Prediction of the
(IDH1)-mutation and 1p/19q-codeletion status of World Health Organization grade ll gliomas preoperatively may assist in predicting prognosis and planning treatment strategies. Our ...aim was to characterize the histogram and texture analyses of apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy maps to determine
-mutation and 1p/19q-codeletion status in World Health Organization grade II gliomas.
Ninety-three patients with World Health Organization grade II gliomas with known
mutation and 1p/19q-codeletion status (18
wild-type, 45
mutant and no 1p/19q codeletion, 30
mutant and 1p/19q codeleted tumors) underwent DTI. ROIs were drawn on every section of the T2-weighted images and transferred to the ADC and the fractional anisotropy maps to derive volume-based data of the entire tumor. Histogram and texture analyses were correlated with the
-mutation and 1p/19q-codeletion status. The predictive powers of imaging features for
wild-type tumors and 1p/19q-codeletion status in
-mutant subgroups were evaluated using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator.
Various histogram and texture parameters differed significantly according to
-mutation and 1p/19q-codeletion status. The skewness and energy of ADC, 10th and 25th percentiles, and correlation of fractional anisotropy were independent predictors of an
wild-type in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The area under the receiver operating curve for the prediction model was 0.853. The skewness and cluster shade of ADC, energy, and correlation of fractional anisotropy were independent predictors of a 1p/19q codeletion in
-mutant tumors in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The area under the receiver operating curve was 0.807.
Whole-tumor histogram and texture features of the ADC and fractional anisotropy maps are useful for predicting the
-mutation and 1p/19q-codeletion status in World Health Organization grade II gliomas.
An experimental investigation was carried out in a low-turbulence wind tunnel to study the early development of artificially initiated turbulent spots in a laminar boundary layer over a flat plate. ...The reproducibility of the experiments allowed us to observe fine structural details that have not been observed previously. Initial velocity disturbances quickly developed into hairpin-like structures that multiplied downstream, which increased the width, length and height of the incipient turbulent spots. Only those disturbances that were greater than a threshold value developed into turbulent spots while the others decayed. The rate of development was also affected by the duration of the initial disturbances. We found that the behaviour of turbulence generation within a turbulent spot is similar to the burst events in the turbulent boundary layer, where ejection events are followed by sweep events.
Reactor experiment for neutrino oscillation (RENO) began data-taking from August 2011. It successfully observed reactor antineutrino disappearance in April 2012 to measure the smallest mixing angle ...of θ13. Two identical detectors, one at near location and the other at far location, are constructed at the Yonggwang nuclear power plant in South Korea, to compare the observed reactor neutrino fluxes. Each RENO detector is filled with 16 mass tons of Gadolinium loaded liquid scintillator (GdLS) in the neutrino target region, and with 28 mass tons of unloaded liquid scintillator (LS) in the γ-catcher region surrounding the target. LS was developed to satisfy chemical, physical, optical properties, and safety requirements. Linear alkyl benzene (LAB) was chosen as a solvent because of its high flash-point, sufficient light yield, and being environmentally friendly. GdLS is carefully developed to keep a long attenuation length and high light yield for a long time period. In this paper, we report the characteristics and mass production of the RENO LS and GdLS.
Ductile failure of metals is often treated as the result of void nucleation, growth and coalescence. Various criteria have been proposed to capture this failure mechanism for various materials. In ...this study, ductile failure of dual phase steels is predicted in the form of plastic strain localization resulting from the incompatible deformation between the harder martensite phase and the softer ferrite matrix. Microstructure-level inhomogeneity serves as the initial imperfection triggering the instability in the form of plastic strain localization during the deformation process. Failure modes and ultimate ductility of two dual phase steels are analyzed using finite element analyses based on the actual steel microstructures. The plastic work hardening properties for the constituent phases are determined by the in-situ synchrotron-based high-energy X-ray diffraction technique. Under different loading conditions, different failure modes and ultimate ductility are predicted in the form of plastic strain localization. It is found that the local failure mode and ultimate ductility of dual phase steels are closely related to the stress state in the material. Under plane stress condition with free lateral boundary, one dominant shear band develops and leads to final failure of the material. However, if the lateral boundary is constrained, splitting failure perpendicular to the loading direction is predicted with much reduced ductility. On the other hand, under plane strain loading condition, commonly observed necking phenomenon is predicted which leads to the final failure of the material. These predictions are in reasonably good agreement with experimental observations.
