•The comprehensive utilization of solar light frequency division and Even-lighting technologies are deployed to reduce the rate of soil water evaporation.•The mechanism of water evaporation reduction ...was analysed.•Cumulative evaporation from soil and pan surfaces decreased by 21% and 14% under Concentrated-lighting Agrivoltaic System.•Cumulative evaporation from soil and pan surfaces decreased by 33% and 19% under Even-lighting Agrivoltaic System.
The triple benefits of the AgriVoltaic Systems Development (AVSD) have been well demonstrated, not only for the PV electricity generation but also for reduced water evaporation, enhancing further the benefits of simultaneously crop growth on the same land area. However, the reduction rate of the water evaporation of AVSD has not been investigated in a quantitative way. Therefore, this study conducted experiments to measure water evaporation reduction under the Concentrated-lighting Agrivoltaic System (CAS) and the Even-lighting Agrivoltaic System (EAS). Evaporation containers and pans were placed in the bare soil (CK) under the CAS and the EAS. Our results showed a significant reduction in water evaporation under CAS and EAS. Cumulative soil surface evaporation of CK, CAS, and EAS for 45 days was 80.53 mm, 63.38 mm, and 54.14 mm. The cumulative water evaporation from soil and pan surfaces decreased by 21 % and 14 % (under CAS), 33 %, and 19 % (under EAS), respectively. The slope β1 ≠ 0 of simple linear regression showed a significant positive relationship between evaporation time and cumulative water evaporation. The correlation coefficient in all treatments was more than 0.91, suggesting a robust linear relationship. The feasibility of AVSD could significantly reduce irrigation water, enhance crop growth, and generate electricity simultaneously on the same agricultural land.
Doxorubicin (Dox) is a widely used chemotherapy, but its effectiveness is limited by dose-dependent side effects. Although lower Dox doses reduce this risk, studies have reported higher recurrence of ...local disease with no improvement in survival rate in patients receiving low doses of Dox. To effectively mitigate this, a better understanding of the adverse effects of suboptimal Dox doses is needed.
Effects of sublethal dose of Dox on phenotypic changes were assessed with light and confocal microscopy. Migratory and invasive behavior were assessed by wound healing and transwell migration assays. MTT and LDH release assays were used to analyze cell growth and cytotoxicity. Flow cytometry was employed to detect cell surface markers of cancer stem cell population. Expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases were probed with qRT-PCR and zymogen assay. To identify pathways affected by sublethal dose of Dox, exploratory RNAseq was performed and results were verified by qRT-PCR in multiple cell lines (MCF7, ZR75-1 and U-2OS). Regulation of Src Family kinases (SFK) by key players in DNA damage response was assessed by siRNA knockdown along with western blot and qRT-PCR. Dasatinib and siRNA for Fyn and Yes was employed to inhibit SFKs and verify their role in increased migration and invasion in MCF7 cells treated with sublethal doses of Dox.
The results show that sublethal Dox treatment leads to increased migration and invasion in otherwise non-invasive MCF7 breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, these effects were independent of the epithelial mesenchymal transition, were not due to increased cancer stem cell population, and were not observed with other chemotherapies. Instead, sublethal Dox induces expression of multiple SFK-including Fyn, Yes, and Src-partly in a p53 and ATR-dependent manner. These effects were validated in multiple cell lines. Functionally, inhibiting SFKs with Dasatinib and specific downregulation of Fyn suppressed Dox-induced migration and invasion of MCF7 cells.
Overall, this study demonstrates that sublethal doses of Dox activate a pro-invasive, pro-migration program in cancer cells. Furthermore, by identifying SFKs as key mediators of these effects, our results define a potential therapeutic strategy to mitigate local invasion through co-treatment with Dasatinib.
Purpose
The prognosis of local invasive recurrence (LIR) after prior carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the breast has not been widely studied and existing data are conflicting, especially considering the ...specific prognosis of this entity, compared to de novo invasive breast cancer (de novo IBC) and with LIR after primary IBC.
Methods
We designed a retrospective study using data from the specialized Côte d’Or Breast and Gynecological cancer registry, between 1998 and 2015, to compare outcomes between 3 matched groups of patients with localized IBC: patients with LIR following CIS (CIS-LIR), patients with de novo IBC (de novo IBC), and patients with LIR following a first IBC (IBC-LIR). Distant relapse-free (D-RFS), overall survival (OS), clinical, and treatment features between the 3 groups were studied.
Results
Among 8186 women initially diagnosed with IBC during our study period, we retrieved and matched 49 CIS-LIR to 49 IBC, and 46 IBC-LIR patients. At diagnosis, IBC/LIR in the 3 groups were mainly stage I, grade II, estrogen receptor-positive, and HER2 negative. Metastatic diseases at diagnosis were higher in CIS-LIR group. A majority of patients received adjuvant systemic treatment, with no statistically significant differences between the 3 groups. There was no significant difference between the 3 groups in terms of OS or D-RFS.
Conclusion
LIR after CIS does not appear to impact per se on survival of IBC.
A variety of new polyfunctionally substituted benzodpyrimido2,1‐b1,3thiazole and benzo4,5imidazo1,2‐apyrimidine derivatives have been synthesized. The general synthetic procedure used for this ...purpose involves the condensation of 2‐aminobenzothiazole and 2‐aminobenzimidazole with a variety of enaminonitriles, enaminones, and acrylaldehyde. The regioselectivity for initial attack of either endocyclic ring nitrogen or exocyclic amino group was studied and rationalized for. It has been concluded that ring nitrogen is the most reactive cite in acidic medium, and cyclic intermediate can also be isolated, attesting to this conclusion upon cyclization. However, in basic or neutral medium, the exocyclic amino group was found to be the most reactive center. All structures of the newly synthesized compounds were elucidated by elemental analysis, spectral data, and alternative synthetic route whenever possible.
