteins, such as cytochrome b(5). Here, we have tagged OSER-inducing proteins with green fluorescent protein (GFP) to study OSER biogenesis and dynamics in living cells. Overexpression of these proteins induced formation of karmellae, whorls, and crystalloid OSER structures. Photobleaching experiments revealed that OSER-inducing proteins were highly mobile within OSER structures and could exchange between OSER structures and surrounding reticular ER. This indicated that binding interactions between proteins on apposing stacked membranes of OSER structures were not of high affinity. Addition of GFP, which undergoes low affinity, antiparallel dimerization, to the cytoplasmic domains of non-OSER-inducing resident ER proteins was sufficient to induce OSER structures when overexpressed, but addition of a nondimerizing GFP variant was not. These results point to a molecular mechanism for OSER biogenesis that involves weak homotypic interactions between cytoplasmic domains of proteins. This mechanism may underlie the formation of other stacked membrane structures within cells.
The economics of the common heritage Borgese, E.Mann
Ocean & coastal management,
2000, 2000-1-00, 20000101, Letnik:
43, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
It is the thesis of this paper that (a) a very large part of the
resources, goods and services in the next century will be ocean-dependent; and (b) that the particular nature of the ocean environment ...magnifies the issues challenging contemporary economic thinking in general. It is quite possible, therefore, that radical innovation in economic thinking will come from “ocean economics” rather than from land-oriented resource or environmental economics. This becomes quite plausible if one thinks that in other (though obviously related) sectors of new thinking, such as international law and governance, the marine sector has played a leading role, just because the ocean is a medium so different from land that it forces us to think differently. In the future the state of marine environment and health of the ocean will have large economical implications at the regional and global level, as it already has today in a number of places at the local and sub-regional level. Hence this overview within the context of this special issue. The paper will begin with a brief assessment of the oceans resource potential for the next century; it will then describe some of the issues humankind has to face in the use and management of these resources, and, in conclusion, the paper will attempt to distill some guidelines for “ocean economics” in the next century.
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•For the first time poultry litter ash are well-characterized.•Poultry litter ash contains large amount of amorphous phase.•This waste is proposed to be used for heavy metals ...stabilization.
This paper reports a complete characterisation of poultry litter ash and its potential use as a heavy metal stabiliser. We propose a novel approach, in which the ashes deriving from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) are combined with poultry litter ash, rather than with coal combustion flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) residues. Heavy metals stabilisation was demonstrated by comparing the elemental concentrations in the leaching solutions of the starting raw and stabilised materials: leachable Pb and Zn showed a reduced solubility. The characterisation was conducted by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX). The results showed that the poultry litter ash was Ca-, P-, K- and S-rich (>29 g/kg). It contained amorphous materials (i.e. fly ash economiser (FAECO) 73% and fly ash cyclone (FACYC) 61%) and soluble phases (e.g. arkanite and sylvite; up to 13% FAECO and 28% FACYC), as well as resilient crystalline (up to 2% of FAECO and FACYC) and amorphous phases (e.g. hydroxyapatite). After two months, the Pb and Zn concentrations in the leachate solutions were below the limit set by the European regulations for waste disposal (<0.2 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L, respectively). We propose a mechanism for the heavy metals stabilisation based on the carbonation process and high amounts of P, Ca and reactive amorphous phases. In conclusion, it is demonstrated that poultry litter ash can be an effective secondary source of heavy metals, allowing their immobilisation through P- and Ca-based reactive amorphous phases.
This paper presents the successful application of total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) for the identification of products obtained from mechanically separated meat (MSM), a very ...important issue for food quality and safety. According to the European Food Safety Authority, one of the most important parameters to distinguish MSM is the content of Ca. Consequently, the development of reliable and cost-effective analytical tools is very important to monitor the chemical composition of these foods.
In this study, we have developed an analytical method for elemental analysis of meat samples based on total reflection X-ray fluorescence. A simple sample preparation by suspending the grinded meat sample in a solution of diluted Triton X-100 and polyvinyl alcohol in water showed to be the best for this kind of samples. Fresh chicken meat, chicken meat with different percentage of MSM, pure MSM and meat products prepared with MSM were analyzed. The content of K, Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn was determined. Results show that Ca, but also K and Fe are significant markers to distinguish MSM from fresh meat. A limit of 40% MSM for differentiation was achieved by applying principal component analysis. The method accuracy was evaluated comparing the obtained results with those obtained after acidic digestion and ICP-MS analysis.
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•A novel method to distinguish mechanically separated meat (MSM) was developed.•Fresh chicken meat, products with MSM and pure MSM were analyzed by TXRF.•Differentiation of meat types was successfully achieved by PCA.•K, Ca and Fe were the most significant markers to distinguish fresh meat from MSM.
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) allows the deposition of thin films onto flat as well as complex geometry surfaces with excellent conformality. Thicknesses of few atomic layers can be achieved. ...Moreover, low-temperature deposition is possible and this enables the change of surface properties of many kinds of materials. Good adhesion characteristics and also good mechanical performance of ALD deposited thin films make the technique extremely interesting for several applications, as for example micro-electronics. TiO2 is a well studied semiconductor material because of its multifunctional properties that open a wide range of applications for example in photocatalysis, optics and solar cells. ALD is extremely completive to other technique, to deposit titania thin films, employed even to improve the biocompatibility of many kind of materials. TiO2 thin films are deposited with ALD technique at low temperature (90 degree C) onto Kapton substrate and then crystallized ex-situ after annealing at 300 degree C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques are very suitable for the analysis of structure and microstructure of films and surface layers. In this work, XRD in combination with in situ tensile testing has been applied for the first time to measure elastic properties (elastic modulus and Poisson ratio) of TiO2 anatase thin films obtained by ALD. For the experimental conditions, the tensile stage was installed in a Synchrotron laboratory of Soleil. The information extracted from diffraction patterns is presented.
This study shows a reliable procedure to prescribe the preferential use of a material for food contact. Release tests with optimized parameters were performed on six different stainless steel ...accepted for the use in food contact: AISI 420, AISI 430, AISI 202, AISI 303, AISI 304, and AISI 316. Total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy was used to measure the concentration of Cr, Mn and Ni in contact solutions from release tests. Results show that AISI 202 and 430 release the lowest amount of Mn, Cr and Ni. While, AISI 420 is the worst material, exceeding the limit set in the Italian regulation for all the three metals of interest. One sample was selected to test the reproducibility of TXRF measurements performed in three different laboratories around the world. Results show that quantitative analyses by means of TXRF satisfy the requirements of this field of application.
•A release test to simulate food contact with stainless steel was optimized.•Quantitative analysis of release tests water solutions was performed by TXRF.•TXRF has the advantage of simultaneous identification of all elements present in solutions.•The developed procedure is useful to prescribe the preferential use of a material for food utensils.
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