Uncovering the mechanisms that govern the maintenance of stem-like cancer cells is critical for developing therapeutic strategies for targeting these cells. Constitutive activation of c-Jun ...N-terminal kinase (JNK) has been reported in gliomas and correlates with histological grade. Here, we found that JNK signaling is crucial for the maintenance of 'stemness' in glioma cells. Sphere-cultured glioma cells showed more phosphorylation of JNK compared with serum-containing monolayer cultures. Importantly, blockade of JNK signaling with SP600125 or small interfering RNAs targeting JNK1 or JNK2 significantly reduced the CD133(+)/Nestin(+) population and suppressed sphere formation, colony formation in soft agar, and expression of stem cell markers in sphere-cultured glioma cells. Intriguingly, sphere-cultured glioma cells exhibited enhanced expression of Notch-2, but not Notch-1, -3 or -4, and JNK inhibition almost completely abrogated this increase. Blocking the phosphoinoside 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway with LY294002 or si-Akt also suppressed the self-renewal of sphere-cultured glioma cells. PI3K, but not Akt, had a role as an upstream kinase in JNK1/2 activation. In addition, treatment with si-JNK greatly increased etoposide- and ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cell death in glioma spheres. Consistent with glioma cell lines, glioma stem-like cells isolated from primary patient glioma cells also had a higher activity of JNK and Notch-2 expression. Importantly, inhibition of JNK2 led to a decrease of Notch-2 expression and suppressed the CD133(+)/Nestin(+) cell population in patient-derived primary glioma cells. Finally, downregulation of JNK2 almost completely suppressed intracranial tumor formation by glioma cells in nude mice. Taken together, these data demonstrate that JNK signaling is crucial for the maintenance of self-renewal and tumorigenicity of glioma stem-like cells and drug/IR resistance, and can be considered a promising target for eliminating stem-like cancer cells in gliomas.
Background. It is unclear if higher-dose oseltamivir provides benefit beyond the standard dose in influenza patients who require hospitalization. Methods. A prospective intervention study was ...performed in 2 acute care general hospitals in Hong Kong over 4 seasonal peaks (2010–2012). Adults (≥18 years) with laboratory-confirmed influenza (85 A/H3N2, 34 A/H1N1pdm09, 36 B) infections who presented within 96 hours were recruited. Study regimen of either 150 mg or 75 mg oseltamivir twice daily for 5 days was allocated by site, which was switched after 2 seasons. Subjects with preexisting renal impairment (creatinine clearance, 40–60 mL/minute) received 75 mg oseltamivir twice daily. Viral clearance by day 5 and clinical responses were compared between groups. Plasma steady-state trough oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) concentration was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Results. Altogether, 41 and 114 patients received 150 mg and 75 mg twice-daily oseltamivir, respectively; their enrollment characteristics (mean age, 61 ± 18 vs 66 ± 16 years) and illness severity were comparable. Trough OC levels were higher in the 150-mg group (501.0 ± 237.0 vs 342.6 ± 192.7 ng/mL). There were no significant differences in day 5 viral RNA (44.7% vs 40.2%) or culture negativity (100.0% vs 98.1%), RNA decline rate, and durations of fever, oxygen supplementation, and hospitalization. Results were similar when analyzed by study arm (all cases and among those without renal impairment). Subanalysis of influenza B patients showed faster RNA decline rate (analysis of variance, F = 4.14; P = .05) and clearance (day 5, 80.0% vs 57.1%) with higher-dose treatment. No oseltamivir resistance was found. Treatments were generally well tolerated. Conclusions. We found no additional benefit of higher-dose oseltamivir treatment in adults hospitalized with influenza A, but an improved virologic response in influenza B. Clinical Trials Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01052961.
We report inelastic neutron scattering measurements on Na2IrO3, a candidate for the Kitaev spin model on the honeycomb lattice. We observe spin-wave excitations below 5 meV with a dispersion that can ...be accounted for by including substantial further-neighbor exchanges that stabilize zigzag magnetic order. The onset of long-range magnetic order below T(N)=15.3 K is confirmed via the observation of oscillations in zero-field muon-spin rotation experiments. Combining single-crystal diffraction and density functional calculations we propose a revised crystal structure model with significant departures from the ideal 90° Ir-O-Ir bonds required for dominant Kitaev exchange.
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