Background: Vitiligo is an acquired disfiguring common depigmented skin disease.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of suction blistering graft, mini punch and ...hair follicle techniques in treatment of patients with stable vitiligo.
Methods: Thirty patients with stable vitiligo were included. Patients were divided into 3 groups, in group (A) 10 patient underwent suction blistering technique, in group (B) 10 patients underwent mini punch technique and in group (C) 10 patients underwent hair follicle technique. Then all patients in the three techniques were subjected to narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy for 3 months. All patients were assessed by determining the percentage of repigmentation and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) before and 3 months after the operation.
Results: The percentage of repigmentation of vitiligo in suction blister technique was significantly higher than both mini punch and hair follicle techniques (p value .001 and .0001 respectively). There was a statistically significant difference between the three techniques regarding DLQI score after operation (p value = .0001).
Conclusion: This study concluded that suction blistering technique is more effective and safe than mini punch technique and hair follicle technique in treatment of stable vitiligo.
Treating infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is challenging. In addition to its intrinsic ability to develop resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, it also produces extended-spectrum ...β-lactamase (ESBL). Continuous update of the antibiograms is required to cope with the rate of the emergence of antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and to determine the frequency of ESBL production among the P. aeruginosa isolates from patients at two public military hospitals in Khartoum, Sudan. A total of 34 isolates of P. aeruginosa obtained from patients with diabetic septic foot wounds were tested for their antibiotic sensitivity patterns. Resistance occurred most commonly to ceftazidime (35%), followed by ciprofloxacin (20.6%) and piperacillin (14.7%). We found that 17.6% of the P. aeruginosa isolates were ESBL producers, but all of these isolates were sensitive to meropenem. The chi-squared test showed a significant association between the ESBL production and antimicrobial resistance to amikacin, ceftazidime, and piperacillin. Our findings strengthen previous reports in which aminoglycosides (amikacin) and carbapenems (meropenem) were found to be highly effective against P. aeruginosa. Our findings highlight the need for effective surveillance and antibiogram-guided antibiotic prescription.
From top to bottom: Peptide lines were formed in trenches in the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on an Au substrate. Combination of the top-down (peptide nanolithography) and the bottom-up ...fabrications (biomineralization) yielded arrays of monodisperse Au nanoparticles assembled on the peptide lines (see picture). The number of nanoparticles on the lines was simply determined by the width of the peptide pattern.
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among cancer patients in Saudi Arabia. It is known that nurses play a key role in promoting breast cancer awareness among women in any society. ...Nurses in primary health care centres (PHCC) have more direct contact with general population. This study aimed to investigate nurse knowledge of breast cancer and practice of early screening in PHCC in Jeddah city.
A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to assess the general knowledge of breast cancer, risk factors, and practice of 210 PHCC nurses. Data were analysed using SPSS v.16.
The mean age of the PHCC Nurses was 36.9 (SD ±8.6). Only 11% percent scored <50% of the total score for general epidemiological knowledge on breast cancer, about 35% scored <50% of the total score for breast cancer risk factors. Sixty seven percent scored >75% of the total score on breast cancer signs. Majority of nurses 62.8% practiced BSE, but only 4% practiced regularly every month. Some 28% practiced once per year. About 81% of the nurses had not had a clinical breast examination and only 14% had had a mammography. The results of the study failed to show any correlation between the knowledge scores with age, education, year of experience, family history of BC and marital status of the nurses.
The results from the study reflect that there is a need to provide continuing nursing education programmes for PHCC nurses to improve their breast cancer knowledge and practice.
Introduction: Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase Inducer (EMMPRIN), also known as CD147, is a member of the adhesion molecules which play important roles in cellular function both in ...physiological and pathological processes. The main function of EMMPRIN is its role in tumour metastasis, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance. Aim: To investigate the immunohistochemical expression of EMMPRIN in cases of astrocytic CNS tumours. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 60 archived, formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks of 60 cases of astrocytic CNS tumours. The samples were immunohistochemically analysed for EMMPRIN expression. Results: A statistically significant correlation was detected between EMMPRIN expression and astrocytic CNS WHO tumour grade (p-value=0.035). Conclusion: EMMPRIN is a prognostic marker in astrocytic CNS tumours. In addition, it is implicated in tumour progression including invasion and migration.
Background
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a typical complex degenerative articular ailment that shows focal cartilage loss, new bone formation with involvement of entire joint tissues. Dkk-1 assumes a job in ...controlling the pattern of bone repair and regeneration in both OA and RA. This study aimed to determine serum and synovial fluid levels of Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) in patients with primary OA of the knee joint and study their correlations with disease activity and severity. This study included 45 patients, 30 of them were diagnosed as primary knee OA. Fifteen rheumatoid arthritis patients as well as 15 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study as control groups, serum and synovial levels of Dkk-1 were estimated utilizing the ELISA technique.
Results
Serum levels of Dkk-1 were significantly higher in OA patients than healthy subjects (
p
< 0.001), although it was even significantly higher in RA patients than OA patients (
p
< 0.001). There was a highly significant decrease in the median synovial level of Dkk-1 in OA patients compared to the RA control group (
p
< 0.001). There was a highly statistically significant inverse correlation between circulating as well as synovial fluid Dkk-1 levels and radiological disease grading in knee OA (
p
< 0.001). There was a statistically significant decrease in serum levels of Dkk-1 in patients with severe OA (grade 3, 4) compared to those with mild OA (Grade 2) (
p
< 0.001).
Conclusion
Dkk-1 is an interesting marker that is related to articular disease .It could play an important role in decelerating the degenerative process of OA and can reflects radiographic severity of the disease as well.
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